Hate the Player and the Game

chapter 18

"It's.........It's in the main office". The boy said starting to cry.

"Take me to it". I told him. I gripped the back of his neck while aiming my AK at him as he lead me to the main office. The whole office was clustered with old unneeded things. Typewriters and old computers with cracked screens sat turned over on the floors and there were wires drooping down from the ceiling. The boy stopped at a desk and behind it was a safe. "Well watchu waitin' on"? I asked him. "Put in the combination". The boy got on his knees and opened the safe. I started to hear more shooting, and I could start to smell the fire. When the safe door swung open and I saw the forty grand a big smile grew on my face. I threw the duffel bag that was on my shoulder at the boy. "Fill it up". I demanded, and he did. He sniffed and cried the whole time. I wondered how he became apart of Slick's crew being the bitch ass nigga he was. He looked almost the same age as me and I wondered how he was so immature and I wasn't. When he was done filling the duffel bag, I snatched it from him and swung it over my shoulder. "Thanks". I said to him. "Now take yo bitch ass home". I left the office satisfied that I had gotten the money, but I had to go back for my homies. I could still hear the gun shots, and I could still hear people screaming. That's when I heard my name. Someone had screamed it, someone was calling me, but I couldn't tell if it was really my name or not. Maybe I was hearing things. "Raheem, Miles"! I yelled. "Uncle Ronnie"! The flames were starting to build up and the smoke was starting to get into everyone's lungs.

"I'm right here". I heard Raheem say. He was standing at the entrance doors with Miles and Uncle Ronnie ready to leave. Miles was crying. I had never seen a grown man cry before. I looked over to see one of Gay Tony's niggas run up to us out of breath. Out of the ten that entered this building, five of us was coming out. That was sad.

"Where is everybody"? I asked. "Where's the rest of Gay Tony's boys"?

"They gone". Uncle Ronnie told me. "It's just him left". He said pointing to the the dude that had just ran up.

"Did you see what they did to Calli"? Raheem asked shaking his head. I looked over at Miles who was covering his face. "His body in that gym right now burning up with that fire".

"I know". I said firmly not trying to burst out in tears like a little bitch. I looked at Raheem and lifted the duffel bag and let it drop back down to my side. "I got the money".

"What"! He said excitedly. "We were just about to go look for it, but no need to now thanks to you". I smiled feeling good about myself.

"Okay". Uncle Ronnie coughed. "Let's go". We all ran out of the burning building and across the street to the jeeps. I opened the back door to the one I rode in. I was longing for a kiss from Diamond, but she wasn't there. She was gone.

"Yo"! I yelled at the guys throwing the duffel bag into the car. "Where's Diamond"? They all looked back at me shocked.

"She's gone"? Raheem asked double checking.

"I told her to stay in the car"! I said angrily slamming the door shut.

"She's not in the one I'm in either". Gay Tony said.

"You were the only one out here! You were supposed to be watching her"! I yelled.

"Hey, I told you that I wasn't babysitting". He said. I dropped my gun and ran to go kick Gay Tony's ass, but Uncle Ronnie caught me and held me back.

"WHERE DID SHE GO"!!!? I shouted at everyone. "Where did she go"?

"Cruze, calm down"! Uncle Ronnie hollered at me.

"Where did she go Tony"!? I shouted at him.

"I don't know......I was dozing off".

"Dozing off!!! At a shoot out? I ought to kill you"! I say breaking out of Uncle Ronnie's hold on me. "We gotta go back.........we gotta look for her".

"Forget it Cruze". Miles said. "She's probably dead or one of the get away's took her". I covered my ears not wanting to hear that shit. I got into the backseat of the jeep that Diamond was supposed to be in. I sat back and closed my eyes as I heard the men start to get into the cars. Then BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOOOOOM!! The whole recreation center blew up in flames. "Go, go"! Miles yelled at Raheem who was in the drivers seat. Raheem started the jeep up and stomped on the gas . He drove us away from the scene and Gay Tony followed in the other jeep. I looked out the window to see people leaving their houses in their pajamas to see what was going on. We sped away from that center not wanting to look back. Cop cars, fire trucks, and ambulances sped past us even faster. I knew that they were headed toward the center. I wanted to cry, but I didn't. A small tear ran down my cheek, but I hurried to wipe it away. I was worried. I didn't know if Diamond was dead or alive. I wanted so badly to go back and look for her. Miles reached over and touched my shoulder. "You'll be over her". He said. "You still got your whole life to find someone else". I pushed his hand off of my shoulder and continued to stare out of the window. He said that I would be over her, but I knew that I wasn't ever going to be. She was my first love and I wanted her to be my only. All I could think about was her smile and the way she kissed me. I missed her already. I wondered what happened to her. I starred up at the moon to hold back my tears. Next stop......The Bronx.

End of part 1