This Time Around

Chapter 57 - Aria

Graphic Content

"What have you idiots done now?"

I'm gon' work on finding some girl friends. These dummies are always getting into trouble. I do that enough on my own.

"Ari, why do you always assume that we have done something?"

Jream is too handsome to be so dumb. He's nice but he didn't take any features from his daddy other than his eyes and possibly his height. We will see when he finally grows up, but it may be a while.

"If y'all didn't do anything, then why were y'all brought in here like a fucking chain gang?"

"What's that?"

Okay Christian is gon' have to capitalize on his looks. This boy is slow, slow. Their baby brother, Amari is smarter at eleven. At least he has some really good hair and straight teeth.

"A bunch of convicts chained together. In y'all case, a group of dummies that get in trouble together, make dumb decisions together, then cry like little bitches together."

"Ari, do I need to tell Grandpops about your mouth? Just because you turned sixteen, does not mean you are grown."

"Do you want to know how Jream felt after I whooped his ass? Don't play with me, nephew."

I take a few steps in his direction and they all start moving backwards.

"Ari, I thought you said that you gon' stop bringing that up?"

Fucking crybaby.

"Fine, I won't bring it up again, today. Happy?"

Jream pouts but nods his head. He has some sense.

"You all can say what you want, but if you are here, it's not because it's for show and tell. One of you had to have done something to piss somebody off. Did either one of you say anything about y'all knowing what goes on here?"

I look around and see Keith rubbing his waves down. I walk over to him and smack the back of his head. I hope it knocked his brain back in the correct place.

"You dumbass. What did you tell Ken? I ought to make you bleed. Snitches get stitches."

"Ari, stop playing! That shit hurts. You better be lucky you are family, I started to knock your ass out."

And he had something to say about my mouth.

"Give me your best lick. I won't move an inch. Just remember, at the point of contact the gloves come off. No forfeiting, running, or tap outs. Knockouts only."

We stare each other down for a few seconds before his brain kicks in.

"I'm not going to hit you, Ari. You are a girl and Grandpops isn't about to beat my ass."

"I'm disappointed that we share the same blood."

"You were adopted. Y'all don't have the same blood."

I turn and stalk towards Jordan.

"My dad is his grandfather, which means that his dad is my brother, correct?"

"Y-yeah."

"Then we have the same blood, correct?"

"Y-yeah."

"That's what I thought. Y'all are working my nerves today. Keith, what the hell did you tell him?"

"I just asked if they could spare my mama's life. Send her to jail or something. I don't want her to die. No matter how messed up she is, she's still my mama."