BENEATH THE SURFACE

Chapter 4: Aftermath

The sirens grew louder as Myeisha and Trip slipped into the shadows behind the trap house, weaving through alleyways in the dead of night. Her heart was racing, and fear pulsed through her veins with every step. She kept her eyes on Trip, trusting him to lead her out of this mess, but the panic bubbling inside was getting harder to contain.

Myeisha: "Trip... where we goin'? The whole block gon' be hot after this!"

Trip kept his voice low, but calm.
Trip: "Just keep movin'. I got a spot."

They ran for what felt like forever, ducking down alleys and cutting through backyards until they finally reached an abandoned building a few blocks away. Trip pulled Myeisha inside, slamming the door behind them and locking it. He leaned against the wall, breathing heavy but still composed. Myeisha, on the other hand, was a wreck.

Myeisha: "I can't keep doin' this, Trip. I can't live like this!"

Trip's eyes softened as he looked at her, but there was still a coldness to his expression, like he'd been through this too many times before to really feel the weight of it.

Trip: "I told you, Myeisha... this is how it is. You ain't never gotta be in it like me, but you gotta understand that with me comes this life. I can't run from it, and if you with me, you can't neither."

Myeisha's chest tightened.
Myeisha: "What if I don't want this life? I don't want to be lookin' over my shoulder, scared every time we step outside."

Trip stepped closer, cupping her face in his hands. His touch was gentle, but his words were firm.
Trip: "I'm not askin' you to love this life. I'm just askin' you to stay down for me. You my ride or die, right?"

Myeisha looked into his eyes, searching for something—some sign that he understood how scared she was, how much she wanted to be with him but without all the chaos. But all she saw was the same determination that had always been there. Trip was set in his ways, and nothing was going to pull him from the streets.She loved him—there was no denying that—but was love enough? Could she really be his "ride or die" when the life he was offering was nothing but danger?

Myeisha: "I love you, Trip, but I'm scared. I can't keep dodgin' bullets and runnin' from the law. We got too much to lose."

Trip's grip on her tightened slightly, his voice soft but unwavering.
Trip: "You think I don't know that? I feel the same way. But this life? It's all I know. I'm tryna build somethin' better for us, for our future. But you gotta trust me."

Myeisha's eyes welled up with tears.
Myeisha: "How can I trust you when we out here in the middle of all this? Deek just got shot, Trip! What if that was you?"

Trip sighed, pulling her closer until her forehead was resting against his chest. He stroked her hair, trying to calm her down, but his heart was heavy too. He'd seen so much death, so much loss, and he knew what the streets could take from him at any moment. But he couldn't walk away from it. Not yet.

Trip: "I ain't goin' out like that. I promise you, I'm gonna get us out of this. But you gotta hold on. Just a little longer."

Myeisha pulled back, wiping her tears, her voice breaking as she tried to speak.
Myeisha: "What if I don't make it, Trip? What if we lose everything before we even get a chance?"

Trip's eyes softened. He gently held her chin, lifting her face to meet his gaze.
Trip: "You ain't gon' lose me, Myeisha. Not ever. I'm here. I'm always gon' be here."

Myeisha closed her eyes, letting his words wash over her. She wanted to believe him, wanted to trust that they could make it out of this life together. But the fear was always there, lurking in the back of her mind, whispering that maybe this was the end of the line.

After a long silence, Trip let go of her, stepping back as he pulled out his phone. He quickly dialed a number, glancing at Myeisha as he spoke.

Trip: "Yo, K. We had some heat at the trap. I need you to clean that up. Lay low for now, and make sure nobody knows where we at."

He hung up, sliding the phone back into his pocket before turning to Myeisha.

Trip: "We safe for tonight. We just gotta lay low for a while."

Myeisha nodded, but her heart was still pounding. She couldn't shake the image of Deek bleeding out, the sound of gunshots echoing in her mind. How long could they keep running? How long before their luck ran out?

Trip pulled her into a tight hug, resting his chin on top of her head.

Trip: "I know you scared, but I got you. We gon' make it out. I swear."

Myeisha rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes as she let herself be held by the man she loved. The man she'd chosen to