𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞.

i.

END OF MAY, 1997
- RONNIE -

"Ron, you not coming to the link up on 23rd? It starts at 6, and right now it's 5:15! You now it gets dark around 5:45 so come o-"

"I'm gonna stay around and get some more work in Slim. Maybe another time...." I say as I lay the ball up.

" When you gonna come kick it with us? Always around here acting like you can't hang.." Slim says, rolling his eyes.

" Maybe me not hanging is why I'm on varsity taking yo minutes while you sit on the bench." I say as I get the rebound and walk toward Slim.

" Say mane, that's cold..." Slim says as we shake hands.

"All I know is I better see you at the my bro's summer jam in the next couple of weeks" Slim says before he walks out the door.

" Aye, I'm there fasho..."

For the next couple of hours, I work on my game until the janitor kicks me out the gym for closing. After I unlace my basketball shoes, I slip my slides on and head over to Troop's house. That's where I stay at for right now. Troop is like a brother to me, and we've been tight since I was little
kid, like 14.

"YOOOO Troop!" I yell as I walk in. I don't hear a response, so I check his room. "Must be out doing the job...."

Troop pretty much runs how drugs get around in this city. I ain't found about this till last year, when he got arrested from getting exposed. His homies bailed him out like the next week, so it wasn't nothing to him and his guys. He ain't never really tried to put me on nothing, especially since he knows I'm an elite level athlete.

I'm mean what can I say, I've been starting on varsity for the pass two years, and I just got it going on. My senior year is approaching, as school as just ended. My phone starts to ring, as I get a message from the Corrections Facility.

" H-hello? Ronnie? You know who it is.  We ain't  spoke in a while , come see me when you the chan- "

The message didn't finished. I sat on my bed, and thought
for a moment. I don't really have plans, but I guess I could go see him today, along with spicing my flavor up and going to the mall. I take a shower, and put on some jean shorts with a blue tee. I throw my silver platinum chain on and a bandana, and head to Beverly Hills Mall.

I go into a random clothing store, since my favorite store wasn't open. I walk around and glimpse at some of the items they had to offer.

" They ain't got shit in here..." I mumble to self.

" Excuse me...." a voice says out to me. I turn around to see a girl, a girl with nice curves and braids down her back. I glance for a long, but in reality short time. I examine her unique face, looking directly at her eyes.

" EXCUSE ME, YOU ARE ON MY FOOT!!!!" she screeches out as I quickly step off of them.

" Ah, my bad shorty...." I say and she rolls her eyes and glares at me before she walks away. I grab a bracelet quickly and follow behind her, trying to stop her tracks.

" aye...I said I was sorry, you ain't gonna say nun back?" I ask.

" Do I need to say something back to you?" she says looking at me up and down.

"Yeah.....probably like ' it's okay ' or something. Just lemme know you got the apology."

We stand in silence for a moment, and she as she prepares to walk again, but I ask for her name.

" Why do you wanna know?"

"Cause I wanna know, shorty."

"Well, if it was meant to be, you'll find me again." With that, she trails off and out of the store.

I wanted to go after her, but I had to pay for this bracelet. I went out of the mall, heading to the corrections facility. As I drove, I thought about that girl. She's different, I feel in inside of me. As many girls that out here in South Central, I have never seen her before.

THIRTY MINUTES LATER

I sit at the table, and wait for him to come out. I see him come, with a smile showing no teeth, and he sits, waiting for the officer to uncuff him. "You got 20 minutes.."the officer says. He nods, and turns toward me.

"What's going on, Pops?" I say giving him a hug.

"doing the same thang, keeping it up..."

"...you holding it down for me while I'm gone? y-yo-you know I'm gon be out soon right? I've been working in here like crazy, trying to trim my sentence down. Ain't tryin to do 20 for some bull."

" yeah, pops. I hear you. I've been holding it down."

He notices the look in my eyes. I think about it every day, everything that happened.

"Aye, I know it still affects you. How everything was kinda unfortunate. But look, you got keep ya head up for me. for ya moms. for your brother. It's been 9 years. You already made it this far, so don't you ever give up..." my father says, holding my shoulder. I look at him in his eyes, and nod.

"Besides, I heard you tore up this year in basketball. you betta have a scholarship, if not multiple by the end of ya senior year" he says smiling.

"I gotchu, pops. All for you. I just need you outta here."

"I hear you son." my father says. The guard come backs and we both stand at the table.

" Let me just say this Ronnie, just this once. You stay outta trouble. Don't let the hype for the streets fool you. You don't belong there. You above that..." he says as the guard placed his hands behind his back.

I could hear the seriousness and coldness in his voice. My pops was a wise man, just a wise man who made dumb decisions.

_____