4 months gone by. Time was moving fast. Time was going against me.
A lot been happening months back.
Jerome is no longer to be seen. Literally no where to be seen. He's just gone. But I ain't done with him.
Cynthia is 5 months pregnant. My mum didn't take it easy hearing that her own daughter is pregnant at this age. My mum was disappointed, ashamed and felt she didn't raise Cynthia the right way.
She's wrong for even saying and thinking that.
My mum raise Cynthia perfectly well. Taught her to have manners, respect, love, honesty, loyalty and most of all to love herself.
But my mum is going to support Cynthia through this. Since she doesn't really know Jerome like that, she's willing to help.
Months ago with huge incident with Antony and Kwarbz situation turn into a mazza!
Antony survived 7 stabbed wounds to his chest. It took him time to heal. One of my friend that I found out that is his friend too, told me.
I don't know what happened to Kwarbz, though.
Even the one with the blue tracksuit.
It was all over my Facebook, Twitter, Instagram about it. It felt like it was the topic of the year.
Couple other boys try create a war with my friends but it never turned into no war.
Just pathetic little arguments.
Cynthia knows about it. Not my mum.
Santos been charged but with no parole.
But he will be doing his sentence when he turns 18.
Lyrin been beside Santos side, helping him go through this court meeting with him. As always, Lyrin is always there to support him.
Keelan even confronted the police about what he done to Kwarbz. He's been charged as well and had to do 48 hours in the cell. Obviously, they aloud him out to get fresh air and that. He told me he barely ate their food. It's too dry, soggy, wet and no nice smell to it.
But he's out. Calm and all that with Rhea.
Haven't even been doing much either. Just staying home finishing off my college course. I even put my phone on aeroplane mode most of the time to air girls that's forever hollering at me.
Just so you know, we're in month May and that's my birthday month. Gonna be 18 in two weeks time.
But I don't know what I'm gonna do for my birthday, still.
Today imma follow my sister, Cynthia to her second scan to find out the sex of the baby and other check ups.
"You ready?", Cynthia asked me with a smile.
She's getting hella big. Cynthia is short and you can see the fact that the baby in her stomach is putting weight on her. Her bump is kinda big too. It's weird knowing she's gonna be a mum soon.
"Yeah, yeah", I said reassuring her. "You got everything,yeah?", I asked making sure.
She nodded, yes.
My mum wasn't in the house. She went work early so she can leave early around 2, I think.
Then me and Cynthia left the house 10 minutes later. We took the cab to King's College Hospital in Camberwell. We waited bare long for a scan. Cynthia didn't think it was long because all she was doing was munching down crisps, sandwiches, Tropical juice and a chocolate bar of Twix.
Yeah, she can be very greedy.
We was in the room and there's bare machine and shit for those pregnancy stuff.
You should get the point girls.
The nurse spoke to Cynthia softly about the whole process.
I'm just here pree'ing around the room.
Until the nurse got a blue gel and placed it out on Cynthia's belly as she lifts her black vest top upwards.
I glared at the screen.
It's so cool seeing a baby on the screen and how they are in their mothers belly.
The nurse spoke to Cynthia about were the baby head is and how the baby is facing.
It's a girl.
Cynthia is going to have a girl.
Another girl in the household.
Can't wait to be called 'Uncle Keiran'.
I smiled to myself.
The nurse reassured Cynthia that the baby is healthy and how Cynthia is doing well through this pregnancy. Also, informing her not to get stressed, eat carefully and so on.
"So are you the father?", the nurse asked me.
I was like what the fuck.
I gave the nurse a uncertain look.
I laughed it off, afterwards.
"Nah, I'm her older brother", I answered her question correctly.
Cynthia was laughing.
I felt a bit of key.
"Oh, sorry darling. I know that's was uncomfortable. Sorry.", the nurse told me nicely.
I just smile, making her know it's ok.
"Anyway, you ready to go Keiran?", Cynthia asked me. "Yeah man! I'm starving", I exhaled. I'm very hungry.
Cynthia quickly wiped off the blue gel with wipes. Then sorted out herself quick.
Cynthia and I walked down the road to go Delly's, the Caribbean cuisine. I ordered white rice with curry chicken.
Weren't even feeling for curry goat.
Cynthia only wanted a cheesy beef patty because she wants to eat the leftover food mum cooked yesterday.
Then we was off.
*****
"Oi fam, stop playing with my money", Lamar said shouting down the phone. "You're pissing me off. I'm coming down your way right fucking now and I better be seeing you giving my £95 in my hand", says Lamar firmly, then locks off the phone.
I looked at him surprised.
He saw the look on my face while driving Keelan's car.
Keelan made him borrow it for the day since he wants to be at home.
"Nah, Keirz man! People take too long to pass me my money", chuckled Lamar. "I hear you but you was going on savage on that youte on the phone", I told him with a grin.
He nodded his head in agreement to my comment.
