His real name was Patrick. He got the name Pahpa from the sound his short gun made anytime he shot an unfortunate person on the arm or leg. He never really killed anyone, but I heard rumors that he actually did killed someone. I heard that by the age of twenty five, he was already an ex-convict.
Everyone in the neighborhood feared Pahpa, so much that the community had to chase him out. He had to relocate to another community, a new neighborhood, my neighborhood, and that was where Pahpa and I met.
A new community, a new neighborhood, and a new life swept Pahpa off. He decided to keep his real identity from anyone else who didn't know him before. His nick name Pahpa was the only old part of him that remained.
We met at a computer sales shop, one day when I went to purchase some computer accessories. He was also there to get some stuff. Somehow while talking to the sales person, our eyes met. I saw a tall muscular dark skinned young man, almost my age mate. He had short dreadlocks on his head, he looked rather rough and a bit scary. He pierced both his ears and had ear rings on them both.
He had dark lips like someone who had been living on smoking. That day, he wore a simple shirt and a baggy jean, nothing too serious, I didn't care to look at his shoes. I smiled at him and he smiled back, he paused and said to me: "No one ever smiled to me since I came to this neighborhood."
"Why is that?" I asked.
"They say I look rough. Who wants to be friends with a rough looking person?"
"Me?" I answered sarcastically.
He laughed out loud, then he extended his hand for a handshake. "I am Pahpa."
"I am Sol." I introduced myself too after receiving his hand for the handshake.
"Nice to meet you brother." He said.
"Nice to meet you too brother." I replied.
We called each other 'brother' the very first day we met. Since then on, we lived like real brothers, had each others back and never doubted our friendship, not until Freda came into the picture. Now the man who I called brother, hates me with everything he got.
I couldn't blame him for hating me that much. I messed up after all. If I didn't let Freda get into my head, I wouldn't failed that mission, we would have been extremely rich. We would still be brothers.
Pahpa gave me enough reasons not to move freely in the neighborhood. After threatening to deal with me if I couldn't come up with a plan to get access into her husband's Main System.
That night I laid on my bed thinking deeply. My eyes focused on my ceiling. In my thoughts, I began to wonder what I could do to redeem myself, to be on Pahpa's good side.
After a while of deep thinking, I came up with a plan. The plan could work, but it would demand me to become a betrayer again for a second time.
"Ok here is the plan" I whispered to myself, "I will take advantage of the affair I just started with Freda, and complete the mission that took me there in the first place. I know she has deep feelings for me, I also know she trusted me deep enough to take me to her bed. I could apply some sleeping pills in her drink. That would buy me enough time to hack her Main System. To hell with the Trojan Horse, with me right there and enough time, I could just do the job directly. She would never suspect a thing after that. At the end, I could give Pahpa what he is trying to kill me for and still be with Freda. Haa… You are a genius Sol." I smiled a wide smile, for I knew that my plan was seamless and smooth.
Pahpa gave me only three days, I've already spent one of the days with Freda at her place, I had only two days left. I felt sorry for myself, I felt pathetic. My betrayal had awakened the tamed beast. That side of him he didn't want anyone to see.
While we were friends, he told me a lot about himself. How bad he was, how he traumatized the community he stayed last. How he unintentionally killed a man just to take the man's money. The punishment he served in prison. How he still managed to climb up to leadership even in the prison, making his stay there worth the while.
"I had to kill my way up." He told me. "It would have been me, if I didn't."
"Why are you telling me your deepest secrets?" I asked.
He sighed and continued: "After I got out of prison, my life became a living hell. Every one looked at me like shit. They would even cover their nose like I was smelling. They deemed me the worst sinner. I didn't blame them, I still don't. I did some real crazy shits Bro. Thanks to them, the way they treated me hit some senses into my head. I left the community to a new one and that's how you and I met. I trust you because, you were the only person that smiled at me even when you saw me for the first time. You called me brother."
"Hmm… perhaps we were meant to be brothers from different mothers." I let out a chuckle.
"I believe in fate too. And if that is the case, then we need to protect each other." He said.
I nodded in agreement to what he said, then I asked him about his family. His answer caught me off guard. "You are my family." he answered.
"Oh! Ah… I-I meant, your biological family."
"I don't want to talk about it." He frowned his face.
"It alright, I didn't mean to bring back bad times."
"No problem Sol. You are now my family." He reassured.
For a man that was completely sincere to me, I felt like a cow by betraying him. That was why I sealed the plan I came up with in my heart. I loved Freda, I had the must perfect time with her, and hoped to have more of those, but I had to find a way to betray her too. She wouldn't know. It would be a win-win case.
A heavy bang on my door woke me up the next morning. I jumped off the bed like a mouse surprised by a cat. "Who the hell wants to bring down my door?" I asked angrily.
"Open the door or I will actually bring it down." A low tone heavy voice echoed from outside… Pahpa."
"I know that voice, Its that of my good brother." I tried to get into his head.
"You have to give up on me Sol. I told you countless times that I am not your brother." His voice came out with both power and anguish.
"So you are really going to disown me because of money?" I asked in a shaky voice.
"Ahaha" He laughed, " I wish it was only about the money. The money matter made me hate you, but you also took away something from me again even after deliberately failing that mission."
"Something bigger than the money?" I was shocked and confused at what that could be.
Still on the other side of the door, Pahpa calmed himself, he didn't care to come inside anymore. He just spoke to me from the outside.
"Can I ask you something Sol?"
"What is it?" I answered with a question.
"What were you doing at Mr. Gabriel's house yesterday?" He smirked.
My heart blew like a grenade at the sound of that question. How did he know that I was there? Could he be spying on me? I calmed myself and answered: "I was not there."
"Hmm? Don't play dumb with me Sol. You forgot who the real mafia is here. I had my boys watch your every move."
"Well I went to fix something in the system for her." I lied.
"You mean in the Computer System? Or in Freda's system?" He asked sarcastically.
"Come on Pahpa… what are you trying to say?"
"I know you are screwing Freda. I also know the mission failed because of her ."
"What? What makes you so sure of that?" My confusion grew.
"I told you I have eyes everywhere."
"Even in Freda's house?" I asked.
"You know Sol, I didn't mention it to you but I knew Mr. Gabriel hasn't been in that house for a long time without any trace. His absence made Freda vulnerable. I did all I could to get into her head but failed. I was going to make her fall in love with me, trust me and open up to me. Then I could have use that chance to gain access into her lost husband's Main System and steal all the money I wanted. (smirks) Tell me Sol… Is that what you are trying to do?"
At that moment, I felt completely naked. "He knows it all." I thought. Pahpa's knowledge of me and my moves began to scare me even more. My confusion only grew, my fear also followed suit. My whole body began to shiver. "That is not what I am trying to do Pahpa. I am not like you, I will not play with Freda's Mind."
"Very well then" he said, "You have only one day left. Come up with a plan and meet me. We could run it together again you know." He laughed and left.
Pahpa was a crazy guy, but his guess was completely right. It was the plan I came up with, to use Freda to gain access into that godforsaken so called Main System.
I was left with only two options, to fulfill Pahpa's guess and be on his good side or to betray the woman I inadvertently fell in love with.