Ganja on Fourth Street

Chapter Seventeen

 Laken Rivera

I

ran out of the apartment, looking back occasionally to see if he was coming after me. I stumbled on my own two feet as I held on to the rail of the staircase to catch myself.

"You fucking bitch! I will kill you!" He yelled followed by a loud crash. I ran around the rail and rushed down the stairs. I went down all the way to the lobby, running as if he was still behind me. I caught endless stares from the tenants who lived in the building as I crashed into the door, pushing it open.

Once I got outside, I ran a couple of blocks from the building. I was out of breath and finally decided to stop running. I put my hand to my chest as I tried to calm myself down. It's okay, Laken. He  isn't coming after you, I thought to myself.

"The fuck?"

I gasped and turned out to see Denver coming around the corner of a building I passed while running. He had his little sisters at his sides who looked up at me, confused.

"Hey D."

"Why the hell are you running like a madman?" He chuckled a bit.

"Just jogging...hey girls." I waved to them.

"Go to the house---here the keys." He handed his oldest sister the keys as they made their way towards the building. My heart sped up as I grew scared of what they were about to see when they went up there.

"Let me show you how a real man does it." He whispered in my ear. With all my strength, I managed to push him off me. I groaned as he moved back onto the bed. I opened Denver's night stand drawer and took out an old textbook, slamming it against his stepdads head. He yelled in pain, holding the side of his head. I snatched the cigar from his mouth and pressed the lit side against his eye. He started to yell louder as he moved around vigorously, holding it.

"Come here bitch! Fucking kill your ass!" He yelled, moving his hand trying to find me. I moved away from him and escaped Denver's room, running out of the apartment.

"You okay?" Denver asked, touching my arm. I flinched a bit and moved away, giving him a soft smile.

"I'm fine. I just have to go to work soon."

"Want me to take you there?"

"No, it's alright." I smiled and went closer to him, giving him a small kiss. He smiled a little at me as I walked away, preparing myself for the worst.

_

Denver Holt

I watched as Laken walked off. I couldn't help but feel an awkward tension between us. It's like I can't touch her without feeling uncomfortable. She's been acting weird and distant lately and I didn't like it one bit.

I shrugged it off and walked to the apartment to get the girls ready for school tomorrow. My mother was spending another night on third avenue trying to make some money that she was probably going to to give to Hank, my stepdad to blow on cigars or gambling.

I opened the door the the lobby and saw a bunch of people crowded along with my sisters who were in tears.

"Woah, what happened?"

"Hank having a fit! Slapped Neene right on her face." My neighbor, Deobrah said as she rubbed Neene's red face.

I grew heated as I ran up the steps, skipping two at a time. As I got on my level, I went up to my door that was wide open. A neighbor from upstairs was standing by the door, watching whatever the bastard was doing. I walked up to the door, looking in the room to see him holding his eye, throwing things around the apartment.

The whole living room looked trashed---the girls toys were broken in pieces, scattered all over the floor. The couch was tipped over, the TV was punched into and there was a bunch of other broken objects on the floor.

"What the fuck Hank?" I pushed him as he continued to hulk out on our furniture. I put my hand on his shoulder to stop him but he whipped my hand away, exposing his eye that was blistering. I looked away as he continued to yell.

"The fuck happened yo? Why you putting ya' hands on my sister?"

"Where the fuck is that bitch of yours?" He yelled, grabbing on to my shirt.

"What bitch?"

"That fucking broad with the orange hair...fuck is she?"

"Woah, Laken? what happened, Hank?"

"If you don't tell me where the hell she is, I will beat the shit out of those girls do you understand me?" He threatened as he gripped tighter onto my shirt.

"You ain't gon' lay a finger on my sisters."

"Then tell me where the fuck she is..."

"I don't know man, I don't know."

He pushed me and went in his room he shared with my mom. I heard a couple of clicks before he stumbled out the room with his pistol in his hands.

"Yo chill, man. You not about to go shoot my girl!"

"Watch me." He grunted as he walked out of the apartment.

"Damn." I mumbled as I dug in my pockets for my phone. I pulled it out and tried to call Laken. Voicemail.

I called her two more times and never got an answer. I sucked my teeth and went in my room to get my gun before leaving the apartment to chase after Hank.

. . .

She was only a couple more blocks away from Stanley's. She couldn't help but feel guilty for she didn't know how their stepdad was going to deal with them when they got home. She felt as though she caused their soon-to-be terrible night.

"Bitch!" She heard a loud yell from afar. She turned her head and saw a distant figure holding up his arm.

Bang, bang, bang...

_

A little short but this Wattpad online draft is crap, yo! Like I can't even get the alignment to stay in the middle...ugh. Sorry guys would have been longer but I can't deal. Still don't have a phone...