September 10th

"Nigga you slacking." Tyron stressed when King caught a lick to his face from their childhood trainer, Darryl.

"Man get off my ass." King replied putting his guard back up.

Chuckling, Jamel nodded towards Renae when she stepped out back.

"That's his distraction right there."

Darryl and King looked back at Renae then at Jamel.

"Don't play her like dat." King warned looking back at Darryl.

"Two rights, fake left and give me a body shot." He instructed, nodding King began throwing punches and Tyron walked over towards Renae who was focusing on writing her poems.

"Wassup lil bit?" He greeted sitting on the table in front of her.

"Good morning." She replied keeping her focus on her words.

Picking up on her standoffish vibe, he furrowed his brows.

"You don't like me?" He asked, "I do... I just um.. I'm not comfortable being around men right now." She told him.

"You and Yung got into it or something?"

"No." She answered.

"Something personal?" He asked and she nodded.

"Oh... damn my bad lil homie." He apologized getting up.

"You got a good one by yo side, I hope you know that." He told her and she smiled.

"I do." She replied flipping the pages in her journal.

Reading through her old poems, she started to rip out the ones that spoke of nothing but death and depression.

She wanted to move on from that.

"Body shots Stone!" Darryl shouted as he locked his arms around King's neck.

"Ok Yung!" Jamel boasted as King started putting in work.

"Time." Darryl spoke stepping back, putting his hands on top his head, King tried to mellow out his breathing as he walked in a circle.

"You next." Darryl spoke nodding at Jamel.

"I've been waiting on this." He replied picking up the gloves.

King removed his and tossed them to the side and walked over towards Renae.

Sitting next to her on the lounging sofa, he leaned over to see what she was up to.

"What you doing?" He asked after stealing a kiss from her.

"Trying to put in more positive things and get rid of the negative." She answered picking up the pages she ripped up.

"These are all dope ma." He told her as he skimmed through them.

"They aren't who I want to be anymore. I don't want to be sad and suicidal or depressed anymore. It's time for me to rid all of the things that kept me in a dark place." She told him.

"Don't throw dem away though ma, at least let me keep these as an reminder of how far you've come."

Nodding, she leaned into him and stared at what she had so far.

"I like us." She spoke softly as she began writing.

"I think I like us too." He replied placing a kiss on her forehead.

Smiling softly, Renae focused back on her writing.

Reading the words, King went to say something until Ty called him.

"I'll be back." He said getting up and jogged over towards them.

"She's aware of what you do?" Darryl asked when Ty helped King out his gloves back on.

"Yeah." He answered tapping gloves with Jamel.

"Is she looking for something?"

"She wants me to teach her how to shoot and street fight." King answered and Darryl rose a brow.

"She can't fight?"

Chuckling, King nodded.

"She knows how to box, she just wants to know how to use her entire body." He clarified.

Giving him a look, Darryl motioned for Ty to remove King's gloves.

"What's her name?"

"Lil bit." Jamel and Ty answered and King chuckled.

"Renae."

"Renae?" Darryl called, sitting up, Renae looked over at the guys confused.

"Yeah?" She answered.

"You box?"

"Not really." She replied glancing at King.

"Come show me what you can do." He spoke waving her over.

Nodding, she put her things down and got up making her way over towards them.

King stepped to the side as did Ty and Jamel.

"Who taught you?" He asked after King helped her put the gloves on.

"To box?"

"Yeah." He answered then chuckled.

"Oh... my ste-dad." She answered.

"Show me what you got." He told her holding his hands up.

Putting her guard up, the guys looked at her stance and nodded in approval.

"I won't say anything unless you need me to." He told her as he faked right and she weaved it.

"Oh shit." Ty said looking over at King.

"Ok, that was just the kicker." Darryl told her as he faked left and swung with his right, blocking his hit with her arm, she hit him with 2 right punches.

"Alright lil sis!" Jamel and Ty boasted and King chuckled.

He knew she could defend herself, the fight at the carnival proved it, but he also knew she wanted to learn how to handle herself when it came to men.

