Authors note: The story I promised that would be here tonight, yet a bit late depending on what time is it for you guys. It’s not the best in my opinion, I just don’t see darryl from Michael’s bad film on here at all on here, so I decided to do it myself. If you guys would want a part 2 let me know, I might work on it alongside maestro and upload both, enjoy.
!! Warning !! Mentions of g*ns, g*n use, angsty?
In his world, things seem less colorful it was more black and blue in his eyes. Darryl‘s always been a good kid, keeping up with his grades and taking care of his mother. At the beginning of the year, he ended up returning back to his childhood home and now attending private school, money started to get tight then. He became desperate, needing it for food and to keep him in the private school he attended , most importantly help his mother and take all the stress off her shoulders, Yet nobody wanted to help a poor kid from Brooklyn, they’d say.
Darryl felt like he’s seen it all, but clearly not enough, He started to notice how much his town has changed. Seeing groups of young men becoming violent towards each other, being pushed in the back of police cars, it was an unsafe environment which made him uneasy.
Since he’s been back in Brooklyn, Recently Darryl had happen to run into a old childhood friend of his, Maxine, who went by “mini max” now, and two other individuals he wasn’t quite familiar with. He noticed a thing or two about max of how much he’s changed…a little too much. He would push him to drink, to try and sell illegal substances, and steal. ‘It’ll get you out of these streets!’ He’d tell him, but each time he refused, he’d be called ‘soft’ or ‘a sissy.’ what Max thought made him even softer was you, his girlfriend.
Darryl could never keep you out of his mouth, talked about how lovely and soft your hair was, the signature vanilla scent you kept on yourself, how your eyes were like two pools so deep, that he felt like he could never come back up. Max despised you, he thought that you were keeping Darryl back from all the good things that he could be missing out on.
Today was finally the last day of school for break to begin, when the day ended, you and Darryl were walking out the school building together holding hands and fingers intertwined together, chatting away about plans for break and how you both would spend it together, you both were startled by a shout.
You and Darryl were startled, only to see that it was max and his two other friends walking behind him, you could instantly see Darryl’s demeanor change to discomfort.
You questioned the nickname, Darryl shook his head and sighed, turning his body to face you.
“This is the first time he’s called me this, go on baby, I’ll call you later tonight..”
He spoke quietly for only you to hear, the way he called you baby always seemed to make you melt. You quietly nodded your head, he placed a hand on your cheek and pressed a soft kiss on your lips, when your eyes met, he mouth the words ‘I love you.’ You started to walk away to leave Darryl alone with his friends, right away, he could tell something wasn’t right, especially with Max.
“Won’t believe what I got my hands on…”
Max had a smirk on his face, max zipped his coat down and opened the right side where only Darryl could see, his heart drop down into his stomach…max had gotten his hands on a gun.
“Tonight…we’re going on a heist, you either prove you can roll wit’ us, or you’re just a lil’ sissy.”
Darryl’s breath quickened, his eyes stayed locked on the gun that was strapped to max’s pants, any sudden movement had made him jump each time out of fear he’d switch and use it on him instead. He shook his hand immediately…
“No…no no you’re not thinking straight-“
“I said tonight. 8:30 pm, you better meet us downtown, you either down or you ain’t down. Don’t you wanna take care of your mama? Yo’ girl?”
Max had interrupted him, he was using his two weaknesses against him, he looked in his hazy red eyes, max was more than serious…and higher than a kite. Darryl softly pushed past them both max and his friends to head home, the entire walk in the back of his mind, he was terrified of what could happen if he didn’t do what Max wanted him to. Time felt like it was flying by so quickly, he paced around his room quickly, picking up the telephone a couple of times to call you, to tell you that he loved you one last time something went wrong…but he put the phone down everytime.
Before he ended up leaving the house, he took a piece of paper out of his mother‘s notepad and started writing a letter of she returned home early, his hands trembled and felt sick at every word he wrote.
‘Mother, I’m sorry. I don’t know what may happen tonight, but I just want you to know how much I love you and I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, this isn’t your fault. I just wanted to help you with money, to pay for school, to keep us fed, and so we can leave this horrible place. I love you mother.
He gently placed the note on the kitchen counter, staring at it for a couple seconds, then finally leaving the house. He made his way downtown in all black, he kept his head down, fixing up his hat to cover his eyes and tried not to look suspicious but failing miserably, then about thirty minutes he finally arrived downtown, hearing a familiar laugh come from an alleyway. He peaked over and saw that it was Max in the same two guys from earlier. They turned they’re heads and saw Darryl as he pulled his mask down away from his face. The smiles were wiped off of their faces as they got more serious.
Max stepped in front of Darryl, eyeing him up and down as if he was judging him.
“You actually showed up…”
Darryl swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. He shifted uncomfortably and spoke quietly.
“Y-Yeah…Look, I wanna get this over with so I can go home…so what’s my first job?”
Max took a puff of the cigarette in his mouth, blowing it in Darryl’s face, making him cough a bit. He stepped closer to a point their chests were nearly touching, then shoved a big black duffle bag in his hands.
“The liquor store across the street from here, you gon’ rob them first, then we gon’ mug somebody who look like they got money.”
Darryl felt his body freeze and his breathing quickened once again, and Max could immediately tell that he was starting to change his mind, which irritated him. He threw the cigarette that he had in his mouth onto the ground, grabbed Darryl’s shoulders and slammed him onto the hard brick wall enough to bruise. He grunted loudly, the fear more intense in his eyes. Max breathed hard as he gripped Darry’s arms hard to keep him in place.
“Darryl, I’m not gonna tell you again. Ever since you’ve been going to that private school has been making you into a lil’ sissy, and that dumbass girl!!!”
