Final Reflection

1. Did you find that being part of the Hunter College early college program better prepared you for your future college career? How so?
Being a part of the Hunter College early college program opened my eyes to new experiences and helped me to prepare to face being a full time college student. I've learned how to manage my time by creating schedules that balances personal time and studying time. I have also learned to pay attention to my priorities and the quicker I finish my work, the more time I have to myself. I feel prepared to an extent due some valuable lessons and words of wisdom from teachers and other college student but until I actually start, I will not know if it all paid off.

2. What were some obstacles that you faced during the course of this year? How did you overcome them?
I think looking back, "senioritis" was a huge obstacle for me. I complained that since I had already went through 3 rigorous years if high school, I needed a long vacation away from work. I started to miss homework assignments and fall off track. I had to push myself to get back on top of things before my grades started to slip drastically.
Write about a moment of great success that you experienced this year. What happened?
The high grades on my pre-calc exams were moments of great success for me. It felt good to know that I had studied hard and did my best so I knew I deserve those grades.
3. Did you enjoy Fiction Writing this year? What were some of the lessons that you learned this year that you would be able to bring into your writing in the future?
Fiction writing was fun to learn but hard to use in my own writing pieces. I learned that all the writing dilemma I face are common and that it is okay to write "shitty first drafts".

4. What Hunter College courses did you take this year? Which were your favorite ones and why? If there was a course you took that you did not enjoy, what was it and why? I took pre-calc and chemistry 100 this semester. I loved pre-calc because it was easy to understand and I love math. On the other hand, chemistry was terrible. I hated that class, it was boring to learn and hard to understand. It challenged me in ways that shouldn't be challenged.

5. What do you still need to work on in order to be an even more successful college student? How do you plan on working on these skills?
In order to be an even more successful college student I need to work on the quality of my work. I usually dislike criticism, but recently I've learned to embrace it and look at it in a brighter light as a way to enhance my work.
6. Where did you study on the Hunter College campus this year? What facilities did you use at Hunter this year?
On campus, I was usually either on the 4th floor of the library or in a private room studying by myself or in a group. I was in the computer lab sometimes, but since I have a laptop, I rarely used the school's facilities.

7. What have you learned about yourself by being a part of this early college program?
I have learnt that I tend to give up easily on the more challenging things that comes my way and that in those times I should never stop, but instead push myself harder.

8. Where will you be attending school in Fall 2010?
I will be attending Hunter to study nursing.

9. What are your personal goals for the future? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In 10 years? In 20 years?
In 5 years, I should be graduating college with a nursing degree and possibly working in Long Island Jewish Hospital. In 10 years, I should be in medical school to become a doctor. My personal goal for the future is to focus on the things in life I want the most and work towards it. As cliche as that may sound, anything is achievable in life, you just have to work really hard to get it.
10. What advice do you have to give to future MHSHS students in order to help them prepare for this experience?
To future MHSHS students, I say focus, time management, study and just enjoy theie senior year because it is the beginning of your college transcript and one year goes away really fast.

Final draft: Struggles of Life

Out of all the places to live, this was my town, Flower Mound, Texas. While every other part of Texas enjoyed the view of skyscrapers and busy streets, Flower Mound was filled with trees that grew too high for anyone to cut and everybody’s backyard looked like a jungle where no wild life or plants could survive. It was around 3:30 in the morning when I found myself shuffling behind these bushes in Carlos’ backyard. I pulled the hoodie over my head and waved my hands signaling them boys to follow me. It was me, Dae-Dae, Danny, Scarface and Bucky and we were the cobras. I told Danny to take the hinges off the back door and walked into the house. Carlos thought he was gonna get away with torching my car and shit like I was ready to put these last three bullets in his head. I walked across the hall, knocked over all his family pictures and kicked them to the corner. I knew his parents went on vacation but I sent the boys to check all the rooms just in case. I carried the gun in my right hand behind my back and put my left hand on his door knob and glanced back for a quick second.
I had promised her so many things as I had held her hands close to my heart for two years. Recently, I could feel her fingers slipping. Ever since my mom died, she tried her hardest to help me pick up the pieces of my life even though I was destroying I every footstep after another.
I removed my hand from the door knob and walked back through the door I came in.
“What’s going on Malcolm?” Dae Dae whispered to me.
“Why you staring into space for knowing we don’t even have the time for this bullshit? If you can’t do it, then I sure will cause I aint no punk.” Scarface said belligerently
“We leaving here, I can’t do this, come on’”! I said angrily
I took off my hoodie, stepped into the car and we pulled off the curb.

