Paradox

Chapter Eighteen

N O A H

[FRIDAY🏬]

People, mostly men, called out to me as I mindlessly roamed through new part in the city that I had been spared to have not seen before. This section seemed to be darker, scarier and more dangerous than I area I found to be home.

Of all the places, she chose to drop me off here.

How convenient.

"Don't look over the road, look at me baby!" A worker howled from across the black road. It was clear that he was involved in some kind of construction. If he was meant to build, why did he find joy in cracking my safety down?

For some reason, the weight of nervousness pushed down on my chest. Everyone expected me to be the protector. The prized fighter and for the longest time I was honoured to be given that position. Yet, I still yearned to be held.

It was exhausting and embarrassing.

The man put a pudgy leg forward and waved at his two slimy friends. They began to close down on me, trapping me, wanting to take advantage of the teenage girl. Each one of them had a sneer imprinted on their scruffy faces.

Once more I quickly looked over my shoulder, hoping there was just one person to be my knight in shinning armour.

Anyone.

"It's just you and me," The grubby face of the man twisted into a menacing expression, then he spat those horrifying words, "Well, you and us." A shock wave travelled down my spine. Greasy strands of hair poked through the beanie on his head and those golden teeth shone, "I've ever tried chocolate before."

Being angry was not an option, "Yo man, chill," but they refused to listen, "Back up."

Two blinding lights came forward, I swallowed and whispered, "Help me," It was as if they could hear me, because it rapidly stopped. A car pulled up next to us, almost compete flattening the men, who were now scattered across the sidewalk.

I despised how it took another man to stop them. I really did. Why wasn't I enough?

"Get in," There was an urgency in his voice. I jumped into the car as they sped away. Silence fell between the three of us, "What the fuck are you doing here girl?" It became apparent that we were not heading in direction of my school, and for that I was grateful. I couldn't stand to look Azra in the eye. "You know what they do to girls here."

"I get it Nathan." The defensiveness in my voice was clear. "I just-," Sigh, "doesn't matter."

"You just what!" Nathan had always been a older brother to me, even though we were a year apart. "I don't want to see you in this part ever again, do you understand me? Noah do you understand!"

"Yes." I said softly, playing with my thumbs, "I do."

Chief, who's real name was Jonathan, kept me company while his brother's lip was sewed shut. I knew I fucked up. Out of the twins, Nathan was openly protective. He was the one who usually picked me up after someone beat the living shit out of me. Johnathan had my back when no one was around.

Apparently, he got in a fight with the guy who started the 'Noah feeds hoes too' chant. I owed a lot to them.

"Come let's go to our house." Chiefs chimed. "There's someone we gotta tell you."

*
We pulled into the driveway of a middle class American dream house. It was surrounded by a white picked fence and bragged with symmetrical trees. According to my observation, the twins never had financial struggles. Their parents had rewarding careers. Mine in comparison? Well, it's complicated.