The Roses That Grew From The Concretes

Introduction

                                    May 12, 2014 1:23 pm
     New Orleans, Louisiana

The fact that this is my last week in New Orleans doesn't feel right with me. New Orleans is all I've known. I've been hea my whole life, so for me to be leaving everything and everyone I love here. It breaks my heart.

As I was getting ready for bed my phone started to ring. I looked down at it seeing it was Ashley. I answered it.

" Wazzam Ash." I said.

" Come to Law Street. Trey and Shy just got shot." She screamed crying into the phone.

At dat moment my heart sunk into my stomach. I busted into tears crying with her as well.

" Whatchu mean? They ok right? Please tell me they ok. Law Street in the Lower 9th Ward?" I asked as I grabbed my keys, and ran out the door.

" Yeah, me and my mom on our way there now." She said.

" Ok, I'm coming." I turned on my emergency lights because I was doing 80 in a 45. 

I lived in Audubon which was 20 minutes away from the Lower 9th Ward, but how fast I was driving I made it there in 10 minutes.

When I pulled up I seen a booku of people and booku police cars. They had crime scene tape all around the area. I seen a body laying on the ground. I ran towards the scene, and went under the tape.

" Ma'am, this is a crime scene you gotta stay back behind the tape." The officer said as he grabbed me.

" That's my cuzzin and my boyfriend." I said hysterically.

" I'm sorry, but I can't let you through."

" Sir, please I gotta know if they ok!" I screamed.

"  Sweetheart, I know bu—" Before the officer could finish I recognized one of my pop's friends.

" Chief Richard! Who is it? Is it Trey or Shy just tell me please?" I said with tears rolling down my face.

Ashley and her mom Miss Linda finally made it. They seen me, and asked who was on the ground.

" Chief Richard fixin to tell us now." I said crying.

" I'm so sorry, but it's Shy." He said rubbing his face shaking his head.

In that moment I froze, and went completely numb. Everything around me went silent. I started to walk off before Ashley grabbed my arm.

" Cali, where you going?" Ashley said while crying.

" Ain't no way Shy left me like that. He lying." I said laughing because I was so in denial.

" Caliana baby, I'm so sorry. Sweetheart, I really am." Said Chief Richard.

" You'a fucking lying! He ain't dead, he promised me he'll be safe outchea, and he'll neva let nobody take him away from me! He said he'll neva leave me!" I screamed at him as I cried.

" Cali, come on baby we gotchu." Said Miss Linda.

" NOOOOO Y'ALL! Lord why? Why him? Not my baby. Not my baby." I said as I dropped down to my knees.

Ashley got on her knees with me hugging me, and trying to comfort me, but I just lost my soulmate, the love of my life, my heart, my everything.

" Linda can I please talk to you for a moment?" Chief Richard asked.

" Yeah, sure."

" Trey is on his way to the hospital. He was shot twice. His mother has been notified, and y'all might wanna get down there. He's slipping in and out of consciousness." He said.

" Lawd Jesus watch over that boy." Miss Linda said.

" Come on y'all we gotta go to the hospital to check on Trey." Miss Linda said lifting us up.

" I can't leave my baby. I can't leave Shy." I said refusing to get up.

" I know you don't wanna leave him baby, but we gotta go check on your cousin." Miss Linda said.

I wish I could split myself down the middle so I could be there for both of em, but I couldn't. I got up, and headed to my car. As I walked to my car it felt wrong leaving Shy there. I felt like I was picking favorites, and I didn't want to let Shy or Trey down. I wanted to be by both of their sides.

We made it to the hospital. As soon as I walked in I seen my momma, and my teedee (Which means auntie).

My momma ran up and hugged me.

" I tried calling you, but you didn't answer you had me worried sick." She said.

" Ma, Shy gone." I said crying even harder.

" I'm sorry baby. I'm so sorry." She said as she let me cry in her arms.

" Did you see Trey come in? How he doing?" I asked.

" They wouldn't let me in because they knew he's my nephew." She said shedding a tear.

My mom is a RN, so she was already at work when Trey was brought in.

4 hours later the doctor came out, Erica I have an update on your nephew Trey. When the doctor said that everybody stood up.

" I'm his mother, Toya. How he doing?" She asked.

" Surgery went great. We got him stabilized. He was shot twice. In his side and his shoulder, so we're going to keep him in the ICU just to monitor him. Ok?"

I let out a sigh of relief, but I still wanted somebody to come tell me they were playing a cruel joke on me about Shy being dead. I've known him since we were kids. We grew up together. He was my first everythang. My first crush, my first kiss, my first boyfriend, and he took my virginity.

He was just with me an hour ago. Talking about how he love me, and how we in this together. I guess he knew it was his time because before he left he told me " No matter what I'ma always love you, and ima always be hea fa ya baby. Even when a youngin gone ya heard me!"

The fact that my 17th birthday is a 4 days away. God took the best gift he ever gave me away from me.