text: Black Ghost Losers Never Win 
   
   
   Chapter 1 
   In the southern half of American was a town called Lake City. There, lived a Caucasian teenage male named Cain Barras. He was seventeen-year-old, 5’10” and had spiky dark blonde hair. He spent almost his entire life in group-homes for abused and neglected children. 
               Cain tends to have a problem with his temper, which caused him to get evicted from several homes in the past. At thirteen years old he was sentenced to two years in a juvenile detention center to ‘adjust’ his behavior. Unfortunately his jail sentence did little for his attitude, except make it worst. 
               
     
               Cain stood in front of another teenager named Marco in the bedroom of their group home. Marco had blood dripping down the side of his mouth from a busted lip. Cain balled his fist, ready to strike Marco when a short kid named Denis jumped on his back. Cain took hold of Denis and flung him to the ground violently. 
               With his attention on Denis, Cain didn’t see Marco get up and rush him. Marco tried to tackle Cain, but couldn’t bring him to the ground. Cain grabbed Marco by the shirt, punched him in the right side of his face, and shoved him back to the floor. By this time Denis was on his feet. He ran at Cain, getting greeted by a set of hard knuckles to the nose. 
               Watching Denis fall on the hardwood floor Cain grinned on the inside. He wiped the sweat from his brow, leaving a few drops of blood on his face from his bruises hands. Cain saw that Denis was finished, so he went to Marco to take his victory. Cain stood over his defeated rival, and started kicking him in the stomach fiercely. 
               “Cain! Cain!” Mrs. Linda, the home supervisor shouted. She snatched him by the arm, but was throw off. 
               “Get off me!” Cain yelled, continuing his assault. Mr. Wallace ran in the room shortly after, locking eyes with Cain. 
               “Cain … that’s enough…” Mr. Wallace said. Cain clenched his teeth in anger and faced Mr. Wallace. He wanted to attack him as well, but experienced his hand to hand training once before. Mr. Wallace walked to Cain slowly, pulling out a set of handcuffs. “You know the drill.” 
               Cain kept his eyes on Mr. Wallace as he moved closer. He clutched his fists, breathing hard. His anxiety pumped excess energy through his body and his mind began to think irrationally. Once Mr. Wallace got within striking distance, Cain took a swing at him. 
               Mr. Wallace caught Cain’s arm and twisted it back, causing Cain to fall on one knee. The fire in Cain’s eyes still burned, so Mr. Wallace tightened his grip, increasing the pain. He wasn’t going to let go until Cain gave in, which he eventually did. 
     
               An hour later, Cain was sitting in Mrs. Linda’s office in a pair of tight handcuffs. Mrs. Linda sat in her chair looking stressed and aggravated. She was writing on a piece of paper in pen. When she finished, she dropped the pen and stared Cain in the eyes. 
               “Cain… I’m sorry, but your stay here is up,” she told him. Cain kept his gaze to the ground, still angry from earlier. “Your too much of a liability to yourself and to the others,” he sucked his teeth to her statement. 
               “Liability huh?” Cain said, not believing her. 
               “Yes Cain, a liability. You can not continue to do what your doing. You can’t fight your way through life, you’ll end up in jail, or worse...” Mrs. Linda felt sorry for him despite his actions. She felt sorry for all the teens here, which was why she took the job. She wanted to make a difference in their lives, but Cain proved to be a little too much for her. “Cain, look. I know what you’ve been through, and I know how you feel… It’s not easy to…” 
               “You don’t know shit about me,” Cain interrupted. “Not, jack, shit.” he lifted his head and stared her hard in the eyes. 
               Mrs. Linda sighed and straightened her papers. “Cain, your lucky I’m not pressing charges on you,” She informed, changing the subject. “With that being said, I’m going to make some calls and see if we can find you somewhere else to live, but until then, you ‘Can Not’ stay here another night…” After Mrs. Linda finished her sentence a police officer walked into the room. He glanced down at Cain. “So, you’ll be going with Officer James until we can find you a new home,” Officer James used his head to motion for Cain to get up. 
               “Com’ on, time to go,” Officer James said. Cain got up from his seat and crept to the door, stopping in the doorway. 
               He glanced back at Mrs. Linda. “Thanks…” he said coldly. “For nothin’.” 
     
     
     
               Two hours later Cain was being escorted down the hall of the River county jail. He wore a dark green two-piece jail outfit with brown open toe sandals. The correction officer led him to cell block-C and punched in his code. The door opened and they walked into a large room that held two floors of close door jail cells. 
               “Aye! Open cell 29!” the correctional officer yelled at the other guard. Cain looked up and heard the cell door unlock. The correctional officer nodded to let him know he could go to his room. 
               Cain clenched his jaw, and headed up the stairs. He opened the door and flung the sack that carried his bed sheets, toothpaste, and toothbrush on the floor. After he fully entered the cell he shut the door, hearing it lock behind him. 
               His cellmate was lying in bed staring at the ceiling. He was a black male who seemed to be in his middle twenties. “What up man?” the guy said, looking at Cain. 
               “Nothin’,” Cain shot back, glancing around the small amount of living space. He was so upset and angry that he didn’t even make his bed. He just laid down on the mattress, and got ready for a restless night. 
   
   
   
   Chapter 2 
   On the western part of Lake City was a sixteen-year-old African American female named Serena Woods. Serena’s not too tall standing at 5’4”. She has braided hair, brown skin, and dark lost eyes. She was walking from the corner store with her arms folded, looking uncomfortable. 
               Serena headed down the sidewalk with her head titled to the ground. She would constantly glance around; feeling like someone was following her. It seemed as if the people on the street were staring at her, and that made Serena’s heart race. 
               She stopped at a street crossing, keeping her head lowered. When a man came behind her she jumped on the inside and spun around, gazing at him with sketchy eyes. The man saw that he frightened her and nodded, flashing a harmless smile. 
               “Sorry,” he apologized. Serena didn’t reply. She turned back around and exhaled on the inside. 
               When the walk light came on, Serena moved rather briskly. She reached the final blocks that led to the group home that raised her. Coming closer to her building, she saw five other girls that lived there on the porch steps. From the looks of things it was Stephanie and her gang. 
               Serena’s group home was composed of eight females from ages twelve to eighteen. The toughest female there was Stephanie. She was a taller dark skin teen who had long micro braids and a bad attitude. Stephanie had a team of girls who followed her every command. If you weren’t apart of their pack then you were prey, and that’s exactly what Serena was.  
               Serena finally reached her home and stopped walking. She moved her eyes to Stephanie who stood strong with her clan behind her. Stephanie grinned when Serena tried to walk around her. 
               “Where you goin’ ‘whore-ena’?” Stephanie mocked, purposely mispronouncing Serena’s name. 
               “Too my room,” Serena murmured, keeping her eyes lowered. She walked to the door, having to bump through the group. Stephanie watched her entered the house with a look of disgust on her face. 
               “I can’t stand that trick,” Stephanie growled, balling her fists. 
               When Serena got to her room, she took out her cheap mp3 player and sat on the bed Indian style. She didn’t have that many songs on her player, but the ones she did have never got old to her. Serena pressed play and turned the volume up. A small smile began to grow on her face as she bobbed her head to the music. 
               Every since childhood, music has had a special effect on her. Serena stayed in a constant depressed state, but whenever she would play her music, it soothed her. Sometimes, she would actually feel like everything would be okay. 
               While listening to her music, Serena started to quietly sing along. She was so into what she was doing that she didn’t notice her door crack open. Stephanie crept inside the room silently with the rest of her group. She saw Serena on the bed seemingly happy, and it sickened her to the stomach. 
               “Aye Whore-ena!” Stephanie barked, stepping further into the room. Serena heard something and pulled the ear buds out of her ears. The short smile on her face instantly faded. 
               “… What?” Serena timidly asked. 
               “Shut… up,” Stephanie retorted, walking closer to her. “Don’t nobody wanna hear yo ugly ass voice.” Serena turned her head from her rival, staring at the wooden floorboards. Stephanie got in her face and knelt down to her level. “Look at me when I’m talkin’ to you!” she exclaimed, grabbing her face by the cheeks. Serena knocked her hands away. “lil’ ass girl, I outta beat yo ass…” 
               Serena wanted to say something, but couldn’t muster the courage. She felt weak, and feeble. Not to mention that any word from her mouth would probably result in a group assault. 
               Stephanie towered over Serena, waiting for an excuse to hit her. But Serena stayed quiet, and that further angered Stephanie. Just the sight of Serena sitting still flared the hatred in her Stephanie’s heart. 
               “Get up,” Stephanie commanded, not able to hold her anger any longer. “Get yo ass up!”  Serena cooperated and slowly stood to her feet. The other girls surrounded her like a pack hyenas. Stephanie locked eyes with her victim, seeing the sadness that lies within. “You think you betta’ than somebody huh?” She turned her ear to Serena as if she were waiting to hear an answer. “Huh?” Serena remained silent, growing on Stephanie’s nerves. 
               “It’s 4:30!” a loud female voice echoed from the hallway. “Ya’ll Girls get down here! Time for work!” It was the head lady of the group home, Ms. Andrews. “Girls!” 
               Stephanie gritted her teeth, staring at Serena. “You got lucky this time, whore-ena,” Stephanie hissed. She turned around and led her gang out of the room. 
               “Girls get down here now!” 
               Serena remained still for a little while, and then placed her belongings in the drawers. It was time to go to work at the thrift store. They didn’t get paid too well for their service, but it was better than nothing. The idea behind the whole job ‘thing’ was to help them by helping society. The concept of it was good, even if it didn’t actually work. 
     
