"Ma this is all my fault Jermaine and Robin told me to stop but I didn't I was too, too, too ha-hard-headed too... arrogant." Amir said.
Explanation
"Amir what have you gotten us into? Baby tell me." Kenya asked holding Amir's hand looking into his eyes.
"Ma, I'm a Hacker for hire my nickname is Maverick that's where my money comes from. Remember when I used to hang out with Keith? He got me interested in it. And eventually I surpassed the teacher and had no interest in hanging out with them anymore but that wasn't the only thing they did a lot of other things I couldn't rock with."
A year ago
Amir unamused, watched as the rest of the hacking team consisting of Keith, Nathan, Westley, Franklin and Robbie were making a propaganda video wearing theatre masks.
"We will hack into your website and make it our own this is your first and last warning." Keith said while wearing a crying mask. The recording stopped and all of them minus Amir jumped cheered and slapped hands.
"Damn! Amir why wasn't you a part of that? It was badass!" Franklin said.
"I didn't want to and it wasn't." Amir said.
"Amir why are you such a buzzkill?" Robbie said.
"And why are you the slowest hacker in the group? I haven't been here that long and I'm superior to all of you, on top of that everything you all do is pointless." Amir said.
"Really?" Keith raised his eyebrow and said "How about we see who's the best hacker in here right here and now?"
Amir's eyebrows raised, his interest piqued and he said "Sure, what's the competition?"
"The retail website we just threatened whoever out of all of us can hack into it first is the best hacker." Keith said.
Amir laughed and said "Like I said pointless."
"What is?" Keith said.
"You threatened that retail site and issued demands only to have us hack it anyway I think it's entertaining how this group defies common sense. You all made that video for your sakes eh? That's cool, if that makes you all feel bigger I mean I don't need it but if y'all do, ain't nothing wrong with it." Amir said in an condescending tone.
Amir caught glares from the entire room but was oblivious to them. As he sat pulled out his laptop. "We doing this now or never!?" Amir said.
Keith hastily typed away and stopped when the header of the website changed color and Keith and the rest of the hackers minus Franklin looked up to see Amir with his hands behind his head, pleased with himself.
"Not only I won but I have proof that I am better than all of you." Amir laughed.
"Fuck you." Keith said.
Robbie snorted and said "Franklin you can stop Amir won already."
"Oh I never even tried." Franklin said "Check this out."
Robbie hooted and laughed then Nathan and Keith checked for themselves and laughed When Westley looked he looked shocked then got back up and sat back where he was. Amir was curious as to what they were looking at and saw a girl was in bed wearing only a towel shaving her legs Amir thought it was a camera show at first until he saw that the webcam was hacked. Amir slammed Franklin's laptop shut.
"What the fuck was that for!?" Franklin said.
"That's not cool man! Looking at that girl without her knowledge invading her privacy like that!" Amir said.
"You only saying that cause you gay Amir." Keith said.
"Amir's gay? You don't act gay." Robbie said.
"If it was a guy I'd do the same fucking thing and if I was straight and still do the same thing! That shit is perverse and wrong!" Amir said.
"And how does one act gay? Choose your next words wisely." Amir said looming over Robbie, intimidating him.
Robbie just blankly stared at Amir "So I thought." Amir said.
"Yo my nigga chill out." Nathan said.
A vein visibly throbbed in Amir's temple The moment he heard Nathan say nigga.
"What. Did. You. Say?" Amir said clenching his jaw.
Keith sat up and said "Amir it's cool I gave him a pass he says it around me, Westley and Frank all the time.
Amir pushed Keith back down in his seat and marched over to Nathan in his face and said "You can say that around those niggas but you come near the wrong nigga and this might happen Amir balled his fist up and punched Nathan in his mouth. "Say it now nigga!" Amir said. Amir picked up his laptop and turned to a scared Westley and said "You better stop hanging out with these niggas."
"I got the idea to be a hacker for hire, but once Keith found out about Maverick he tried to say I stole the idea from him and that he created me and more bull so he became one too to copy me but I was better." Amir said.
"But how did you get here." Kenya said.
"Back in January I took a job from this white lady that wanted me to hack a server farm at the Monroe Corporation and upload data to a flashdrive for $10,000 she gave me half of it but when I finished and tried to deliver it she was shot in the head." Amir said
Kenya broke in a cold sweat, shook her head and said Please tell me your lying."
Amir shook his head and said "I'm not mom, since then I been getting threats through email but it came to a head yesterday when Redfield followed me and I guess his boss had someone follow him. Which lead him to me."
"You put me and your brother in danger over your damn pride!" Kenya screamed.
"Not only you." Amir said.
"Not only me what?" Kenya asked.
"Natasha's house got firebombed because of me they saw me and Robin together and I guess they thought they killed him too it's sounded like they thought he was dead, you can't tell him though."
"Tell me who did this." Kenya said.
"Garrison Monroe." Amir said.
"We have to call the police, a boy died and they beat you half to death!" Kenya said.
"That's not gonna work, so they can say that I stole data from a multi-million dollar company? You Kenny and Robin gotta leave ma." Amir said.
