Scarborough 2012.. I'm entering a middle school that only had two grades.. This was also during the initiation era.. So you were either the predator or the prey.. I heard rumors about grade 7s getting jumped every year at this school.. Thought it was all cap.. Here's the story..

Back then I honestly can say my age was 12.. But my brain was 20.. I was getting head at the park.. I was screaming gun lyrics like I owned one.. And I honestly thought I was untouchable.. We all have our crews as kids which makes it even worse..

First week of middle school.. I'm hooping with my crew at the courts.. And the Grade 8 Mafia shows up.. They interrupt our game for their initiation speech.. "All you grade 7s will each get your day.. Once your day comes.. Just let it happen.".. We laugh.. Then keep hooping..

These guys are ONE year older than me.. They are tripping if they think I'm scared of some 13 year olds.. The next day I'm in the hallway heading to class.. And my boy comes running down the hall screaming "THEY GOT O'SHANE!".. I may have peed just a little bit..

I keep my cool and try to decipher the words through his panic.. So I ask him what exactly happened.. "O'Shane kept shooting after the bell.. And the Mafia jumped him with bats they made in woodshop".. Hold on.. BATS!?.. People exaggerate sometimes.. So I head to class..

I'm hearing whispers for the rest of the day.. And O'Shane apparently went home so I can't even verify this story.. The day ends and I head home.. I'm not completely sold yet.. So I'm not stressing.. The next day the crew meets to discuss..

O'Shane shows up in the morning and he's limping holding his side.. We're all just waiting for him to speak.. He looks at us with fear in his eyes and says.. "Don't let them get you.".. Now.. You see now.. Now I'm a believer.. This Mafia is on some bullshit..

For the entire day.. I start switching up my routine.. Sitting with different people at lunch.. Staying after class to ask fake questions.. I didn't even play ball that day.. I was able to make it through the day without even seeing the Mafia.. It was silent.. Too silent..

The end of day bell rings and I head through the front doors to make sure I have to pass the office.. I get outside and there is already a crowd of kids.. They got another member of my crew.. People start helping him up and I look down the street and I see the Mafia laughing..

At this point.. My confidence comes back.. I start telling myself.. These guys just got caught slipping.. I'm much smarter than this.. And if it comes down to a foot race.. They ain't seeing me.. I catch my bus home with this new mentality..

I get to school early the next day.. Get everything I need from my locker.. And wait in my class for the bell to ring.. This is how we're going to play this.. I will arrive early.. Leave early.. If I do this for an entire month.. They will give up.. I start laughing to myself..

My best friend Terrell and I are the athletes of my crew.. So we make a plan to stick together since we both know we can outrun these chumps.. I text Terrell to meet me at my locker as soon as the bell rings and we'd be off this.. He meets me there..

The bell rings and we take my office route again toward the front doors.. Before we walk through.. I see the Mafia standing on the hill out front.. THESE NIGGAS ACTUALLY HAVE BATS!.. I feel my chest squeeze.. Look at Terrell.. We gotta use the side doors and make a run for it..

We head toward the side doors.. All is clear.. We take 3 quick breaths.. And push through the doors toward the bus station across the street.. They see us.. They are fast.. We start weaving through traffic.. The bus isn't here.. We can't just wait at the stop.. RYAN THINK..

THE GAS STATION.. The gas station behind the bus stop has a restroom on the outside with a door.. I run inside and I keep the door open just long enough for Terrell to get in.. I slam it and lock it.. The Mafia keeps kicking the door.. I think I may have held Terrell..

The kicking stops.. Nah.. We're waiting an hour.. I've seen enough horror films in my life to know they didn't just LEAVE.. Just over an hour goes by.. I slowly peak through the smallest crack in the door.. They're gone.. We dap each other and head on the next bus..

Now this is the part of the story that reminds me I still haven't learned shit since I was 12.. Women truthfully can turn any man fool.. ANY MAN.. I carry out my evasion plans and make it through another day unseen.. But the girl I've been crushing on is outside.. On the hill..

All safety measures have left the chat.. I head to the hill and she sees me.. She smiles.. I act brand new.. And I join her with her girls.. I don't even remember what we were even talking about.. Genuinely who cares.. I'm an idiot.. GO HOME.. I hear yelling.. But I'm in convo..

The yelling gets louder.. Truthfully it was probably just as loud the first time.. But I was occupied clearly.. I can make out the voice now.. It sounds like.. IT SOUNDS LIKE TERRELL..

The Mafia had just got Terrell and he came out to the front to try to warn me.. "RYANNNNNN THEY A-....".. I take a woodshop bat to the back of my head.. I go down..

It felt like everybody wore Timbs that day.. HOW MANY OF Y'ALL ARE IN WOODSHOP!?.. I couldn't hear anything..

The principal comes out and everyone scatters.. I'm curled up looking cold.. Then I find the pride to pull myself together and stand up.. I tell the principal I'm fine.. And I limp to the bus stop..

Everybody got GOT.. 13 year olds in Scarborough were really bout that life.. I was humbled.. But I respected it.. So my crew and I decided to keep the tradition going next year.. With a few tweaks..

We all bought cap guns that year.. And took the orange protector covers off so the caps could fly out.. We were not good kids.. Everyone needs to get they ass whooped at least once in their life.. It's like chicken pox.. It's definitely much worse when you're older.

THE END.