Anthony POV

"Here." I gave Cameron a twenty and watched him walk into the store. We're on our way to the address my mom sent me but Cameron's ass broke his charger so we stopped to get him a new one.

My phone began to ring and it was her calling.

"Hello."

"Y-Yeah, are you guys almost here?" She said.

"Yeah."

"Okay, how far?"

"Close enough." I said.

"Okay but how long will it take you to get here?" She said.

"I'll get there when I get there. This isn't for me, you the one that wants this."

She kissed her teeth. "Just hurry up. Please." She hung up.

Cameron opened up the car door and got in.

"Thank you.." He said.

I didn't respond because he knows how I feel about him thanking me for money or "favors".

After driving for a while we pulled up at  some light blue house that looked familiar. I'm trying to think so hard where I've seen this house before but it's not coming to me.

"C'mon, let's go." We got out the car and walked to the porch. I knocked on the door and there was an immediate answer.

My mother opened the door and hugged me. "My baby..." She was crying and I couldn't hide the confusion on my face. The fuck she crying for, I'm not dead.

She pulled away from me and looked at Cameron. She gave him a quick tight smile.

"Um, so come inside. Both of you." She stepped out of the way we went inside. It was quiet and empty in the front, but I heard a lot of chatter in the back.

"You got people here?" I asked. I'm not in the mood to chat and mingle with nobody, I'm here for a reason I don't even know yet. And if it's to talk to people, there's gonna be an issue.

"Yeah, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about... You guys follow me." She led us a room in the back. She pushed the door open and there sat some of my relatives that I haven't seen since I was probably a kid. I had aunts, uncles, cousins, my grandmothers and grandfather that I never had no relation with.

"There he is!" One of my uncles, I don't remember the niggas name, stood up to give me a handshake that I returned with no enthusiasm. I'm really not in the mood for no fucking family reunion.

"Anthony, don't act all shy. Go say hi to your family." My mom said with a smile.

I stayed right where I was. "Ion know these people like that and I don't care to either. Just tell me why I'm here so I can leave." Everybody became quiet and the looks of happiness on their faces went away and I really don't care either. At this point I'm annoyed that she even thought I'd be interested in seeing any type of family. I'm good on that family shit.

"Uh," my mom sighed "Ant, you remember Pastor Marley? When I used to take you to church when you were little?" She touched a mans shoulder who I'm guessing was 'Pastor Marley'.

I shrugged.

"Well, he was kind enough to come today, and have us gathered as a family.. To pray."

"You brought me here to pray?"

"Anthony, hear me out. Hear us," she motioned towards my relatives "out. We want the best for you Anthony. I'm now realizing how I reacted when you told me about your issue was way out of line. And I apologize for that, I didn't mean any hurtful thing I said. So, I spoke to pastor and he suggested as a Christian woman, I shouldn't hate you for your abomination. But I should pray for and with you to cast that evil spirit out of your body. So please, let us pray for you. And as for him, I don't know what he's done to you. I don't know whether he's to blame or whether we should do him a favor too. But let that figure itself out. So may we all join our hands in prayer?"

She closed her eyes and held her hand out for mines.

"Man fuck outta here. You not about to sit here and force me to pray about shit. If y'all feel y'all need to pray for me, do it. But I'm not doing it with you."

She gasped. "Anthony! How dare you talk like that?"

"How dare I? 'Anthony how dare you' what? Nobody's stopping you from praying for me. If you think what I'm saying to you right now is the act of the devil, pray for me. If you think it's the act of Cameron, pray for me. But yo' ass gon feel dumb when it don't do shit."

She was crying at this point, and I hate to see my moms cry, but there's only so much annoyance a person can take. And I never have and never will hold back what's on my mind.

"Wow. Kids now days have no respect for their mother, can't even see when a good thing is trying to be done. No one is against you son, we're against the abomination you're committing. We're against that demon in you, whosoever or whatsoever it is. Nobody's trying to hurt you. We love you, but you're taking that love as something so much different." That uncle guy said.

