I𝐋L𝐌A𝐓I𝐂 𝐈

01 | N.Y State Of Mind

Roscoe joined the group in sixth grade after Malik and Juan, who had been best friends since third grade. This made them all brothers by default. When they were together, they planned on causing trouble because they were inseparable and always visible. Due to several complaints from the neighbourhood, they were widely known and screamed trouble. Everybody respected them because they controlled their neighbourhood. Not only did they work for Roscoe's cousin, who is a well-respected man in the community, but also just because they were them. They gained reputation as a result.

They were fresh to the game and enjoyed the money-making hustle; to them, it wasn't about ruling the drug lords; it was just about providing for their families and treating themselves. Because they were constantly fly from head to toe and that captivated the ladies, you would always see them sporting the newest of the news. Fly didn't just refer to wearing expensive clothing; anyone may wear it regardless of its appearance. They thought it had to do with the styling.

When they finally arrived in their neighbourhoods, they had to stop for a moment on Juan's front porch to regain their breath and rehydrate after all the running they had been doing. Being just [ 7:45 ] in the morning, the street was empty. Except for them, hardly anyone was awake. They barely had any sleep last night because of the money calls. Although it was an odd sleep routine, they eventually became accustomed to it and it didn't bother them as much. They were encouraged to carry on by the money.

"Son, we almost got caught today." In between breaths, Roscoe was able to exhale as he leaned against the stairwell in an effort to breathe in some fresh air. "Shut your Dominican ass up." It was one thing to be dehydrated, but in Malik's situation he wanted to be dehydrated and in silence, so he responded back without trying to hear Roscoe's mouth running.

Roscoe's face grew stern as he tried to comprehend Malik's abrupt insult. "Would I be racist if I was to say, shut your Jamaican ass up?" Malik gave Roscoe the information he sought without hesitating, giving him a few head nods to indicate his response. "Definitely!" Roscoe was a combination of both; his mother is Dominican and his father is black African American, Malik informed him, prompting Roscoe to kiss his teeth back at him. Because of his light-skin, Malik likes to tease him about being an actual native white man who was adopted by coloured people and brought to places with a lot of sun, where he got darker.

"Both y'all niggas can shut y'all asses up." Mean mugs were given to Juan as he alternately pointed at Malik and Roscoe. "Ain't nobody was talkin' to your Panamanian ass." Roscoe added his own statement, making Juan chuckle. They were seniors in high school and had reached the age of majority; nonetheless, they continued to bicker back and forth over insults they were hurling at one another. They were brothers and shared that closeness.

"Nigga, we supposed to be brothers." To demonstrate to him how genuine they should be with one another rather than hating on another, Juan showed him his hand by clasping it. "Watch out before I cuss both y'all spanish ass niggas in patois." Malik chimed in with his opinion, mentioning that he didn't interfere with Juan's attempt to shake things up and team tag him with Roscoe, which made them both chuckle.

"Aight bro, y'all niggas got it. We need to get the fuck on— school 'bout to start in less than an hour and we over here sweaty as shit." They all stood up from the porch at the same time as Juan started to talk. It was their third day of the first week of classes. Even though they knew they couldn't miss it, it appeared that first period would be cut short given the amount of time they had left. They all despised first period, so it didn't worry them as much, but second period was English, and since they were all in the same class, it was interesting enough for them to want to be there.