Kendrick froze. His heart started pounding as he stared at the car. Trenton wasn't alone. Slim and Mo-G were in the back seat, their eyes locked on him. Kendrick felt his grip tighten on his gym bag. He wanted to turn around, go back inside, and pretend he hadn't seen them. But he couldn't. They'd only come back, and he couldn't let them mess up his life any more than they already had.
Slowly, Kendrick crossed the street. As he approached, Trenton rolled down the window. His smirk was faint, but it carried a world of meaning.
"K-Dawg," Trenton said, his voice calm but cold. "Still thinking you can ignore me?"
Kendrick's stomach churned, but he kept his face steady. "What do you want, Trent?"
Trenton leaned back in his seat, his smirk fading. "I want you to stop acting like you're better than the rest of us. You can train all you want, play in all the showcases you want, but at the end of the day, you're still one of us. The streets don't forget."
"I'm not better than anyone," Kendrick said, his voice firm. "But I've got a chance, Trent. A real chance. Why can't you just let me have it?"
Trenton's eyes narrowed. "Because you think this chance of yours means you get to leave us behind. Like we're nothing."
Kendrick shook his head, frustration bubbling over. "This isn't about leaving anyone behind! It's about surviving, man. Don't you get that?"
Trenton stared at him for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright, K-Dawg. Have it your way. But don't say I didn't warn you."
The car engine roared to life, and the vehicle sped off, leaving Kendrick standing alone in the street. The warning was clear, but Kendrick refused to let it break him. He had worked too hard to let Trenton take this from him.