Hard As It Is

Chapter 12

Shaq

"Shaq?" Quez calls out my name as I'm putting bullets in my gun. I look up from what I was doing towards him.

"What is it Quez?" I say to him placing the gun on the table. Quez hesitates before letting out a sigh, "I've been thinking, and I feel like we should try to focus more on the bigger picture. That meaning them niggas Nosotris,"  Quez exclaims looking towards me then back out the window waiting on my response.

"I was thinking the same thing, though I wanna save Jet, I just feel like if shit pops off and we're focusing too much attention on Jet, then then niggas could ambush us any moment," I relay to him adding to his thoughts. He steps away from the window walking towards the chair next to mine taking a seat.

"What if we could merge the gangs?" Quez asks me picking up the gun checking it out.

"Merge?" I question raising an eyebrow. Did he mean us working with the Mob's? As if that would ever work especially with the type of leader they have now.

Quez sighs letting out a small chuckle, "It's stupid. I know but if you face the facts we at a huge disadvantage. We only got what over one hundred members? Who knows how many this gang got."

I nod my head. I understood what he was trying to say, but I just couldn't see it.

"I agree, but I just can't see it, and if somehow it's possible then I might have to start believing there's a God," I let him know placing bullets in my gun.

"There is one fool."

I look up at him, giving him a crooked grin, "You're religion not mine."

He chuckles, "Touché."

Quez places the gun on the table, "Do you think  it's wrong for us to put Jet on the back burner?"

He asks me his voice trembles. I understand how he feels I'm scared to, but if the shoes were reversed? If me and Quez were the ones who had been taken, then Jet would focus on the bigger picture. We can't sacrifice the whole gang for one man.

The job of the pawns is to protect the king. This is true, but if somehow the pawns fail, and the king is captured, and faced with bigger issues. The pawns must direct their attention to themselves, build themselves up stronger, deal with the minor issues, and finally take back their crown.

"Jet is strong. He's smart too, he can handle his own," I tell him, and I guess it makes him feel better because he gives me a resting smile.

, "Don't worry anymore, just get your gun together. I'll try my best to keep us safe. To protect you," I let him know smiling showing off my grills.

His cheeks tint red as he tells me, " You know I don't need your protection, I never did, if anything you need mine and still need it, "  

Normally when he says something like me needing his protection. It makes me angry, but ever since the conversation with Dimitri ; I gained a new perspective on things.

" You look stressed?" The string of smoke flowed from my lips, as my brown eyes grazed over the kids playing below my apartment complex.

"I'm good, just thinking that's all," I let the male know as he walks to the side of me leaning over the rail. 

"You're not a good liar Shaq you and I both know this, so what's up? Tell this old timer what's bothering you?" He says to me slapping my back shit stung but only for a lil bit.

I pass the blunt to him. "I'm just thinking on what I should do now? I'm stressed out, everytime something goes wrong or something happens with Jet. Heads turn towards my way like I automatically know what to do? Like I'm supposed to make the next move," I let him know choking up a bit.