Dude Smith

Darren

Darren Anthony Smith. Thirteen years old, taller than most of his friends, wealthy, attractive, and smart. Who is that kid? That kid is me. Even at thirteen, I could have had any girl I wanted. Girls of all ages were giving me constant attention, but at that age, I had no idea how to handle it. I was just a kid, after all.

At sixteen, things changed. I believe I experienced my first real kiss at fifteen with a girl who was quite promiscuous. She sparked my interest in girls, but I already knew she wasn’t the type of girl I wanted. Even then, I dreamed of my soul mate. Would I ever find her? No idea.

I could go out on chaperoned dates to search for that soul mate. No one ever knew I was looking for her. That was a secret I kept even from my closest friend, Jeffrey Hughes. Though we were the same age, Jeffrey felt more like a little brother than my best friend. He often tagged along with me to meet girls, which I didn’t mind. He could have easily met girls on his own. He was a wealthy kid too; he wasn’t as good-looking as I was, and that was the truth. But he was still attractive.

I spent the last two years of high school pretending to be someone I wasn’t. At eighteen, I was popular among the male students, who viewed me as a stud. The girls were all over me, hoping to get a chance to sleep with me. I reveled in it. Everyone assumed I was sleeping with every girl who approached me. That wasn’t true. I was a virgin.

Jeffrey had a massive crush on a girl named Ravyn Kirk. Yeah, she was attractive. She even tried to come at me, but I wasn’t having it since I knew Jeffrey had a pretty intense crush on her.

Who was the girl who deflowered me? Her name was Lucy Legend. She was a beautiful, chocolate-skinned young woman who was not exactly good for me, but at the time, I wasn’t aware of it, nor did I care. How did I meet her?

Jeffrey convinced me to leave school early and head into the city. I had no idea what was on his mind; I just went with it. By mid-afternoon, I found myself in midtown at a smoky dive bar. Jeffrey and I walked in, and I nearly choked. The air was so thick with smoke that I knew I would catch it from my mom when I got home. I didn’t want to stay there too long, as the smoke would cling to my clothes like glue.

I looked around the room and didn’t see any girls our age. At least, it didn’t appear that way. I noticed that some men wore colors, and some women wore the same colors. Jeffrey brought me to a smoky dive bar where a gang hung out. I didn’t want to be there. “What the hell, man?” I exclaimed. “I thought you said there would be some girls here.”

Jeffrey feverishly scanned the room. “Funny, Ravyn said this is where she hung out.”

I smirked. “I should have known this had something to do with Ravyn. Come on, let’s go.”

“Can’t we just stay for a few minutes?”

I inhaled to yell at him, but instead started coughing. That’s just how thick the smoke was. “In this smoky bar?”

“Yeah. Maybe she will show up.”

“She set you up, man. There’s no way Ravyn would come here.” I glanced around the room at the faces of the women, ensuring none were Ravyn, when I finally saw her. Drop-dead gorgeous and smoking a cigarette. Beautiful brown skin, wicked, soul-sucking eyes, long, thick black hair. She cast a spell on me. I was so busy staring at this stunning girl when some guy got in my way.

“We need to go get some money from Johnny. Come on, Lucy,” the tall, good-looking white guy said.

He looked at the gorgeous girl and called her Lucy. What a beautiful name. She started walking toward me, and I began to sweat. I had never been nervous around girls, but this one was different. She wore a tiny miniskirt and a shirt that showed off her midsection. Her stomach was flat, and she had enormous breasts.

“Why, hello there, handsome. What’s your name?” she asked as she leaned closer.

“My name is Darren.”

She flashed a seductive smile and tapped the patch on my school blazer. “Andrews Academy. Nice.”

That tall white guy interrupted us before she could ask anything more about me.

“Get over here, Lucy, and stop flirting with this kid,” he said firmly.

Lucy crossed her arms across her ample bosom and replied, “Do I always have to leave when you do?”

“Yes, you do. Now come on. We’ve got to get that drop,” he said as he walked away again.

