The Game

Prologue

*DISCLAIMER* This is one of the first books I wrote when I first started writing. It is not my best work! It's kinda all over the place so read at your own risk!

Lauren

I watched the gray clouds form over my head as the rain poured down on my father's grave. A part of me was happy he was gone, the other part was heartbroken because he was the only one me and my little sister had. The rest of our family is dead.

Why was I happy you ask? That's a long story.

My mother died of cancer when I was 12 years old. After she died my father went insane. He became addicted to drugs, he began abusing me and my sister and sadly he started raping me daily. I am relieved that he is finally 6 feet under so the beating and raping can finally end.

My father was shot 2 days ago. By who? I have no idea but I'm happy they did it.

"Lauren can we go? My hair is getting wet." My sister Abbygail said.

"Yea." I said and wiped a solid tear that had fell while looking at his grave.

I opened up the umbrella and put it over our heads and began heading to the apartment complex as the rain poured harder and harder.

When we finally arrived home we got out of our wet clothes.

"I call first bath." Abby said.

I sighed. "Go ahead."

She laughed and ran into the bathroom.

I grabbed a towel out the closet and wrapped it around my wet hair. My stomach started to growl. I looked into the fridge and saw that it was two eggs, half a carton of milk, and empty beer bottles.

I sighed. Now that my father is gone I guess I need to find a job. I should of had a job anyways considering that I'm 17.

"Lauren!" Abby yelled.

"What?"I said looking through the kitchen cabinets in search of food.

"There isn't any hot water. How am I suppose to shower in cold water." She said with her arms folded. For her to only be 11 years old she sure has a lot of attitude.

"Listen just take a quick shower and then tomorrow I will see what the problem is."

"Fine." She said and walked back into the restroom.

"Now lets see if I can scrap up some cash." I said picking up the couch cushions.

Ace

I sat in my office rolling up a fresh blunt. I took the lighter and lit it. I inhaled and then let the smoke flow smoothly out my mouth.

"Aye Tisha outside looking for you." My homie Darwin said.

I sighed. Tisha is my baby mama sadly. I met her at the strip club. I hate that I got a hoe pregnant but it is what it is.

I put my blunt out and proceeded outside to where she was.

"Antwan I need-" I cut her right off.

"First off, don't call me by my real name. Second, what the fuck I told yo' ass about coming to my spot out of the blue?"

She smacked her lips and popped her gum. "Nigga please. Don't nobody care about you selling drugs."

I ran my hand down my face in frustration. "What you need?"

"I need a couple of dollars. AJ has a little cold and I need to take him to the doctor." Tisha said referring to my son.

"Bitch wasn't he just sick 2 weeks ago? What the hell you doing to my son." I said looking at her crazy.

"He's only 2. He gets sick a lot." She said placing her hands on her hips.

"Yea whatever." I pulled out 500 dollars out my back pocket and tossed it too her.

I walked over to her car and opened the back door and saw my son in his car seat.

"Wassup son."

He smiled. "Daddy!"

Tisha got in the front seat. "Tell daddy bye AJ."

"Noooo." He cried shedding a few tears.

"It's alright lil homie. Daddy going to pick you up next weekend." I kissed his forehead and closed the door. I watched as she drove off.

I headed back inside to see my crew loading cocaine into bags and counting stacks of money while placing rubber bands around it.

Darwin and my other homie Tae came and stood next to me. They the only niggas I really fuck with.

Me and Darwin been knowing each other since diaper days. After both of my parents died his family took me in. So he's like a brother too me.

Tae on the other hand is just my homie. Been knowing him for a good 5 years.

"So what's ya plans for the rest of the day?" Darwin asked.

"I'm kinda tired man. I think imma go home early. Can y'all handle this shit by yourselves?" I asked them.

"Yea. Me and D got this." Tae said.

I chuckled and nodded. My keys were in my pocket so I pulled them out and put them into my ignition.

When the car started up I sped off onto the highway. The growling of my stomach told me that I needed to eat.

Instead of going straight home I made a quick stop at Benny's Soul Food. Darwin's mother  owns it and I always get discounts and the food is hella good.

Lauren

"My feet hurt." Abby complained as we walked the streets of Compton California.

"Can you stop complaining we're almost there."

"Well we need to hurry. The sun is going down," she said looking up at the sky. "And you know what my mama always said-"

"Yea yea. The crack heads come out at night and we should keep them out of our sight."

We walked a couple of more minutes and then we finally made it to the Soul Food place.

"How much money do you have?"

"Abbygail I really wish you would shut the hell up sometimes. I got this okay?" I simi yelled at her.

"Whatever." She threw her hands up as we entered the restaurant.

There was a couple of people sitting down at the tables and only like 2 people in line. The place never gets that packed even though the food is delicious and warms your heart.

My sister and I stood in line. I saw she was staring at some man.

"Stop staring." I nudged her with my elbow.

"He looks scary."she whispered.

I turned around and quickly glanced at the man. He was covered in tattoos. They were on his face, his arms, and I'm pretty sure he had some on his chest. My sister was right he did look scary and also dangerous.

"Just stop staring." I said firmly.

She rolled her eyes. We made it to the front of the line.

I reached into my pocket and saw that I had 3 dollars and 2 dimes. I layed it out on the counter.

"What can this get us?" I asked.

The old lady took her glasses off and stared down at the change.

"It can get you two slices of corn bread."

I sighed. "We'll take it."

The Struggle Is Real