               By the time Serena’s shift was over it was 10:00pm. In their group home that meant lights out. All of the other girls had taken their showers for the day except Serena. She always took the last shower so she could, ‘get away’. 
               Serena sat on the toilet in the bathroom dripping wet and wrapped in a towel. The shower water was still running to give the illusion that she was still washing herself. She did this so she could hide what she was really doing; smoking heroin. 
               She placed the tar like drug on a piece of aluminum foil, and sparked a flame underneath it with her lighter. As the drug began to heat up, Serena whipped out a straw and put in her mouth. She inhaled the smoke that leaked from the foil into her lungs. 
               Serena hadn’t always been into drugs like this. Only recently had she begun her use of heroin. She did so because everything else wasn’t strong enough to ease the inner pain that ate at her very existence. It started with smoking weed at age twelve. She enjoyed the feeling it gave her. The high from marijuana would take her away from the past that haunts her day and night. But one day she woke up, and marijuana wasn’t enough. So then she tired popping pills. Sleeping pills, Nyquil, codeine, all of it. Like weed, it worked, but her nightmarish memories would always bare its ugly face moments after the high dissipated. 
               A few months ago she met a guy who said he had the answers to all her problems. He offered Serena a substance that she heard negative things about, Heroin. She was reluctant to try it at first, but felt like that was her only option. If nothing else could make her forget, then maybe this could. And it did, if not only for a moment. 
               Serena’s eyes dilated while she inhaled more smoke. She smiled as her mind took her to a safe, warm, and friendly euphoria. Serena loved this place; it was so peaceful, so different than real life. She coughed a little and shook her head. Her body started to tingle and she felt weak, but was still lost in a false state of happiness. 
               Moments later Serena dropped to the floor. Her hand clung to the foil and her lighter lie a few inches from her face. Still breathing, she gazed at the ceiling, enjoying the best part of her day. 
               “Serena! Serena!” a girl called from the hallway. “I gotta go to the bathroom,” when she got no response, she swung the bathroom door open. “You can’t possible still be in the sho…” The girl suddenly stopped talking upon seeing Serena lying on the floor naked. She covered her mouth and gasped. Not knowing what to think or do, she screamed at the top of her lungs in fear. “Mrs. Andrewwww!!!!!!” 
   
   
   
   Chapter 3 
   A week later on a Saturday afternoon, Serena was sitting in a room with ten other people. After her ‘incident’ at her old group home, she was moved to another place that specialized in teen drug abuse. Serena didn’t want to go, but at the same time, she didn’t care. She disliked her last home anyway, and was glad to be rid of Stephanie and her gang. Unfortunately, her new home inquired that they take monthly drug test and was much stricter. 
               Serena sat shyly in her seat with her arms folded and head lowered. She stared at the floor as different people where asked to introduce their selves for the rehabilitation class. The classroom set up consisted of ten chairs placed in a large circle, with a seat for the instructor in the middle. The person to Serena’s left just got done greeting the class and sat down. Mrs. Kerry, the instructor glanced at Serena, letting her know it was her turn. 
               Serena slid out of her seat, nervously moving her hands behind her back.  “… I’m, Serena. And, I’m sixteen years old,” she paused, wanting to stop. 
               “Is there something else you’d like to tell us, Serena?” Mrs. Kerry said. She was urging Serena to tell about her drug issue, like everyone else did. Serena lightly shook her head, but Mrs. Kerry’s soft eyes persuaded her other wise. 
               “And I, I sometimes… use drugs,” Serena painfully confessed. 
                “Thank you Serena, you can be seated now,” Mrs. Kerry smiled. She stood up from her seat and addressed the class. “I just want to let ya’ll know that you should all be proud of yourselves. Coming here today is the beginning of a new drug free era in your life.” 
               Serena sighed on the inside. Being at the rehabilitation class was utterly humiliating. Mrs. Kerry may be nice, but she talked to them like they were children. All Serena wanted was to be left alone, but it seemed as if that was too much to ask. 
               Mrs. Kerry told the class to close their eyes and Serena unwillingly obeyed. “Alright, I’m going to ask you a series of questions, and I want you to raise your hand if it applies to you.” 
               Everyone in the class nodded and closed their eyes. “Okay. Raise your hand if you ever tried marijuana,” Mrs. Kerry announced. She watched as the whole class lifted their hands. “Raise you hand if you ever took any form of pills, legal or illegal,” Two people in the class lowered their hands while the others kept them raised. “Alright, raise your hand if you tried any of these drugs. Cocaine, heroin, crack, or meth…” four more people lowered their hands, leaving Serena and two others. Mrs. Kerry wrote down the names of those who still had their hands raised. 
               Mrs. Kerry took special interest in Serena however. Everyone in the class was eighteen and older, minus Serena. The fact that Serena tried drugs on that level at her age worried Mrs. Kerry. She figured she’d have to pay special attention to her. 
               “Okay. Lower and your hands, and open your eyes.” Mrs. Kerry said. She caught Serena’s eye and smiled at Her. “Now, for our next exercise, I want you to form groups of two.” 
               Serena slid back in her chair. She hated group work, and was ready to leave. Unfortunately she had an hour left in the class. So her day was far from over. 
     
               
               Meanwhile, Cain was riding in the back of a van staring out of the window. It was time for him to move to his new ‘home’. From what he’s been told, the group home he was going to was more like a juvenile hall. He hated the idea of that. 
               The van rode down two more blocks of road and stopped in front of a large building. The driver and Cain’s Social worker stepped out first, then unlock Cain’s door. Can’s social worker, Mr. Derek went ahead and entered the building while Cain got his one suitcase and book bag. 
               When Cain came into the building, ne noticed there were two glass doors. The one on the right was where Mr. Derek was, but Cain wondered where the other door led. Having no time to wander, he entered the right door and walked to Mr. Derek. 
               “Cain. Sign in here,” Mr. Derek ordered. Cain sighed and went to write his name on the form. Afterwards he dropped the pen on the paper and glared at the social worker. “Mr. Tony will be down in a second.” 
               Cain cut his eyes and leaned against the wall. It wasn’t long before the door next to the office flew open, letting in a male and female. The man was tall, strongly built, and looked like he didn’t play games. The lady was older, probably in her forties, and had a stern face. The man shook Mr. Derek’s hand and turned to Cain. 
               “Cain, this is Mr. Tony, the head of the home. And this is his assistant, Mrs. Miles.” Mr. Tony extended his hand to Cain, who reluctantly shook it. 
               “Good to have on board Cain,” Mr. Tony greeted. 
   “Welcome home,” Mrs. Miles added. The look on Cain’s face told them how he hated that this was going to be his ‘home’. 
               “Follow me,” Mr. Tony commanded in an easy voice. Cain picked up his luggage and did as told. While walking through the halls and showing Cain around, Mr. Tony explained to him the rules. “Now this place can be two things, it’s all up to you. It can be fun, or it can be hell. How you act decides that,” Mr. Tony walked up the stairway and headed to the second door on the right. “This is where you’ll be staying,” he showed Cain an empty room with one bed. “We only have one person per room, tends to keep the tension low.” 
               Cain entered his room and dropped his luggage. “Word,” he muttered. 
               “Now, lunch is in a hour, any questions?” Mr. Tony said. 
               “Yea… how come you only showed me half the building?” Cain asked, thinking about the door he saw when he first entered the place. 
               “That’s because we only own half the building.” Mr. Tony explained. “The other half is another group home for drug abusers. In the past we tried to run as one big home, but it didn’t turn out so well. So the owner decided to make the two separate,” Cain shrugged his shoulders. He didn’t ask for all that excess information. “So… see you in a hour,” Mr. Tony walked to the door, but stopped in the doorway. “Almost forgot, I don’t know if Mr. Derek told you, but you start school on Monday.” 
               “Ight,” Cain sighed. He watched Mr. Tony leave the room and laid out on the bed. He dreaded the thought of school, but whether he was ready or not, it was coming sooner than he liked.              
   
   
   
   Chapter 4 
   At 10:30am on a Monday morning, Cain was walking to his English class. He stormed down the halls holding his head high with a menacing frown on his face. A lot of the students he passed by moved out of his way, if not just a little. Upon getting to his class, he opened the door. 
               Cain glanced at the different faces he didn’t know as he went to a seat in the back. He hated school, and had a particular bad attitude toward English, because it was the cause for him being held back in the fifth grade. Cain sat down in his seat dropping his backpack by his side. It took a while for the classroom to fill up, but the remainder of the students got into the room before the late bell rang. 
               The teacher, Ms. Nancy, a younger lady stood in front of the class smiling. She noticed Cain the second he entered the room. “Hey class, hope you had a good weekend.” She greeted. Some students nodded, but the majority paid her little mind. “Well, it comes to my attention that we have a new student,” Ms. Nancy shot Cain a friendly smile, which he did not return. “Why don’t you tell us your name hun.” 
               With out standing up, Cain lifted his head, staring Ms. Nancy in the eye. “Cain…” he exclaimed, his voice echoing through the room. Ms. Nancy’s smile kind of faded as Cain continued to stare at her. There was something about the look in eyes that wasn’t right. 
               Ms. Nancy came back to her senses and pulled out a novel from her desk. “So, if you all would take out your books, we can pick back up where we started,” She announced. She went over to Cain and handed him a copy of the book ‘ The Scarlet letter ’. Cain was hesitant to take the book, showing zero interest in what they were about to do. 
               After giving her new student the novel, Ms. Nancy stepped back a little weary about him. She returned to the front of the class and began her lesson plan. Cain zoned out at once. He gazed around the room to see if there were any attractive females near him. One girl a couple of seats from his right was appealing. She had medium brown hair, smooth skin, and soft features. 
               Cain leaned back in his desk studying her. He knew it was only a matter of seconds before she would feel his eyes. Just like he had predicted the girl glanced behind her. She locked eyes with Cain for a moment before quickly turning her head forward. Cain bit his lip, angry that she showed no sign of interest in him. With nothing else to do, he placed his head on the desk and closed his eyes. 
               “Cain,” Ms. Nancy exclaimed, waking Cain from his slumber. He jerked his head up and looked around the class. All eyes were on him. “Can you pick up for us on page 141?” 
               Cain scrunched his face in confusion. “Huh?” 
               “Were reading The Scarlet letter, and I would like for you to read the next few paragraphs,” She explained. Cain slowly slid his book open, completely lost. “Were on page 141, paragraph three.”  
               Cain flipped through the pages, finally locating where he needed to be. He stared at the mass amount of words that filled the page. His heart rate slowed when he fully realized what he had to do. 
               “Umm,” Cain paused, getting one final moment to mentally prepare himself for something he was never good at, reading. “The-they walked, to the, town hall… uh, center. For the the…”. 
               “The ceremony,” Ms. Nancy assisted, helping him with the word that tied his brain. 
               “Ceremony,” Cain repeated. He heard kids snickering around him. Ms. Nancy cleared her throat, quieting those that laughed. Cain tightened his grip on the book and continued to read. “When, they reached, reached th-the.” Before he could get the word out, someone’s quiet chuckle transformed into a full on laugh. That was the last straw. Cain’s head shot up and he glared at the guy who laughed at him with burning eyes. “Somethin’s funny?” Cain blurted out. His rage quieted the classroom. “Smile one more time and see what happens!” 
               “Cain, calm down sweetie,” Ms. Nancy told him, but it was too late. Cain’s short temper had snapped. 
               “Man they think it’s funny, but aint shit funny though,” He barked, letting his anger lose. The guy who snickered at Cain was looking at him, still having a hard time holding his smile back. Cain noticed this and stood from his seat. “You think I’m playin’ huh?” Ms. Nancy reached and grabbed Cain by the arm, outraged at his actions. 
               “Cain, sit down now!” she commanded. With out a word, Cain spun around and glared at Ms. Nancy with eyes that would intimidate a fearless man. She took a step back and let go of him. “… I want you out of my room. Now,” Ms. Nancy ordered. She was frightened, but held herself steady. 
               Cain slapped the book off his desk. “Fuck this,” he told Ms. Nancy to her face. She watched as he stormed out of the classroom, leaving his belongings behind. 
     
