Be My Peace//NBA YOUNGBOY (Completed)

14

"I built my own empire, they ain't knocking down what I made."

The next day, Kentrell was sitting on the phone with Yvette—who had just booked a flight back for the funeral. Teary eyed, she talked without realizing that Kentrell was only giving her divided attention. He was quiet, plotting.

"So, uh, I should be getting out there around five. Can you come pick me up?"  He nodded, thinking about how he was gonna get the nigga that put his brother in the morgue. Some hours later, Kentrell made his way to the airport and found himself standing in the terminal.

Doing things like driving was weird to him now. It was like he'd blink and be in a whole different place. Basically, he didn't remember how he got to the airport. He's just there now. And right on time, since Yvette was pushing past the crowd to get to him. He looked like he wasn't all there, and he wasn't. She ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his torso, burying her face in his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Kentrell." She whimpered as she wet up his Versace tee with hot tears. He said nothing, not did he hug her back. He was still wherever his mind had went, but a tear had rolled down his cheek as well. When he finally came to, more tears came at a rapid pace, and he hugged the girl back tight.
*

For the next few days, a thick layer of fog laid in the capital. In that time, the local kids had organized a candle lighting to be held on the street where Kendell was killed. While Kentrell holed himself in his room, the rest of the family and Yvette had attended. They had a framed picture of him, along with crosses, teddy bears, flowers, and other things set up by a nearby light pole.

Yvette looked around at all the people who crowded the road. She was surprised nobody hadn't called the police yet—there was always an asshole. With a candle in hand, she began to see familiar faces. She got a chance to meet some of Kentrell's other family that day, and they were all cool. Understandably hurt from the loss, but still cool. Even Jania was there, but it was looking like she was keeping her distance.

The crowd had settled, and a boy had stepped up in front to speak. He was an average sized boy, he didn't draw too much attention.

"Can I say something?" The crowd got quieter as the boy spoke. He took a deep breath, glancing at the picture that sat not too far away from his feet.

"Kendell was my best friend. He was like a bruddah to me. He was like a bruddah to all the people he hung with." The boy stopped, looking around. "He was loyal to his friends. He woulda did anything for us. Which is why ion get why that pussy nigga killed him." Some gasps came from the crowd, but others were sounds of agreement.

"Junior!"

"Nawl, mama! Let me speak."

"This for these niggas that's tryna paint a dead boy as a thug. Y'all think y'all know the story, but ya don't. We was playing cards, and the pot got a lil steep for some of us, so we backed out. But you know, Kendell ain't gone back off from a challenge, and neither was that bitch. So Kendell won, he claimed he cheated." Tears were running down the boy's face as the candle casted light on it.

"This sweet ass nigga killed Kendell over a card game! Sixty dollars that he wasn't owed! You pussy niggas think you hard with a gun! Cuz you slangin' that iron? My nigga is dead! At fifteen!" His voice cracked. He was so visibly upset.

"Ian gone never get to talk to my best friend again! His family ain't gone ever see him again—he ain't make it out the hood. Y'all think y'all hard, this the sentence it carries! I hope that nigga rot in hell! Imma kill that nigga!" He started yelling, and his family had to get him away from the front. Yvette was surprised at how much emotion he had shown. He was showing more emotion than his actual brother. She knew that different people handled things differently, but she was worried. Sheronda had made her way to the front.

"Hey y'all. Thank y'all for coming out, I just wanted to say a couple words...I know my boy wasn't no model student. He wasn't no community pillar or nothing like that. He got in trouble like everybody else. He had a temper like everybody else. But he was still my son. And he ain't deserve to die in these streets. I done woke up it cold sweats every night, wondering—hoping that God spared my son! No mother should have to worry bout that shit! I got into so many fights with my son, I wonder if he died hating me!" She busted out crying, and Yvette's lips trembled. No mother should have to go through that, she thought.

She decided to leave, she couldn't take it anymore. She walked down the street to her rental car and get something to eat. She needed a distraction from the sadness that sat with her. When she got to the restaurant, she decided to order something for Kentrell. When she got to his house, she struggled to bring both plates and cups in , but she got it done.

"Ken...I brought you some food." She said softly as she walked into the dimly lit room. Kentrell was laying on his stomach on his phone, tapping away.

"Preciate it. Whatchu bring?" That was more words that she had heard him say in a couple of days.

"Wings, fries, and lemonade from that place y'all always talking about." She said, sitting on the bed and handing him a plate.

"Shit smell good as fuck. And I ain't ate all day? Issa go." She laughed at the boy as he opened the plate and started to eat. She couldn't help but notice the sinking feeling in her gut. Something was wrong. She waited well after they finished eating to ask him questions.

"You okay? Real talk." He nodded slowly.

"Shid, imma always be hurting. I found a way to cope, though." Yvette smiled a little.

"Oh for real? How?" He smirked, something flashing across his eye that Yvette couldn't read.

"You gone see." He sighed a little. "Ian ready for this funeral business, Ian even gone cap."

"Nobody is. We gone get through it." She said, hugging against him. He held her all through that night. What Yvette didn't know was his coping method involved being his brother's keeper in the worst way.

But unfortunately, she would find out soon enough.