Chapter 3

𝙻𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚢𝚗

Being on the wrong side of Atlanta will forever teach you lessons you ain’t ever gon’ be ready for. You’d think folks in the neighborhood wouldn’t trip over something small.

Wrong.

They absolutely would.

I didn’t duck when the first gunshot came out, and that probably said more about me than it should’ve. But be for real right now.

All this over some weed?

I mean damn. I get it, but I also… don’t?

The sound of bullets started bouncing off brick, metal, and parked cars, turning the alley into one loud ass cage. I stood there with my arms crossed, my weight sitting on one hip, watching my ex pace like he was the one who was bout to get shot.

“Nigga, please relax??” I said, like this whole situation wasn’t already dumb as hell. “It’s just weed.”

“Bitch, weed that you stole from me the last time we fucked!” he snapped. reaching for the gun by his hip while my friends stepped back, already panicking from the gunshots currently flying about.

“Woah there, buddy.” I reached for his forearm but he huffed, swatting my hand away.

“Okay, not too much, alright?” I lowered my voice, bringing my hand up beside my face so only he could hear me. “We just don’t wanna get shot over a couple bags of weed gone. Let’s just… think this through.”

He sucked his teeth, glaring at me.

I jerked my head back, my face bawled in confusion. “Don’t give me that look, you got other struggles to worry about anyway.” I said, glancing at him from head to toe then back up, pursing my lips.

Short ass nigga.

This time he fully pulled out his gun, aiming it right at me. Imani grabbed my arm so damn hard it actually hurt. Her nails dug in, her whole body shaking. “Londyn, this isn’t funny, please..”

“Yeah, Londyn,” Donte chimed in, already halfway turned to run. “I think it’s best we head out…”

I rolled my eyes so hard I almost saw my damn brain. “Ain’t nobody doing shit.” I huffed.

Nothing about it felt funny, but none of it felt serious either. Not to me at least. I grew up around men who carried guns like accessories. You learn real quick that most of these men didn’t actually want to use them, they just wanted to be seen.

My father always told me violence is loud before it’s lethal. The loud part never scared me. I ain’t gon lie.

College, though? Whole different rhythm. Quiet libraries. Professors who didn’t know my last name meant something, and my friends who thought my stories were exaggerations.

Tonight was a good reminder they weren’t. And honestly? At least they got a glimpse of my “exaggerations.”

I turned back just as my ex shot at the ground. Britney, Imani, and Donte screaming like the floor itself was attacking them. They quickly darted to whatever corner they thought was safe. But ain’t nowhere safe in this damn neighborhood.

“Damn, Jalen, the fuck you on?” I snapped, turning to face him again. “I gave you head, you gave me weed. move around!?”

He groaned loudly, rubbing his face like I personally ruined his life.

“I ain’t playin’, I need that pack back!” he kicked the empty stash box across the floor. “That shit was pricey. And you just what? Blew the whole bag!?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, college parties.” I said it so casually you would’ve thought I told him the weather.

The color drained right out his face.

“What?” his eyes narrowed as his voice lowered.

“College parties, man,” I repeated and he lunged forward, attempting to grab me. I yelp, immediately taking off, running toward his backyard. “Y’all better know how to jump them fences, for real!” I shouted over my shoulder as my friends scrambled behind me.

Gunshots rang out again, screams mixing into the noise, I couldn’t even tell if they were fear screams or somebody actually getting shot. By the time the three of us cleared the fence, me, Imani, and Britney. I realized something was wrong.

That one scream?

I noticed it late.

I mean shit, I actually noticed a lot of things late. Like the way my ex’s jaw tightened before he started shooting. The way his eyes narrowed when he clocked what I used all the gas on, and the way the air shifted heavy and wrong the moment I even showed up asking for more.

“Donte!!!!”

The gunshot cracked so loud it honestly startled me. For a second I didn’t even understand what I was seeing. Just Donte on the ground, Imani screaming, and blood spreading too fast across the concrete.

“Call 911!” I shouted, yanking Imani back before she could trip over herself trying to get him. “Imani, move! We gotta leave him!” I dug my fingers into her arm, holding her steady while she lost her mind. On the other hand, Britney trembled so bad she couldn’t even swipe her phone open.

When the operator answered, she could barely get a word out. Just sobbing and out of breath. I snatched the phone, gave ’em the block and a vague-ass explanation, and then I heard it, the faint whine of the sirens cutting through somewhere in the distance, growing closer by the second.

That was my cue. I ain’t gon lie, I didn’t look back this time. I just ducked out, real quick.