"I really have to go", I slowly leaned down and kissed my girlfriend. She grabs my arm, as I began to turn away. Like she always does, never wanting me to leave her. I love her for that. "Be careful", she says. "Baby I will, I'll be back soon". I kiss her on her forehead and she smiles. I turn once again and head towards the door. "Ari", she calls out to me. "I love you". "I love you too beautiful".
It's only a 15 minute walk to my job. I embrace this time, spent to myself and my thoughts. It allows me to clear my head. I often day dream of the future. Sometimes, I think back to how my life was before. I was in a place where days just ran into each other and I felt that life had no purpose. Time went on and I was moving nowhere. I was physically there but mentally, I was gone. I didn't know how fix it. I didn't know how to fix me. I was only in this world. Wanting so badly for someone to help me. To see everything that I was going through. Say that they see me, so I didn't feel so alone. That's when I met her,Raquita. Freshman year, somehow we became friends. Slowly she brought me back into the light. She filled me with a warmth, that could only be described by the sun. She was my joy. Everyday I spent with her made everyday more bearable. I wasn't alone anymore. I tried to push her away, afraid that she'd see to much. Afraid that I'd let her. I fought so hard against it, she could have better. Be better without me. She stayed. She put up with it all, all the anger and pain. Its been 5 years and she is truly the best thing that's ever happened to me.
"Ari you're late, next time you're fired". I shrug the comment off, knowing that they couldn't fire me even if they wanted. Knowing we're already understaffed as it is. I grunt as I grab my headset to begin my shift.
"Here you go ma'am". I hand out the last bag of greasy fast food. " Have a good night", I call out to her before shutting the window. Finally, I thought to myself. My last customer, I look at the clock above my head. As it read 11:30 pm, my shift was over and I was glad I could go home and be with my baby. I clock out, not saying shit to anybody because I don't fuck with anyone here. Some people are cool but I never get the "oh that could be my friend" vibe. Grabbing my bag I head out the side door, the brisk autumn air hits me. Giving me some relief from the day I had. I can't understand why so many people can be so mad. And if they are, why come deal with more people? Go home. There, problem solved. I try to clear my thoughts and focus on the task ahead. Walking home. It'll be some time before I get some sleep, I have a test to study for tonight and I need to pass. I'm nowhere near rich and I got to do what I have to do. Working all the time to pay tuition isn't ideal, but what else am I going to do? I wasn't blessed with hand outs. I don't like complaining, I make it work. I'm going to succeed. It took me so long to believe that, but now that dream isn't going anywhere before its accomplished.
"Ding", I reach into my pocket when I hear my phone go off. A smirk fills my face because I already know who it is.
"Bae can you bring home some chips, thank you, I love you. "
A little laugh escapes my lips. I reply to her.
"I gotchu baby, Love you too. Fat ass."
I make a little detour so I can hit up the gas station. I look both ways before I cross the street. The little bell goes off as I enter. Its empty, not a soul insight, well except the nigga at the register. I swear as many times as I come here I never see the same two faces, working behind that counter. Not that I really care, run your business how you want to run it. I always scan the aisles even though I know where everything be at. Just making sure they ain't change anything up on a nigga. Heading over to where the chips are at, I look over to the man at the register. He's a bigger set guy with a beard and a balding head that he's trying to keep alive. I look but he ain't paying no mind to me, so I start to do the same. Why not mind my own business too. I grab a bag off cheese popcorn and Hot Cheetos, knowing her ass is going to be mad if I don't. She's always been the type to mix weird shit together. With her nasty ass. I pick me up a bag of Funyuns. I walk to the back of the store, might as well get a drink while i'm here. Right as I swing open the glass door, and the cool freezer air hits me. Two hooded figures enter the store. "POP POP POP POP", four shots go off. I duck down behind an aisle. As quickly as it began, it was over. They were gone and just like before the store was empty. The sound of sirens brought me back to earth. It was hard to breathe, it felt that ever breath I tried to take was going to be my last. "Calm down Ari", I tell myself. I knew I had to get out of there, cops see people like me and assume the worst.
I can't help but look at him, I can't say this is all new to me. I've seen bodies laid out before. I've been fortunate enough to only see them after the fact. Never have I been there, with a front row seat to it all. It did something to me, to my mind. I can't allow this shit to affect me right now. There he was, the man behind the counter. Now with four holes in him. Two in his chest and two in his head. I run towards the door, in the corner of my eye I see something on the floor. I don't know why but something was telling me to take a closer look. Laying right in the corner of a aisle laid a little USB drive. I grab it and stuff it in my jacket pocket.
Even through the sirens are so loud, the only thing I hear is the sound of my own heart. Beating so loud, so profusely. I don't think I've ever ran this hard in my life. They are chasing me and I can't seem to lose them. I turn down the alley three blocks away from my apartment. Whatever it is I have in my pocket I know I need to ditch it. I quickly take off my jacket, roll it up and hide it behind a dumpster under some rocks and trash. I keep running, right as I'm about to exit the alley two cop cars stop in front of me. Blocking my way. I turn around and I am greeted with the same sight. "PUT YOUR HANDS UP, NOW", an officer yells at me. "Hol- Hold up I didn't do nothing, all this shit is a mistake" I plied raising my hands. They all pull their guns on me. My heart aches as I remember what Raquita said to me earlier.
"Be careful".
"Baby I will, I'll be back soon".
——————————————————————————-
Hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter😁
Picture up top is Ari
YOU ARE READING
Dream
Mystery / Thriller"I really have to go", I slowly leaned down and kissed my girlfriend. She grabs my arm, as I began to turn away. Like she always does, never wanting me to leave her. I love her for that. "Be careful", she says. "PUT YOUR HANDS UP, NOW", an officer...
