As you walked down the street, you squinted to see the crowd of people in the distance. You sighed, knowing that there was no way around them. You were going to have to walk through this group of people that were blocking the sidewalks, and you were sure their intentions would not be pure.
Michael's P. O. V.
"Man, you don't know nothin'! Get on outta here with that BS boy!"
"And you think you 'bout to catch something with yo dusty crusty as--"
"Man, Shalamar lookin' mother fuc--"
"Shalamar? You're the one that looks like James Brown on crack!"
I stood to the side as I watched the guys go at it. Truth is, I didn't know what I was doing out there. Trying to be them? I wasn't sure. At that point in time, I didn't know who I was. Yet for the time being, becoming someone like them seemed to be the best option---or the "coolest" option. It would help me fit in out here.
A slender girl walked through a group of us. One of the guys tried to grab her arm and she shook him off. He began blocking her path, trying to make her stop.
"Get out of my face!" She yelled at him.
"Oh baby, c'mon. Don't be like that. Don't be stuck up!"
Another girl walked by, and she was grabbed as well.
"Get outta here, man!" The young Latina exclaimed, pushing someone off.
"Check out that rear end!" One of the guys yelled, trying to grab her behind.
As I glanced across the street, I noticed a group of guys talking to a few police officers.
"So you've never been arrested?"
"No."
"Well, I have record that you've been to the joint. What were you in there for?"
The man being questioned hesitated.
"Murder."
"When to when?"
"'83 to '86."
The group I was with continued to argue.
"Don't touch my hair!" The one in the plaid shirt spit.
Looking back, I saw the group continuously harassing the Latina.
"Get out of my way, you here me?" She yelled.
The oldest of the group turned to me and began to shoo me away.
"What are you doing out here, boy? You don't wanna watch them! Go on home! All these boys out here chasin' and can't catch nothin'! Go ahead home, man! You don't wanna be hangin' with these hoodlums!"
I tried to argue back, yet there wasn't much I could say. I couldn't justify my presence there, because I had no reason to be there.
Shaking my head, I decided to comply and walk away.
As I slouched in my step, I passed an elderly man.
"Wait a minute, son," he called to me.
I turned around slowly.
"Sit down here, I want to talk to you."
He patted the step next to him.
Sighing, I took a seat next to him.
"I've been watching you," he started.
I glanced up at him.
"You tryna act like them boys and they ain't about nothin. You should just be yourself. You know, reach down inside and pull you out."
"Be myself?" I asked, looking back at him.
"Yeah," he nodded, "what I'm tryna tell you is 'be yourself'. You can't be nobody else, you can't be them."
He gestured his hand to the guys.
"You don't wanna be them."
Again, I looked over at the group of guys I tried to associate myself with. They continued to tear each other down with insults.
"Be myself," I repeated, thinking it over.
The sound of clicking heels echoed on the sidewalk. Looking up, I saw my opportunity. It was my chance to be myself.
Setting my mind to my goal, I stood up.
"Get up, son."
~~~~
Second Person P.O.V.
You heard the murmurs of the men, but pushed them from your mind. All you wanted to do was make it through the group as quickly as possible.
It was then that a man stood in front of you. Without thinking twice, you passed him up. Originally, you hoped for him to get the message. Yet, that hope was terminated when he suddenly yelled out.
"Hey!"
You turned around, startled.
Everyone on the street froze.
When he turned around, he kept his eyes down. You stared at him until he looked up. Looking him over, you raised your brows. He smiled and opened his right hand, showing three fingers.
You held your ground, waiting for him to speak. Then, he began to snap his fingers.
In the dead silence of the night, the slowness of his steps and the snapping of his fingers were the only things that could be heard. He began to approach you.
As he stepped up to you, he bit his lip and looked you over.
He wasn't half-bad looking. In fact, you found him a bit sexy.
The young man circled around you, obviously trying to get a full view. You followed him, turning yourself around. Finally, he stopped and looked you dead in the eyes.
"Hi," he spoke.
"Hello," I answered shortly.
He smiled again.
"Is there something you need?" You asked impatiently.
"I need to get to know you."
You were taken back by his immediate honesty. Yet, you still didn't trust it.
"I'm not interested," you said flatly.
His face fell slightly and he glanced behind you. A few men gestured for him to not give up, and he didn't. It would be his mission of the night to win your heart.
~~~~
"You have no reason to be following me," you sighed, trying to hide the hint of a smile tugging at your lips.
"I'm not going to stop until you give me a chance to speak. At least tell me your name?"
You shook your head, stifling a giggle.
As you continued to walk down the sidewalk, you failed to escape him. You knew he wasn't going to give up, so you decided to have some fun with it.
Beginning to pick up the pace in your walk, you hurried behind a car and hid. He giggled and crept around the other side and gently grabbed your waist. You laughed and ran back on the sidewalk, with him hot on your heels.
"Give me a chance!"
"No!"
You stopped in front of an elderly man, hands on your hips. With amusement in his eyes, the old man gave your admirer a thumbs up. Rolling your eyes, you continued walking.
"My name is Michael," your admirer said as he hopped on top of a car.
"I'm not telling you my name," you smiled and walked off.
Leaning your back against a car, you watched Michael hop off the other car and stand in front of you.
"I can give you the love you deserve."
This almost made you break, so you crawled into the car to escape him.
"Where are you going?" He exclaimed and jumped in the car after you.
"Away from you!" You laughed, coming out the other side and running away.
He continued to chase after you until you two were against another car. This time, you decided to tease him. Leaning against the car, you motioned for him to come close to you. He smiled, put his foot on the car, and leaned in toward you. Feeling the eyes of others on you, you pulled him close and nearly kissed him. Before his lips could touch you, you pushed him back.
"Not tonight," you laughed and ran off.
~~~~
At one point, you thought he'd finally given up. He'd been chasing you for the longest time and you continued to turn him down. It was when you approached a broken fire hydrant that he disappeared.
His absence had a bigger effect on you that you expected. You stood there, alone and unsure of what to do next. Just from the little time you spent together, you could tell he wasn't like the average guy.
Do I really want to leave here wondering what could've happened? You thought to yourself.
No, your conscience spoke to you.
That was your decision.
"Michael?" You called his name.
No one answered.
"Michael?" You said a little louder.
You were lost, looking around for him. Everything seemed to stop. There was no one around you. Only the sound of the water for the fire hydrant could be heard.
Turning around, you finally spotted his silhouette walking toward you. You waited until he was close before pulling him by his shirt. You both made eye contact, unsure of what to say. Deciding that words would be unnecessary, you hugged him instead. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around you, rubbing your lower back.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Y/N," you answered softly.