I woke up this morning with a new attitude. I decided to go for a walk with Nala in the stroller. Serenity was always close by. She had gotten a lot more focused.
An ice cream man stood on the other side of a park bench and I went over. He smiled as I paid and sat on the bench. I took Nala out of her stroller and ate my ice cream happily. Serenity got some ice cream too. I shared with Nala and a guy walked up.
"Hey Lena?" He asked.
I looked up to see Dylan.
"Dylan!" I said excitedly. He smiled and we hugged with Naomi in between us. She started to whine and I adjusted her on my hip. "Where have you been?"
"Around... what about you? I haven't seen you in some months."
"I took my the early graduation path. College is starting soon for me."
"Well that's good for you. I'm moving to Georgia next week."
"What?" I asked shocked. Dylan told me he would always stay in California. He said it was his home.
"Well on spring break I had a little bit too much fun and now I might be a dad soon."
Well damn. I didn't expect that. I wanted to laugh but I managed to hold it in. Dylan saw my face and he flicked me off. Now when he did that I had to laugh. Nala started to close her eyes and I rubbed her back.
"You're fitting into the mommy club Lena. I knew you would. I just hope it will be the same for me." He looked really scared at that and I knew this was very real to him.
"You wanna come back to my place and tell me what else has been going on these past few months."
"Yeah. It's been a minute since I talked to someone." He smiled.
I put a sleeping Nala in her stroller and we started to walk back to my house. Seeing Dylan just made me so happy. When we got in the house Dylan looked around and nodded approvingly. I took Nala into her room and put on a longer shirt because my sports bra was not cutting it. I walked back down to the living room where Dylan was waiting. Serenity was in high alert.
He has grown a lot taller.
"I could have sworn the last time I saw you... no offense but you had a nice lil' thick frame."
"Yeah yeah. I know I've lost some weight."
"Some? You look like you went on a diet. Of nothing."
I rolled my eyes and turned on the TV.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
Me and Dylan were playing around in the kitchen when I heard a door bust open. Guns drawn and my angels cries froze me. I hoped they weren't messing with Nala. Dylan stood in front of me tall. I wanted to cry and surrender but I could barely breath. My chest was pounding with every second.
"Where Lena?" The masked man that stood in the front asked. I held my breath as Dylan spoke.
"Why?"
"You know why. Don't protect her Dylan."
Now that confused me.
I stepped from behind him and looked in between the two men. "Why?" I asked.
"You'll know soon." The man snorted. He held his gun up and aimed at me. I kneeled down into a ball and protected myself with my hands.
"Don't." Dylan warned. The next thing I know the gun went off. A heavy body fell on me. I screamed and then I heard Cardo's voice. The body was pushed off of me and I looked at it. Dylan's eyes were wide open still. He looked at me with glossy eyes and I knew those weren't his eyes anymore.
"Shit." Cardo cursed. "Call an Ambulance." He yelled to Danny. Danny couldn't take his eyes off of Dylan. He shook his head and Carlos did what Cardo asked. Tears fell from Danny's eyes.
I stood up and ran up the stairs to the room with Nala. I picked her up and held on to her. I rocked her slowly trying to calm her down. Turning around quickly because I felt like something was behind me. In big red letters: LOVE LIVE THE KINGSTON'S.
A symbol was painted under it and it looked like the one tattooed on Cardo's torso.
"Cardo!" I called as the ambulance sirens screamed.
"What's wrong now Le-" he stopped short when he saw the red letters spray painted on Nala's wall. "What the hell?"
"You tell me?" I haven't been able to sleep in weeks because I'm scared. I don't feel safe anymore. This is the second time something like this has happened. Nala whimpered on my chest. I walked past his speechless face and into my room. I wiped my eyes and took Nala in my room to her bouncer.
Then I grabbed a backpack and stuffed clothes in it. I am not staying here with a target over me. I grabbed my phone and called a cab. I put Nala in her car seat and grabbed her diaper bag.
"Where are you going?" Cardo said rushing in my room.
"The hell away from all of this." I answered trying to finish getting my things. He moved in my way and I glared. "Move."
"You can't just run away from this shit. It finds you. It will always find you."
"I'm not going to live like this. I don't want to live like this." Just as I said that one of the police officers came in our room.
"We have a search warrant." He said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes and grabbed Nala's car seat. Cardo followed and when we were in the hall Cardo responded.
"You don't run away from the game unless you wanna be the next one shot for sure." He whispered and I looked at him wide eyed.
"I don't want any of this. I can't take it." I sat down on the floor light headed with the car seat. He got down there with me as we waited for the officer to finish.
"We been taking since middle school days. We ain't never complained. This is our life and as hard as it is to believe you're apart of it. You joined as soon as you moved here with your dad and even when you stayed and decided to be with me. People know you and want to kill you." He told me.
"Where is Serenity?"
He didn't respond to that. I left him with in the hall and ran downstairs. Someone was leaving in a body bag. Before they zipped it up completely I saw Serenity's black long hair caught in the zipper. Another death because of me.
°°°°°°°°°°°°
Dylan was moved to Atlanta a week later. I didn't get to say good bye. No one did really except Danny. Who I just found out was his brother. Danny's father lives in Atlanta while his mom is staying here. Danny also has a younger sister named Malaya. Every thing that has happened only made me realize how much I need to keep those I love close.
