B E S T F R I E N D | •Tory Lanez ft. Jacquees•

Kyah

Today was the day.

Zai's interview was today and I didn't need to be right next to him to feel his nervous vibe. Shit it was there when we'd dropped him off at the airport and even over the phone last night, I could tell.

I understood where he was coming from. His whole life he'd been told he'd be a failure, that he wasn't destined for greatness. So naturally, he was always doubting himself.

I just prayed he'd see what I saw in himself one day. I wanted him to look in the mirror and see the man he was now and not the broken kid/ teenager fighting to survive and fend for himself.

But at this point, it was all up to him and to hoping his past didn't fuck him over, as usual.

My gaze glanced to the bottom right corner of my laptop.

10:29 am

I had to be in court in 30 minutes.

I'd finished up with my second case of the day, so I was typing up my report. Though, I wasn't sure which I disliked more, paperwork or court. After my notes were finised, I grabbed my file on my next case and headed out of the office, taking my time hoping Zai would update me on how his interview went so my anxiety would calm down.

Nothing.

I'd have to hold out until after court and that was going to have me a little distracted, but fuck it.

**

"Darius, you heard everything the judge said, right?" I gave him a stern look. Court was finally over with and I was back at my office. Most of the times after court I'd have my cases meet me back at my office so I could go over plans, any issues academically or in the home, etc...

He was slouched in the seat in front of my desk, looking unintreseted in what I had to say, but that's how most of them usually are the first couple of times, until they realized how serious the situation was and they may end up being detained.

His eyes flickered up to meet mines momentarily, before flickering back down to whatever he'd been staring at earlier. "Yea."

I wanted to roll my eyes and yell at him, so that he'd get how bad this was. Getting in trouble and messing his life up wasn't going to benefit him in the long run, but that wasn't going to help either one of us.

"Darius, look at me when I'm talking, please and sit up straight." I waited patiently while sat up up in his chair grunting dramatically. "This isn't a game, Daruis. You mess up one more time and you going to get detained by the state..."

My approach wasn't getting through to him, so I tried something else. "Remember when we first met, and you told me you were selling because you trying to help your momma out?" That got his attention enough that his eyes lit up a fraction. "You have two younger siblings, what are they going to do without you? Huh?"

He remained quiet, but I could see the worry building up in his eyes. "Your momma is worried sick, that somethings going to happen to you in those streets, Daruis and look at all the money she could be using for your siblings. Instead she's using it to take you to court and back..."

It wasn't that I was trying to make him feel bad, but unlike some other youths, he actually had a mother who was trying to support him and instead she was running herself into the ground because of his acting out.

I gave him a minute to let it sink in.

"Ight, I got it," he muttered. "Imma get it together."

"That's what you said last month, Darius. You're about to be 17 soon and I won't always be here to talk sense into you. Change your ways while you have the chance to before you end up in jail, on house arrest, or worst."

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. A gesture I'd come to learn he did when his was in deep thought. After a few moments, he looked back up; a look of determination burning in his eyes.

"Ight, what I gotta do?" He asked.