Friday, June 13,1995
Sadly it was time to leave the Long Island Beach house. We all packed our bags and put them inside the car.
Now we are waiting for Papi to hurry up. He was saying his long add goodbye to this chick he been messing around with. It looks like he is done. He walked back over towards the car with a grin on his face.
"She couldn't get enough of Papi." He jokes. "Just get in the damn car." I said. We all hopped inside, sitting in the same spot. Lucky cranked up the car and pulled off.
The drive back to Brooklyn feels longer than before. Maybe because we were all sad to be coming back or something. I told Lucky not to drop us off just yet. Instead we went to the movies and watched Friday.
"That movie was so fucking funny." Papi said stumbling out the theater laughing.
"Boy you got knock the fuck out!" Hallie and Papi repeated. At first I didn't think Lucky would want to watch it but he was laughing the loudest out of all of us.
"That movies will be a classic in the future." I said. "Ditto." Lucky agreed. "What's next?" Papi asked us as we are walking towards the car. "Ohh, lets go to the arcade." Hallie suggested. We all agreed in hopped in the car.
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Lucky parked his car right in front of the arcade. BeNe Arcade is located inside the Brooklyn Mall and it was huge. Papi and Hallie bolted out the car and ran inside like little kids. Lucky look my hands into his as we walked together.
"Lucky this has been the best. Thank you." I said to him. He raised my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. "No need to thank me. I would happily do this this forever." He said.
The automated doors opens as we approach the mall entrance. During the summer the mall is the most populated place to be at. We got on the escalator. "So are you and your mom going to England for the rest of the summer." I asked him.
During our stay at the beach house, Lucky said the his mom is things about going back to England for the summer. "I don't know really. She want to visit family but I don't wanna leave you."
We got off the escalator and the arcade was to the right of us. "I don't want you to go but I also can't keep you from seeing your family and seeing your hometown." I said to him as we are walking into the arcade.
Kids, teen and grown ass men as are everywhere. Lucky slid his hand away from mines and looked at me. "Wait you want me to go." He said. I can tell he's getting angry just by how his voice is staring to rise.
"No baby of course not but that's your family back in the UK and what kind of girlfriend would I be if I keep you from seeing them or your old friends."
"Well what if you came with me." He asked. I was shocked but before I can say anything Papi interrupted us. "Come on guys, Pac-Man is open."
"Can we talk about this later?" I asked Lucky. He nodded his head and we all went to play arcade games.
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We stayed at the arcade for about two hours. Lucky won me a giant stuffed panda bear, Papi won a whole bunch of candy and he already hyper as it is and Hallie won some lipstick.
It was late and it's not safe to be in the streets this late at night. Lucky parked his place a few blocks down from my apartment. "What are you doing?" I asked him as he take out his keys. "I wanna walk you to you place?" He said.
"Lucky you know if my brother sees you he is gonna kill you." I pleaded to him.
"And I don't car about your punk ass brother. I love you and he can't stop me from doing that." He said. The car was silence and a smile plaster on my face. "Okay, my brother. It was good knowing you." Papi said before hopping out.
"Why you always got to ruin the moment?" Hallie called after him. Lucky and I got out the car with our bags and started walking to my apartment.
Lucky and I were walking in front of Papi and Hallie. "So did you think about it?" Lucky asked. "Baby, trust me I want to go. I always wanted to see places other than Brooklyn especially London. But there are a lot of a factors in place that says otherwise."
"Like what."
"Like for one I have no money to afford to go."
"I'll pay."
"Two my mom and Katie. During the summer my mom works and works. Who's gonna watch Katie. Damn sure not TJ. I can't leave them behind yet." I said to him.
"Cynthia you are always taking care of other people. Remember who much fun we had at the beach house and on the beach. We only have one more year till we all go off the college and start our lives. Isn't about time that you start living for yourself and have fun before it's too late." He said then we continued to walk.
None of us said anything after that. He's right I do take care of other people and I don't mind that. The people that I take care of are my family but I do need to take care of myself too. I want to experience everything life throws at me. Falling in love, graduating high school, going to college, traveling the world and so much more.
I turn around at the loud laughter behind us. Papi and Hallie acting a fool nothing new. But I also notice a black car creeping down the road. The car slowly rolls down the window and I know exactly what this is.
It feels like slow motion all the sudden. "GET DOWN!" I scream out as gun start shooting at us. I felt Lucky arm wrap protective around me. As the glass shattered from the car we all hid behind.
What felt like minutes or hours of being in a state a fear. The car drove off. "Is everyone okay." I said.
I looked back at Lucky and he is in shock but he is okay but then Hallie screams. Not any normal scream but and death defining, earth shattering scream. We all looked over to see what was wrong.
World stops.
Papi was laying on the ground in pool of his blood. "NOOOOOO, PAPI NOT MOVING!!!" Hallie yells out with tears in her eyes. She continues to shake him and slap his face. Lucky and I rush over to him. "PAPI PLEAEE DON'T DO THIS!!!" I cry out. I lean down and listen for a heart beat
Nothing. I try a pulse
Nothing. I cry out even loud than Hallie.
"NOOO, GOD NO. PAPI."
My best friend of 10 years is dead.
"SOMEBODY CALL 911" Lucky yelled out.
I hear a car engine that sound like my brothers car. I turn to looked at the direction and it was my brother. "LUCKY YOU GOT TO GO!" I yelled to him.
"No, I'm not leaving you." He said back.
"LUCKY I CAN'T HANDLE ANOTHER DEAD BODY RIGHT NOW. PLEASE. GO" I cried and plead to him.
He looked at me in my eyes and he can't tell I'm serious. Tears and snot all over my face I'm can't handle letting my brother kill the man that I love. He nodded his head and ran back to his car.
Hallie and I cradled and hug Papi dead body till the paramedics and Papi's family came and pulled us off him.