It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. That didn’t stop me from waiting in front of her door though. I rang her door bell, and it was almost as if she was waiting at the door, listening for me, she sprung out and I lifted her up. I always called her by her last name Parker but she’d always address herself as Rosa Parker. I kissed her on the forehead and held her hands as we glided through the rain. We always took these long ass walks talking bout’ the future and how she wanted to go to Harvard and all these bullshit Ivy League schools. I knew that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I mean, I was an average student and whatever but it was just a waste to spend all that time in school learning the same shit over and over again. I just hated sitting in those packed classrooms having some teacher shove useless information down my throat. I never told her this though, when she’d start talking, I’d just nod my head every five minutes or so while thinking about the life I wanna live. Whenever I was alone, I would blast the music in my room and think about the future. I’d lie on my bed for hours and the only thing my eyes saw was this black hole. I lived in this hole in some forbidden city alone. I’d be sitting in a car, looking at the dead plants and shrubberies around me and it frightened me. I called for Parker, but my echo replied. I’d eventually wake up with tears in my eyes.
One thing I’m always telling her though is that life is too short to dream up some perfect lifestyle we could never really live. For me, the American dream died when cancer took my mother and the government shoved me into some crappy ass foster home. We finally stopped at this bridge and sat on the grass. A couple minutes later, the rain stopped falling and I put my hands around her waist. She turned back and smiled. It wasn’t no regular smile though, it was one of those smiles that made you feel like aint no other troubles in the world. Me and Rosa, we would always sit by the bridge and just talk and watch the sun go down, and the sunset come up. She always wanted us to cross the bridge, but that was the only thing I was afraid of, crossing bridges. I always figured the other side of town would have nothing better to offer me than what I have here. I started to sing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and I took her hand and started dancing in circles. Suddenly, I felt a cold object pierce my temple and Rosa screamed out.
They slapped me with the gun.
“You think you was slick huh”
They kicked me in the knee
“Coming into my house and you aint do shit. You shoulda killed me when you had the chance.”
They pushed me to the tree with gun pointed to my heart. The other two guys continuously punched me in my stomach until I coughed up blood.
I dropped to the floor, and then held my stomach as if it were falling out.
They kicked me once more and I rolled over.
I don’t know why I took the hit as if I deserved them but I did. I looked up, and they said, “This aint over, next time we find you, we killing you and your girlfriend”
Walking away, they spat on my face and shoved Parker to the ground and disappeared.
Limping, using the tree as crutches, I managed to pull myself up. As my blood dripped to floor, I tried walking to Parker and tried helping her up. She turned away from me as the tears built up in her eyes. She pushed my hand to the side, stood up and began to walk away from me. I followed her, and pulled her hand and she spoke.
“You promised you’d stop that shit,” Parker yelled furiously
“It’s a part of my life, I grew up this way and I can’t change that” I said reaching for her face
“So know my life is in jeopardy because you can’t do the right thing?”
“Babe, I’ll fix this, you’re not gonna die,”
“how? Kill him? I’m through with this” Parker said as she stormed off.
I clenched my teeth and yelled “why me?” I walked back and forth for about five minutes squeezing my fists so hard, my nails pierced my skin and I started to bleed even more.
The moon was shinning extremely bright tonight and I finally decided to walk home, face battered and heart unsteady. I walked a different route tonight, my mind was clogged, and I figured I’d use the time to think. I approached Jerome Ave and across the street was the Mount Dale Cemetery. It was closed and I needed to go inside. I ran across the street, hopped over the cemetery gates and walked to the grave site. It was dark, and the light they had over the graves wasn’t enough to clearly find my way. Finally, I walked up to the big tree and my mom’s tombstone had a glow on it from the moon. I sat down in front of it and hugged it so tight as if it were a real person.
My mom had always told me every morning before leaving the house, “Start working on your president speeches” I’d laugh every time saying “Ma, ain’t no black boy from the hood making it into that white house, maybe I could clean it and that’s as far as I’m going.” Ma had always been so proud of me; she thought I was the smartest person she’d ever meet. Ever since dad went to jail for some drug shit, she had been my rock the whole time. I’d always tell her, momma, you crazy but your all I got and I love you.
One day we were home watching some old ass movie, she told me she was sick, and she’d have to be in the hospital for 6 months. She lied, she had one month to live and when she left me, I was mad. Not even a goodbye, no letter, no nothing. I came home one day, and my next door neighbor was in front of my door with tears in her eyes and sadly, I knew why.
I finally let go of her tomb stone realizing that the tears from my eyes soaked my clothes and slowly trickled down her name, Eva Richards. I needed answers, for the first time since her death I was out of options and I had no one to look to. I left her grave site and walked home.
The morning after, I heard a loud banging on my window and I stormed out the bed and my boys were yelling at me. Them Puerto Rican boys was looking for me and something had to be done. I dragged on my pants and a t-shirt. Pulled the hat over my head and shoved the gun into my back pocket then walked out the door. They lived by Parkers’ house and I was ready to put a bullet in all four of em’. Sitting in the back seat of the car, looking back to yesterday because I knew this might end badly. I needed to have no regrets after this, and I’d just run to another city. I would run away from problems and sadness, run away from what could have been, run away from that foster house, run away from life’s expectations, run away from ruined dreams, run away from discrimination, run away from death and run away from myself. As we approaching their block, I reached for the gun in my back pocket and I placed it on my lap. I spotted them; I crouched down low, put my hand on the trigger and rolled down the window. We turned on their block, and I was ready, they were all on the sidewalk and I raised my gun just a little bit higher. I was nauseous at this point and my hand started to shiver. I was about 300 feet away from them, I just started shooting like a mad man and my friends laughed as they watch the Puerto Rican boys each fall to the floor. One bullet for the pain I’ve dealt with for years. Another bullet is for the person I transformed into. The third bullet for the fears I never overcame. The next bullet is for some sort of peace and acceptance in my life. The last bullet is for the monster I will no longer be. I heard a loud scream; I stopped and saw Parker holding her heart as the blood profusely made puddles on the ground. I dropped the gun, opened the car door and ran to her. I held her in my arms, begging her to stay with me, I apologized for everything, I cried, I promised her I’d cross the bridge but she was almost lifeless, she tried to tell me something, but she struggled gagging up all that blood. She said “I…..”
“I what Parker, I what” I said
“I…….forgive...” she said, and before she was able to finish, she had no heartbeat. I stood up, head up, and walked away without a glance over my shoulders.

Draft 8

Out of all the places to live, this was my town, Flower Mound, Texas. While every other part of Texas enjoyed the view of skyscrapers and busy streets, Flower Mound was filled with trees that grew too high for anyone to cut and everybody’s backyard looked like a jungle where no wild life or plants could survive. It was around 3:30 in the morning when I found myself shuffling behind these bushes in Carlos’ backyard. I pulled the hoodie over my head and waved my hands signaling them boys to follow me. It was me, Dae-Dae, Danny, Scarface and Bucky and we were the cobras. I told Danny to take the hinges off the back door and walked into the house. Carlos thought he was gonna get away with torching my car and shit like I was ready to put these last three bullets in his head. I walked across the hall, knocked over all his family pictures and kicked them to the corner. I knew his parents went on vacation but I sent the boys to check all the rooms just in case. I carried the gun in my right hand behind my back and put my left hand on his door knob and glanced back for a quick second.
I had promised her so many things as I had held her hands close to my heart for two years. Recently, I could feel her fingers slipping. Ever since my mom died, she tried her hardest to help me pick up the pieces of my life even though I was destroying I every footstep after another.
I removed my hand from the door knob and walked back through the door I came in.
“What’s going on Malcolm?” Dae Dae whispered to me.
“Why you staring into space for knowing we don’t even have the time for this bullshit? If you can’t do it, then I sure will cause I aint no punk.” Scarface said belligerently
“We leaving here, I can’t do this, come on’”! I said angrily
I took off my hoodie, stepped into the car and we pulled off the curb.

