Prince of the Ghetto 5
Chapter 5
“I demand him released!”
“Demand?”
The police lady was looking at me like I had two heads. I was down at the precinct. Marcus had been arrested for assault. It was the guy who had robbed me. Luckily Jalen was there behind my back to support me.
“Yes demand!” I replied, “Do you know who I am? What is your title? What is your name? I demand to speak to your superior.”
Jalen grabbed me.
He pulled me to the other side of room. The cops were all looking at me like I was crazy. I couldn't have this though. Marcus had gotten arrested because he was trying to defend my honor. Marcus had gotten arrested trying to make sure that I was happy.
Jalen was standing real close to me. Every time he did something like this I had to admit that I got kind of excited. He liked to speak to me really close.
“Calm down Djimon,” he stated, “You going off about who you are isn't going to help Marcus. Let me handle this.”
“Handle it how.”
“I know you want him out but just let me talk. Do you trust me?”
I sat there. It was a hard question. Jalen was standing there asking for my trust though in the kindest way. There was something about it that just seemed so honest. I couldn't believe I was sitting here just taken by him the way that I was.
I nodded. Jalen smiled.
I followed behind Jalen. This time I was quiet. I didn't say anything or throw around my title. I just stood there and let him handle his business.
“Excuse me. There has to be some sort of mistake,” Jalen told the officer lady, “This is Prince Djimon Mwsati of the Nubian Menice Lineage. Son of the ruler of all Swaziland. You have a computer. Look it up. The man that was arrested just so happens to be a diplomat. There is such a thing as diplomatic immunity and I am more than sure it covers foreign royals. Contact his embassy.”
I was shocked.
I looked over at Jalen. I wasn't the only one. The lady next to him seemed just as surprised.
“One second please,” the officer lady stated.
She walked away and clearly was going to talk to her supervisor. The supervisor and the police lady came back. They seemed to be looking me up or something. I could tell when they started to exchange shocked looks. The supervisor nodded as though confirming something.
Then he went took to the phone. I heard him talking to someone on the other line. It took a few minutes but he seemed to confirm it.
A few minutes later he was apologizing.
“I'm sorry for the inconvenience Prince Djimon. I did speak with your embassy and your guard will be released immediately.”
I just stood there. I wasn't sure what to say.
“The prince thanks you,” Jalen stated.
We went in the waiting room at that point to wait for Marcus to be released. I was shocked that Jalen knew the stuff that he knew. I was shocked that he was so well spoken to be honest. I thought he was some ratchet, horribly educated thug from the hood or something. He had me completely beat.
To be honest. I was shocked and embarrassed.
“How'd you—-”
“Know all that stuff?” he finished, “Believe it or not I kind of want to be a lawyer. I even graduated college in pre law. I just couldn't afford law school.”
“Wow. I just----”
“You thought I was dumb and ignorant because I live in the hood?” he asked, “You thought I didn't know anything about law because my clothes are a little baggy or because I talk with a heavy New York accent.”
Fuck.
I had completely misjudged him. I was wrong and at this point I was completely embarrassed. This entire time I was actually the ignorant one.
“I'm sorry.”
He laughed.
“It's cool. We both misjudged each other.”
“Really? How so?”
“Well I thought you didn't care about anyone except yourself. The way you are clearly upset that Marcus got locked up was...touching. He's lucky to have a friend like you.”
“He's not my friend. Or at least he doesn't want to be. My family bought him. That's the only reason he stuck around.”
“How do you know that?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean---how do you know that's the only reason he stuck around. He could have left you a while ago. You know? But he stayed. I think you are hard on yourself sometimes Prince Djimon. I think you are actually a caring good friend. I would know. I am starting to consider you my friend...”
I smiled.
Shit. I had a friend now.
“Thanks.”
We were looking at each other. It was that odd moment. I could kiss Jalen right here and right now. He was being so supportive. All my life the only person I counted on were servants. Jalen wasn't my servant. He was being nice to me just because he wanted me to be nice to me. There was no other reason that he had.
It didn't take long at all before Marcus was released.
I couldn't help it.
I ran right over to him and hugged him. I squeezed him tight. I knew this was innappropriate. I didn't care though. I was worried sick about him. Maybe I was a spoiled little brat. I didn't give a damn. Marcus was like family to me whether he believed it or not.