She smiled at me and said, “Oh, he’s such a bully. But I will see you later. Count on it.”

She walked out of the smoky bar, leaving me with an erection that threatened to free itself from my pants. I had no idea why she told me she would see me later. I was never coming to this bar again.

“What the hell was that?” Jeffrey asked.

I laughed hysterically. “Just face it, man, I’m better-looking than you. Let’s get outta here.”

Jeffrey and I walked out the door. I didn’t think I would ever see Lucy again. But there was always hope.

We smelled like we had been smoking when we got into his car.

I sniffed my sleeve. “Holy shit, my father is going to kill me.”

“Why? You didn’t do anything.”

“Are you kidding, man? I smell like I’ve been smoking. He’s gonna wring my neck.”

“Not if you change at my house.”

“Good idea.”

Jeffrey pulled away from the curb and drove to the building where we both lived. We went to Jeffrey’s place, and I changed my clothes.

“So, do you think you will ever see that Lucy girl again?” Jeffrey asked.

“Nah. She’s in some kind of gang or something.”

“So, what if you do see her again? What are you gonna do?”

“Shit, man, I don’t know.”

A few days later, I was having lunch in the quad with my friends, engaging in typical guy talk about sports and girls. Jeffrey glanced up, and his jaw dropped.

“What?” I asked as I turned around. I could hardly believe my eyes. It was Lucy and one of her friends, both looking quite stunning, I must admit. She glided across the ground, her black leather skirt hugging her hips. My palms began to sweat as she approached me, her hips swaying back and forth.

One of my friends asked, “Who is that?” I couldn’t respond. I watched closely as she walked toward us. Another friend approached Lucy with a smile on his face.

“What’s your name, beautiful?” he inquired. She didn’t bother looking away from me; instead, she raised her hand in front of his face and continued walking. My other friends laughed as he got shot down by one of the most beautiful women we had ever seen. Finally, she reached our table and said, “Hello, Darren.”

I swallowed hard and stood up. “Hey, Lucy.”

“Do you want to go to the park with me?” she asked, stroking my chest.

I managed a smile. “Sure.” I turned to Jeffrey. “See you at home.” I effortlessly and deliberately skipped the rest of my classes and went with her.

We went to Central Park, walked around, and chatted a bit. It was an unusually warm day. Evidence of the last light snowfall remained and seemed to be melting. It was early spring, and the breeze was still a bit chilly. She scooped up some snow, threw it at me, and ran off laughing as she attempted to escape. I was quicker and managed to hit her with a snowball.

She turned to me and said, “Hey, no fair!”

I laughed. “All is fair in love and war, my dear.” I was falling for her, and I didn’t even know her.

A few months later, I decided to introduce Lucy to my parents. It was somewhat risky since she wasn’t part of our social circle. Before introducing her to my parents, I talked with my mother.

My father was still at the office, and my mother read in the library. Now was as good a time as any. I walked into our library with a smile on my face. I was smiling because I was happy to see my mother. Eleanor was her name, and she was named after one of my grandmother’s favorite actresses, Eleanor Parker. In some ways, Lucy reminded me of my mother. They were both stunning, chocolate-skinned women with long hair. Each had a big heart and was incredibly gentle. Perhaps that is what drew me to Lucy. Well, besides her large breasts and mesmerizing hazel eyes.

“Mother, can I talk to you for a minute?” I asked.

She closed her book, looked up at me, and smiled. “Certainly, Darren. Come, sit.” I sat next to my mother on the couch. “How was your day?”

“Fine. Mother, I met a girl.”

She sat up with a huge grin on her face. “Seriously? Who is she?”

“Her name is Lucy Legend. She’s pretty and nice, and I like her a lot. I was wondering if I could bring her home so you and Father could meet her.”

“I have no issues with this, son. You can bring your girlfriend by anytime.”

A week later, I invited Lucy to have dinner with my family. I had no idea Lucy would show up in her colors. Had I known that, I would have taken her shopping first. My father lived his life by the clock; you had to be on time, or he would be… less than pleasant.

