CHAPTER 21 #2
“Why would it? I was built fa’ dis life. You know dat Sum.”
“I mean, nobody jus’ gives away money like dat.”
“Yo’ you blowin’ right now. You sound like Marcus.”
“And?... You say dat like it’s a bad thang. Maybe I don’t wanna be here foreva.” I said waving my hands around, pointing out the damage around us.
She rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, look around Summer. Dis is our reality… Marcus gotchu thinkin’ life is a fuckin’ fairytale yo’.”
“And?”
“And Darnell makes more money in a week than ya’ lil boyfrien’ whole family probably does in a month.”
The words hung between us. I didn’t know what to say. The beeper on her hip buzzed suddenly. She grabbed it fast. The small screen flashed a number.
“I gotta go, I’ll catchu lata.” she said.
She stood up. We hugged. And she jogged toward the corner payphone. Watching her dial the number, I felt the distance in my chest widen, again. That girl who used to sit on the curb eating sunflower seeds with me was gone.
The next time I saw Darnell up close, he wasn’t smiling.
We was standing outside the poppy store when his car pulled up.
A black BMW this time. Mia ran to the passenger door like she been waiting all day.
They left without her saying bye. Half hour later, she pulled back up in that same car. Alone this time, her face glowing.
“You see dat car?”
“Yeah.”
“Dat’s ours tonight. We hittin’ campus. See what dem college boys is like.”
“Ours?”
She laughed.
“Well… his.”
“I’m tellin’ you, Summer,” she continued.
“This life… is power.”
I didn’t respond. She was right about one thing. The block respected power. And power on our block didn’t come from college degrees. It came from money. Cars. Fear.
It’s like Mia belonged more to the streets than she did to me. The block don’t just recruit boys… it snatches girls too.
FINISH LINE
Fall of senior year and all everybody at school talked was the future.
College applications. Scholarships. Graduation.
Teachers walked the halls reminding us that we was almost adults, like that word meant something magical was about to happen.
The block didn’t care about senior year.
The block had its own calendar. Its own rules. And that October night proved it.
The party was at a house three blocks over.
A crowded rowhouse packed wall-to-wall with people.
DMX thundered through the house like the walls might split open.
Bodies everywhere. Girls dancing. Guys leaning on walls, watching.
Beer bottles clinking. The smell of weed drifting through the hallway.
Marcus stood beside me in the doorway, looking around like he just stepped into another world.
“Is this what y’all call a party?” he asked.
I laughed.
“Pretty much.”
Mia appeared suddenly. Already lost deep in the night. Her hair was curled tight, makeup sharp, gold hoops swinging as she moved through the crowd owning the place. Darnell standing right behind her. His arm resting casually around her waist.
“Summer!” Mia shouted over the music.
She hugged me quickly. Then looked Marcus up and down.
“Oh look,” she smirked.
“College boy made it.”
Marcus didn’t smile.
“I’m not in college… yet.”
“Mmmnn… yeah, whateva.” Mia replied. Her tone wasn’t friendly. Not tonight.
The air was thick. Too many people. Too much heat.
Too much tension. At the kitchen table a group of guys shouted numbers and slapped down money.
Every few minutes somebody’s beeper buzzed.
Guys checking codes. The rhythm of the streets never really stops.
Marcus noticed everything. His eyes moved across the room slowly.
“So, this is what you do on the weekend when I’m trying to spend time with you?” he asked.
“No, not really,” I said.
“Jus’ sometimes.”
Mia laughed from the couch.
“Girl stop lyin’.” She leaned closer to Marcus.
“Dis is normal where we from.”
Marcus didn’t argue. His face told me exactly what he was thinking. Normal didn’t mean safe.
The front door burst open. The music didn’t stop but the room shifted. Everyone turned. Shay stood in the doorway. I hadn’t seen her in months.
“Damn,” Mia muttered.
“Is dat da infamous Shaylene Drake.”
Before I could approach her, the front door opened again. Nico walked in with three guys behind him. Darnell stood up immediately. Two predators eyeing each other. The tension was instant, and everybody felt it.
“Wuss up, you lost or sum’n?” Darnell asked calmly. Too calm.
Nico smiled slowly.
“Nah, homie. But you look like you is.”
His eyes moved across the room. Then landed on Shay. Marcus leaned toward me.
“This is about to be bad. Maybe we should go.”
Shay stepped between Nico and Darnell with her arms crossed.
“You ain’t got nothin’ betta ta do den’ follow me aroun’?”
Nico stepped to Shay. His smile never left.
“Now you know I don’t like you bein’ out here in dese streets witout me baby.” He kissed her check.
“I ain’t yo’ property Nico.” The room was silent.
Darnell stepped forward.
“You got a problem my man? Da’ lady look like she don’t wanna leave.”
Nico glanced at him like he barely existed.
“Stay outta grown folks business. It’s kids in here, I wouldn’t want nobody gettin’ hurt.” Nico put his hand on his waist, he obviously had a weapon.
Darnell laughed.
“Grown folks huh?”
His boys moved closer. Nico’s crew did the same. Suddenly the living room was less a party, more a battlefield. Marcus grabbed my hand.
“Come on Summer, let’s go NOW!.” It was too late.
Chaos exploded. Bodies crashing into walls. Girls screaming. Beer bottles breaking against the floor. Marcus pulled me toward the hallway.
“Come on!”
A gunshot. One. Then two. Then three. I stopped counting.
Everyone rushed for the door. Marcus dragged me outside.
Kids jumping fences. People pushing each other.
The cold air hit my lungs hard. My heart hammering against my ribs.
Police cars turned the corner fast. Red and blue lights invading the rowhomes.
I looked back toward the house. Shay was on the sidewalk shaking. Nico nowhere in sight. Darnell arguing with two cops. Mia crying beside him.
All the money. All the flashy cars. All the power Mia and Shay ever talked about. It ended like this. It always does. Gunshots. Fear. Police. Handcuffs.
Marcus squeezed me tight.
“Are you hurt? Are you okay?”
I nodded slowly. Tears burned my eyes. And in that moment, standing under those flashing police lights, I made a decision. The streets could have Mia. They could have Shay. They could have every party and every fast dollar. But they would never have me. Not now. Not ever.