I called every day.

She stayed on my mind because I knew what door I opened up for her. Gina was a target if my thoughts were correct.

If Ryheem cousins and them knew he was associating with Gina and he disappeared right after being with Gina.. she'd be targeted.

if i was correct.

Sometimes her momma answered her phone sayin she was sick. But I knew Gina would hand her the phone when I called sometimes. I understood and didnt take it to the heart.

I kept calling.

I felt entitled to calling. She was always there for me at me worse. Getting more fed up with not touching her or atleast being in her presence affected me. Scared me because what would i do if they got to her?

I would lose my shit.

I grabbed my keys and was out the door. A crackhead popped up across the street and headed towards me. They usually had the street gossip so I waited for him to address me about it.

"aye yo King of the crack townn crack town break it down my niggaaa!!.. got any dope dope dope for me?" Raymond said twitching.

I nodded my head knowing that was the only way I'd get Raymond to talk about shit. I handed it to him and watched him study it with fascination. "Word on the street Ryheem dead and they want the person who killed him" Raymond said quickly, I listened and shook my head.

" Yea. but I seen his whip in this neighborhood a couple weeks ago. You know I don't snitch or talk much im too busy eating crack but a couple other crack head's opened their mouth about seeing his whip not too long ago" He knew what it was. Raymond knew his disappearance had something to do with me.

Shit, everybody knew.

I nodded my head and gave him more dope. "Thanks for the news Ray" I said getting into my car.

"And you too for the dope! shit fuck its christmas" He walked off joyfully stuffing the crack in his dirty saggy army fatigue pants. Raymond was a good looking army dude who took a turn for the worse once his daughter died from a bullet with someone else's name on it.

I felt sorry for him but you know, shit happens.

I could've walked to Gina's but I didnt feel like it. Parking outside I noticed Gina walking out,going somewhere. She looked somewhat okay but knowing what I know, I knew she was feeling miserable inside. I watched intently until she saw me. Giving me a double glance she skipped down the steps and rushed towards my car.

I didn't expect her to hop in my car but she did.

"Drive" She instructed quietly without looking at me. I was confused and wanted to know what was wrong. I pissed her off cause the next thing you know she's shouting at me to drive again.

"Okay okay, damn" I said pulling out, making me think of where to go. "It isn't safe out here now for me" She said while looking out the window. I knew exactly what she was talking about but I didnt want her to worry about her safety. I wanted her to know Id watch her, I'd protect her atleast.

"They're watching me" She said almost sounding like she was on the verge of crying. "They knew he was with me and then you happened to show up and now he's missing so they're watching me, waiting to take me." She had gotten louder and I realized she was having a panic attack.

"Gina!" I stopped the car and stared at her as her chest heaved uncontrollably just like before. She didnt blink or move a muscle. Her body tensed up as she went into shock. I pushed my seat back all the way to pull her on my side.

She positioned herself comfortably on top of me. I turned the music to a soothing station and made my windows more black so you couldnt see anything at all inside.

"I'm sorry I pulled you into this Gina" I played in her hair as I listened to her heart beat. "This is all my fault and I promise to make it all go away".

I knew what to say to her. Just like how she knew what to say to me. If I was her, I too,would want all of the drama and gun bullshit to go away. Telling her that probably made her feel better.

We laid there in my car what felt like for hours but I really didn't care. I was yearning to touch Gina in any kind of way since the last I seen her.

I missed my Gina.

"You eat?" I asked.

she mumbled a yes or no. "I dont have an appetite. I haven't eaten in four days" she said in a quiet tone. I couldnt concentrate if I knew she hadn't eaten for days.

She got back in her seat slowly before I positioned my seat back to normal.

We drove to the nearest restaurant to feed her. I didnt care if we were not dressed for that bullshit ass place. I'm not feeding my baby no damn greasy fast food. "Wait here" I said to her. I got up out the car first, almost tripping as I ran to her side to open the door.

She didn't smile or anything but the little things I know matter, to females. I held her small delicate hands as we walked to the entrance. "Table for two" I said grunting.

The waitor looked us up and down as we stood there. "Not dressed elegantly or enticingly for this restaurant eh?" He said eyeing both of us. I gave him the look that said we dont give a fuck we just tryna eat. "Very well then" he picked up two menus before he guided us to our table.

Pulling her chair out she sat first then I went for my seat. "See if you want anything on there" I said softly to her. She picked it up and observed with her eyes. I watched intently taking in every detail on her. She was pretty even on her worse days that's for sure. Gina didn't have to get fancy or wear less to get my attention.