“Where is this girl, Darren? Dinner was scheduled for six. It’s now six twenty, and she still isn’t here?”

My father, David Smith, was a brilliant businessman- tall, intelligent, and extremely wealthy. Women besides my mother found my father attractive, not just because he had money. It is from him that I got my good looks. He wasn’t aware that I knew about his cheating on my mother, and I never mentioned it to him. I figured that once my mother was tired of it, she would leave him. Yet, she never did.

“She will be here soon, Father; I’m sure.”

Not five minutes later, the doorbell rang. I smiled a nervous smile. “See, there she is now.”

Moments later, Lucy walked into the dining room clad in leather from head to toe. She wore a tight, short leather jacket over a black leotard that night. Her bottom half featured a black gladiator skirt with silver rings in each pleat. On her feet, she had knee-high Gothic-style boots, black with silver buckles that extended from the toe up. My god, she looked so hot. I noticed it, and I’m sure that my father did too. My mother was surprised; I’m not sure, but perhaps she expected a short, mild-mannered girl in a frilly pink dress to appear. Nope, not my type.

Dinner went well enough, but I could tell my mother didn’t like Lucy at all. My father on the other hand pretended not to like her, but he would have fucked her in a New York minute if he thought he could get away with it.

By the end of the night, both my parents agreed that I should not see her anymore. However, that was not going to happen. I cared deeply for Lucy; I was eighteen and going to do what I wanted.

Many more weeks passed, and I often missed class to be with her. Fortunately, I was smart, allowing me to keep up with my studies.

One Saturday, I told my parents I was going to hang out with Jeffrey when I was with Lucy. Why did I lie to them? Because they disapproved of her. After she left my house following dinner, my father called her trashy. My mother remarked that she wasn’t the right girl for me. But as I said, I cared for her and was determined to see her. I digress.

Lucy and I walked through the city on this particular Saturday and ended up at Grand Central Station. As usual, the station pulsed with a hustle and bustle of people: some hanging out with friends, others carrying numerous shopping bags, but most just moved along, minding their own business, as most New Yorkers often do. She smiled widely at me and purchased a ticket. Without a word, she urged me to buy one too. It wasn’t until we passed through the turnstile that I asked, “Lucy, where are we going?”

“Nowhere special. I just thought I’d take you to my house.”

“Your place? Why are we going there?”

She giggled and asked, “Wouldn’t you like to know more about me?”

“I suppose so.”

“Well, come on, let’s go.”

I had no idea where she lived, so I felt a bit nervous. What if she was setting me up? “I have to be home before it gets dark,” I said, a hint of fear in my voice.

She giggled again. “Dude, you are such a goody two-shoes. Live a little.”

The train sounded its horn, and she took my hand. “Come on, Dude! The train is about to leave!” She was excited to show me her world, and I let her pull me onto the train.

We ended up in Brooklyn. I had never been there before, and I found it a little frightening. Brooklyn was quite a distance from Park Avenue, where I grew up among the wealthy. Everyone I knew, including my classmates, was upper class.

When I stepped off the train in Brooklyn, the air smelled different. I could sense what everyone was cooking inside their homes. I wondered why I never smelled any food cooking on Park Avenue. It wasn’t a bad thing; I rather enjoyed the aromas of various cultures.

We walked for a few blocks after getting off the train. Convenience and liquor stores lined every other corner, numerous homeless people sat in the alleys, and there were many other sights a privileged kid like me had never encountered before. After passing several row houses, she finally stopped in front of what I could only assume was her home.

“Is this it?” I asked, feeling less than impressed.

She walked toward the front door. “Are you coming or not?” I hesitated. “You’re not scared, are you, Dude?”

“No. I’ve just never been to this side of town before.”

“Don’t worry. None of us bite… hard,” she said, giggling as she opened her front door.

She knew my name, but she never addressed me as such. Lucy always called me Dude. I didn’t mind so much; I was used to it by this time.

