Chapter 1
KYLE
When the hood meets the class or the class meets the hood, controversy takes place. I’ve been a Christian since I was eight years old and there is always a war between the upper and low class of the neighborhood. Our parents on both sides didn’t want us to mingle with each other, they say we will become just like them. I was confused because according to what my parents taught me, aren’t we supposed to love each other? That was one of the main things they said that God says to do.
For me, I’ve always wondered how the people in the hood eat, live, and go about their everyday lifestyle. It baffles me because whether our parents like it or not the kids go to the same school.
Of course, we are separated because both sides believe that we were bad for each other.
I wanted to rap with them on so many occasions, but my neighbor’s kids will rat me out. The hood didn’t look any different, they wore the same nice clothes as us.
So, why weren’t we allowed to talk with them?
The questions keep on coming and coming until one day when I was old enough, I’ve decided to take the risk and sneak into the hood. I knew doing this would cause a lot of trouble, but I had to.
I needed answers as to why they weren’t allowing us to mingle.
It was halfway through the school day and each time I counted down the time on the clock. Listening to the ticks sounded like a heartbeat in my ears.
When the hand struck twelve, I grabbed my book and my bag heading down the hall and out into the parking lot. Where I saw my driver waiting on me.
He hadn’t seen me yet, so I made a quick detour heading in the opposite direction. I passed the classy, and straight into the lower class. Eyes were glued to me as I entered the neighborhood.
Fellars on every block smoked their weed. Thick gold chains on their neck and weed tattoos on their arms. I reached the variety store they had, the door chime signaling another entry.
There was this old guy behind the counter, a cigarette in his mouth.
“What do you want kid?” The old guy asked from behind the counter. His voice gruffy and rough.
“Do you have any Twizzlers?”
“Yeah, lane eight. Down to the end by the gummy bears.”
“Thanks.”
I kept my head down as every customer in the store was watching me like I did something wrong. They didn’t like people from the classy. And here I am in the rough part of the hood.
Fresh meat walking through their aisle.
I was afraid to look up until I bumped into someone.
“Ouch! watch where you’re going jerk. What are you doing here? You don’t belong in these parts, white boy. Do your parents know you’re in the hood?”
I raised my head to the girl that was eating my ass out. Dressed in a hoodie with a jersey that says, ‘Mess with me and I’ll take your lights out.’
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”
And right there, slowly but surely my tongue felt heavy. It couldn’t move. I couldn’t take my eyes away from her angry facial expression. I nodded my head and apologized.
Wanting to get out of there before something stupid comes out of my mouth. I paid for the Twizzlers and headed back across to the classy. I came home to angry parents and police officers.
“Mom, what is going on?”
“You can tell Kyle. I got a call; someone said they saw you going into the hood. I was just about to send these officers in there to get you.”
Shit.
“Mom, the hood isn’t as bad you as thought it to be. I just went to a store there that sells Twizzlers. The people seem nice. No-one hurt me.”
“I do not want you to ever go into that drug hole again.”
“With all due respect mom, I understand your concern but I’m old enough to make my own decisions. I don’t know why you all hate them so much. We are supposed to love them. All the kids go to the same school. So, what’s the problem?”
“Kyle, you don’t understand.”
“No mom, you don’t understand. You taught me to love people no matter what. So, why the change?”
And I really couldn’t understand why.
I wanted to talk with the girl I bumped into at the store, I know that’s creating my death wish. But what choice do I have? Maybe she could shed light on the war that’s going on between the two sides.
I love my parents very much, but this was wrong on all levels. Not only that they didn’t want us to interact, also they didn’t want us to date, chill out, nothing.
I couldn’t go around hating people that I do not hate, all because we have different statuses. If I had to sneak in the hood again, I can’t let anyone see me. Or they will report it back to the classy, my parents were the head of the neighborhood watch.
So, the next day after school. I followed the girl from the store she didn’t pass the normal route the others took. None of them from the hood did. We were really separated. I kept my distance watching her every move.
I couldn’t comprehend why they wanted us to hate, when they taught us in church to love. This seems deep, way pass the petty argument hate. This was personal.
She climbed the stairs to an old apartment building off the sidewalk, through its doors and down the hall. Up another set of stairs and round the corner.
When I rounded the corner, she disappeared. Nowhere in sight, she just vanished. I didn’t want to leave but I also didn’t know where to look. So, I shrugged my shoulder and set my mind out for another day.
When I turned on my heels to make an exit, there she was standing glaring at me with a blade in her hand. Rising it slowly and deathly close to my neck. Backing me against the wall.
Now, this wasn’t my territory. So, I was in deep trouble right now.
“Why the hell were you following me, white boy? Did your pathetic people ask you to spy on us? What… they want to see if we sell drugs?”
“No no no, it’s none of the above. Trust me, I came here on my own free will. I wanted to find some answers. Please I mean no harm.”
“You don’t belong here.” she snarled.
“Get out before my people find you, and you don’t walk out of here alive.”
“Please, like I said, I came here for answers and maybe you can help me.”
“Why don’t you ask your proper parents?”
“Because they won’t tell me. Look, I just want to know why both sides hate each other so much. When they taught us to love in church.”
“Oh… so you’re a church boy. Why don’t you get the hell out of here and go ask your God.”
“I’m asking you. Please help me, you live here.”
She pressed the knife closer to my throat, inching closer to my face. Fire burning in her eyes.
“I am giving you to the count of three. 1, 2, _.”
“Ok ok, I’m leaving.”
She lessens the pressure on my neck allowing me to step away slowly. When I was finally out of reach of the knife, she said.
“You were spared this time, the next time you wouldn’t be so lucky. Stay away from the hood.”
“What caused this feud in the first place? You got to know something, right?”
I saw something flashed in her eyes, but she kept her composure and said.
“If you don’t leave before dusk, you’re a dead man.”
She put the knife back in her booth and walked down the hall with her backpack slung over her shoulder. I wasn’t going to leave this; I was getting my answers.
And she was going to give it to me, all I had to do was get her alone.
