Black Lives Matter

The Pull

Zay's POV
I decided to hit the gym before school since we had our first baseball workshop later this week. I lifted for almost two hours. When the clock hit 7:45 I knew I needed to go. I took a quick two minute shower and headed to the school. "Hey dude! We missed you this morning!" Lucas greeted. "Yea sorry I slept in." I lied. I knew Lucas would be mad if I told him the truth. He didn't understand how important this was for me. I needed this. I needed to be more than some deadbeat dad living in the projects and barely making enough to survive. That might be how I was raised but it's not what I'm gonna be. I'm gonna be successful. And when I'm making good money I'm not gonna waste it all on useless things like most of the white men who rule the world these days. I'd donate it so that young boys that come from barely surviving homes like mine can have good lives. I'd probably start my own organization too. A place where people can come to feel safe about who they are. It would have counselors and teachers and mentors, you know? The whole shabang. And to do that I need a baseball scholarship to a good college. And it's not like I'm taking steroids or anything, I stay far away from that shit. You get busted for that and you loose everything. I can't afford that risk. So instead I have to get ahead the hard way. Gotta claw your way to the top, isn't that a thing people say? I feel like I've heard it in a movie before. Oh well. I guess no ones life is easy, right? We all have to work for success. The bell rang and I headed into history.

Lucas's POV
Something was up with Zay. He's one of the most organized people I know. There is no way that he would ever oversleep. I needed to get to the bottom of this and fast. If Zay was in trouble I needed to help him out. I owe it to him. He's done so much for me throughout the years. Wait. Farkle wasn't here. Something was wrong. I couldn't go to his house because I was banned and Maya had a family thing this afternoon so I had to do the one thing I really shouldn't have. "Hey Zay?" I asked, turning toward him. "Yeah?" He responded looking up from his desk. He was working on an algebra worksheet. "Way to wait until the last minute." I commented "huh oh yeah no this is due tomorrow." He told me. I nodded and continued my question. "Can you please do me a huge favor and stop at Farkle's house and give him this? Please don't open it." "Of course." He agreed before going back to his work.

Zay's POV
"Way to wait till the last minute." Lucas commented, looking down at the Algebra worksheet in front of me. I didn't have any time to do my homework last night because I had to teach and workout and by the time I got home it was like midnight so I just went straight to sleep, but I'm not complaining. This is the lifestyle that brings me decent things. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices. Developing anorexia and insomnia was just collateral damage. I had it all planned out. I was going to win the war against society. I was going to be rich and famous and prove that a young black boy from the bad neighborhoods can make something of himself. I would prove it to the world, to my family, to my friends, to Riley and to myself that I could be more than what I come from; that I could succeed. If I couldn't prove that then the world won.

Riley's POV
I sat in history unable to concentrate. The only thing on my mind was Zay. Was that really how he lived his life? In fear? No, I'm sure he's just over exaggerating. I mean yeah it's tough, but it can't be that bad it's not like he's been pulled over by a cop before, right? So he had nothing to really be worried about. Just the stories in the news. Not everything in the news can happen to someone close to you, right?

Song-"Magnet" by Now, Now