It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. That didn’t stop me from waiting in front of her door though. I rang her door bell, and it was almost as if she was waiting at the door, listening for me, she sprung out and I lifted her up. I always called her by her last name Parker but she’d always address herself as Rosa Parker. I kissed her on the forehead and held her hands as we glided through the rain. We always took these long ass walks talking bout’ the future and how she wanted to go to Harvard and all these bullshit Ivy League schools. I knew that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I mean, I was an average student and whatever but it was just a waste to spend all that time in school learning the same shit over and over again. I just hated sitting in those packed classrooms having some teacher shove useless information down my throat. I never told her this though, when she’d start talking, I’d just nod my head every five minutes or so while thinking about the life I wanna live. Whenever I was alone, I would blast the music in my room and think about the future. I’d lie on my bed for hours and the only thing my eyes saw was this black hole. I lived in this hole in some forbidden city alone. I’d be sitting in a car, looking at the dead plants and shrubberies around me and it frightened me. I called for Parker, but my echo replied. I’d eventually wake up with tears in my eyes.
One thing I’m always telling her though is that life is too short to dream up some perfect lifestyle we could never really live. For me, the American dream died when cancer took my mother and the government shoved me into some crappy ass foster home. We finally stopped at this bridge and sat on the grass. A couple minutes later, the rain stopped falling and I put my hands around her waist. She turned back and smiled. It wasn’t no regular smile though, it was one of those smiles that made you feel like aint no other troubles in the world. Me and Rosa, we would always sit by the bridge and just talk and watch the sun go down, and the sunset come up. She always wanted us to cross the bridge, but that was the only thing I was afraid of, crossing bridges. I always figured the other side of town would have nothing better to offer me than what I have here. I started to sing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and I took her hand and started dancing in circles. Suddenly, I felt a cold object pierce my temple and Rosa screamed out.
They slapped me with the gun.
“You think you was slick huh”
They kicked me in the knee
“Coming into my house and you aint do shit. You shoulda killed me when you had the chance.”
They pushed me to the tree with gun pointed to my heart. The other two guys continuously punched me in my stomach until I coughed up blood.
I dropped to the floor, and then held my stomach as if it were falling out.
They kicked me once more and I rolled over.
I don’t know why I took the hit as if I deserved them but I did. I looked up, and they said, “This aint over, next time we find you, we killing you and your girlfriend”
Walking away, they spat on my face and shoved Parker to the ground and disappeared.
Limping, using the tree as crutches, I managed to pull myself up. As my blood dripped to floor, I tried walking to Parker and tried helping her up. She turned away from me as the tears built up in her eyes. She pushed my hand to the side, stood up and began to walk away from me. I followed her, and pulled her hand and she spoke.
“You promised you’d stop that shit,” Parker yelled furiously
“It’s a part of my life, I grew up this way and I can’t change that” I said reaching for her face
“So know my life is in jeopardy because you can’t do the right thing?”
“Babe, I’ll fix this, you’re not gonna die,”
“how? Kill him? I’m through with this” Parker said as she stormed off.
I clenched my teeth and yelled “why me?” I walked back and forth for about five minutes squeezing my fists so hard, my nails pierced my skin and I started to bleed even more.
The moon was shinning extremely bright tonight and I finally decided to walk home, face battered and heart unsteady. I walked a different route tonight, my mind was clogged, and I figured I’d use the time to think. I approached Jerome Ave and across the street was the Mount Dale Cemetery. It was closed and I needed to go inside. I ran across the street, hopped over the cemetery gates and walked to the grave site. It was dark, and the light they had over the graves wasn’t enough to clearly find my way. Finally, I walked up to the big tree and my mom’s tombstone had a glow on it from the moon. I sat down in front of it and hugged it so tight as if it were a real person.
My mom had always told me every morning before leaving the house, “Start working on your president speeches” I’d laugh every time saying “Ma, ain’t no black boy from the hood making it into that white house, maybe I could clean it and that’s as far as I’m going.” Ma had always been so proud of me; she thought I was the smartest person she’d ever meet. Ever since dad went to jail for some drug shit, she had been my rock the whole time. I’d always tell her, momma, you crazy but your all I got and I love you.
One day we were home watching some old ass movie, she told me she was sick, and she’d have to be in the hospital for 6 months. She lied, she had one month to live and when she left me, I was mad. Not even a goodbye, no letter, no nothing. I came home one day, and my next door neighbor was in front of my door with tears in her eyes and sadly, I knew why.
I finally let go of her tomb stone realizing that the tears from my eyes soaked my clothes and slowly trickled down her name, Eva Richards. I needed answers, for the first time since her death I was out of options and I had no one to look to. I left her grave site and walked home.
The morning after, I heard a loud banging on my window and I stormed out the bed and my boys were yelling at me. Them Puerto Rican boys was looking for me and something had to be done. I dragged on my pants and a t-shirt. Pulled the hat over my head and shoved the gun into my back pocket then walked out the door. They lived by Parkers’ house and I was ready to put a bullet in all four of em’. Sitting in the back seat of the car, looking back to yesterday because I knew this might end badly. I needed to have no regrets after this, and I’d just run to another city. I would run away from problems and sadness, run away from what could have been, run away from that foster house, run away from life’s expectations, run away from ruined dreams, run away from discrimination, run away from death and run away from myself. As we approaching their block, I reached for the gun in my back pocket and I placed it on my lap. I spotted them; I crouched down low, put my hand on the trigger and rolled down the window. We turned on their block, and I was ready, they were all on the sidewalk and I raised my gun just a little bit higher. I was nauseous at this point and my hand started to shiver. I was about 300 feet away from them, I just started shooting like a mad man and my friends laughed as they watch the Puerto Rican boys each fall to the floor. One bullet for the pain I’ve dealt with for years. Another bullet is for the person I transformed into. The third bullet for the fears I never overcame. The next bullet is for some sort of peace and acceptance in my life. The last bullet is for the monster I will no longer be. I heard a loud scream; I stopped and saw Parker holding her heart as the blood profusely made puddles on the ground. I dropped the gun, opened the car door and ran to her. I held her in my arms, begging her to stay with me, I apologized for everything, I cried, I promised her I’d cross the bridge but she was almost lifeless, she tried to tell me something, but she struggled gagging up all that blood. She said “I…..”
“I what Parker, I what” I said
“I…….forgive...” she said, and before she was able to finish, she had no heartbeat. I stood up, head up, and walked away without a glance over my shoulders.

7th Draft- Story

Out of all the places to live, this was my town, Flower Mound, Texas. While every other part of Texas enjoyed the view of skyscrapers and busy streets, Flower Mound was filled with trees that grew too high for anyone to cut and everybody’s backyard looked like a jungle where no wild life or plants could live. It was around 3:30 in the morning when I found myself shuffling behind these bushes in Carlos’ backyard. I pulled the hoodie over my head and waved my hands signaling them boys to follow me. It was me, Dae-Dae, Danny, Scarface and Bucky and we were the cobras. I told Danny to take the hinges off the back door and walked into the house. He thought he was gonna get away with torching my car and shit like I was ready to put these last three bullets in his head. I walked across the hall, knocked over all his family pictures and kicked them to the corner. I knew his parents went on vacation but I sent the boys to check all the rooms just in case. I carried the gun in my right hand behind my back and put my left hand on his door knob and glanced back for a quick second.
I had promised her so many things as I had held her hands close to my heart for two years. Recently, I could feel her fingers slipping. Ever since my mom died, she tried her hardest to help me pick up the pieces of my life even though I was destroying I every footstep after another.

I removed my hand from the door knob and walked back through the back door.
“What’s going on Malcolm?” Dae Dae whispered to me.
“Why you staring into space for knowing we don’t even have the time for this bullshit? If you can’t do it, then I sure will cause I aint no punk.” Scarface said belligerently
“We leaving here, I can’t do this, come on’”! I said angrily
I took off my hoodie, stepped into the car and we pulled off the curb.