"I'm not leaving you, you my first born son. I'm not going anywhere-"
"Ma they went to the house! When he ripped my last tooth out he said he was gonna make me watch him torture and kill you and Kenny! Go to Philly with Aunt Sharon ma please take them with you."
"Come with us baby!" Kenya cried.
"No! He not chasing me out my city I'm a man! I started this! I'm finishing it! whatever's on that flash drive scared him enough to find me, I shoulda looked at it like Robin told me to."
"I wouldn't feel right leaving you behind baby." Kenya said.
"Ma I love you but if you, Kenny and Robin die I won't be able to go on. Take Kenny and go there's a credit card in my car ma and I got $59,593 in an account, use it if you have to." Amir said.
Kenya hugged Amir tightly, Amir grit his teeth due to the tight hug Kenya gave him, but didn't complain. "My baby is a man but will always be my baby I'm so mad at you but I love you."
"I love you too ma and I'm sorry that I got you all in my shit." Amir said.
Kenya kissed Amir's forehead and said "Don't you be cussing in here boy!" Kenya walked out of the room but Kenny came in right after her "Amir? You ok?" Kenny said.
"Yeah punk I'm cool." Amir said sitting up and hissing in pain.
"Mom said I need to talk to you and we need to go to Aunt Sharon's." Kenny said.
"I gotta take care of something man." Amir said.
"Are you sure you can do this alone Amir?" Kenny said.
"Yeah I got this." Amir said.
"Amir. Can we talk about grandad?" Kenny said.
"What about him?" Amir said.
"Why do you think grandad hated me?" Kenny said.
"What? Grandad ain't hate you." Amir said
"Yes he did Amir. Think about it, he excluded me out of everything you and him did unless mom made him, made him take me too." Kenny said.
"Amir everything you did was like a event to grandad and he always said you were smart and wise and I can't remember a time he ever complimented me."
Amir thought for a minute and remembered a time when his grandfather got him his first laptop at 11.
"Thanks grandad!" Amir said.
Kenny walked up from behind Amir as Amir typed away on the keys and touched the board himself "Kenny get your ass out the way! You don't know how to use that! Their grandfather said picking Kenny up and moving him away from Amir.
Amir was quiet for a minute and said "I'm sorry I never really noticed that Ken."
"It's ok, it wasn't like you didn't like me." Kenny said twiddling his fingers.
"I wish that he could have loved us equally I'm sorry about that. But if he was still alive I know he wouldn't have been cool with me being gay. I used to be jealous of you cause you weren't gay and I was." Amir said.
"Really?" Kenny said.
"I still am. I know grandpa didn't like gay anything." Amir said.
Kenny and Amir hugged "I still don't like you geek." Kenny said.
"And I still hate you midget." Amir said messing in Kenny's hair. "Tell Robin to come here I need to apologize to him."
"Sure." Kenny said.
Robin came in the room and stared at Amir's bruised face and form and quietly sat next to him.
"Hey baby." Amir said.
"Hi." Robin said in that low child-like voice when he was sad.
"You ain't gotta be sad baby, listen I'm alive ain't I?" Amir said.
"Have you looked at yourself huh!? I'm not a damn child they fucked you up!" Robin said.
"You still mad at me?" Amir said.
"Yes, I hate you for scaring me like that." Robin said.
Amir sighed "I'll never do it again Robin I promise." Amir said.
"And what exactly is your plan!?" Robin said.
"Don't know." Amir said.
Robin huffed and pulled Amir's ear "OUCH!" He said.
"You know for a damn self-proclaimed genius, ever since I've met you you've only said and done stupid shit Mo!" Robin said.
"Damn! Did you get all the shit they needed?" Amir said.
"Yes but Kenny only took his games while I grabbed a trashbag of his clothes and shoes, how long are you gonna be here? Who's taking care of you? Why aren't you coming with us?" Robin pulled Amir's ear again. "Answer a damn question!" He demanded.
"Stop abusing me! You trying to keep me in here longer!?" Amir yelled.
"Since you not going to tell me anything, bye Amir." Robin said turning to leave but Amir grabbed his wrist and said "Stay with me I need you."
Robin gave Amir an odd look.
"Robin I didn't mean what I said when I wanted you to go, I want you to stay here with me I can't do this alone. You know me in ways my mother don't. It's not like I don't trust her, I do but I don't want her to be in danger but at the same time me wanting you here puts you in danger too." Amir said.
Robin said "Get off me." shook free of Amir's grip and left him alone.
Amir felt like his heart stopped and that he was choking. Robin's dismissal was as though a wrecking ball hit him in the chest.
The door opened and when Amir whipped his head up it was his nurse.
"Are you alright Mr.Davis?" He said.
Amir shrugged.
"Buzz if you need anything." He said.
Amir laid down and he eyes moved to the ceiling. Amir ignored the door opening and closing.
"Move."
Amir turned his head and said "Robin?"
"Move, Mo." Robin repeated.
Amir hissed as he scooted away and Robin laid in bed with him "Why you do that to me?" Amir said..
"Do what? I told your mother oh and she is pissed at you but she left and told me to look after you and to remind her to beat you when you get better." Robin said.