"Nigga, I barely know you. Got no business to be speaking on some 'we love you' shit or anything about what I do." I snapped.

"You haven't opened your mouth not once boy, what's on your mind?" This big lightskin lady spoke to Cameron.

Poor Cameron didn't even know what to say.

"God gave you a mouth so use it!"

"Nothing..." He said.

"Iight, think that's all. I'm gon be on my way. Ma, I love you but don't reach out to me if you don't want to have a real conversation with me or something." I walked out the room and Cameron followed close behind me. When we got outside I was stopped by my mom.

When I looked at her she slapped me. "You embarrassed the hell out of me!" She said with tears on her cheeks.

"I know, shit is called life. Everything isn't gonna go your way."

"I want my son back.." She said.

"This always been me, lately you just been pushing me to the point that you never saw on a regular." I shrugged.

She was quiet. "Love you ma, we leaving now."

I walked down the steps and me and Cameron got into the car.

"You okay?" I asked him as we pulled off.

"I should be asking you that.."

"I'm good, experienced worse in my lifetime. You on the other ha-"

My phone started ringing.

"Hold up." 

Cameron POV

"Hello.. What?.... Right now? I'm kinda in the middle of something..." Anthony kissed his teeth "whatever man.. I'm coming, I'm coming."

He looked at me and sighed. "I gotta handle something real quick, but when we get there baby, you gon have to stay real quiet. And stay close to me, okay?"

"W-wait, why can't I just wait in your car?" I asked.

"Trust me, you don't want that. Ion want that." He shook his head. "Just trust me."

About 20 minutes later we pulled up to a run down house in a very run down neighborhood. There were a lot of people in the house, I don't know if for some type of party or something.

"Stay right here, I'm only going to the trunk."

Anthony got out and did whatever he was doing in the back. I turned my head towards my window and I screamed almost jumping out of my seat.

There was a dirty looking man with his face pressed up against the window looking at me.

"Man, get the fuck!" I heard Anthony say from the back and the man walked away.

"Let's go, hold my hand."

I got out the car and me and Anthony walked into the house. This was definitely some sort of drug house or something. Everyone here looked out of it.

"Where Stacey at?" Anthony asked one of the people and they pointed up meaning upstairs.

We walked up the stairs and walked into a room where there was about four men in.

"Stacey." Anthony said.

"Oh what a surprise..." A guy, about 5'9 and in his late 30s who I'm guessing is Stacey, said.

"Yeah surprise surprise nigga, you know what I'm here for."

"Listen, tell him I'll have it by next week Tuesday definitely. Because what had happened was—"

"Listen, you either got it now or you don't, point blank period."

"Come on man, cut me some slack."

"Been cuttin you slack for bout 3 months now, ain't no more motherfucking slack left."

"If I don't have it what am I supposed to do? Muster up some imaginary money and give it in or..?" The man said nervously.

"You don't wanna know what I'm gonna have to do to you if I don't get my shit. 30 seconds."

The man looked around to the other guys for help. They all shrugged and looked at him cluelessly.

"Uhh, Anthony please hear me out."

"Eight, nine, ten, eleven..."

"What if I give you some sort of down payment and you could hold me accountable for the rest by next week Tuesday."

"Eighteen, nineteen, twenty.."

"Please."

"Twenty five, twenty six, twenty seven, twenty eight, twenty nine, thirty."

Anthony reached in his front pocket and pulled out a gun. This made me jump.

"Ummmm..." I said feeling antsy and grabbed onto Anthony's shirt.

"Calm down baby." He said then turned his focus towards 'Stacey'

He walked up to him and grabbed him by his collar and out the gun to his head.

"I want my shit nigga this ain't no fucking game!"

"I should shoot you right now, right? That's what the fuck you want since you can't get your shit together, right?"

The guy was quiet.

"Open your goddamn mouth and speak. Should I shoot you or should I leave you alone."

"Leave me alone..." The guy said.

"Why?"

"Because I said I'll have the money by next week Tuesday." He said.