It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. That didn’t stop me from waiting in front of her door though. I rang her door bell, and it was almost as if she was waiting at the door, listening for me, she sprung out and I lifted her up. I always called her by her last name, parker but she’d always address herself as Rosa Parker. I kissed her on the forehead and held her hands as we glided through the rain. We always took these long ass walks talking bout’ the future and how she wanted to go to Harvard and all these bullshit Ivy League schools. I knew that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I mean, I was an average student and whatever but it was just a waste to spend all that time in school learning the same shit over and over again. I just hated sitting in those packed classrooms having some teacher shove useless information down my throat. I never told her this though, when she’d start talking, I’d just nod my head every five minutes or so while thinking about the life I wanna live. Whenever I was alone, I would blast the music in my room and think about the future. I would dream up the same thing over and over again; small house in Agrestic, this big town in Canada. I’d open my own shop, something like carpentry or some other trade. I’d have this beautiful wife who makes food like my ma did and have two kids. I loved the simplicity of it. One thing I’m always telling her though is that life is too short to dream up some perfect lifestyle we could never really live. For me, the American dream died when cancer took my mother and the government shoved me into some crappy ass foster home. We finally stopped at this bridge and sat on the grass. A couple minutes later, the rain stopped falling and I put my hands around her waist. She turned back and smiled. It wasn’t no regular smile though, it was one of those smiles that made you feel like aint no other troubles in the world. Me and Rosa, we would always sit by the bridge and just talk and watch the sun go down, and the sunset come up. She always wanted us to cross the bridge, but that was the only thing I was afraid of, crossing bridges. I always figured the other side of town would have nothing better to offer me than what I have here. I started to sing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and I took her hand and started dancing in circles. Suddenly, I felt a cold object pierce my temple and Rosa screamed out.
They slapped me with the gun.
“You think you was slick huh”
They kicked me in the knee
“Coming into my house and you aint do shit. You shoulda killed me when you had the chance.”
They pushed me to the tree with gun pointed to my heart.
“This aint over, next time we find you, we killing you and your girlfriend”
Walking away, they shoved Rosa to the ground and disappeared. Limping, as my blood dripped to floor, I tried helping her up. She turned away from me as the tears built up in her eyes. She started walking home, head down and in silence. I followed her, and pulled her hand and she spoke.
“You promised you’d stop that shit,” Parker yelled furiously
“It’s part of my life, I grew up this way and I can’t change that” I said reaching for her face
“So know my life is in jeopardy because you can’t do the right thing?”
“Babe, I’ll fix this, you’re not gonna die,”
“how? Kill him? I’m through with this” Parker said as she stormed off.
I clenched my teeth and yelled “why me?” I walked back and forth for about five minutes squeezing my fists so hard, my nails pierced my skin and I started to bleed even more.
The moon was shinning extremely bright tonight and I finally decided to walk home, face battered and heart unsteady. I walked a different route tonight, my mind was clogged, and I figured I’d use the time to think. I approached Jerome Ave and across the street was Mount Dale Cemetery. It was closed and I needed to go inside. I ran across the street, hopped over the cemetery gates and walked to the grave site. It was dark, and the light they had over the graves wasn’t enough to clearly find my way. Finally, I walked up to the big tree and my mom’s tombstone had a glow on it from the moon. I sat down in front of it and hugged it so tight as if it were a real person.
My mom had always told me every morning before leaving the house, “Start working on your president speeches” I’d laugh every time saying “Ma, ain’t no black boy from the hood making it into that white house, maybe I could clean it and that’s as far as I’m going.” Ma had always been so proud of me; she thought I was the smartest person she’d ever meet. Ever since dad went to jail for some drug shit, she had been my rock the whole time. I’d always tell her, momma, you crazy but your all I got and I love you.
One day we were home watching some old ass movie, she told me she was sick, and she’d have to be in the hospital for 6 months. She lied, she had one month to live and when she left me, I was mad. Not even a goodbye, no letter, no nothing. I came home one day, and my next door neighbor was in front of my door with tears in her eyes and sadly, I knew why.
I finally let go of her tomb stone realizing that the tears from my eyes soaked my clothes and slowly trickled down her name, Eva Richards. I needed answers, for the first time since her death I was out of option and I had no one. I left her grave site and walked home.
I heard a loud banging on my window and I stormed out the bed and my boys was yelling at me. Them Puerto Rican boys was looking for me and something had to be done. I dragged on my pants and a t-shirt. Pulled the hat over my head and shoved the gun into my back pocket then walked out the door. They lived by Parkers’ house and I was ready to put a bullet in all four of em’. Sitting in the back seat of the car, looking back to yesterday because I knew this might end badly. I needed to have no regrets after this, and I’d just run to another city, run away from problems and sadness, run away from what could have been, run away from that foster house, run away from life’s expectations, run away from ruined dreams, run away from discrimination, run away from death and run away from myself. As we approaching their block as I reached for the gun in my back pocket and placed in on my lap. I spotted them; I crouched down low, put my hand on the trigger and rolled down the window. They turned on the block, and I was ready, they were all on the sidewalk and I raised my gun just a little. I was nauseous at this point and my hand started to shiver. I was about 300 feet away from them, I just started shooting like a mad man and my friends laughed as they watch the Puerto Rican boys each fall to the floor. I heard a loud scream; I stopped and saw Rosa Parker holding her heart as the blood profusely made puddles on the ground. I dropped the gun, opened the car door and ran to her. I held her in my arms, begging her to stay with me, I apologized for everything, I cried, I promised her I’d cross the bridge but she was lifeless, she tried to tell me something, but her body wouldn’t allow her and she just bled to death.

6th Draft - Story

Out of all the places to live, this was my town, Flower Mound, Texas. While every other part of Texas enjoyed the view of skyscrapers and busy streets, Flower Mound was filled with trees that grew too high for anyone to cut and everybody’s backyard looked like a jungle where no wild life or plants could live. It was around 3:30 in the morning when I found myself shuffling behind these bushes in Carlos’ backyard. I pulled the hoodie over my head and waved my hands signaling them boys to follow me. It was me, Dae-Dae, Danny, Scarface and Bucky and we were the cobras. I told Danny to take the hinges off the back door and walked into the house. He thought he was gonna get away with torching my car and shit like I was ready to put these last three bullets in his head. I walked across the hall, knocked over all his family pictures and kicked them to the corner. I knew his parents went on vacation but I sent the boys to check all the rooms just in case. I carried the gun in my right hand behind my back and put my left hand on his door knob and glanced back for a quick second.
I had promised her so many things as I had held her hands close to my heart for two years. Recently, I could feel her fingers slipping. Ever since my mom died, she tried her hardest to help me pick up the pieces of my life even though I was destroying I every footstep after another.
I removed my hand from the door knob and walked back through the back door.
“What’s going on Malcolm?” Dae Dae whispered to me.
“Why you staring into space for knowing we don’t even have the time for this bullshit? If you can’t do it, then I sure will cause I aint no punk.” Scarface said belligerently
“We leaving here, I can’t do this, come on’”! I said angrily
I took off my hoodie, stepped into the car and we pulled off the curb.

