Karma

Getting Involved

"Life in the hood doesn't have to be a trap – choose your path and own it. Don't let anyone tell you that falling victim to the street as a young black man is inevitable; you are more powerful than that."

Written by me.

Chapter 2: Getting involved

I had made countless mistakes in the past, and it seemed that I was doomed to repeat them. I kept reflecting on my missteps in order to learn from them, but ironically found myself feeling comforted by returning to the same errors.

If I couldn't even find love for myself, what were the chances of it being found from anyone else? The longer I ran away from my problems instead of facing them head-on, the more distant I felt from those around me. It was a vicious cycle that seemed impossible to break out of.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, instead of confronting my problems, I'd either let them completely defeat me or pretend they weren't there, hoping that they would go away. Ignoring them did make it easier to forget about them for the time being - but deep down I knew the problems weren't going away and eventually they would come back to haunt me. How long could I keep this up before it all caught up with me and ruined my life?

The next morning, I scrolled through my Instagram timeline and saw a picture Hailey had posted of us the day before for our one-year anniversary. Despite knowing better, I couldn't help but check who had liked it - maybe this was something all partners did secretly or perhaps it was just a result of my insecurities getting the best of me.

One of the likes came from Quay, and it made me a little angry. But I figured Hailey probably hadn't noticed or paid much attention to it. Out of curiosity - or perhaps out of spite - I decided to go and check out his page. Pictures of him posing with money, guns, and other questionable items littered the screen. When I clicked on the first picture, what I saw only further infuriated me: Hailey had liked it too! My scrolling continued as my anger grew; she had liked multiple photos on his page.

After checking out Quay's page, I closed the app and stared up into the sky as my mind raced with questions. It had just been a few days ago when Hailey told me she didn't know him - but it seemed that wasn't entirely true if her likes were anything to go by. But I knew it would be better not to bring this up and start an argument, especially since I never would've found out if I had just minded my own business in the first place.

My phone vibrated and it was her sending me a good morning text, followed by I love you. I responded back telling her I loved her too and that I wanted to see her today. She replied that she was going to spend time with her mom seeing that her mom didn't have to work today. I responded back letting her know that I understood, and I didn't receive a text back.

Interaction Section: Do you feel like the main character was wrong for snooping on his girlfriend's account?

I got up and slipped on my slippers, eager to fill a glass of water. But when I walked into the living room, I found Vonte already there playing 2K. After pouring myself some water, I went over and sat next to him.

"The proper way to introduce yourself when you enter a room is 'hey' or 'good morning'," he said without taking his eyes off the game.

I chuckled nervously in response - had I done something wrong already? "I'm sorry," I replied sheepishly, "I didn't think you cared that much."

Vonte paused the game then and turned towards me with an intense look in his eye.

"I do care," he said seriously, emphasizing each word for emphasis. "Respect goes a long way round here; it's important for me to know that you respect me while you're living under my roof."