Chasing Chase (Urban Fiction)

1 | Straight Outta Compton

The Chase. Let's cut to it. See what I did there?

Currently I am 18 years old and graduation is next week. I've fought long and hard for this day. Chase Daniels walking across the stage. Can you believe that? It wasn't always peaches and cream for me. I didn't grow up with adoring parents who believed in creating people to better society. Instead I was raised by a crackfiend momma and my dad died when I was 16, JoJo was only 14. From that moment on, it was me and JoJo. My dad was dead set on making sure we went out in this world and became something for ourselves. I promised myself I would make him proud, though the road there is so hard. I'm doing things I shouldn't have to, but it's just me and JoJo, he's 16, I can't let him do the things I do. I make it my mission to keep baby boy off the streets. Too many of our family on this block had died from it.

Our block was one big ass family. Next door lived my girl JC, and her boyfriend, Blake, with my nephew BJ. A few doors down was my brother Parker and his moms. Across from him was my cousin Britt, and my Uncle. The block was full of people whenever backup was needed. Growing up in this neighborhood, you could never be too safe. Too much shit happened here for no reason. I sat out on my porch this morning watching the kids go off to school and single mothers prepare to go to work. "Hey Chase!" A neighbor yells to me. "Goodmorning Ms.Johnson!'" I yelled back. I was known in this neighborhood for all the things JoJo had been in, and for what had happened two summers back. It should've never gotten that out of hand but I had no choice. You do what you have to do. "Chase?!" I hear JoJo yell. I get up off the porch and head inside. "Chase, we out of cereal again, I'm starving man, do better Chassia" JoJo put my full name out there and I smacked the back of his head. "Watch yourself Joshua." He looked to me in shock. "Oh that's dirty" We both laughed as I handed him a muffin that was on the counter. "I'll go to the store today while you're at school." I tell him while looking for my keys. "They're on your dresser, and so is your phone" "Been snooping around I see" I say to him. "Na, just looking for some money, then I remembered you broke" he laughed hysterically. "Ha ha, I get paid tonight.. come on boy, let's go" he grabbed his bag and I went upstairs to get my keys and phone. Looking for my keys, I found them exactly where JoJo said they were, I giggled to myself and then saw a picture of us with our dad.

I remembered the day that picture was taken so vividly. It was only a week before dad died. It was my 16th birthday cookout and JoJo and I kept arguing over whether or not Dad should invite mom. I kept trying to tell JoJo she was no good. Dad went to all measures to make my birthday as amazing as it could be, being raised in the hood. It didn't matter to me, my daddy had planned it all for me. I was happy. I was such a daddy's girl. I grabbed my things and jogged down the stairs, placing my phone in the pocket of my gray joggers. My hair was tied up, and off my neck which was much needed living in Compton and not having AC until you could pay the bill. I was trying man, but honestly I wasn't ready to take care of JoJo full time. I haven't even graduated yet. Just some things you have to do I guess. "Okay JoJo, let's go" I walked behind him and out of his bag fell a dime bag of heroine. I picked it up annoyed. "Joshua Maurice Daniels! Bring your ass here!" I yelled to him. Stopping in his tracks, he must've realized what had happened. "Shit" I heard him whisper.

"What is this?!" I ask him. "Come on Chase, you know what it is" "That's not what I asked you JoJo, I asked what it is!" I grew impatient and even more angry by the minute. "It's heroine" "No, this is not just heroine JoJo, this is death in a bag! This is getting shot over territories! This is mom! This is the end of your future! This is no more basketball! This is no more Latrice! This is no more anything JoJo! I told you about this shit!" I could not believe him. This was not the first time I caught him doing this shit. Whether he was taking it or selling it didn't matter. What mattered was that I was working my ass off to keep him off the streets, and he was running straight for it now. "Chase I'm sorry! I'm trying to help!" he tried convincing. "You don't worry about helping me. You don't worry about the bills, and how you'll eat. You know you will never go without. I always have you." "I know sis, I'm sorry." It broke my heart knowing my baby brother saw we were struggling and his only way to be able to help, was selling drugs. Is that what our world had come to? I hugged him and kissed his forehead. "Get in the car. Don't worry about it." He walked toward the car and got in. I placed the drugs in my pocket and watched the corner of our block, noticing who he had gotten the drugs from. Hernandez. "JoJo stay in the car" I said furiously and then locking him in. I crossed the street to him and his crew. "Hernandez. We need to talk."

"Chassia! What's up baby girl?" he came toward me leaning in for a hug. "Cut the bull H, you giving shit to my baby brother to sell?!" I held the drugs up in his face. "Chase, he is not a baby. He knew what he was getting into." Hernandez defends. He disgusted me. How could he allow at 16 year old boy to just throw his life away for a little bit of profit. It made absolutely no sense to me. "Well his big sister is speaking for him. He's out" I tossed the drugs at the ground and began walking off. "I'm sorry Chase but that's not possible. That boy is making too much profit for me and he still has too much merchandise on him. He's not out until I say he's out" Hernandez fired back. "I'll make sure you get it all back, don't worry about that." "See it's not that simple Chase, I'm sorry." His boys pulled out two guns on me. Damn, my piece was in the car. I was good though. "I'm afraid it is that simple Hernandez" Parker said holding a Glock 9 to his head. Hernandez quickly put his hands up in surrender. "Now tell your fellas to drop the heat off my sister, and everyone leaves happy." Parker always came through. "It's cool" Hernandez told his men, and they dropped their weapons. "Good.. Now she said she would get you your merchandise.. so as far as JoJo is concerned.. he's out.. right?" Parker said still holding the gun to the back of his head. "Yeah, he's out" "Thankyou.. enjoy your day Hernandez" Parker took my hand and began to walk me back to my car.

"Chassia are you crazy? Them niggas was packing mad heat and you aint have nothing on you. Suppose I wasn't home" he lectured. "I know Park, thankyou" I hugged him and he leaned to my ear. "Strap up tonight, in case them fools try and come by" he warns me. We let go and he walks to the passenger door where JoJo is. "JoJo, bruh you gotta be smarter. You don't need to be in these streets. Shit ain't where it's at. You want some money, come do some shit in the house for my momma.. aiight?" Parker was like a big brother and a father figure to JoJo now that our dad was gone. He was always looking out for us. "Thanks Park" JoJo said, reaching out a hand to him and dapping him up. "Aye Chase come see me when you get back from dropping JoJo at school. Got some shit to tell you" "Aiight" with that he began down the block to his house, dapping up niggas from around the way. JoJo just needed to know how serious this shit could have been. He could've been dead. He could've been in deep shit with the 12. I needed more money and fast.