Nodding, Darryl began walking in a circle and she kept up with him.

Swinging with his left, then right, he tried to hit her with a body shot but she blocked it and hit him twice in the face.

"Oops.. I'm sorry!" She quickly apologized covering her face.

King busted out laughing as did Jamel and Ty.

"Don't apologize, you got some power to you lil mama." He spoke as he held his hand up and she gave him a high five.

"Stone here says you wanted some training?" He inquired calling King by his last name.

"Yeah... I just want to learn how to protect myself from men." She informed as Ty helped her take the gloves off.

"Men? You had an abusive ex or something?" He asked and she shook her head.

"Let's just say I wasn't so lucky these past few months." She replied before walking away.

The guys looked at King and he gave them a funny look.

"What?"

"What'd you do to her?" Darryl asked folding his arms and King chuckled.

"Nothing, you ain't hear what she said? If she meant me she wouldn't be here. Learn to read between da line unc." He told him.

"I asked was she abused by an ex she said no."

"I'm her first everything, it ain't my place to tell her business. Just know she been through some shit and she's trying to get through it." He spoke and they nodded.

"Well if she wants I can help train her?"

"I got it Unc, you just stick to teaching these young niggas how to box." He replied before heading towards the house.

"If it's one thing he's serious about, it's Renae, dat nigga be ready to knock our heads off for just joking." Jamel spoke as he and Ty took turns throwing punches.

"If I know y'all like I remember, I'm sure it was some sexual stuff or inappropriate things you said." Darryl spoke and Jamel and Ty laughed.

"Maybe."

**

"When's the last time you spoke to Renae?" Tamia asked handing Keenan his plate.

"She texted me this morning... she said she's gonna move down there." He announced and she gasped.

"What?! What about us?"

Chuckling, Keenan said grace before eating his food.

"She's grown mom and Aunt E said some hurtful shit to her a few days ago."

"What?" She asked.

"She told her she wanted the guys to rape her, that she probably provoked them, then she called her a hoe, ungrateful and kept saying she was letting King put stuff in her head."

"Are you serious?" She questioned placing her hand over her heart and he nodded.

"Nah... un uh I don't like that. Sister or no sister, wrong is wrong and that was wrong... E gotta do better. I hope she ain't back on th—." Catching herself, Keenan put his fork down and gave her a strange look.

"What did you just say?" He asked, laughing she waved him off.

"Boy don't pay me no mind, I'm just talking." She replied making her plate and headed into the living room.

Staring at her for a moment, Keenan started to let his mind wander.

A lot of stuff would make sense if what his mom was about to say is true.

"She used to do drugs?" He asked, "No boy, eat yo food I was just talking." She lied.

Nodding slowly, he resumed eating but had a lot on his mind.

Things were gonna get crazy.

**

"I need to talk to you." Dajon spoke walking out back. Bryson looked back at him and rose a brow.

"What's up?" He asked putting the screw driver down and stepped away from the basketball hoop.

Rubbing his hands together, Dajon stared down for a moment.

"It's about mom."

"What happen?" He asked growing serious.

Sitting down in the chair, Bryson sat in chair in front of him giving him his full attention.

"What?"

"I heard her say some stuff... I think you should know." He spoke and Bryson leaned forward.

"Ok... tell me."

Sighing, Dajon dropped his head then looked back up at him with watery eyes.

They rarely saw Dajon cry, in fact Bryson couldn't even remember a time he saw him cry.

Seeing him on the verge of tears he knew this was serious.

"Son... what happen?"

"Renae not coming back." He began, leaning back Bryson ran his hands down his jeans and nodded slowly.

"I kind of figured that would happen.. I don't blame her."

"You don't know why." Dajon told him as a lone tear rolled down his cheek.

"I'm listening."

"Mom... I don't know what's going on with her but I heard her say some hurtful things to her."

"Stop pondering DJ and spit it out." He stressed.

Taking a moment to gather everything and shorten it up, he looked up at his father.

"She thinks Renae provoked those dudes to touch her." He started off with the kicker and Bryson leaned forward slowly and opened his legs.

