Chasing Chase (Urban Fiction)

3 | Chasing JoJo

This morning I woke up to an empty bed. Anytime Parker stayed over, we always slept in the same bed. It comforted me. I rolled over into the covers and took in a deep breath. I fully opened my eyes and sat up in bed. I hadn't talked to JoJo since our talk on the phone at the club. I began to get out of bed and make my way to the bathroom when I found him there. Parker lay peacefully sleeping at the top of the steps. He probably stayed up and held me, once I fell asleep, he came to the steps and stood guard all night. Close enough to me in case something happened and close enough to the entrance in case something else happened. Parker meant the world to me man, especially now that he was all I had in this world other than JoJo. JC was my girl but she had big dreams of getting out of here and doing something with her life. Britt would always be my cousin but she had a full ride to Spelman for the fall. What was I gonna do? Stick around here until JoJo graduated at least. Once he left, I would either have enough money to put him through school and get out of Compton, or be broke and have to put him through school and fight my way to survival. Either way I knew JoJo was gonna make it, even if I didn't. I crept over Parker's body and went to the bathroom. Looking at myself in the mirror I saw the scars and bruises from the night before. If I was a regular girl, raised by a good middle class family in the suburbs, I would be crying right now. Questioning how this happened to me. But I'm not. I'm just a girl from the hood, tryna get by, and this shit was normal. "Chase?!" I heard him calling. I walked out the bathroom and saw him getting up off the floor. "What time is it?!" he yelled to me. "It's like 9 in the morning" I told him. He sat on my bed. "Did you sleep aiight once I left? I wanted to stay and hold you but I had to watch the door.. you know." Parker told me with sincere emotions in his voice. "I slept fine. I didn't notice you were gone until this morning" "Okay good." Parker towered over me and came down for a hug. He stood 6'3 with his caramel skin complexion perfectly tanned. He resembled his father in more ways than one. His beard had grown in and he had it lined up perfectly to fit with his haircut that was done by some sort of god. He smelt so damn good. Parker had a scent about him that you could smell from miles away, at least I could. "I gotta go to work but I'll come see you before you gotta leave out tonight and when we all meet up" he kissed my forehead "Strap up baby girl, call me if you need me, Rodney home if you need backup" Parker said looking to the house across the way. Someone was always looking out for him. "Okay Park." He hopped in his Dodge Avenger and rolled out. I had to go see JoJo and make sure shit was good. I needed clothes first though.

I went to my room and got dressed for the day. I had errands to run, and bills to pay, so I needed to be comfortable, but also presentable. I put on some distressed jeans, a flowing pink top, and some nude sandals. I let my hair air dry, leaving the natural curl. Grabbing my keys and my purse, I headed for the door. Locking up the house I realized that the neighborhood was quiet. It was too quiet. The kids weren't playing, the niggas on the street weren't playing dominoes, and the women doing laundry outside weren't hanging clothes. Where was everyone? "JoJo get that nigga!" I heard someone yell and my head snapped toward the crowd. I looked to JC's house as she came darting out wondering what was happening as well. I dropped my stuff on the porch and ran as fast as I could. Breaking through the crowd I sat my 16 year old brother beating on my 21 year old ex boyfriend Jerome. I stood in shock for a minute. Why was Jerome here? Why .. Why would he be back? Jerome didn't belong here. He just caused more confusion in my life. Watching Jerome's blood splatter on the ground I was snapped out of my thoughts. "JoJo get your ass off of him!" I pulled JoJo up and he stood there out of breath and wiping the blood from his mouth. "What is wrong with you?!" I lectured to him. He flung himself out of my grasp and headed for the house. "I see you still love me Chassia" I looked to him. "Fuck you Jerome" I walked off leaving him surrounded by onlookers. Damn. Why was he back?

JoJo stormed in the house and slammed the door behind him. I was too pissed off and confused to confront him right now, but I for damn sure wasn't going to let his ass stay here. "JoJo get your ass in the car!" He looked to me confused but knew he had better do it. JoJo brushed past me and made his way to my Dodge Nitro. Raising this boy was gonna kill me. I grabbed my stuff off the porch and Britt came walking toward me. "I saw what happened. I was on my way out but you already had it" Britt told me. "Thanks Britt" she always had my back. "You good?" She knew Jerome's presence would only put me in a bad headspace for days to come. "I'll be fine, I got it" "We still on for tonight?" "Yea, I'll be home by midnight, y'all can set up before I get home though" I told her. It was the first Saturday of summer. We always sat on the roof of someone's house and turnt up all night, just talking and goofing off. It was tradition. I walked back to my car and got in. JoJo sighed before I could even start the car. "What is the problem JoJo cus you acting like you out here busting your ass for someone who keep putting himself in harm's way, you acting like you got bills to pay, you acting like you battling CPS for custody of your brother. You don't have shit to sigh about, shut the hell up, sit there and be thankful I ain't leave your ass in that hot ass house to die in this damn heat." I had never gone off on him like that, but he needed to hear it. JoJo ain't been acting right for months. After dad passed away he was just different, but I needed him to pull it together man. For us to survive. JoJo was turning into a kid I didn't know. He was always doing right, but since it was just us, he was in Survival Mode now and that's not where he needed to be. I had to do everything in my power to get him off of this path. We pulled out and headed for the bank. I had a long day ahead of me man.