Page 17 of June: When Gangstas Collide

After Bishop left the shop, I tried to do things to keep my mind occupied. He was right about everything he said, but I was in a place where my happiness extended beyond just him and me. I was struggling, and it was something Bishop didn’t understand. It was much easier said than done not to use. I felt like I was in a box, like I couldn’t breathe. I sucked in deep breaths to get myself to relax, but the more I sucked in the gallery's air, the more I began to panic. I rushed outside and took in a deep breath.

When I looked up at the cars sitting at the light, I noticed that when it turned green, a cop car drove by slowly, and I saw Clark in the back seat. What the hell? I rushed back inside the gallery, grabbed my keys and my phone, and rushed out. I locked the door and got in my car. I wasn’t sure what happened, but my brother was in the back seat, and the one thing I did know was that the Merciers didn’t go to jail. I quickly made a U-turn to follow the car. I picked up the phone to call my grandfather because I knew if no one else could help Clark, he could.

I arrived at the station in no time. I tried calling Zaria to let her know about Clark, but her phone kept going to voicemail. I made my way into the building and straight to the front desk.

“Hi, I’m trying to bail someone out.”

The guy behind the desk smiled.

“Indigo King?”

I didn’t know who this guy was, but if he knew me, then this should be an easy process. “Yes.”

He sat back and crossed his arms over his chest.

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

I stared at him long and hard, trying to think. I shook my head, “No, I don’t.”

“I know I look a little different. I was in your math class in high school, well, Math, Science, English, and—”

“I got it, we went to school together. Listen, I came because my—”

He shook his head.

“Jasper? The guy who used to write you all those letters, well, stories with hidden messages in them. You—”

He was frustrating me, and I snapped.

“I don’t care!”

I shouted.

“Jasper, I’m sorry. It’s nice to see you again,”

I lied because I honestly didn’t care right now.

I placed my hand on the counter.

“I need you to help me get my brother out of here. His name is Cla- I mean June Calloway.”

I could tell that my cutting Jasper off made him upset. He slowly turned toward the computer and pecked.

“I heard about what happened to your mother. Is it true she was sleeping with the Avery guy? What’s his name, Naheem?”

“No!”

He laughed.

“That’s not what I heard. I also heard that’s the reason the Kings and the Prince family were at war. Your whole family is—”

The sound of my grandmother’s voice appeared.

“Her whole family is what?”

I spun around in shock. My grandmother was an older version of my mother and being around her made my nerves bad.

“Indigo, you really should clean yourself up. You're coming here, making demands, and looking basic does nothing.”

I was about to say something, but she held her hand up and turned toward the counter.

“I’m here to see my grandson, June Calloway.”

I walked over toward.

“To see? No, you need to bail him out.”

She cut her eyes at me like she wanted me to shut up. The remnants of my mother appeared and reminded me why I had left Toussaint altogether. My coming back had done nothing for me but cause more problems. I stared in her eyes and got angry, “This is why I was never around because you guys are so fucked up. I will get him out, don’t worry about it,” I hissed.

I left the station. I was going to get Zaria.