Turnover

21

Kasim paced up and down the backyard , he inhaled the blunt between his fingers then let it all out. His life had been a lie basically , Jamal had cut him off after his mother's revelation in the gym and his mother , well she contacted him but he didn't care to answer. He didn't know what to do with himself , where he was supposed to go , who he was supposed to be.

He just felt like he was bringing all his drama on Kesi and her father.

He felt a hand touch his arm before he felt a head on his shoulder. He looked down at his sister , he smirked and kissed her forehead.

"Are you alright?"

She asked him sincerely , concerned and he just nodded as he ousted his blunt.

"I won't be for a while , but I'm okay. I can't believe she's lied to me for so long."

Kasim exhaled like he was burdened , Kesi wished she could help. Her brother really was going through it and she felt so helpless, so guilty for not being there for him like he needed her to be.

"What did she say?"

She didn't know , Kasim thought , she had to though so he sat down and patted the spot next to him , she took it.

"My mom basically confessed that my dad was really Jamal's brother , he was a drug dealer in New York where she grew up. He was murdered when I was one , after his death she left for Maryland , Baltimore , her parents wanted her away from Jamal and that life style but in Baltimore she met Kwasi , she fell in love with him. However around my second birthday Jamal came to Baltimore to win her back. She still loved your dad Kesi but Jamal had money and influence. She got back with Jamal and saw your dad on the low, when she turned up pregnant , Jamal thought you were his , until you were born. You looked nothing like either one of them , you were Kwasi's spitting image. She confessed and he beat her and left her to raise you and I alone."

Kasim exhaled as he looked over at his sister who seemed conflicted , was this life or a bad tv drama? Shit like this didn't seem real but she knew it was her life. She knew that Jamal didn't reappear in the house until she was 9 and Kasim was 12.

"So yeah she raised us by herself , Jamal still thought I was his so he'd send her some change but virtually we were alone , all alone.  Kwasi pulled it out of her , he kept asking why she treated you the way she did and this story rolled out. Safe to say she hates both of you more now because she has no tie to Jamal, well , besides the child in her stomach but he doesn't give a shit. He feels betrayed, lied to and I can't blame him. I do too. My dad's dead Kesi , my whole life I've been trying to live up to the expectations of a man whose not even my father but my uncle. It's fucked up."

Kesi watched him , Cassandra had really done a number on Kasim , she showed him preferential treatment but he still disliked her , resented her. She was a terrible woman and she'd tainted her brother's mind and heart. She could see in Kasim's eyes that he didn't even know who he was anymore.

"Simmie, I'm here for you , whatever you want to do , you got me."

He looked over at her and smirked.

"I don't know who I am , much less what I want to do."

She gave him a look that called bullshit on that.

"Please, you're my big brother , the basketball star , the big entrepreneur. You're one of the most caring people I know as well. "

She smiled up at him and he weakly smiled back.

"I think I'm going to enter the draft Kesi, I don't want to be in NC or Indiana. I just want to go away , start over but I want to finish school first, basketball is the only thing that makes sense."