I walked into a room about the size of my foyer and assumed it was the living room. A ratty sofa and loveseat sat along the walls, with a perfectly out-of-place fifty-five-inch HD television mounted on the wall. My guess is it was stolen. There was a hint of mold in the air, but the room was clean, which I appreciated. I wondered who else lived there. Did she live alone? I certainly hope so. Before long, she pulled me close and kissed me. It was one of the most amazing kisses I had ever experienced. I figured she brought me to her place so we could be alone. I thought she wanted to sleep with me. I was still a virgin, and she had no idea. I felt a bit nervous. Could I meet her expectations? I was going to try, even though I had no idea how.

Her hot lips were all over mine. She rammed her tongue in my mouth, and I couldn’t help but go with it. I took my time and explored her body. Everything I touched was hard and firm. The only thing soft about Lucy was her ample bosom. I wanted to touch her skin. I pulled her in tighter, and her breasts pushed up against my chest. I felt my erection begin.

Just as I was about to remove her shirt to get at her ample bosom, a deep voice came from behind me. It was Charlie, that good-looking guy, with her when I first met her. Come to find out, Charlie was her boyfriend.

“Lucy, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” Charlie asked.

We quickly broke our embrace. I was terrified. I knew Charlie was the leader of their gang. Perhaps he was going to kill me.

“Hey, baby. I was just...” Lucy tried to explain.

Before I knew it, he slapped her across the face. That pissed me off, but I was too afraid to do anything to stop him.

“I’ve told you fifty fucking times not to fuck around on me! Now get the fuck outta here!”

He was furious. Maybe I should have stayed in Manhattan.

“Charlie, he didn’t do anything!” she yelled, trying to defend me.

He slapped her hard in the face again. “Why don’t you listen to me for once and get out of here!” Lucy looked at me and sadly walked up the stairs. Once she was out of sight, Charlie started grinning. “She’s pretty hot, right?”

“That’s what he had to say to me? She’s hot? Of course, I agreed but didn’t voice it out loud. What escaped my lips was pure fear. “We didn’t do anything. Please don’t hurt me.”

He let out a sinister laugh, which frightened me even more. “You seem pretty harmless. I’ll let you go. Just stay away from her.”

I took off running, darting out of the front door and to the train station. I didn’t relax until I was on the train headed home.

A few days passed, and I didn’t see Lucy at all. She tried calling and texting, but I refused to engage with her. ” I was afraid if I did, Charlie was going to kill me.

Charlie Brewster was a poor white kid from Brooklyn. He fell into his current life, trying to help his drug-addicted mother care for his three younger siblings. At that time, Charlie was only sixteen. He was a mild-mannered kid who had to pretend to be tough on the streets, as he lived a difficult life.

His mother eventually died of an overdose when he was nineteen. His three younger siblings were sent to separate foster homes, and although he wanted to see them, he was never allowed to. He let them go. He didn’t have a choice. Perhaps one day he would try to find them, but at that moment, he had more pressing matters going on in his life.

Years later, he became second in command of his crew. All it required was for his leader, Freddie, to leave or die, and the crew would be his to command. By the time Charlie turned twenty-three, it happened. He found Freddie face down on the living room floor. There was no blood, but a pound of coke lay next to him. Freddie had died from an overdose of cocaine, alcohol, and marijuana. Fortunately for Charlie.

Charlie became the king of the streets, with the option of choosing any woman he wanted. He chose a beautiful black woman named Lucy. Lucy joined the crew not by choice but by necessity. When she joined, she had no one else to turn to and needed a place to belong.

Charlie viewed Lucy as a challenge. Beautiful black women had always intrigued him. He approached her, and she willingly gave herself to him, smitten by his charm. They became a couple.

Charlie was always good to her, but Lucy would sometimes stray, and this angered him. He never hit her until one day he caught her in the act of sleeping with someone else. He beat that poor kid to a pulp and gave Lucy a warning. “I love you, Lucy. Sleep with someone else and I am going to start beating your ass instead.”

