KayKay
I sat looking at the stage. This award show was packed! I watched as the officers filled the stage and I rolled my eyes.
Rumor has it that, the atl officers who were involved in the school shootings last year were getting rewarded.
I don't get why. I just wish people knew the fucking truth. My whole family was here. They show up every year. Arielle, and uncle Aug skipped out this year. They were spending time with another. Probably mourning from maw maw. Those two were so close and so the same. It was so amazing. It's like uncle Aug birthed his own child out.
Ever since there situation a year ago they've been closer then ever.
When Ari stays over his house the both of them would just stay up talking on and on.
"We just want to take time out of this award show to thank the ATL officers who saved the lives of many children and teacher, along with staff. You guys risked your lives to protect others and make sure they were safe. So we thought we'd do the honor and give you guys this award"
People were clapping and standing. My family, they were clapping. I was sitting. Auntie Key kept looking at me, along with grandpa Dontell. I mentally rolled my eyes.
"Just leave her I'm not dealing with it tonight. Why don't you go sit with her two friends over there." Grandma karmin said
I looked and seen three guys all the way to the left sitting down. I noticed Fizz. He was looking goooood. Shit, both of them were. Suit, gucci loafers, gold shinning everywhere. You had Geo in all black. Black everything. Black pants, black button up.... jeesh. He was just fine ALL OVER. Then there was Fizz. He had on a blue button up, and then...Raquel? I frowned. I swear he moved. I hadn't seen him in a long time. Yo.
Raquel. He was wearing this brown button up top, he was fine. All of them just stood out. The three of them sat as mostly everyone was standing up for these fake ass officer.
Cameras aimed at me, and I could see it in grandpa Dontel's eyes, he was pissed. Royalty was sitting besides me.
"I wonder what Arielle would be doing if she was here" I nodded, "She'd probably be sitting with the finger up" I said
Royalty nodded smiling, "You right"
Cameras went towards Geo, Fizz, and Raquel.
"Did they know about the award?" She asked referring to the three of them.
"Probably"
"Look at the bright side, Christian, Quincy are standing" royalty said my neck snapped towards them
She was right they were standing. They weren't standing with happiness. They stood very serious.
I shook my head, why are they standing. Such followers. At least most black people were sitting. They were my people.
I looked at the stage and seen officer Newman holding the award with all the officers smiling in the back. They had images playing in the background, from the day of the shootings.
"Thank you" he said
"Wooowwoooo" people shouted
People think his ass is innocent as fuck. Half of America thinks he saved Arielle. While the other half hates his ass and is protesting. That half is woke. The other half thinks he's the reason why Jamal is fighting for his life. That half is my people too. They know shit happened in that school that no one is revealing.
"I first wanna say thank you,we all do. I also wanna say I got my job back."
Lights went off right after that. Everything went off. People frowned. We seen the screens behind the officers that were projecting the pictures go black. The screens started displaying a black american flag. With a black fist in the middle.
"Um...technical difficulties?" I heard officer Newman say. I thought it was staged but those white people kept having there nervous laughs making me know shit was wrong.
"Yo tell me why I'm scared?" Royalty said clinging onto my shoulder.
The big screen was writing something.
To say that justice can't be found is like saying aka wasn't meant to be put on this earth for a reason.
I smiled widely. People started cheering. Everyone knew what aka stood for.
First, let me introduce myself. I'm from New Orleans, Louisiana. I lived on Applestone st. In a small room up on the 2nd floor. Room number 17.
The first question I wanna ask is...
have you ever gone to sleep with the sound of gunshots?
Her signature was being signed on the screen. Arielle K. Alsina.
A picture splashed on the screen. It was Arielle and Auntie Key.
Under the picture said, "mama, we made it"
I seen guys dressed standing on the aisle with smoke filled. People were all looking since there was so much smoke in the aisles.
One thing I could say. Everyone was standing with phones out getting hyped. We knew this was a moment that needed to be remembered.
The guys stomped people got quiet.
"Ion give a fuck. Ion give a fuck. ion give a... Ion ion give a fuck" noises through the speakers
I could hear someone rapping. I could hear the loud yelling. But I was trying to see. I couldn't see shit. I took my heels off standing on the chair.
"I been stomped out in front of my mama
My daddy commissary made it to commas
Bitch, all my grandmas dead
So ain't nobody prayin' for me, I'm on your head, ayy"
I got hyped with royalty by my side. We all was getting hyped. Arielle was standing walking with this hoodie on on her head along with these glasses blocking us from seeing her eyes.
"Auntie on my Telegram, like, "Be cautious!"
I be hangin' out at Tam's, I be on Stockton
I don't do it for the 'Gram, I do it for Compton
I'm willin' to die for this shit, nigga
I'll take your fuckin' life for this shit, nigga
We ain't goin' back to broke, family sellin' dope
That's why you mainey-ass rap niggas better know"
The way she rapped had people loving it. She was sounding as if she did this her whole like. Auntie key was bopping her head with uncle dk. Everyone was just hyped.
Arielle dapped a few people as she rapped, "If I gotta slap a pussy ass nigga Imma make it look sexy"
She was in some rappers faces rapping and dancing. She dapped up Christian and Quincy. She walked up and down the aisle all turnt. I loved it. She had on this huge jacket that was almost up to her knees with white shorts that fell to her knees. She had these black boots on her. She just was vibing. She was a different person all of a sudden. The music stopped and another song came on with voices talking
"This is why I say that hip hop has done more damage to young African Americans than racism in recent years"
Arielle went over to the guys now holding u.s. flags and rapped lighting it up with fire.
