•This chapter is dedicated to DProjects ❤️ she had me DYING in the comment section!! Thanks for the motivation love, cause I was LOST on this chapter. BUT, this is for y'all, I DO IT FOR THE REAL ONES😘. Would y'all like every chapter have dedications to 2 or 3 of you🤔. I think that would be cool, so the 2 or 3 with the best comments gets a chapter dedication on the next chapter🤗. Okay enough blabbing, here's your chapter.

xoxo-UrbanGlitter

Ms. Ronnie in the media.

Korie

I got my two main men with me to meet up with Trey, and they are Caymen and Tez. Out of all the men on my team they have been rocking with me for the longest, ever since I turned to the streets when my parents died.

***
As I'm laying in my bed asleep, I am woken up to my cover being tugged off of me and someone whispering my name. I fluttered my eyes open to a scared Khadijah.

"What?!" I whispered loudly looking at my clock. It was 2:45 in the morning and we had to get up for school in a few hours.

"It's 2:45 in the morning why are you up?" I asked irritated.

"Mommy and daddy are fighting again." Khadijah said looking down. I lifted her chin up with my index finger and wiped the fresh tear that was rolling down her cheek.

"What I tell you about crying? I asked making her sniff and wipe her eyes.

"Big girls don't cry like babies."

"That's right, and how old are you?"

"I'm 5." She said holding up five fingers.

"That's my lil sis." I said kissing her cheek. I was 11, six years older than Khadijah, but I was her rock. I helped her with all her homework, wiped all her tears, and I've kept her safe. I've always loved her like no other, and always will.

"I'm about about to go check on momma and daddy, you stay here okay. Don't come out unless I tell you, I'll be back." She nodded her head and climbed in my bed getting under the cover.

I walked out of my room and down the hall to my mother and father's door.

"Shut the f*ck up! I know you're cheating! You are a low down dirty dog and I hate you!" I could hear my mom's voice crack as she yelled at my dad.

I slightly pushed the door open. "Ma, you alright?" I asked.

"I'm fine baby, go on back to bed."

"No, why are y'all arguin' again, you know Khadijah hates when y'all fight. Please just save it at least until she goes to school tomorrow."

"Son you need to go on back to bed, before I kick ya ass. Go on now."

"Dad, I'm not going no where until y'all solve this issue." I sternly said to my dad.

"No! Stop! Stop!" my mom yelled.

My dad had ran to me and grabbed me by my collar holding me up against the wall.

"Daddy! Stop!" I heard, looked over and saw Khadijah running to my dad and pulling at his leg.

"Dijah, I told you to stay in the room!" I yelled at her. "Go back!"

She ran out the room, and I turned my attention back to my dad. I started hitting him until he finally let me go, but as soon as I hit the ground my dad tackled me onto the ground and we started wrestling.

"Get your hands off of my son!" My mom yelled to my dad. She ran over to us and started trying to break us up.

Before I knew it, I heard a loud crash, my mom had hit my dad in the head with a lamp and he had fallen into the dresser. He laid there for a minute rubbing the back of his head while my mom hugged me.

"Go get Khadijah and pack y'all some bags, we're leaving! Go hurry!" My mom yelled to me. I ran to my room and started grabbing clothes from my drawer.

"Where are we going Korie? We can't leave daddy." Dijah said crying.

"Dijah, not now, you need to go grab some clothes from your room and do it fast!"

"You ain't going no where! Where ever you go, I go. Where ever I go, you go." We both heard my dad say to my mom.

"I'm not staying with you, neither are my kids! You're a drunk! I'm done I can't have my kids exposed to this type of behavior from their own father! Since you can't get it together, we're leaving and I'll find someone who genuinely loves and cares for me and my babies." My mom explained to my dad through her tears.

"So you're giving yourself to someone and taking my kids? Is that a threat? Huh Karen?

"Back up James!" My mom yelled. I heard a noise that was similar to a door being unlocked. My eyes widened and I ran out the room almost knocking my dresser over. Dijah and I burst through the door and my dad had a gun pointed towards my mom.

