Stupid Boy

Slim

My adrenaline started pumping instantly as I looked at my big brother battered and tied to a chair. His right eye was swollen shut, nose leaking, and lip split open. I thought it would anger me that some niggas did this to my brother, but surprisingly, I felt nothing at all.

I walked up to the chair and kicked his leg hard as hell causing his neck to snap up as he looked at me with fire in his eyes.

"Woooowww... My own brother? You serious right now?" Romelo asked with venom dripping from his voice.

I didn't even answer as I stood and stared at him. All sorts of thoughts were running through my mind, none of which I should be having towards my brother.

The door to the building opened and Dontae walked in followed by some nigga I didn't know. I'm guessing this is who brought Mel's ass here.

"Figures, it would be this bitch ass nigga that'll have you turn on me. For what though Rodriquez? Huh? What the fuck have I done besides be a big brother to you?" Melo asked calling me by my government name.

This nigga was nuts. Shit, Dontae was more of a brother to me than he had ever been. All Romelo had ever been was a greedy, larceny hearted snake.

"Tae ain't got shit to do with the way I feel Mel. That's your problem, you so busy worrying about this man and what he has goin on that you never stop to see the havoc you're causing." I voiced. "Why'd you do Kas like that?"

"MAN FUCK THAT BITCH! SHE KILLED MY FUCKIN SEED WITHOUT MY CONSENT SO IT WAS ONLY RIGHT THAT SHE JOINED IT!" Romelo yelled enraged.

Dontae ran over and delivered a swift blow to Romelo's face sending the chair tumbling to the floor. I let him get that off but before he could deliver another blow I pulled him back.

"Hold off on that bruh!" I told him sitting the chair back up.

"You wouldn't try that shit if I wasn't confined to this chair pussy!" Romelo yelled trying to escape from the rope that had him bound to the chair. "Bitch ass nigga! You mad about a bitch nigga?! A bitch? Stupid muhfucka don't wanna get money but ready to kill behind pussy! Where they do that at?"

Dontae chuckled lightly at Romelo's statement.

"I'm the reason you were gettin money bitch! I am the muhfuckn plug! That little shit you got ain't shit compared to how rich you've made me!" Dontae said cockily.

I didn't know if he was just saying that to fuck with Mel or if there was any truth behind his words, but we were definitely gonna have a conversation about that shit.

"Melo... how many times have I asked you to keep that street bullshit away from my grandma's house? Huh?" I asked disregarding all that other rah rah shit they were spitting. I came here for one reason only.

"You blaming me for that shit?!" Romelo asked with his voice cracking. "THAT WAS MY FUCKING GRANDMA TOO NIGGA! THEM MUHFUCKAS ALMOST KILLED ME TOO! YOU DON'T THINK I BEEN SEARCHING HIGH AND LOW FOR THEM NIGGAS?!"

"YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THERE! I TOLD YOU! YOU HAVE YOUR OWN FUCKIN SPOT MEL!" I yelled growing heated. My chest was heaving up and down as I let my anger get the best of me.

"Bruh, I swear on everything I love... if I could switch places with grandma I would. I can't take that shit back Slim. But don't put that on my shoulders, don't blame me for that man. I'll be the first to admit I'm a fucked up nigga, but I would never intentionally put my family in harm's way. You gotta believe that." Romelo said looking me in my eyes with tears falling from his.

I pulled my pistol from my waist and aimed it at my brother. In my eyes he was to blame for my grandma's death. Romelo only thought of himself until some bullshit happened behind his actions. Tears fell from my eyes as Romelo sat straight up in the chair and every set of eyes in the room were on me. I swiped stray tears from my face.

"You did this Melo! You brought this on yourself. All you ever do is think of yourself man! Me, you, and Tae started this shit together. You let the money get the best of you man." I cried.

I didn't even care about these niggas seeing me cry like a bitch. No one could understand this pain I felt. I had just lost the only other family I had besides my brother, now here I am with a gun aimed at his ass. This was some heavy shit and I deserved to shed a few tears.

"If killing me will make you feel better bruh... do it. I'd rather that than you blaming me for some shit I had no control over. All our lives I've been the fuck up. First with mama, this shit with grandma, and now you. I welcome death man. Fuck it." Melo shrugged.

I cried even harder as I remembered all the shit My brother had endured. Truthfully, my mama made his childhood a living hell. She would beat him with anything she could get her hands on, sometimes until he passed out. I would have to sit there and watch as my brother cried and begged for his life. There were nights she'd make him watch us eat and I would have to sneak him food once she fell asleep. He never blamed me though. Always told me that he would rather it be him than me.

"I want you to leave." I started. "You gotta go and never come back-"

"WHAT?!" Dontae screamed out pulling his pistol and cocking it.

I turned my gun on him and looked him in his eyes.

"Dontae, I love you like a brother, but this is my flesh and blood. Don't make me do this man... Don't make me choose." I said through tears as Dontae kept his gun trained on Melo. "TAE! put it down man! It ain't gotta be like this."

"This nigga killed my baby Slim!" Dontae said through clenched teeth with tears welling up in his eyes. "And possibly the only girl that ever really meant shit to me! I can't forget or forgive that man. He didn't even want her! He only got with her to hurt me. After everything I did for this nigga he still hated me. And even then I still made sure he ate! NIGGA I LOVED YOU LIKE WE CAME FROM THE SAME WOMB! WASN'T SHIT I WOULDN'T DO FOR YOU?!" Dontae screamed at Mel. I was stuck. I knew the shit with Melo bothered him but not to this extent.

"MUHFUCKA YOU LEFT US HANGING! YOU CAME IN, THREW A NIGGA A BONE, THEN GOT ON SOME HIGH AND MIGHTY SHIT! YOU ALWAYS FELT LIKE YOU WERE BETTER THAN US, WAVING YOUR MONEY AROUND AND SHIT WITH YOUR PERFECT LITTLE LIFE!" Melo yelled with spit flying from his mouth.

"Nigga I put you on! I made a way for you to get better! I didn't want that life, that was your dream. I had goals!" Tae told him.

"We brother's man, this shit ain't for us." I told them with my gun still on Dontae.

Dontae's phone started vibrating in his pocket. He didn't reach for it or take his gun off Mel. The room was eerily quiet as his phone started going off again.

"What up Keish?" Dontae asked answering his phone causing my ears to perk up.

"Tae, you need to get to the hospital like now!" We heard Keisha yell through the phone.

"On my way!" Dontae said ending the call and putting the safety back on his gun. He looked at Melo with pure hate in his eyes. "You better thank God and your brother nigga! Take Slim's advice and disappear, next time you won't be spared."

With that Dontae turned and walked away. I released the breath I didn't even know I was holding before looking at him and shaking my head. Romelo nodded in agreement as I shot him a 'leave it alone and go' look. I put my gun on safety and tucked it into my jeans before going over and loosening the ropes around Melo. He fell out the chair and into my arms.

"I love you man, don't ever forget that! You're my little brother and all I have left in this world." Romelo said hugging me.

I nodded before getting up to go to the hospital. Hopefully he takes my advice, but knowing him, I doubt it.