"Mom!"

"What, girl" she hollered from outside. I raced downstairs and went towards the door. Once I opened it I noticed that my mom and her gang was all sitting on the front porch.

"When are we goin' to the store" I asked.

"Damn Lanae! We can't finish this game of spades real quick" one of my mom's gang members, Bean asked. My mom side eyed him, "My bad Lieasha" Bean apologized.

"Mhm" my mom hummed before looking at me. "When we done wit' this game baby, we'll go to the store."

"Okay" I sighed before stepping back into the house. I've been waiting to go to the store since this morning. I needed to buy some snacks and decorations for my slumber party tomorrow.

I pulled out my iPhone 5c and read the time. It was five in the afternoon. I huffed and sat down on the couch.

You can see that I'm the only child and I'm very spoiled. I'm not a brat or anything like that because I don't get mad when things don't go my way. If anything I barely get mad. Some people say that I'm mean but, I just say that I don't tolerate bullshit.

My mom, Lieasha Roberts, is the leader of my dad's gang. Once my dad was set up and sentenced to prison, my mom took over. My mom has been taking care of me alone for ten years now.

My dad? I haven't spoke to him in ten years. I know that him and my mom still communicate but, for some reason I can't talk to him. Before all this shit happened I was so close to him. I was truly a daddy's little girl back then and to be honest, I still am. Anybody who speaks negative about him I will either beat their ass or cuss them out. I guess you can say that I'm sensitive when it comes to him.

My train of thoughts stopped once the front door opened. My crush, Omari walked in smiling at me. He came over and sat down next to me, steady smiling at me.

"What you doin' in here by yo' self, B" he questioned while leaning back and placing his arm on my shoulders.

"Just waitin' like I've been doin' all day" I said looking at him.

"You could've just asked me to take you, Nae" he said, calling me by my nickname.

"I mean you was playin' spades wit' 'em. I ain't want to disturb you" I shrugged. He moved his arm off my shoulders and grabbed my hand. "What you doin' Mar?"

"Let's go. We finna go to the store." He stood up and pulled me up with him. We walked towards the door and walked outside.

"Where the hell y'all goin'? We almost done" my mom said before setting her deck of cards on the table. Everybody stared at us, waiting for an answer.

"Lieasha I told Lanae that I would just take her to the store, real quick" Omari said.

"Well, thank you Omari. Take Bean and Nick wit' you." Omari nodded his head as Bean and Nick stood up from the table.

"C'mon Bones. Let's go so I can grab me ah pack of Trojans" Bean said, wiggling his eyebrows. I wanted to glare at him for calling me Bones but, I was stuck on the word Trojans.

"What? Trojans" I asked looking between Omari and Bean.

"Trojans is protection from-" Bean stopped once he heard my mom say his name in a warning tone.

Omari smacked him on the back of his head, "Nigga really?"

Nick laughed as Bean rubbed the back of this neck, to ease the pain. "She gon' find out some day, son" he mumbled.

"Not my baby, Bean" my mom said while shaking her head. "Y'all hurry up and go to the store before it gets dark."

We nodded our heads and quickly got into Omari's car. Omari was in the driver's seat, I was in the passenger seat, and Bean and Nick were sitting in the back.

"Put yo' seatbelt on" Omari demanded before turning his key in the ignition and switching the gear to drive. I rolled my eyes and put on my seatbelt. Him and the boys never put their seat-belts on, so why do I have to put mine on?

Omari drove into the the middle of the street and sped down the street.

"Slow down, Omari" I yelled. He laughed and sped up a little more, causing me to shut my eyes tightly.

"She be scared" Nick said in between laughs.

"Hell yeah" Bean snorted. I felt Omari go back to his normal speed and make a left turn.

I opened my eyes and sighed in relief. "I'm still alive! Thank the lord."

"Yo' ass so dramatic" Mar chuckled.

I glared at him and flicked him off. He never takes me serious.

"Awww you mad, ma" he teased.

"I don't get mad" I said in a duh tone.

"Now you know that's ah damn lie" Nick hollered from the backseat.

"No doubt" Bean agreed.

"Tell me one time I got mad" I said.

"You get mad at me every time I call you Bones" Bean reminded me.

I opened my mouth to speak but, Nick started talking.

"Yeah, you got mad at me when I ate one of your fruit snacks. You smacked the shit outta me that day" he laughed.

I groaned, "I wasn't mad. I don't tolerate bullshit and Bones is a bullshit ass nickname. And Nick you already know I don't play 'bout my food."

"True," Mar uttered as he nodded his head. I looked at him and smiled.

Both Nick and Bean busted out laughing. I looked back at them giving them a weird look.

Once they stopped laughing, Bean waved Omari off, "Nigga shut the fuck up. You only agreein' wit' her cause you like her ass."