"Dad no!" I screamed heading towards my dad. 'Bang!' I watched in shock as my mom fell to the ground lifeless. I ran to my her holding her head up yelling for her to get up. I covered the hole in her chest with my hand that was now covered in blood.

"I love you baby, forever." I heard my dad say, 'BANG!'.

As I turned and looked at my dad now sliding down to the floor I didn't know what to do. I have two dead parents now in a matter of minutes, and a little sister who just witnessed a homicide and a suicide.

Minutes had passed and I was still praying and hoping my mother would come back to life, I found myself sobbing and still holding her chest where the wound was and hugging her now lifeless body. Her long, yellow ruffled edged night gown was now covered and stained with her dark red blood.

"Why God?!" I yelled to the ceiling, "why couldn't you take me?!"

"Korie, is mommy going to be okay?" My baby sister asked in an innocent and unknowing voice.

I couldn't bring myself to tell her that that was the last time she would see our dear mother, hear her sweet voice, or touch her soft caramel skin.

Moments later there was a knock at the door, I had blood all over me and there were two dead people in the house, my parents. What would I say to someone who sees this? How would I explain this? Part of me just wants to take Khadijah and run because I don't want her growing up in foster homes. But the other part of me knows I can't take care of her alone like how my mom did.

I walked to the door ready for whatever and whoever, when I opened it my neighbor, Ms. Ronnie stood there with her jaw dropped. Ms. Ronnie was our nosey neighbor, as my dad would call her. She stood at about 5'4 with a nice curvy body. Her hair was always up in a bun, but it was good hair because she's mixed with black and Puerto Rican. She would always come by the house if she'd heard my mom and dad arguing, or she would ask Khadijah if everything was okay when we'd pass her house on our walk home from school. She was really nice, she even let Dijah play with her son's toys when she was outside playing. But there was always a sorrowful look in her eyes when she looked at me because she knew what went on in our house, but never said anything.

"I-uh-I heard gunshots.." she stammered, "is everybody okay?"

"My mommy is on the floor with blood everywhere!" Khadijah butted in.

"Oh my goodness, take me to where she is sweetie."

Khadijah and I walked Ms. Ronnie to my mom and dad's room, as soon as she took a look at the scene she pulled out her phone and dialed 9-1-1. I could see the sweat building up on her forehead and her once perfectly made up face, was now smudged with makeup.

"Yes, hello?! Someone has been shot!" She yelled into the phone.

"I don't know, I'm just the neighbor I heard the shots and I came running over." She looked to the other side of the room as she spoke. "Oh Lord, there are two people that have been shot, please send someone!" She listened to the other end.

"Uhh mine is 3760, so— ok 3765 Ludridge Drive! Ok thank you please hurry!" With that, she hung up the phone and ran her fingers through her long brown hair that fell neatly to her shoulders.

"What's gonna happen?" I asked panicking.

"Well...I'd be lying if I told you I knew, because I don't," she began, "but what I do know is, you'll be getting taken care of the proper way and you'll be in good hands."

"Where's my mommy going?" Khadijah asked.

I walked over to Dijah and hugged her so tight. "Dijah, momma is dead," I broke it to her bluntly, "she's dead and isn't coming back. Okay?" I looked down at her and she had a blank look on her face. I couldn't tell what she was feeling because she didn't say anything either.

We were interrupted by a knock on the door, as Ms. Ronnie went to open it I followed behind her. When she opened it all I remember is red and blue lights coming from every direction outside and all of our neighbors looking out their doors. Cop cars were lined up and down the street and a few officers were putting up crime scene tape.

"Hello I'm officer Goodman, is this where the shooting took place?"

"Yes, right in the room down the hall officer." Ms. Ronnie pointed as the officer stepped in.

"Okay were there any witnesses?"

"Yes, my sister and I saw what happened." I spoke with a crack in my voice.

"Okay and may I have your names little guy?" The Officer asked clicking his pen so that he could write on his notepad.

