As Long As We're Together

18: The 3 Sides

I was the first one to break that dreadful silence, I needed an explanation. I would get to Nathan later when we could talk with no one around. But for now I wanted to know what the hell happen with Khalan's brother.

"Okay." I sighed, "Khalan, Jordan all of you. What the hell was that?!"

Khalan sighed glancing around waiting for someone to talk, but no one did. So finally he started to explain, not just to me but to everyone because frankly I don't think they knew too much either.

Khalan explained how him and his family were getting into some beef, he said my dad ran the whole West part of town. He was trying to expand, he let my older brother Lashawn slowly try to take over the Northside.

Khalan sighed shifting uncomfortably, I never realized how much drug influenced this town was. Maybe I was just too stupid to open my eyes to it. I mean where did everyone get there weed. Anyways Khalan continued.

My brother was trying to expand on the Northside, I was really mad my dad didn't let me do it, I've had more experience even though my brother Terrell is older. I slung more dope than he ever has. My dad just told me I have a bright future and how he wants to send me to college cause I'm smart. But I ain't.

Khalan lied he was smart and he sure as hell knew it.

I wanted to expand that side so I took my brothers supply, not to smoke you know, just to show him that I could sell all of it a lot faster than he ever could.

"I never thought my brother would do that, come in here and threaten me like that I mean." Khalan sighed finishing his story.

"Okay," I sighed, now oddly wanting to know more, "Does anyone run the East End I mean it's just like wealthy white people surly they don't want weed." I stopped realizing how stupid I sounded.

Mark spoke up, "Cesar runs that part, and they buy more coke than weed, the West likes their weed. But I mean the East Enders sure as hell love their coke."

I sounded so stupid, I don't know why I thought each side wasn't that different. They're completely different maybe I was just trapped in my own little world to realize what was in front of me.

"You know lil Jay, not Black Jay that just came in and scared the hell out of us but the little Latin guy?" Mark asked us, I remembered the guy Nathan had bought coke off the other night. "He works for Cesar. But lil Jay is the only guy that sells coke here on the Northside." I never knew how much Quite Mark Guerrero knew about this subject. He was always so shy, and had these dark shifty eyes. Not like mysterious eyes just, he just seemed like he didn't know what was going on half the time. But I guess that was me, I guess everyone knew about this subject except me.

"I know because my tío sometimes sells when we're tight on money." Mark explained after I looked at him in a shocked way, I guess he realized he had never told anyone any of that.

"My brother sells weed with Terrell, but I am sure you knew that Khalan." Jess said still shook up about what just happened but she still gave an irritated look at Khalan. She probably blamed Khalan for what happened I mean hell I blame him.

"Yeah, he's real good at it too." Khalan replied.

"I never knew how much drug sh-t went on in this town." I said, I was getting tired because I was saying a lot of things I was regretting. For I was sounding incredibly innocent and dumb. I guess I am.

"Hell yeah," Shawn added probably wanting to be apart of the conversation. His voice was shaking but he was trying to sound real chill about it, "Do you think everyone makes a living working at grocery stores?"

That was an interesting point, there wasn't too many jobs here and all the good jobs were taken by the East Enders. The rest of the East Enders worked in the city. So that I guess left the rest to find work elsewhere.

I was starting to feel sort of sick and tired, I wanted to just go to sleep but I wanted to know what the hell Jay meant when he said that to Nathan. I mean I know what he meant I just wanted Nathan to elaborate on it. He always told me everything, so it was weird, sad and sort of exciting not knowing something about him.

Not exciting in the happy way but exciting in the crazy, scary kinda way. You know what I mean?

Jordan was the only one who hadn't sat down he just paced back and forth, from the living room to the kitchen. He seemed mad for some reason.

"Jordan Green stop pacing your making me feel sick!" I sighed, as a Mark and Shawn agreed.

"I was about to be rich!" He groaned and slumped back on the couch next to Khalan. "I was going to help Khalan sell all that-" Jordan continued cursing under his breath.

I never really liked Jordan too much, he seemed like he was too good for the Northside but he still acted like a thug, like he was from the West part of town. Maybe it was because his dad was from the West and his mom from the East End.

More and more I guess I'm realizing there was a difference between these parts of town. Maybe I was privileged enough not to see it but not rich or arrogant enough to think that anyone was less than me. Maybe if I had more money troubles I'd see it. Or maybe if I had no money troubles I'd see it. I guess living on Northside was like having a blindfold on. Maybe I was just sheltered in that way, it was stupid to think I was 18 and didn't know about any of this.

"You wanna be a gansta but if you got your hands on any money you'd end up in the East End." Sighed Khalan preaching the truth. It was definitely true but Jordan just denied it.

We continued to talk about the East Enders, Shawn being one of them. It was funny to think that Shawn from the East End was best friends with Mark from the West part of town. I guess I never really thought about it until I started realizing the difference.

I don't think anyone should be treated differently by where they're from. But I think people should realize that there is a difference and not everyone has it good. Maybe try to make a change for the better of everyone.

"I think the people from the West side realize the difference the most." Mark said.

"Then the East Enders, they think they're better with their city jobs." Shawn added, I didn't see him as an East Ender not now or before.

"And I guess us Northsiders don't see it at all." I sighed finally.