𝗧𝗪𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗬 𝗦𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦

ch.i:joy road

CHAPTER ONE 🐛

VON:
I just be roaming the streets these days. Life's been hectic for no reason at all so I started taking walks just to clear my mind.

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one experiencing this wack ass life, but I'm a Black man and I know we all have it a little rough, it comes with the territory. Shiii, I wouldn't trade it for anything else though.

Today I found myself at the river walk. I left the house with no intention on coming here, but here I am. I'm sitting on the squares at hart plaza watching the sun set.

To my right there's black couples, young and old boarding the princess boat. I've never been on it but I hear it's pretty cool. Only thing is, I only know of older folks who've gone. Older folks in their 40s and shit. Don't really seem like my kind of crowd, you know?

I'm twenty-three years old tomorrow. I ain't experienced too much in my short twenty-three trips around the sun. I'm a homebody but I'm slowly breaking out of it.

Once the street lights start flickering, I decide it's time to head back to the house. The walk back will be at least an hour so I stop at a gas station for a red faygo and some juicy twists for the road.

Walking out of the gas station I notice someone is trying to get my attention so I take out one of my ear buds.

"Huh?"

"You want a ride?" Its Javi, a friend of my cousin. I nod to him and jog over to his car. He's still pumping his gas so I get in the passenger seat and wait for him.

When he gets in the car I take my earbuds out and pause my music. Javi's a cool ass nigga. He's goofy too, so the vibe is always light.

"What you doing downtown?"

"I walked down here, I needed some fresh air."

"You couldn't just sit on the porch or something? Damn." His cheeks turn up revealing his perfect white teeth.

I chuckled at his response. "Yeah I could have, but time would've stood still. I gotta keep moving to make the time go by faster."

"Why you want time to go faster?"

"Just a lot on my mind."

Javi nodded. I guess he might understand what it's like for your mind to be running at hamster speed non-stop, but maybe not.

"Come chill wit us tonight bruh."

"What y'all on tonight?"

"Just regular stuff. Smoking, drinking, cards, nigga shit." He's so lucky I've met his momma because he don't look like he's allowed to say nigga. But I've met her, and she's black.

"Who all gone be there?"

"Just Antwan, Jalen and Cowboy." I know that caught you off guard, but you heard him right. Nigga got the nickname Cowboy because every summer since he was eight, he stays down at his grandfather's farm. He rides horses and whatnot. Got some medals and trophies for it too. Unexpected for a hood nigga, but dope right?

"Aight coo" A few minutes have passed since we've been riding in silence. I don't mind silence though, my thoughts seem less overwhelming when the environment is calm. Night time car rides are my favorite time to just sit back and observe. I look over to Javi and he seems to be deep in thought too. I don't know too much about his life since we only know each other by way of my cousin, but I can tell by how tight his hands grip the steering wheel that he's got something heavy on his mind.