Blessed (gxg)✔️

25. Because You Did!

"You gonna be alright Shawnee. You got a lot to you even if you don't realize it. You're good people and that'll all come back with blessings." Rocko says, his deep voice booming with wisdom and contentment. I've never heard him speak so much but apparently he's been through a lot watching his closest friends die around his block before he joined this gang at the same age as me, just a few years prior to my entrance. It's part of why he's quiet but he never feels the urge to speak to most people.

"Word?" I tilt my head, trying to see if he's telling the truth. Rocko just nods, no longer speaking. I nod back, content with his answer.

"What's all this weird shit ya got goin on?" Tariq's loud ass says as he enters the hall.

"I'm getting out of here man. You'll never have to see me again." I tell him, the smallest sliver of a smile slipping through my expression. Tariq looks as if he doesn't know what to say before nodding and lifting a hand. Confused, I slowly raise my right hand and cup his before he pulls me into a shoulder tap of a hug, dapping me up.

"Stay safe out there bruh." Tariq says, pulling back and walking away without another word. Rocko looks at me with a shrug before opening up a book he pulled out of nowhere. I shrug and get walking back to the party downstairs.

The encounter confuses me but I have no negative feelings about it. Despite how much he hated me, I never had the energy to keep any sort of grudge against him like he did for me. If he's chill now that's a good thing. I'm glad there was nothing really keeping him upset to be honest.

As the sounds of the party get louder, I smile recognizing the sound of cheering.

"Vixen! Vixen! Vixen!" A small crowd of people surround the beer pong table where Trina prepares to throw a ping pong ball backwards. She's always been fantastic at this game, drunk or not, she can get the ball in the cup from just about any formation on the table in any position.

"Aight aight, shhhh." she lifts a finger to her lips before she bounces her right hand up and down, preparing to take the backwards shot. With only one cup left on the opposing side and all ten on hers, Trina shows off. She tosses the ball back, bouncing it against her opponent's forehead before it falls right into the cup. Screaming, the bystanders gas her up while clowning the opponent whose jaw is slacked with a hand pressed to their forehead. Her skill leaves her undefeated once more.

The volume returns to normal after the table is set up again for the next people to play. Trina makes her way to me, a slight pink glow on her cheeks from smiling too damn hard. She didn't want to drink since we weren't going to stay for long but it's beer pong and she went first so she must've been happy about that too.

"You done?" She asks, arms wrapping around my neck. I nod, eyes fluttering only for a second as I let myself get a little too comfortable. "Ima get one more water then we can go." She says loud enough for me to hear.

"Mhm," I press a kiss to her cheek before letting her go and looking around the room.

Bodies are dancing, music is bumping. One corner is filled with some longer standing members trying to teach some younger ones the wraps while the other corner is serious inquiries only- druggies and feens scrabbling cash around to get their next fix. My eyes trail around further, nodding towards some familiar faces in a final goodbye. Not everyone knows I'm leaving because it's not important to them but there's no reason to ignore them right now.

Eventually, my eyes lay on a different kind of familiar face. One that sends shivers through my spine to see again as the people start getting into groups and searching the live countdown.

Standing by the door with dark clothes and sunken in features, Trace eyes lock with mine. The moment he realizes he's staring right at me, his lips turn up into a sinister smile, revealing his yellowed and browned cracked teeth. His patched skin is just as bad as the last I saw him, only more sores by his neck this time. I watch his hand rise pull something from his jacket pocket before I realize what's happening.