The concrete pavement burned the bottom of August's feet as she walked down the sidewalk of her grandmother's lawn. She stepped onto the porch and hesitated to ring the bell, but before she could reach it, Michelle had already answered the door. " Oh my! where are your clothes?" Michelle was startled as she grabbed August's arm, quickly getting her into the house.
" August?" Joshua knitted his eyebrows confusingly, " What happened to you!?"
" Carolyn is what happened," August exasperated as she sighed heavily. " We got into an argument, and she threw me out," August said as she gently grabbed clothes out of Michelle's hand.
" That heffa can't do that!" Grandpa Joe fussed.
" Aye, watch your mouth, Joe,'' Joshua said sternly, " after all, that's still my wife" he sighed deeply as he sat back on the couch.
" Ha, name on the house?" Joe asked.
" No--
" Then she doesn't have the right to kick your daughter out of your house!" Joe declared.
" Joe, be foreal, Carolyn has many rights just as Joshua does; she had reasonings for what she did...but she could have gone on about it a different way," Michelle voiced, as Joshua nodded in agreement.
" Mhmm, you just let that old hag control you. "Joe shook his head, " Son, I raised you better than this...You are letting this woman take everything you have."
August sighed. She knew how her grandfather and father get when things like this are brought up. " I'm going to get a shower," August dismissed herself, carrying the clothes into the bathroom.
--
Valerie placed her phone on the charger before putting it on her nightstand. " Ugh.." she groaned as she turned over in bed, holding her stomach. " I'm so-
"Here's your food" Bryce swung the door open, throwing her a bag of chick fila on the bed.
Bryce then sat at the edge of the bed, with his face buried into his hands. "What's your problem?" Valerie frowned as she grabbed a waffle fries out of the bag. Bryce sighed deeply as his leg bounced up and down.
" Bry, what's wrong?" Valerie asked as she kneeled on the bed behind him, throwing her arms around his neck.
Bryce snatched away from Valerie, making her almost fall off the bed.
" BRY, WHAT IN THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?"
"Look, if anyone comes looking for me, I'm not here, okay!" Bryce panicked as he paced back in forth through the room.
"What did you do now?" Valerie worried as she shook her head.
"Don't worry about it, okay? Just do what I fucking say!" Bryce fumed as he banged his hand against the wall.
Valerie held her stomach as she carefully got off of the bed. She slid into her Ugg slippers and grabbed her Coach Crossbody purse, throwing it on her shoulder. She then grabbed her phone off the charger and walked out of the room.
" where are you going?" Bryce followed behind her, grabbing her hand.
" Let go of me, Bryce! All I asked was what was wrong, and you yelled at me and almost made me fall," Valerie said, growing emotional.
" Val, I'm sorry; please come back in," Bryce's voice crackled as he pulled her closer to him; please don't leave me.
Valerie shook her head and pulled away from him, " I can't stay here, Bryce; I think we need a break," She sniffed as she opened the door. Valerie looked back at Bryce, who was standing in utter silence.
" Goodbye, Bryce"
Valerie walked down the hallways of Bryce condominium as she wiped the tears from her weeping eyes. Standing by the elevator, she saw Ahmad and his friend Marco walking down the hallway. Valerie repeatedly pressed the elevator button, hoping it would come before the two had a chance. But it was too late; Ahmad and his friend had already beaten it to the chase.
" fuck" Valerie mumbled to herself as the two men approached her.
" Where you off to so fast?" Ahmad smirked as he licked his bottom lip.
" Nun of your business," Valerie waved him off as she stepped into the elevator. Ahmad shoved her into the wall, making her grab her stomach. He then jerked her up and grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to him.
" You've been doing what I told you?" He asked as Valerie nodded nervously. Ahmad forcibly grabbed Valerie's chin before kissing her.
" Kiss me back, the fuck!" Valerie puckered her lips as Ahmad's swallowed hers. Ahmad squeezed her neck as he roughly pulled her back, causing her to gasp for air.
"bro, chill!" Marco said as he tried pulling Ahmad back, but Ahmad, instead, shoved Marco against the wall.
The elevator door opened, revealing two white men. "You are so beautiful to me" Ahmad smiled lightly as they eased off Valerie's neck, kissing her again.
"Excuse us," Ahmad said politely while grabbing Valerie's hand and practically dragging her out of the elevator.
The men watched as Ahmad and Valerie walked outside. Ahmad shoved Valerie against the car pressing a gun toward her stomach.
" Oh, unt uh... " Daniel dragged, " He is going to shoot her; we need to stop him! " he panicked as he ran to the doors, with Brian following behind him.
" Let her go! " Daniel yelled as he ran up towards Ahmad, but instantly fell to the ground when Ahmad pistol-whipped him.
" A white mother fucker always in my black ass business " Ahmad shook his head as he glared at Brian.
" You want some to bitch!? " he semi-yelled, pointing the gun toward Brian.
" Hurry up, come on! " Valerie Pointed as she saw Bryce through the glass window getting on the elevator.
"This ain over Pussy " Ahmad kicked Daniel in his back, making him groan.
entering the car, Valerie sped off before Bryce could make it down the elevator. " Man, take me home." Marco smacked his teeth as he sat in the back of the suburban.
