Becoming A D-Boy

Chapter 4

November 2000

"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you!" Kay, Kev and Ty sang. I smiled big. I felt good about how things were going. All the bills were paid and Kay and I had been eating more. I didn't even have to steal anymore. I actually had money to buy us food even though King was getting half of it. Selling weed felt exactly like making runs for him. He gave me weed and I took it to wherever it needed to go. I never stood on the block like the rest of the guys.

"Open your present." Kay said excitedly handing me an envelope. I opened it and there was card inside in her first grade writing. It said happy birthday brother with a picture of cake and some candles.

"It's awesome." I smiled and kissed her forehead. She smiled back.

"I made it in art. Ms. Jones let me use the glitter." She said excited.

"I like it a lot."

"Here, we went half on it." Ty said handing me a bag. Kev was all smiles. I opened it and pulled out a Playstation 2. I was too excited but it was really too much.

"I can't take this man. It cost too much."

"Man shut up. We need something to do when we over here." Kev laughed.

"True we can't always be just sitting around counting money." I laughed along.

"Plug it up." Ty said. We went into the living room and I started hooking up the Playstation to the TV.

"I want to play too Tre." Kayla said following us into the living room.

"Go play with your dolls." Kev said sticking his tongue out at her.

"Shut up I'm not talking to you." She yelled.

"After we play you can play Kay." She smiled satisfied and waited patiently as we played the game. After about an hour I handed my controller to Kayla and Kev to a sad looking Ty.

"But I got to play against Kayla." Ty complained.

"I'll play by myself." Kay said rolling her eyes.

"Ty play with her." I said annoyed.

"Yeah babies should play together." Kev joked.

"Shut up man." Ty yelled.

"Don't start. It's my birthday." I warned both of them. They cooled out and I watched as Kay and Ty played. She was actually beating him for a little while. I looked over at the clock.

"What's up?" Kev asked noticing me looking around.

"I got to go meet King." I said.

"Man it's your birthday we supposed to be chillin." Kev complained.

"It's just a quick drop. It'll take ten minutes. Stay here with Kay aight. I'll be right back. Kay I'm coming right back." I said kissing her forehead. "Make sure you whip both of them aight?"

She smiled big and nodded. I grabbed the book bag by the door off the floor and headed out. It was started to get dark but this was the best time to do this drop. It had been a lot of police in the neighborhood lately. I had walked about four blocks when I came up on a group of dudes.

"What's up lil homie?" One of the dudes on the corner greeted me.

"What's up big dawg?" I said dapping him up.

"It's a little late for school ain't it?"

"I got to study and keep my grades up." I kept walking no longer interested in the conversation. I didn't know the dude like that and I wasn't trying to know him like that either. I was almost to the drop off spot when I felt my back being yanked back. I fell on the ground.