Village of Roses

Chapter One [V.o.R.]

"Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life." - Walter Anderson
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Saturday, January 18th, 2006

"That bitch was slappin, den Jerry ain't kick'a out? What he was try'na do, fuck da bitch on da club floor?" TJai one of Harlem's brother figures yelled holding a bottle of alcohol in his hand as they left the club they'd been partying at as they discussed many of the night's events.

Dressed to kill many of them men in the group, consisting of four of Harlem's best friends, wore only designers. Out of the men walking towards downtown Topeka at three in the morning, TJai was the one you could spot a mile away. His loud behavior, pretty face, and clothing casted most attention towards his direction, and right now was no exception.

In a white and black Margiela t-shirt, red True Religion jeans, and pair of black Rick Owen Geobasket sneakers, you could tell he was just a young nigga with money.

He was the hard headed friend everyone loved to hate, "man, you Kansas nigga's ain't got shit on New York son. Man buddy in dat shit would'a got head on stage and homie behind em could'a got some tail. Straight cut like dat," walking behind the group as he licked his lips at a few of the women in front of him Antoine, spoke towards TJai.

His short dreads fell to his shoulders as he smiled showing the grills on his bottom row of teeth as another woman passed by him. Being the oldest, Antoine was from New York and loved pointing of the difference between the two cities which kept him and Darnell, the youngest of the group, arguing.

Stepping on a curb as they got closer to the houses in the city, the boys laughed and joked around more. "Man dis, man dat, Antoinese shut'cho city ass up dawg. Pretty ass wouldn't know what to do if a shawty came up to you on'a freak tip. You'd bust dat nut quick in ya pants big mans." Darnell and the others laughed as Darnell fired back with a comeback they knew he had.

Pulling his face back into a grimace, Antoine stared the sixteen year old down and gave him the middle finger before speaking, "Yorkynan get lil man before he get curb stomped. I gets all da coochie from New York to Florida, without bussin early. Ask ya real mom's, " popping the collar of his expensive Lavin's Polo Shirt, Antoine smirked as Darnell tapped his brother's arm for backup as he had no other comeback.

Lost in the conversation of the phone in front of him, TJai smirked and interrupted Yorkynan before he could help his brother with another witty comeback, "cut dat shit if y'all want some'ma dis pussy I just got us. Hailey ova here and she bringin some friends. Ion't know how many bitches she got with'er but, y'all can figure dat threesome shit out alone." The atmosphere tensed as TJai brought up the girl's name.

Harlem since leaving the club decided on speaking up, "man dat hoodrat white hoe? Dat's da only white bitch on da East side of Topeka. You couldn't get you a nice snowbunny on dis side with a seven-eighty credit score?" It was no huge secret tension of East versus West had been high but, TJai just didn't care as long as pussy was pussy he was going to chase it.

Rolling his eyes as his friends agreed with Harlem, TJai unconsciously licked a lip and frowned. "So what? Who gon check us if dey find out we gettin some coochie from a bitch on'a East, we may work for Robby and Lean but, we'on gotta be scared." Shaking their heads at TJai, theys looked at the friend crazy.

From Harlem, Darnell, Yorkynan, Antoine, to TJai, each worked for the west side and that was how their lives were so comfortable. None of them had to worry about if their families would make it, and TJaj was able to save up enough to put his sister through school and put the clothes Hailey loved so much on his back. So him ignoring a number one rule was crazy; No interactions with ANY east side affiliation.