1997

A moody gray sky that scattered white clouds did not stop the scheduled event.
Black and red streamers crisscrossed the top of the entire fence around Trechial's backyard. Near the house in the patio area, four long tables connected in the shape of a square were blanketed in black and red tablecloths with sparkle party hats that sat on scattered confetti, and black and red balloons tied to the chairs waved gently in the mild warm breeze.

Biggie Smalls' Hypnotize blasted from the Pioneer stereo system over the screams of kids playing in the backyard.

Hotdog buns, hamburger buns, bowls of chips, cheese platters, cookies, brownies, sodas, juice, and a few homemade Korean and Chinese snacks were spread amongst the end tables with a few hungry scavengers diving into the chip bowl since the barbecue wasn't ready yet.

Little sisters and brothers of Devin's classmates roughhoused in the Crayola bounce house in the far back of the yard while their older siblings mingled with one another.

Rising into the sky, the charred smoke from the barbeque filled the air with its deep scent. Huan conversed with Xavier Sr., Trey's father. Mr. Darrel and his Uncle Shan sipped cold bottles of beers, probably engaged in politics. Mrs. Kathy, his mom, and Ms. Dee formed their gossip circle while waiting to serve everyone.

Today was Devin's fourteenth birthday and Trechial had insisted on him celebrating it with friends, so she convinced their parents to have a barbecue. Their moms agreed upon a bad idea and that it would be best to have it in Trechial's backyard because their yard was bigger— and not that his mother didn't want people stepping on her beautiful flowers or anything. He didn't care for barbecue, but the shimmer in Trechial's eyes and the enthusiasm on her face led him to agree to this farce. He'd much rather be at home crushing Trey and Leandro in GoldenEye.

Now he was here mingling with kids he barely spoke to at school because of the girl who he just couldn't say no to that was nowhere to be found.

He stood by the side of the fence with Leandro, Trey, and Amos, vaguely listening to Trey talk about Judy Webster's butt. That's all Trey cared about big booty Judy. A person would think, Trey would leave her be because she pulverized him last Friday after he grabbed a handful of her tush, but no, Trey liked big butts and he would not lie.

Devin caught wind of Charlie holding a beer and walking through the gate in a white-collar shirt, blue jeans, and his gun hoisted at his hip. His eyes followed him to the old splintered oak tree in the middle of the yard where he stood cracking open his beer and surveying the party.

Girly laughter drew Devin's attention from Charlie to the back door where Maylee and Trechial emerged in giggles. He hiked up in a goofy grin, a warm sensation reaching from his chest to his feet. Since the fight at school, his infatuation with Trechial had grown into something indescribable. Something fascinating that got his blood pumping whenever she appeared.

Trechial closed the door, and she and Maylee remained there. Was she not going in search of the birthday boy? That's okay. He would go to her.

Maylee leaned into her and whispered something, which parted her lips into a smile brighter than ten thousand suns. A desire to be near her swept through him and now he was leaving his boys.

"Where are you going?" He could feel Leandro's smirk at his back.

"Man, you know where he's going," Trey said. "I don't know what you see in that fossil-face girl."

"She's your sister," Devin said over his shoulder.

Trey laughed. "Hey, I don't claim her out loud."

Amos joined in. "Ole girl got that boy nose wide opened."

Devin turned around, pulling up his baggy jeans ready to flip off his friends when he locked eyes with his mom, her head cocked to the side, a hand on her hip. Dark strands of hair fell upon her shoulder with a chilling look upon her ivory face. It was as if she knew what he was getting ready to do. She narrowed her gaze as a warning, and his hand receded to his side. He scoffed, continuing on his way and vowing to get those fools back. A roast session would soon bring justice.

The journey would have been a pleasant one had he not noticed Charlie eyeballing the girls. Her stepdad was nothing more than a vicious dog in heat.

Devin paused before shifting his route to Charlie's direction.

Fury clenched Devin's fist into tight balls as he approached him.

"Good afternoon. You've been staring in that direction for a while now, Mr. Charlie. What are you looking at?"

He got straight to the point.

Charlie spared him a glance and took a sip of his beer.

Devin continued, "Mrs. Dee is" ––he twirled a finger in a circle before pointing over to the table where Ms. Dee was placing utensils in red plastic cups–– "right there. "

Charlie made a humming noise, raising his shoulders in a dismissive shrug. "And? I don't have to only look at Ms. Dee. You're in a free world now, boy, not a third-world country."

"I was born in America."

Charlie faced him, and the unmistakable scent of alcohol immediately filled Devin's nostrils.
Boy, at that moment, stood against man, keen two-tones versus candid gray eyes. Then Charlie took an intimidating step towards him. Devin squared his shoulders up and poked out his chest even though a sense of fear engulfed him. His mouth grew parched, but his gaze didn't waiver from Charlie's.

"You do know I'm a police officer, right?" He offered the threat with a crafty half-grin.

"Yes sir. You've made an impeccable reputation for yourself in that regard."

Charlie's faint grin slipped into a straight line; he wasn't impressed with Devin's shrewd sarcasm.

"Then you know what I'm capable of?" Charlie gave his weapon a gentle pat.

Devin's jaw flexed and he squinted his eyes. It wasn't that he was petrified of Charlie. It's that he knew he was no match for him. Charlie was taller and bigger. And he had a gun.

He was a cop with a lot of pull. It was well known amongst the youngsters that he was the cop that you didn't tangle with or else you would end up in the hospital with a few cracked bones or even a fractured skull like Frankie Monroe did. The dude got beat down for skateboarding in the parking lot of the Aquatic Center. The two scumbag pigs, Charlie, and his sidekick Wilson said he was doing drugs and resisted them. Yeah, right.

Devin glimpsed at the piece of steel at his side knowing that if given an opportunity, Charlie would end him with two shots to the head. He never said he didn't like Devin, but a man's eyes never lied. The look on Charlie's face when he came around to hang with Trechial or even talk with Ms. Dee darkened into something sinister, yet it didn't scare him. It only made him want to protect the oblivious Mrs. Dee and Trechial even more.

"Yǒu wèntí ma?" Huan said, walking up. Is there a problem?
He put a firm hand on Devin's shoulder and gave it a death grip squeeze, dismissing him. "Hello, Officer. I hope Devin isn't bothering you in any way."

Charlie took a sip of his Bud Light. "Nope, just having a friendly conversation."

"Ah, I see." Huan cut his eyes to Devin, his face unreadable to the untrained individual, but Devin knew his father's hidden rage when it reared its ugly face, and right now, he just wanted to escape to somewhere safe.

"Líkāi," his father told him. Leave.

"Yes sir." He bolted away.

"Where is he going?" Charlie said with a half-smile.

Huan watched Charlie carefully as he answered. "By Jewel."

Charlie twitched, his grip slightly bending the aluminum can.

"Something wrong?" Huan folded his arms across his chest, calculating eyes evaluating him.

"No, nothing at all." Charlie peered in Devin's direction before tipping the can to his lips and downing the rest of his beer. He released a loud belch.

Rage ran red through Huan's brain but instead of acting upon his anger, he forced a friendly smile toward him. "How about I get you another one?" Huan said.

He tossed him the empty can. "Would ya, buddy?"

"Sure thing, pal."

Huan left Charlie standing by his lonesome.