She didn’t believe him until he caught her flirting with another man. Charlie slapped her in front of everyone and yelled at her simultaneously. Lucy doubted Charlie’s love for her. Consequently, she endured his abuse, thinking it was just his nature. That was far from the truth. Charlie merely wanted her to stop cheating on him and had no other way to express his feelings than through an open-handed slap to the face.

I was terrified of Charlie, yet I fell in love with Lucy the more time I spent with her. I was young and had no idea what real love was, but I knew how I felt. Charlie was a gang leader, and well, now, I was banging his woman. I was unsure how much longer he would endure it.

Yes. Lucy managed to take my virginity. It happened when my parents went out of town and left me in the care of my housekeeper, Josephine. Josephine didn’t mind what I did while my parents were away.

“So here it is,” I said, showing Lucy my room. It wasn’t as neat as it could be if my parents were home, but at least there was no dirty underwear lying around.

She looked around my room. “Homey,” she said, sitting down on my bed.

I was nervous. I had never been alone in my room with her. What were we going to do?

“Over there is my computer,” I said, pointing to my desk. “And through that door is my bathroom.”

“Bathroom? Mind if I pee?” she asked with a huge smile.

I shook my head. “No. Go right ahead.”

Lucy went into my private restroom and was gone for a while. I sat on my bed, fully in view of my restroom door, and waited for her to return.

When the door opened, she was completely nude. I mean, huge breasts, a small waist, and a flat stomach greeted me when the door opened. This was it. I was going to lose my virginity that day, and I had nothing to say about it. Lucy wanted me and shit, I was not going to turn her away.

I managed to keep my distance from Charlie, but each time I saw Lucy, she had a new bruise, a black eye, or some other injury on her body. I was growing tired of it and determined to act.

Jeffrey and I went to the movies one weekend, and I felt it was the right moment to share my thoughts. As we exited the theater, I was appalled.

“That was the worst movie I have ever seen. Why did you drag me to see that bullshit?”

Jeffrey chuckled. “Yeah, it was pretty bad. I heard Ravyn talking about it, so I thought we should check it out.”

“Man, why don’t you give up on that girl? She doesn’t even know you exist. From what I heard, she’s dating Ivan now.”

“Hell naw.”

“Whatever, man. Just give her ass up.”

“Look who’s calling the kettle black? What are you going to do about Lucy?”

“What do you mean?” I asked. Still, I knew exactly what I wanted. Figuring out how to get it was a bit tricky.

“I know you like her. So, what are you going to do?”

I sighed heavily and looked my friend straight in the face. “I’m gonna kill Charlie.”

“Darren, are you out of your fucking mind?”

“Nope. I even have a gun.”

Jeffrey’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Don’t do this, man,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“I’m tired of Charlie hitting on her. I’m going to protect her.”

“Darren, I’m all for getting rid of Charlie, but-”

I smiled widely and eventually laughed.

“What’s so funny?” my best friend asked.

“You, dumbass! I’m not going to kill him, and I don’t have a gun. I was messing with you.”

“Don’t mess with me like that. I thought I was going to have to bring you women in prison.”

I laughed even harder. Jeffrey eventually joined in my laughter. I only told him what I did to see if he was on board. Since he wasn’t, I played it off. But in truth, I was in love with Lucy, and I was going to protect her.

A few weeks later, after school, I took the train into the city alone. Normally, I would ride home with Jeffrey, but not on this day. I was going to spend time with the woman who now held both my heart and my virginity. Whenever I knew I would be with her, I carried the gun I got from some guy in her neighborhood. I never knew if I would need to protect myself from Charlie.

We walked to the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge to look out over the East River. School was almost out, and I would soon be going to college. I wanted Lucy by my side.

We stood in silence, hearing the soothing sounds of the water slapping against the stone beneath us. A cool breeze blew her soft hair away from her face, allowing me to gaze into her mesmerizing eyes. I pulled her close and let the words in my head fly.

“I love you, Lucy.”

She pulled away from me slightly, looked me in the eyes, and giggled a bit. “Dude, I helped you out. You can’t be in love with me. I have Charlie.”

