Life's been pretty lousy since my folks passed. Past-Saint didn't bother much with himself —no regular showers, just enough food to get by. It's been a routine of surviving more than living.
*ring ring*
Aiden's on the line, he's my only friend. He's from the suburbs, does DJ gigs part-time at a local bar. Both of us call Lakewood home—a quiet spot in Cleveland where not much happens.
Aiden: "Hey, Sin, how's it going? Heard about your folks. You holding up?"
Sin, that's what they call me.
Me: "I'm alright, Aiden. Handling it, you know."
Aiden: "I was thinking of dropping by soon. But maybe we should get out for a bit. Also, heard you told Bmanuel you're not rapping with them anymore. What's the deal? He on the rise? You know he can hold a grudge."
Bmanuel and I had some drama, split from the group before my folks' accident.
Me: "Let's forget about that. I've got this song idea. Got the beat, need someone to bring it to life. You up for it?"
Aiden's like a mini Dr. Dre and he's game.
Aiden: "Sure thing, I'm in. But what about Bmanuel? He's hanging with Tolli now. Tolli wants to manage him or something, trying to get on his good side."
Tolli's a local gang banger, not big but enough to cause issues for a nobody like me.
Me: "I don't want problems. Let's get the song done, then I'll handle them."
Aiden: "Alright, I'm on my way."
Starting this new life, I'm already dealing with the likes of Tolli. I plan to keep a low profile, maybe they'll forget about me. Thinking about bringing in songs from my past life with some twists.
...….
Evening starts to settle in as I'm messing around with the rhymes in my room. The sun's fading, and I'm deep into my thoughts when there's a knock on the door. Figured it was Aiden, but it ain't.
Tolli's standing there, all hooded up, looking like trouble. "You Saint?" he grumbles.
"Yeah, that's me," I say, sizing him up.
He's got a serious tone, tells me to stay away from Bmanuel and his crew. Says I'll get a target on my back if I don't. Real street talk, the kind that makes you feel uneasy.
I tell him I want nothing to do with them, just want to do my music and be left alone. Tolli leans in, says, "You're not hard to find," and strolls off. I suddenly feel a chill down my spine, what have I stepped into. The tension is heavy until Aiden finally shows up.
Aiden: "Yo, Sin, sorry I'm late. What's up?"
Me: "Tolli came by, man. Warned me about Bmanuel and said I better stay away. Something's off."
Aiden's face turns serious, "That ain't good. You need to watch your back, Sin. Let's finish that song and figure this out together."