Chapter 1.

, your turn." Cyn threw the dice and it landed on double six, she smiled as she picked up the twenty dollar bill off of the floor and shoved it in her bra.

"Wait. One more, and if you win you take triple. Deal?" Derek said, Derek was a person Cyn talked to from time to time he was an alright person, but he also was two faced which was why every one watched their backs most of the time with him. Cyn wasn't 'bout to get fucked over by some dumb ass Oakland folk and that was a self promise.

"Whatever."

Cyn rolled the dice again hoping for the best, but of course expecting the worst.

It hit double two, she looked at Derek and Mathew who both stood in awe to see that she'd beat they asses, they did this on a regular mainly to get what they needed and that was money. The young folks around here didn't care about nothing but materialistic things, they all were at greed for the money. College; college was something that never crossed none of these kids minds, they knew that it was impossible; so what was the point of even trying?

"You cheating Cyn?" Cyn pursed her lips and picked up the sixty dollars.

"I'm just good like that nigga. And it's impossible to cheat in double or nothing, stupid ass." She said rolling her eyes at his ignorance.

Cyn watched closely as more people started to roll and lose their money's like crazy. She shook her head and leaned against the wall watching it all go down, although Cyn did her shit, she still deep down found it all shameful, to be honest she knew that her future was no different from what's happening right now; believe it or not.

"You know, if you keep walkin' 'round here with an ass like that I'm gone have to claim you right." Cyn felt a hot breath hit the nape of her neck, turning around she saw Lionel in the back of her, flashing the gold that laid upon his canines and incisors.

"You know, if you don't back the fuck up, I'm gone kick the fuck out yo' ass right?" She said in the most nicest way, he scoffed rolling his eyes and walked off letting out a few cuss words under his breath, Cyn had a body most young girls around here only dreamt of. Smooth dark chocolate skin and killa' curves, she could've had any nigga in Oakland; but that wasn't her aim.

"Yo' man Mathew I got to roll again." One guy said, he looked stressed and Cyn know that she'd seen him around west Oak sometime, but she realized that they lived in Maine, west Oak folk don't fuck with them...

"Nah nigga, you play. It's either a win or lose alright ain't no do over's." Mathew said straight faced, although they were young minds that innocents were lost to the streets, they took their money as serious as they took life.

"But that's my mama's rent man." Mathew shook his head and waved him off. The guy punched Mathew square in the face as everyone gathered around and Cyn stood to her feet to get a closer look.

She watched as his friends pulled him back and they walked out of the alley glaring at Mathew and those who came to his defense, and that's where the problem was at, outsiders invading and stirring commotion.

"You okay man?" Another boy; Fred asked him as he nodded holding his nose.

"See, this the same shit I'm talking about y'all can't never play a damn clean game!" Channel said rolling her neck, she was cool just annoying as hell, she was every nigga in Oakland's tool, and she enjoyed every bit of it. She had no choice but to take on after watching her mother bring in numerous men in the house.

Cyn watched as the guys that left came back in and it looked like they were apologizing, but not before one of them reached into his waist band and pulled out somethin', realizing what it was, Cyn hopped off the wall....

"What the fuck!"

Gun shots rang throughout the narrow alley as the air was now filled with screams, Cyn watched as the niggas who shot him ran out the back way disappearing into the dark. The situations that were trying to be avoided were now situations that had to be faced.

"Man let's go." Joe urged.

"What about him!" Fred shook in fear, it was his best friend, and he was cryin' in shock lookin' over Mathews now dead body. Three bullets lined off in his chest, close range causing the wounds to look as if they were ripped open.

"He dead bruh!" Joe took off running leavin' Fred there cryin' with Mathews body in his hands. He was now drenched in another mans blood.

Cyn started to sprint out of the alley way as people were going crazy while some were still shocked. Getting shot was somethin' that was normal to happen around here, but being young and all they never witnessed it up-front.

As Cyn approached the main road she slowed her pace as she tried to catch her breath. She was panting like mad and holding her chest of what felt as if her heart was about to jump out any minute now.

She still could've heard the ringing in her ears as she tried to get as far away from here as possible.

She slowed down realizing that she was out of range, Cyn walked through the neighbourhood still a bit shaken up even paranoid about the shit she had just witnessed, she was scared and her bones felt disconnected, even though it happened before her eyes, there ways still something in the back of her head saying it wasn't real. She didn't wanna believe it, she didn't want what she thought to be true.

She followed the street lights where she'd miss some because they were either broken out and the government was too busy doing other shit rather fixing em'. It was as real as it could get out here, it was basically an O.M.A nation.

Cyn didn't live around here but she found her way here ten o'clock last night with Derek, he said that they were gamblin' tonight and come to think of it she really needed the money, her little job wasn't even paying minimum wage and whatever she got she had to used it wisely,

"Shit..." She hissed to herself lookin' around for the liquor store.

