The Brothers
For a brief moment, I stopped staring at myself in the mirror, my chestnut brown skin basked in the light of the bathroom, thanks to the facecare treatments I used, thankfully I had clear skin, and green eyes stared back at me with a glare, they’d seen too much. I ran my hand through, my short curly hair, I’d put on a bit of weight, more husky than slim these days. I cut the light off and moved to the bedroom, staring down at Isaiah with a soft smile, after all these years he still had the same boyish features, his hair wild and covering his face as he slept, I moved to push a stray braid from out his face, bending down to kiss him gently. He moaned softly and turned on his side, no doubt in a deep slumber after the eventful day we’d had. I sat on the edge of our giant bed, looking around, we had a huge bedroom with a walk-in closet and bathroom adjoining. On the far side of the room, large sliding windows led out to a balcony that overlooked the city, its light glinting through casting a dim glow in our room, I looked over at the nightstand, a small framed photo sat next to a pack of smokes, picking up smokes I placed them in my pocket, taking the picture with me I walked out to the balcony, the night’s chilly air gripping me as I sat down in a chair, staring down at the photo with thoughtful eyes. We were so young, the four of us, smiling back with wide grins and joyful expressions. It was a time I’d never forget.
I didn’t grow up like many of my friends, who were poor and came from broken families I had way more than others around, both parents and a good home, I rarely wanted for anything. That didn’t stop me from coming down to the ghetto every weekend to hang out with my friends. My story starts when I was a teenager, young black, and gay. I wasn’t well accepted by many but the friends I did have were the closest ones I’d ever have and thinking about it years later it only makes sense that I’d end up the party of their family. It was a group of brothers that I hung out with who lived on the West Side of Asbury Park, the poorer part of town. Whereas, I lived on the richer beachside, the East side. The town was divided by a set of tracks, and very rarely did anyone from the East side cross the tracks unless they had to. The brothers, whom I’d dubbed affectionately the Triple Threat, were Damien, Ezekiel, And Isaiah. Damien was the oldest, the same age as me, 16 standing at 6’0 his body thick with a muscular build, with dark skin, and always wore a short brown cut, he was the most masculine and always the quickest to temper, often getting into fights, being the troublesome and constantly getting kicked out of school, he was my best friend and more of a brother. Ezekiel was the middle child and the smartest, at age 14 he always had his head in a book, was brown-skinned with curly brown hair and a sweet smile, wore wire-framed glasses, and stood about 5’8 his body slim and athletic. Last, there was Isaiah the youngest, he was 12, and small in stature, always kept his hair in neatly done Box braids, he had light skin and a small dusting of freckles along a cherubic face, he was the most sensitive, kindest, and adventurous out of the brothers. We’d been friends since I could remember our families were always close, My parents and their own had gone to school together and while their parents had long since separated, and went different paths from my own in life, we all remained closed. Looking back on it all I can’t help but smile and although I wished some things had a different outcome all and all I’m glad about the way things happened.
Years Before
I sat on the doorstep of the shabby home, frowning as I knocked on the door it was hot, and the sun beamed down from above sweat beaded on my forehead. I sighed and pulled my phone out, calling Damien, waiting with growing aggravation.
“Hello.” A groggy voice answered. I could tell he was either high or just getting up probably staying at some girl’s house. I sighed biting back my annoyance. “What the hell? I thought I was supposed to pick up, Isaiah?” I said with a grumble. There was noise in the background of the phone for a moment. ‘So pick him up, if the door’s locked you know where the key is, bro. I’m busy…with Maria.” He said sternly, Maria was his on-again off-again girlfriend, and I didn’t like her, she was far too fucking ghetto for my needs. I sighed moving to the mailbox, I lifted it and reached inside pulling out a housekey. “Fine, whatever,” I said hanging up, Damien pissed me off, always leaving Isaiah home by himself, their mother barely around, and more often than not his other brother Ezekiel was attending some after-school program. I pushed the key into the lock turning it softly, and entering the house. It was hot and the living room was empty and smelled musky, clothes and trash thrown in different areas of the house. I made my way through the home to the bedroom they all shared, the door was cracked, and small whimpering sounds came from the other side. I approached with caution it was often that the bedroom door was open, the whimpering got louder and I could hear moans, muffled by the other side, I creaked the door open ever so slightly staring at the scene in front of me with wide eyes, Isaiah was on the bed, a phone in one hand, and his other hand in his pants, his eyes closed as he bit his lip whimpering softly in ecstasy as he did what I assumed was his version of masturbation, he wasn’t that far from the door, I could see the phone clearly as I narrowed my eyes, it was two men, kissing. Shit, I thought to myself as I felt the bulge in my shorts begins to grow. I creaked the door open slightly bumping a foreign object loudly, which caused Isaiah to jump yanking his hand out of his pants and dropping the phone to the floor as he stood up and attempted to adjust himself with a blush. I fully opened the door and stood there for a moment, watching him as he fixed his clothes, my arms crossed as I leaned up against the door, the phone still making moaning noises that filled the silence between us. He stared at me with shameful eyes. “E-eric, what’re you doing here?” He said as he moved to pick the phone up. I moved forward stopping him, and holding out my hand. “Hand it over, kiddo,” I said with a glare as he put it in my hands, turning it over I could see what looked to be two men, one twinkish and the older, the older one being topped by the younger one. I closed the phone and handed it back. “I’m supposed to be picking you up so you don’t have to spend the night alone,” I said with a monotonous tone in my voice. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for the brothers to spend the night at my house, sometimes all together, or one at a time. Lately, I’d become a sort of babysitter for Isaiah. Isaiah nodded, wiping his face to clear it of the misty sweat, he walked over to the corner and grabbed a backpack, pushing past me and leaving the room.