Throughout middle school Dylan and Christopher were best friends, they supported one another. But once highschool was around the corner, Dylan and I took different paths. Dylan took up football and made a group of friends, meanwhile I was left in the shadows and started doing drugs and taking part in a gang. By this point they lost all connection with each other, moved to different schools.

Dylan was surfing the internet and just scrolling down Facebook, he received a message from someone. He didn’t recognize the profile, so he didn't really pay much attention to it. Days pass by then Dylan receives another message, but from another profile, something more familiar. He checks the message and it says “Hey Dylan, it’s your homeboy, long time no see. I’m in town, let's catch up. Meet me at the basket ball court at 7”
I was waiting for Dylan at the basketball court for a while now. But then I see him arrive, man has it been awhile since I’ve last seen him. He walks towards me and I walk towards him, no words, nothing, we just hug. And we both say “Missed you homie.” We play ball and talk s*** to each other, when one of us made a hoop. Final score was 24-37 with Dylan taking the W. We both sit down on a bench that was near, I start asking him how he was and how life was going. He was doing great, playing football for his school, in honor classes, and colleges were already sending him mail. I was proud of him actually, me on the other hand took another path, a much darker path, but he didn't need to know about that. It was getting late and he had to leave and so did I. “Goodbye dude, keep in touch, let's see when we play ball again so I can beat you”, Dylan said. I just laugh and nod my head, and once again he goes towards the city lights and I go to the dark part of town.

See this meeting of Dylan and I wasn’t a surprise, see once I was left in the shadows I wasn’t in the best place of my life. I was down and I didn't have a place to stay, I was living in the streets. Until I joined a gang, my homies helped me out, but to officially be apart of their group I had to do a mission which was to recruit someone. I really didn't know why but I did it anyways and Dylan was my first person to recruit, and it worked.

It’s 7:05 am and at this time Dylan is at school at this time. I messaged him saying “Hey Dylan it’s been a couple of days since we last met. There’s this house party tonight you should come. Just meet me after school I’ll pick you up, okay lmk.” He didn't really answer right away but after a couple minutes passed he answered and agreed to go to the party.

School was about to end so I pulled up in front of the school to wait for him, I somewhat had a funny feeling in my stomach, but I didn’t have an explanation. That feeling went away as soon as I saw Dylan come out, he walks towards my car, and gets in. “Hey dude what’s up?”, he asks me, I didn't say much just shrugged my shoulders to indicate nothing much. I told him we were going to a lowrider show first so he can meet my homies, and some girls. As we arrive he starts to act uneasy, as if he didn’t feel comfortable being there. We get off and my homies pull me aside and ask me if this was the guy, I nod and respond that he was, that I’ve known Dylan for a while now. They just tell me to bring him to the party, I agree, then they leave. Dylan and I stick around for awhile and check out the low riders, mostly the girls but you know the cars too. As it started to be time for us to leave and go to the party, I started to get that uneasy feeling again, but I still didn’t know why, and I could tell that Dylan was feeling the same way as me, but I still didn’t say anything.

We arrive at the house and I ask him if everything was fine, he doesn't answer me and just keeps walking towards the house, and I follow behind him. At the door I get greeted by one of my homies and hands me a drink and Dylan one too. We were having a good time, everything felt great. But that wasn't for long, the gang leader comes to and tells me if I’m ready. I had this confused look on my face “ Ready for what?”. “Your mission, the time has come” He hands me a gun and looks me in the eyes, “You’re going to shoot that guy you brought with you. You’re going to look him straight in the eyes, you can’t hesitate. Then you’re one of us brother.”. I take the gun and leave without saying a word, I walk towards Dylan, he looks at me and says “Thank you Chris, for reaching out. I’m glad we’re talking again”. The timing couldn’t be perfect, I look at him while grabbing the gun behind my back. At this moment I heard a loud noise, everyone in the house started to run towards any exit. “Someone got shot!” Is all I kept hearing, but how? If I didn't pull the trigger. Blood was on my shirt, and as I look down, Dylan is on the floor, lying in a pool of blood. I felt numb, I fall to my knees and burst out in tears, how could have this happened. I heard sirens near by, and I flee. And I never heard about what happened after that night.

A couple years pass by, and I stand in front of the grave of Dylan. I look down and it says “A loving Son”. I dropped to my knees, look up to the sky, as if there was anyone up there and with tears in my eyes I whisper to myself “I'm sorry Dylan, things weren't suppose to end like this, please forgive me.”