     
               By the time the lunch bell rang, Cain was getting out of detention. His performance in English class cost him twelve hours of after school detention. Something that wasn’t new to him. He walked out of the prison like class and through the halls. 
               His first day of school and things were already going bad. Cain went to the lunchroom, getting in the free and reduced lunch line. It took about twenty minutes for him to get his food and it wasn’t worth the wait. On his plate was a scoop of day old spaghetti, cold corn bread, rice, and green beans.    
               Cain exited the cafeteria with his unwanted meal and went outside. He noticed the school was completely divided into groups. Walking through the gym he found out that that’s where most of the black students hung out. Around the outskirts of the gym were Mexicans, Hispanics, and other kids of that descent. The lunchroom was where most of the white students were, and the popular kids where outside in their circles. There weren’t many Orientals or other races at his school, but the ones who were where scatted amongst the various other groups. 
               With no one to hang with, Cain found a seat on the stadium steps. He set his plate aside and stared at the field. This school sucked to him. He preferred his old school over this place. Cain picked up his fork and began eating his food. 
               When he was finished he leaned back on the steps in a miserable state of mind. Bored, Cain looked around him, catching sight of a girl all the way across the stadium. It was Serena. 
               Serena sat alone as well, appearing more upset than Cain. She hadn’t touched her lunch and didn’t plan too either. Cain watched her as she sulked there in the seat. There was something different about her than the others. Something that Cain felt from where he sat. 
               The class bell rang, indicating that lunch was over. The ringing of the bell broke him from his thoughts. He stood up, straightening his clothes. Cain looked over, stealing one last glance at Serena before he left the stadium, knowing he had a long day ahead of him. 
   
   
   
   Chapter 5 
   The same day after lunch was over, Serena walked to her fifth period class, which was gym. She got there extra earlier and sat on the far side of the bleachers. Minutes later, students started to fill up the gym. They piled unto the stands staying amongst their group of friends; leaving Serena by herself. 
               The gym teacher, Coach Long entered the room once the late bell rang. He stood in front of the class and folded his arms. “Quiet down,” he said, raising his voice over the teens. “I need to take attendance,” He lifted his notepad and began calling out names. 
     
               As Coach Long performed roll call, Serena felt stares and glanced to her right. A group of students, both girls and guys were at the top of the bleachers. They appeared to be looking at her clothing snickering to each other. Serena moved her eyes to the busted shoes that covered her feet. She’s had them for two years, but couldn’t afford anymore. Her shirt was unappealing as well, and her old jeans didn’t help. Compared to the others she was a fashion train wreck. 
               She turned her head away from them, imagining the things they were saying about her. “Serena Woods, … Serena Woods,” Coach Long repeated, breaking Serena out of her daze. The coach was gazing at her with his notepad in hand. He knew he had a new student, but wanted to make sure she was her. “Your Serena aren’t you?” he asked. 
               Serena slowly nodded her head.  “Y-yea,” she stammered. Some of the teens in the class chuckled at her lack of awareness, making Serena feel that much more uncomfortable. 
               “Alright, the rest of ya’ll go get dressed. Serena, you wait here, I gotta get your uniform,” Coach Long informed, walking toward his office. Serena remained still, watching the other kids swarm into the different locker rooms. When Coach Long returned he handed Serena a grey and blue P.E uniform. “Here you go,” he smiled. 
               Serena received the uniform and got up from the bleachers. Gym was her least favorite class; athletics have never been her strong side. She dragged her feet to the girl’s locker room, heading down the stairs. 
               All the girls in her gym class were scattered throughout the locker room getting dressed. Serena moved through the cluster of females heading to the bathroom to change clothes. Due to certain past events, being naked in front of others was too much for her. She went to a bathroom stall and started to undress. 
               Since she was the last person to get ready, Serena lingered around the locker room for a little bit. Knowing she couldn’t stay back any longer, Serena forced herself to exit the girl’s locker room and walked back to the basketball court. Coach Long stood in front of the class holding a mesh bag. He had his whistle hanging from his mouth as if it were a cigarette. 
               “Today we’re playing volley ball, same as yesterday. I want this half of you over there, and the other half right here,” The coach instructed, pointing to two different volleyball court set-ups in the gym. The class took their time to divide, and took even longer to form two teams. 
               Coach Long walked in the middle of the gym between the two volleyball nets. He removed two balls from a mesh bag and tossed them over to the students. “You know the rules,” he called out, placing on his dark shades. “Play ball!” he blew his whistle loudly, hurting a few ears. 
               The class immediately started their game, hitting the balls back and forth between the teams. Serena was on the right side of the gym, standing as far away from the net as possible. She never played volleyball before, and didn’t know the rules. She just hopped the ball wouldn’t come her way. 
               One girl named Jenifer was doing more talking than playing. Her and her friend Eliza were standing in front of Serena. When someone on the other team struck the volleyball, it flew over the net and toward Jenifer. Jenifer let out a high pitch shriek quickly moving out of the ball’s way. Seeing the volleyball come straight at her, Serena did the first thing that came to mind; she swung her arm and smacked it away. 
               The ball bounced off Serena’s hand and slapped an unsuspecting Jenifer across the head. Jenifer over reacted to the blow, allowing herself to fall on the floor. Everyone who saw her get hit burst into laughter. Jenifer sat up looking shocked and hurt at the same time. Serena covered her mouth, embarrassed about what she did. She went to Jenifer extending her hand to help her up. 
               “… Sorry …” Serena apologized. Her voice was so low it was almost a whisper. 
               Jenifer swiped Serena’s hand away in anger. “What’s your problem?” she snapped. She slowly got to her feet tossing Serena the evil eye. 
               Serena moved her hand away, placing it behind her back in shame. “I didn’t mean to…” 
               “What ever,” Jenifer rudely interrupted, showing her disgust. Serena lowered her eyes, wondering why she even bothered. It seemed like every time she did something, she’d do it wrong, and she hated that. So for the rest of the period she chose to stay on the sidelines. 
               Four minutes before the bell rang, Serena was in the locker room changing clothes in the bathroom stall like before. As soon as she got done, she reached to open the stall door, but heard voices enter the bathroom. It was Jenifer and Eliza. 
               “Ugh, you saw what that trick did to me?” Jenifer said, going to a mirror to look at her self. 
               “Yea,” Eliza chuckled. “It was hilarious.” 
               “Shut up,” Jenifer shot back. “I was sooo pissed. I could just hit that bitch in the face,” Eliza laughed again. “With her ugly as clothes. You saw what she had on today?” 
               “How couldn’t I?” Eliza exclaimed. “She looked like the poster child for the salvation army.” The two broke out in mocking laughter, unaware that very one they insulted could hear every word they said. “Someone needs to give her a make over.” 
               Jenifer continued to primp in the mirror, pushing her long black hair to the back. “Girl please, Even with a make over she’d be lame. You saw how she act? … ‘sorry, I didn’t mean to’, ”Jenifer mimicked Serena’s soft voice in a goofy manner. 
               “Oooh, that’s how she sound too,” 
               “I was like, ‘bitch’ I got yo sorry,” Jenifer stated, right when she opened her mouth to say more, the bell rang. “Oh shit… we betta get outta here for we late.” 
               Jenifer and Eliza rushed out of the bathroom, leaving an emotionally damaged Serena in the stall. Serena sat down on the toilet with the hurtful words she heard replaying in her mind. She wanted to cry, but held it in. tears never really were her thing, but that didn’t mean that what they said didn’t take its toll. Too Serena, it was just like her old school. First day there and already she was branded as an outcast.   
   
   
   
