Future

“You kids should start thinking about what you're gonna do in the future, not about college or trade school, but what you want to spend your life doing.” It was Thursday midway through 4th period, the day was going pretty slow. Mr. Bart was talking about something like college, and then he started to talk about the future, he must’ve been in a talkative mood. “This world has as many things as you can think of nowadays so you kids better think about it, what you're gonna do after high school. You guys are already juniors.” Wow no pressure on us at all

All I’ve been thinking about recently is getting by. Rent increased this year and money's becoming tight. Me and my mom have been discussing me getting a job so I could get some more money to buy some stuff to eat, and pocket money. And more importantly my Afro has been growing pretty big, it’s been 2 months since I got my last hair cut.

After that school went by slowly but surely, and after 7th period US history finished, it was time to get outta here. I said have a good day to the security guard and left. She got out at that time too. As I heard the door open I turned my head to take a peek, and maybe you’d be there.

“Yo you wanna get some food.” Tch this guy.

“Nah I’m not really in the mood, nor do I got much money now.”

“Nah I’ll pay don’t work about it.”

“Sorry man just tryna go home.”

“Aight, aight. You going to the bus, I’ll walk you to it.”

“Aight.” Damn I was tryna seeeee a preetty girl.

Then I hear the door open as we almost walk out of view to the front door. I looked back to see a beautiful milk chocolate skinned girl with slightly curly hair, and a nice ass dress. As I walked away I felt as her eyes were looking back at mine, and as I turned the corner I lost sight of her.

“Whatcha looking at”

“Uhhh, nothing.”

“Ohh it’s Natale. You like her or something.”

“Uhhhhhhhhh.” Man I didn’t really wanna say I liked her in front of him, nor did I really feel like lying.

“Well whatever, you sure you don’t wanna go out, I found a spot with real cheap burgers.” Good thing he’s dumb.

“Nah I’m good, we had Italian homework by the way.”

“Aight I’ll probably do it when I get home.”

“Man you always tell me to remind you but you mostly never do your work.”

“Well if I don’t know we had homework I would have never done it.”

“You bastard.”

We walk to the bus stop, and I say bye to my boy. As the bus starts to move I think about you. Hey do you like me, you stared at me pretty long while I was walking away. Were you still staring when I walked away? Were ya? You still remember that time I helped ya out on this bus? I was real cool wasn't I. Damn I feel like a creep. And I feel a little sour you haven’t been coming on the bus recently, where ya at? What ya doing girl? I’ve been thinking about this too much.

“Damn, I don’t feel like doing any homework now, Where you at girl.” I spent the rest of the ride looking out the window. Where the town changed from where the middle class lived to the slums where I live. She would’ve gotten off by now. For real where you at.

Soon my slow bus ride staring out the window was over, a lot of people needed to be picked up today, what a sucky day. I walk my path home, and I pass by the back of the train station. The local crew hung out there, they were a group of dealers, and gangsters. I got to know em as I passed by them everyday. They were kinda like older brothers, or maybe sometimes… like a father. They helped me out cause they knew what it was like living out here, and gave me some of their time, and sometimes a little cash.

“Hey Tupac, whatcha doing man, where ya going.”

“Nah just going home.”

“How’s school going man.”

“It’s going aight. My grades getting a little lower, imma get them back up though.”

“Good good, as long as you're not failing, stay in school man.”

“Yeah.”

“Eh you getting taller little man. Isn't he.”

“Yeah, you almost near the same height as Nier.”

“Man he’s not there yet, still gotta wait a couple years little man.”

“Hehe, yeah.”

“Damn he might be taller than all of us in a bit.”

“Nah, not going to happen to me.”

“Haha.”

“So what's going on man, you need anything.”

“Umm actually there is something, I was wondering if you could let me in on your uhh business.”

“Mannnn, you mean you wanna sell. Naah man, I don’t know what you’ll need the money for but this ain’t the way to make it.”

“But you guys are making a ton of money right.” They start to look at each other, and start collectively laughing.

“Hehehe, man if we made a killing we wouldn’t be here, selling rocks is a dangerous business, you never know if the police will start cracking down on us, and the people we are selling to ain’t the best you know.”

“Imagine this kid, you're selling, and the guy saids, yo I got you next time, just give me a little, you know I’m good for it.”

“Uhhhh, well if I knew he was–.”

“NOO, you say nah you ain't got the money you ain’t getting nothing. The thing is you don’t know, and then you’ll be coming up short. This ain’t the business you're thinking of kid, don’t be getting into it.”

“Yeah man.”

“Alright.” I said a little whinely.

“Ight here you go man.” He pulled out a 20 dollar bill and gave it to me. “Here, this’ll be enough for cut, and a little extra, you're overdue for a haircut arn’t ya, and there's probably some ladies you’ve taken a liken to at school, am I right.”

“Yeeah.”

“Hee, make sure to tip alright, and don’t be getting into some shady business ya hear.”

I start to walk off to go home. “Thanks man, really appreciate it. Seeya guys”

“Yo, and if you still need a job I heard Nunzio’s pizza is hiring, and they don’t care who they hire so check it out.”

“Gotcha.”

“Seeya.”

“Peace lil man.”

“Seeya.”

“Seeeya.”

Man I was so excited. It’s been real while since I last had a haircut. I went to my usual spot, it was a couple streets from the station. It was a small little shop in a really old building next to some graffiti, Louis’s barber shop. I ran there quickly, and as I opened the bells jingled welcoming me. Yessir we finally getting a cut.

“Ohh it’s you, it’s been a while ain’t it.” The owner’s name as you could guess was Louis, he was a pretty big guy, a couple inches taller than me in height, and he seemed pretty jacked. He was bald with a big mustache. Even though he’s bald, and doesn't got a flashy cut, he really knew how to cut hair.

“Yeah it has.”

He motioned for me to come sit in a seat. “How’ve you been.”

“I’ve been good.” He puts whatever that blanket thing that barbers put around your neck on my neck.

“How's school you're a junior now right?”

“Yeah it’s been going pretty good.”

“Nice so what would you like today, the usual.” I usually got a fade, and cleaned up the top. But I don't know, I felt something different that day. I remembered myself as a kid, I always had a real short buzzcut, and I also thought it looked really cool.

“Nah could I just get a buzz.”

“Sure I gotcha.” He started cutting. “You got any plans after high school?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I think I’ll probably just be working.”

“Ohh alright.” We talked a little bit more after that but he mostly just kept cutting after that, and during that time I was just thinking, what am I gonna be doing? I felt a feeling that I’ve been feeling recently. It felt like a mix of confusion, and emptiness.

He just about finished up. I looked at myself, it’s been a while since I got a buzzcut. Wooo I still got it.

“That'll be 8 dollars.”

I handed him the 20. “Could I get 9 dollars back?” I was feeling generous that day, it may not seem like a lot, but I was pretty broke.

“Gotcha.” He went to the register, and took out a nine. “Here you go, have a good day.”

“You too.” I left the shop, and took the walk home. I kept rubbing my hair, it felt pretty nice now. Then I went to my house, we were on the top floor of an apartment building. I walked up, and unlocked the door to an empty small apartment . I took the walk to my room and laid on my bed. I thought of you, I thought of the future, of my mom, of what those guys said. It was a weird feeling, like I felt stuck. I wouldn't say it was a bad feeling but I didn't like it. As I felt this, I felt tired, and I slowly drifted into sleep.

“None of my homeworks due tomorrow anyways I think.”