BANDIT II

•17•

You'll learn, as you get older, that rules are made to be broken. Be bold enough to live life on your terms, and never, ever apologize for it. Go against the grain, refuse to conform, take the road less traveled instead of the well-beaten path. Laugh in the face of adversity, and leap before you look. Dance as though EVERYBODY is watching. March to the beat of your own drummer. And stubbornly refuse to fit in. - Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass

That Same Night...

Kamren...

I sit beside Octavius bedside, flipping through a magazine. He's sleeping peacefully but beaten badly. I don't know who did this to him, but they fucked him up good. He looked as if he had gotten jumped. The guards said it was only one guy though, and Octavius dumb ass gone tell they asses to go home all for some pussy. Stupid.

I came home from the club seeing this nigga unconscious on the floor, blood pouring from his face. Some bitch was knelt beside in tears and I knew it was no one but the next door neighbor. I couldn't really get mad because he's not my nigga. I just like the feeling of being wanted.

My parents gave me away at seven years old. They didn't have enough money to take care of me, so there I was out of seven children. The only one to be unwanted and sent away to foster care. I had interviews with parents, but they didn't seem to be interested in me. I stayed in foster care until I was eighteen years old basically. I then went to a shelter because I had no where else to go. I didn't have a job and I still don't. I'm now 21 still at the shelter, struggling day to day.

I hear the door bell ring, sighing in defeat as I stood to my feet. I jog down the steps, opening the door to Ramir whose clothes are designed with blood and dirt. He falls into me as I struggle to keep both our weights up. I walk him over to the couch, sitting him down as I breathed heavily.

I study his face that bled from a gash on his eye brow. I'm guessing he didn't kill Yoko like I asked of him but that's ok. I'll have to do it myself. Yoko is too strong and smart and the bitch didn't even graduate high school. I never liked her to be honest, too ratchet if you ask me. She not even that cute, how she pulled niggas I'd never know. I know I need to end her though, then the Gomez family can come after. Octavius will be proud. 

"What happen?" I question Ramir. He scolds me, standing up in pain and walking off. I follow behind him to his room all the way in the back.

"Ramir." I call.

"Look I don't have shit to say to you aight! I got beat up by a bitch and a nigga because of your ass!" He exclaims. I continue to follow him.

"All you had to do was pull the trigger Ramir." I dryly confirm. He scoffs in laughter, rambling through his drawers.

"You don't know shit about staking out and murder do you? Shit takes time Kam! You don't just go in and shoot rounds, you have to be cautious cause you can lose your own damn life! Damn, you been here a month and calling shots, and don't know how to do shit!" He argues, throwing things into a suitcase. I watch in a sigh.

"So how are you still alive if they didn't kill you Mir?" I mumble.

"Because I told whose running this shit while Octavius is up there, probably not coming out of a coma. You on your own with this shit cous, I'm out." He informs. He pushes pass me causing me to stumble into the wall. I follow behind him saddened, watching him open the door.

"Oh and Yoko told me to tell you this. It was too much for me to remember, so she wrote down it with red lipstick on a napkin." He shrugs, handing it to me. I unfold the lipstick note, furrowing my brows as I read it to myself.