Even when I first saw her, Gina BOOTY did get my attention but I forgot she even had a one when I seen what she looked like and how she thought. Me knowing she never engaged with a hood nigga just because her momma said something made me want to introduce her to something new but all I've been doing has traumatized and made her depressed.

I needed to do some special shit for her before it was too late.

"You ready?" she said staring at me. I stared back but only to be in awe with how pretty she looked. I told her yes without even realizing I never picked up the menu.

"I'll have whatever she's having" I said before he addressed her. She told the Waiter what she wanted and he was off to get our drinks.

"I'll protect you okay?" I said knowing that was on her mind. She bit down on her bottom lip with worry. I rubbed her leg with my leg to try and calm her nerves.

"Im not worried about me. Im worried about my mama" she said giving me a new thought to chew on. Her mom would definitely come in to contact with them east side niggas if they dont see Gina. I rubbed my temples forgetting that I was suppose to make Gina think everything was fine but from that point on things would get messy.

and fast.

"We need to figure out how we'll move from this point on Kayden.. I can't lose anyone close to me" She folded her arms and sat back. "I'll bring you back to the House so all of us can think bout this shit" I said.

Nothing was said from then on. She nodded her head and fiddled with her table napkin. I watched as if she was my television. The food came, she ate a portion of what she got.

which was the french fries.

I told the waiter to give us a to go bag as we finalized our stay. She was really thinking hard about the whole situation more than I was the more I observed her face expressions. It went from stressed to exhausted back to being on the verge of tears. I wanted her to let go of that feeling so bad.

As we got to the house I slipped my hands besides hers and intertwined them together. She squeezed mines and gave me a small smile. That shit right there made a nigga feel alright that she was somewhat coming around. Or she was just tryna bring enlightenment to the whole situation.

We walked through after I put in the key combination and pass code. I dapped up a lot of niggas I knew since buck days. Lamar and Juan sat in the section of counting money, bussing it up. Gina gripped my arm the more we walked through. After what I introduced her too, she probably think the guys are worse than me.

The smell of marijuana filled the air as I inhaled. That shit was the best smell in the world. Seeing Chris, Marvin, and Tico smoking blunts gave me the idea that maybe Gina needed a hit too.

"You smoke girl?" Chris said as we approached them. I looked at Gina as she shook her head. Chris nodded his head and blew out white cloudy smoke. Tico handed me a perfectly rolled L and I dapped him. "Let's sit here" I said hoping Gina would follow and she did. She sat really close to me as I flicked on the lighter to the end of the blunt.

As I inhaled and inhaled again to catch the smoke before it left my mouth, I passed it to her ,again, hoping she'd take it. She stared at it shaking her head. "This will ease your mind and maybe help us with this situation. Mello it out and you can stop stressing babygirl. I see the stress written all over your face and it bothers me that I'm the cause of it" I said softly to her.

Moments later, she was coughing up a storm. I had to teach her how to smoke correctly before she wasted the shit. "Ayee first time getting high is with ya'll" Gina shouted. Chris clapped while the rest either clapped with him or laughed. "This shit not bad" Gina said studying it. She got so attached that she never passed the blunt back after I gave it to her the first time.

she needed that shit

Tico had to roll me another one when he seen Gina was hogging the bitch like it was her first and last. I smiled as I seen how mellowed out she was. Leaned back against the couch with her eyes hanging damn near low to the floor. "So how are we gonna fix this situation Kayden?" Gina said sniffling tryna get her act together but it failed miserable as she moved in slow motion.

"It shows she never been high before bro" Chris said as watched her try to be in a normal state. She giggled every so often which I thought was cute. "Nigga chill" Gina said as she sucked her teeth. "No, YOU need to chill" Chris said leaning forward then settling back. She laughed her ass off and I just smoked some more. I'd rather see her like this then stressed.

Lamar came over and sat towards us on the floor. "Word is that they think someone from our neighborhood killed Ryheem and everybody sayin Gina set him up" he said shaking his head. Gina looked up and scrunched her face up.

"Yo I ain set that nigga up. Fuck is people tryna do get me killed out here? I ain do shit to nobody and they out here making up stories. Bitch if you make up what happened that means you were there. dick biting ass hoes fuck wrong wit em" Gina slurred before putting the blunt back between her lips. Chris and the rest held a moment of silence until they bursted into laughter.

