My Intros

I saw him everyday that summer, never imagining that I will never see him again, nor will anyone else.



January 12, 2007. It was a Friday night.


I signed into myspace before basketball practice Saturday morning. Looked at my top friends. "RIP LIL LOU" was everywhere. Shock overwhelmed my body. This couldn't be true. It was a mistake. How could they kill him?



He was only thirteen.



"I got your back, and anything else you need" my best friend said as we walked by a group of girls who we disliked.

I was never a fighter, always a lover. I avoided drama as much as possible. This time, it seemed inevitable. We made eye contact with those girls, stared at them up and down, as they did the same. Walked right past them.


They did nothing.


It wasn't meant to be.

I thought he was different. He wasn't. His stupid mistake ruined it all. And he never even tried to make up for it.

It will find its way.


There I was in the lunch line, standing next to a stranger, not knowing that a couple of months later she would be my best friend.

I was play fighting with Shawnee Ross. Pretending as if I were mad at her. I pretended as if I replaced her with a new friend.


I put my arm around her. I never met this girl in my life nor have I ever seen her around school. Told her to go along with it. She surprisingly did. She made it seem as if I've known her for years, knowing deep down inside that this was the first time we've ever been around each other. She had my back that day...

... and Lauren has ever since.


I've never cared about someone as much as this.

He was born. Learned how to walk. Learned how to talk. Could go to the bathroom on his own. He grew up right before my eyes and its felt like a roller coaster. He's eight years old now and I couldn't love him anymore.


My nephew is my reason to look forward to tomorrow.