Unhealthy Fruit| editing.

13

tell the truth
arihah

My cousin Maxwell, who was 18 at the time was a drug dealer and a lot of people didn't like him. He was like my second big brother, with all the money he had he got me everything I wanted. I was always the young one out the bunch hanging with the older ones. It wasn't good and it wasn't bad because I learned from them and I was ahead of the game and other times I got caught up.

I was twelve when he was killed. It was Friday and me, Maxwell, Cajun, and a few others were chilling outside. So a car pulled up and it was of Maxwell's customers, he did what he had to do and that was that. After that Max got a call from someone telling him the block was hot which meant trouble was bond to happen so everybody outside needed to go inside. We go inside and after a hour someone knocks on the door. So being the dumb twelve year old I was, I opened the door. Is Maxwell here? The guy asked. I simply replied, nah.

He ended up pushing me aside and let off one shot in the air. Everybody ran. I saw Maxwell on the corner motioning me to come with him. So I did. We were at his place and the bathroom that was near the kitchen had a window. So we go in there and he locks the door. He looked at me and said. I love you alright? I told him I loved him back but I started crying because if I wouldn't have opened the door it never would've happened.

I jumped out the window first then he came. We ran so fast and we didn't look back. We ran all the way down the block and went behind the bushes. We thought we was good, that was until a guy came with a mask on. He saw us running. I was pushed up against the bushes next to Maxwell. He had the gun pointed to Maxwell's chest.

I never liked you was what the guy said and max replied back, what's the reason? If it ain't no reason you just a hater homie. I got money, and instead of hating you could make some bank too. Max had a smart mouth and you could ask anyone on my Dad side of the family and they'll tell you the two smart mouth kids in the family was and is Maxwell and Arihah. I laughed and I guess he didn't like that so he hit the side of my head with the butt of the gun. It hurt so bad but I didn't cry. I tried not to. Why would you do that to her? Instead of trying to kill me with a gun, try killing me with your hands. Fight me one on one and we'll see who will die, he smirked. If Max would've fought him the guy would have died. His big brother was in prison for killing a guy with his bare hands.

Instead of replying back he shot Max in the leg. Man look, if you gon' kill me kill me but please don't do this in front of baby girl. That's the only thing I ask, don't do that holmes.

Shoot me! He doesn't deserve to die, I said.

Rih baby girl, be quiet. I want you to be a good girl and don't get caught up in this street life. One shot. I want you to grow up and be successful, be the princess you are and become a queen that owns it all. Two. I'm leaving baby girl but I got you forever. Just make me proud. Three. I love yo-FOUR.

The guy ran. Left me there with his blood leaking from his body to me. His arm on my legs. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. Vomit and blood coming out of his mouth. He eventually fell over on me. All I did was scream. They found me but I was hyperventilating. I eventually passed out and fell into a coma for a week from getting shot– didn't even know I was shot.

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manny

After coming home last night, nobody really said anything to each other. It was five in the morning and I was wide awake. I was sleeping on the pull out couch which was fine with me because it was easy to get up and go to the kitchen.