It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. That didn’t stop me from waiting in front of her door though. I rang her door bell, and it was almost as if she was waiting at the door, listening for me, she sprung out and I lifted her up. I always called her by her last name, parker but she’d always address herself as Rosa Parker. I kissed her on the forehead and held her hands as we glided through the rain. We always took these long ass walks talking bout’ the future and how she wanted to go to Harvard and all these bullshit Ivy League schools. I knew that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I mean, I was an average student and whatever but it was just a waste to spend all that time in school learning the same shit over and over again. I just hated sitting in those packed classrooms having some teacher shove useless information down my throat. I never told her this though, when she’d start talking, I’d just nod my head every five minutes or so while thinking about the life I wanna live. Whenever I was alone, I would blast the music in my room and think about the future. I would dream up the same thing over and over again; small house in Agrestic, this big town in Canada. I’d open my own shop, something like carpentry or some other trade. I’d have this beautiful wife who makes food like my ma did and have two kids. I loved the simplicity of it. One thing I’m always telling her though is that life is too short to dream up some perfect lifestyle we could never really live. For me, the American dream died when cancer took my mother and the government shoved me into some crappy ass foster home. We finally stopped at this bridge and sat on the grass. A couple minutes later, the rain stopped falling and I put my hands around her waist. She turned back and smiled. It wasn’t no regular smile though, it was one of those smiles that made you feel like aint no other troubles in the world. Me and Rosa, we would always sit by the bridge and just talk and watch the sun go down, and the sunset come up. She always wanted us to cross the bridge, but that was the only thing I was afraid of, crossing bridges. I always figured the other side of town would have nothing better to offer me than what I have here. I started to sing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and I took her hand and started dancing in circles. Suddenly, I felt a cold object pierce my temple and Rosa screamed out.
They slapped me with the gun.
“You think you was slick huh”
They kicked me in the knee
“Coming into my house and you aint do shit. You shoulda killed me when you had the chance.”
They pushed me to the tree with gun pointed to my heart.
“This aint over, next time we find you, we killing you and your girlfriend”
Walking away, they shoved Rosa to the ground and disappeared. Limping, as my blood dripped to floor, I tried helping her up. She turned away from me as the tears built up in her eyes. She started walking home, head down and in silence. I followed her, and pulled her hand and she spoke.
“You promised you’d stop that shit,” Parker yelled furiously
“It’s part of my life, I grew up this way and I can’t change that” I said reaching for her face
“So know my life is in jeopardy because you can’t do the right thing?”
“Babe, I’ll fix this, you’re not gonna die,”
“how? Kill him? I’m through with this” Parker said as she stormed off.
I clenched my teeth and yelled “why me?” I walked back and forth for about five minutes squeezing my fists so hard, my nails pierced my skin and I started to bleed even more.
The moon was shinning extremely bright tonight and I finally decided to walk home, face battered and heart unsteady. I walked a different route tonight, my mind was clogged, and I figured I’d use the time to think. I approached Jerome Ave and across the street was Mount Dale Cemetery. It was closed and I needed to go inside. I ran across the street, hopped over the cemetery gates and walked to the grave site. It was dark, and the light they had over the graves wasn’t enough to clearly find my way. Finally, I walked up to the big tree and my mom’s tombstone had a glow on it from the moon. I sat down in front of it and hugged it so tight as if it were a real person.
My mom had always told me every morning before leaving the house, “Start working on your president speeches” I’d laugh every time saying “Ma, ain’t no black boy from the hood making it into that white house, maybe I could clean it and that’s as far as I’m going.” Ma had always been so proud of me; she thought I was the smartest person she’d ever meet. Ever since dad went to jail for some drug shit, she had been my rock the whole time. I’d always tell her, momma, you crazy but your all I got and I love you.
One day we were home watching some old ass movie, she told me she was sick, and she’d have to be in the hospital for 6 months. She lied, she had one month to live and when she left me, I was mad. Not even a goodbye, no letter, no nothing. I came home one day, and my next door neighbor was in front of my door with tears in her eyes and sadly, I knew why.
I finally let go of her tomb stone realizing that the tears from my eyes soaked my clothes and slowly trickled down her name, Eva Richards. I needed answers, for the first time since her death I was out of option and I had no one. I left her grave site and walked home.
I heard a loud banging on my window and I stormed out the bed and my boys was yelling at me. Them Puerto Rican boys was looking for me and something had to be done. I dragged on my pants and a t-shirt. Pulled the hat over my head and shoved the gun into my back pocket then walked out the door. They lived by Parkers’ house and I was ready to put a bullet in all four of em’. Sitting in the back seat of the car, looking back to yesterday because I knew this might end badly. I needed to have no regrets after this, and I’d just run to another city, run away from problems and sadness, run away from what could have been, run away from that foster house, run away from life’s expectations, run away from ruined dreams, run away from discrimination, run away from death and run away from myself. As we approaching their block as I reached for the gun in my back pocket and placed in on my lap. I spotted them; I crouched down low, put my hand on the trigger and rolled down the window. They turned on the block, and I was ready, they were all on the sidewalk and I raised my gun just a little. I was nauseous at this point and my hand started to shiver. I was about 300 feet away from them, I just started shooting like a mad man and my friends laughed as they watch the Puerto Rican boys each fall to the floor. I heard a loud scream; I stopped and saw Rosa Parker holding her heart as the blood profusely made puddles on the ground. I dropped the gun, opened the car door and ran to her. I held her in my arms, begging her to stay with me, I apologized for everything, I cried, I promised her I’d cross the bridge but she was lifeless, she tried to tell me something, but her body wouldn’t allow her and she just bled to death.

5th draft- story

It was around 3:30 in the morning when I found myself shuffling behind these bushes in his Coolio’s backyard. Out of all the places to live, this was my town, Flower Mound, Texas. While every other part of Texas enjoyed the view of skyscrapers and busy streets, Flower Mound was filled with trees that grew too high for anyone to cut and everybody’s backyard looked like a jungle where no wild life or plants could live. I pulled the hoodie over my head and waved my hands signaling them boys to follow me. It was me, Dae-Dae, Danny, Scarface and Bucky and we were the cobras. I told Danny to take the hinges off the back door and walked into the house. He thought he was gonna get away with torching my car and shit like I was ready to put these last three bullets in his head. I walked across the hall, knocked over all his family pictures and kicked them to the corner. I knew his parents went on vacation but I sent the boys to check all the rooms just in case. I carried the gun in my right hand behind my back and put my left hand on his door knob and glanced back for a quick second.
I had promised her so many things as I held her hands close to my heart for two years I had held unto her heart in glass case and recently I could feel my fingers slipping. Ever since mom died, she tried her hardest to help me pick up the pieces of my life even though I was destroying it.
I removed my hand from the door knob and walked back through the back door.
“What’s going on Malcolm?” Dae Dae whispered to me.
“Why you staring into space for knowing we don’t even have the time for this bullshit? If you can’t do it, then I sure will cause I aint no punk.” Scarface said belligerently
“We leaving here, I can’t do this, come on’”! I said angrily
I took off my hoodie, stepped into the car and we pulled off the curb.

