Secrets beneath the surface

9

CHICAGO IL
9:02PM
Ken leaned against the balcony railing of their two-story home, looking out at the quiet neighborhood. The sky had that soft glow of twilight, and the air was cool, but the tension between him and Cameron was thick.

Cameron, leaning next to him, took a long drag of his blunt and let the smoke escape into the evening air. He glanced sideways at Ken, his younger brother who, despite being only a year younger, carried himself with the weight of someone who'd seen too much too fast.

"Aye, nigga ," Cameron broke the silence, his voice gritty, "how come you ain't got no girl wit' you? I see all these chicks be on you, but you don't cuff none of 'em."

Ken's jaw tightened, and he shifted his weight, crossing his arms. His dreads fell over his eyes as he looked down at the street below, watching a car cruise by with music blaring from inside.

"Man, I ain't got time for no girl right now," Ken muttered, shaking his head. "These hoes ain't loyal, C. They just wanna come up off my name 'cause I'm up on the field, or they wanna act like they can handle me, but they can't."

Cameron chuckled, his gold grill shining in the dim light. "Nigga, you soundin' like you scared to fall for somebody. All that tough talk, but you dodgin' feelings like you dodgin' bullets."

Ken shot him a sharp look. "Nah, don't twist it like that. You know what it is. After that mess wit' Aaliyah? I ain't tryna go through that again."

Cameron took another puff, the embers flaring as he thought. "Aight, but Aaliyah was one girl. That ain't mean all these other bitches gon' do you dirty the same way. You gotta stop lettin' one situation mess wit' your whole vibe. You out here actin' like you untouchable, like you don't want nobody to get close."

Ken shifted, his eyes narrowing. "Nah, C. You don't get it. I don't need no chick messin' up my grind. I'm focused on football, on makin' moves. Girls just a distraction nigga ."

Cameron smirked, flicking the blunt off the balcony. "Aight, big dawg. But you livin' in this nice-ass house, got all this money, and still ain't got nobody to ride wit' you? You don't want that? Someone who's down for you?"

Ken exhaled sharply, pushing off the railing. "I had that. Or at least I thought I did. Ain't no girl really down for a nigga like me. They want the lifestyle, the fame, not the person. I ain't lettin' nobody get that close again. I'll handle mine."

Cameron watched him for a second, then shook his head. "You hardheaded as hell, lil bro. I feel you, though. But you can't always be on guard. One day, somebody gon' come through and make you rethink all that."

Ken glanced back, his expression cold but conflicted. "Maybe. But until then, I'm good wit' how I'm movin'. Ain't nobody worth losin' myself over, and I ain't got no time for no games."

Cameron shrugged, giving Ken a half-smirk. "We gon' see, nigga. We gon' see."

The two brothers stood in silence for a minute, the streetlights flickering on as night fully settled. Their world was rough, but they had each other, and for now, that was all they needed.

—-

Ken lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as the darkness of his room closed in around him. The quiet hum of the house, the distant sounds of traffic, and the occasional barking dog all blended into the background. But his mind was far from quiet. Cameron's words from earlier on the balcony replayed in his head, making it impossible to fall asleep.

"You dodgin' feelings like you dodgin' bullets," Cameron had said, and it stuck to him like a thorn.

Ken shifted, rolling onto his side, but sleep still wouldn't come. He wasn't dodging feelings, was he? He'd just been through enough to know better. He wasn't about to get played, not again. The pain from Aaliyah still gnawed at him, even if he didn't show it. That whole situation had messed him up. He thought he was about to be a father. He thought he had someone who was ride-or-die, but that had all been a lie.