She had Charlie? What the hell? He was an abusive asshole. How could she pass up the chance to be with me? “No, no. I want us to be together. I even have a gun.”

My statement took her by surprise. “A gun? For what?”

“Charlie hurts you. I don’t want him to hurt you anymore. I want you to be with me. I’ll kill him for us.”

She pulled away from me completely. She looked out at the water before replying. “Darren, you don’t understand. I am in love with Charlie.”

How any woman could love a man who kicked her ass when he felt like it was beyond me. All I knew was that she made me feel loved when I was with her. I only wanted to feel that way forever. I didn’t understand.

“But we...we made love.”

This woman took my virginity right in my very own bedroom. Her body was beautiful with clothes on, but nude, holy shit. I couldn’t get enough of her.

“Dude, you’re a cute rich kid with lots of potential. I can’t be with you. Your parents might disown you or something horrible like that.”

“I love you, Lucy.”

She looked at me and replied seriously, “No, you don’t. You think you do.”

What the hell? How could she tell me what I was feeling?

“Look,” she began. “With what I’ve taught you, you’ll make many women happy.”

This was a rejection. I didn’t want to let her go. “I don’t want many women. I want you.”

She smiled at me, showing off her brilliant white teeth. “You’re cute. Kiss me, and we can end this.”

End it? Hell no. “But Lucy...”

She smiled at me and simply replied, “Kiss me, damn it.”

Who was I to ignore her demands? I loved her. I stepped closer and pressed my hot lips against hers. I couldn’t help but wonder if she would leave me for good. However, her kisses ignited my brain and my loins as they always did.

It was late. I would be in so much trouble when I got home, but I didn’t care. Lucy demanded that I kiss her, and I wasn’t going to say no.

As my lips enveloped hers, I let my free hand wander. If this was the last time I saw her, I wanted to remember how she felt. I heard footsteps near where we were standing, but I wouldn’t let her go.

“That’s enough, Lucy,” Charlie said calmly.

I knew he was going to kick her ass again, and tonight, I would not put up with it. I let her try to explain away our feelings for each other. I had a gun on me, but I was still insanely afraid of Charlie.

“It’s not what it looks like, Charlie,” Lucy tried to explain.

“You must think I’m a fool. I’m tired of you cheating on me.”

“I wasn’t cheating.”

“Bullshit. Step away from the kid, and I might not hurt him.”

Lucy had a huge choice to make between me and Charlie. I understood that if she chose Charlie, she was doing it to save me. I kept my mouth shut and let her decide.

“Charlie, he’s innocent.”

“Are you fucking kidding me, Lucy? He had his hands all over you.”

Afraid of what might happen if she left us alone, she continued to try to help. “Charlie, don’t!”

“Get out of here, Lucy! I’m tired of your mouth!”

“Charlie, you can’t do this!”

“Can’t do what?” he shouted. “You don’t know what the hell I’m gonna do! Now, get the hell out of here, Lucy!”

Unsure about what Charlie would do, she complied with his demand and walked away from me. She cast an apologetic glance and left the bridge. I had no idea what would happen next, but I loved her and was ready to accept the consequences.

Charlie approached me, giving me a threatening stare. “Now, pretty boy, it’s just you and me. Please tell me why the hell you insist on hanging around my girl. You know I am not only her man but also her leader. What you are doing with her makes me look weak, and I’m not going to tolerate this shit any longer. Lucy has cheated on me before, but nothing like this with you. I want this shit to stop, and I want it to stop now.”

I looked Charlie straight in the eyes and shook my head. I was terrified, yet I still had the gun in my pocket. “I love her, and you aren’t right for her. I can provide her with a better life,” I said confidently.

Charlie let out a hearty belly laugh. “Are you kidding me?” he asked as he continued to chuckle. “What can you offer her? Cotillions, banquets, and whatever else you rich people do for fun. It’s all fake. None of it is real. Just a bunch of people gathering to compete. Who has the most money? Who has the better-looking kid? Whose son is going to marry which daughter? Which kid is going to Harvard? Man, give me a fucking break. What we do out here on these streets is real—every bit of it. Lucy is a part of my world, not yours. She wouldn’t even know how to act at one of your fancy parties. So, I suggest you make this the last time I see you and go about your way. Find some rich babe to hook up with and stop slumming. It’s dangerous in the slums, kid.”

