Loveless || August Alsina

Chapter 8 -

2 years ago:

Me and august have been dating for about a year now. I'm sitting in his bedroom, trying to teach him Spanish for what feels like the 8th time this week. "No august" I laughed. "It's case, not cada!" Literally rolling along his carpeted floor. "Ah man why y'all not just say house, making shit so damn complicated" he huffed in defeat.
"That's the objective of another language august" I smirked at him, still cracking up at his frantic behaviour.
Suddenly, I felt his body hover as mine as he tackled me, tickling me relentlessly.
"Te amo cariño" he whispered into my neck, seeming to suck all of the air out of his spacious room. "So that you remember?" I laughed up at him, meeting his gorgeous brown orbs as he leaned it to kiss me.
"Man fuck outta here! Why you be doing this shit whenever I walk in!" Yelled Melvin, pretending to gag. He was one of the funniest humans I've met in my life, so bubbly and full of life. "Don't be jealous I got the queen and your girl just a pile of weave and fake Louis Vuitton purses" August laughed a deep, mocking laugh. "Boy which one you even talking about, so many I can't even keep track" he pretended to calculate, waving his fingers in the air causing me to scoff. He knew damn well that both Chandra and mama Sheila would beat his ass if that were the case.
"You know I love you Maya" he began, smiling a toothy grin.
"No" I sternly shut down his mischievous plan.
"Wanna make me some food?" He continued to ask anyway. Typical Melvin- knowing damn well id give into his boyish charm and perfect smile.

Later that day

I was seated on the sofa with Melvin, August, Quincy and Aven as we watched Fast and Furious 6 for what feels like the eighteenth time.
I got up get a beverage as I brought in some popcorn also, earning cheers and eruptions of "I love you"s. They were all just attempting to be jokers, but I knew they all meant it. And I loved them all too.

I fell asleep with my head comfortably on August's lap. "Oh shit" I heard him groan as I quickly sat up, as he showed me the message.
Ray🤘🏽💯- We on 24th. They got guns man (9:26)
I quickly looked at the clock hanging above the TV. 9:54 it read. I quickly called June to let him know, as we hopped in the car on the way to stop our brothers making another stupid mistake.
We heard shouting from a large crowd as we reached our destination. Quincy and Mel had their group of boys surrounding them against another, smaller group of boys. Insults and empty threats ricocheted off of one another like bullets. I knew none of them had the balls to go through with it. Still, I was so mad the Mel and Quincy would put themselves in this predicament again, after ending up in jail last time to save their friends. They weren't thugs, but unlike their opposition, they weren't wanna-be thugs neither, they were just two men with a heart full of gold and the need to help others.
"What the fucks going on here!" June's voice boomed, approaching the huddle as all of the men shivered in their dirty Nikes, immediately recognising the voice. "I'm not gonna fucking ask again!" He growled, before a man with a picky beard and lowly hanging stained black jeans stepped forward, seeming unaffected by my brother's presence. It was all a facade. "They be selling on our side, so we gonna sort it out, get it?" He questioned with a blank expression as June stepped up to him, towering over the mans body. "Whatever shit you beefin over, it's squashed now. Yeen got a problem cos that ain't gonna run with my brothers, get it" he mimicked in a scarier, more intimidating way. Before the pathetic excuse for men could retaliate, sirens screamed through the streets causing everyone to bolt away from the scene hopping into cars to stash their illegal substances and weapons. As August and I walked with our bothers, giggling about something stupid after the lecture that June gave, we all huddled together, embracing eachother. I love my brothers unconditionally, blood or not, they're my family. Later on that night I couldn't sleep. As I wandered to get something to drink, I heard chatter outside, and saw the front door peaked open slightly and the door handle jerked up, making sure it didn't lock. As I opened it slowly, I saw the back of Mel, Aj and Quincy and sat beside them. "We love you and we'll never let something happen to you or put you in a position to lose us again" they stated as they pulled me in for a hug as we laughed for what felt like a decade. As we got up to leave, I heard the screech of tyres along the road and gunshots fly across the orange sky, as I jerked my head. Only meeting eyes with Aj, I diverted my eyes towards the porch. "NO" I screamed taking Quincy's limp body in my arms as I felt my hand fill with the warm blood oozing from his chest. "Quincy no no Quincy you'll be okay!" I cried as I tried to stop the bleeding. "JUNE" I screamed for help.  "I love you Maya, I'm sorry I let you down, I was doing it all to make you proud and be what you deserved, I love you to the world and back, never forget it nevaeh" he choked. Those were the last words he ever said to me.

Mel died instantly, and all of Aj's attempts to resuscitate him were in vain. And I had to watch my hero die in front of my eyes, as he apologised to me for his death. He could never let me down. I could never forget the cries of a broken mother and siblings, as our family was ripped to shreds in front of our eyes.

That night I prayed for august. I prayed he'd recover from this heartbreak I'm all too familiar with. I prayed he could be strong and let Mel and Quincy live in spirit around him, as they do me. I prayed they'd live on, I prayed they would never be forgotten. Their dashing smiles, their beautiful faces, their clean and rare hearts. Kindness was in abundance for them both, they didn't lack an ounce. That kindness played a part. They were too kind to distrust. They were too kind to disbelieve. They were too kind to kill ...
They were too pure and good for this world, this cold hearted jungle didn't deserve them- they were true angels, and god needed them back. I know they're watching over us, as well as being with me in my heart in my mind... controlling me.
That night I prayed for august. I prayed he'd be kind like our brothers, I prayed he'd be pure like I brothers, and I prayed he'd be happy like our brothers. But that night I also prayed he wouldn't be kind like our brothers, I prayed he wouldn't be fearless like our brothers, I prayed he wouldn't be trusting like our brothers. But most of all, I prayed he wouldn't die like our brothers, on the cold, menacing streets of New Orleans. All hail... New Orleans.