It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. That didn’t stop me from waiting in front of her door though. I rang her door bell, and it was almost as if she was waiting at the door, listening for me, she sprung out and I lifted her up. I always called by her last name, parker but she’d always address herself as Rosa Parker. I kissed her on the forehead and held her hands as we glided through the rain. We always took these long ass walks talking bout’ the future and how she wanted to go to Harvard and all these bullshit Ivy League schools. I always told her that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I mean, I was an average student and whatever but it was just a waste to spend all that time in school learning the same shit over and over again. I just hated sitting in those packed classrooms having some teacher shove useless information down my throat. I never told her this though, when she’d start talking, I’d just nod my head every five minutes or so while thinking about the life I wanna live. One thing I’m always telling her though is that life is too short to dream up some perfect lifestyle we could never really live. For me, the American dream died when cancer took my mother and the government shoved me into some crappy ass foster home. We finally stopped at this bridge and sat on the grass. A couple minutes later, the rain stopped falling and I put my hands around her waist. She turned back and smiled. It wasn’t no regular smile though, it was one of those smiles that made you feel like aint no other troubles in the world. Me and Rosa, we would always sit by the bridge and just talk and watch the sun go down, and the sunset come up. She always wanted us to cross the bridge, but that was the only thing I was afraid of, crossing bridges. I always figured the other side of town would have nothing better to offer me than what I have here. I started to sing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and I took her hand and started dancing in circles. Suddenly, I felt a cold object pierce my temple and Rosa screamed out.
They slapped me with the gun.
“You think you was slick huh”
They kicked me in the knee
“Coming into my house and you aint do shit. You shoulda killed me when you had the chance.”
They pushed me to the tree with gun pointed to my heart.
“This aint over, next time we find you, we killing you and your girlfriend”
Walking away, they shoved Rosa to the ground and disappeared. Limping, as my blood dripped to floor, I tried helping her up. She turned away from me as the tears built up in her eyes. She started walking home, head down and in silence. I followed her, and pulled her hand and she spoke.
“You promised you’d stop that shit,” Parker yelled furiously
“It’s part of my life, I grew up this way and I can’t change that” I said reaching for her face
“So know my life is in jeopardy because you can’t do the right thing?”
“Babe, I’ll fix this, you’re not gonna die,”
“how? Kill him? I’m through with this” Parker said as she stormed off.
I clenched my teeth and yelled “why me?” I walked back and forth for about five minutes squeezing my fists so hard, my nails pierced my skin and I started to bleed even more.
The moon was shinning extremely bright tonight and I finally decided to walk home, face battered and heart unsteady. I walked a different route tonight, my mind was clogged, and I figured I’d use the time to think. I approached Jerome Ave and across the street was Mount Dale Cemetery. It was closed and I needed to go inside. I ran across the street, hopped over the cemetery gates and walked to the grave site. It was dark, and the light they had over the graves wasn’t enough to clearly find my way. Finally, I walked up to the big tree and my mom’s tombstone had a glow on it from the moon. I sat down in front of it and hugged it so tight as if it were a real person.
My mom had always told me every morning before leaving the house, “Start working on your president speeches” I’d laugh every time saying “Ma, ain’t no black boy from the hood making it into that white house, maybe I could clean it and that’s as far as I’m going.” Ma had always been so proud of me; she thought I was the smartest person she’d ever meet. Ever since dad went to jail for some drug shit, she had been my rock the whole time. I’d always tell her, momma, you crazy but your all I got and I love you.
One day we were home watching some old ass movie, she told me she was sick, and she’d have to be in the hospital for 6 months. She lied, she had one month to live and when she left me, I was mad. Not even a goodbye, no letter, no nothing. I came home one day, and my next door neighbor was in front of my door with tears in her eyes and sadly, I knew why.
I finally let go of her tomb stone realizing that the tears from my eyes soaked my clothes and slowly trickled down her name, Eva Richards. I needed answers, for the first time since her death I was out of option and I had no one. I left her grave site and walked home.
I heard a loud banging on my window and I stormed out the bed and my boys was yelling at me. Them Puerto Rican boys was looking for me and something had to be done. I dragged on my pants and a t-shirt. Pulled the hat over my head and shoved the gun into my back pocket then walked out the door. They lived by Parkers’ house and I was ready to put a bullet in all four of em’. Sitting in the back seat of the car, looking back to yesterday because I knew this might end badly. I needed to have no regrets after this, and I’d just run to another city, run away from problems and sadness, run away from what could have been, run away from that foster house, run away from life’s expectations, run away from ruined dreams, run away from discrimination, run away from death and run away from myself. As we approaching their block as I reached for the gun in my back pocket and placed in on my lap. I spotted them; I crouched down low, put my hand on the trigger and rolled down the window. They turned on the block, and I was ready, they were all on the sidewalk and I raised my gun just a little. I was nauseous at this point and my hand started to shiver. I was about 300 feet away from them, I just started shooting like a mad man and my friends laughed as they watch the Puerto Rican boys each fall to the floor. I heard a loud scream; I stopped and saw Rosa Parker holding her heart as the blood profusely made puddles on the ground. I dropped the gun, opened the car door and ran to her. I held her in my arms, begging her to stay with me, I apologized for everything, I cried, I promised her I’d cross the bridge but she was lifeless, she tried to tell me something, but her body wouldn’t allow her and she just bled to death.

