'We've gotta show this sideman that he can't be doing sh*t like that and think it's casual. I don't think he has a full understanding of the kind of people that we are.' Paddy had a concerned look on his face.
'I agree.' Tickz added.
'I know.' Cory nodded as his jaw clenched, his eyes darkened beneath his wool hat.
'You do know that we can't let Shemaro live after that.' Ryan's expression was intense and full of sincerity.
'I know.'
'What?'
There was silence as Paddy stood up again.
'Are you lot dumb?' Paddy's face screwed up in sheer annoyance as his eyes scanned around the room so everyone saw the cold look in his eyes. 'Is this how you lot have been moving wrong? Since when did we do bullsh*t like that, seems like I've been in the bin for much too long.' Paddy shook his head and ran his hand over it.
'But he-'
'Nah, Ryan you're fully pissing me off! This ain't what we're about.'
'He's just wound up, he ain't thinking straight.' BJ injected in an attempt to defuse a situation as he felt the tension rising.
'Naaaaah I wanna kill him!' Ryan's fist descended onto the table.
Cory remained silent.
'His brother needs to learn...' Ryan continued.
'Well we're gonna teach him a lesson for sure but in the best way we know how...' A smile grew upon Paddy's face. 'There's no need for violence my brothers, let's just take this n*gga's money.' Paddy ushered the rest of the males into a huddle as they made a plan. Soon enough, Ryan's defences weakened and a smile formed onto his face also.
Another two hours had passed before the team went their separate ways. Ryan climbed into his car and put on his car's music system. Lately he had had Meek Mill's Traumatised on repeat.
He remembered the rain ..
When he was alone, the song brought memories of his childhood to him. He was the youngest of the three children that his parents had. He had an older brother and sister; they lived normal stable life as his parents both had respectable jobs so they were comfortable.
The first time Ryan experienced death was at 14 when his older brother, Robyn lost his best friend. Akai was like a big brother to Ryan. It was the first time he'd ever been to a funeral, he never shed a tear but he knew his soul would never forget what his eyes witnessed that faithful day. The solemn atmosphere, the wails, the sobs.
He remembered the rain, yes, he remembered looking down at his church shoes and the rain hitting them like bullets.
Akai's mum fell onto her knees clinging onto the casket; the sight of it troubled Ryan's young soul. The glassy look in her eyes as she watched her whole life being lowered into the ground, Ryan watched her almost...fascinated by her sorrow. Such emotion was irrelative to him. He'd never seen Robyn cry until that day, he'd shed tears for someone he'd loved and lost.
He remembered the rain ..
Shortly after Akai's death, Ryan felt Robyn distance himself from the family somewhat. He was always out and didn't spend time with his younger brother like he used to. Ryan didn't have many friends; most of the time if he ever went out it was with Robyn and all his friends. So now he felt confined to the four walls of his bedroom, and that's where he fell into love with Tupac's music. He lived it and breathed it, Ryan became obsessed to the stage where he got his nose pierced, his sister, Raven loved it. She said it suited him as he had the right shape of nose and facial structure for it and that he had feminine features anyway. However his parents disapproved, Robyn would tease him occasionally but he generally didn't have much interest. It was a school where all the trouble started. Ryan's family lived in an area which was predominately full of white and Asian people; Ryan was one of 3 black boys in whole year group. He was extremely intelligent yet he wasn't very socialable; he didn't know how to be. He was quiet and would usually fade into the background; he'd just observe his surroundings and go unnoticed. Some of the kids at his school were racist, some more overtly than overs. But it was when he came to school with his nose piercing that the bullying started.