My cheeks grew hot as I tried to hide my blush. Omari smacked his lips, "Never. Nae is like my sister, dawg."

My whole face fell blank when those words flew out his mouth. Sister? Are you fucking serious?

"Mhmm," Nick and Bean both hummed at the same time.

"For real," Omari said.

I turned my head towards the window and watched the buildings we drove past.

"Oh shit," Nick blurted out.

"What," I questioned.

"Y'all we gotta show her 'em videos we made last week," he laughed.

"Hell yeah," Bean yelled.

"Nah, B" Mar shook his head and took a quick glance at me.

"You buggin', son" Bean groaned.

"No doubt" Nick agreed.

"I wanna see it" I smiled.

"No" Omari sternly said.

"Too late, B" Nick said before handing me his phone, "watch the video that it's on right now and then scroll to the left and watch the next two videos. If you scroll to the left more than two times, you gon' see some shit that's gon' scar you for life" he warned.

"Okay," nodding my head. I played the first video.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

I swear I had to squeeze my legs together every time I heard Omari say some freaky shit. Lord, please forgive me for having dirty thoughts in my mind right now.

"She too young to be hearin' that kind of shit" I heard Omari mumble. I cleared my throat and quickly scrolled to the left and played the next video.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

That video had my ass rolling. I had to hold my stomach because it was starting to ache. I replayed that video four times before scrolling to the next video.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

I gasped before looking at Omari. "You never told me you could speak another language!" I was low key salty that I was just now finding out.

He shrugged, "I forgot. My mom is fully French and my dad is black. Lived in France for 'bout two years before movin' in wit' my grandma. That's how I ended up in Harlem."

Him speaking French was a major turn on and I know he already knows that.

I scrolled to the left to see if there was another video, but I closed my eyes once I saw a naked picture of the neighborhood hoe, Kayla.

"Ew Nick" I shouted. I threw his phone back at him and tried to erase the image from my head.

"I told yo' ass not to scroll more than two times" he laughed.

I shook my head at all of them, "All of y'all nasty as fuck."

"Watch yo' mouth" Omari side eyed me before pulling into Party City's parking lot.

"Yeah lil' girl. How you know all that shit we was spittin' in 'em videos, but you don't have ah clue what Trojans are?"

"Right, you been watchin' porn or some shit" Nick questioned me as he squinted his eyes.

"Ew, no!" I yelled.

"You better not." Mar said.

He circled around the lot and parked his car. We all got out and started walking towards the store.

"What you doin' tryna have ah slumber party in the middle of winter break anyway," Bean asked.

"Because I want to," I said in a duh tone.

"Spoiled," Omari mumbled while shaking his head.

"It ain't my fault." I shrugged.

"You right Nae. It's yo' parents and Omari's fault." Nick said as we stepped inside the store.

"Shut up, dawg." Omari chuckled.

I quickly made my way towards the aisle with the decorations as the boys followed me.

"Man, we 17 years old in ah fuckin' kiddie ass store," Bean smacked his lips.

"Nigga shut up! Niggas older than us be in this bitch," Nick said.

"Exactly. Stop whinin' like ah lil' ass girl," Omari said while mugging Bean.

"Nigga fuck you. I'm finna go to that CVS next door and grab me ah pack of Trojans," Bean said before walking away.

"Wait nigga! I'm finna come wit' you," Nick yelled while following Bean.

Omari shook his head and laughed, "Them niggas is stupid."

"Mhm," I agreed.

I quickly got all of the decorations that I liked and paid for them with the money I had saved up. My mom stays giving me allowance, so I just save it for times like this.

Mar carried the bags as we walked out of the store. I noticed Bean and Nick leaning against Omari's car as we headed towards their direction.

Omari popped the trunk and placed all of the bags inside. I got inside the car and pulled out my phone, reading the time. It was 6:51.

"Bruh I'm hungry as fuck. Let's go get something to eat," Nick suggested as he got in the car. Soon Bean and Omari were in the car too.

"Aight. What y'all want?" Omari asked while he turned on the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Sbarros," we all said in unison.

"I should've known," Omari laughed. He made a right turn and drove towards the Sbarro that was down the street.

Sbarro had the best pizza to me, hands down. I mean New York is famous for it's pizza.

Suddenly, Bean's phone started ringing, along with Omari's and Nick's. It must have something to do with the gang.

Bean answered his phone, "What's poppin'?"

"What" he yelled, "Aight we on our way!" He look at Nick and Omari with wide eyes, "Code 1."

Nick's eyes grew twice their normal size as I looked back at them with a questionable look. I looked at Omari and noticed he was gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles were white.

"What's code 1?" I questioned.

"Sit back," Omari mumbled.

"But what's-" I jumped when he punched the steering wheel.

"Sit the fuck back, Lanae!"