" you just sit back there and shut up." Ahmad chuckled as he rolled his window down to snuff out his ashes.
" I said, take me the fuck home," Marco demanded, causing Valerie to get nervous and Ahmad to turn around.
" Hold up, park the car real quick," Ahmad said as Valerie pulled over on the side of the highway.
" Now, what did you say?" Ahmad gritted his teeth as anger plastered his face.
" Take me home; I'm tired of this shit; I want out!" Marco yelled. Ahmad pulled his gun from his waist and put it up toward Marco's head. Valerie gasped as she felt her heart drop.
" There's only one way out, mother fucker" Ahmad pulled the trigger, and Marco sat in silence with sweat pouring down his face. He was having hot flashes as every memory he had created throughout his lifetime fluttered back.
" Mommy, I want to be an astronaut when I get older."
" Mommy, what happens when you die?"
" Ma, I'm going to this party with Ahmad; I'll be back."
" Marcos, you know I don't like you hanging with that boy.."
" Marcos, why are people calling me telling me you were in a shoot-out again?"
"you're not going to be satisfied to you end up dead!" The word echoed through his mind as he felt a sting in his chest. For, after all, his mother was right; Ahmad was a bad influence on him and had always been since they were kids.
Ahmad introduced Marcos to the streets at 15, and he's been in it ever since. High school dropout in the 10th grade, back and forth in juvie. This wasn't the life Marcos really wanted to live, but to keep his popularity up and friendships still strong, he had to fit in with the unfit.
" Please put the gun down," Valerie cried. Ahmad twisted around in his seat, pointing it at Valerie. " now you taking up for him?" He questioned, pressing the gun against her temple.
" BRO, CHILL OUT FOR YOU, KILL THE BABY," Marco yelled as Ahmad pointed the gun back at him.
" SHOOT ME ALREADY PUSSY" Marco demanded as he snatched the gun out of Ahmad's hand. " Hey, come on now...you know I was playing withcu." Ahmad chuckled nervously as he put his hands up to surrender.
Ahmad knew how crazy and reckless Marco could get with a gun, and he damn for sure didn't want to test him.
" NOW THE SHOES ON THE OTHER FOOT, MOTHER FUCKER" Marco pressed the gun against Ahmad's temple. He pressured it as he continued ranting on.
" YOU TOOK MY WHOLE LIFE AWAY FROM ME, AND I'M SICK OF YOU, GOT DAMNIT," Marco exploded as angry tears ran down his face.
" YOUR NOT WHO YOU CLAIM TO BE, YOU A PUSSY YOUR DAMN SELF AHMAD. " Marco fussed as he pressed the gun deeper into Ahmad's temple.
" take me home, Valerie, please... I hope you find peace and get far away from this nigga" Marco told her as she started the car up driving, and Marco released the gun away from Ahmad's head.
The car ride was full of silence until they reached Eastbrook. Marcos hopped out of the car when Valerie stopped at the stop sign before reaching his house. He tossed Ahmad his gun back through the front window and continued down the street.
It all happened in a quick flash. Marcos's body hit the ground as blood splattered the pavement. " Who the pussy nigga now!" Ahmad yelled as the car sped off. Rosemary rushed to the street and saw her son lying on the ground calling for help.
Needless to say, Her motherly instincts had already warned her when she heard the gunshots. In their neighborhoods, there are differences in the shootings. If you hear multiple gunshots, usually that means an intruder ( Opp) has died when you hear at least two gunshots, someone in the neighborhood has beef. Now they are each other opposition, and of course, other gunshots are usually around New Year's and Fourth of July, just a way they like to celebrate.
The paramedics rushed Marcos to the hospital, as he was going in and out of consciousness. " Will he be alright?" Rosemary cried as she watched him roll away on the stretcher.
" He is in critical condition right now; we will not know just yet" The paramedics rushed as they loaded Marcos on the ambulance.
" Meanwhile, Mrs. Gorden, we will need some questions from you regarding your son. " Officer Oaks said as he pulled out a notebook paper.
" Is your son affiliated with any gangs around here?" Rosemary wiped her tear away as she nodded her head slowly.
" yes, but he...he...
" Mrs. Gorden, I understand...But you must be truthful with me; it's the only way I can help you..." Oaks reassured her as he patted her back.
" Did your son have any problems with people you may be aware of?"
" Umm, yes...them boys from Westbrook. "Rosemary explained as Oaks wrote it down in his notebooks.
" And where was your son today? Were you aware of his whereabouts?''
" This morning, he said he was going to go make a sale with Ahmad, a friend of his... and um... Ahmad came to the house to get him; after that, I hadn't heard from him since. " She admitted as the officers continued jotting down the notes.
" Alright, do you have any contact information for Ahmad, or do you know where I could reach him?"
" Ahmad Easely, mother's name is Martha Easely, she's a school teacher for Carter's Academy, the potential father is Joshua Porter, and I only hear that through the great vine. " She explained as Officer Oaks twisted his lips.
" Alright, thank you... We will keep you updated on any information we find, and always if you could do the same" Rosemary nodded her head and said goodbye as the officers walked off.
She felt something was deeply off about the situation but couldn't wrap her head around it. Hopefully it will come back to her.