pulled out the jewelry boxed and her eyes lit up. He opened the box and revealed the necklace he just purchased for her.
“Oh my God, Samir it’s beautiful. You bought this for me?”
“Yea, because I think you’re beautiful, it’s my heart, so I hope you like it.”
“I do , I love it,” she said, but her excitement immediately turned into sadness as she thought about the current state of her life.
“ What’s wrong babe?” he asked her.
“Nothing, it’s just… I never had anybody in my life be this nice to me.”
“Tell me that l ong story you mentioned earlier,” he said, grabbing her hand.
“It’s just that my home life is horrible. My mother is physically and emotionally abusive. She makes me hate my life. So , when you say I’m beautiful, I don’t see it because no one ever tells me that. I run away, but she always finds me and makes me come back, and then she kicks me out again. Sometimes I wish I could just die so I don’t have to feel so bad anymore,” she told him as the tears filled her eyes.
Samir got up and joined h er on her side of the booth. He put his arm around her and sat in silence for a moment. He would have never guessed that this beautiful young girl felt so ugly on the inside. He made a silent vow to himself that if it took his whole life he would show her how beautiful she really was. He wanted to be her superman at that very moment.
“Listen , Khlo, don’t worry about that shit no more. I’m here for you, and I always will be, I promise. If you need me, I’ll be there, no matter what I’m doing; I’ll be there. Okay, don’t cry baby, you got me.”
They spent the rest of the day together. No phones, no two-way pagers, no drug game, nothing; just him and her. He wanted to make her happy even if it was just for one day.
When they arrived back at Shay’s house, he didn’t want to let her go. He wanted her to stay with him forever. Since she told him all about what was going on in her world, he wanted to protect her from any pain she felt.
“You gon’ be okay over here, right?” he asked her.
“Yes babe, I’ll be fine ,” she kissed him goodnight and went inside.
He didn’t know it then , but this would be the last time he saw her for a long while. He watched as she retreated into the house safely, and right then his serenity was over. He had to go back to being Sam Corleone.
Chapter Three
In a somber mood and with Khloe on his mind, Samir met with Seven for the second time that day. They stood outside of the Robert Taylor projects hanging out when Seven notice d something was amiss about Samir’s demeanor. He couldn’t help but wonder if the trial of the dope life was getting to his brother and leader.
“Yo, what’s on your mind, my nigga?” Seven asked as he passed a swisher Samir’s way.
“I just got a lot on my mind with pops inviting us to the co -op meetings, and with all eyes being on us. I been trying to keep my name out these streets, but the truth is; everybody knows who I am, and on top of all that, I gotta go see my brother’s tomorrow.”
“I know , this shit is tough and it’s getting to me too, Joe, but we in this shit together. We got your back no matter the situation. Just relax, we doing what we set out to do,” Seven tried to assure him.
“You remember that shorty I met the other day, Joe?”
“Yea, I remember, what about her?”
“I’m really feeling her , but she going through some bogus shit at home, plus she young as shit.”
“Oh yeah, like what kinda shit ?”
“Man, Joe, her mom beats her and shit. She told me today that she feels like she wants to die sometimes. She’s beautiful as hell to me, and she’s going through some fucked up shit. I can only see her when she runs away to her best friend’s house.”
“Damn, how old is she ?”
“Young bro, she is hella young.”
“How young, my nigga?” Seven insisted.
“I can’t even