I rolled my eyes as I watched them act a damn fool. "She turn into a hood nigga when she fried yo!" Lamar hollered as he fell back with his feet in the air. Tico chuckled to himself and said some shit in spanish. Gina grunted before saying "Its funny til I lose my momma to Kayden bullshit".

The room got quiet. I was too high to even respond to her dumb ass comment. She knew it wasn't my bullshit but Gina needed someone to pin the tragedy on. "Shut the fuck up yo" I said rudely. Gina didnt say anything after that and that only made me feel bad.

That response only came out due to Peanut's death. I'd pin everything on him for making us go out there to shoot someone's shit down. That was all his idea but I wasnt gonna do that. Chris fake coughed and got up. "Man, ya'll niggas crazy on fo' nem" He said pouring lean into his cup.

"We lay low thats all" I said to her. She was almost finished her blunt as that shit was turning into a roach. My phone vibrated and I checked it. A text from Tico:

"Bet you she smoke that roach"

2:30 PM

I averted my eyes to him and he smirked as he glanced at Gina then back to me. This whole group was full of goofies. I watched as she actually smoked the roach til it became smaller than what it was. I could hear Tico making sound affects as if he was tryna hold his dumb ass laugh in.

"Where's the lighter?" She asked as the tiny blunt blew out on her.

We all stared at her and then looked at each other. "Who gon tell her? cause if I do,im gon hurt the chick feelings on god" Tico said shaking his head. Lamar agreed with a hum. "Here smoke a new one girl you trippin'" I said passing her another blunt. She didnt know how dumb she looked but it was okay. First timers never know what the fuck they doing.

"I'm tired of being in a fucked up mood—"

BOOM ..BOOM

We all averted our attention to the narrow hallway in which the front door was at. Tico sighed vaguely before getting up and jogging towards it. "Yea yea ima go see who it is" he said in a dull tone.

"It ain one of us because whoever on the other side don't know the code or combina–"

doot doot dooot doot doot.

Gina's reaction to what happened made me question what was in the weed. As Tico fell backwards due to multiple gun shots to his chest after he opened the door, I grabbed Gina and we hopped behind the couch.

"They just shot up your friend" Gina said before she put the freshly rolled blunt between her lips wit the lighter already lit. "Girl.. what did they put in that weed" I heaved as I stared at her incredulously. "You on some shit" I shouted as gun shots flared in the air. Gina was my least of concerns right about now as Chris and the rest began shooting.

I pulled out my 9mm and stood up abruptly. Gina cheered me on with the blunt wedged at the corner of her mouth as if I was on the football team. "You go boy, thats my baby" She snorted to herself.

I shot atleast 4 niggas in total. Chris got hit in the leg and Tico was pronounced dead minutes after the shooting was finished. Lamar recognized one of them as a nigga from east side.

they knew I had something to do with Ryheem's death.

Chris shook his head as he tended to his gun wound. "We need to make some fucking moves now before this shit end badly" I said to the crew. "It's either them or us!".

Shit this wasnt even half of us. We had four hang out spots with multiple niggas keeping them occupied and not vacant. Me and Tico wasn't close like that so his death ain' hit me how it hit Lamar and Juan.

Lamar kept himself uptight in a corner sobbing while Juan held Tico's body in his arms with tears streaming down his cheeks. I looked at Gina as she sat on the floor carelessly and smiled with smoke escaping from her nostrils.

"This shit deeper than what you think now GiGi" I said kneeling down to her, brushing the side of her cheek with my thumb. Staring into her red low eyes still didn't change how I felt. "Everything will be okay" she said to me softly.

"Its okay" She said too quietly as if she was saying it to herself. I felt uneasy about everything but knowing I had her made me feel somewhat fine. I grabbed her to hold her close to my chest. The warmth, strong smell of weed and perfume radiating off her made me never wanna move off of her.

"Please come back bro" Juan said as he rocked back and forth with Tico in his arms.

"Hopefully that'll never be me

holding you Kay" She spoke softly as she stared thoughtlessly at the scene taking place infront of us. I kissed the top of her forehead eagerly trying to erase the image of me dead in her small arms.

"It won't be us. I promise princess".

Seeing how she reacted and how calm she was scared me a bit. Knowing the high wouldve been blown away after watching someone die in the same room as you.

I noticed Gina's calmness as a sign of change. I was changing her into a dark person that wasn't phased by death anymore. The old Gina cared, broke down at the sight and couldnt shake the feeling.

Now look at her..

"I need you Kay" she said as she rested her head on my arm.

"I need you" ..