1 one

Beep…beep…beep.

Jersey sighed as she ran her hand over her cousin's brown cheek. He laid there in the hospital bed with his eyes closed. No, he wasn't in a coma at all—he was just asleep. His swollen shut eyes moved as he breathed hard and his swollen lips looked very painful. Jersey felt sorry for her cousin as her mind wondered. She wanted to know what happened to him. Who would be this cruel to beat him almost to death?

She worked as a janitor and didn't get off until eleven at night. After clocking out, she got a call from her auntie letting her know that Rudy had to be rushed to the hospital. She had found him sprawled out by the door. When she managed to turn her unconscious son over, she noticed how battered his face was.

Rudy was fifteen years old and he was beginning to get involved in a lot of things. For example, he was always getting arrested for stealing. His mother, Kim, stayed trying to get him out of trouble. She was always trying her best to keep him safe, but he wasn't trying to do right. His older, half-brother, Marcus, was now around and putting a negative influence on the boy.

Before Marcus was around, Rudy was on a straight path. He stayed in school, made good grades, and Kim didn't have to worry about him getting in trouble. Now, with his brother around, He had gone from sweet to sour. Kim had to deal with her son dropping out of school and starting a nasty habit of smoking cigarettes.

"We need to find out who did this." Jersey stated while looking over at her aunt. Kim looked up from her phone and glanced over at her only son. The sadness was visible in her facial expression as she pressed her lips together. She sat in the chair, exhausted from working late-night shifts at the clinic. Kim carried heavy bags underneath her eyes, and she was still dressed in her work uniform.

"He's not going to tell you nothing, so forget it." She replied to Jersey, her voice was low and calm. Her son's battered body didn't bother her.

Jersey's forehead furrowed as she thought about the cold chill she felt from her aunt. She couldn't believe that Kim was giving up like that. "Aunty—"

"Jersey...I'm just tired of dealing with Rudy and his shit. Whatever he did—trust and believe me—he's not going to tell you what happened and who did this to him."

Jersey wanted her aunt to be wrong. She had a cool relationship with Rudy, so she knew that he would give the person up to her.

"And besides, you don't need to be getting mixed up in his situation. You know how you are, so just stay out of it and let it go."

Jersey rolled her eyes and looked off. She wasn't no punk, but she was definitely a sweetheart. However, she had a hard time picking the right people to be in her life.

"Marcus knows who did it. I have a feeling." She continued as her thoughts raced through her mind. Jersey was going to get to the bottom of the situation.

¨

"I'm alright. Jay, stop trying to baby me." Rudy complained as he sat on the couch. A bandage covered the back of his head where his dissolving stitches were located. He had been home for almost three days now and was sporting a very bad attitude.

"I just want to make sure you're okay." Jersey replied while eyeing him cautiously.

"I'm alright." He assured her in a stern voice. He sat there wearing a shirt with some sweats. Rudy had a smooth, copper complexion. He touched his growing hair, that needed to be tamed since it was starting to tangle. His coarse hair needed to be treated often, but he didn't do that—which resulted in tangles and knots

Jersey shook her head and said, "Alright, fine. Just let me know if you need me."

"Don't kiss his ass." Kim told Jersey as she tossed her pack of Newport's on the chipped coffee table. She expertly lit her cancer stick and pulled hard from it. Kim darted her eyes over at her son and blew out the toxic smoke. He glanced over at his mom with a glare, his nose spread, which gave away his anger.

"I don't know what the fuck you and Marcus got going on in them streets. All I ask is that you don't bring that shit in my house. I don't want to deal with it."

Rudy immediately grew offended and retorted back. He felt like he had to take up for his brother. "There you go again...putting Marc in my business."

"Because he's always getting you into trouble!" Kim interrupted him, doubling her lips while pointing at her son.

"He didn't have shit to do with this."

Kim squinted her eyes at her son and said, "I know what I'm talking about. His ass probably got you in some deep shit, as usual. I don't want him over here at my house."

Jersey just sat back watching the scene unfold before her. Her cousin was always disrespectful—especially if the argument was about Marcus and his mishaps. Rudy sucked his teeth loudly, stood up from the couch and marched towards the door. Before leaving he said, "Don't nobody want to come up in this raggedy ass apartment anyway."

Kim pulled hard from her cigarette and pressed the burning end in the ashtray. She blew out the smoke and said, "Let me go and get ready for work. This nigga got me all mad and shit."