I was sure that Charlie threatened me, but I was a tough eighteen-year-old that night. I was determined to get my way. I had the gun and would scare Charlie into giving Lucy up. “She told me that you are cheating on her. And I see that you hit her. You are not good for her.”

“She wasn’t telling the truth. You should leave now, kid. Head home.”

I couldn’t imagine that Charlie was remotely afraid of me, so I pulled my gun and pointed it at him. I was prepared to defend Lucy’s honor.

“She deserves better than you,” I said.

Charlie took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. “Put the gun away and go home. Mommy and daddy are waiting for you, I’m sure.”

Of course, they were waiting for me. At least my mother was, but I didn’t care. “No. Lucy is going to be my girl.”

Charlie laughed again. “You will have to go through me to get her.”

Something in me snapped. “Gladly.”

I pulled the trigger. The sound was deafening, and it felt like my ears were about to bleed. I had never encountered a sound like a gunshot so close. When some of the ringing faded, I looked down and saw Charlie lying on the ground, bleeding. Hold the fuck up. Did I kill him? I didn’t wait to find out. I ran.

It was the day before Charlie’s funeral, and I hadn’t heard from Lucy. I wanted to see her. I wanted to explain. I walked into my empty bedroom.

“Charlie’s funeral is tomorrow. I wonder if I should go,” I thought aloud.

As I contemplated the obvious, there was a knock at my door. My dad wasn’t home, so I knew who it was.

“Come in!”

My mom entered. When I saw it was her, I froze. “Darren, I just got a call from your lawyer. Things are looking good for you.”

It seemed like I was going to get away with murder. “Thanks, Mother. That is great news.”

My mom expected me to be happy. “What’s the matter, baby?”

“I miss Lucy. I want to see her, but she won’t answer my calls,” I replied, hanging my head.

My mother sighed and lifted my chin so I could look her in the face. “Darren, Lucy isn’t good for you.”

“Why not?”

“Well, first, she’s in a gang. Second, she doesn’t come from money, nor does she have any. Well, legal money, I mean.”

I shrugged. “So, she isn’t a rich girl. I love her.”

My mother sighed again and tried to understand what I was feeling. “What do you love about her?”

I thought about her sexy curves and how well our bodies moved together. However, I couldn’t tell my mother that. “She’s beautiful and gentle. She has a very good heart.”

“Darren, you can’t save her from the life she lives. She has made her choice.”

“How do you know I can’t save her?”

“Because look at what you did to protect her from that beast. You killed her boyfriend, and she still won’t talk to you.”

It was my turn to sigh. “I want to attend Charlie’s funeral.”

“Why?”

“I want to explain to Lucy what happened.”

My mother crossed her arms and said, “Darren, your father is spending a fortune to keep you out of jail. I don’t think you should go.”

“Mother, I have to go. I need to try to make things right with her.”

My mother looked at me and saw the love I had in my eyes for Lucy. She paced the floor, knowing that what she was about to say would make me happy. However, if my father found out, I would be in trouble, and so would she.

She turned to me and said, “Your father is leaving town tonight. I don’t know when he’ll be back. I still don’t suggest you go, but I won’t say anything if you do.”

I smiled and hugged her tightly. “Thanks, Mother, you’re the best.”

I walked into the church to the sound of a woman crying. There weren’t many people there, but several of them were members of Charlie’s gang. I only knew this because they didn’t bother putting on suits to bury their leader; instead, they wore their colors. As far as I understood, this was a sign of respect.

As I walked toward the front of the church, I received crazy stares, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to talk to Lucy. I walked down the central aisle toward Charlie’s coffin. I reached the first pew and looked at Lucy. I had never seen her cry so much. It upset me to see her so sad. I instantly regretted what I had done.

