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Reese Ta'vian Jackson Jacksonville, Florida
Reese was sitting in his car that was parked near a park as he read the book. He struggled to wrap his head around some of the words and metaphors but pushed through regardless. Deep down, he knew Reneé would be proud of him for even attempting to do this.
The sun was setting and the breeze was warm, the humidity was high but Reese preferred this weather. Reading brought him a weird sense of peace, just like playing basketball which he'd never expected. Kirari would reply to his texts quite quickly and always explained things to him clearly, she was a great teacher.
She was a great person in general.
Despite being so deeply invested in the book, Reese was alert and didn't fail to see Blanco walking towards him. The man opened the passenger door and sat down, he glanced at the book in the boy's hand before shaking his head with a smile.
"You reading now?" Blanco asked with his brow raised, he never thought he'd ever see the day Reese Jackson would pick up a book and actually read it, shit was so surprising to him.
"Yeah." Reese shrugged, he didn't bother to say anything more he because he didn't like sharing his goals with people. Especially academic goals, he was tired of the shocked expressions.
"Have you made up yo mind yet?" Blanco's gruff voice broke the silence once again, he pulled out a blunt and placed it between his lips. His brown eyes staring outside.
"I ain't goin' back to that. Shit just ain't for me." Reese said shortly.
"Say what you want, T'avian but you gon' come knocking at my door sooner or later." Blanco chuckled before he stepped out the car and shut the door. Reese watched him walk away with narrowed eyes.
After all the years that Reese had spent with Blanco, he concluded one thing just from that one sentence:
Blanco had just threatened him.
-XX-
"Who you think he gon' target?" Leighton questioned as they walked into school, both of them stinking of weed.
The two cousins were on time, which was because of Reese but they'd woken up early just so they could smoke weed before school. Leighton wasn't really about that school life but whatever Reese went, he was there too.
"Ion even know but it might be you so watch out." Reese glanced at his cousin as they manoeuvred through the crowded halls.
He couldn't bare to lose anymore people but he also knew that Leighton could handle himself, he'd been in the streets too. Shit ran in the family. Even with his experience, Leighton was still a target. Blanco was the capo of all capos. His power stretched through many states and even to law enforcement, Reese saw it first hand.
"Nigga I'm always strapped so you know I'm all good." Leighton smiled as they walked into class, Kirari had her nose in her book while Pearl stared at him before she looked away frowning while Marquis talked on and on beside her.
Shrugging it off, Reese sat in his normal seat and pulled his books out. Leighton fell asleep per usual but his cousin was wide awake and ready to learn.
Reese couldn't help but feel anxious as he thought about Blanco. Would he target his dad? Cousin? He didn't have a lot of important people in his life but the few he had played such a huge part that their absence would break him.
"Yo blood, don't stress. You know I got you, right? Focus on yo lessons and I'll talk to my goons to see if they can hear anything in the streets." Leighton comforted him, he didn't want his cousin stressing when he was already focused on something as good as graduation.
"Aight man, 'preciate it." Reese smiled, he didn't feel so alone anymore.
Slowly, he was healing.
-XX-
"Guess he ain't no killa no more, nigga reading books now." A group of boys laughed as they walked past Reese and Leighton who were walking out the school.
Reese felt himself reach for one of his glocks in anger but felt a hand pull his shirt from behind him. He turned around to see Kirari standing behind him with some books in her hands. She shook her head slightly, her glossy lips pulled his attention.
While Reese focused on her, Leighton already pulled his own glock out and began chasing the boys with it aimed at them. Reese and Kirari both laughed at the sight, Leighton and his stupid, impulsive self sprinted and even caught up with them.
"Nah what's funny though?" He shouted as he ran. "Let's laugh together!"
"You gotta learn to ignore shit." Kirari said as she watched Leighton walk back as he slipped his glock in his belt, while counting money. Probably the boys he'd chased's money.
"I wasn't gon' kill them, just cripple them a tiny bit." Reese said, him not killing them would've actually been an achievement on his side.
Kirari laughed until she realised he was serious.
"He ain't playin'." Leighton said as he walked past them, probably going to use the money to buy something from a vending machine inside. The nigga was always hungry.
"You still kill people?" Kirari asked seriously, her eyes staring right at Reese.
"Nah, ion even be shootin' no more." He said nonchalantly. Everything was so casual to him.
"Well I'm proud of you." Kirari said softly, her voice dripped happiness and genuineness.
Reese felt an unfamiliar feeling bubble up inside him as he stared at the girl. He felt warmth, at first he thought it was a sisterly warmth but that wasn't it.
"Anyways, I gotta go pick the twins from school." Kirari said awkwardly, she felt the exact same feeling he'd felt, except she knew exactly what it was and that scared her.
"How you gettin' there?" Reese asked, following her as she walked out the premises.
"Imma walk." She said.
"Nah, I'll drive you." Reese offered with a smile, a genuine one. They walked to his car and he began driving to their school with Kirari directing him.
Leighton walked out the school with a kitkat and cussed as he realised that his cousin had left him.
"That midget nigga was my damn ride." He grumbled as he began walking by himself.