"Then she kept calling her fast and uh... a hoe. She told Nae she was ungrateful and disrespectful and the—." Not even giving Dajon a chance to finish Bryson got up and stormed inside the house.

Marching up the stairs 2 at a time, he busted in Egypt's room just as she was wrapping the towel around her body.

"You're off today?" She asked then laughed.

"What the fuck did you say to Zuri?" He questioned with his fists balled and his nostrils flaring.

Looking him up and down she laughed sitting on the side of the bed and picked up the lotion.

"Don't come in here trying to size me up about that little bitch."

Cocking his head to the side, Bryson snatched the lotion from her and threw it against the wall.

"What. The. Fuck. Did. You. Say. To. Her?" He gritted grabbing her face roughly.

Snatching from him, she jumped up and pointed her manicure nail in his face.

"First, keep your hands to yourself. Second, I told her what she needed to hear. I'm tired of y'all babying her ass. Nobody told her to go out and spread her legs. Nobody held a knife to her throat and told her to swallow those pills. That little bitch is ungrateful. We have a roof over our fucking heads, food to fucking eat and she can't handle a little setback? She got every last one of y'all wrapped around her finger and I am SICK! I am SICK of it!" She shouted pushing him back.

Grabbing her hands, he pushed her back on the bed and towered over her.

"You think she asked those cowards to touch her? Do you think she asked to be sent to the damn center? Did she ask those little ass boys to come into her place of comfort and assault and kidnap her? I only know a few things about that young man that she's with and quite frankly he's done more for her than you have, hell even me! You don't have the authority to speak on NOTHING! NOTHING! Regarding her or her life. What have you done besides be there physically, hell barely even that. Who was there all those years to pick her up off her feet when that bitch of a father disappointed her? ME! Where were you Egypt? Huh? On the corner right? Do you remember that?" He snapped and her eyes grew watery.

"I have tried and tried and tried to look pass every disheartening thing you have done to Zuri and DJ. I have tried and tried time and time again to pick up where you left off. I have tried to be there for you and play blind to your wicked ways. I am done trying. I am done helping and I am done being used as your pick me up. I ended things with Mara because of you. I gave my ALL to you when I should've gave it to her. It was the love I had for the kids that kept me trying to be there for not just them but for you. But I am done, I'm done."

Shaking his head, he stepped back and turned to walk out only to see Dajon staring with a wet face.

"You spent time judging Nae for things she had no control over and you were spending nights as a street hooker?" He asked stepping into the room.

"Son..." Bryson calles putting his hand up.

"Nah pop." He spoke.

"You ran her away when you had skeletons in YOUR closet! I've been out here in these streets busting my ass selling dime bags and pills to help with the bills and this whole time you've been blowing, maybe snorting that money away! I hate you!" He yelled running out and Egypt stood up.

"See what you did?"

"You did this to yourself... I told you it would catch up to you." He spoke before going after Dajon.

Falling to her knees, Egypt let out an heart wrenching cry as she hugged herself.

It was too late for that now...

This was only the beginning or the worst.

**

"Are there alligators in there?" Renae asked King as she looked around the swamp.

She wanted to do something she's never done before so King decided to set up a Kayak Swamp Tour.

"Wanna check?" He questioned smirking and she laughed shoving him.

"So if you get eaten I have permission to keep the place right?"

Chuckling, King nodded.

"It's on you ma."

"Are you trying to avoid teaching me how to shoot?" She asked looking around the area.

The way the trees drooped over, the quietness of the area and the few birds watching them closely had her feeling as if they were in a scary movie.

"Why you think dat?" He asked making the boat turn slightly.

"You brush me off whenever I ask you about it as if it's just a phase and you're waiting on it to pass me by." She replied.

"That's what you think?"

Nodding, she put the paddle down and he followed suit.

"I don't want to go back home... but I know I can't just live here with you for free. At least let me work alongsi—."

"Hell nah, no, get dat out your head right now." He spoke cutting her off.

"What's wrong with it? I know you'll keep me safe and so will the guys."

Shaking his head, King began rolling.