"And you expect me to believe you? Hold you to your word?" Anthony said pressing the gun to the guys temple.

"Next time I come around best believe that I'm gonna get my fucking money, and if you not right here next week Tuesday swear I will find you and Ima end yo' ass regardless of you got my shit or not."

Anthony let him go and began walking away. As we were walking Anthony automatically turned around and started firing his gun. Sure enough I saw that the guy had a gun out. Me being me, I screamed and ran out of the room. I heard a few more gunshots until it was silent.

I went back in the room to get Anthony and he was no where to be found and there were dead bodies everywhere.

My mind automatically went to the bad and I felt a pain in my chest. Before I knew it my eyes began to water. But before I could go on crying any longer I heard a voice.

"Yeah I knew these niggas had my shit, can't play me for a fucking fool." He said from behind the desk. He stood up with a paper bag in his hands.

I was still in shock from seeing all of that happen right before my eyes.

"I'm sorry, that's the part you don't see. Let's go." We quickly walked back to the car and left. Anthony said he had to make one more stop and made it clear that there wasn't gonna be anymore killings.

We got out at a place around where Anthony used to live. Much cleaner and less scarier than where we just left from.

We walked inside and Anthony walked to the back where there were about 5 men in a room.

"Got it?" One of them said.

"When do I never?"

"You're right." The guy said. Anthony put the paper bag on the table and the guy took out almost half the money that was in there and gave it to Anthony.

"What would I do without you kid." The guy chuckled then looked at me.

"Who do we have here?" He said with a smirk.

"That's not your business." Anthony said.

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to this thing over here. What's your name?"

I just shook my head. I didn't want to talk to anyone that was doing all this dirty work.

Minus Anthony.

"He's mute or something?"

"No, like I said it's not your business."

"Well it is my business if you can bring him around my business. I don't know if he could be trusted or not. Can you be trusted sweetie?" He smiled at me.

I looked at Anthony for help but he was too busy staring that man down.

"Let's go." Anthony said.

"Rude. Goodbye, hopefully we meet again. The names Damian." He smiled at me and licked his lips and I felt myself wanting to throw up. Maybe he should consider toothpaste...

"Damn." I heard him say as me and Anthony were walking away.

Anthony told me to wait and went back in the room.

"Don't.... Fuck....... I won't.... Nigga...... Just because...... Trust me....... Life." Is all I heard from what Anthony said to him because he was speaking really low.

I turned and saw Damien putting his hands up in surrender with a smirk on his face. "You got it."

When we got back in the car I grabbed Anthony's hand. "Are you okay?"

He didn't respond and just grabbed onto my hand tighter.

"I don't want you going out alone." He finally said. "Ever. If I ever catch you in the streets alone, we're gonna have an issue." He said letting go of my hand and starting the car.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I said so. That's why." He said.

"Okay.." I sighed.

"I ain't doing it to put you on no leash either, just listen to what I tell you to do." He said and I nodded.

He pulled my face to him and kissed me. He kept on pecking my lips until I broke out into giggles. "Yeah, there's that pretty smile I like to see."

"Let's go."

When we got to his apartment, Tyler was siting on the couch of course with his feet on the table.

"You fucking with me right?" Anthony said. Tyler looked up at him with a mouth full of God knows what.

"Aye bro." He said "I was looking for you but you didn't answer, so I just let myself in."

Anthony stared at him for while before walking in and squeezing the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"What's good midget, didn't greet me or nothing." He said.

"Hi Tyler." I laughed.

"Mmhmm, too late my hearts already broke." He said. "Ant, come over here for a second."

Anthony came out the bathroom. "What?"

"Word on the street is you're having a baby, is it true?" He asked.

"I don't fuckin know if the kid is mine. That's an issue I don't even want to deal with."

"Well who's pregnant?"

"Malaysia."

"bitch lying." Tyler automatically said.

"Man, I don't know because she called her own damn self a thot just so I could hear her out."

"Deadass?"

