• "fight me!"
    was what a word that i always laughed at until i got the taste of reality smacking me right in Harlem's streets.
    see,it started out like this..
    "hello?"
    "hey,girl,whats up with you?"it was my friend latisha.
    "nothing,bord,bord,and well...hungry?!"
    "want to go to morning side?"she asked
    "sure,what time?"
    "3:00!"
    "3:00? pm right?"
    "no...in the morning"
    "girl,you playing right?"
    "no! no,im not,why?..cause we're going to meet up with Javon and Luke!"
    "Javon!"
    "yes,Javon! so your not going to leave me alone with those fabulously cute boys,are you?"
    "...i dont know,it's late and with boys?...plus my mom wouldn't let me"
    "and that is why it's so late! we sneak out,girl!"she said
    "um...really this is a bad idea,really"
    "your always a non-chance taker,whats your problem! c'mon we'll have each other's back,like always,right?"
    "right..i guess. alright...tonight?"
    "yezire!"
    "i'll be there!"
    "be where?" it was my mom completely interrupting my conversation!
    "hold on"i said to Latisha."sleep over!,mom"
    "how come you ain't tell me about it?"
    "slipped my mind i guess,so may i go,please?"
    "okay,when?"
    "tonight!"i said
    "sure,i could use a break,would you bring your sister with you,honey?"
    "mom! no way! please!" i pleaded.
    "fine, if you want to go so bad you should get ready now"
    "alright,thank you,ma'am!!"i said "hello,Latisha?"
    "yezire!?" said Latisha.
    "im in!"

    *CHAPTER 2*

    "bye,mom,im out!" i said.
    "okay baby,have fun! and call me if something goes wrong"
    " mommy,ain't nothing going to go wrong,everything will be right!"
    "okay baby,bye"
    "bye"
    and i was out,out on Harlem's street like a delinquent on the run.
    i was running not from trouble but cause i was exited to meet up with Latisha at 8th avenue so we can walk each other to the park and see the most adorable boy ever!, Javon Wilkins!! and some other guy that Latisha crushing on who i find rude and imature but Latisha in love with that guy so i guess im happy even though i have this weird,bad feeling something going to go down,nothing good neither.

    "Latisha,where you at?"i said into a pay phone
    "give me your money!!" said a muffled voice,i turned around ready to fight but realized it just Latisha. "not funny!"
    "um..your right..Hilarius,spectacular,absolutely amazing!, funny wouldn't be enough!!"
    "stop being,stupid"i said getting annoyed
    "stupid? relax,trick,we suppose to have fun,remember?"
    "no,not in the dark,with boys,alone!!"
    "thanks for the support" Latisha said as we walked to morning side up 117th street.
    we began telling how we got away with our excuses,she told me that sleep over gag was a classic,and she said she told her grandma that she went to spend the night over with her older brother cause she "missed" him but we didn't talk about what may happen when we're with them,i don't know why,i guess we didn't want to know.
    "hey,there they go!"i said "nervous?"
    "no,why would i be?" Latisha asked. but i didn't answer.
    so we walked over to them in silence.
    "hey" was all that came out Javon's mouth during the WHOLE time we were out!
    ...okay we only been out for twenty minutes but i wanted to talk so much with him but now it's kinda uncomfortable so i just watch Latisha flirting with that slime ball,just a few steps ahead of us.
    so i tried to start up a conversation."so...? whats up?"i asked.
    no answer.
    "nothing? me too,besides school but it's Saturday! who cares!"
    i began to look like i was talking to myself when Javon gave me with all that silent.So i tried again.
    "are you sick or something?"
    he whispered something but he was too quiet for me to hear and i was too shy to ask what, so i just nod my head like i understood.
    then i notice something cold and damp touch me and i smacked it and saw it was Javon's hand trying to hold mines.
    "sorry, you nodded your head that it was okay to hold your hand and-"
    "it's OK" i said cutting him off and smiled at him and he smiled back and then it felt nice being there in the dark with him in 4:02 am in complete.utter.silence.
    then Luke grabbed him away and started saying something to him.
    so i walked over to Latisha and notice she was shaking
    "girl,you ok?"i asked
    "yea, i just need to sleep"
    "you want to go back home?"
    "no!" she said with a quick attitude.
    so i kept quiet and began wondering what are they talking about?
    Javon looked like he kept disagreeing so it must be about something..bad.
    "you think they are talking about.....sex?" Latisha asked breaking the silence?
    "hope not" i said answering back.
    "me too,im not ready,they didn't even asked us out so maybe not"she said
    "maybe,they are older"
    "one year is nothing"Latisha said
    "for you,Javon and i are two years apart"
    "oh yeah,...what did he talk about?"
    "nothing we were pretty silent" i said "you?"
    "stupid trash,like some T.V show."