"Fuck ya life.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
This is my heritage, all I'm inheritin'
Money and power, the making of marriages"
All of the guys went mad dancing and shit. Lighting up flags. There was one guy with a huge flag that was lit up going up to the officers who were getting scared.
She pulled her hoodie off and went ham, "Tell me somethin'
You mothafuckas can't tell me nothin'
I'd rather die than to listen to you
My DNA not for imitation
Your DNA an abomination
This how it is when you're in the Matrix
Dodgin' bullets, reapin' what you sow
And stackin' up the footage, livin' on the go
And sleepin' in a villa"
She walked towards me and dapped me and Royalty up,
" I don't compromise, I just penetrate
Sex, money, murder—these are the breaks"
going up to the stage where the officers were filled she walked up to each of them saying shit. I was just turnt with the biggest smile on my face, her dancers were surrounding them so they couldn't go anywhere. They all pulled their hoodie off which revealed all black people with stale faces looking at the officers.
She went tot officers Newman, "Motherfucker, I got winners on the way
You ain't shit without a body on your belt"
She walked to the center of the stage finishing it up.
You ain't shit without a ticket on your plate
You ain't sick enough to pull it on yourself
You ain't rich enough to hit the lot and skate
Tell me when destruction gonna be my fate
Gonna be your fate, gonna be our faith
Peace to the world, let it rotate
Sex, money, murder—our DNA
The dancers walked off stage while the officers were leaving. Peopleclapped and cheered and I just wanted to go up on stage and hug my cousin. Shit, I didn't even know who the fuck that was. Some spirit animal I bet. People stood giving her a standing ovation.
Justice for Jamal Evans.
"That's my sister!" Royalty yelled
"That's my cousin!"
Arielle stood looking at everyone. Smoke was all over the stage. Lights were shinning brightly . She removed her black bandana that was wrapped around her hair and that revealed her curly brown afro.
"Shh" she tried saying but her mic was off. Those shady niggaz. They trying to stop her performance. She grabbed a mic taking the other one out of her ear. She was still trying to catch her breath. People just cheered and cheered. I smiled. I could hear the notes from a piano play. She held the mic with tears I could tell coming from the corner of her eyes.
My heart started aching. She fell to her knee sniffing and wiping her tears. That were slowly falling.
"It's been an hour since you've been gone
And that's too long, so come back home
I can't live without you
So I'll cry for you"
Her voice was cracking, she was coughing, and breathing heavily trying to catch her breath.
"My baby, I gotta help her" auntie Key said but grandpa held her back
She shook her head, "I'm so sorry"
"C'mon Ri!, you got this" i yelled
People were saying thing to help her. There was less smoke so she was more visible. She pulled her glasses off making it easier for her to wipe her face which was covered with sweat. Her eyes were red.
Some guy came out of nowhere helping her up. He was trying to take her out the stage but she shook her head.
The music played again," This one is for you MAW MAW, Rest in Paradise"
She sniffed and sung the first verse beautifully.
"you know you're everything I do
ooh yeah"
She looked up going down on one knee
"do what you want me to
I would do anything
get on my knees for you
ooooh, baby
what else is there to do
I don't know, I don't know
but I'll cry"
"Lady I... Will cry for you tonight" the chorus played and she hummed still on her knees.
I was in full blown tears with royalty holding on to me. Auntie Keyanna was crying so hard bobbing her head to the music with her fist up in the air. My whole family was crying.
We knew it hit us hard. Arielle voice was so strong too. It gave me goosebumps
She stood up again singing and motioning for someone to come.
"Help me out, help me out"
She disappeared and I noticed uncle Aug singing. People cheered so loud you could barely hear his verse. I smiled through my tears.
"you know you're everything I do
ooh wee
do what you want me to
anything you need from me baby
get on my knees for you
ohhh, ooooh, ohh
what else is there to do
I don't know, I don't know
but I'll cry"
his glasses came off revealing his red eyes as well, I was just really crying so hard.
He sung his heart out. It was so beautful.
"help me out baby, yes
I don't know what else to say
I don't know what else to say
ARIELLE help me sing it"
Arielle was right besides him, screaming her heart out as well
"DADDY I'M RIGHT HERE YES I AM"
She walked closer to the edge of the stage, "SOMETIME MY PILLOW GETS SO WET WITH TEARS
I don't have no one to call my own
I want you back baby
ooh yeah!!"
I could just feel the both of them, that's how strong their energy was together. It was crazy. Arielle joined uncle Aug off the stage
They held on to one another humming back to one another. Their resemblance was so strong.
"Uhhhhhhhgghhh"
"Mhmmmhmmmm"
They stepped away from one another nodding. "Mhmmmmmm"
"Ooohhhyyeaaa"
They backed away singing off to different sections.
Arielle
I walked to a different section as my dad sung and I sung the adlibs.
"baby I'm beggin, baby I'm beggin, beggin baby
baby I'm beggin, baby I'm beggin, beggin baby" he sung continuously
I nodded with some of the audience members. As I was on my knees
"Said I'm back!" I yelled
"Baby I'm beggin," my daddy continued to sing
"Mhmmm, Lord have mercy!" I sung hardly standing up
I walked up to people, "I just can't take it anymore! I don't give a damn anymore baybay!!"
I went up close to people who stretched there hands out to me.
"IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING BOUT '!"
I held one of there hands as she looked at me an amazement .
"SOMEBODY! ANYBODY!!" I Let go looking at the celebrities screaming in there ears.
"DADDY, LEMME HEAR YOU SING:"
"YEEAAAAAAAAA" him and I sung together
"Oooh yeaaaa"