California Love | a Tupac Original

California Love| One

East Harlem, Ny
November 19th, 1991
10:43 am.

Tupac Shakur |

" what's taking you so long to pack those clothes Tupac? The train leaves in 20 minutes"
Momma said coming into my room.

I zipped the suitcase up not saying anything.

" Boy are you hard ah hearing?" She asked.

" No ma, I heard you " I said grabbing my CD player along with my headset.

" you ain't moving like you hear me, now come in here and get something to eat.."
She sat a bowl of hot grits in front of me and a glass of milk.

" I ain't hungry ma.." I stared at the food.

She sighed and wiped her hands on her apron.
" Listen to me, I know it's hard to see ya friend gone..but I can't. I can't have you leaving me too boy..I can't.." she said trying to hold back her tears.

  I looked up at her as she wiped them away quickly and put a smile on her face.

" anyhow, since your not hungry come on and let me walk you to the station.." she grabbed her coat and her purse while I held my heavy suitcase and followed her outta our small apartment.

" ya Aunt Jene say it's nice up there, you gone like it " she kissed my hand as we walked down the wet avenue.

" ma she say everything nice .." I shrugged.

" She gotta room up there for ya, all by yaself. A bed..." she looked at me smiling. Trying to make me seem excited.

" I liked that couch just fine. " I said taking my hand outta hers. I didn't wanna leave New York. Not to go to Los Angeles anyway. I felt guilty, guilty that my boy Koba got killed. I felt like me leaving just showed I had no respect for him and that I was running.

" Now you listen to me boy, you stay here and keep running these streets with these boys your gonna end up just like Koba..Now I'm telling you for your own good, this—this is what's best for you.." mama said tears rolling down her face, while she took my hand back into hers and continued walking.

We had reached the station and the lines were long and packed as usual.

" I love you.." she said smiling. I sighed and looked back at her.

" Come here.." she pulled me into a hug. I wanted to cry. Cry for Kobe, cry for mama and cry for myself. Every since I was younger I was always in trouble, leaving her with the stress of dealing with me.

I used to steal, fight, shoot guns, break into people's houses. You name it.
I was angry. Angry at the world. Angry at my "dad" . A pussy ass nigga who was never there for my mama or me.

I watched him beat her multiple times, and if I watched he'd beat me to. When I was about 11 he finally left. Left my mama with hurt and pain, and me with no father. I never knew what a father's love was. Or what love was at all.

That was until I met the most intelligent black girl I've ever came to understand in my life, other than my mother.

Akachi Omiata, she was of Jamaican descent and she was a bad chocolate jawn.
With the most beautiful hair I've ever seen. She always had it in a bun or a ponytail.
But that day when I convinced her to let it down, I seen a whole new side of her.

No doubt she was beautiful.

Every since that day she walked in as the "new girl" in my 9th grade class, we've been like glue. She was my best friend. The only outlet I had from the real world at home.

We talked and talked and I loved when she formed words with her mouth. It was like Magic. She was magical.

But my fairytale ended on this day, November 19th 1991. The day my momma sent me off to my Aunt Jene's In Los Angeles, California.

" I gotta go now ma, the train gone leave me" I chuckled pulling away from her tight hug.

" alright well you just zip ya coat up tighter and hold ya head up ya hear?" She said fixing my jacket.

I pulled a piece of paper outta my coat pocket and handed it to her.

" what's this? " she said about to open it.

" no.. that's for ChiChi ma..could you give that to her?...and Please don't open it Ma " I told her. Knowing her she was gonna open it as soon as I turned my back.

" aww baby..I'll put it up somewhere safe until I see her. " she tucked it in her purse.

" promise not to open it ma " I groaned.

" I promise boy.." she laughed rubbing my head. I smiled at her and looked down.

" I'm gonna miss you " I said. She smiled back at me and grabbed my hand.

" I'm gonna miss you too, I love you " She said.

" Next train will be leaving in 5 minutes! " the lady announced.

" love you too ma..make sure you give that to Akachi " I kissed her cheek and jogged over to the line.

" be safe! " she yelled to me. I waved and moved up giving the lady my ticket.

And that was the start on my new journey.
My journey as a West Coast Legend.

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