Evolution

Chapter I

I've had enough.

I don't want to have a heart attack and I want to be able to enjoy me retirement.

You need to move out and go live with your mother.

It's been five years and those heart wrenching words of my grandmother still linger in my mind. This only happen when I'm in deep thought and I absolutely hate it because I remember everything like it was yesterday.

That same night, after my grandmother and I's little 'talk', I packed up most of my belongings, with tears streaming down my face, and left the house I practically grew up in. I walked to the train station in the biting cold and took the train to the Grand Street station. When I got off, I took the B10 bus going the direction towards my mother's apartment building, and got off after a few stops. The area my mother lived in was filled with gang bangers, which always made me feel on edge. As I was walking up the block towards the building, I saw a group of about four boys with blue bandanas in their back pockets. Crips.

My first instinct was to cross the street but that would show a sign of fear, which would only make things worse, so I just stuck it out and tried to walk as quickly as possible.

"Aye shawty," one of them called out as I approached closer.

"Come lemme talk to you for a second," another said. My heart was racing and felt as if it would burst through my chest at any moment, but I kept my composure and picked up my pace.

"Y'all niggas scaring her son." I heard a third voice say while laughing. The next sound I heard really did scare the shit out of me. Footsteps. Me being the curious person I was looked back and saw all of them speed walking in my direction. With that, I took off running for dear life.

I wanted to run straight to my mother's apartment, but I figured they'll know where I would be staying, so I just hid behind one of the nearest buildings until the coast was clear. I gave it about three minutes before I peeked out, then walked briskly to the house. When I got there and rang the bell, my mother answered and sounded shocked when she heard my voice in return. She also was hesitant to buzz me in, but she did anyway. When I got upstairs, I immediately ran into my mother's arms, after not seeing her for two years, and embraced her tightly. She just stood there awkwardly, not returning the hug, so I just pulled away, gawkily rubbing my arm.

"Uh.. h-hey ma," I stuttered, breaking the weird silence.

"What are you doing here?" I was completely taken back by her question. I understand that it has been a while since we last saw each other, but why is she coming off so blunt?

"So I can't come by for a surprise visit?"

"That's not the point. It's been so long and you even have a suitcase and backpack. What happened?"

"Well, Gran-"

"Babe, when are you coming back to bed?" some guy asked cutting me off, walking into the living room where we stood. My mother quickly turned around, partially blocking my view, and faced the guy who looked much younger than her.

"J-Just a min-"

"Who are you?" I questioned, abruptly interrupting her. The guy moved to be within my eye range and subtlety smirked.

"I should be asking you the same thing."

"Eric, just go back to bed please," my mother intervened. "I'll be there in a few." I watched as he stared at me one last time and made his way to the back.

"Now are you go-"

"Who is he?" I wasted no time in asking the question again.

"Don't worry about who he is. You need to say why you're here," my mother stated.

"He's probably more than half your damn age and you have him around my little brother?! What the hell goes through your head?" With that, she slapped me right across my cheek.

"You come into my house, looking for somewhere to live and then have the audacity to speak to me like that?" she huffed, in full anger. "You must be out of your goddamn mind child."

All the while, I just stared at her, holding my cheek with tears of rage streaming down my face. I wanted to say what was on my mind, but I pushed myself to hold my tongue because she was my mother.

"I'm sorry.." I croaked in a barely audible whisper.

"Just don't make that shit happen ever again if you want to stay here," she retorted. "Make yourself comfortable on the couch. I'll bring you some blankets and a pillow." My mother, or as of right now Jenelle, made her way to the back while I took out a sleeping shirt and a pair of shorts. She then came back, handing me the things I needed to sleep with.

"Good night," she said, almost lower than a mumble, while walking towards her bedroom.

Why.. just why did I have to fuck up? Why does my pride and stubborn attitude always have to come out to the wrong people at the wrong time? I miss my home. I miss my grandmother.