You Can't Help Who You Fall For

Chapter 1

Chresanto.

        The sky was a  dark blue tonight filled with stars , I think I only noticed cause I was trying to take my mind off of the yelling and beating going on downstairs. Yep, my mom was yelling and screaming at him while her boyfriend, Eric was hitting and beating her. I would go help her like I usually do but I was tired of it because every time this happens I  become Superman and come to her rescue but by the next week she'll be right back with him so what's the point.

After a while her crying and screaming got annoying, so I put my black hoodie on , grabbed a pair of sneakers and climbed out the window. I  went to go meet up with my partner in crime, Ray. He was right outside of King's Food Mart when i approached him.

" Wassup my nigga" Ray said as I  approached him.

"Nothing Much" I said dapping him up.

"Craig up the street he want us to come see him"

"Then what we waiting for"

" I was waiting on you'"

"Well I'm here now let's go"

"Okay you got your piece"

"Always....Just in case someone try me" I answered while showing him the gun on my waist.

We began to walk up the street where Craig was. We were 10 feet away from him when i stopped Ray.

"What the fuck Chres " He Yelled silently "Let's go"

"We are"I said. " But I have an idea"

"Ok......What is it"

"How bout we scare this nigga"

"Sure"

Craig was my other partner in crime, it's just me and Ray liked to fuck with him it was hilarious. I put my hood over my head while Ray snuck up behind Craig and grabbed him.I then ran up pointing my gun at him.

"What the fuck you doing here  nigga" I questioned

That nigga was scared he started to tear up and cry. That's when I gave Ray the signal to let him go of him.

"Haha Nigga you was scared" Ray laughed

"No I  wasn't" Craig said.

"Yes you was cause you was bout to cry" I chuckled.

We kept on making jokes about how scared Craig was and he kept denying it. I was laughing so hard I forgot the gun was in my hand and next thing we knew was it went off. BAMM!!! the gun shot out a bullet I was scared so I hit the ground real quick 5 seconds later I looked up to see Ray standing up and Craig laying on the ground. I got closer to see the bullet had hit him. I began to panic and so did Ray.

"C'mon Craig....Don't Die" I said as I held his head from the ground. "keep your eyes open"

"I Cccc-can't " He said closing his eyes.

He's Dead. Fuck!Shit!Bitch! I just stayed their for awhile until Ray pulled me away. Damn I just killed my best friend.

Imani.

I hate funerals. The only reason I'm here is because my favorite cousin, Craig is in the casket. I wasn't crying because I had no tears left to cry I used them all up when I found out a week ago he was killed. I also found out my mom was moving me and my brother Jacob to LA, so we could keep my aunt company cause Craig was all she had left and now he was gone. After the funeral we went to the wake at my aunt's house. There was a lot of people and food but I  couldn't eat nor speak to anyone right now all I could think about was who would do this to Craig . So I sat on the couch and after awhile Jacob joined me.

"You okay Mani ?" He questioned me.

"I'm Okay'" I answered.

"Want anything"

"Nope"

"Come with me" he said standing up and holding out his hand for me to grab.

"Why" I questioned him.

" I was talking to some friends of Criag's they go to the school mom transferred us to. I want you to meet them"

"Okay"I said getting up

I followed him to the back patio where there was two boys, one with 2 pigtails and a brown skin complexion and the other had a lighter skin complexion than the first one and he had curly hair.

"Imani, This is Rayan But Ray for short" Jacob said pointing to the one with the 2 pigtails."And this is Chresanto But they call him Roc" He pointed to the curly headed one.

"Hi I'm Imani" I introduced myself.

"Hi" They both said in Unison

"So my brother says you two knew my cousin" I said continuing the conversation.

"Yea, he was like our brother" Ray said

" Well that's good he was always like a brother to me too" I said

We continued to talk some more until they decided to leave. When they left I realized how much Chresanto was being quiet he didn't say a word after hi. He just observed as me, Ray and Jacob made conversation. After me and Jacob helped pick up we went upstairs to our new rooms to get situated. When i got to the room their was just a full size bed , nightstand with a lamp on it and 44" flat screen TV.

I didn't feel like unpacking so I put my 3 suitcases under the bed and headed down the hallway, but I found myself stopping in front of Craig's bedroom door. I opened it to see he didn't change it since last time I was here which was about a year ago, it made me smile. I then sat on his bed. I stayed in there for an hour then decided to head back to my room. I laid in my bed after I took a shower, washed my hair and put my basketball shorts and a t-shirt on. I began to write in my journal.

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September 8Th, 2013

Today was my Cousin's funeral, it was sad to see them bury him in the ground but we all got to go sometime. At the wake I met 2 of his friends, who go to the school me and Jacob got transferred to. Their names are Rayan and Chresanto. Rayan is real cute and has a good vibe to him add Chresanto he is Fine with a capital F but I don't know much about him except his name and his nickname which is Roc. I wonder how he got that name. Well anyway it's my first night in LA living with my Aunt. So I'm going to end this by say bye.

- Signed,

Imani

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