   Chapter 6 
   Time trickled to 6:00pm and Cain was back in his room. He had nothing to do, so he lied on the bed staring at the ceiling. He wandered about his mother, and hoped she was doing well. Now that he thought about it, it’s been some time since she wrote him. And that’s not a good sign. Cain sighed as he pictured his mother behind bars.            
               His thoughts were interrupted by a loud banging noise coming from the room next to his. One of the other boys must have lost their temper again. Cain had found out that this place was home to guys just like him. Some of them were even worse, constantly exploding over the littlest of things. 
               Cain stirred on his bed as the racket grew louder. He had half a mind of going in there and shutting the kid up him self, but he was already in trouble for his outburst at school. Apparently the school notified Mr. Tony about Cain’s actions in Ms. Nancy’s class. Surprisingly Mr. Tony didn’t act out. He asked Cain what happened and when Cain told him, Mr. Tony said he understood. Still, Cain wasn’t off the hook. He was ordered kitchen duty for the rest of the week. 
               “Hey what’s the problem?” Mr. Tony shouted, his voice echoing through the thin walls. The kid said something that couldn’t be understood and started pounding the door again. By now Cain heard enough, he had to get away. 
               He picked up a pack of cigarettes, put them in his pocket, and walked out of his room. He figured he would wonder around since he didn’t get the chance to on Saturday or Sunday. Cain moved slowly through the hall, hearing less and less of the noise behind him. He went to the stairway to go outside, but something told him to go up instead. Cain traveled up the stairs to see where it led. On the top floor there was a single door that he opened so he could see what’s on the other side. 
               To his non-surprise the door led nowhere. All that lied before him was the flat roof of the building. There were a few vents on the roof as well as a satellite dish, but that didn’t interest him. He turned to go back inside when someone caught his eye. A female sat on the edge of the building with her feet dangling down the side. It was the same girl he saw sitting by herself at lunch, Serena. He wandered how and why she was there. 
               Cain walked to Serena slowly and stopped directly behind her. She didn’t seem to notice him; she had ear buds in her ears listening to music. Cain whipped out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth, lighting it shortly after. 
               “What you doin’ up here?” Cain asked. Serena flinched at the sound of his voice; she didn’t know anyone was behind her. 
               She turned around, looking at Cain oddly. Instead of answering his question, Serena shrugged her shoulders in response. Cain saw how she was sitting directly on the edge of the roof. He knew that wasn’t safe, this was a four-story building. 
               “You not afraid of fallin’?” Cain wondered, still standing near her. 
               Serena shook her head. “No,” she truthfully answered. But the way she said it didn’t seem right. It was like she didn’t care if she fell. 
               Cain took a hit off his cigarette staring a Serena. Even though she was giving obvious signs that she didn’t want to talk, Cain ignored them. He could almost see inside her, and knew her pain was similar to his own. Because of that, he was drawn to her. 
               Cain took a seat beside Serena, who slightly scooted over. “You smoke?” he offered her a cigarette from his pack. Serena looked at Cain then the pack of New Ports in his hand. It’s been a little over a week since she’s experienced any type of high, and she longed for that feeling; no matter how faint it was. Serena cautiously removed a cigarette from the pack, keeping her eyes on Cain. Cain handed her his lighter so she could spark a flame. 
               “Who are you?” Serena asked. Wondering why he was talking to her. 
               “Cain,” he answered, making eye contact. Serena nervously glanced away. “What about you, what’s yo name?” 
               Serena inhaled the smoke from the cigarette and exhaled it from her lungs. “Serena,” she told him. Her voice was weak when she said that, as if she were ashamed of her name. 
               “Like Serena Williams?” Cain joked. He saw a fragment of a smile come on her face, but it vanished quickly. 
               “I wish…” She said to him. They both kind of gazed at the ground for a little bit. Cain fiddled his thumbs during the moment of silence between them. 
               “So, you go to Burke huh?” Cain asked, referring to the high school they attended. Serena’s eyes widened. She looked at him suspiciously. 
               “How you know?” She questioned. The thought that he was stalking came into her paranoid mind. Cain could tell she was getting worked up about something. Her body language displayed it. 
               “Relax…” Cain calmly told her. “I go there too, I saw you at lunch.” Serena seemed to lower her guard again. Thinking back to it, she saw him too. He sat on the other side of the bleachers by his self, just like her. 
               “Oh,” she replied. 
               “Yea… that’s why I’m like, why you up, you know? Unless you stay in this building,” Cain explained.             
               He watched as Serena nodded her head slowly. “… I do…” she stated. Cain took another pull of the short cigarette and flung it over the side of the roof. “I hate this place,” Serena confessed. 
               .“Who you tellin’,” Cain agreed. “I only been here for three days and it’s already drivin’ me crazy.” Serena’s lips curled in to a smile, that’s exactly how she felt. “But truth be told, I been in homes like this my whole life.” Cain froze when those words left his mouth. That was the first time he fully came into realization of what he just said. 
               “Me too,” Serena added, breaking Cain from his daze. He looked at her sadly. 
               “Yup. It’s like you neva get use to it. You just learn to settle,” he said. 
               Serena shook her head as she finished her cigarette. “That’s the worst part…” she responded. The two sat there quietly, each getting lost in their own past of sorrow. Suddenly Serena stood to her feet. “I better get going,” she told Cain. 
               He remained still, staring at the buildings around them. “Aight,” he turned his head and watched Serena walk to the door. “Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow,” he called out. 
               Serena stopped in her tracks, keeping her back toward him. “…Maybe…” she muttered under her breath, going inside the building. 
   
   
   
   Chapter 7 
   The next day during the final minutes of fourth period, Serena sat in her desk staring at the floor. All the other students in the class were waiting for the bell to ring so they could go to lunch. They chatted amongst their selves while Serena twiddled her fingers in her seat. 
               Her mind still dwelled on her encounter with Cain yesterday. It made no sense to her why he would want to socialize with her. Every time a guy ever talked to Serena it was because he wanted something. A lot of times that thing would be sex, but there have been a few instances were they did so for a demeaning prank. The odd thing about it was that Serena didn’t sense any foul play from Cain. That intrigued her and scared her at the same time. 
               The lunch bell echoed through out the classroom, making Serena flinch. She slowly gathered her things and headed to her locker. Walking through the busy hallways, Serena held her books close to her chest. As usual, it felt like everyone was staring at her. 
               She finally made it to her locker and began unpacking her things when Jenifer and Eliza stepped to her. Serena raised her eyebrow, wondering what they wanted. 
               “Hey, I was told to give you this,” Jenifer had a mocking smirk on her face as she handed Serena a pink sticky note. It read,  “Warning: don’t ever wear that again, ‘signed by fashion police’,”  Serena’s heart sunk a little while Jenifer and Eliza broke into laughter. “That’s your warning, next time ‘You Will’ be arrested,” Jenifer teased, walking away. 
               Serena dropped the note on the ground. She never understood why people did things like that. She always questioned why she was the one to be picked on and made fun of. What was it about her that made people belittle her? Questions like those were what made Serena hate herself. 
               Brushing off the insult that was just handed to her, Serena closed her locker and went to the lunch line. She entered the cafeteria going straight to the reduced lunch section. Today they were serving mash potatoes, green beans, and ham. Not exactly her favorite, but better than starving. 
               Serena received her food and sat at a table in the far corned by herself. It was a little cold in the lunchroom, so she curled up a little bit. She lifted her fork and scooped up a portion of green beans when she felt someone standing behind her. Serena turned around to see Cain gazing down at her with a plate in hand. 
               With out asking, Cain dropped his plate on the table and took a seat. Serena stared at him like he was crazy. They talked one time yesterday and he’s already trying to have lunch with her? He had to have something up his sleeve she thought. 
               Serena continued to eat her food like Cain wasn’t there. She figured if she didn’t say anything, then maybe he’d leave, but he didn’t. Cain sat there quietly eating his lunch next to her. 
               After five minutes of no words Serena couldn’t take it anymore. She placed her fork on the plate and stared at Cain. “What do you want?” She asked, sounding spiteful. 
               Cain paused eating to swallow his food. “What you mean?” 
               “What do you want from me?” Serena repeated. “Why do you keep trynna talk to me? You aint got nobody else to hang with?” her eyes were more tense than usual. She kept her stare on Cain as he lowered his fork. 
               “I don’t,” he shrugged. His words took Serena off guard. For a brief second the two locked eyes, and Serena saw in Cain what he saw in her. 
               “Oh… I’m sorry,” she shyly apologized, changing her tone. 
               “About what? Me not havin’ no friends?” Cain replied; his voice was calm but cold at the same time. Like Serena, Cain had been branded as an Outcast since his first day. His outburst in English was to thank for that. It wasn’t long after that that word of his actions spread across the school, making everyone think he’s crazy. 
               “Your not the only one,” Serena remarked, adding to Cain’s negative comment. 
                “If that’s true, then what’s the problem with me eatin’ with you?” he persuaded. Serena shifted her eyes to the table; a smile secretly glowed inside her. She didn’t want to show it, but it was nice to be around someone else, even if she didn’t know really them. 
               “I guess you have a point,” Serena replied, holding in her nervousness. 
               Cain took a bite out of his bland burger and stared at Serena with Interest in his eyes. “So, What you been up to…” 
     
               Fast forward five hours and Serena was hanging outside by the group home she lived in. She sat on a bench near her building thinking about her time with Cain at lunch. It actually wasn’t that bad, and Serena was beginning to think that Cain wasn’t either. 
               The thing that got to her the most though, had to be the vibe she got from him. They’ve only conversed twice, but yet she felt like she knew him. His eyes held the same sorrow, regret, and loneliness as hers. Not to mention the pain that scratched his voice. Cain was someone she could relate too, and Serena loved the idea of that. 
               Serena’s warm thoughts were abruptly put to a stop when an old school Monte Carlo swerved in front of her. The crisp, blood red paint job gleamed in the sun, and the roar of the motor vibrated the area. Serena sighed as the window of the car rolled down, and a guy called K-9 peeped his head out. 
               K-9 was a 23 year old drug dealer with dark skin and a bad attitude. He stood at 5’9”, had permanent gold teeth, and wore black and grey. K-9 was the one who persuaded Serena to try heroin in the first place. He’s part of the reason she lives where she lives now. 
               “Aye what up baby girl?” K-9 asked. Serena cringed at the sound of his deep, criminal voice. She hated when he called her ‘baby girl’, which was something he always did. 
               “nothin’,” Serena retorted, not directly looking at him. 
               “I aint hear from ya in like a week. Just so happen I be the area when I seen ya,” K-9 eyed Serena up and down. “You know I got what you need, all you gotta do is say the word,” Serena kept her mouth shut. She didn’t want to encourage him. “Oh so you good then?” K-9 removed a small pack of powered heroin from his pocket. He lifted the bag in the air and dangled it from the car window. “Baby girl,” he exclaimed, catching her attention. Serena glanced up and her eyes got stuck on the bag of drugs. 
               Her heart quickened as she watched the heroin sway side to side before her very eyes. She’s been clean for a week, but that wasn’t of her own will. Serena had craved to get high since she got here, and now the opportunity was directly in her face. 
               Serena got up from the bench stepping to the car door. “I don’t have any money,” she told him. K-9 shrugged his shoulders like he didn’t care. 
               “I do credit…” he said, placing the bag in Serena’s possession. She slid it in her pocket while looking around. “I know you still got my numba’.” 
               “Yea,” Serena nodded, happy to have her ‘medicine’. 
               K-9 put his hand on the steering wheel, shifting the car in drive. “Don’t be no stranga’ now.” He rolled his window up, hit the gas, and sped down the street. 
               Serena remained where she stood, excited and disappointed at the same time. Deep down inside she did want to quit using heroin, but her hunger for it had grown too strong. A week without it seemed far too long, and Serena had plans to ‘get away’ tonight.  
   
