Brysen
Brysen took a deep breath as the gates to the jail house opened, officially making him a free man. He had been locked in a cell since he was 18, and he was now 28 years old. He knew getting back on his feet was going to be hard because a lot had changed over the course of 10 years.
Like clockwork, an all black Escalade pulled up on the curb.
"Yoooo, what the fuck is up man?" His best friend, Mickey, said. He had been the only one who really stuck by Brysen during his bid.
Brysen laughed, "Man get me the fuck outta here, ion wanna spend another second here."
Brysen hopped in the passenger seat, throwing his bag of belongings in the back. Mickey hopped back in the drivers seat and pulled off.
"Man you look exactly the fuckin same yo," Mickey said laughing.
It was true. Brysen didn't look like he had aged a bit. He was proud of him self and he felt like he had done a good job taking care of his hygiene while locked up. A lot of men didn't.
"Shit man, I look rough as fuck. I can't wait to get back to the hood so I can clean up,"
Brysen pulled down the mirror and began to run his hands over his scruffy beard and curly hair that he had grown out.
A hour later, they had got back to the hood where they had grew up. Camden, New Jersey. It was a bittersweet feeling for Brysen. It was nights when he was locked up that he wanted nothing more than to be here. But now that the moment has come, it had brung back a lot of unwanted memories.
"I gotta make a quick stop right fast, then we gon' head to my place. I cleaned out a room and shit for you to stay in til you get back on ya feet."
"Damn man, I appreciate it.." They dapped each other up and Mickey got out the car.
Brysen took a look at his surroundings. It didn't change as much as he had thought it would. It was still the same ol' shit going on, just different players.
He was low-key anxious to get back into the mix. He wanted to hit the ground running but knew it was probably best that he stayed low for a little bit.
Mickey hopped back in the car, throwing a duffle bag in the back.
"You hungry man?"
"Hell yeah," Brysen said. He had a taste for some of his mothers good southern cooking but the two weren't on speaking terms. The last time they had spoken, they both had said things that hurt each other. And now, their pride has gotten in the way of the two speaking.
Mickey pulled up to Tasties, a local soul food spot and turned off the car.
"You getting out?"
Brysen looked into the crowded restaurant and then down at his attire.
Mickey sucked his teeth. "Man you just came home, ain't nobody worried about what the hell you got on. Get the fuck out the car, or you don't eat. Period."
With that being said, Mickey had got out. Brysen was right behind him, not wanting to pass up a good meal.
The only thing on Brysen mind right now, was how he was about to demolish his fucking food.
-
Asiyah
"We are here to talk about you, how you're feeling, how are you adjusting to being back home?" Dr. Burton asked.
Asiyah mentally rolled her eyes. She hated when people asked her dumb ass questions, that they knew the answer to.
"I'm fine."
"That's it?"
Asiyah sighed, "What more do you want from me? I am fine, I made a mistake and I really wish everybody would stop acting like it's the end of the fuckin' world."
"It's a big deal Asiyah. You overdosed. You nearly died, that is not something that people can just.. go on and pretend like it never happened."
Asiyah shook her head and put her head down, fiddling with her fingers.
"Do you want to die?" Dr. Burton asked.
"What?"
"You heard me, do you want to die?"
The answer to that question should have been a simple no. For most people it would have been. But not Asiyah. She really just wasn't sure anymore.
She knew she didn't want to die, but she also knew that she didn't want to live. It was probably the hardest question anybody had ever asked her because she honestly didn't know how to answer.
"I-I don't know.."
"No.. I think you do know.. that's our time for today Asiyah. I'll see you next week." Dr. Burton said, dismissing Asiyah and closing her notebook.
Asiyah got up from the sofa and slipped her feet back into her slides. She walked into the lobby, walking straight pass her aunt and out into the parking lot. She knew eventually her aunt would notice that her session was over.
About five minutes later, you could see her aunt come into the parking lot looking around frantically until she saw who she was looking for. Asiyah was sitting on the curb, a few inches away from where her aunt had parked her Audi.
"You could have told me you were done,"
"If your nose was into your phone all the time you would be more aware of the shit that was happenin' around you."
Not having a response, Marsha just unlocked the doors and got in.
"Are you hungry?"
"No."
"Okay, I was just askin' since I haven't seen you eat anything since you been home."
Asiyah stayed quiet, staring out the window. She honestly was in no mood to talk or be around anybody right now. Her body was still going through withdrawals and the last thing she wanted to do was eat, only to vomit it back up.
In her own world, Asiyah had began to think about the question her shrink had asked.
Do you want to die?
How was she suppose to answer that? Thinking back on her life and the decisions she made, dying was probably a lot easier than living. But Asiyah knew that it would be selfish of her.
She had shit to live for. And she had people that cared about her. She was just battling her own demons and right now things were hard.
She had hoped that the dark cloud she had over her head would just go away. She wanted to get back to her normal self. She missed how life was before. She had just wished she could go back to when she was that 12 year old little girl that had no worries, no responsibilities.
Asiyah mentally laughed at herself. She could not believe that when she was younger, she couldn't wait to turn 18. And now, she was 21 years old wishing like hell she could go back to her younger self.
No one told her life was going to be this hard.
