Loud

Chapter Ten

A/N: I'm just gonna let you know that this chapter is very intense. If violence and strong language is a problem for you, then I'm very sorry

"Diggs, I'm not pulling over! Stop pressin' me!" Malik cries, gripping the wheel tightly.

"We have Jessimae in the car. We don't need her to be here if shit gets ugly," I reason sneaking a glance at Jessimae in the rearview mirror.

"She can be here to see this injustice. The cops don't give a fuck," Malik scoffs.

"Malik, pull over, now," I command, ready to take the wheel from the passenger seat.

"You know what? Since you wanna be soft, I'll pull over. I would hate for your girlfriend to see you get all emotional." He pulled the car over and the police trailed behind us. "Black lives matter, Diggs."

"Oh my god, Malik," I grumble, running a hand over my curls.

"You don't understand what's going on, do you? They're racially profiling us!"

"Do we really need to get into this right now?"

A cop knocks on Malik's window making Jessimae jump. Malik gives me a look before rolling down his window.

"Yep?"

"Where are you kids going at 65 miles per hour?" the officer asks peeking over his sunglasses.

"Going to In N' Out," Malik replies simply.

"You were going five above the speed limit, son," the officer informs him with authoritative hands on his hips.

"Actually, I wasn't," Malik counters with a smirk.

"Do you want to argue with me?"

"I really don't have time but if you want to get into it then we can," he replies rubbing his chin.

"What are you really doing out here?"

Malik sighs heavily and side eyes me before answering the officer. "We're shooting a music video."

"A music video?"

"For our rap song," I add.

"Diggs, you're kinda fuelin' the stereotype," Malik tells me, unamused.

I decide to stay quiet unless I'm spoken to.

"Do you kids have a permit?" the officer asks taking his sunglasses all the way off.

"A permit?! You're joking," Malik says with a wry smile. "Since when do I need a permit to shoot a music video?"

"Since I said so. Do you have a permit?" the officer repeats.

"I know why I need a permit all of a sudden! Because I'm black!" Malik cries. "No wonder!"

"Malik," I mumble, rubbing my temple.

"Sir, that's unnecessary," the officer says. "You were speeding and you need a permit. Where are you kids from?"

"None of your damn business," Malik retorts.

"We're from Oakland," I say, getting annoyed by Malik's behavior.

"And you kids rap?"

"Yeah," I reply. "We're just shooting a music video."

"I still need a permit," the officer says shaking his head.

"Jessimae, get out," Malik orders firmly.

"What?" She looks genuinely flustered by everything that's occurred during the past five minutes.

"Did I stutter? Get out! Hurry up!"

The cop calls for back up as Jessimae bolts out of the car, sprinting full speed through the In N' Out parking lot.

Two new officers chase after her and grab her by the arm just as a car nearly runs her over. They jerk her around for no reason and when handcuffs appear, I go ballistic.

"Let her go!" I yell. My anger rises every time the officers pull her in a different direction. "She didn't do anything! Let her go!"

"Don't arrest me please! I didn't do anything!" Jessimae cries. Her voice shakes violently with emotion.

"I'm sorry but you're an accomplice to a crime." The cop who has her in his possession has a sheriff badge pinned onto his uniform.

"A crime?!" Malik nearly screams. "We didn't do anything for the last time!"

"Actually, kids, I just ran the plates on this vehicle and the system is telling me that this car is stolen," the first officer says smugly. "So we have to arrest you."

"This car is borrowed, sir," Malik explains. "Just give me a goddamn ticket if you really think I was speeding. Don't arrest us 'cause that's some real bullshit."

"You can't argue with the system, kid. Hands behind your back," the sheriff orders, pulling out handcuffs to arrest Jessimae.

"What the fuck?! We need to argue with the system! Go, Jessimae! Run!" Malik hollers, yanking Jessimae out of the sheriff's grip. "GO!"

She sprints full speed toward the In N' Out entrance once again but the sheriff is faster. "I can charge you all with resisting arrest, you know that right?" he calls as he struggles to contain Jessimae.

"Black lives matter!" Malik chants with his fist held high. The first officer pulls his arm behind his back.

"Malik, shut up!" I hiss as I feel the second officer's hands on my wrists.

"No, you shut up, Diggs. This is what I was out in the streets protesting! This is racism! You're gonna sit there and let them arrest your girl when you know damn well that she didn't do anything? They did this to my dad."

"I know but-"

"But nothing. Racism is alive and well, Diggs and I'm not gonna become a hashtag." Malik runs back to the sheriff just as the cop is about to put handcuffs on him. "Let her go!"

There's two gunshots and a piercing shrill. Malik falls to the concrete.

"Malik!" I scream as blood slowly begins to seep into the asphalt.

The officer who pulled us over was the one who pulled the trigger.

"Why did you shoot him?! What the fuck?!" Jessimae sobs. She grows more hysterical by the second.

"You shut up!" the sheriff snaps yanking her toward the police car.

"Grab her like that one more time and see what happens," I growl, ready lunge at the sheriff.

"Is that a threat, young man?"

"Daveed, don't...don't," Jessimae whispers in between sobs.

"I'd listen to your girlfriend, sir," the sheriff advises.

"Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

The officer who has me shoves me to the ground and pain runs through every limb in my body when my face hits the surface.

"Daveed!" Jessimae weeps, shaking out of the sheriff's grip. She falls to the ground next to me even though her hands are behind her back.

"Get up," I whisper. "Go. Now."

"But Malik and-"

"Go."

"No, I'm not leaving you guys here. Malik! Malik!" she screams, tears streaming down her cheeks like a waterfall. "Get up, Malik!"

The sheriff pulls her off her knees and she screams even louder. I want to do something but I can't even move.

"Malik!" I call.

No answer.

I push that thought out of my head. He's going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay.