Title: Beneath Di Don's Shadow

chapter 2

Chapter 2: Caught in His World

Di days after dat night feel different. Mi nah go lie—mi friends still deh pon mi case, tellin’ mi Jahmiel is trouble, warning mi bout what could happen if mi stay close to him. But mi cya help it. When mi think ‘bout him, mi feel somethin’ inside me stir. Somethin’ deeper dan any crush mi ever feel before.

Mi start link wid him more often now. Jahmiel nuh really chat much in public, but when wi alone, him different. Mi get to see a side ah him nobody else see. Him smile come easier, him voice softer, and sometimes, when him talk, mi can hear di boy him used to be before di streets tek him over. But even in di quiet moments, mi cya forget who him is—Jahmiel nuh soft, not where it count.

Di first time him tek mi to him place, mi heart beat fast. It wasn’t no regular house. It was more like a fortress, tucked away up in di hills, far from di chaos of Kingston. Di air was different up deh, fresh, like it wasn’t touched by di heat an noise of di city. Jahmiel pull up inna him black ride, tinted windows dark like night, an as mi step out, mi feel di eyes of him soldiers pon mi.

"Don’t worry 'bout dem," Jahmiel seh, glancing at mi. "Dem jus protectin’ di place."

Mi nod, but mi couldn’t help di nervous feeling a build up in mi chest. Mi know Jahmiel run tings different from everybody else. Him always two steps ahead, always watching, planning, like him cya afford fi slip even once. Dat kinda life heavy, an mi start wonder if mi really ready for it.

"Yuh good?" Jahmiel ask again, di same question him ask di first night. But dis time, mi know what him really ask. Him want know if mi ready fi step in fully, if mi can handle di heat dat come wid bein’ so close to him.

"Yeah," mi whisper, but mi voice shaky. Mi never been ‘round man like him before. Mi feel small inna him world, but Jahmiel have a way ‘bout him dat mek mi feel safe, even though mi know mi shouldn’t.

Him lead mi inside, di house big, quiet, almost too quiet. Mi couldn’t hear di city no more, just di echo of mi own footsteps. Jahmiel’s place was clean, neat, but there was an edge to it. Di kinda place yuh don’t relax in too much, always ready for somethin’ to happen.

Wi sit pon di couch, Jahmiel lean back like him at home, while mi still try fi find mi comfort. Him light up a spliff, di scent of weed fill di room as mi watch him. Mi know Jahmiel have enemies, people out deh wantin’ fi take him down, but when mi look at him like dis, mi see a different side. Jahmiel was a man who carry weight—more than mi could ever understand.

"Yuh ever feel like yuh don’t belong somewhere?" mi ask, mi voice soft.

Jahmiel glance at mi through di smoke, a small smile playin’ pon him lips. "Mi used to feel dat way. But mi learn seh mi belong anywhere mi decide mi fi deh."

Mi nod, takin’ in him words. Jahmiel mek everything sound easy, but mi know it nuh easy for him. Di streets demand respect, an respect only come when yuh strong enough fi hold it.

As mi sit next to him, mi start fi realize di world mi about to step into. Jahmiel nuh just any regular man. Him life nuh simple, and mi life neva going to be simple again if mi choose fi stay wid him.

"Mi like yuh, Kimi," Jahmiel say, breaking di silence. "But mi nah go pretend like mi life nah dangerous. Mi nuh have time fi games. Yuh haffi know what yuh gettin’ into."

Mi heart skip a beat. Mi know dis is di moment mi haffi decide. Mi could turn back now, go back to mi normal life, stay safe, stay innocent. Or mi could stay, risk it all fi a love dat might be too much fi mi.

"Mi know what mi want," mi seh, mi voice stronger dan before.

Jahmiel study mi face fi a long time, then him nod. "Alright then. Just know, once yuh inna dis life, yuh cya back out easy."

Di weight of him words settle pon mi chest, but mi push di fear aside. Mi already made mi choice.

Wi sat in di silence for a while, di sound of di crickets outside fillin’ di space. Jahmiel’s phone buzzed on di table, and just like dat, di moment shift.

Him pick it up, glance at di screen, and mi see di change in him face. Di softness dat was there before gone, replaced by di don him truly is.

"Mi haffi go deal wid somethin’," him seh, standing up. "Mi drop yuh home later."

As him walk out, mi realize somethin’. Jahmiel’s world neva stop moving. Danger always lurk, waiting round di corner. An mi? Mi just start fi understand how deep mi getting.