I quickly sat back, scared at how angry Omari was. I felt a hand land on my shoulder causing me to jump again.

"It's gonna be okay, Nae." Nick whispered before removing his hand from my shoulder.

Omari made a sharp u-turn and sped down the street. Dodging cars and running red lights.

I was scared for my life. This car was going so fast that I couldn't even lean upward if I wanted to.

Soon we were in front of my house and it was a shootout going on in my front yard.

Omari parked a few feet from the house and got some of his bangers out of his glove department. He handed two to Nick and Bean and they got out the car, running towards my house.

I looked at Omari with glossy eyes. "What's goin' on Mar?" I asked.

He sighed and cocked his pistol back. "Look Lanae I'll explain everything to you when I kill these mothafuckas. Stay here. I'll be back to come and get you, okay?"

I nodded as tears streamed down my face. His face softened as he wiped my tears away. "I love you Omari, be safe" I sniffed.

He kissed my forehead, "I love you too. Now get in the back seat and lay down on the floor" he ordered. I followed his orders and that's when he left me alone.

I continued crying as I heard people screaming and guns going off. In that very moment I thought about my mom. I quickly sat up and got out of the car. I ran towards my house, looking for my mom.

Please lord! Don't let nothing happen to her, she's all that I have left. I continued praying inside my head as I scanned the scene, for her.

"Aye, yo! Get that lil' bitch" I heard someone shout from behind me. I whipped my head around and saw two men, dressed in all black, running towards me.

I screamed before taking off in the opposite direction. I had long legs and I've been running track for years, so I was a fast runner. I ran as fast as I could.

I heard multiple footsteps behind me. I glanced back seeing five men running after me. They were gaining on me and I was getting nervous.

Out of no where, I tripped on something and fell onto the concrete road. I groaned and tried to lift myself off the ground, but I was tackled down.

I felt myself being lifted into the air as I screamed my lungs out. I was thrown over someone's shoulder.

"Let me go" I screamed. I kicked my feet and swung my fists on whoever was holding me. Seconds later, I felt something hard hit my head causing me to slump on the person's shoulder.

"Lanae!" I heard a very familiar voice shout. Seconds later, I heard another gunshot go off and next thing you know the person who was holding me collapsed on the ground, bringing me along with him. I groaned as I fell in and out of conscious.

I felt something burn into my chest and my stomach. I wanted to scream because I was in so much pain, but I was too weak. As more gunshots went off, I felt someone place my head on their lap and apply pressure on the spots that were burning on my body.

"Somebody go get the fuckin' whip, now!" I heard the very familiar voice shout again. I smiled when I finally realized that it was Omari's voice. I tried to talk, but I started coughing and choking on my own blood. "Lanae you gon' make it. Don't you leave me, Nae! Hold on!"

All I could see was Omari's worried eyes. "I-I l-love you-u" I choked out before smiling.

"I love you too, Lanae. Just stay awake for me," I heard him say. I closed my eyes as the darkness took over, I was slipping away.

The last thing I heard was Omari yelling my name and tires screeching nearby.

My leg bounced up and down as I watched Lanae rest on her hospital bed. All kinds of shit was hooked up to her, helping her breathe. Her chest rose and fell, slowly.

I ran my hands down my face before leaning back on the chair. My life is hectic as fuck right now.

Lanae is recovering from her bullet wounds. Her mom, Lieasha, got killed two days ago by some of our enemies. Now we got to figure out whose going to be the next leader of the gang. And a whole bunch of other shit.

I was scared as fuck, for the first time in a long time, two days ago.

I was killing everything in my sight when I heard a familiar, soft voice screaming. My eyes drifted in that direction and my rage grew. I saw some nigga carrying Lanae on his shoulder as she kicked and punched him. I noticed another man dressed in all black walking towards her with a wooden bat. He swung the bat hard, on her head causing her to slump onto the nigga's shoulder.

"Lanae" I shouted before aiming my gun at the nigga that was holding her and shot him in the head. He collapsed and Lanae followed. I noticed her face scrunch up from the impact.

Out of no where, I saw bullets fly into her chest and stomach. I ran towards her as my niggas shot at the people near her and killing off the last people from our rivalry gang.

When I reached her, I sat down beside her and laid her head on my lap. I noticed how rapidly her blood was pouring out of her wounds, so I quickly applied pressure on them.

I looked around noticing all of these niggas looking stupid and clueless. "Somebody go get the fuckin' whip, now!"

They all scattered away. I looked down noticing Lanae smiling with her eyes closed. It made me smile a little until she started choking on her own blood.

"Lanae you gon' make it. Don't you leave me, Nae! Hold on," I panicked.

What surprised me was her eyes opening half way. Her eyes held love and happiness, that shit confused me.

"I-I l-love you-u" she choked out before smiling again.

"I love you too, Lanae. Just stay awake for me," I said.