   
   
   Chapter 8 
   At 10:01pm, Cain stood in the clean kitchen of this group home. He pulled off his tight, latex gloves and flung them in the trash. Kitchen duty wasn’t a joke, but Cain made short work of it. Back when he stayed with his parent’s, his mom would make him clean up all the time. 
               Cain stretched his arms to the sky and yawned. It’s been a long day and his body cried for sleep. But first, he had to have a quick smoke. For some strange reason, Cain couldn’t sleep soundly unless he had a cigarette. 
               He walked up the stairs to his bedroom, ignoring the racket that came from his housemates. Cain somehow managed to stay out of trouble so far. He figured if he didn’t talk or interact with the others then everything would be good, which proved to be true. Cain swung open the door to his room and staggered inside. He went ahead and changed clothes, putting on some sweat pants and a tank top. 
               After grabbing his pack of cigarettes, Cain headed for the stairway. Since it’s after 10:00pm, it would be breaking the rules for him to go outside. Technically, smoking cigarettes under eighteen was breaking the rules, but Cain didn’t care. To him, that just meant he had to smoke elsewhere, and he knew just the place. 
               Creeping up the stairs, Cain made it to the top floor and gently opened the door. He didn’t want to make too much noise and alert Mr. Tony. The second he got completely outside he stuck a cigarette in his mouth and lit it up. He walked around the rooftop, blowing out the smoke that entered his lungs. His nerves began to relax, until he heard somebody coughing. 
               Cain’s eyes narrowed as the coughing continued. He crouched down and looked around him, wondering where the noise was coming from. As it continued Cain was able to pin point the location. He quietly snuck to a tall air conditioning unit that was planted on the roof. Cain got behind the unit and glanced around it. He was shocked at what he saw. 
               Serena was sitting on the ground, curled in fetal position. She let out another cough and stared at Cain. The pupils of her eyes were constricted and she smelled like sour vinegar. Although the expression on her face was blank, Serena recognized who stood in front of her. 
               “…Cain…” she said in a raspy voice. 
               “Wha… Serena? What you doin’?” Cain knelt down to her side, not knowing what to do. He put his hand on her arm, feeling how cool her body temperature had gotten. “Serena you aight?” 
               “Yea… I’m, perfect,” she replied. Cain looked at her shivering body and shook his head. He recognized the scent that stained her clothes. It was that of heroin, which he was no stranger too. He had an uncle who was addicted to heroin; so seeing Serena like this was disappointing.  
               Cain read the lost expression on Serena’s face and took a seat next to her. He knew how long the high could last, and was willing to wait it out. Serena was so far gone that she leaned on Cain’s shoulder. He sighed and put his arm around her, rubbing her back gently. 
               Part of Cain questioned why he was doing this; showing such strong concern for someone he didn’t know. But deep inside he knew the answer to the question. Empathy and pity, two emotions he wasn’t fond of. Serena coughed a little and unknowingly snuggled closer to him. 
               
               About an hour later, Serena’s high had faded completely, and she opened her eyes. For some strange reason she felt warm, comfortable, and safe; something that she hasn’t felt in years. She let out a tired yawn before realizing someone had their arm around her. Serena jumped to her feet in a heartbeat and spotted Cain before her. 
               “wha-what are you…” Serena paused in mid sentence; a vague memory of Cain entered her mind. She rubbed her eyes surprised to know that what she thought was a dream, was real. Cain actually did sit next to her. “How did you find me here?” 
               Cain scratched his head as he slowly got to his feet. “I came out to take a smoke when I heard someone coughin’. Come to find out, it was you,” he explained. 
               Serena cleared her throat, folding her arms. A mix of emotions dashed up her spine. She was embarrassed that someone found her like this, and angry but yet glad that Cain stayed with her. 
               Serena wiped her eyes. “Look, this is weird. I…” 
               “Why do you do it?” Cain interrupted, staring at her. Serena looked like she didn’t know what he was talking about. 
               “Do what?” she asked. 
               “Use heroin?” Cain answered. “Why do you do it?” 
               “I don’t use Heroin!” Serena lied, getting defensive. 
               “I know that scent from anywhere,” Cain replied. He got closer to Serena, making her take a step back. “You aint gotta lie to me.” 
               Serena jerked her head away from Cain, scrunching her face up. “What’s your problem!” She shouted. “I don’t even know you; and you don’t know me. Why don’t you just leave me alone?” Cain lowered his eyes, glaring at the cement roof. 
               “Because… I can’t,” Cain told her. He raised his head and locked eyes with Serena. The two stood there staring at each other in cool silence. 
               “… Why?” She wondered, changing her demeanor from angry, to sensitive and curious. 
               Cain clenched his teeth preparing himself to tell her the truth. “When I look at you . . . I see me,” he confessed. “I see how I was when I was a little’.” 
               Serena tensed up, not knowing how to feel about what he said. “Quit lyin’,” she snapped, trying to brush off the impact of his words. “Quit actin’ like you care…” 
               “I do,” Cain replied. 
               Serena shook her head in disbelief. Making herself think he was lying. “No you don’t,” her voice was filled with conflicting emotion and she tilted her head to the ground, looking tearful. “No one does,” she mumbled. 
               Cain gently placed his hand under her chin, raising her head back up. “I do,” he calmly repeated, looking deep into her pained eyes. The resistance Serena built up in her loosened, and a single tear ran down the side of her face. Cain used his finger to wipe away her tear. 
               Serena didn’t know what to think. She blinked lightly as Cain released his hand from her and walked away. Part of her wanted to call out to him, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. So she stood there quietly and watched as he headed back inside the building. 
   
   
   
   Chapter 9 
   The next morning, Cain awoke to the sound of his alarm clock. He swiped it off the nightstand and on to the floor, knocking the batteries out. He did that everyday he woke up. Cain sat up in bed and rubbed the crust from his eyes. Another school day lie ahead of him, something he hated. 
               He slid out of the bed without making the sheets and headed straight for the shower. He spent less than tens minutes washing himself and about thirty seconds brushing his teeth. After Cain finished getting dressed, he crept down the stairs and out of his home. When he walked through the door he was surprised to see Serena standing around the front of the building with her book bag on. She held the straps of her backpack and glared at Cain as he closed the door. 
               “Hey…” Serena greeted, giving Cain a light wave. 
               “What up,” he replied. Without saying another word, Cain continued on his way to school. He noticed Serena walk briskly to catch up with him. She lingered behind by a few steps, but remained close to him. “You followin’ me now?” Cain asked with out stopping. 
               “No,” Serena quickly answered. “Just, didn’t, want to walk alone.” Cain shrugged and kept moving forward. “So . . . what’s your first class?” 
               “My first class?” Cain repeated, sounding like he wondered why she asked such a question. “It’s math. You?” 
               “Um, history,” she replied, walking a little closer to him. He watched her glance around the area, looking nervous. Cain couldn’t help but crack at smile at her. Serena acted like a lost little kid in a big city. It was hard to believe that someone so shy and timid could be on heroin. Still, he was kind of glad she was warming up to him. 
               “Who yo teacher? Ms. Kate?” Cain asked. Serena nodded her head up and down quickly. 
               “Yea! H-how’d you know?” She wondered. 
               “I didn’t,” Cain shrugged. “Good guess, I guess.” 
               “Yea… I don’t really like her class though,” Serena added, thinking about her mean classmates. “I don’t really like this school.” 
               “Me either,” He agreed. “Everybody here’s stuck up.” 
               “I know,” Serena said. “My old school was… okay I guess.” 
               “What school was that?” Cain asked, turning to Serena. She felt his eyes on her, but didn’t have the courage to look into them. 
               “Fairfield,” she muttered. 
               “Oh yea? Man I went to Kindle Wood,” Cain proclaimed. “I was like the only white boy there. Everybody else was either, Black or Mexican.” 
               “Really?” Serena exclaimed; her black eyes appeared to glisten in the morning sun. “Kindle Wood was our biggest rival,” Cain watched as she smiled brightly. It was like her whole sadden demeanor did a complete turn around. Her skin seemed smoother and her eyes glistened. Serena really was a pretty girl; she just never let it show. Almost like she were ashamed of it. 
               They arrived at their school shortly after. The outside of the school was surrounded with cars, students, and teachers. The first bell hadn’t yet ringed, but would soon enough. 
               Cain took a quick glimpse at the overly packed setting and continued forward to the front doors. Serena however, kind of slid behind him, walking slowly and looking around constantly. Her behavior changed when they reached the inside of the school, she seemed to slid back into her ‘shell’. 
               Cain held the door for Serena and came in behind her. “Com’ on, I walk to yo class,” he offered. Serena nodded her head, looking nervous again. 
               He led Serena through the packed hallways. As they moved through the crowd, they felt the eyes of many staring at them. That made Cain’s demeanor change as well. His aura switched from relaxed and laid back, to something hard and intimidating. 
               Serena’s eye moved around sheepishly. She noticed that people weren’t staring at her like they did before. It seemed as if they were giving her some kind of misguided respect. She glanced up at Cain who had his head held tall while cruising down the hallways; the scowl on his face made many look away. Serena moved a little closer to him, feeling secure and even the smallest bit brave. 
               When they reached her class, the late bell was a few minutes from ringing. Serena stopped at the front of her class, standing in the doorway. She didn’t want to leave Cain’s side, but had no choice. With her arms folded and head lowered, Serena bit her lip shyly. 
               “Guess, I’ll see you later,” she spoke in almost a whisper, making Cain strain to hear her. 
               “Yea,” He nodded. “See you at lunch,” Cain watched as that rare beautiful smile grazed Serena’s face for the second time today. 
               “Yea… I guess so,” she replied. 
   
   
   