"Yup." Anthony said and sat down motioning for me to sit down next to him. I sat down and he put his arm sound me.

"Shit bro, now I don't know. No female calls themselves a thot."

"I know. But all it takes is a simple DNA test." Anthony said.

"Yeah but what if it is yours? You gon feel guilty for not being around for the pregnancy."

"Yeah but I don't know. I'll figure something out." He said.

While they continued talking about whatever they were talking about, the events from earlier kept on replaying in my head.

What if one of these days Anthony makes the wrong move and he ends up being the one shot and killed? Or he ends up in jail? The thought haunts me. That's one of my worst nightmares.

And regarding Anthony's mother, I don't want to interfere with their relationship. It makes me feel bad knowing I'm the main reason why their relationship isn't as strong as t was before. I feel like she should accept who Anthony is with but then again, for people like her that's easier said than done. And she can't help but feel how she feels. I don't know.

But I feel I shouldn't be complaining because I'm not the one being directly affected by this. It's Anthony.

"What you thinking about?" Anthony caressed my arm.

"Nothing." I said quietly.

"You hungry?" He asked.

"No, I'm okay." I smiled at him to give off a reassuring vibe. "I get my braces off tomorrow." I said to change the subject.

"Oh yeah? Bet your smile even prettier without em." He said and I blushed.

" 'Bet your smile even prettier without em.' shut the fuck up." Tyler mocked.

"You shouldn't be saying shit nigga, can't even stay in a relationship for three weeks."

"Fuck you. But I get mad bitches. Nigga wanna check my inbox? Got bitches on my dick 24/7 nigga. Fuck you talkin bout." He said.

"Going hard for what? Don't get defensive." Anthony laughed.

"Man fuck you, Cameron get your man because he's acting wild."

I laughed at the both of them.

•••••••••

It was 11:00 at night and Anthony was just now dropping me home.

"You not coming to school tomorrow right?" He said as we were in front of my apartment door.

"No."

"Alright, Imma be expecting you to call me. But you know this." He said.

"Yes, I know."

"You look tired. I'll let you leave now."

"No..." I said and hugged onto his torso. He lifted my chin up and kissed me. I felt bad because his neck was probably aching.

He put his hands on my waist and brought me closer into him. We pulled away and I rest my head on his chest. "I won't keep you any longer." I said.

"You did your homework and everything?" He asked.

"Yes daddy." I giggled and playfully rolled my eyes. He sounds so much like a parent.

"Yeah, don't call me that or you gonna get something you don't want right now." He kissed my forehead.

I was confused, but I always am 1/2 of the time when Anthony says something.

"Now go sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

I nodded and went inside my apartment. I said hello to my parents who exaggerated how much they missed me and as soon as I got on my bed I was knocked out.

Anthony POV

I was sitting in my car just thinking about everything that happened today. I don't like days like this where too much happens at once. I opened my phone for this first time for today and I saw that I had about 20 texts and 13 missed calls all from different numbers.

In one of the texts it was my mom saying how she wants to talk to me again and set out differences aside. Another one was from my siblings father saying that everything is well with them and he might end up keeping Hayden. Another is about Malaysia bringing up her pregnancy again. And the others are irrelevant.

I got out my car and was walking to my apartment building and I felt like I was being watched. I don't play that horror movie shit so I always got my gun on me. When I got in the elevator, someone put their foot between the door before it closed. A man wearing all black got in. I pressed a random floor button that wasn't mine. On purpose. All the way up, he kept looking at me so I knew he was up to something.

I walked out and he walked out too. I walked to a random apartment door and he followed.

"You need something my nigga?" I asked even though I knew he didn't need help with nothing.

He kept looking at me.

"I asked if you need something."

"Your name Anthony?" He spoke.

"Yeah it is? Why"

He didn't answer.

"Who sent you?"

He didn't speak.

"My nigga, you can't hea—"

Next thing I know he took out a gun and pulled the trigger.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ok so I'm too lazy to name everybody so

Thoughts on this chapter?