Top Boy

3

"Imani, can I talk to you for a second?" Mum called out to me as I walked towards the bathroom.
"Yeah. Can it be quick? I really, really need to go," I said referring to the bathroom to which she rolled her eyes.
"This is serious. No jokes."
"Yes sorry, what's up?" I asked slightly more concerned than I was previously.

"I don't have a job anymore, I'm pretty sure you figured already. I try and I try but they don't let me get one, they want to send us back home. They don't understand that this is home," she said waving her arms around stressed out. I grabbed her hand to stop it from almost poking my eye out and held it in mine as she carried on. "I don't even have the money for a food shop this week. What kind of mum am I?" she broke down in tears in front of me and I froze for a second, unsure of what to do.

"It's okay mum. I promise. I'll sort something okay?" I tried to reassure her, giving her a hug.
"You can go to the toilet now," she said chuckling and wiping the remaining tears.

————

"Jamie, I beg you just hear me out okay?"
"How many fucking times do I have to tell you no until it gets through that thick head of yours? No!" he said, getting mugs out the cupboards to make tea.

"You don't understand, we need the money. Immigration wanna send the three of us back, my mum don't have a job, no income and neither do I. We don't even have money for a fucking food shop this week. Think about Ats okay? All i'm asking is you let me in on a couple deals here and there," I pleaded sitting on the counter.

"Any money you need, you can get off me. You're not dealing. Ever, as long as I'm around to stop it. Can we talk about something else now? It's like ten and you're already stressing me out," he said rubbing his temples
"I'm not taking your money and if I can't deal with you then I'll deal with some randos who don't care about my wellbeing whatsoever and could probably get me killed. Up to you though," I said rolling my eyes.

"Don't turn this on me, I'm doing you a favour here."
"Sure you are, let me and my family just starve to death then yeah," I said, my words dripping with sarcasm.

"I've already said that I'm willing to provide you lot with whatever you need. You're the one being difficult here Mani."
"I can't believe this shit," I grabbed my phone off the coffee table and headed towards the door.
"Yo Mani-" Aaron started but the door had already been slammed behind me.

————

Around three random bus drives later, I was in random ends just trying to find something fun to do now that my plans with Jamie obviously weren't happening. It was coming up to around twelve so I was looking at menus of these restaurants that lined the street. They all looked pretty fancy with nice seating areas outside. I was looking with my jaw open at the prices when I heard a familiar voice.
"Please man, I'm asking you, as your brother. I need this ten bags or Jonathan's dead man. If not for me then for him!"

I followed the voices until i was behind the shops and met none other than Dushane and Chris Hill.
"Everything alright?" I asked hesitantly as they both went quiet as I walked past.
"Who the fuck is she?" Chris spoke.
"Who the fuck are you? Tryna b-"
"She's fine, she's calm. Imani, Chris. Chris, Imani," Dushane said, quickly interrupting the train of insults that we're headed in his brothers direction.

"Look, can I speak to you later? I'm kind of busy," Dushane asked.
"Yeah man, i'll bell you whenever."
I went to walk off, "No, you stay here," Chris said, an evil looking grin on his face.
"What?" I said confused and facing the brothers again.

"Beg. If you need it that bad. Beg," he told his younger brother.
Dushane laughed before noticing the seriousness of Chris' face.
"Bruv. Are you mad?"

"Get down on your knees and beg."
I held in my laugh caused by my dirty mind.
"Bruva if you think I'm doing it then maybe ur the dumb one after all. Have you lost the plot? I'm not fucking doing that."
"Then you don't need it."
And with that Chris Hill walked off leaving a fuming Dushane and an insanely hungry me.

It was quiet for a second, "You ate yet?" I asked breaking the silence.
"You need to learn when the right time is to say things, you're lucky i'm starving," he laughed as we walked back onto the main street.

It was a little bit awkward, we hadn't spoke or spent time together in years. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but I was waiting for the lecture about how the Fields are no good and how I should join summerhouse again.

"The fuck? Have you seen those prices. They must think i'm a nutter if I'm paying that," he said walking out of a second restaurant.
"There's a kebab shop at the bottom of this road, I think," I suggested.

We ended up going there and sat down after we ordered.
"Look, as much as it'd be lovely for you to actually wanna spend time with me, what is it you need?" Dushane said, cutting straight to it.
"I need a job."

"Why aren't you asking fields?" he raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious.
"I'm not with them anymore," I shrugged.
Dushane clasped his hands together, laughing.
"No fucking way. So you're back?"
"For now yeah. I ain't talking to Dris though, he's pissed me off one too many times."
"If you need a job that's where you gotta go though mate. He sorts all the youngers shit," he shrugged apologetically.

"Your passing me off as a younger?" I said in disbelief.
"You gotta work your way back up again. That's the way it works."
"Nah that's bullshit. A younger? So doing whatever Dris tells me to? Fuck that, nah!" Annoyed was an understatement.

"Look Mani, the way I see it. You could be spying for the Fields. Waiting to know where we keep our shit, what we doing, when we doing things? Being a younger is completely fair to start off with. After all, you're the one who left. The three of us could've been on top you know? You, me and Sully. But of course you found the abusive love of your life Modie and that came before everything and everyone else didn't it?" He looked pissed off and to be fair he had every right to be.
"I'm sorry okay? But it's done now so quit crying about it. I'll be a younger for a couple weeks then, calm?"
"Calm," he spud me and I grabbed my kebab from the counter before leaving. We was gonna eat together but I couldn't be arsed to make small talk. Besides I had an encounter with Dris to look forward to. Yay...

a/n
soz i know it's been ages but i've had gcses and shit so yh that's my excuse 😭
anywyas hope ur good and don't forget to vote and comment. also feel free to send thru any ideas.
thanks for reading and another update should be out by thursday

word count: 1259