   Chapter 10 
   Later that week on Friday night, Serena crept up the hall stairway to the top floor. It was time for light’s out in her group home, which meant she could ‘get away’ for a while. She gently opened the door and tip toed on to the roof. Serena made her way to her usual spot behind the air conditioning vent when she stopped dead in her tracks. 
               Cain sat on the ground before her smoking a cigarette. He moved his eyes in her direction, noticing her shift her hands behind her back. Serena didn’t want him to see the bag of heroin she clung tightly too. 
               “Cain…? ” Serena spoke nervously, surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?” She wondered. 
               “Nothin’,” he replied. “I came out here for the same reasons you did,” Serena looked at him slightly confused. “I had to get out that building, wanted some air.” He took a drag from his cigarette and flicked the remainder of it on the cement tile. Serena slipped the bag of heroin in her pocket and took a seat next to Cain. Over the past few days she has grown quite fond of him, and enjoys being in his presence. 
               “I know what you mean,” she added, wrapping her arms around her knees. “But I like this place better than my last one.” 
               Cain turned his gaze to her. “How come?” 
               “Because… I didn’t really get along with some of the girls there,” she said, making light of the real situation. 
               “I had that same problem at every home I’ve been too,” Cain stated. “Doesn’t matter where you go, there’s always gonna be that one person who pushes yo buttons.” 
                “I guess,” Serena agreed. “My only problem here, is that their so strict.” She rubbed her nose and thought about all the rules her group home had. “The classes they force us to go too has to be the worst part.” 
               Cain sat quietly listening to Serena talk. She spoke on how much she disliked the drug classes and the drug tests. She told him how the head of her house was so hard on them. As she talked though, Cain remembered when he saw her while she was high. That picture of her shivering on the ground was etched into his memory. 
               “Why do you do it?” He asked, cutting her off. 
               Serena stopped talking in mid sentence. She knew what he meant, but decided to play dumb. “Huh? Do what?” 
               “Why do you smoke heroin?” Cain repeated. “You never answered me the last time I asked you.” 
               For a good minute Serena didn’t say a word. Part of her wanted to tell him, but her shy side fought to resist. “I…I, stopped,” She lied. “I stopped using it.” 
               Cain sighed deeply; there was no way he would be fooled by that. “Then what’s in yo pocket?” he asked, rubbing his hands together. 
               Serena stood up with a scowl on her face. “Look I told you I don’t do it anymore!” she exclaimed, getting defensive. 
               Cain lowered his head in disappoint. “Like I said before . . . you don’t have to lie to me,” he informed her. “I mean look at me. Who am I to judge what you do?” 
               Serena lowered her emotional guard. The way in which Cain talked to her was relaxing and calm. His words were genuine, and he had been more concerned about her that anyone has ever been. 
               “I’ve seen what that stuff can do somebody… My uncle died because of an overdose,” Cain said. “And I don’t wanna see that happen to you.” He raised his head and glared at Serena. His eyes weren’t as hard as they usually were. They seemed broken, like whatever suffering he’d held inside bled through. 
               Serena couldn’t take anymore and had to turn her head from him. Her lips quivered as she desperately tried to conceal tears. “Why do I do it?” she said, repeating Cain’s question. “Mrs. Kerry, the lady at the addiction class asks me that all the time. She says she knows what I’ve been through, and understands. But she doesn’t.” 
               Cain slowly got on his feet and walked closer to Serena. “That’s what they all say,” he added, a sad half smile on his face. “But how can they? If they never went through it. If they never relived it in constant nightmares and daydreams. If they never…” 
               “… Felt his touch,” Serena interrupted. Her eyes faced the floor as her hellish past bared its ugly face. “Your right.” She stepped closer to Cain, their bodies mere inches from each other’s. “How can they understand, when they never tasted his hot breathe, and had his hands glide up your thighs… ” 
               Cain’s heart started to beat faster upon hearing Serena talk. He reminisced on the agony that stained his heart, awakening his inner rage. “What about blood running down your back, from the metal end of a belt hittin’ you repeatedly. Or the sound of her screams, when he chose to pick on someone else.” 
               The two began speaking different memories and feelings of what they’ve experienced. Serena went on and on about the molestation, which her foster father cast upon her daily. Cain continued to rant about his childhood beatings that were so gruesome the wounds and bruises remained etched on his body. 
               Serena’s voice grew louder as she cried to Cain about the time her former social worker coerced her into sexual intercourse. Cain’s teeth clenched when he confessed how he wept all night long, after his mother was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for killing his father in self-defense. The two were blinded by past sorrows, almost losing track of reality, but remember whom they stood in front of. 
               Serena raised her head and stared directly in Cain’s blazing red eyes. He had not cried, but the expression on his face told her he longed too. Cain sniffled a little as he resumed eye contact with Serena. He watched tears glide down the side of her cheeks, dripping off her jaw. 
               That same beauty Cain witnessed earlier that week when Serena smiled, he saw right before him. “You know…” Serena stated, speaking softly. “That’s why I do it.” She covered her mouth and sobbed quietly. “I want it to go away. I want all of it to go away, forever.” 
               “Makes sense,” Cain said, he paused and looked at the dark sky filled with dull stars. “But is it really worth your life?” 
               Serena didn’t respond. She kept her gaze on the ground. “I don’t know,” she finally admitted. 
               Cain shook his head at her answer. “No… it aint,” he peacefully told her. Cain opened his hand and extended it to her. 
               Without wanting to comply, Serena felt her body move on it’s own. She dug in her pocket and dropped the bag of heroin in Cain’s hand. Cain nodded at her, taking a step back. He turned around and launched the drugs off the roof and onto the street somewhere. 
               Serena knew she just lost her chance to ‘get away’, but she didn’t care. For the first time ever, she felt like she didn’t need to get high. She watched as Cain started walking back to her and met him half way. She took a seat back on the floor and sat next to him, snuggling closely. 
   
   
   
   Chapter 11 
   Late Monday morning after 4th period, Cain and Serena were sitting in the cafeteria eating lunch. The two sat facing each other at a table by their selves. Enjoying each other’s company, the pair was in their own world. 
               “Aye, check this out,” Cain said, placing a pea in a spoon. He bent the plastic utensil back by the head and let it go, launching the pea in the air. Serena watched as the pea came back down and landed directly on his tongue. She covered her mouth, laughing at his little trick. “I can do three at once too,” he bragged. 
               “Yea right,” Serena doubted. Cain sucked his teeth and grabbed his spoon again. He performed the same act, but this time with three peas. Serena lightly applauded him, smiling brightly. 
               “Your turn,” Cain told her. Serena’s eyes grew wide and she shook her head. 
               “Your crazy if you think imma do that,” she refused. 
               “Com’ on, I did it twice. You can’t do it one time?” He reasoned. 
               “Nope,” she replied. 
               “I’ll help you,” Cain added, taking a pea from his plate and putting it on the spoon. “Com’ on. Open yo mouth.” 
               Serena looked at Cain with a small smirk on her face. “Alright...” she gave in. “But don’t laugh.” 
               “I got you,” Cain replied. Serena sat straight in her seat and opened her mouth wide. Cain bent the spoon back, aiming it at his buddy, and flicked the pea into her mouth. She swallowed the pea whole and broke out laughing. “Was that hard?” he asked, grinning at Serena. 
               “Yea,” she playfully joked. 
     
               While Cain and Serena laughed with each other, Jenifer was sitting at a table with her friends across from them. Her boyfriend Jake, and Eliza sat by her side. They were all watching Cain and Serena have fun, hating every moment of it. 
               “How lame can you get?” Jenifer snarled, seeing the constant smile on Serena’s face. 
               “Aye you know the sayin’, losers of a feather, flock together,” Eliza added, making the whole table snicker. The smirk on Jenifer’s face faded as she looked back at Cain and Serena. Her mind browsed through different thoughts on how to ruin they’re day. 
               “You know, we should do somethin’,” Jenifer stated. “Like teach them a lesson.” 
               “What you got in mind babe?” Jake asked, looking at his girlfriend. Without responding, Jenifer snatched Jake’s chocolate milk from his plate. She opened it up and poured a little bit out, to make room for other ingredients she planned to add. 
               “A bomb,” She grinned while putting mashed green beans in the carton. “Aye someone get some hot sauce.” One of the other kids at the table got up to fetch the sauce. 
               “Put rice in there too!” Eliza exclaimed. 
               Jenifer scraped the remainder of the rice off her plate and into the milk. “Good one,” when the kid came back with the hot sauce, she took it and added it to the mixture. “This is going to be too funny,” Jenifer said, imaging the results of her prank. She shook the milk cartoon up and handed it to Jake. “Don’t, miss.” 
               “Dude,” Jake said cracking his knuckles. “I never miss,” he grabbed the carton of milk and aimed at his targets. Jake flung the milk over two tables of students and watched it crash in front of Serena and Cain. 
               The carton basically exploded upon hitting their table, covering both Cain and Serena with a disgusting, mushy liquid. Half of the cafeteria witnessed them get soaked in contaminated milk and burst out laughing. Serena closed her eyes tightly and wiped the slop from her face. She didn’t know what happened; Cain on the other hand was a bomb about to go off. 
               The entire cafeteria was staring at Cain and Serena laughing and making jokes seconds after the prank. Cain’s short fuse already burned out, and he searched the crowd for the one responsible. His eyes floated from face to face, until he saw Jenifer and Jake. The mocking expression they had told the whole story. 
               Jake high fived one of his partners. “Nice bro!” Jake’s teammate chuckled. Jenifer sat back and enjoyed the commotion with an evil grin on her face. But when she saw Cain storming toward them, her smile melted away. 
               “Dude, check it out,” one of Jake’s buddy pointed to Cain who made his way over to their table. Jake got on his feet and eyed Cain down. 
               “My bad bro, did I do that?” Jake mocked. Instead of responding, Cain struck Jake across the face with his fist. The whole table got quiet when he was punched again. 
               Cain grabbed Jake by the shirt and flung him to the ground. Before he could continue his assault, two football players snatched him up. They shoved him away from the table, almost making him fall. Cain clenched his fist and rushed the jocks, knocking Jenifer to the floor while doing so. 
               Serena jumped up from her seat and ran to stop Cain, but the School’s security got there first. One guard tackled Cain to the ground while the others restrained Jake and the Jocks. Eliza helped Jenifer off the floor, shocked at Cain’s reaction. Jenifer brushed her self off, seeing Cain being dragged away by security. 
               “Get off me!” Cain growled, eyes boiling with rage. The two guards that held him tightened their grip, fearing he might break loose. 
               Serena was speechless as she watched her only friend be carried away. “Next time, keep your ‘retard’ boyfriend on a leash!” Jenifer snapped, angry that Cain knocked her to the floor. 
               Serena glanced at Jenifer and then down to her clothes that were a mess. The cafeteria remained in up roar after witnessing the brawl, and some students were still laughing her. With no real reason to finish the school day, Serena stormed out of lunchroom, heading home. 
   
