Signed To The Streets Volume I : LOYALTY
In the shadowy alleys of Queens, Maëva Carter Simmons plays a dangerous game. A pawn in the ruthless gang Everybody Gets Murked, she claws her way from a hellish past, her loyalty to the gang her only anchor...
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AS THE SMOKE FILLS THE WHIP, I take another hit, letting it seep deep into my bones. Ryan's running his mouth like a yap dog, but I'm zoning, lost in my own head.
"Why you so quiet, man?" Ryan passes me the spliff.
"Just drained, bro," I mutter, blowing out smoke rings. "Day's been a grind, you know?"
"I hear you," he nods, catching my vibe, real homie shit. "Just don't bring that sour attitude inside."
"Chill, man."
"Nah, I'm deadass. We need you for this championship, fam. You might hate the team, but you don't hate me."
Just thinking about them got me ready to throw hands. Half these cats can't even lace up my sneakers.
Our original team either bounced or got their degrees, leaving us with a bunch of greenhorns. These rookies just got their high school diplomas and think they can run with D1 athletes.
Grand Ridge U's Jaguars? Straight garbage. Ain't sniffed a title in like two decades.
Taking that L last year hit different, especially when we was this close to the Final Four.
We need a comeback. We need some real ballers to bring that trophy home, but these new kids?
Nah, they ain't built for it.
"You know them kids hella annoyin', I don't know why we even botherin'," I shrug, puffing out smoke rings.
Ryan always gotta be extra, all outgoing and social while I just keep my head down.
"People don't deserve my presence," I mutter under my breath.
"So, you want the whole school kickin' your ass?" He raises an eyebrow, hitting me with that truth serum. He's right, damn it.
Winning ain't just about me; it's about the legacy, the dream, and everything we've worked for.
"Whatever," I grumble, scrubbing a hand through my hair. "I'm just not good with changes, bruh, and them niggas young as fuck."
"It's bigger than you, E.D. Your moves affect the whole team, the whole damn school. We can't afford all that drama, especially with the NCAA sniffing around GRU and shit."
My jaw clenches, but I swallow my pride. He's speaking the truth. Ever since that club incident, things been tense between me and the team. They know I don't fuck with them like that.
