Our Love Prevails

Chapter 1

 Skylar POV: 4:07AM, Saturday

  I woke to the blaring of police sirens, and the sounds of gun shots. It ain't unusual for that to happen. I almost always woke up like that. It's hard not to, even living down here. Don't matter how long you been livin' around here, cops is always gonna wake you up.

  I fumbled for the lamp on my bedside table, crawling outta my bed at the same time. The lamp lit my room with a dim glow that hurt to look at for a minute. I stepped into the hallway of the dingy apartment, feeling cold air hit my bare legs. I only slept in my bra and boy shorts at night.

  "Akeelah? Where you at?" I whisper-shouted. Akeelah is my eight-year-old baby sister, and I loved her and my older brother Jaquan more than anything. We all lived together since our Mama OD'd on drugs, and Daddy killed himself soon after. All we got is each other.

  "Sky?" I heard Akeelah mumble back in a sleepy voice. She was wearing her Disney princesses pajama set and her hair was styled in corn rows. It was still dark out, but I could see her hands trembling. I quietly rushed over to her, lifting her up onto my hip like a baby and carrying her with me into Jaquan's room. He wasn't home right now, but his room always made me feel safer.

  Jaquan's room was shit messy, but I didn't mind. It always comforted me to be in here when shit was goin' down in the streets. After putting on one of my big brother's sweatshirts, I told Akeelah to stay inside the room until our brother got home, and left our crib to check out what was going on outside. That was the biggest mistake I had ever made in my life.

  I walked down the steps of our place, trying my hardest to not make any noise. I avoided the broken shards of glass on the street, and hugged the wall while I walked. Crashes and another gunshot could be heard just a few yards away from where I was standing. My head peered around the corner, and I wished I hadn't seen nothing. The first thing I noticed was the three men talking with each other. I didn't pay much attention to the other guys, just the one I saw holding a gun . He was a wiry Asian man, and his hair was dyed a vibrant red. His face was drained of blood and sweaty looking. I didn't understand why he was so nervous until I followed his gaze. There were two cops lying in the street, pools of blood around them. Dead.

  I gasped loudly, and then put my hands over my mouth, hoping they hadn't heard me. Plead to God that they hadn't heard me. And God heard my prayers. None of them heard anything. I decided it would probably be smarter to go back inside with Akeelah and wait for Jaquan to get home. I turn and try to walk back up the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible. A sharp pain shoots through my foot, making me cry out.

  "Muthafucka!!" I screamed, clutching at my foot. Three heads swerve at me. Oh shit!  I know they heard me now. I can't go inside the house cause they might bust into the place, and I don't want nothin' to happen to my sister. But I can't just stand here and wait to get shot. Before they can respond I start running down the street. 

"Hey!" one of the guys call after me, but I keep going. The thudding of three pairs of feet follows behind me. I run as fast as I can, which I know is pretty fast. I was captain of the track team at my high school and my college until I got kicked out.

  But they still manage to catch up to me. Damn it! One of them grabs the hood of my sweatshirt and yanks me back. I try to scream but an elbow is pressed against my windpipe. I try to move but my arms are yanked behind my back by two strong arms. I am hopeless. I don't see the man holding me, but I do see the Asian guy, and a burly Latino man with tattoos all up his arms.

"What you doin" out here, little girl?" the tattooed man barked. I licked my lips as I always do when I'm nervous, and try to build the courage to answer.