"Not this shit again..." I had heard some more yelling after hearing a loud thud on the ground. I looked up from my feet just to see the same shit happening again.
"What the fuck!"
"Bitch, just shut the fuck up and get to the line."
"Nah, cut that shit."
"'Fuck you mean? He just caught a elbow. That's two."
"Two? The fuck do YOU mean? That shit was clean."
"Because, there's fuckin' blood on the blacktop."
"Shut the fuck up and shoot the damn free throws!"
"Ay fuck you man, I'm over here trying to sort this shit out."
This was probably the fourth or fifth time something stupid like this had gone down today. All over a simple basketball game. The only reason I'm even here is because my cousin wanted me to go outside. His name is Quinton, and he was the one who just got elbowed. We live in a run down but still somehow nice looking neighborhood in New York. Brooklyn, to be exact. I like it here. I always have.
"Hey, Steven!" I turned when I heard my name coming from a familiar voice. I cracked a smile when I saw the color combination of a NYPD squad car. "When were you gonna tell everybody at the station that you were leavin'?"
"I told you a month ago, when I quit. What's wrong, couldn't find someone else to run out and get lunch?" that's all I did, really. Pay was better than you'd expect, but that was for a reason that would probably be mentioned shortly.
"Yeah but we'll never get another blind kid to tip toe around the place and bump into shit," there it is. Getting up and walking towards the car I shoot the person inside a stern look. Said person, who I know simply as Mr. Johnson, was a tad insensitive, but he knows when to hold back.
"You know I'm not one hundred percent blind." I reminded him.
"How many fingers?"
"Screw you too, sir."
"Ha! That's meh boy. Here you go, kid. It's not much, and I don't know conversion rates, but just consider it a parting gift from all of us at the station." he handed me a stuffed white envelope through the window. I didn't ask what was inside. He mentioned conversion rates, so I knew it must've been money. However, I had of course, felt bad about being given money as a gift. So, I decided to speak on my unease.
"I can't take this." I said immediately. I held out the envelope and waited for him to take it back. He just pushed it back towards me. "Come on, I can't-"
"This would've been your fathers last paycheck, Steven. I said it was a gift so that you'd take it. I didn't want to bring it up." great, now I feel stupid, obligated, and sad. I cursed under my breath, then slid the envelope into the pocket at the bottom of my sweatshirt.
"I'm sorry..."
"Don't be kid. Your dad was a good cop. Look, I gotta get going...take care of yourself, alright?"
"Alright." after that, he drove off. I turned back around, only to see that court was now empty save for my cousin. I yelled his name to get his attention, making him flinch as the call met his ears.
"How the hell do you do that!?" he yelled back my way.
"Do what!?" I yelled back. Instead of lengthening the chain of shouts he decided to meet me at my position.
"You're blind, aren't you?"
"I've told you a thousand times that I can still see. What's a few inches in front of me, at least. And that's common sense, I knew that was you, because you're the only one still here. And besides, I can see perfectly if I wear these." reaching inside my sweater pocket I pull out a pair of glasses. The lenses were thick to suit my very poor sight, but sat in a thin black colored frame.
"Then why don't you just wear those all the time?" he asked.
"I really haven't told you this before? I feel like I've told you this before."
"Nah."
"Well, if I wear these for so long-"
"Hold on, I got it! You get headaches. My bad, you've told me this before." he laughed through his nose, playfully punching my left shoulder. "Cmon, let's go."
"Is it that time already?"
"Flight leaves in an hour. Will you be okay?"
As soon as he asked me I became weak. My hands started shaking, and my head had began to feel as light as a balloon. Why'd he have to bring it up. I. Cannot. Stand. Heights. It terrifies me. I can't go on a roller coaster without losing my mind.
"Call...S-Sachi...please.." I flopped over to the bench on which I was sitting before, and flinched when Quinton had shouted out the name I had asked for. She had arrived much faster than usual, barreling into my chest before she started licking my face with her tongue. Before you go and think how weird that is, she's a dog. She's my service dog to be exact. She is qualified -and has the papers to prove it- to put my anxiety and depression at ease, and can also act as my seeing eye dog. An albino Shiba Inu, her fur is a bright grey, but the fur on the lower half of all her legs and paws is white. "That's my girl..."
She ceased her affection, barking happily when she saw that I was somewhat better. I pat the top of her head with my right hand, rewarding her job well done.
"Does it really leave in an hour?"
"I'm afraid it does. Cmon, I gotta drop you off." lifting his arm my cousin lifted up his set of keys, the biggest resting between his thumb and index finger. He had said something else after that, but I had already tuned him out out of annoyance. Not of him, but because of the fact that I had to move away.
"Who was that, Aki?" as I flipped my phone shut I had turned to look at my mother with an expression I could only label as 'excitement'.
"That was brother. He just made it to the airport, and will be boarding his flight in ten minutes!" Mothers face was glowing bright with happiness that overcast my own.
"Do you think he'll be alright here?" I could tell she was worried about how he would handle changing countries. I myself couldn't guess. I never could read my brother. He's so good at hiding his emotions and thoughts that even I have begun wondering if he is even hiding anything to begin with. When he had told me that dad had died...he sounded so cold. Like all he was doing was relaying a message.
"I don't know..." I couldn't lie to her. A look of guilt washed over her face. "But it'll be okay. His school is really nice, quite a lot of pretty girls go there. One of the neighbors daughters attends that school."
"Oh yes, I forgot her name."
"Her family name is Katou. Her name is Otome, she has a sister named Karen. I hope they become fast friends. I don't want him to be a loner anymore."
"I'm sure he'll make many new friends. He deserves to be happy."
Twelve hours in this steel trap and I'm dying to get off. Sure I could've slept through the entire thing like any other person, but knowing that I'm thousands of feet in the air doesn't really put me at ease. The second that we landed I was out of my seat and bolting for the exit with Sachi leading the way, almost dragging me by her own leash.
Walking out into the airport I had finally remembered the circumstances of my being there. And when my eyes had come upon my mother and sister waiting to greet me, my emotions had finally overwhelmed me. As my body barreled into theirs, I finally let my tears fall. And for the first time in a long time, I felt like everything would be alright.