Street Ties

(31) "Progression"

Ohaji Scott

I gazed around the ice cream shop briefly before stepping inside. Casually walking over I took a seat down at a table and folded my hands as she looked up at me before adding more chocolate syrup to her vanilla ice cream

"You shouldn't runaway like this, do you know we've been looking for you for two days? Your parents are worried sick and crying" I said casually. Ajani didn't acknowledge me she simply scooped ice cream into her mouth as if she was still sitting alone.

Shrugging I picked up the extra spoon she had and scooped some out of her bowl eating it. "I had a burger last night around here before I was suppose to go to the airport, that is until your mother told me you went missing" I said taking a different approach and she swallowed the ice cream in her mouth before getting more.

"I can't go back now. It's to late and I've been gone for to long" she whispered as if someone would be able to hear her over all the talking in the shop. Smiling I ate some more of her ice cream.

"When your grandfather was your age he was very emotional and weak. He use to run away when people yelled at him and his feelings got hurt easily. Jade may look strong now but he has a very soft nature about himself and tends to not let it show. One day he ran away from home and since I wasn't living with him I didn't know until two weeks later and it took another month to find him. When I did find him he was starving and scared and when I asked why he didn't come home he said he wanted to but he was already gone for to long and he was afraid of the consequences. I was hard on my brother a lot but in that moment I didn't give a fuck, I was just happy the lil nigga was safe and ain't nobody take his life from him" I tell her.

She didn't respond as she added more nuts to the ice cream. Before she could bring the spoon to her mouth I caught her arm and stopped her.

"You've been eating junk food the past two days huh?" I asked and she nodded and slowly put the spoon down. "You can't do that, your mother has you on a strict diet for a reason" I remind and she slammed her fist down in the table making a few people look over.

"I don't like being a burden. People like Johan call is spoiled but they don't know what it feels like to have everybody treat you like a fragile baby. There's a difference between being spoiled and pitied and everyone just pities me because they know I'm going to die and it's not fair. Do you know what a failing heart feels like uncle O? Being dizzy and feeling weak all the time, always having to get chest scans and spend hours at the doctor but you have to push through it and be strong because if you don't then you'll be miserable and then you have to worry about your younger brother being jealous of you so you hide how sick you truly are so you don't steal attention away from him. If it's not this then it's because I don't talk, if that's the kind of attention that everyone wants and seeks so much, then they can have it. I don't want it, I'm tired of being sick and I'm tired people always feeling sorry for me" she said quietly as she shook her head.

She ate some more ice cream before snatching the bowl from the table and tossing the spoon I was eating with in the trash. Grabbing her bag she slung it over her shoulder and stormed out.

I glanced up at the ceiling for awhile before reluctantly following behind her. She glanced over her shoulder at me before keeping a steady pace attempting to get away from me.

"Ajani I'm to old to be chasing after you" I said patting my pants down until I felt a lighter. Grabbing a blunt I lit it before swerving around a group of people.

I caught her arm before she could turn the corner and she looked back at me with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to be the sick one anymore. I didn't ask for this" she whispered and I pulled her into me as she rested her head on my chest and cried silently.