From The Hood

Chapter Six

I took a deep whiff of air through my nose and yawned tiredly as I slowly pulled my eyes open to see a ceiling, I blinked a few more times before realizing I was waking up, I slowly pulled myself up and rubbed at my right eye aggressively as crust made it itchy. I managed to get them clear before taking in my surroundings, I was sitting under heavy covers in someone's bed that was pushed against the window as the sun tried to shine through the heavy, black curtains. I stretched my arms over my head before realizing something very important, critical actually, where the hell is my brother? Panic rose inside of me as I pushed the covers back and pulled myself up, I looked down to see I was still dressed in the same clothes, thank God that nothing happened to me. I pushed the door heavily, almost ripping it off the hinges as I frantically searched for my baby brother, they probably sold him for weed! Maybe they have him doing something stupid! HE MIGHT BE PLAYING WITH NEEDLES! OH FUCK! I took a deep breath to calm myself as I entered the hall and hurried down the stairs and made a beeline for the kitchen, where a lot of commotion was happening. 

I came to an abrupt halt at the packed kitchen, the small round table was packed with gambling folks as they shot dice while sipping a couple of 40ozs from the corner store not to far away, shirtless girls from different age groups ranging from teenagers to probably early thirties hung around with Styrofoam cups, and they all seemed to be rotating blunts around the room while happily socializing and laughing at stupid remarks while music boomed through a stereo nearby. I spotted Kasmin at the round table, he swooped up the dice after throwing his bet down before tossing them and making a good play, causing a lot of loud but only verbal ruckus to erupt from the table as Kasmin took the other men's bets. I looked over the many smiling faces to my dismay before looking back at the table to see Kasmin now paying attention to a boy that was standing beside Kasmin's chair at the round table, it was as if the child was forced to stand there and not move or he'd get in trouble. The heavy black coat told me it was Jaden as he stood with his hood still on, his eyes nervously surveying the crowd as he held a Styrofoam cup with both of his tiny hands, I released a breath of relief as his eyes fell on me and they almost glowed at my presence. I reached up and willed my heart to rest as I lifted my finger and immediately gestured for him to come to me, he quickly moved as Kasmin made his bet without noticing Jaden leave his side.

Jaden ran into the front of me and stayed there as I protectively wrapped my arms around him as I looked at the crowd, they laughed and partied like it was no tomorrow early in the morning, I spotted Aisah as she walked over to Kasmin in a pair of the shortest denim shorts known to man-kind and a skimpy, lace tanktop and stilettos. Her extensions fell along her shoulders as she took a seat on his lap and smiled down at his questionably, Kasmin said something back with a face of confusion before he looked in the spot where Jaden was once standing and it was as if panic filled him as he looked around with wide eyes. I stared at him as our eyes made contact as he noticed me holding Jaden close to me and I easily noticed he had relaxed though he tried to hide it. I looked down at Jaden and surveyed him for a second before reaching down and pulling his hood off his head, I glanced in the Styrofoam cup he was holding to see something blue swirling in it as he held it at an angle, almost threatening to spill it over the floor and my legs.

"... and I said bitch, run up then! That hoe..." 

"... I meet this dike bitch last night, right..."

"... head and throw the dice! Miss, and its yo' ass fam! Best...."

"... keep a spare Glock in my compartment, these niggas slimy as..."

I glanced at the loud kitchen again before lifting Jaden into my arms and turning to walk out, I walked to the back door and pulled the door open to leave when a hand shot out and slammed it closed on me. I flinched and turned around to see Kasmin staring down at me with his smoldering hazel eyes, I stared up at him with my lips slightly parted as he looked my face over before meeting my eyes and cocking his head with a tiny smirk on his face.