Title: Beneath Di Don's Shadow

chapter 1

Chapter 1: More Than Just a Crush

Di first time mi see him, mi heart skip a beat. Everybody know ‘bout Jahmiel. Yuh cya live inna Kingston an nuh hear ‘bout di don. Him a di boss pon di ends, 21, an control di place like him born fi it. Mi? Mi a just a regular school gyal—17, still ah try figure out life. But from di moment him eye dem catch mine, mi know mi cya turn back.

It was one a dem hot, sticky night, di kinda night weh di air heavy wid di smell ah ganja, di music from di dancehall beatin’ inna di background. Di street outside lively, but inside dat likkle party, mi heart beat louder dan di riddim.

Mi neva supposed to deh yah. Mi fren dem warn mi, tell mi seh Jahmiel life nuh easy. Dem seh, "Yuh too young fi dem kinda man deh, Kimi. Yuh cya manage di heat." But mi couldn’t help it. From mi hear ‘bout him, mi haffi see fi myself.

When mi step inside, di place pack up, smoke fill di air an everybody ah chat, but all mi see is Jahmiel. Him siddung inna di back, whole heap ah man dem round him, but still, him deh pon a different level. Him presence strong, like a king inna di room. Him have him hair neatly braid, di ends brush ‘gainst him shoulder, an di light from di lamp reflect off him gold chain. Him shirt clean, crisp white, an mi couldn’t miss di glisten pon him skin.

But mi nah lie, it neva di clothes or di chain weh draw mi in. It was di way him eye dem find mi from di crowd. Dem dark, deep, like di sea after midnight. When him look pon mi, it feel like mi couldn’t move. It was like di room disappear, an mi an him alone stand up. Jahmiel look pon mi like him know mi from long time, like mi did always deh fi him.

Mi see him nod mi way, slow an steady, like him expect mi fi show up all night. Mi heart beat so fast mi swear everybody coulda hear it, but mi feet start move before mi could think twice. Mi could feel people dem ah watch mi, whispering, but mi nuh business ‘bout dat. Jahmiel want mi come to him, an mi nah go mek nuttin stop dat.

"Mi glad yuh reach," him seh, voice deep an smooth like di bassline inna di music.

"Yuh good?" him ask, but di way him look pon mi, mi know him ask more dan just if mi alright. Him ask if mi ready fi step inna him world, fi face di kinda life him live. A life full ah danger, full ah eyes always pon him, full ah things mi neva really understand before.

Mi look inna him eyes an nod. Words cya even come outta mi mouth. Jahmiel stand up, tall an confident, like nothing inna dis world can shake him. Him stretch out him hand an mi take it without hesitation. Him grip firm but gentle, an when mi touch him, mi feel safe, even though mi know mi shouldn’t.

"Come, walk wid mi," him seh, leading mi outside. Di night air cool ‘gainst mi skin as wi step outta di heat inside. Di streets quiet now, jus di distant hum ah di city around wi. Mi heart still a race, but mi nuh feel no fear. Wid Jahmiel by mi side, mi feel untouchable, like mi could face anything.

Wi walk down a narrow alley, streetlight dem flicker overhead. Jahmiel nuh talk much, but him presence say everything mi need fi know. Mi step closer to him, an mi feel di weight of di world shift. Mi know dis nuh normal, dis love nuh easy, but mi cya help di way mi feel. Jahmiel was more dan just di don to me. Him was mi escape.