📍 New York, 2017
Princess slipped on her black and red Jordan's, wiping the top before splitting out of her small room. Her mother was in the kitchen hot combing through her little-sisters 4c hair.
"Aye, aye! You gonna go hoop with that nappy head lil boy again." Her mother called out.
Princess stopped in her tracks and sighed irritably. "His hair is actually curly, he's Dominican."
Harmony shot her an uninterested look.
"Her and boy gonna be kissin— ouch!" Maya, her little sister, teased but got interrupted by the comb burning her ear.
"No dominican boy... his family's bad news." Harmony scolded.
"Fine... i'll just go hang out with my friends at the park." She lied.
"Then what you need that basketball for?"
"Oh my god." Princess dropped the ball. "Happy?"
She wasted no time to get up out of that hell hole, taking her casual route to the deli then the park where she saw her best friend sitting on the bleacher.
Kilyier looked up from tying his shoes, flashing his braced teeth. "I can smell those wings from a mile away."
"Where's your ball?"
"My moms tripping again." Princess opened the container, grabbing a fry and putting it in her mouth.
"I get it." He shook his head.
"Well I don't." She disagreed. "I don't care who or what your family is, you're my best friend for life."
Kilyier chuckled at her words, staring up at her without her noticing.
"Y'know you go lucky tho? Would've had you mopping the ground if you brought the ball." He insisted.
"Me?" She laughed. "You must be talking to someone else, cause last time I remember I won every game."
"Don't know what you seen."
"I seen you loosing."
"You ain't seen nothing."
After eating and cracking jokes the two-kids walked along the side wall of New York, clueless of what was really going on in the streets.
"This your spot." Kilyier stopped walking, glancing up at the girl who was smiling for no particular reason.
"Goodnight Kilyier." Princess muttered, leaning over to kiss his cheek that instantly went red.
...
one weeĸ laтer
____________
"You was trash talking last weekend, now I brought my ball, wassup?" Princess grinned while dribbling the basketball.
"Yeah ight." Kilyier chuckled.
They began playing 1v1 which consisted of her crossing him over and getting sucker points which was making him agitated.
The more he got annoyed the less shots he made in— Kilyier was diagnosed with a anger disorder, one his older brother shared.
But when he was around Princess he was his calmest, things were starting to change.
"Ouch, you okay?" She extended her hand to assist her best friend who tripped over his untied shoe laces.
"I'm good." He muttered lowly, trying to shake off his temper.
"Are you sure? Your knee is bleedi—
"I said i'm good damn, Princess!" Kilyier snapped. Just in time his older brother crossed the street to the park, two of his gang affiliated friends behind him.
"Wassup Lil P." Semaj nodded his head. "C'mon Killa, it's time to roll."
"Hi Maj." Princess greeted cautiously, trying to ignore the unsettling stares she got from his friends.
Kilyier got off the floor and dusted off his J's before walking up to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you."
She nodded with understanding, wrapping her arms around him softly.
"Be safe." She whispered to him while eyeing his brother who she knew was gonna drag him down into some bull shit eventually.
And that he did.
...
two months later
___________
That night at the park was the last time she spoke to her best friend in months, he hasn't even been going to school.
"Hi, Bert." Princess smiled to the owner of the Deli everyone went to for their classic wings and friend.
Bert already knew what she was there for, he was just surprised her evil twin wasn't with her.
"The classic?"
"Y'know it."
Her fingers dragged over multiple bags of chips, deciding to pick up the salt and vinegar ones. After a ten minute wait her food was done.
"Here you go Bert." She slid him a twenty dollar bill.
Bert got her remaining five dollar change which she put in her jean pockets, walking out of the store while sipping her drink.
"Kilyier?" His name flew out her mouth unintentionally when she saw her best friend handing a brown bag to a local crackhead.
No. Was the only thing going threw her head. He looked up at her, bruises scattered everywhere along his face.
"Oh my god." She put her food in his hands, grabbing his face to inspect it. "What happened to you?"
"Princess." He sighed.
From the corner of her eye she could see Semaj and his friends smirking at them. Princess couldn't take it.
She stormed over to them and ignored her best friends begging her to come back.
"You dick! Why would you let your brother get beat up, I thought you were supposed to be some big bag gang member!"
Semaj sat up from the hood of the busted down car, towering over the little-girl. "How you think he got them bruises?"
Princess slowly looked back to Kilyier who was staring at her with deep regret.
"He got jumped in princesa."
...
That was was six years ago and the reason why I truthfully believe that the streets were my worst nightmare.
