The Rules

Chapter TWO

I burst through tha Fields' front door and half strut-half stalk my way in, flingin' my thick black hair ova my shoulda and starin' everyone down with my black-lined eyes. Bein' ova six foot tall helps too. People part as I make my way fa tha basement door. Beata nearly stops me at tha door before he realizes who I am and instead opens tha door fa me.

"Thanks, Beata," I wink and slide down tha stairs via tha hand rail.

Tha rest a tha room freezes as they hear tha tap a my boots landin on tha basement floor. Game passes me a cue as I make my way ta tha pool table. Sleeves shakily racks up tha balls while Skins tosses me tha chalk. Tha room is in still silence, time frozen with tension.

I smile suddenly, breakin' tha ice. "Hey, how y'all doin', guys?"

Tha room is filled with semi-anxious chatta and I feel a collective sigh outside tha basement door. Ri really shouldn't worry ‘bout me, she should really worry ‘bout them. I have a certain... Image, let's say, that I like ta keep round tha 'hood.

Nearly every otha night it's tha usual: us guys come down here ta Don Field's basement ta play pool. Seven one-on-one matches. We start with four matches which includes all eight a us. Tha winnas move up ta play otha winnas. Losas stay down ta play otha losas. Whoeva wins at last earns favas from all tha othas. If there's a draw, which there often is, we settle it with a fight. A real man-ta-man, or man-ta-woman, fist fight. No weapons. Whoeva wins, wins. Whoeva loses, often dies or is seriously injured unless they do tha winna a real big fava.

That's why no-one eva wants ta draw with me. I'm pretty evenly matched with tha best a these lot so when it comes ta tha last match we fought. I always won no matta who took me on. So these fellas, bein' tha wimps that they are, often choose ta lose against me ta avoid tha fight. Unless, a course, if they think they're betta than me at pool.

Wait a minute, wait a minute, I know what'ch'all thinkin': how in tha hell can you draw at pool? Well, this is a special kinda pool that takes way too long ta explain, so I'mma skip that, but tha main thing is, it ain't'cho regula pool.

It's quite tha hotspot here at Don's cella. Who can beat tha unbeatable? That's how I get favas. Anyone who can get me ta do a fava out a pool be havin' some serious skills. I do random favas sometimes if I can be bothad and if it's not too much ta do, but these usually cost a bit a money and no one's got much a that.

"Hey, Cessa!" Game calls me ova. Me and him are tight. Always have been since we were ‘bout (----------yea big---------). "Got a new challenga."

"Do I now?" I ask.

"Mm. Says he's from tha east. Says things like these are nothin compared ta what he does every day."

"Mmm, it that so? Where is tha guy?"

"Right ova there: talkin' ta Big Sal."

I turn ta look at where Game's pointed and right next ta Big Sal is a big tall guy with close-cut black hair, rich, coffee-color skin, shades, and a... Suit. A black one with tiny white lines goin' up and down it.

"Yo serious, man?" I nudge Game, tryin' ta cova up my laughin'. "Guy's in a suit!"

"Yeah I know. Real smooth talka too ta let himself inta here. Must a started off round here a sum'n."

He had his back ta us so I couldn't really see his face. But when he turns round, I do all I can not ta gasp.

"Long time, no see, Cessa." Tha guy takes off his shades and winks at me.

I hear a small "Oh shit" from Game.

"What in tha hell are you doin' here?" I say in a low voice, tryin' not ta let tha volume shoot ta tha roof.

"What a way to treat your own father."

"Whass'apend ta you?! Why y'all speakin' like that?"

"I've been out in the city. How's your mother?"

"My motha is dead and I thought'chu were too. Til now."

"Oh my God. What happened?"

By now everyone else had filed outta tha room, leavin' me and ma dad alone. Good choice.

"What happened? A turf war is what happened. Ma got shot down by some chick with a badass heata."

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" I see tears shinin' in his eyes.

"'Cause we thought you were dead, you son av a--"

"Cessa! You shouldn't say such things about your own father!"

"It's true! You left me ta take care a Ri and Vic alone! Vic cried fa ten days straight, bastard!"

"Why would you have to take care of your sister? She's nearly nineteen, she should be looking after you!"

"'Cause Doc says she's got somethin' wrong with ha! That's why! Do you care enough ta check on yo own children? Do you care enough ta actually tell 'em that'cha still fuckin' ALIVE?!"

"Don't you talk to me about this bullshit! I wanted to. Believe me."

"Before this turns inta some kinda court drama, I'm outta here."

As I reach tha bottom a tha stairs he grabs hold a my arm. I bend it backwards and shove him ta tha floor before stormin' up tha basement stairs and flingin' tha door open ta find twenty-thousand eavesdroppas.

"Not one word, y'all hear me? Not ONE!" I yell at tha terrified crowd. "Rememba - you still owe me favas."

With that, I wrench tha front door open and step out inta tha cold air with no alcohol ta shield me. Not mindin' tha frost creepin' up my body, I leap onta tha nearest roof and run back home.