4th Draft-Story

It was around 3:30 in the morning when I found myself shuffling behind these bushes in his backyard. I pulled the hoodie over my head and waved my hands signaling them boys to follow me. It was me, Dae-Dae, Danny, Scarface and Bucky and we were the Cobras. I told Danny to take the hinges off the back door and walked into the house. He thought he was gonna get away with torching my car and shit like I was ready to put these last three bullets in his head. I walked across the hall, knocked over all his family pictures and kicked them to the corner. I knew his parents went on vacation but I sent the boys to check all the rooms just in case. I carried the gun in my right hand behind my back and put my left hand on his door knob and glanced back for a quick second. I had promised her so many things as I held her hands close to my heart. For two years, I had held unto her heart in glass case and recently I could feel my fingers slipping. I removed my hand from the door knob and walked back through the back door.
“What’s going on man?” Dae Dae whispered.
“What we doing out here?” Scarface said belligerently
“We leaving here, I can’t do this, come on’”! I said angrily
I took off my hoodie, stepped into the car and we pulled off the curb.
It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. That didn’t stop me from waiting in front of her door though. I rang her door bell, and it was almost as if she was waiting at the door, listening for me, she sprung out and I lifted her up. I always called by her last name, parker but she’d always address herself as Rosa Parker. I kissed her on the forehead and held her hands as we glided through the rain. We always took these long ass walks talking bout’ the future and how she wanted to go to Harvard and all these bullshit Ivy League schools. I always told her that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I mean, I was an average student and whatever but it was just a waste to spend all that time in school learning the same shit over and over again. I just hated sitting in those packed classrooms having some teacher shove useless information down my throat. I never told her this though, when she’d start talking, I’d just nod my head every five minutes or so while thinking about the life I wanna live. One thing I’m always telling her though is that life is too short to dream up some perfect lifestyle we could never really live. For me, the American dream died when cancer took my mother and the government shoved me into some crappy ass foster home. We finally stopped at this bridge and sat on the grass. A couple minutes later, the rain stopped falling and I put my hands around her waist. She turned back and smiled. It wasn’t no regular smile though, it was one of those smiles that made you feel like aint no other troubles in the world. Me and Rosa, we would always sit by the bridge and just talk and watch the sun go down, and the sunset come up. She always wanted us to cross the bridge, but that was the only thing I was afraid of, crossing bridges. I always figured the other side of town would have nothing better to offer me than what I have here. I started to sing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and I took her hand and started dancing in circles. Suddenly, I felt a cold object pierce my temple and Rosa screamed out.
They slapped me with the gun.
“You think you was slick huh”
They kicked me in the knee
“Coming into my house and you aint do shit. You shoulda killed me when you had the chance.”
They pushed me to the tree with gun pointed to my heart.
“This aint over, next time we find you, we killing you and your girlfriend”
Walking away, they shoved Rosa to the ground and disappeared. Limping, as my blood dripped to floor, I tried helping her up. She turned away from me as the tears built up in her eyes. She started walking home, head down and in silence. I followed her, and pulled her hand and she spoke.
“You promised you’d stop that shit,” Parker yelled furiously
“It’s part of my life, I grew up this way and I can’t change that” I said reaching for her face
“So know my life is in jeopardy because you can’t do the right thing?”
“Babe, I’ll fix this, you’re not gonna die,”
“how? Kill him? I’m through with this” Parker said as she stormed off.
I clenched my teeth and yelled “why me?” I walked back and forth for about five minutes squeezing my fists so hard, my nails pierced my skin and I started to bleed even more.
The moon was shinning extremely bright tonight and I finally decided to walk home, face battered and heart unsteady. I walked a different route tonight, my mind was clogged, and I figured I’d use the time to think. I approached Jerome Ave and across the street was Mount Dale Cemetery. It was closed and I needed to go inside. I ran across the street, hopped over the cemetery gates and walked to the grave site. It was dark, and the light they had over the graves wasn’t enough to clearly find my way. Finally, I walked up to the big tree and my mom’s tombstone had a glow on it from the moon. I sat down in front of it and hugged it so tight as if it were a real person.
My mom had always told me every morning before leaving the house, “Start working on your president speeches” I’d laugh every time saying “Ma, ain’t no black boy from the hood making it into that white house, maybe I could clean it and that’s as far as I’m going.” Ma had always been so proud of me; she thought I was the smartest person she’d ever meet. Ever since dad went to jail for some drug shit, she had been my rock the whole time. I’d always tell her, momma, you crazy but your all I got and I love you.
One day we were home watching some old ass movie, she told me she was sick, and she’d have to be in the hospital for 6 months. She lied, she had one month to live and when she left me, I was mad. Not even a goodbye, no letter, no nothing. I came home one day, and my next door neighbor was in front of my door with tears in her eyes and sadly, I knew why.
I finally let go of her tomb stone realizing that the tears from my eyes soaked my clothes and slowly trickled down her name, Eva Richards. I needed answers, for the first time since her death I was out of option and I had no one. I left her grave site and walked home.
I heard a loud banging on my window and I stormed out the bed and my boys was yelling at me. Them Puerto Rican boys was looking for me and something had to be done. I dragged on my pants and a t-shirt. Pulled the hat over my head and shoved the gun into my back pocket then walked out the door. They lived by Parkers’ house and I was ready to put a bullet in all four of em’. Sitting in the back seat of the car, looking back to yesterday because I knew this might end badly. I needed to have no regrets after this, and I’d just run to another city, run away from problems and sadness, run away from what could have been, run away from that foster house, run away from life’s expectations, run away from ruined dreams, run away from discrimination, run away from death and run away from myself. As we approaching their block as I reached for the gun in my back pocket and placed in on my lap. I spotted them; I crouched down low, put my hand on the trigger and rolled down the window. They turned on the block, and I was ready, they were all on the sidewalk and I raised my gun just a little. I was nauseous at this point and my hand started to shiver. I was about 300 feet away from them, I just started shooting like a mad man and my friends laughed as they watch the Puerto Rican boys each fall to the floor. I heard a loud scream; I stopped and saw Rosa Parker holding her heart as the blood profusely made puddles on the ground. I dropped the gun, opened the car door and ran to her. I held her in my arms, begging her to stay with me, I apologized for everything, I cried, I promised her I’d cross the bridge but she was lifeless, she tried to tell me something, but her body wouldn’t allow her and she just bled to death.