"Yes, I'm Korie and this is my little sister Khadijah," he began to write and I noticed him spelling my name wrong, "no it's Korie with a K, K-O-R-I-E, and K-H-A-D-I-J-AH," I spelled out for him, "last name Watts."

"Thank you, now I'm going to ask you to let me know everything that took place here okay? Can you do that for me?"

I nodded my head as I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat, and began to tell the officer everything that led up to this, everything that's been happening since my grandmother passed. By the time I was done explaining everything I was in full blown tears and the officer had me in his embrace. He told me everything was going to be okay and me and my sister would be going with his partner, Officer Hanley.

"Okay my partner here, is gonna take you guys down to the station and see if we can get in touch with some family, okay?" Officer Goodman said with a hand on my shoulder.

"We don't have any family." I spoke looking to the ground. And that was true, we didn't have anybody besides my mom and dad. After my dad's mom died, we had no more family left. My mom's parents died in a house fire before Khadijah and I were born, she had no brothers or sisters and neither did my dad, and my dad said he never met his father, so we really didn't have any other family left.

"Well let's just see what we can do," he said to me with a warm smile, "Officer Hanley, take them down to the station and treat them nice." He said to his partner looking at me and Dijah with a wink. And with that, we got in the car and left, and I couldn't believe that was the last time I would see my mom and dad. I wanted it to all be a dream, well a nightmare, and I'd be waking up soon. But the only thing I was woken up to was a gust of wind hitting my face as Officer Hanley opened my door and the big, brown, brick building that stood straight ahead.

"Alrighty kids, we're here let's get out of this cold." He said grabbing our hands as he pushed the door shut with his elbow.

When we walked into the building I was amazed by all the phones ringing and all of the people walking around looking so busy. All the women were basically dressed the same way, dark colored knee length skirts, white or creme colored shirts, with flats or low closed toe heels. The men wore dark slacks, dress shoes, and white collared shirts.

"This is what the police station looks like?" I asked as Officer Hanley guided us through the busy building.

"No this is the social work building," he started, "while you guys were sleeping, Officer Goodman called and said he made a few calls and to bring you guys here."

"Who are we coming to see?" I asked curiously.

"I'm guessing you're, Korie and Khadijah?" A lady asked standing in a doorway ahead of us.

"Yes ma'am." Khadijah answered finally saying something since the events that took place today.

"So well mannered! And such a cutie," she smiled at Khadijah, " Well, I want to start by saying hello. My name is Ms. Cooper, and I'm going to be talking with you guys today and trying to find you somewhere safe and comfortable for you to live. Is that okay?"

Ms. Cooper was really beautiful, she stood at 5'5 with a very nice build. Her hair was pulled up into a neat sleek bun, which brought out her high cheek bones and her rich almond skin. Unlike the other women in the office, she wore a black fitted pencil skirt, with a tan, mid-sleeved shirt. To accessorize her outfit, she wore a tan belt across her waist that matched her shirt and fit perfectly on her hips, and black wedged heels to top it off. She wore a small amount of makeup but you could obviously see she was a natural beauty.

"So Khadijah and Korie, I'm going to cut straight to the point, since you have no one to look after you now you must be entered into the system." Ms. Cooper explained with a serious look on her face and an unnecessary amount of hand gestures.

"What's the system?" Khadijah asked quizzically.

"Well you'll be placed in the foster care system. Foster care is a system in which a minor, like you and your brother, has been placed into a ward, group home, or private home of a state-certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent" or with a family member approved by the state. But since you have no other family members then in your case, a foster parent."

"Really." I said saddened. "Well what home are we going to."

"Welllll," she paused, " I've contacted almost every foster home in the city and all except two were full. And unfortunately one is for girls and the other one is for boys." She said looking from Khadijah to me as she emphasized boys and girls.

At that moment I felt all the pain that I had been holding in since the events that took place in my once upon a time 'home' earlier that day. "No we're not separating, I'm not leaving my sister alone with people we don't even know, hell YOU don't even know!" I yelled at Ms. Cooper.