    "what kind of show?" i asked
    "when they make fun of kid shows like Hannah Montana and Some RnB singers,you know stuff like that"
    "oh,..um..stop,please!"
    "why?"
    "there's mad people over there,i thought we was the only ones?"i asked
    "we're suppose to,who you think they are?"
    "i don't know?"
    "you never know!"
    "why you always got to be so mean?"i asked
    "i don't know" she said mimicking me then giving me this smile letting me know she was joking.
    finally the guys joined us but we were a group instead, which was better cause me and Latisha locked arms together just in case.
    "hurt me!,"some guy said to me and Latisha.
    we just rolled our eyes and continued walking.
    "there following us" Latisha whispered.
    "want me to fight them?"Luke offered
    "please,you can't fight,you called your momma at your last fight" i thought to my self but heard Latisha telling him how brave he is.
    So he got all this confidence and actually talked to those guys. he said for them to grow up.
    then they was making fun of his clothes and asked him and Javon what Gang they was in.
    "im not in one" Javon said sounding really innocent which isn't good cause it means your easy bait but he still managed to make me blush with that sweet voice.
    "and you,boy?" this real big dark guy asked.
    "what's it to ya'?"Luke asked trying to sound big.
    "cause i want to"said the big guy.
    "the Zebra's,man!"Luke said. and i thought,is there a gang called that?...no.
    "Never heard of them"said the big guy.
    "it's new! im the leader!!"Luke said.
    and that's when i knew we we're doom.
    they began laughing,hard! and cussing at him for even letting that out his mouth.then this tall one said to me "come on,you a pretty girl,in blue,don't settle for no chump"he looked high though which was a shame cause he could pull off a Chris Brown look.
    "come on,we can just ignore them" Javon whispered to me.
    "what you said to my future wifey?"said the Chris Brown look-a-like.
    "nothing,man"Javon said putting his arm around me.
    "no,you something smart,right?"said the clone
    "no really, i didn't" i began to feel Javon hand sweating through my shirt.
    "get out my face"he said
    "okay" Javon answered, and we began to walk until he stopped us.
    "leave the girls"he said
    "what?" we all said
    "give me them girls,man,i'll give you five dollars each for them" said the clone.
    "hey,that's not a bad idea" Stupid Luke joked.
    we all gave Luke the "are you really that stupid to do that?"
    "You ain't listening?"
    "im listening,sir, but we not allowing this."Javon answered.
    "you want it the hard way?" said the guy and he flashed this shiny gray thing,i didn't see it too well but every one reacted very surprised, specially Luke cause he actually gave up his pride to hide behind Latisha.
    and i felt latisha's grip on my arm tighten and Javon holding closer.
    i thinking i looked pretty stupid looking all calm.
    so i whispered why are they so scared and asked me if i didn't see that gun!
    "gun?!"i said loudly.
    "yes,stupid!" Luke said.
    but before i had the chance to say something about one of his fights the "clone" shoots the gun onto the air and the first person to run was Luke.
    he was already at 124th street when we realized he left us. then we all began to run,hand in hand,me in the middle holding both Latisha and javon's hands running through the dirt in the park cause we didn't run up path so they won't have a clear shot at one of us.
    i never knew i could run so fast in flats,i never knew i could run fast at all!
    i noticed Javon's and Latisha's faces, Javon looked terrified yet embarrass,as for Latisha,her face was covered with tears and mucus smeared across her face.
    we didn't stop running until Latisha began to tripped over some rock,me and Javon stopped to help her up but then realized they have stopped chasing us.
    "are you okay?i asked while trying to gasp some air.
    "i think so" i heard Latisha whispered,barely.
    Once again Javon said nothing what's so ever but his eyes were talking,im not sure what but it looked like he took a tour of one of his worst nightmares.
    "get them,now!" said a voice behind a tree and it was that "clone" and those guys but there were a few new faces along with them.
    they grabbed Latisha's hair but she kicked one in the groin and he let go her of her.
    the other goons were fighting Javon but he was out numbered and out of no where that "clone" cam behind me and held my hands behind my back,tight too.
    i didn't know i was crying until i felt something drip from my chin. the "clone" was whispering in my ear but i didn't want to hear,i was trying to fight back but he was strong,big,and scary.
    I began scream for Latisha and Javon but when the guy turned me to where Javon was he was on the floor bleeding,i coudn't believe my eyes,it burnt my eyes to see something so evil!
    "Javon!! please wake up!, Javon!!" i sobbed "where latisha! Latisha!!,where you at?"
    and he turned me over to where she was,she was also tied by a guy but she looked uncontentious.
    "oh,my gosh,you are vicious!!"i screamed to the guy holding my arms.
    i tried my best to break loose,i kicked,screamed i would punch but my arms were tied.
    "please tell me she is alive!" i pleaded.
