Olive Branch Streets

Olive Branch was once a small town, and it still thinks of it's self as such. It was a city full of old people with radical views on everything. Anyone who dared to think in a manner that would be considered "woke" was considered to be bad for the children who were certainly not there, and hushed up, or chastised publicly. This is a story about one such progressive soul. A young man named Jamal.

Jamal was a young black man who enjoyed hanging out with his friends, watching movies with his boyfriend, and going skating. Jamal was just a normal teenage boy, until one afternoon. On a hot fall day, Jamal and his friend Rylie were walking home from school. Nothing interesting ever happened in the small town, so everyone considered it to be normal for kids to walk home if they didn't live to far from the school. Everything about the day seemed to be normal. So normal, in fact, that Jamal couldn't even distinguish the day from any other that week. Days ran together, weeks ran together. The only thing that made days different from one another was tests. Life was mundane, and the only thing that made his days worth spending was his boyfriend, Carderan. Jamal was planning to go see him this afternoon, and he was daydreaming about it as he walked. Jamal was pulled from his daydreams with a jolt when Rylie started talking. He hadn't caught what she had said at first, but when he tuned in he heard, "... and I don't think he even likes me anymore." Jamal seemed confused. Jamal quickly recovered by saying, "If he doesn't like you, then break up with him." Rylie seemed confused by his comment, and it showed on her pale face. Rylie seemed almost offended as she spoke, but she told him with her normal monotone deadpan, "Were you even listening to anything I just said?" Jamal smiled and looked at the ground. He knew that he hadn't heard a word she had said. He kinda laughed as he said, "Sorry, Ryles, I was thinking about Carderan." Rylie smiled up at him as she spoke, " It's okay, man. I know you're excited to see him today."

Jamal's dark skin began to glisten in the intense fall heat. Mississippi stayed hot until hell froze over in December, and it was mid-October. Jamal was beginning to sweat between the intense heat, the hot pavement, and the long walk. Jamal had continued to walk along side his friend in silence, but Jamal could tell there was something on her mind. Jamal knew that she had something to say, but he dare not poke the bear. He assumed that she was mad at him for not paying attention, and decided that it was best if he just continued on in silence.

After around 30 minutes of walking, Jamal came to the front steps of Carderan's house. Jamal's heartbeat quickened as he stared at the large door. Carderan's house was enormous. Jamal was just starting to doubt his decision to come today when Carderan opened the door and motioned for Jamal to come in. Jamal seemed to immediately get excited upon seeing him. Jamal ran up the steps and into the living room. When he entered, he was immediately engulfed into a hug from the skinny boy standing inside the house. Jamal quickly kissed the boy and wrapped his arms around him. He spoke softly when he finally let Carderan breathe. "Hey, It's been a while since we've seen each other, huh?" Jamal sounded calm, but he was secretly panicking a bit on the inside.

Carderan was never as outgoing as Jamal, and he spoke softly on the rare occasion where he spoke. Carderan's deep, soothing voice rumbled from his throat as he said, "I've missed you, too, Jamal." Carderan's face showed a faint smile as he spoke, and he put a little space between him and his boyfriend. "Wanna go up to my room?" spoke Carderan softly. Jamal seemed excited, but he kept his voice quiet. "I'd like that." he said as he took the boy's hand and lead him up the stairs as though he had been there before. Carderan followed the muscular boy up the stairs to his room, and seemed excited himself when he thought of what they might do together.

Jamal finally arrived at Carderan's room, and he wasted no time in plopping down on the bed. Carderan smiled warmly at seeing this, and lied down next to the boy. After a few minutes of laying next to one another, the boys sat up, and faced each other. without a word further, Jamal placed a hand on the boy's cheek and gently pulled him closer. Carderan felt Jamal's pulse in his hand as he stared into his deep brown eyes. He leaned into Jamal's touch, and soon enough, their lips met, and they gave into each other.

The only thing that pulled them from each other was Carderan's father. And pull them apart he did. "What the hell are you two doing!?" Carderan's father exclaimed.

Jamal and Carderan quickly got off of one another, and put space between them.

They were fast, but not faster than the man. He grabbed Jamal by the collar, and forced him to stand up. "What's going on here, faggot!?"

Jamal was scared out of his skin. The large man had him by the shirt, and he couldn't escape. Jamal felt tears welling up in his eyes as he tried to fight him. "Please, sir! let me go!" Jamal pleaded with the man.

The man only tightened his grip as he glared into the boy's panicked eyes