Amir held Robin's hand and Robin grabbed Amir's "Why you wanna be with me? I'm ugly now." Amir said.
"Shut the fuck up I'm not having this conversation I'm here now. Besides my old friend Gi-Gi said I have a type, all my old men are ugly as hell."
"What does that mean?" Amir asked.
"It means you were ugly before your teeth got pulled and your face looked like a meatball." Robin said.
"Hey don't play with me I'm a handsome nigga. Not now though." Amir said.
"No you not, I love ugly men. But don't get comfortable and treat me like I'm ugly too, I'm enchanting." Robin said.
"You a curse." Amir laughed.
Robin caressed Amir's face in an way of comforting him.
"My graduation was today." Amir said.
"And?" Robin said.
"I was the valedictorian, I wanted to give my speech and get my diploma it was supposed to be my day." Amir said.
"Amir you're alive, like you said that shouldn't matter." Robin said.
"It matters to me! I wanted my mom to see me give my speech, walk across the stage and get my diploma! I wanted my mom to be proud! And it should matter to you too! And I was coming to yours." Amir said.
"Amir. That type of stuff was never really important to me I mean I love how you celebrated my birthday but those kinds of things like holidays and birthdays never carried much substance to me, it's just another day." Robin said.
"I can't believe this." Amir said pounding the bed.
"Amir." Robin said.
Amir didn't say anything and only stared forward.
Robin got up and said "I have to get to work anyway."
"Where you gonna stay?" Amir said.
"Monica's, until you get out of here because she's been through enough and I'm not bringing this bullshit to her doorstep." Robin said.
"So is he ok?" Monica said.
Robin tapped his upper lip and said "Mo' Remember when Martin got beat up by Tommy Hearns? But like all over his body."
"Damn!" Monica said. "I mean I don't like the nigga but pulling his teeth bitch did Huck do it!?"
"He said some black guy named Mr.Monroe did it in a Gray suit did it." Robin said.
Monica made a face and asked "Did Amir say he had a beard and long, bony fingers?"
"He didn't go into that much detail. But I can ask him." Robin said.
"Robin this is very important. Did he pull Amir's teeth himself? Monica said.
"Yes, he said that." Robin said.
"Garrison Monroe, he's a sadist." Monica said.
"Pardon?" Robin said.
"He would ask... Carl for grown black women to tie them up and whip them and ugh." Monica said. "He's a hella rich nigga too but no one can touch him cause he seems clean on the surface but he personally likes to torture people he gets off on the pain. One time he beat a girl so bad Carl didn't want to send anymore hoes to him, they got into it about that like back in November." Monica said.
Robin was speechless.
"Hey Chicken! Your breaks over!" Florian said.
"This destitute bitch." Robin mumbled.
"Look I don't know where Garrison lives but I heard he lives somewhere with 6 rooms in the house." Monica said.
"Wow Mo' does good for himself." Robin said.
When Robin and Monica came back in to work Dorian said "Humph the skeezer and the Pigeon's lazy asses came back to work."
"He said as he sits on his stool at the cash register. Where they do that at?" Monica said.
The man ordering food in Dorian's line laughed.
"Had the unmitigated gall to ask if this apron makes me look fat, bitch VISION makes you look fat." Robin said.
The same man laughed and Monica said "And you can laugh all you like sir we gonna look after your food, cause he don't spit in it he'll just eat it all." Monica said.
"Bitch over there talking pure shit but hasn't said a word, meanwhile he built like the engine that could possibly never." Robin said.
"Bitch please, just because white people ain't keep you don't think black people want the trash white folks abandoned." Dorian said.
"This McDonalds is like Def Comedy Jam!" The man said.
"If the nigga pull out $5 Fowl and Monica will get in a fight over who gets to suck his dick for it." Claire said.
"Clairemydia don't do it, I will read you in hell's library hoe." Robin said.
"How can you Duck? I look good." Claire said.
"Yeah I seen you in your street clothes all your shit look like it came from the US 1 Flea Market." Monica said.
"You won't be saying that when I performing this weekend while you two bitter hoes sit home and hate over twitter." Claire said.
Robin slowly turned his head to Claire and said "Claire. Claire. Stop it. You have been claiming to be performing at nightclubs every weekend since I been working here and I have yet to see you anywhere but here every damn Saturday night."
"And to piggyback on good shade, I've checked all the public school auditoriums and cookouts and you're never there like you claim to be." Monica said.
"You should know you always get facials from school janitors." Florian said.
"Oh no bitch you did not just come for my sis in broken heelys." Robin said.
"I'm reading your ass right now and getting it out of the way, you feel so big coming at my friend when she lives on her own but you share a 3 bedroom house with 11 other people, a boyfriend that when you tried to say hello to him pushed you in some prickle bushes cause his friends were outside, so broke you walking around with a Obama flip-phone cause every time you use it you hide under a table like nobody can see you, so broke you sleep on a air mattress you share with 2 other people, so broke your jeans are distressed but not on purpose and by the way invest in some lotion oh wait you're so broke you can't even invest in penny candy!"
"Gather Her! Gather Her!" Monica laughed.