"You wanted to do Real Estate right?" He asked, rolling her eyes she looked off at the swampy water.

"Not anymore."

"Oh yes the hell you do, starting tomorrow I want you asking around to find out how much those classes are. I don't give a damn about paying, but you ain't getting into my line of business. Hell nah." He told her.

"I'm grown."

"And? What dat mean?" He asked turning to look at her.

"I can make my own choices."

Chuckling, King nodded slowly.

"Don't play wit me Renae." He warned.

"I didn't even do anything, what the hell is going on here?" She asked throwing her hands up.

"I said one simple thing and you bout ripped my head off."

"You're playin a dangerous game." He spoke staring ahead.

"I haven't even started."

"And you won't." He replied simply.

Sighing, Renae folded her arms and stared at the water as a pout sat on her face.

An uncomfortable wave of quietness came over the 2 as the tension grew heavy.

Shaking his head, King sighed softly.

"I just want what's best for you Nae." He spoke breaking the silence.

"Maybe that is what's best." She replied then sniffled.

"It's not, especially not for you."

Scoffing, she wiped her face and shook her head disappointedly.

"Because I'm a woman I can't do it? Let's not act like Mrs. Blanco aka La Madrina wasn't that bitch or Claudia Ochoa Felix."

"What the hell... why do you want to be like dem?" He asked turning slightly.

"Why can't I? Why do you feel only men can do that shit? It's a double standard with you and you don't even notice it."

Furrowing his brows, he stared at her momentarily.

"Because I want what's best for you, I'm being what y'all call it nowadays? Misogamist?" He questioned.

"Why can't I do it?" She asked ignoring him.

"Because it's not you, it's not safe." He answered becoming angered by the second.

"How do you know what's me? I could be a damn stripper if I wanted, even a damn advocate and activist. Hell I could even sing if I wanted to."

"So be it then, what you wanna push dope for?" He asked.

"Why can't I?" She asked clasping her hands together and shrugged.

"You can't give me a reason why you want to but I can give you one reason why you shouldn't." He spoke turning back around.

"I'm not comfortable being around people." She revealed placing her hands in her lap.

"I'm afraid of blacking out."

"Doing what I do won't help Nae." He told her in a softer tone.

"Maybe to you... maybe it will. I just wanna be around you, when you leave things get hard for me. I start to feel like I'm crazy or someone's watching me. Every time you leave with your friends everything that I grew familiar with turns into something that could hurt me." She began to vent.

"Why didn't you tell me Nae?" He asked looking at her and she shrugged forcing a smile.

"I don't know." She answered as a tear fell.

"I see their faces and I'm constantly hearing their voices. It's like as soon as you leave me my world comes crashing down." Taking a deep breath she wiped at her eyes then laughed softly.

"What are we doing?"

"Communicating ma." He replied.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I know you have to work and I know we can't be under each other every second of the day but I can't NOT be around you King. You're literally my sense of peace... you're my protector and when you're gone it's like my soul goes with you." She told him then looked down at her finger tattoos.

"The way you are with your friends is how I used to be with DJ and Keenan. I don't have that relationship with them anymore but with you... we have this bond that indescribable, like we're magnets. The further you go the harder it gets for me to breathe." She cried.

"What I do isn't easy Nae, it's a game of life and death. It's not just something you can jump in and think you're gonna be like El Chapó or Mrs. Blanco... it takes time to get to dat level but you gotta play dis game smart baybeh d—."

"I know King it's— let me finish Nae." He asserted cutting her off.

"Are you prepared for missed nights of sleep? Handling shit dat can get you caught up wit da feds? These are penitentiary chances we're taking and da Feds aren't da only enemy. There will be niggas you think you can trust dat will try to kill you or snitch you out. There are people who will try da fuck out of you ma. Sometimes a connect will set you up just for da hell of it, I don't think you're ready for dis lifestyle Nae, I'm barely ready for dis shit but I have more knowledge and experience with it than you do." He told her as he wiped her face.

"I can't handle losing you if something goes wrong ma." He finally admitted.