Thug Love

Chapter 04

Chres noticed me staring at the picture. He walked up behind me. "That's my mom Monique. The other one is Pryce, you haven't met him and that's Liyah." I could hear the sorrow in his voice. "Everything seemed to perfect then. Nothing could erase those smiles off of our faces. Shit changed last year."

I couldn't help but ask "what happened? If you don't mind me asking."

Chres' eyes never left the picture as he spoke, "I don't mind but, her last words still ring in my head. 'Get out the game, son. You walk away from it before it takes you.' That's the first thing I think about every morning when I wake up."

I took a step towards Chres as she watched his eyes glisten. "Not to be nosey. Where is she now? " I really wanted to know why he starred at the picture as hard as he did.

Chres hadn't spoken to anyone about the situation with his mom. It brought back too many painful memories. With Bahja, he felt comfortable enough for him to lift burden off his shoulder. "The muthafucka that did that shit is lucky the streets caught up to him before I did. He beat and raped my mother."

My heart crushed for Chres because I could see the genuine love and affection he had for his mother. To have to have gone through this situation again with his sister had to be eating him apart.

Before Chres realized it, he felt a tear rolling down his cheek. This was the second time in one day that he cried in front of Bahja and he wasn't even embarrassed to say he did so. Something about her, made him feel beyond comfortable. He understood that she just got out of a relationship, but he was willing to wait for her, no matter how long it took. Chres wiped his face and finished giving Bahja the tour of his home. With every room they went into, she fell more and more in love with it.

Chres stood on the other side of the counter. "Tell me about you Ms. Bahja. What are your goals and dreams? Where do you see yourself ten years from now?"

I thought for a second. "Well for starters, I don't see myself living in Houston for much longer. I would love to see what the dirty south is all about." They shared a laugh. "I wanna finish high school, and even go to college. I see my mom bust her ass to take care of me, and I don't wanna struggle. I mean I know nothing is easy, but I don't wanna have to work two jobs just to maintain, ya know? Hopefully once Money gets out of jail, I can convince him of a change of scenery." I paused as I thought of my brother.

"Your brother really means everything to you, huh?"

I smiled, "Yeah he does. He's the only male figure I've had in my life. When my mom worked late to provide, it was Money who tucked me in at night, who sat with me when I was afraid to go to sleep, who assured me that no matter what, I would always have him. When he got locked up, I felt like a part of me went with him. I've never had a closer bond with anyone. Not even..." I stopped, I didn't even want to speak Diamond's name after what happened earlier in the day.

Chres caught my pause," Not even what?"

I shook my head, I wasn't sure I wanted to relive the scene. "Nothing just forget it."

Chres thought back to earlier that day. "Bahja are you gonna tell me what happened earlier that had you crying in damn cici's pizza."

I sighed, "Betrayal at its finest."

"Keep going you've seen me cry twice today so spill. If we're gonna be friends, mine as well start off with telling each other what is bothering us."

I began from the beginning. Starting with Taylor at prom the call from Kim, the breakup the day before, up until walking in on Larray and Diamond fucking, I told him everything. By the time I was done Chres was at a loss for words. He was stuck on the fact that my best friend would even cross that line. Bahja was such a good girl, why Larray would fuck that up is beyond him. Wechatted way into the late night. We learned so much about each other and became more interested in each other before the night was out. We did agreed to keep it strictly a friendship, which gave Bahja the proper healing time Chres felt she needed.