𝐀 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐠'𝐬 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 | 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 1

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 7 - Violence and Handsomeness

💜✨♕︎  𝐉𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐬𝐨𝐧  ♕︎✨💜

“Look at you looking all dolled up and ready for school. What a beautiful granddaughter I was blessed with,” Dorothy smiled affectionately and proudly, she blinked a few times and sniffed as tears pooled in her eyes. “You're so beautiful it hurts to look at you. It's a pity your parents were alcoholics who hardly looked after you and your brothers.”

“Grandma, don't cry,” I hugged her, inhaling her ivory soap scent. “At least I'm here and I'm okay.”

“Sadly, your elder brothers perished in those menacing flames, even sadder it took the lives of your parents, but there's a bright side to this. If you had grown up there, you'd probably end up like that friend of yours,” she looked away and hit her head several times. “Lord, I think I'mma need me a new weave. I think there are lice in this one.”

I knew who she was talking about but didn't say anything, she does have a point. Knowing that my family isn't alive anymore is heartbreaking, but the community I was born in is the slummiest of slums and the guys there prey on young girls as if they get paid for it. Even though Blood City ain't much better than my old community in terms of violence, this place is bearable – all you have to do is keep your mouth shut and avoid people.

“Sweetheart, go to school before it's too late. And remember, study hard. Education is the key to success. Don't end up like all these other girls,” she licked her left thumb as she looked at me. “Come here, your eyebrows are looking a little messy.”

“Grandma, I'm not a kid,” I try to avoid it but she smooths them out with her thumb anyway.

She looked me up and down. “But you are short.”

“Ma!” I exclaimed with my mouth wide open and hands on my hips. “You know what, I'm going to school. I ain't gon' stand here and let you insult me. I'm short and I'm proud.”

“You're short and you're thick as hell,” she used her walking stick to lightly hit my ass, causing it to jiggle. “You take after me 'cause God knows your mom was a stick.”

“Grandma!” I fold my arms. “Can you stop?”

“Get out of my house, go on!” she hit me harder while laughing. “You're gonna be late little miss!”

I kissed her on the cheek and hugged her again before grabbing my bag with my water bottle on the right side. I rush out of the house and through the gate, once outside I closed it and met Grandma at the veranda watching me with a heartwarming smile plastered on her face. She waved at me and I waved back before turning left to begin the trek to school.

There's an important English exam I'll be doing today, I don't want to miss it. This test can lift my grades, which means the chances of getting a scholarship to a proper universe, like Purdue or Harvard, would be increased significantly. But as I keep walking and feel the sudden thick tension in the air – as if something bad is about to happen – I don't think I'll make it to school today. Just like I'd predicted, a man burst from one of the lanes on my left and I freeze on the sidewalk. Almost getting a heart attack from the fright it gave me.

He's running while holding up his pants, three other men burst out with guns in their hands pointed at the fleeing man's head and back. Gunshots explode like thunder and in seconds the man was on the floor, screaming in agonizing pain before he begins choking on the blood in his mouth and coughing it onto the asphalt.

“What the hell...” I whispered under my breath, backing up to the wall.

The men whipped out long silver knives with black handles and begin stabbing the man until he was no longer moving. He died with his eyes wide open, a grimace on his face to show the immense pain he was in before he passed. Once they were certain he was lifeless, the three men turned – attempting to flee but saw me. My heart launched into my throat.