"I fully understan—" I cut her off.

"No! You really don't, you're paid to say those things when in reality you don't care about me or anyone else that comes in here with my situation! I'm not leaving my sister, we'll find somewhere else to go! I'll get a job and get an apartment!" At this point all the tears that I've been holding back we're now staining my face as I held on to my sister.

"Sweet heart, I promise I care, I really do. But you're a minor, you can't get an apartment let alone a job. Baby you have to think about yourself and your sister, the best thing right now is for you guys to be in a safe environment and have the necessities you need to be healthy and safe. I'm sorry but we can not let you leave without giving you somewhere safe to lay your head. And that's final, you'll thank me in the long run." Ms. Cooper was now sitting in front of us on the edge of her desk with her hands crossed on her lap.

"Alright fine." I gave in looking to Khadijah. I don't want anything to happen to her because of my actions.
———————————————
After I said my goodbyes to Khadijah and hugged what seemed like forever, I was on my way to "my knew" home as Ms. Cooper called it.

"Alrighty bud, we're here." The Officer spoke bringing me out of my daze.

We had been driving for what seemed like hours, but we finally arrived at the place I was dreading to go. We pulled up to the semi-big, white and black house, there were young boys running around outside playing, and older guys about my age sitting on the porch.

"Wassup, you new?" Asked one of the guys on the porch.

"Have you seen me here before?" I asked clenching my jaw at his stupid question.

I heard them talking as I continued walking through the door but I didn't pay them any mind. I was introduced to my foster parent, Ms. Ferris. She was tall, pretty, with some dark coco skin. She had pearly white teeth and she had curly natural hair, she looked like a goddess.

After talking with her and getting settled in my room, it was time for dinner. There was a big round table in the kitchen area that seated all the older guys and the younger boys sat in the other room at a table just as big. Tonight we were having baked chicken, mashed potatoes, and sweet corn.

"I didn't catch your name." One of the guys from the porch said to me.

"That's because I didn't say it," I said digging into my food, "but it's Korie."

"Funny guy huh? I'm Caymen, it's nice to have another brother in here."

"Yea and I'm Tez." Spoke the one that sat across the table.

After dinner Caymen, Tez, and I went to the backyard and talked about a lot of stuff. They've been here for two months and they hated it, the only thing good about being here was having a friend in each other.

Over the next few weeks we got close and I really did feel like they were my brothers, after a lot of talking and planning we all came up with a plan to leave. I told them about my sister and how I couldn't just leave her with randoms.

About 3 weeks after making our plan we left and never turned back. Tez got in contact with his uncle from North Chicago. Tez said he would've stayed with his uncle when his parents abandoned him but the state deemed him unfit to be anybody's guardian.

We moved in with his uncle and he taught us the game, the ins and outs, and how not to trust anyone. During that time I was looking for my sister, I contacted every foster home in the city of Chicago, but the one she resided at said that she'd gotten adopted and there was a rule that I couldn't get in contact with them for safety reasons. I swore I'd never stop looking for her.

After a few years, Tez's uncle became ill and couldn't run the game like he used to so he wanted to pass his thrown to one of us, specifically Tez since he was blood, but Tez decided he wasn't ready, so Uncle Rick thought I'd be better for the thrown and I took it with pride. Biggest King Pin in Chicago, of course I had competition but I wasn't worried about it.

Running the streets I ran into my babymomma, Tasha. I first met her at the club, and I took her home for a quick fuck and she found out she was pregnant 3 weeks later. I wasn't ready for no kid but I wasn't going to abandon my baby and leave her fatherless. I had to step up to my responsibilities and Caymen and Tez was right there with me every step of the way, being the best God fathers, both of them.

***

We pulled up to Trey's crib and I killed the engine before hopping out. Caymen and Tez followed right behind me. I don't know what I was getting myself into but whoever was threatening my sister got the right group of niggas, I'm just ready to get a plan in action.

•A flashback so y'all can see how the Trio came about😼
•What y'all think