Marcus seemed cold though when I was hugging him.
I looked up.
“What's wrong?” I asked him.
“What have you done?” he stated.
Jalen walked over to him, “We got you out of jail. That's what we did. What's with the attitude, homie?”
“I'm not your 'homie',” Marcus replied to him sternly.
Marcus had an attitude. I could tell. He was pissed. I had to get off of him because he was being so cold. I was shocked that he was so upset right now. The fact that he was being rude to Jalen who did nothing but help us out was uncalled for.
“Marcus, calm down,” I stopped him, “Ok. Breathe. Now tell us. What's wrong?”
“You guys have no idea what you did. You contacted the embassy. Everyone knows that you are alive now. Your life is in danger.”
“It's best that you leave.”
I was talking to my Uncle Hasim at that moment on the phone.
We had finally gotten in contact with him. Marcus wasn't helping. He had handed me the phone and he was packing up my things. Jalen was standing to the side of my room just watching how Marcus seemed to be panicking at that moment.
“Leave?”
Marcus was packing things. He was throwing things in bags.
“I have deposited several million dollars in a back account to hold you over. I understand from Marcus that you've been living under questionable means. That changes now.”
I looked over at Marcus. He had snitched to my uncle.
“Listen Uncle. The way I'm living isn't questionable. I like it here. I have friends.”
“Friends?”
My uncle seemed surprised. He wasn't the only one. Marcus had stopped what he was doing and was staring at me. Jalen was staring at me too. Damn. Was it so odd that I had made a friend? I liked Jalen and this place was kind of crazy but it was interesting. I was growing as a person here. I didn't expect it but I liked it. I couldn't leave now.
“Yes friends. No one knows where I live.”
“They know the city...”
“New York is the biggest city in the world. There is no way she is going to find me.”
Uncle Hasim didn't seem like he was completely convinced.
“Prince Djimon. This isn't up for discussion.”
It was an order.
“You're ordering me?”
My Uncle Hasim had always been a straight a strict guy and he had ordered me around before even when my mother was alive. Back then I was a child now. I wasn't a child anymore. I was the heir. I was king.
Hasim's voice tone softened, “The entire nation knows that you are alive. It's a good thing and a bad thing. The good thing is that your sister's claim is all but gone. The bad thing is that she and her advisors have become desperate. She needs you dead.”
“Take power back from her. Isn't that why you are there.”
“I am trying. I have intelligence teams trying to launch missle attacks on the capital. We believe your sister has gone underground in hiding. In the meantime she is trying to turn the country against you. They are spreading propaganda calling your mother a tyrant and saying that you will follow in her footsteps.”
“A tyrant?”
“That's nothing that you should concern yourself about---”
“I'm not the son of a tyrant. Remove the usurpers from the country. I'm not leaving where I am. I don't run and I don't HIDE. Don't contact me again unless you have cleared them out of the country, Uncle Hasim. Bring me my crown. That's an order.”
I hung up on him at that moment.
I was pissed.
I couldn't believe that.
“Are you ok?” Jalen stated.
“They are trying to call my mother a tyrant.”
Marcus wasn't paying any attention to that though. He seemed desperate to get out of here, “Prince we should leave. Your uncle has arranged an armed fortress in Istanbul that we can hide out in. It is a lot safer and nicer than this.”
“He's safe here,” Jalen replied.
I was shocked that Jalen was standing up for me like that.
Marcus almost laughed, “Right. The hood is the best place for a king.”
“If there are people after him they will think he is somewhere fancy. They wouldn't think he is actually hiding out in plain sight,” Jalen replied.
“Jalen is right.”
“Excuse me?” Marcus asked.
“I'm not leaving. I have money again. If you have to make this house more secure with it then do it. I'm not leaving.”
Marcus was shaking his head. I could tell that he didn't agree with my decision.
“Prince.”
“You can unpack my things.”
Two days had passed. Marcus has gotten permission to start installing security features in the house. He installed things like cameras to the outside of the house. He bought guns. He was really trying to make this place into a fortress.
It was nighttime when I walked downstairs.
I was looking for Jalen. A part of me wanted to apologize to him that Marcus was doing all this extra shit to his house. Even at this very moment Marcus had run to the store and was trying to buy security lighting for the back yard.
I was getting a little stressed out to say the least.
Instead of Jalen I found Marcus.
