Chapter 5: Signs of Trouble
Di next few days pass like a blur. Mi try fi keep mi mind off di uncertainty by focusing on school, but it hard when Jahmiel’s words echo inna mi head. Every time mi hear a car pass outside, mi jump, wondering if it’s him or if something has gone wrong.
Mi friends notice mi tension. “Kimi, yuh good? Yuh look stressed,” mi best friend, Lila, ask as wi sit inna di cafeteria. She eye mi suspiciously, like she know there’s someting mi hiding.
“Yeah, mi fine,” mi reply, forcing a smile. “Just schoolwork, yuh know?”
But Lila ain’t buying it. “Yuh sure? Yuh know yuh can talk to mi, right?”
“Mi know, mi know,” mi assure her, but di truth is, mi can’t tell her anything. How could mi explain di weight mi carrying? How could mi tell her about Jahmiel’s world without putting myself—and him—in danger?
As di days go by, Jahmiel and I continue to text and call, but di tension in his voice grows every time mi hear him. He still trying to protect me, but I can tell he’s under pressure.
---
One evening, while mi studying inna di living room, mi hear a loud knock at di door. It’s after 9 PM, and mi instantly feel a chill run down mi spine. Di suddenness of it is unsettling, an mi remember Jahmiel’s words about being prepared.
Mi tiptoe to di door, peeking through di peephole. Mi see a tall figure dressed in black. Heart pounding, mi open di door a crack, an mi recognize Bullet. Him leanin’ against di doorframe, arms crossed, eyes serious.
“Kimi,” him say, voice low but steady. “Yuh need fi come wid mi.”
“Come where?” mi ask, a wave of anxiety hitting mi.
“Jahmiel’s in trouble. We need fi move fast.”
---
Without waiting for a response, Bullet push di door open wider and step inside. Mi quickly grab mi bag, not knowing if dis is just another one of Jahmiel's precautions or if things really are going down.
“Bullet, what happen?” mi ask, trying fi keep mi voice steady as I follow him out.
“Dem trying fi set him up. We can’t stay here. Yuh’ll be safe if yuh come with me,” him say as we step out into di cool night.
Mi heart racing, mi think about Jahmiel. “Is he okay?”
“Right now, he’s handling tings, but we don’t have much time,” Bullet replies, leading mi to a sleek black car waiting outside.
---
As we drive through di dark streets, mi can’t shake di feeling of fear tightening around mi heart. Bullet’s presence is calming, but di reality of di situation hits mi hard. Jahmiel, di man mi love, is in danger, and I’m just a kid caught up in a world I barely understand.
“Yuh should know,” Bullet says, breaking di silence, “Jahmiel loves yuh. He’s been keeping yuh safe, and he’ll do anything to make sure yuh stay out of dis.”
“Why are dem after him?” mi ask, trying fi process everything.
“Rival gangs. There’s a power struggle going on. Some people want him out of di way so dem can take control of di territory,” Bullet explains, keeping his eyes on di road.
“Is there anything I can do?” mi feel helpless, wanting to contribute somehow.
“Right now, just stay calm. If Jahmiel wanted you to fight, he would’ve told you,” Bullet replies.
---
Di drive feels like it lasts forever, but finally, Bullet pulls up to a safe house. It’s a simple, unassuming building, tucked away from di main road. Bullet leads mi inside, and di first thing mi notice is how quiet it is. It’s like di calm before di storm.
“Yuh can wait here,” Bullet says, guiding mi to a small room with a bed and a window. “I’ll be right back.”
As he leaves, di weight of everything settles heavily on mi chest. I pace di room, thoughts racing. What if dis is di last time mi see Jahmiel? What if dis is it?
Suddenly, mi phone buzzes in mi pocket. It’s a message from Jahmiel:
Stay safe. I’ll be there soon. No matter what, don’t worry.
Di relief washes over mi, but it’s quickly replaced by di fear of what might happen next. Mi sit on di edge of di bed, mi heart pounding in anticipation.
---
Minutes feel like hours, and as di silence stretches, mi can’t help but feel anxious. Mi remember what Bullet said about staying calm, but it’s hard. Every sound makes mi jump.
Just when mi start to wonder if mi should call Jahmiel, di door swings open. Bullet walks in, his expression tense. “Jahmiel’s on his way. He’ll be here soon, but we need to prepare.”
“Prepare for what?” mi ask, anxiety creeping back in.
“We need to set up a perimeter. If dem find out where he is, it could get messy.”
---
As Bullet explains di situation, mi realize how unprepared mi am for dis life. I’m just a girl who wanted to fall in love, and now mi’m caught in a war mi never asked to join. But Jahmiel’s face flashes inna mi mind, his warm smile, his determination.
“Mi do anything to protect him,” mi whisper, feeling a newfound sense of purpose.
“Dat’s di spirit,” Bullet says, nodding. “But yuh also need to be careful. Yuh can’t let emotions cloud yuh judgment.”
As di reality of di situation sinks in, mi start fi understand what it really means to love someone like Jahmiel. It’s not just about di sweet moments, but also about facing di darkness together.
---
Suddenly, di sound of a car pulling up outside jolts mi from mi thoughts. Bullet’s expression turns serious. “He’s here. Stay close to me.”
Mi nod, feeling a mix of fear and hope. This is it—di moment of truth.
---
Chapter 5 Summary: In this chapter, Kimi is pulled into the reality of Jahmiel's dangerous world when Bullet arrives to take her to safety after Jahmiel is threatened. As Kimi learns about the rivalries in Jahmiel’s life, she begins to understand the stakes and the gravity of their situation. Tension builds as she awaits Jahmiel’s arrival, realizing that her love for him means facing danger head-on.
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Title: Beneath Di Don's Shadow
Short StoryTitle: Beneath Di Don's Shadow Description: Seventeen-year-old Kimi knows the risks of getting involved with Jahmiel, the 21-year-old Jamaican don who rules the streets of Kingston with power and respect. Drawn to his dangerous allure, Kimi finds he...
