class young,” Black said before we dipped out of the building.
We headed to my house to smoke in the backyard. Then we headed to my brother Cash’s house to chill out for a while. I knocked on the door.
Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom!
Soon after, Crack opened the door.
“Ya two li’l niggas ain’t never in school yo?” he said, shaking his head. We showed each other love as we walked in the door.
“Where Cash at, bruh?” I asked.
“He in the back,” Crack said before closing the door behind us.
When Black and I walked inside, Manny, Fatz, and Twan were sitting on the couch with two blunts in rotation. Now Crack, Manny, and the gang are all a part of Cash’s crew—the Fam. Manny and Crack were godbrothers and the last two people you’d want to play with. Crack’s fuse was shorter than Scarface’s, and Manny’s been busting heads since elementary school. He nearly killed his father with a bat for beating on his moms when he was twelve years old. Since then, he went from Man Man to Manny.
As for Fatz, he’s been Cash’s right-hand man for as long as I can remember. He says he’s gonna be a comedian one day. He is one joke-telling nigga at times. My man a psycho though.
As for Twan, Cash met him in jail a few years back and brought him into our operation. He’s been loyal to the crew and became like family. And that’s what separated us from all these other paper chasers out here. I would die for my men. I remember hearing Cash say once, “I ain’t got no friends. I just got brothers, bitches, and beams on they head.”
So, as it is, we walked in past Crack and saw the crew on the couch smoking. Black clapped his hands, rubbing them together and sat down next to Twan.
“Wassup, li’l nigga. I seen you wit Cherry this morning,” Twan said.
I showed everybody love before walking back toward Cash’s room. When I got to his room, I opened the door right up. Cash was standing up next to his bed, counting out stacks of money. Last time I saw that much money, Cash got locked up.
“Freeze,” I said, walking in. Cash looked up quickly, almost pulling out his pistol.
“Bruh, fucking knock!” he said, wide-eyed. “Lock the door!” Cash said before taking a deep breath. I stepped inside his room and closed the door behind me. “Aye look, I was tryna keep my head down, but why you ain’t at school?” he asked.
“Man, fuck school, bruh. I don’t need them dumbass classes,” I said.
“What you mean, ‘Fuck school’ li’l nigga? You think we been putting you through all them summer camps for you to come back here and be hustling. You wanna be like Uncle Smit out here, chasing these dumbass skeezers looking broke,” Cash said.
“Man Imma get outta here, bruh,” I said.
“Take your li’l ass back to school, brother!” Cash said.
I walked to the door before Cash opened his mouth again.
“Don’t come back ’till you on Sports Center!” he said.
I walked back into the living room to grab Black and head back to school.
“You good, bruh?” Black asked me once we stepped outside.
“Yeah, I’m straight. Cash just…” I said.
“What he got in your shit,” Black said.
We then hopped in my car.
“Yeah! Well, you know it’s been hot these last few weeks,” said Black.
Black stared at me for a moment then we focused our attention straight ahead at the drunk, homeless man dancing his way up the street to no music.
“Here,” Black said, handing me a sparked-up j. “Ease your mind a li’l bit, baby.”
As we pulled up to the school, we saw everyone walking outside.
“I think they’re having a fire drill,” I said.
“Bet,” Black said, observing the hundreds of students walking outside the school. As we got nearer to the other students, I saw Duffy, who normally bought tree from me, approaching us.
“What’s up, Hype? Everything’s everything?” Duffy asked me.
“Yea, what you looking for?” I said.
“A cutie,” said Duffy.
“Not on me,” I said.
“I got that, bruh,” said Black.
Black and Duffy dapped and rapped for a hot second, and then they stepped back to Black’s whip and pulled off before I even realized it. I stood, still watching Black’s taillights before I heard my name being called.
“Hype, come here,” I heard from the crowd.
I looked over to see her standing under a shaded tree with her hands on her hips. I walked over to her and pushed her navel, making her laugh.
“You hot,” she said after I kissed her forehead.
“What you talking ’bout?” I said.
“You know what I’m talking about,” she said.
“You know me babe. I gotta get high,” I said.
“Uh-huh, I see you still got that watch on,” she said.
“Of course I still got it on,” I said.
The fire drill eventually ended, and everyone started walking back inside. I began to feel slightly uneasy about Black and Duffy stepping off so soon, so I sent Black a text.
…YOU GUCCI MY NIGGA…
Black texted me right back.
…YEA WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK…
…ARRD BE SAFE BRO…
…ARRD…
I continued about my day until that final bell rung. We were playing my cousin at Forestville who were ranked number 6 in the state, right behind us.
The Big Game
I pulled out my phone to text Black.
…WYA…
About seven minutes had gone by and I had not received a response. I pulled out my phone and called him. Still no response.
I wasn’t the type to worry, but this situation wasn’t sitting well with me in my gut. I called his phone again with no response.
“Dog, fuck! What the fuck!” I yelled out.
Black kept a .45 on him, so I doubt Duffy would have tried him. But ’round my way, anything is possible.
Then immediately I got a text, but it was from Mom.
…HI SON I’LL BE RUNNING A LITTLE LATE FOR YOUR GAME, BUT I’LL GET THERE AS SOON AS I CAN.
HAVE FAITH AND HAVE FUN. I LOVE YOU SON…
After reading the text, I felt anxious and confused, so I did something I hardly ever did. I prayed for Black in the hopes that all was well. Then I picked up my phone and called Cash.
“What up li’l bro.”
“Bruh, you heard from Black.”
“Naw, wassup.”
“I can’t get a hold of him, man. He left the school with Duffy.”
“Duffy… I just seen that man.”
“Which one?”
Cash spoke to who I figured was Fatz or somebody.
“Yeah, stay at school, brother. We out.”
Cash