   
   
   Chapter 12 
   The next day Cain was sitting on the porch steps of his group home. He had gotten suspended for five days because of the fight from yesterday. Of course that didn’t bother him, he was just upset that he wouldn’t be able to spend time with Serena. 
               Letting out a deep sigh Cain thought back to the other day, dwelling on the incident at lunch. To be honest he wasn’t over the situation, and planned to settle the score the moment he got back to school. Had it not been for the campus security he would have torn through Jake and his friends; at least that's what he thought. 
               “Hey,” someone said, breaking Cain from his daze. He looked up and spotted Serena standing with her book bag on. 
               “What up?” he replied, sounding slightly down. 
               “Nothin’,” Serena took a seat next him on the steps. 
               “Why you aint at school?” Cain asked. It was lunchtime after all. 
               “I was, I just left early,” she admitted. “Really, I didn’t want to go to school at all.” 
               “I feel you,” Cain replied. He sat up straighter and stretched his arms out. “You hungry?” 
               “Kind of,” Serena nodded. 
               “I know a lil spot that got some good food,” Cain informed. “You down?” Serena answered Cain’s question with a smile. 
               “Sure!” she exclaimed. “I just hope they’re not too pricey.” 
               “Don’t worry bout that,” Cain told her. He got on his feet and headed down the sidewalk with Serena behind him. “It aint too far from here. Just around this corner.” They walked up the block to a place called ‘BB-Grill’. Cain held the door for Serena as they went inside. “What you want?” he asked, staring at the menu.   
               “Umm…” Serena studied the various types of meals they had and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know,” she said in a childish manner. 
               “You eat burgers right?” Cain questioned, watching her nod her head. “Then get that number two. It’s one of my favorites.” 
               “Okay,” she agreed. The cashier whipped out a pencil and pad ready to take her order. “Umm, can I get the number two… with uh, Sprite please.” she nervously told the worker. 
               “Ight, and you?” The cashier turned her gaze to Cain. 
               “I want the number five,” he said, pulling his wallet from his jean pocket. Serena realized Cain was going to pay for her meal and blushed on the inside. She unknowingly leaned closer to him, brushing his shoulder. Cain felt the warmth of Serena’s body and glanced at her, smiling unintentionally. “Aye, you can find us a seat?” 
               “Y-yea,” Serena nodded. She searched the small restaurant for a spot to eat. On the far side of the room was a table with two chairs by the window, which was perfect. Serena briskly made her way over and took a seat. When Cain came over carrying their food, she smiled brightly. He passed Serena her drink and sat down in front of her. Cain wasted no time and ripped the wrapper from his burger, taking a mouth size bite. Serena giggled at his appetite. “I see someone’s hungry.” 
               “Hell yea,” Cain replied, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “I’ll try and be as civilized as possible,” he joked. 
               “Don’t worry, I won’t judge,” Serena picked up her burger and bit a small piece off. She looked up while chewing her food and saw Jennifer Hudson on TV singing. The movie playing was  ‘Dream Girls’ . “I love this movie!” she pointed to the TV screen behind Cain. 
               He glanced over his shoulder and continued to eat. “I aint neva’ see it before,” he admitted. 
               “What!” Serena exclaimed. “I’ve seen both versions, the new and old one. The new one is better to me though. I love Jenifer Hudson, she’s my favorite singer.” 
               “For real?” Cain asked, stuffing a hand full of fries in his mouth. “I aint never really heard her sing before.” Serena’s eyes flew open to his response. 
               “Hold on, Imma let you hear somethin’.” she went into her book bag to find her music player. “You can’t really hear the TV, but I got that song on my Mp3.” Serena pulled the device from her bag and scrolled through her songs, finding what she searched for. “Listen to this,” she put an ear bud in Cain’s ear, letting him listen to part of song ‘ You gonna love me’ . 
               Cain put his food down and secured the ear bud in his ear with his hand. “Yea she can sing,” He nodded, hearing Jennifer Hudson hit different levels of notes. 
               “She can do more than sing,” Serena added. “Like, when I was lil, I use to want to be a singer. And I wanted to sing just like her.” She stopped talking, thinking about her childhood. “But that was just a stupid dream I use to have.” Serena seemed slightly down about what she said, but brushed it off and smiled at Cain. 
               “Can you sing?” Cain asked, eating his food again. 
               She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe…” 
               “Only one way to find out,” he said, grinning at her. 
               “No, way. I’m not about to sing in here,” Serena refused. 
               “Who says you gotta do it here?” 
               “I’m not singing at all,” she replied. 
               Cain nudged her foot with his own. “Not even for me?” he wondered. 
                Serena took a deep breath and sighed. “For you… I guess I could make an exception.” Cain smiled, showing his crooked teeth. “But under one condition,” The smile dropped off his face and he raised an eyebrow. “You sing for me first.” 
               The two broke into laughter. “Yea, we’ll see about that.” Cain responded. Serena stopped laughing, but continued to smile. It’s been a long time since she had this much fun, and she didn’t want it end. Because there’s no telling if it will ever happen again. 
   
   
   
   Chapter 13 
   The next day after seventh period, Serena was on her way home. Like always, she didn’t have the greatest of times at school, and couldn’t wait to get to the room and relax. She also wanted to see Cain again. They had spent all of yesterday together; it was probably the best time of her life. 
               She walked down the sidewalk with a smile on her face, thinking about her only friend. Never has she met someone who actually knew how she felt, or could relate to her. Some of the girls in her previous home had experienced similar history as her, but they acted different. They didn’t show their selves friendly like Cain did. And it was because of that that Serena’s feelings for him had spiked. 
               To other’s Cain was an unpredictable, odd, and disturbed teenager. Serena on the other hand saw him for who he really was. She had experienced his kindness, and knew his painful past played a major role in forging the person he was today. She liked his awkwardness and envied the way he stuck up for himself. In secret, Serena was beginning to fall him. 
               “Aye baby girl!” A voice echoed, breaking Serena’s thought process. Her eyes narrowed and she hesitated to turn around, fearing who called her. K-9’s Monte Carlo glided next to her, cruising down the street at the same pace she did.  “What’s happenin’ with ya?” K-9 grinned. 
                “N-nothin’,” Serena retorted. She continued to walk forward and kept her eyes ahead. 
               K-9 hung his arm out of the car window, watching Serena’s every move. “I aint here from ya in a lil min’,” he exclaimed. “Had me worried.” Serena didn’t say a word, she wished he’d just go away and leave her alone. “Aye you need a ride?” 
               “No,” she weakly shot back. K-9 stuck his head outside and glared at her in intimidation. 
               “It aint right for young lady to walk by herself,” he added. His voice sounded calm, but it was laced with malicious. “Gon’ and get in…” his offer was more of a demand, and his eyes coerced her into opening the side door. 
               Serena took a seat in the drug dealer’s cold car staying as far away from him as possible. K-9 pressed the auto lock, locking the doors and sped off. He leaned back in the seat while cruising down the street. 
               “So what’s up baby girl? Where you been?” he questioned. 
               “Home,” Serena quietly answered. 
               “Word,” K-9 nodded. “It’s been like a month since I seen ya. And yo credit’s just about due…” 
               Serena’s heart skipped a beat. She had forgot all about the money she owed him for the supply of drugs he gave her. “I-I, I don’t, have anything,” She admitted, staring at the carpet floor. K-9 turned down the music and leaned closer to her. 
               “Say what?” he said, acting like he didn’t hear her the first time. 
               “I said, I dont… have it,” she repeated, feeling even more ashamed than before. 
               K-9 pulled a blunt from his jean pocket and placed it in his mouth. He glanced at Serena, scheming in the back of his mind. “Aye you’ll look in that glover compartment for me?” Serena shyly did as told, opening the compartment in front of her. The first thing her eyes caught hold of was the king size revolver lying by a pack of cigarettes. The barrel of the gun seemed to be pointing at her. “Aye you see my lighter?” he asked. Serena glanced around the glove compartment and spotted the lighter to the right of the gun. She grabbed it slowly and handed it to K-9. 
               With out saying thank you, K-9 took the lighter and sparked his blunt. He appeared to lean back even further in his seat while smoking. Serena stared out of the window, waiting for him to speak again. 
               “So you aint got the money huh?” he said, a deep glaze in his eyes. K-9 shook his head and shot Serena a cold stare. “Man what you gon do baby girl?” 
               Serena sunk in her seat looking frightened. “I don’t, know…” she muttered.  K-9 clenched his jaw in anger, but seemed to calm down out of nowhere. 
               “That’s cool. Cause we can work out a payment plan,” he swerved right into a narrow path on the side of the building. Driving further down the slim road, Serena began to grow nervous. This was not the way to her group home; in fact she had no idea where she was. K-9 stopped his cart in the back of the building and hit the blunt again. “I’ll tell you what. I like you baby girl, so imma let you make it up me.” Serena kept her eyes away from him, afraid to look his way. “I got a way for both us a make a lil money,” he stated. “But I need yo help.” 
               “Wh-what’s that?” 
               K-9 placed his hand on her thigh with a heartless expression on his face. “Imma need you to fuck somethin’,” he said coldly. Serena’s chest began to move up and down quickly. She knew what ever K-9 had in mind wasn’t going to be good, but would have never imaged prostitution. 
               “No… I can get the money,” Serena implied, shaking her head fiercely. 
               “Too late for that,” he replied, shutting that idea down. “You gon make us some good money too…” Serena turned her head as K-9 leaned in and kissed the side of her neck. “But I gotta see what you workin’ with first though.” After hearing that, Serena reached for the door handle, but was snatched up by K-9. “Com’ on baby girl… don’t make this hard.” 
               “No…” Serena mumbled, trying to avoid the tongue that glided down the side of her face. “Please, I can get you the money…” K-9 wasn’t hearing a word she said. His mind was already made up. “Stop, . . . please” she begged. K-9 went for her shirt, pulling it off gently. 
               “Relax baby girl…” he whispered. “You gon’ enjoy this.” 
   
   
   