“Tell me to my face, are you bad? Are you really with us?”
Silence. Max got more frustrated and shook him again which made Darryl flinch hard.
Darryl shouted back at max, he used all the strength he could to push max off, his back was aching and throbbing from the hard push. He was taken aback as he watch Darryl snatch the duffle bag that was on the ground and lift his mask up. He walked away from Max and the two other guys across the street to the store. I felt like in that moment, Darryl could see almost everything that was coming to him for this. His girlfriend, the lady in his life, the colorful light to all of the darkness, possibly leaving him, And his mother disappointed and ashamed of him, this wasn’t the son she raised.
The door chimed open, but before the cashier could greet him, he slammed the duffle bag down on the counter. The cashier was a young man, he stopped and looked at Darryl in his eyes. He cleared his throat and deep in his voice, so it wouldn’t be recognizable.
“…give me all you got, I don’t wanna have to hurt you.”
The young man paused and started to press the buttons on the cash register slowly out of shock and terror. While Darryl waited, he slowly turned his head to look at max from the window, he saw him shake his head with a clear look of disappointment in his face. Darryl started raise his voice and slammed his fist on the counter.
“Come on man I don’t got time for this HURRY UP!!!”
His voice broke as he yelled. The cashier’s body flinched hard, the cash register opened with a soft ‘ding!’ he started placing all of the money in the bag at a fast pace.
“T-that’s all we’ve got.”
The young man stuttered out. Darryl took the bag and zipped it shut…then left. Once he returned to Max and his friends, they started cheering for him and giving him pats on his back, but Darryl couldn’t feel a hint of joy in what he did, all he could feel was guilt, shame, and disgust all at once.
“My man darryl ain’t a sissy after all, but that don’t mean we done yet…you still gotta mug somebody.”
“Come on man robbing that store was enough…”
Darryl instantly saw Max‘s face twist into anger, he knew he had no choice but to do what he said. The four of them walked down the streets, passing house parties, clubs, and police cars which made darryl feel a rush of panic go through his body. They then saw a woman come out of a different liquor store farther than the one from before, max stop walking and put a hand on Darryl‘s chest.
“No man that’s a lady…I’m not gonna mug a women.”
Darryl said quietly for only Max hear, the irritation came back across Max‘s face, like he was speaking to darryl with his eyes. Once again, he knew he had no choice. Darryl moved forward quickly has the street lights blinked above him, while she was completely distracted, he lifted his mask up and when he was close enough, he grabbed her. His grasp wasn’t rough but he immediately whispered to her once she gasped, once again deepening his voice.
“Shh shh…it’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt y-“
He stopped, his legs went numb as he got a good look of the women…you. He felt his chest tighten and a lump form in his throat as he met your terrified eyes. You heard a click and something push against the back of your head, you let out a cry. Max shouted at you.
“Man shut up! Give us your bag!!”
Your body trembled hard, Max started to search through your bag, taking anything he found valuable out of it while Darryl stared at you in horror, he felt like he was going to throw up in that moment as everything became inaudible. One of the guys held you in place, their grip on you was hard and forceful. The tightness in Darryl’s chest became painful, he felt lightheaded and started to hyperventilated just watching, doing nothing…
He snapped back into reality by the sudden sounds of police sirens. Max cursed underneath his breath and stuffed your jewelry and wallet in the duffle bag before sprinting away from the scene, darryl followed behind.
Once they were gone, you had waved the police down. You were in a full-blown panic as you explained to them that you were just mugged by four men. You gave them the best description you could, but the only thing you could think about was darryl, and how much you needed him. You took your flip phone out of your pocket and rang him about four times, but each time it went to voicemail. you decided to leave a voice message instead, your voice was shaken up and you sniffled slightly.
“D-Darryl…I-I’m downtown and I just got mugged, i-I’m with the police…I don’t know who they were but please call me back when you can. I really need you right now…please..”
Darryl, Max and the two other men were now sat in an abandoned building, counting all the money they had gathered Celebrating, but what was there to celebrate? Darryl sat on the side while watching them, his chest was still painfully tight and it became hard to breathe for him. He ran his fingers through his hair and he stood up.
Max’s smile faded, he looked at him with confusion and almost offended.
“A mistake? Come on darryl you gangsta’ now! You can pay for school and take care of your mom-“
“DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO THAT WAS!?”
His yells echoed through the empty building, he let out a small choked gasp as his eyes became glossy, putting a hand on his chest.
“That was my girl…WE MUGGED MY GIRL MAN!”
A singular tear rolled down his cheek, nobody dared to say another word. He fixed up his coat and stood up, making his way to the almost broken wooden door.
“Keep your money man…I’m done doing your dirty work.”
He walked down the streets, keeping his head low. Each time he heard the faint sounds of police sirens, he quickly hid behind anything that was larger than him. by the time he made it home. It was nearly midnight, the door creaked open while the faint sounds of the clock ticking filled the quiet room. Darryl noticed that the note he wrote for his mother earlier had gone untouched, ‘Maybe she wasn’t home yet’ he thought, until the door opened behind him. He took the note from the kitchen counter and stuffed it into his pocket, turning his body around to look at his exhausted mother with a bunch of her work bangs in her arms, she lifted her head up to see her son whose eyes were red with unshed tears and almost like he was a little kid that got caught doing something he shouldn’t have.
“Darryl sweetie? Why are you up so late?”
His eyes had immediately softened. He walked towards her and wrapped his arms around her, softly sobbing in her shoulder.
His voice broke. She was surprised, but dropped her work bags onto the floor with a loud ‘thud’ and wrapped her arms around her son, not questioning what had happened.