chapter One

Five years. Five long years I'd been caged up in this joint, surrounded by cats who got their kicks acting wilder than a bunch of hungry, agitated monkeys.

These dudes were always starting something, always trying to flex. I couldn't stand 'em.

Then, one day, just as the sun was starting to dip and cast long shadows across the cell block, my cell door swung open.

In walked Luiz, flanked by his usual suspects, looking like trouble with a capital T.

Luiz had that thick Mexican accent, the kind that rolled off his tongue slow and deliberate. "Yo, I heard you're about to bounce up outta here come Friday," he said, his eyes locked on mine, trying to read my play.

I looked up at him, keeping my face unreadable.

"What's good, Luiz? You're looking mad stressed," I sais, my voice steady.

Then, one of his boys, a dude with a face like he never heard a joke he liked, tossed a bag in my direction.

It landed in my lap, white powder spilling out like a promise of trouble.

"A little going-away present," he said, his grin all teeth and no warmth.

I glanced at the bag, then back up at them, my mind already turning. "Y'all for real? Trying to mess up my exit with this mess?" I kept my tone even, but inside, I was tightrope-walking over a pit of frustration.

I had plans for when I got out, and this? This wasn't about to be one of 'em.

I shot up from my cot, quick as lightning, my face just inches away from the dude who'd thrown the bag.

He had the audacity to look surprised, like he didn't just try to set me up.

Luiz chimed in then, his voice dripping with fake concern.

"Ace, come on now, don't be like that. Just 'cause you're hitting the bricks on Friday, don't mean you gotta get all heated."

He started patting me down, like we were boys, but his hands felt like snakes slithering across my chest.

"You ain't really trying to scrap before you leave, are you? Man, that would be a disappointment.

Truly," he said, his eyes never leaving mine.

They all took a step back, and I held my ground.

"Get outta my cell," I said, my voice low and steady, a storm brewing behind each word.

Luiz threw his hands up, feigning shock. "Oh, we got a tough guy here! But you ain't going nowhere come Friday," he taunted, with a cold laugh that echoed off the walls.

They backed out of my cell, and that's when the warden slid the door shut with a clang that sounded like judgment.

I shot him a look that could cut glass, but he just flashed me a smug smile and sauntered off, his keys jingling like the laughter of devils.

I was left there, standing in the fading light, the white powder at my feet a symbol of the games they played.

But I knew the score, and I wasn't about to let them win. Not today, not ever.

Friday, 7:30 AM

The first light of dawn was seeping through the bars of my cell as I shoved my few belongings into a worn bag.

The cell door stood ajar, an invitation to a world I hadn't walked in five long years.

That's when I heard it—the unmistakable sound of footsteps, a duet of impending trouble heading my way.

"You gotta be kidding me," I muttered under my breath.

I knew who it was before they even got close.

My hand moved with purpose, prying out a brick I had loosened over time, just in case.

I wrapped it in my shirt, the fabric muffling its rough edges, and started swinging it like a makeshift flail.

Luiz's buddy rounded the corner first, his eyes wide with surprise as the brick connected with his head with a sickening thud.

He crumpled to the ground like a sack of laundry. Luiz was right behind him, his eyes flashing with anger and confusion.

But I was on him in a heartbeat, using the momentum to fling him hard against the wall. He slid down, dazed.

I didn't wait to see if they'd get up.

I zipped up my bag with a finality that felt like a promise, slung it over my shoulder, and walked out without looking back.

As I approached the towering gate, the last barrier between me and the outside, one of the wardens fell into step beside me.

His voice was slick with false cheer as he said, "I'm looking forward to seeing you back here, you hear?"

The gate buzzed and swung open, a mechanical sound that was music to my ears. I stepped through without a word, the sunlight kissing my face, the air tasting sweeter than any I remembered.

I took a long, deep breath, the smell of freedom filling my lungs, and the world—my world—welcomed me back.

As I basked in the newfound freedom, the sound of my name being called sliced through the moment like a knife.

I blinked, the world coming back into focus, and there was Eli, my ride-or-die since the sandbox days.

He'd been the one constant through the storm of the last five years.

I made my way over to his ride, a grin spreading across my face.

Sliding into the passenger seat, we dapped up with our signature bro handshake, a ritual that felt like home.

Eli hit the gas, and we peeled away from the place that had been my cage, heading towards a fresh start at his spot.

Once we were settled in at his house, the smell of a home-cooked meal filled the air, and we caught up over dinner.

Eli was my lifeline to the world I'd missed, filling me in on the latest shows, the hottest tracks, and the movies that everyone was talking about.

But then, I had to ask about Lisa. The atmosphere shifted, and Eli's expression turned somber.

"Man, she had a kid a year after you got locked up," he said, his voice heavy with the weight of the words.

My heart felt like it dropped to the floor. "But... she promised me she'd wait. Said she wouldn't... you know, until she got married," I stammered, the room spinning a bit.

Eli took a casual bite of his chicken, his eyes meeting mine with a mix of sympathy and real talk.

"Nah, broski, she ain't married," he said, and it was like the final piece of my past life falling away.

The news hit hard, but the freedom I felt earlier was still there, a steady flame amidst the chaos of change.

I had to remind myself that this was just the first day of the rest of my life, and while the past might sting, the future was mine to shape.