The sun finally sets, the cool breeze touches my face. Friends are finally roaming the block. No one mother is hollering at them to come home because school is the next day. It finally feels like summer, and that's how we like it. Summertime is here, loud music, cracking jokes, eating icecream and just living our best lives. Until you hear that ...
"Another bro, its the 3rd time this month... I don't care. We're not losing any of our brothers." Cartier sighed as he was riding his bike around the block talking to his friend on the phone
Its true, where we live, is either you part of it or you were living it, but I just mind my business and listen. Where I live, if you want respect, you gotta earn that shit. How you earn it, don't ask me. Ask them. A group of boys rolling dice, laughing, shouting, passing money around, passing drugs around. To them, their living their best life, and everyone is loving it.
"YO where's Sasha at Paris?" one of the boys shouted at me
I looked down and hold my breath, I felt his eyes wandered as he walked towards me.
"Did you hear me Paris?" He looked down at me
"Shes.. home... I'm going there right now actually."
He looked at me and smiled while patting my shoulder
"Great." He smirked
I walked away, as I heard the boys laughing ... I felt so embarrassed. I can never talk to them.. However my friend Sasha , always tells me, "Don't worry, they're good boys and they need good girls like us to keep them in check." I would never, ever talked to one of those... I'm trying go get out of the hood, not stay here forever. I finally arrived at Sasha's house. She lives by herself at the age of 17, how lucky can she be. Her parents, well her mother, she find herself a new boyfriend and left Sasha all by herself. Sasha is okay with it because her mother send her checks every three weeks. Must be nice, we met in middle school and since then, we were together forever. It's not only two of us, there's one more to the group, her name is Diamond. Everyone knows her for being Trev girlfriend(s), whos Trev? You might ask. He's the only boy, thats going to leave the hood, 6 feet 3 inches high school basketball player. He making moves, hopefully shows the boys some sense. I jumped on Sasha's bed and looked at her. She looked so frustrated, texting with her pink long nails.
"Arguing with Clarence again?" I asked
"Yessss! He is so annoying... like sis. A boy commented on my picture on Instagram and he commented to the boy meet me at 10473."
"Ughh.... I just saw him downstairs."
"And what did he say?"
"Where were you?" I looked down
She rolled her eyes and kept on texting, boys who need them?, especially the boys around here. They only cause you heart break,diseases and pregnancy. Finally, Diamond arrived she just came back from her date with Trev.
"Sooo how was it ?" Sasha dropped her phone, so she can hear the tea
"It was great .. you know.." she twirled her hair and popped her gum
"Yall fucked?" Sasha smirked
"YASSSSS." diamond was giggling with her
"Wow..." I mumbered
They both looked at with serious faces, and sighed
"Paris, when are you going to bust it open for a real nigga?" diamond popped her gum once more
"Ughhhh....."
"You know her, she's not going to do it until marriage." Sasha laughed until Clarence texted her again
"You never know, this summer might be her year. For a real nigga, thats how she likes them." Diamond slapped my butt
"Ouchhh!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! SNAP!
We all looked at eachother and sighed, recounting.. This is the fourth one this month. I hope this summer is different, less gunshots,less crying, less candling lighting and more smiles, more laughter. Absolutely more peace in our hood.
We slept at Sasha's house for the night, that's like our second home. I lived with my grandmother, she works at night as a hotel housekeeper. She works very hard to keep me happy, as a result, I wanted to make her happy. Going to a good college, becoming a journalist and buying her a nice house outside of this place. My mother and father? I barely knew them, I rarely asked because I'm scared to know. On the other hand, Diamond doesn't really give a fuck. She live with her mom and elder brother. The mom works most of the time and never home and her brother.... Her brother, like most of the boys downstairs watching the block. This is our lives, that we live in, some wants to change the future and some likes the present too much, so it doesn't bother them.
"Guess whos got shot ?" Sasha sighed
"Who?" Diamond and I said in unison
" Rara, sis... Drew's brother. Clarence just told me." sasha kept on texting
"Damn.. and he's locked up. Whos going to tell him?" Diamond asked
"Who else? They are.. Its sad, he was only 15." Sasha rolled her eyes
It's true, he was only 15. I don't know how it happened, but killing a 15 year old boy. It's really out of the line, now its war, I can just see it now. Cars roaming the streets, the boys standing in the corner, to wait to see who hits who. Summer wars, all over again, no one is safe, not yall momma, not yall grandma, not even yall dogs. You just have to pray, tell your love ones, you love them everyday, because you don't know when it's their last.
"RING, RING" the doorbell ranged
"Um... Sasha the door." I shouted
"Open it for me!' Sasha shouted back
I walked towards the door, and looked at the peephole. Oh great, it Clarence. I opened the door and faked smiled
"Good Morning.'' I said
"Morning.." he walked in and sat on the couch
"Wheres Sasha at ?" he asked
I pointed at the hallway as she was walked down, she jumped on him and sat on his lap. Their lips touched, as their tongues met, they were kissing very loudly even Diamond had to walk in the room.
"Yall need the room or something?" diamond joked
"Na, I'm good. I just wanted to tell yall, my bro is coming home tonight. His big arrive, we throwing him, you know a small get together. Dress cute, dress sexy and dress fly. You feel me?"
Diamond and Sasha nodded their heads in excitement, but I was very curious on what was going on.
"Where was your bro at?" I asked
" lincoln correctional facility..." he smirked
"Um excuse ... me" I coughed
"Jail... my nigga." he laughed
"I see."
"We're partying with criminals..." I whispered to myself
"It's going to be fun, just relax." Diamond smiled
"Exactly, no need to worry." Sasha kissed Clarence once more
Maybe, they're right, a party it's what we all need to get rid of the pain. A pain of losing a brother, however when a brother is coming home. That pain is erased because he took their pain away. Like Sasha always says, " Taking care of each other, that's a gang and a family."
YOU ARE READING
Where We Live, is Where We Become
Novela JuvenilGrowing up in the hood, wasn't a big deal. Well, for some people. Not everyone wanted to change their life, they loved the thrill. Throwing dice, selling drugs and especially hearing the loud Boom sound. The hood was the place to be!
