Hard Knock Life

Chapter 3

Hezekiah

I pulled the hood of my sweater up over my head and shoved my hands into my pockets as I walked down Izabella's long block. It was freezing outside but I was so mad I wasn't even cold.

As I began my long journey from Izzy's side of town back to Harlem, I thought back to what happened 20 minutes ago and I was tight as hell.

My thoughts were scattered all over the place. I was thinking about Izabella being pregnant and the fact that she wasn't even gonna tell me. I couldn't even process the thought of us having a baby and as much as I hated to admit it she was right, I worked so hard to get that athletic scholarship and this situation changed everything. We were nowhere near ready for a baby. I ain't have a job at the moment and neither did she. Iz was still in high school and I just started college after a year break.

Besides my two best friends no one knew we were a together, adding a baby to our situation just made this shit so much more complicated. Nonetheless I'm always grown about the shit I do, so it would be a cold day in hell before I even thought about asking her to get an abortion. I wanted to be there for her, go to all her doctors appointments, feel the babies first kicks with her. I wanted to be there when she got all emotional over stupid shit that didn't even make sense. The love I had for this girl was genuine. I loved Izabella from the bottom of my heart and if I had planned to have a baby I swear to god it would be with her. It pissed me off knowing that she knew about it and ain't say nothing, it made me even more mad that she really went to an appointment on her own.

If they hadn't left the picture on the sofa I would have went back to school and known nothing. It was hard enough for me leaving Izabella behind imagine my own flesh and blood?

I didn't even wanna stress myself with school at the moment when I had more important things on my plate now. Iz was right, there was a lot we needed to think about. Especially me. I need to get our own place. Living with both my babies was a must and I'm damn sure Iz parents ain't gonna let a nigga stay with them. I know she ain't even tell her parents about me, hell I ain't never fucking met them anyways. All I know is that they don't fuck with niggas like me anyways, she never told me that but she ain't have too. We been together officially for like 3 months but we were kicking it way before then since before the summer even started and she had never brought it up. I have to sneak in through her windows if her parents are home when I wanna see her some nights. They probably thought she was too good for me. I shook my head at the thought.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, pulling it out I seen it was one of my best friends Armando calling me

"Wassup Mando" I answered.

"Yoooo Kiah. We out to that party in Dyckman?" He semi yelled through the phone.

"Nah, I got a lot on my mind right now. I just wanna chill at the crib" I replied. "Aight man don't say we ain't invite you. But yo ima catch you later Derrick just got here"

"Bet be safe bro" I told him ending the call.

Almost an hour later I was finally approaching my building. I saw EJ, one of my friends from high school sitting in front of my building. "Wassup E, hows life" I asked once I approached him. He gave me dap before he said, "Man life is great, I'm making this paper fam" he pulled out two large wads of 100 dollar bills. "This is what I make in one fucking day bro" Chuckling lightly I shook my head, "Yo ass ain't never change always been about your paper, I respect ya hustle though." I told him, walking around him into my building.

"Yo Kiah! When you done dreaming, hit my line, I could put you on to this money" he yelled after me. I laughed shaking my head as I stepped onto the elevator.