“I am sorry.” He said finally, letting out a long sigh, “I just… don’t worry so much about me. I can take care of myself.”“I know, you are a big boy. It’s because I care about you that I worry about you.”“I care about you too, you know.”“I know.”A pause.“I'll see you later.” He said and the call ended.She lay back on the bed and shut her eyes.*King stared at the phone in his hands. He wished he could see her.“Hey, you want one?”He looked up to see Jack standing a few feet away from him, smoking a cigarette.Jack was an acquaintance from school. He had invited him to hang out with him and his friends and he had agreed, to avoid going home.He was now in one of their houses, in the living room but he had left to go outside when Joan called. Thankfully, she didn’t hear the music.“No, thank you.” He smiled, leaning off the wall, going back to the house.“Who were you talking to? Some whore?” He glanced back to see Jack following after him.“You can hook me up.”

“Hey! Are you okay!?”He stood up, looking behind just in time to see the door slam shut then he looked to the direction where the female voice had come from. A woman likely in her late fourties and a girl, about his age, stood staring at him from the opposite lawn. He bent his head, throwing his hoodie cap over it and then he walked away quickly.*King watched Joan while she stared at him dumbly from the bed where she sat cross-legged while he leaned against her desk. Her head was tilted to the side a little, her lids blinking continuously. He had just finished narrating his tale to her. He had told her everything, everything but the note he found in his pocket and the person who had been trailing him on his way to her home.Her blinking stopped and she straightened, her features going blank.“I…” she started, pushing her braids back. He liked it when she did that.“I don’t know what to say.” She spoke, “You just got yourself in big trouble.” She added, her eyes clouding with w

"So what could their reason be?" "Uh... To give me the note?""Jack could have easily slipped that into your pocket or locker in school.""To let me know them?""And scare you? Why would they... I'm so confused." she shook her head. "You're not planning on calling that number, are you?" she asked, raising a threatening brow. She knew him, he would be curious. Anyone would. He shook his head, his expression going flat. "What?" she asked concerned. "Jamal."*Andrew watched as Victor entered into the house, his dreads bouncing behind his head.“He’s asleep in the garage.” Victor told him. Asleep meant knocked out.“Are you sure he was following King?” Victor asked, plopping unto a red cushion, his leg going to rest on the long sofa Ken, nicknamed Leprosy and Jack sat.“Yeah.” Leprosy affirmed, “Even King caught on and he tried to lose him. I noticed him right from when King left here. He didn’t look suspicious at first until I saw him enter a black car when King got i

Despite all that, there was still that small hope, that small light burning somewhere deep in his heart, that little boy in him that longs for the care and acceptance of a big brother, longs to know what it meant to have a family , your own blood.He cleaned the cut, placed the plaster over it and then he cleaned his own. The result of evil, both parties bore the marks. He was glad that whomever it was, whether for evil or for good reasons, had knocked out Jamal. He was sure the person wouldn’t stop him now from what he was about to do. It was time to do things his own way.*Joan paced up and down her room. King hadn’t called yet, he promised he would. She had made sure to get him a new phone and a sim card before he left, she left it in the pocket of his hoodie. He promised he would call. Her two hands went up in her hair and back down and then down her face.What if something bad happened? What if the blue guy caught up with him or the cab man had been fake?It had been two

He placed kisses on her hair and forehead, muttering soothing words to her. He continued this way until her cries quietened and she finally looked up at him. Big tear filled eyes stared up at him and he stared back, trying to convey his warmth to her through his eyes.She opened her mouth and spoke.“Kiss me.”*He froze, his eyes bulging out of their sockets.“Wha… What?” he stuttered, hoping he had heard wrong but at the same time, his heart beat increased in anticipation.“Kiss me, King.”“Joan…” he cleared his throat, licking his lips, and adjusting his hold on her, “You can’t mean… you can’t be serious.”More tears slipped down her face.“Kiss me King, please.” She begged.“We’ll pretend like this didn’t happen. I didn’t ask you for a kiss.” She spoke, getting up from his lap.He stood up also, perplexed, wanting, in need."What? But you..."She faced him with still teary eyes. "I know. That was a weak moment, I was troubled and I needed some sort of reprieve. It was