She was now a block away from the incident and had spotted the liquor store, searching her pockets for the money that Wendell had sent her with, she walked inside the store and headed straight for the front desk.

"Half pint." She spoke looking at the Asian man.

"That's it."

"That's all I said." She replied as he stared at her intensely.

He squinted his eyes and reached his aging hand to the cabinet pulling one off the shelf and handed it to her; but before she could've taken it he snatched it back.

"Seventeen fifty." Cyn slammed the twenty dollar bill on the counter before taking the brown paper bag from him, he gave her the change and she then started to make way home feeling' the thickness of the draft engulf her bland body...

She yelled banging up on the silver tin screen door.

"We-" She got cut short when the trailer door flew open and she was faced with a bareback angry Wendell .

"Get inside." Cyn shoved the bottle of Gin into his chest and took off her jacket.

"Where the fuck you just comin' from at 2 in the a.m Cyn?" He yelled.

She rolled her eyes and ignored him as she walked over to the fridge, he yanked her arm and pulled her towards him leaving no space between them.

"Did you not hear me?" He gritted between his teeth. Wendell always intimidated Cyn from a little girl, She grew out of it and always now mange to stick up herself, especially after would had happened with her aunts previous lover. Cyn always found Wendell slickly trying to come onto her, but she learned the ropes in putting up a fight with his ass. Thing was; Cyn couldn't move yet, she was low on cash and still battling with issues bigger than Wendell , although this was the case she was determined to get out of this shit hole.

"I had to go to the bodega, Richie then ain't had any." Cyn lied yanking her arm back and reminiscing what had happened tonight, he roughly pushed her causing her to stumble back.

"You better stop your shit girl." He growled showing off he missing teeth.

"Stop!" Cyn yelled.

"What you think your aunty gone stop me? Nah, that bitch know my dick too good to throw my ass out, you know it too." He said chuckling as she pushed him off.

"Don't fuck with me lil' girl. I'll beat your ass like last time and it just gone be worse this time." She held her cheek but she didn't cry. Matter of fact from her last breakin' point, she never did. Cyn was done with the tears, in her eyes it didn't make no sense. No one cared, and crying didn't make nothing easier.

"So what big bad Cyn ain't got nothin' to say." He mimicked as her bottom lip trembled and honestly she wasn't scared to answer back, sometimes she was just afraid of the things that she herself was capable of.

"Man get your hoe ass outta' my face." He gritted.

She turned around and stormed to her room slamming the door. Cyn knew that she had enough of this shit. She was tired of being broken, she knew in herself she had to fix it. All that ever seemed to cause her feel the hurt and the pain. She wanted it to be done, and she knew that them dogs were gonna get their day.

She sat on the chair by my small window and looked at the picture of her daddy that showed him holding her as they both looked at each other smiling.

'Only if he were still here.' She thought.

Cyn sighed and hung her head low not knowing if it was plain disappointment or just shame.

"Cyn." She looked out her window and slid it up revealing Travis.

"What?" He gave her a confused look then nodded.

"Wendell again, huh?" She nodded.

"His bitch ass so trifling." Cyn mumbled shaking her head.

Travis was her neighbour, he lived in the apartment building next to Cyn's. She met him here though, he's the nicest person that she'd ever come across since her daddy died. He looked out for her, he made sure that she was straight. What mainly drew Cyn to Travis was the way that he cared.

Debra; Cyn's aunt didn't care, she just took Cyn in because of the social security money, she was balling her eyes out when Cyn's father died, she cared for her at first but it was only to put up a show, ever since she's been been doing her and not giving a shit about Cyn's well being....the money that was supposed to take care of Cyn; Debra takes it to buy smokes, liquor or carries it to the gambling house.

"You coming in?" He asked and she nodded.

She made sure the room door was locked and hopped out of the window as he helped her up through his. Travis them trailer was a whole lot nicer than Cyn's, it was furnished and his mama kept it together although she was sick, which made it even more at home.

When she got through his window she kicked off her shoes and sprawled her now tired body over his bed. Cyn closed her eyes and inhaled deeply; coconuts, it always smelled like that in here.

"So what you not taking the couch tonight?"

"Nope." She popping the p.

"Fine, I ain't got no problem." He shrugged taking the pillow off of the bed and throwing it on his couch.

"Nah Travis, sleep with me." She told him, there was a silence until he spoke.

"I don't think I'm ready for th-"

"Shut the fuck up asshole I ain't mean it like that I'm talking 'bout you not having to sleep on your couch." She said as they both laughed.

"That's all you gotta say. Damn." He laughed sliding in the bed beside her.

"Good night Travy." She said.

"Good night Cyn."

He made her forget the bad stuff in life, like Wendell , her aunt, and Mathew getting shot tonight....