    "who your friend" said the guy holding Latisha's non-moving body "yea we just hit her head so she'll stop kicking" he said.
    "and him?!" i asked
    "i don't know,he breathing...hardly" he said.
    i began screaming for help and mercy! no one came and the guy holding me down was touching me very uncomfortably,but i began to pray,i asked for help and mercy, at first nothing happen and i began to give up but then i heard sirens and saw flashing lights coming our way.
    "yo,we got to get out of here,son" said the guy holding me down against the pavement now.
    he dropped me down,hard on the cold ground and they all ran,ran like cowards!
    as soon as they left i ran over to Javon and took off my sweater to dab the knife wound across his his left rib cage,i listened to his chest to see if he was breathing,luckily he was but he was breathing hard yet quietly.
    "don't die,man!,don't please!!,please"i began getting his Shirt dirty with my tears.
    then i felt a hand touch my shoulder,at first i thought it was those Goons again but it was my mother! and a police man checking on Latisha near by us.
    "Mommy!,momma im so sorry i lied!" i sounded like a little whiny Child.
    I kept talking about what happened but it was hard to even hear myself cause i was sobbing so hard so decided to just shut up.
    so i watched in Silence as Javon and Latisha both go into the ambulance while i went into the police car.
    i sat next to the window and saw a the sun coming out but it was getting cloudy.
    My mom decided to sit through the torture with me in silence.
    i wanted to say that im sorry but i didn't know how to make it touch my lips.
    at first i thought i was going straight to the police station but went to the a hospital first.
    when i arrived there they told me to wait in the lobby till my name gets called but i really wanted to see if Latisha and javon were okay..or alive, but i really didn't want to wait with my mother and that cop!
    i wonder what my mom is thinking right now?,i hope she isn't ashamed of me.
    so i sat a seat way from my mom and the cop.
    but the cop came over and sat next to me after a while in silence.
    "hello,my name is Officer Johnston and you are?" he asked.
    for a quick second i forgot my name,for another quick second i forgot how to talk.
    "i see you are a little still stunned about the incident that has happened between you and your friends,it's alright,call me over when you are ready" he said moving away from me.
    I waited,and waited till my name was called,it felt like forever.
    "baby,you alright?" at didn't recognized the voice but it seemed familiar it.
    "baby,please talk to me,i need to know what had happened" said the same voice.
    i looked up and saw it was my momma looking over me,i didn't recognize the voice because my momma's voice always seemed so calm but this voice was shaky and curious.
    I was going to begin talking but as soon as my mouth opened it was just one giant sob!
    it got hard to breathe from all that crying,my face was all sticky when i stopped,and i bet it was flushed.
    after a long hour they called MY name!
    i gotten up and walked followed the nurse,i thought my momma was behind me but i guess she stayed in the lobby,so i was alone,walking through the white,clean halls,i didn't know which room i was going to though,i knew it was either Javon or Latisha,obviously but which?
    "here we are" said the nurse.
    "how can you sound so cheerful?" i asked her
    "im not" she said with a smirk in her face while opening the door for me,as i went through that door i slammed it in that snotty nurse's face.
    that was the only relief i had gotten all day.
    when i turned around away from the door i saw Javon's face.
    "hey" he whispered.
    "ar-are you,okay?" i asked.
    "yea,are you okay?" he asked me.
    "no"i whispered.
    "well...it's over now"
    "no,no it ain't, they going to ask us questions about how they look and what happened and we are in Huge trouble with our parents" I complained.
    "it was worth to be with you,you know"
    I didn't say anything,i just stood there quietly until that same annoying nurse came back in,along with Javon's Dad.
    Javon waited no time telling his Father what had happened but he said i saved him with my sweater but really i think i got him into this.
    his Dad thanked me and went on back to his son.
    "would you like to go to Miss Grethel's room?" the nurse asked me.
    "who?"...oh,Latisha,yes i do" i answered.
    i waved bye to javon and on to Latisha's room.
    "hey girl!" Latisha said walking towards me.
    "hey,why you so happy?" i asked with a attitude.
    "happy,im alive! yo,I can't remember Anything!" sh said
    "ok" i whispered
    "like i remember the phone call and the grabbing and all but after they hit me that's it!"
    "uh-huh"
    "but i wasn't scared! just upset how tired i was"
    "please,you was scared!" i said getting annoyed.
    "no i was not,you can't say what i've been feeling!" Latisha said getting loud.
    "no but i ain't stupid! you was crying,like a Wimp!" i said also getting loud.
    "just shut up,you giving me headache!"She said lowering her voice.
    "if i didn't go with your plan non-of this would of happened" i said more calmly.
    "so now your blaming me?"
    "i don't know"
    "you never know" Latisha said.
    "Shut up,i had enough trash from you" i said leaving.

    To Be continued!