She was comforted by a large blond man almost as big as Charlie.

“Lucy,” I said quietly.

The large blond man instantly stood up. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

Lucy looked up to find me standing there, unable to believe it. “Dude?”

“He shouldn’t be here, Lucy. He should be locked up or dead. I believe death is a better option,” the large man said as he moved closer to me.

I didn’t care if he beat me to a pulp. I just wanted to talk to Lucy.

“Mason, wait,” Lucy said quietly. Then she stood up and walked close to me, tears streaming down her face. “What do you want, Dude?”

“I am so sorry, Lucy. I didn’t mean it. I was scared.”

“I never should have continued with you. When Charlie told me to leave you alone, I should have listened. Perhaps if I had, he would still be here.”

“I just thought we could be together.”

“I already told you. I loved Charlie, and he loved me. You killed him. Now I want you to get out of here. I never want to see you again.”

“But Lucy-”

“Get the hell out of here, Dude! Now!” she yelled, instantly breaking down in tears again. Mason held her as she cried.

“Lucy, please! I didn’t mean it!”

Mason let Lucy go. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor, and my jaw hurt. Mason quickly straddled me as I was lying there, and he punched me two more times in the face. He was going to kill me. My mother was right. She’s always right.

“Mason, stop!” Lucy yelled as she noticed more members descending on me.

He listened. He got off me and stood up. To add insult to injury, he spat on me before saying, “Get the hell out of here, man. You’ve done enough,” Mason warned.

I pulled myself to my feet and slowly made my way out of the church. Once outside, I allowed a tear to fall for the woman I loved.

She was so wrong. I was the better man. Charlie was a piece of shit. But what was I to know? Perhaps he did love her. She quickly became a part of my past. She said she never wanted to see me again and truly meant it.

My parents spent a considerable amount of money to save me. They didn’t have a choice; I was the sole heir to the Smith fortune. They had to rescue me. I’m not sure how much money it cost for the lawyers to keep me out of jail, but I’m sure it was substantial. My father’s attitude toward me changed after that. He was always distant, but after I technically got away with murder, he did everything he could to avoid talking to me.

Not long after my trial, he told me I would not stay in the state to attend college. Instead, he was sending me to Rhode Island for school. I wasn’t happy about it, but I couldn’t go against the great David Smith. I felt upset because I would have to leave my best friend behind.

Jeffrey’s father and my father were business partners for as long as I can remember. Jeffrey and I wanted to hang out with our dads when we were kids. That didn’t always happen, but I think that’s how we became best friends. His mother passed away when we were juniors in high school, and that only brought us closer together.

One day during the summer, Jeffrey called me and asked me to come over. He had something to show me. “So, what’s up?” I asked.

“I got my acceptance letter to Brown.”

“Brown? I thought you were going to NYU?”

My best friend looked at me and replied, “Can’t let my boy go out of state without me.”

I couldn’t believe it. I laughed at my incredible friend. “Man, you are the best.”

“I know it. Now, if I could get Ravyn to notice.”

We laughed, sat down, and started playing video games.

Jeffrey and I boarded a plane headed toward Brown University in the fall. When the plane took off, I thought of Lucy. I wanted to do something for her to make up for killing Charlie. There was only one thing that I could do. I became the very nickname she gave me. Darren Smith was a good-looking, rich kid from New York. I didn’t want to be him anymore. I thought I would become someone Lucy would appreciate. She said she left me with the skills to please any woman. So, to honor her, I became Dude Smith. Oh yes. I was still a good-looking, rich kid from New York, but Dude Smith slept with everything. If women threw themselves at me, who was I to turn them down? I used protection, so I wouldn’t make any babies or contract any diseases. I was a known man-whore on campus, but I didn’t care. I was using the gift Lucy gave me to cover up the pain I was feeling about losing her.

Four years later, Jeffrey and I graduated from college. We returned to New York and began training to take over the business. It was cool hanging out with my best friend and our fathers. After all that happened, I could finally put my past behind me.