He had crossed his arms when he saw me walk down the steps.
“Is Jalen here?” I asked him.
“No.”
“Where is he?”
“Yo, do I look like his motherfucking keeper?”
Brolic's attitude was disgusting. I shook my head. If I was able to make friends with Jalen maybe there was a chance that I could make friends with him too.
“Can we just agree to be nicer to each other?” I asked.
He sighed loudly, “Even if I told you where Jalen was, why would it matter? Its not like you can go to him. Isn't your guard dog out anyway?”
“Marcus isn't my guard dog.”
“Whatever he is to you. Guard dog. Boyfriend. Who cares? Same shit to me. You need him next to your ass all the time. You're too stuck up to do anything without him.”
“I don't need Marcus around me.”
“Sure, princess...”
“Where is he? I can prove I don't need a babysitter.”
Brolic laughed.
“We both know what happened last time you didn't have one.”
“You think that's funny?”
“You needed to be taught a lesson. These streets are tough out here.”
“I could have been killed.”
“Oh please. They weren't going to go that far,” Brolic replied bluntly, “You are so over dramatic.”
“I don't have time to do this. Where is Jalen?”
“He always disappears to this club on Main St. I don't know. I seen him walk in there one time but I didn't think anything of it. I think he found him a little part time job. He never told me. I never wondered. He's grown.”
“Well I'm going to go see him.”
“Main St. Fine. I'm going to go see him.”
Brolic grabbed my hand before I left out of the house,
“Whoa. Are you crazy? Didn't you learn your lesson last time? You don't need to be in these streets...”
“Do you care?”
“No I don't.”
“Then let go of me.”
“Jalen cares. I care about Jalen. I'm not going to let you just go by yourself.”
“Well I guess you are just going to have to show me how to get there then.”
Brolic clearly wasn't concerned about me but he sighed and went to get his jacket. I was surprised really. I guess he wasn't as heartless as he wanted everyone to think.
I was actually excited. I didn't know why. I attempted to have a conversation with Brolic in the car but he wasn't having it. I didn't care. I was just happy to be out of the house. I had snuck out. I knew Marcus would be flaming if he knew that I had left the house at night time without him. He would be even more mad when he found out how much money I took with me. Luckily I had gone to the bank and withdrawn about 50 thousand earlier in the day. I was planning on using it for rain money but I figured it would be nice to have it for a night out.
We had caught a cab. I reached into my bag and paid the driver. Clearly Brolic didn't have it. For all the thug activity he got into all the time he was still clearly not that well off.
“Is that a purse?” he asked.
“It's a murse. A man purse. Why, do you want one?”
“Jesus Christ. Let's get this over with. Your sissiness might spread.”
I shrugged. There was a line in the club that stretched around the block. Why the hell was this club so crowded?
“Follow me,” I told Brolic.
“There's a line.”
He must have honestly thought I was going to stand on this line. I mean I was attempting to 'live among the people' but standing on line and waiting behind the people definitely wasn't in my regime.
I walked to the front to the bouncer.
“Excuse me, there's a line...”
Maybe he didn't recognize the expensive attire.
“I keep hearing that. How much to skip the line?”
“We don't have a line skip. Get your uppity ass to the back of the line.”
“300 dollars?”
“---Right this way sir.”
I could tell by Brolic's face that he wasn't used to just skipping lines like this. I figured this must have been his first time. He didn't say anything but I could read his face. He was impressed whether he wanted to believe it or not.
“This place is decent actually,” I told him looking around.
I was kind of surprised. I thought we would be going into some low end club or something like that. It wasn't the case though. This club had flashing lights. There was a nice like stage up there. There were people dancing around. It looked like a mid-scale kind of club. I was honestly amused by it. They really tried to make this place a little fancy.
For some reason I noticed Brolic standing close to me. He looked a little nervous or something. I didn't understand why. This wasn't some hood bar like I thought we were headed into.
“Did you notice everyone on line was a guy...” Brolic stated.
I looked around. Shit. He was right. I had been paying attention to the décor. I hadn't even noticed the crowd. Looking around there were only MEN in this club. It was a gay club. I noticed immediately men walking around without their shirts on. Men were holding hands.
“Oh my god...” I replied.
I was smiling from ear to ear. I had never been in a gay club.
“This has to be the wrong place.”
“What makes you think that?” I asked.