Coming of Age and Coming to Love

Chapter 3

It has been two days since Antonio, that's what I call him now, told me that we were moving. Apparently we're moving to Chicago for "our safety" so he says. But on da block people are saying otherwise. They say it's because the police are catching on to his drug deal. Yeah that's right my father is a drug dealer but he's also a good man. He takes care of all three of his kids and his lovely wife. Even though he takes care of his family, he still maintains to be a good businessman. But I told him I absolutely refuse to move to Chicago. Moving means new house, new school, new friends, new this, new that. Aw naw, I'm for none son. On top of that my two older brothers, Jerome and Chresanto, get to stay in Brooklyn. Like really, I should be able to stay too.

I was in my room looking through a quince dress magazine when I heard a knock on my bedroom door.

"Go away," I called out to the knocked. But whoever this person was they had a really big pair of buffalo balls. After I told them to leave, this person had the nerve to open my door and walk in my room. I looked up and an instant smile appeared on my face. The bold knocker was none other than my forever crush, Rayon August, but Royale to da block. Rayon is twenty-one, works for my dad, he's 6'3, and completely towers over me. I've known him since I moved here and loved him since I knew how to spell the word.

"What you want punk?", I asked him sitting up in my bed. He chuckled and walked over to my desktop and sat in my computer chair.

"Nothing much really. So I hear yo birthday coming up son."

"Word. You heard right," I replied nonchalantly.

"Word on the block is you and ya fam 'bout to bump outta Brooklyn."

"Correct again. What's it to ya?"

"Just wanted to say happy early birthday and be careful in tho Chi. I hear they kill folks for nothin' down dere."

"Okay thanks," I said trying to hide my kool-aid smile. Oh my gosh he cares a

bout me.

"Oh and another thing I heard too," he said.

"Shoot."

"I heard you got some lil crush on me," he smirked.

"Yeah kinda," I tuned my face trying to hide my blushing.

"Well that's cool and all but you a baby to me. I would never date you. I need a full, grown, experienced, woman." He laughed like it was really funny.

Never in all my almost fifteen years of life have I ever felt such pain in my heart. My eyes started welling and I could feel the waterworks coming. I couldn't hold it in any longer. I screamed. I screamed so loud all of New York should've heard me. My brothers always told me that if I felt ,or thought someone was hurting me in any way, scream. And at that moment my brothers' advice was put to work.

"What the fuck are you screaming for man?", Rayon asked looking pissed off. In a blink of an eye my twenty-five year old brother, Jerome, appeared in the threshold of my door.

"What this nigga do?" He asked through his gritted teeth, glaring at Rayon.

"He hurt me," I replied trough tears. No questions of what all happened, what the full story was, asking Rayon his side, none of that. Jerome simply cracked his knuckles, walked up to a fearful Rayon and beat him. He whooped his ass dead smack in the middle of my room.

Never, I mean NEVER, break the heart of a queen with an army behind her.