"Anyway man gonna get a tattoo on my back", he told me getting excited. "Rah Lamar. What you getting?", I asked him. "I'm getting a tattoo of my mum on my back", he responded back to me. "What a picture of your mum?", I asked again. "Yeah", he replied.
That's sounds painful.
"That's gonna hurt, bruv", I told him twitching my eye because it felt like I could feel the pain already.
Lamar giggled.
"I know that, but I'm gonna drink Guinness and smoke heavy before the tattoo guy start it", says Lamar smiling. "Good choice, I guess", I told Lamar.
We were outside a old grey estate, that is looking rusty and damaged. Different colourful graffiti design is all over the building every where. Trash cans and waste foods is scattered around.
That's a disrespect.
How can you waste food?
"This place looks dodgy", I said looking around.
Nah, this area proper looks dodgy.
"Like big man ting, where's everybody?", I asked Lamar still looking around.
Lamar laughed a bit.
"Keiran, it's all good man. They call this 'ghost town' area. Few drug dealers do their business here too", Lamar said informing me.
Well this is definitely a ghost town. I cannot see one human being.
Some spooky place.
"There's that rass-clart youte", says Lamar cussing him in patios.
This boy is struggling with life.
He's wearing worn out trainers, dirty light denim jeans that had dirt skid marks on it and a jacket twice bigger than his actual size.
The boy came closer to the car.
"You got my money, right?", Lamar asked the boy. "Y-yeah fam. Man g-got your money", says the boy nodding his head fast.
This boy look like he's on some heiron shit.
The boy dig his hands in his pocket and took out the £95 that he owns Lamar.
Lamar took the money from the boy then spudded him. That's when Lamar started the engine and drove off.
"How come he owe you money?", I asked him curiously. "Business init", Says Lamar. "What type of 'business' though, Lamar", I asked curiously again.
Lamar shake his head.
"I ain't gonna say, it's just stuff init.", says Lamar shrugging his shoulder.
I gave him a curious face.
Then I laughed it off.
"Cool init. But whatever your doing be careful", I said to Lamar calmly.
****
I was walking up the stairs with my hands full of clothes shopping again.
I love shopping in Westfield in Stratford, even though it's a bait place for me but oh well.
I like Westend as well but it's too overcrowded and I don't like all the pushing, to shoving and people stepping on my fucking trainers.
That pisses me off.
"Keiran!", says Leah opening her arms wide for a hug.
Haven't even seen her for a while.
I gave her a warm smile and hugged her tightly.
"Where have you been?", she asked curiously.
She don't know what's been happening.
Only you, Cynthia my close friends.
"It's a looong story, Leah. But overall, everything is great", I said calmly to her. "Well that's good. Would you like to come in for a drink or you about your business", she said to me with a smile.
Something about Leah is cool, ya know.
"Sure no problem", I said with a grin.
I followed her to her house.
Her home smelt sweet like Lavender. It was nice and cosy. It was sparkly clean everywhere. Everything is neatly placed. Until I went into the front room seeing Kasey's barbie dolls scattered all around.
"Where's little, Kasey?", I asked nicely. "She's upstairs, having her nap. She went swimming with her cousins", she said to me.
I sat down on the couch, putting my shopping to side of the couch while Leah went to the kitchen to pour me and her a drink.
5 mins later she came in with two glass of coke and a bottle of rum.
"So your drinker, yeah?", I asked laughing. "Used to be before I had Kasey.", she said with a laugh.
Leah proper have peng shape. She was wearing grey leggings with a white long sleeve top. Her bottom is so curvy.
Her bottom is curvy.
I poured a bit of rum into mine and Leah drink.
We sipped and sipped lightly and talked for while.
I ended up telling her what happened months ago. She was surprised a bit but was so comforting about it.
"So where's your baby father?", I asked. "He's out and about. Barely wants to see Kasey now. I don't even remember the day he even asked to see her", she glared into her glass.
I didn't know what to do.
Didn't know whether to say something or hug her.
"I can manage on my own now. Even though she asks 'where's dadda?' all the time,", she told me. "I'm sorry Leah. I don't how to comfort you to make you feel better", I say sweetly. "It's okay, Keiran. I have to face it forever. I do wish she had her dad around", she stated to me again.
I moved closer to her on the couch.
I hugged her sideways warmly.
Then she sobbed into my arms.
"The world is a struggle and things do happen when you never expect it. All you can do is face it. Then over come it. That's the golden prize there", I told with a smile.
She looked at me.
Her eyes were lost into mines.
She cupped my chin and pulled me closer for a smooch.
Then she glared into my eyes again.
"I think that was a bit too fast", I told her softly.
That's when she sat up straight and shake her head in a maze.
"So sorry", she said in a upsetting tone. "Leah, relax. It's alright.", I told her to all her down. "People do have their moments", I added on. "So, you don't feel awkward?", she asks me. "Not at all. I feel normal.", I reassured her.
Leah smiled and poured out some more rum and coke into her glass.
And did the same to mine.
We sipped on a bit more and talked more.
Everything was light.