"Don't even pay him no mind. He's just...in denial right now. Soon, his eyes will open, and he'll see Marcus for who he really is."

"When?" Kim questioned her niece with a raised voice as she turned to look at her. "When will he realize that the nigga is trouble? His own mama doesn't even fuck with him—now what that tell you?"

Jersey silently shook her head and watched as her aunt traveled to the back. She had been trying to get her cousin to open his eyes and see his brother for who he really is. Unfortunately, Rudy felt like Marcus could do no wrong. He thought of him as more of a father than a half-brother. Their dad had been killed many years ago, so that was one of his reasons.

¨

"This shit is crazy..." Kelli commented while looking over her text messages. She sat beside Jersey as she scrolled through her phone promptly.

Jersey's eyes darted over curiously as she peered at her friend's phone. "What's wrong with you?"

"Travis is what's wrong with me." Kelli gritted through her teeth as she sat there in some sweatpants. Her caramel complexion showed no signs of acne. Kelli sported a blush-pink colored wig that went well her diamond-shaped face.

Jersey drew her eyebrows together as she sat there with her head cocked to the side. She didn't understand why her friend was even dealing with Travis. Jersey used to date his friend—Quintin. They had history, both good and bad. Mostly bad.

Quintin was her first boyfriend—ever. Shit started off sweet when they were dating, but it went to shit as soon as they moved in together. Later in their relationship, he introduced her to drugs.

They based their whole relationship on drugs. It was the only thing that matter throughout the three years of them being together. Eventually, she managed to break up with him and recover from the drug abuse.

Unfortunately, Quintin wasn't over their relationship just yet. He still had the courage to pop up at certain times and harass her. She'd threatened him with the police many times before, but that didn't scare him off.

"I don't understand why you're still with him...knowing he's still friends with that nigga."

"Jay, let's not blame Travis for Quintin's bullshit." Kelli stated as she cut her eyes. "And keep in mind that we were together before you started dating Quintin."

"Yeah but..." Jersey trailed off while looking off, mouth partially parted. "He's still harassing me Kelli, like...he keeps fucking with me and it's only because he knows I'm still close to him and he can find out where I'm at and what I'm doing through Travis."

"I can't just let Travis go—we have history together."

Jersey let out a harsh breath and that caused Kelli to break in.

"But what I can do is tell him to stop running his damn mouth so much."

"I really do believe that he's still giving Quintin updates on me." Jersey concurred. "And stop bringing my name up to Travis."

Kelli smirked a little and said, "You don't want Quintin knowing that you're doing good without him?"

A smirk never crossed Jersey's face at all. She was serious about not wanting Quintin in her life. She just didn't feel the need to update him on anything. They weren't together, and she definitely didn't love him anymore. "Kell, I'm serious. I don't want anything to do with Quintin and I don't want him knowing about my life."

Kelli just nodded her head.

"That man almost destroyed me." Jersey stammered as she stared off into space. Her eyes grew watery as she thought about the past. "He used to beat me for not doing what he wanted me to do and... I remember being on drugs and on the streets—homeless with nowhere to go because of him."

Kelli remembered that as well. After being evicted from their apartment, Quintin moved in with his mom and Jersey ended up on the streets. Quintin's mom didn't care for her, so she disapproved of her staying at her house.

While homeless, Jersey felt hopeless and abandoned. Like it was the end of the world. Her mom, Terrie, had passed away when she was just twelve, her grandmother was in prison, and her father was unknown and nowhere to be found. She wanted to live with Kim, but she was way too afraid of letting her stay with her. She didn't know if her niece was ready to let her addiction go. Kelli, on the other hand, was the only person who helped her, and Jersey was very thankful for it.

"I'm sorry..." Kelli trailed off while rubbing her friend's back. "I didn't mean to make you cry."

"It's okay." Jersey murmured while wiping her eyes. "I just get emotional every time I think about everything, I did with him."

"You're not with his ass anymore." Kelli acknowledged. "So, don't get depressed—fuck him."

"Right." Jersey concurred while nodding her head. She continued to wipe her tears away as she tried to think positive. Think positive. Be positive.

Sounds of the somebody knocking on the door grabbed their attention. Kelli cursed under breath and said, "That might be Vena, I hope it's her."

She tossed her phone on the coffee table and answered her door. As predicted, Vena sashayed inside with a bag. She was one of Jersey and Kelli's friends. They dealt with her on a certain level since Vena was known for being talkative. She knew a lot of people and she stayed up to date on what was happening around her.

