The Harlem Way

24. Back On Track {Part 1}

Narrator's POV

|Friday|

Four days. That's how many days had passed since Jabri and Sarai' last talked. They haven't communicated since the argument and truthfully it was childish on both ends. Jabri didn't know how to go about approaching Sarai'. He had already said the wrong things. He knew that it was all his fault and he knew he had to fix it.

But the question was how? Was she just saying anything because she was upset? Or did she really break up with him?

In his mind, they were still together. They both just needed time to cool off. His intentions weren't to push her away, he just wanted time to himself. Granted, he should have voiced that to her in a different way instead of shutting her out. What his father told him would happen, indeed happened and now he was regretful. The temperature may have been hot right now but he wasn't letting a good thing go.

"Yo! Let's go!" He called to Corey as he headed for the front door. Since his mother's death he's been back on his dope boy hustle. He still had to fulfill his duties to the CRIP gang so his work didn't stop. He had to keep his word. Stealing and selling weed was his hustle, unless assigned otherwise. Unlike the first time, he knew not to bring his work home anymore. Whatever business he needed to handle, he made sure to do so before he went home.

So far, so good because Jabri had no idea. Or so he thought. Corey would leave out after Jabri headed to work and he'd be back in before he got off. He had to keep an eye out for those who knew Jah though. He couldn't risk the chance of getting caught again. He just had to move carefully from now on. "You bullshitting cus' you don't wanna go, you ain't low." Jabri chuckled as Corey trailed behind him. Since he wasn't going back to school, Jabri had signed him up for a program for troubled pre-teens.

One day while he was doing artwork on his computer, he came across the ad and made a call. He told Corey about it and as expected, he wasn't feeling it. He wasn't getting money, so it was worthless to him. Jabri didn't care though, Corey was going to get his act together, whether he liked it or not. "I'on even wanna go man." He sucked his teeth as they headed to the truck. "You think I give a fuck? You gon' do something while I'm working. Allat staying in the house shit is dead." Jah had been more grumpy than usual, being that his only source of calmness was mad at him.

He had an attitude 24 hours a day.

"You not gon' get it until ya ass be locked up or dead somewhere. I want you away from the streets not in them." He explained as they pulled off. Corey sucked his teeth and blew air from his mouth. "How I'm supposed to get money?" He asked with attitude. "You so worried about money when you need to be worried about ya fucking life! Allat lil stupid shit you doing gon' come back around on you." He wasn't necessarily yelling but his tone was aggressive. He was upset. All of his frustrations these past few months were brewing inside of him.

The pills had been back in rotation without his father's knowledge. He would only take them in the house, to help with sleep. He made sure Corey had no knowledge of it either. Everything just seemed less stressful when he was high, always has. He couldn't wait to drop Corey off so that he could get into his zone.

Even if he did have to work.

"I'm not doing nothing." Corey denied. "You think I'm stupid yo?" Jah chuckled although he didn't find anything funny. "I swear to God." He held his right hand up in the air. "Yeah, okay." Jah brushed him off. He was just like him around that age so he knew that he was only telling him what he wanted to hear.
—
"You'll attend the program Monday-Friday. You are with us from 8am-4pm and every other weekend. Remember, we're here to help you and guide you. Also, our counselors are available all week and you are allowed to call them personally. Feel free to come to us whenever you have questions or concerns. I hope you all enjoy your first day." Ms. Simms; the woman Jabri had talked to over the phone finished her speech.