The Ghetto

Monday

Jahlil POV:

*Beep, beep, beep*." Fuck I thought to myself as my alarm sounded off. I slapped the top of the contraption and literally rolled out of bed. I woke Desmond up and went to the bathroom to handle my hygiene. I was shirtless and still in my underwear, when Desmond came in. His eyes that usually glowed but today they were dead. "You good bro?" I asked. He broke down and started crying. I walked over to him and hugged him, his hot tears soaked my shoulder. "My nigga gone man, Zoe was just tryna make a buck like any other nigga out there in the game man and they took his life man." I know Des, I know, it's alright man everything is going to be fine. He squeezed me tighter, I should've made him get out of the game a long time man. "It's not your fault Desmond you can't control what happens bra bra." I said trying to calm him, he wiped his eyes and got dressed, I did the same.

The car ride was long and quiet Desmond stared out the window occasionally sniffing. We pulled yo to the school and he headed straight to class ignoring everyone. One of his females named Emory asked me what was wrong with him. "Zoe was killed the other day and he was there then he got arrested but was let free, he had a rough one this weekend." "Oh my god my baby is depressed." She said sadly. I said in my head this nigga everybody baby not just yours. Briante a called out to me from across the lot. "Aye Cloud, lets head to Spanish bro." I walked up to him and we dapped up then headed to class. As soon as I sat down Kincey came in with a hood on his head. Remove your hood Mrs. Torres called out from across the room. He slowly took it off and my eyes grew wider as the hood came off. "Boyyyyyyyyyyyy!" I yelled out you look like Lil Bill on crack. Everybody burst out laughing he just sat there smiling and when everyone quieted he said "Well that's my L for today." Everyone laughed again.

Everything after that was a blur, I couldn't keep up with any instructions that was given in any class. Finally it was lunch period but I was already ready to go home. I headed to my car with Briante and Desmond we were going to Wendy's today. I pulled out of the parking lot and I wasn't even on the road thirty seconds when a white cop pulled me over. I looked in the rear view mirror, "Aww shit what now." He walked up and knocked on the window. I rolled it down, "Is the a problem officer?" I asked politely. "Do know how fast you were going boa?" He asked with a lot of emphasis on the b. No sir I thought I was under the speed limit. No boa you weren't under the speed limit he said mockingly. Well unless my speedometer is messed up it appeared that I was only going 35 and the limit is 35. He cocked his head sideways and asked "What'd you just say to me boa." At that very moment I knew I fucked up. Step out of the car Niggers, all of ya he shouted. We all stepped out slowly, it was ironic we all just happened to be wearing a lot of gold and designer clothes. "So you rich fucks think it's okay to speed and get slick with an officer huh?" Desmond began to say "No si...." He shouted "Shut up boa I wasn't talking to you, all of you on the fucking ground now." Briante hesitated and that made things worse, the officer drew his pistol on Briante. "You looking for motivation boy get down." He dropped to his knees then the cop kicked him over. "Hands on your head, you rich assholes are in for a hell of a ride." I looked back at the officer and said "Only if you knew where we lived you wouldn't be calling us rich assholes." He squatted next to me, "Did I ask where you lived Nigger?" No sir, I responded. Okay then shut the fuck up he said angrily. At the very moment I thought he was going to cuff us a something came through on the radio about a robbery at a corner store. "You lucky niggers, if it wasn't for this your black asses would be mine." I thanked God in my head and as soon as the officer left we all piled into the car and headed back to school.

My classes dragged by but when the bell rang for us to leave I quickly headed to the car meeting Briante and Desmond there. Once we were all situated we headed up the road in silence. There was a lot of commotion as we pulled into the lot of our apartment. Two guys were yelling in the street and a girl was holding a guy back. He pushed her off and swung at the other guy but he missed badly. I went on and rolled past in the car, as soon as we got out I heard someone yell "Oh shit he got a gun!" Me, Briante and Desmond all ducked behind the car. Gunshots rang out the girl screamed, "No stop it please." I peered over the car one of the guys was laying on his back in a pool of blood. We stayed hidden until we heard sirens then we stood there until the cops arrived. They started questioning individuals and I said to the boys "I'mgoing inside I don't wanna deal with anymore cops today." They agreed and followed me inside, my mom was asleep on the couch. I kissed her forehead and headed to my room the guys followed behind me. When I looked at Briante he had a blank stare in his face and Desmond was laying in my bed turned towards the wall. "I never seen anyone get shot before." Briante said with a trembling voice. I sighed, "As long as you living here it won't be the last time you see it." Jahlil he said calmly, "What if i'm next." You don't have anything to worry about man we gon be alright.

To kill time we just played madden until Briante went home. I checked my phone it was 10 P.M. I went in the bathroom and took a much needed hot shower. As the water ran down my body I leaned my head in the wall and began to think about what breon said. "What if im next?", it never occurred to me that we were just as vulnerable to dying in the hood just like everyone else. Even though we never bothered anyone we still could get blasted for no reason. The water had gotten cold so I turned off the shower and dressed. When I laid my head down I said to God "Please guide us out of this living hell." I said to myself it's time for a change of scenery. With that I closeded me eyes allowing the events of the day to run through my mind one more time then I fell asleep.