"Bitches!" Vena greeted them as she sat the bag down. Jersey checked her out quickly. Vena's long, black hair was pinned up in a low bun. She was dressed in a Guess peacoat with some jeans that hugged her round, orotund booty. Her brown, sun-kissed skin looked very delectable.

"It's cold as hell out there." She continued in her thick, Spanish accent. Her body shivered as she moved around the apartment for warmth.

"Which is why I'm staying in." Kelli replied while opening the bag. "Girl, what you got in here? I hope it's something I can actually sell because that other shit didn't do too well."

Jersey just sat there listening to them. She didn't understand why Kelli was boosting. She made good money and had shit to prove it. Kelli worked as hairstylist at her sister's hair salon; Sometimes Jersey wished she'd went the same route as Kelli. She had dreams of majoring in law until she met Quintin.

Must be nice.

"Trust me Kelli, I outdid myself this time." Vena assured her while making herself comfortable. She looked over at Jersey and smiled. "Hey, Jay. You over there all quiet and shit."

"...I just have a slight headache, that's all."

"Aww..." Vena trailed off. "Oh yeah, I heard about Rudy. I'm sorry that shit happened to him."

Jersey just scoffed a little. She had no idea that the word was out about Rudy's accident already. "He's doing better now."

"Well, I'm glad that he's okay. Next time he won't be so lucky."

Jersey sat there with a puzzled expression on her face as she thought about what Vena had said. "W-what do you mean next time?"

Kelli looked over as well.

"Oh, he didn't tell you what happened?"

"No." Jersey replied quickly, pushing herself towards the edge of the couch. "I've been badgering his ass about what happened. He won't tell me."

"Well..." Vena trailed off, cocking her head to the side. "People are saying that he hit one of Malcolm's men."

Jersey stared at Vena curiously as she waited for her to continue.

"And Malcolm came back strong..."

"He stole from Malcolm?" Kelli asked with her mouth gaped. She darted her eyes over at Jersey and said, "Now he knows better. Why would he even try that shit."

Jersey furrowed her eyebrows and said, "Malcolm?"

"Yeah, you know who he is right?" Vena questioned her.

"I've heard of his name before...he owns a bar around here."

"Yeah, with his fine ass." Kelli commented with a smirk. She noticed the look Jersey gave her and immediately killed her imagination. "Oh, my bad girl, wrong time."

Jersey just sat there with a contorted look on her face. A fury of anger ran through her body as she thought about her cousin being in the hospital. She blamed both Marcus and Malcolm. Marcus for being a bad influence on Rudy and Malcolm for hurting him.

"I can't believe you didn't know." Vena stated while shaking her head.

Jersey never said anything, she just sat there with her head slumped. Kelli took a seat beside her and asked, "Are you alright?"

Instead of replying Jersey just hopped up and made her way towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Kelli asked with a raised voice.

"To Malcolm's bar."

"Wait, wait, wait a minute." Vena halted as she stood up, holding placing her hand on the door. "For what?"

"Yeah, why are you going up there?" Kelli concurred.

Jersey looked at them as if they were crazy and said, "To talk to that nigga about what happened to my cousin."

Kelli knew her friend was just upset right now, but she didn't need to go up to the bar like that. He wasn't some ordinary, hokey-pokey nigga. Malcolm could make shit happen—he could do shit and get away with it. Both Vena and Kelli didn't want her to end up dead or hurt over Rudy's situation.

"No." Kelli objected while shaking her head. "Look, Jay. I know you're upset right now, but you don't need to go up there."

"I'm not going to confront him; I just need to know if Marcus had any part in it."

"Just leave it alone." Vena encouraged her.

"Vee—"

"Jersey don't go up there. I'm telling you. Malcolm won't take your nosiness lightly." Vena continued.

Jersey wrinkled her nose up and eyed them both. "Why do you all give men with money so much power?"

"We're not, we're just advising you not to get yourself hurt." Kelli reasoned. "Or killed."

"Well alright. I won't go." Jersey announced while flopping down on the couch. "Since you two are so worried about me getting hurt."

"Because it's dangerous. Malcolm is dangerous." Kelli continued.

Jersey rolled her eyes.

"Nobody is trying to give Malcolm power. The dude is just not to be played with." Vena stated while eyeing Jersey attentively.

"Look—I already said that I'm not going. So, let it be. Now can we talk about something else?" Jersey burst out with an irritated look on her face.