   Chapter 14 
   Two minutes after midnight, Cain was sound asleep in his bed. Today had been pretty boring, and it didn’t help that he wasn’t able to see Serena. He thought the time they spend together meant something, but maybe he was wrong. Surely Serena would have tried to contact him if that was the case. 
               He tossed and turned in the sheets, unable to get a good sleep. Cain’s mind spiraled around in his skull. He was dreaming about Serena, and something wasn’t right. In his dream she was being afflicted, hurt, no was there for her. Cain rushed to be by her side, but seemed get further and further away the faster he ran. Then it happened, she disappeared, whispering while doing so. 
               ‘…Cain….’ Her voice echoed through out a blank atmosphere in Cain’s mind; ending the dream abruptly. 
               Cain jerked up in his bed, sweating fiercely. He looked around his room with wide, red eyes. Something wasn’t right. He sprung out of the bed and snatched on a pair of pants. Serena was in trouble, and he could feel it. 
               With out even putting on a shirt Cain ran out of his room. He had no idea where Serena was, but had a pretty good guess of where to start his search. He dashed to stairway and climbed to the top level. Yanking open the door to the roof, his eyes grazed the area, spotting who he came for. 
               Serena was standing on the edge on the four-story building staring down at the concrete sidewalk. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She had bruises on her arm and face from failing to escape K-9. The thing that hurt her the most though, was her broken spirit; it had finally shattered. 
               “Serena!” she heard someone yell. When she looked behind her she saw Cain running in her direction. “Serena…” he said, stopping at the ledge. He glared at her with concern printed all over his face. “What are you doin’?” 
               Serena gazed at him with a tear leaking from her right eye. Before she could say or do anything, Cain quickly grabbed her and swung her to the safety of his arms. He clung tightly to her as she began to weep quietly. 
               “I’m sorry,” Serena mumbled. “But I just can’t take anymore.” Cain didn’t say a word, he continued to hold her, stroking her hair gently. “I want it all to end . . . everything.” 
               “Don’t say that,” Cain spoke up. 
               “Why?” Serena shot back, water constantly running from her eyes. “Give me one reason, one good reason I should be alive?” Cain stared at the roof’s tile, thinking about how much he cared for Serena. “Exactly. There is none. There’s…” 
               “Me,” Cain softly interrupted. The tears that streamed down Serena’s face almost came to a halt. She slowly lifted her head, replaying what he just said. “Me.” He repeated. “If you do, what you think you want to do. Then I’ll have no one.” Cain cleared his throat, keeping his voice strong instead of weak and feeble. “I can’t lose you, your all I have. My mother’s gone . . . but you, your all I got now. I don’t wanna lose you too.” His voice broke and he lowered his head. No tears dripped from his eyes, but there was no question he meant what he said. “I love you Serena, and I’ll neva let ‘Anything’ happen to you.” 
               His words torn at Serena’s damaged heart, forcing more tears to drip off her face. “I need you…” she muttered, wrapping her arms around his back. “He won’t leave me alone.” 
               “Who?” Cain asked. It was beginning to come clear to him that someone pushed her to this fragile state of mind. 
               “K-9,” Serena buried her head in his chest as the truth slipped from her lips. “I owned him money, but I don’t have it. Now, ... now he wants me. Wants me to make his money.” She clenched her teeth as pictured her self on a dirty street corner, prostituting. “He wants to sell me! Sell my body…” she exclaimed, dreading the very idea of it. Serena raised her eyes and stared Cain in the face. “Don’t let him do it! Don’t let him have me Cain!” She cried. 
               Cain stood quietly, stilling holding on to Serena. His love for her was the only thing that kept his head on his shoulders, because on the inside, Cain’s blood was boiling. Hearing K-9’s plans for Serena made the hatred in his heart over flow, but he kept his raging emotions within and let out a deep sigh. 
               “I wont,” Cain simply replied. “I promise you that.” 
   
   
   
   Chapter 15 
   The next day at 11:30pm, Serena was in a dark ally waiting for K-9. She and Cain had devised a plan to get rid of him once and for all. She stood quietly, waiting for the infamous Monte Carlo to drive down the narrow path, which it did moments later. 
               Serena’s heart started to race in her chest. She hoped this would work. K-9 drove next to her and unlocked the doors. He watched her as she walked around the back of the car to get in. 
               “What up baby girl?” he grinned. “Ready to make some money?” Serena couldn’t look him in the eye, so she simply nodded her head. “Good. But first thing first. Let’s get you warmed up.” K-9 grazed his tongue across his teeth and slid his pants zipper down. 
               Serena cringed on the inside, but gathered her strength. “Okay, just let me get comfortable,” she said. She began to remove her jacket slowly, taking out the knife she hid in the pocket. Serena covered the blade with her jacket, getting ready to take action. 
               K-9 rolled his eyes ready to make moves. “Com’ on baby girl, we aint got all day,” he rushed. “We gotta…” his words diminished the second he felt a three-inch knife sink into his right leg. He cried out in agony, clutching the painful wound. Serena went for the car door, but K-9 grabbed her by the arm. His grip was so tight that it short-circuited her blood flood. “You dead…” he growled, eyes blazing with rage. 
               K-9 dragged Serena closer to him when a brick suddenly broke through the driver side window. Glass flew all over the in and outside of the car as the brick landed in K-9’s lap. The shock of the window getting smashed gave Serena the second she needed to escape from K-9’s grasp. She virtually kicked the door open and ran out of the vehicle. 
               K-9 shoved open his door and staggered out of the car. “What the hell goin’ on?” he wondered. He snatched the knife out of his leg, tossing it to the ground when he caught sight of Cain who stood directly in front of him. Both of Cain’s fists were balled tightly and he had a scowl of hate on his face. K-9 clenched his jaw, putting two and two together. “You gon pay for that, white boy. You and yo lil bitch.” 
               Cain rushed K-9, tackling him into the side of the car. K-9 crashed on his vehicle violently; his stab wound pulsed in pain. Cain struck him across the face twice, and then threw him on the ground. K-9 shook his head quickly, keeping himself from being dazed. He felt Cain come behind him and scooped up glass fragments on the ground from his broken window. 
               Cain grabbed K-9 by the shirt, cocking his arm back to hit him again, but was slapped in the face with shattered glass and dirt. The glass sliced through his skin, causing blood run down his face. His own blood blinded his eyes, and Cain back stepped into the car. K-9 quickly got on his feet and slammed a fist into Cain’s right eye. 
               Serena covered her mouth upon seeing the turn of events. She flinched when Cain got struck again. “Cain…” she mumbled. 
               K-9 back handed Cain fiercely, and threw him down. “Yea. What’s up now?” K-9 taunted, kicking him in the stomach. “Punk ass white boy.” He reached in his jeans and removed a glock 36. 
               Serena’s eyes widened and she knew she had to do something. She glanced around the area desperately searching for a way to fend off her oppressor. Her eyes traveled to the damaged Monte Carlo and she ran to it. 
               “Turn yo faggot ass around!” K-9 exclaimed as he kicked Cain once more. Cain coughed in agony from the blow to the stomach. He slowly flipped over on his back, wiping the blood from his eyes. K-9 grinned while he aimed the gun between Cain’s eyes. “After I’m done with you... imma spend some quality time with yo chick,” he snarled. The look on his face was psychotic and ghastly. 
               “No!” Serena yelled, coming behind them. She carried the revolver she saw yesterday in K-9’s glove compartment. With both eyes closed, Serena couldn’t bare to look as she fired a round at K-9. 
               The bullet struck the brick wall in front of K-9 and he spun around in a heartbeat. He lifted his weapon and pulled the trigger twice. The first bullet snuck into Serena’s upper chest, causing blood to spew from the wound. The second ripped into her lower torso, tearing through the liver and grazing the stomach before exploding out of her back. 
               Cain completely froze as he watched Serena’s body drop to the ground. His mouth hung open and his eyes shifted to K-9. Before he knew it, he was staring down the barrel of a gun again. 
               K-9 showed his jagged gold teeth in a crooked grin, and squeezed the trigger. With his eyes closed, Cain waited for the sound of the gunshot to scratch his ears, but it didn’t. To his surprise, the only thing he heard was a clicking noise in the back of K-9s gun. 
               “What the…” K-9 muttered, staring at his weapon. He looked back at Cain who was lost, and smacked him across head with his pistol. K-9 limped back to his car to make a quick escape. 
               Cain clutched the injury on his forehead as the tires from K-9s car skidded out of the alley. He wiped his face again when the image of Serena getting shot appeared in his memory. 
               “Serena!” Cain exclaimed. He tried to jump to his feet, but stumbled back down. Cain tightened his fist and ignored the pain that swelled his body, as he forced his way closer to Serena. “Serena…” he repeated, inching his way to her. 
               She laid flat on the ground with dull eyes. Her chest just barely moved up and down, indicating that her heart was still beating. Cain got next to Serena and gently rose her, holding her carefully in his arms. 
                Serena felt Cain’s touch and pulsed in pain; her eyes moved to his face. “…C-Cain…” she wheezed, coughing afterwards. Blood slipped out of the side of her mouth. 
               “Don’t talk,” Cain calmly replied, trying to keep himself from losing it. He heard the sirens in the background and knew help was on the way. “You gon be aight…” he lowered his head and felt a tear exit his eye, landing on Serena’s face. 
               “Cain,” Serena repeated. Her voice sounded weaker than before and her breathing slowed. She began to think back to her childhood, dwelling on the times when she would be at her worst. “Wh, when I was lil. I use to… always want someone to, to hold me.” She stammered, fighting to get every word out. “Hold me, and tell me. Everything would be okay…” 
               Cain forced a false smile on his face and started to rock Serena’s body peacefully in his arms. “Everything… ‘will’ be okay,” he told her. “You got me? Everything gon be just fine.” He watched as that rare beautiful smile grew on Serena’s face one last time. 
                “Everything… will be, . . . okay,” she lied to herself. Serena and Cain both knew that wasn’t going to be true. Because she died in his arms moments before the ambulance arrived.  
   
   
   
   Chapter 16 
   Four days later, at Serena’s funeral, Cain stood amongst a small crowd that consisted of Serena’s group home, and his self. He was on the front row under the tent that hung over Serena’s casket. His eyes were stuck on the uneven grass as the preacher spoke words he didn’t listen to. 
               The only thing in his mind was how everything turned out like this. He had finally found someone that he understood, and vise versa. Someone who cherished his company; some one he loved. Cain raised his head when he realized the casket was being lowered into the ground. 
               Instead of crying, he tightened his jaw. Keeping back every bit of emotion that screamed to be released. The dark brown casket sunk lower and lower, finally leaving eyesight. It was over. The bleak funeral had official ended. 
               Everyone began to walk away; very few wiped away tears. The preacher gathered his belongings and left the site as well. No one remained, no one but Cain. He still stood quietly in the same spot. 
               The funeral director ordered his workers to take down the settings when he noticed Cain. He walked over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder. “It’ll be aight son.” The man told Cain. “She’s in a better place.” 
               Cain looked at the guy and nodded. “Yea,” he said. “But I’m still gonna miss her,” he mumbled to himself. The guy patted Cain’s shoulder and headed back to work. 
               Cain remained where he stood to say his final goodbyes. “I love you Serena,” he confessed. “These otha’ folk may forget you, but I won’t. I’ll never forget…” He clenched his fist while suppressing the sorrow that tore his heart. “I miss you soo much.” He said, breaking down on the inside. “I really do…” Cain got back in control of his feelings, and did what he’s always done with his pain. He secured it tightly in place in his heart, and tucked away the key. “Until we meet again.” 
               He walked away from the grave site with his hands in his pockets. It truly pained him to see the death of the last person he loved, but that’s life; life for him at least. While others spent their days surrounded by friends, family, and loved ones, Cain had nothing. He always questioned why he went through the things he did. Why he suffered loss after loss after loss. The answer never quite showed its face to him, even though it was obvious. Losers never win. 
     
     
     
                                                                           The End 
   
   
   Publication Date: March 31st 2014 https://www.bookrix.com/-br8649913fd9335