Blood Brothers

Chapter 2: The Past

"Damn, you turning down sales now?" Noah asked with a laugh as he caught up with Domonique

Dom looked over at his friend and smirked, "All money ain't good money Noah, I got a reputation to protect. Can't have niggas walking up to me in broad daylight tryin to cop. I ain't no dummy."

Noah nodded his head in understanding. Although he's never touched drugs, he respected Dom's hustle and the way he carried himself in the streets.

"Heard you." He replied as they continued walking

It was just him and Dom walking home together on a Friday afternoon. Markell stayed after school for basketball practice and Jordan had band practice. They were both preparing for the championship game that would take place before school let out for the holiday break in a few weeks.

"What's your plans for the weekend?" Dom asked Noah striking up a different conversation

Noah shrugged. He hated Fridays due to the fact that he would have to spend a whole weekend home listening to his mama and step father fuss and fight. He was sick of it, she'd pick an argument with him, he'd hit her, Noah would come to her defense, and then his step father would hit him. It was a never ending cycle and Noah was tired of it. He wanted to come home to a peaceful household. He signed up for various extracurricular activities at school just to avoid going straight home throughout the week. He took all of his frustrations out on his school work. School was a place that Noah excelled in, a place he felt safe at. He was so smart that he had skipped the ninth grade and went straight to tenth, even better, he was on track to graduate high school early and he could not wait for the day that he was able to leave his toxic household. The only thing that pained him was the fact that he'd be leaving his mother behind with their abuser, the thought of it made him sick to his stomach.

"You know you can always come over to my place, if you need to get away." Dom said genuinely

Domonique and the rest of the crew knew about the abuse that Noah and his mom were enduring. But what could they do? They were all going through their own struggles. They always showed Noah love and support though, and oftentimes when his parents were fighting, Noah would sneak out his bedroom window and go to one of his friends' houses.  He was tired of it all though, tired of getting beat on, tired of seeing his mama getting beat on, and tired of the devil he called his step father. Noah felt himself getting to his breaking point, he knew something needed to be done, even if that meant taking matters into his own hands.

"I gotta kill him." Noah stated finally speaking up

Domonique laughed before looking over at his friend, but the blank expression Noah wore on his face let him know that it wasn't a laughing matter.

"Wait, you serious?" Dom asked as he stopped walking

Noah looked Dom in his eyes, "Yeah, it's the only way he'll leave me and my mama alone. We'll be at peace if he's dead. He gotta go Dom."

Domonique stood quiet for a minute, he needed to process everything Noah was saying to him.

"Ight, it's done." He spoke up after a few seconds of silence

Noah frowned, "What you mean it's done?"

"I'll handle it." Domonique confirmed

At fourteen and active in the streets, Dom had already had a few bodies under his belt. Adding Noah's step father to the list was nothing to him, he'd just be another body.

"Nah."  Noah protested "This ones on me, it's my problem, so I'll make it go away."

He didn't want Dom doing his dirty work for him. He wanted to look his step father in the face and pull the trigger himself, he had to.