3rd Draft -Story

It was around 3:30 in the morning when I found myself shuffling behind these bushes in his backyard. I pulled the hoodie over my head and waved my hands signaling them boys to follow me. It was me, Dae-Dae, Danny, Scarface and Bucky and we were the Cobras. I told Danny to take the hinges off the back door and walked into the house. He thought he was gonna get away with torching my car and shit like I was ready to put these last three bullets in his head. I walked across the hall, knocked over all his family pictures and kicked them to the corner. I knew his parents went on vacation but I sent the boys to check all the rooms just in case. I carried the gun in my right hand behind my back and put my left hand on his door knob and glanced back for a quick second. I had promised her so many things as I held her hands close to my heart. For two years, I had held unto her heart in glass case and recently I could feel my fingers slipping. I removed my hand from the door knob and walked back through the back door.
“What’s going on man?” Dae Dae whispered.
“What we doing out here?” Scarface said belligerently
“We leaving here, I can’t do this, come on’”! I said angrily
I took off my hoodie, stepped into the car and we pulled off the curb.
It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. That didn’t stop me from waiting in front of her door though. I rang her door bell, and it was almost as if she was waiting at the door, listening for me, she sprung out and I lifted her up. I always called by her last name, parker but she’d always address herself as Rosa Parker. I kissed her on the forehead and held her hands as we glided through the rain. We always took these long ass walks talking bout’ the future and how she wanted to go to Harvard and all these bullshit Ivy League schools. I always told her that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I mean, I was an average student and whatever but it was just a waste to spend all that time in school learning the same shit over and over again. I just hated sitting in those packed classrooms having some teacher shove useless information down my throat. I never told her this though, when she’d start talking, I’d just nod my head every five minutes or so while thinking about the life I wanna live. One thing I’m always telling her though is that life is too short to dream up some perfect lifestyle we could never really live. For me, the American dream died when cancer took my mother and the government shoved me into some crappy ass foster home. We finally stopped at this bridge and sat on the grass. A couple minutes later, the rain stopped falling and I put my hands around her waist. She turned back and smiled. It wasn’t no regular smile though, it was one of those smiles that made you feel like aint no other troubles in the world. Me and Rosa, we would always sit by the bridge and just talk and watch the sun go down, and the sunset come up. She always wanted us to cross the bridge, but that was the only thing I was afraid of, crossing bridges. I always figured the other side of town would have nothing better to offer me than what I have here. I started to sing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and I took her hand and started dancing in circles. Suddenly, I felt a cold object pierce my temple and Rosa screamed out.
They slapped me with the gun.
“You think you was slick huh”
They kicked me in the knee
“Coming into my house and you aint do shit. You shoulda killed me when you had the chance.”
They pushed me to the tree with gun pointed to my heart.
“This aint over, next time we find you, we killing you and your girlfriend”
Walking away, they shoved Rosa to the ground and disappeared. Limping, as my blood dripped to floor, I tried helping her up. She turned away from me as the tears built up in her eyes. She started walking home, head down and in silence. I followed her, and pulled her hand and she spoke.
“You promised you’d stop that shit,” Parker yelled furiously
“It’s part of my life, I grew up this way and I can’t change that” I said reaching for her face
“So know my life is in jeopardy because you can’t do the right thing?”
“Babe, I’ll fix this, you’re not gonna die,”
“how? Kill him? I’m through with this” Parker said as she stormed off.
I clenched my teeth and yelled “why me?” I walked back and forth for about five minutes squeezing my fists so hard, my nails pierced my skin and I started to bleed even more.
The moon was shinning extremely bright tonight and I finally decided to walk home, face battered and heart unsteady. I walked a different route tonight, my mind was clogged, and I figured I’d use the time to think. I approached Jerome Ave and across the street was Mount Dale Cemetery. It was closed and I needed to go inside. I ran across the street, hopped over the cemetery gates and walked to the grave site. It was dark, and the light they had over the graves wasn’t enough to clearly find my way. Finally, I walked up to the big tree and my mom’s tombstone had a glow on it from the moon. I sat down in front of it and hugged it so tight as if it were a real person.
My mom had always told me every morning before leaving the house, “Start working on your president speeches” I’d laugh every time saying “Ma, ain’t no black boy from the hood making it into that white house, maybe I could clean it and that’s as far as I’m going.” Ma had always been so proud of me; she thought I was the smartest person she’d ever meet. Ever since dad went to jail for some drug shit, she had been my rock the whole time. I’d always tell her, momma, you crazy but your all I got and I love you.
One day we were home watching some old ass movie, she told me she was sick, and she’d have to be in the hospital for 6 months. She lied, she had one month to live and when she left me, I was mad. Not even a goodbye, no letter, no nothing. I came home one day, and my next door neighbor was in front of my door with tears in her eyes and sadly, I knew why.
I finally let go of her tomb stone realizing that the tears from my eyes soaked my clothes and slowly trickled down her name, Eva Richards. I needed answers, for the first time since her death I was out of option and I had no one. I left her grave site and walked home.
I heard a loud banging on my window and I stormed out the bed and my boys was yelling at me. Them Puerto Rican boys was looking for me and something had to be done. I dragged on my pants and a t-shirt. Pulled the hat over my head and shoved the gun into my back pocket then walked out the door.

2nd draft-story

It was around 3:30 in the morning when I found myself shuffling behind these bushes in his backyard. I pulled the hoodie over my head and waved my hands signaling them boys to follow me. It was me, Dae-Dae, Danny, Scarface and Bucky and we were the Cobras. I told Danny to take the hinges off the back door and walked into the house. He thought he was gonna get away with torching my car and shit like I was ready to put these last three bullets in his head. I walked across the hall, knocked over all his family pictures and kicked them to the corner. I knew his parents went on vacation but I sent the boys to check all the rooms just in case. I carried the gun in my right hand behind my back and put my left hand on his door knob and glanced back for a quick second. I had promised her so many things as I held her hands close to my heart. For two years, I had held unto her heart in glass case and recently I could feel my fingers slipping. I removed my hand from the door knob and walked back through the back door.
“What’s going on man?” Dae Dae whispered.
“What we doing out here?” Scarface said belligerently
“We leaving here, I can’t do this, come on’”! I said angrily
I took off my hoodie, stepped into the car and we pulled off the curb.
It was around Mid-day and the clouds cried all morning, the fogs wouldn't rest and the frigid temperatures made the day extremely gloomy. That didn’t stop me from waiting in front of her door though. I rang her door bell, and it was almost as if she was waiting at the door, listening for me, she sprung out and I lifted her up. I always called by her last name, parker but she’d always address herself as Rosa Parker. I kissed her on the forehead and held her hands as we glided through the rain. We always took these long ass walks talking bout’ the future and how she wanted to go to Harvard and all these bullshit Ivy League schools. I always told her that lifestyle wasn’t for me. I mean, I was an average student and whatever but it was just a waste to spend all that time in school learning the same shit over and over again. I just hated sitting in those packed classrooms having some teacher shove useless information down my throat. I never told her this though, when she’d start talking, I’d just nod my head every five minutes or so while thinking about the life I wanna live. One thing I’m always telling her though is that life is too short to dream up some perfect lifestyle we could never really live. For me, the American dream died when cancer took my mother and the government shoved me into some crappy ass foster home. We finally stopped at this bridge and sat on the grass. A couple minutes later, the rain stopped falling and I put my hands around her waist. She turned back and smiled. It wasn’t no regular smile though, it was one of those smiles that made you feel like aint no other troubles in the world. Me and Rosa, we would always sit by the bridge and just talk and watch the sun go down, and the sunset come up. She always wanted us to cross the bridge, but that was the only thing I was afraid of, crossing bridges. I always figured the other side of town would have nothing better to offer me than what I have here. I started to sing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and I took her hand and started dancing in circles. Suddenly, I felt a cold object pierce my temple and Rosa screamed out.
They slapped me with the gun.
“You think you was slick huh”
They kicked me in the knee
“Coming into my house and you aint do shit. You shoulda killed me when you had the chance.”
They pushed me to the tree with gun pointed to my heart.
“This aint over, next time we find you, we killing you and your girlfriend”
Walking away, they shoved Rosa to the ground and disappeared. Limping, as my blood dripped to floor, I tried helping her up. She turned away from me as the tears built up in her eyes. She started walking home, head down and in silence. I followed her, and pulled her hand and she spoke.
“You promised you’d stop that shit,” Parker yelled furiously
“It’s part of my life, I grew up this way and I can’t change that” I said reaching for her face
“So know my life is in jeopardy because you can’t do the right thing?”
“Babe, I’ll fix this, you’re not gonna die,”
“how? Kill him? I’m through with this” Parker said as she stormed off.
I clenched my teeth and yelled “why me?” I walked back and forth for about five minutes squeezing my fists so hard, my nails pierced my skin and I started to bleed even more.

1st draft - fiction story-not full, where I first started

I jumped out the bed, threw on some Levis, a white shirt and walked out the door with my North Face book bag on my right shoulder. The sun stroked my face on every footstep as I ran to the tree across the street. I stood there waiting for her. The smile on my face widened as she approached me, Diamond was what I called her.