Chapter V: Soul In E Minor
December in Chicago was always a mix of beauty and hardship. Snow threatened to blanket the city early, as freezing winds cut through the streets, reminding everyone of the brutal months ahead. For Tre Hardaway, the bitter chill seemed to mirror the storm brewing in his life. The Englewood STEM Panthers were riding a hot streak, winning six straight games after their dominant season opener against Legal Prep. The team had become a force to be reckoned with, earning them city-wide respect. Tre was at the center of it all, the team’s undeniable star. His scoring was prolific, averaging over 25 points per game with solid contributions in assists and rebounds. Scouts from prestigious programs: Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, and even Miami were coming to see him play. Everywhere Tre went, people were talking about him. His name was buzzing in conversations about Chicago’s top athletes, with some even calling him the future of Englewood. It was everything he’d dreamed of and more. But the high of his basketball success was fleeting, as the harsh realities of Chicago life loomed over him. Hospitals were overcrowded with victims of illness and violence. Gunshots rang out at night, too often hitting the wrong targets. Families were strained, some broken. The weight of it all was beginning to creep into Tre’s home. His mother, working grueling hours at her hospital job, was barely home. When she was, exhaustion lined her face. Cedric, Tre’s younger brother, needed more attention than ever, especially with his chronic health issues. It wasn’t long before the tension came to a head.
One night after practice, Tre walked into the kitchen dropping his gym bag to the floor with a dull thud. His mom, seated at the kitchen table with her hands clasped tightly in front of her, didn’t look up right away. The dim kitchen light flickered slightly, casting her shadow against the worn wallpaper, a reflection of the burdens she carried daily.
What’s up, Ma?” Tre asked, sensing the heaviness in the air.
She finally looked up, her eyes lined with exhaustion. “Tre, we need to talk,” she said, her voice a mixture of weariness and something deeper, something final.
“About what, Ma?”
She paused, choosing her words carefully. “I’ve been trying to juggle everything: work, Cedric, the bills, and it’s getting harder. With Cedric’s health and me working more hours, I can’t keep everything running by myself.”
Tre leaned on the counter, sitting on his elbow and forearm. “Okay, I get that. But I’m already helping out. I take Cedric to school sometimes, I clean up around here when you’re at work. And after that whole basketball tournament backlash, What else can I do?”
She sighed, her hands unclasping to rub her temples. “It’s not enough, baby. I’m talking about more than just running errands or helping out here and there. I need you to be here, Tre. To really be here.”
Tre stood up straight, his posture defensive. “I am here, Ma. But I can’t just stop my life. Basketball is my way out of all this, our way out. Scouts are coming to see me. You know how big that is, right?”
Her gaze softened for a moment, her love for her son evident, but the firmness in her voice remained. “I know, Tre. I know how much you’ve worked for this. And I hate that I’m even asking you this, but I need you to quit the team.”
Tre froze, disbelief etched across his face. “Quit? Are you serious? Ma, no. That’s not even an option. You can’t ask me to do that.”
Her eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t necessary. Cedric needs more attention, and I can’t trust anyone else to help like you can. He looks up to you, Tre. He needs his big brother right now.”
“Come on, Ma!” Tre’s voice rose, frustration bubbling over. “This is my future we’re talking about! My one shot to get out of Chicago, to make something of myself and to really help us. And you want me to just throw it all away? For what?”
“For family!” she snapped, slamming her hand on the table. “This isn’t just about you, Tre. We’re in this together, and right now, Cedric and I need you more than your team does.”
Tre took a step back, his chest heaving. “You’re not even giving me a choice. Do you know how hard I’ve worked? How much I’ve sacrificed- "
"NO!" she cut him off. "Do you understand the sacrifices I have made to keep a roof over you two boys heads? Sleepless nights to make sure there's food on the table, washed clothes to wear? Worrying sick about Cedric's health, tending to him? Having no time at all to myself to figure out what I'm going to do or how I'm going to pay next month's bills? Have you any clue how real life work???"
The tension in the kitchen was thick. Her voice softened, but her eyes remained resolute.
“Tre, I know it’s not fair. Believe me, I know. If I could carry all of this on my own, I would. But I can’t anymore. But this... It’s life. Family comes first, always. Basketball won’t take care of Cedric when he’s sick. Basketball won’t make sure there’s food on the table when I’m pulling doubles at the hospital. Cedric is a little boy, that's supposed to be enjoying 2nd grade right now. He hasn't been to school all year since his health gotten seriously worse. All I'm asking if for you to be home more to help him with his studies. He needs you.”
Tre looked away, his hands gripping the edge of the counter. He felt a lump rising in his throat, but he refused to let the tears fall. “So that’s it, then? You’re just gonna kill my dreams? Like they don’t matter?”
She stood and walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Your dreams matter, Tre. They matter to me more than you know. But so does this family, Tre. With everything going on in the city, I’d rather see you hate me now and still have you here than watch you chase a dream while everything else falls apart.”
Tre shook his head, shrugging her hand off. “You don’t get it, Ma. You just don’t...”
“I do,” she said quietly. “And one day, you’ll see that. But right now, I need you to step up. I know it's asking a lot of you to grow faster than you need to, but I'm asking you to for our family, be here where it matters most. I need you to understand that this isn’t forever—it’s just for now.”
Tre’s voice cracked as he spoke. “But what if ‘for now’ ruins everything? What if I never get another chance?”
Her voice broke, the tears finally spilling over. “Then we’ll figure it out together. But we don’t have the luxury of doing it any other way, Tre.”
The room fell silent, the weight of her words suffocating. Tre turned away, his dreams slipping through his fingers like sand.
“I gotta go,” he muttered, grabbing his jacket and heading toward the door.
“Tre,” she called after him, her voice trembling. “I love you. Don’t ever think I don’t... There's more to life than just putting a basketball in a hoop and hearing people cheer you on. Sometimes... You have to make the tough decisions that nobody likes. Tough decisions you have to sit in silence with and pray that everything turns out okay.”
He paused for a moment, his back still to her. “Yeah, I know...” he said flatly before stepping out into the cold Chicago night, the bitterness of the air no match for the ache in his chest.
His anger eventually simmered, not just at his mother but at the city itself. Chicago had taken too much from too many people. Its violence, its hardships, its relentless grip on families like his. Now, it was taking his future.
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The bitter Chicago wind bit at Tre’s face as he walked aimlessly through the cold streets of Englewood. His breath fogged the air, his hoodie pulled tight over his head. The streetlights flickered above him, their pale glow doing little to illuminate his heavy heart.
His mom’s words echoed in his mind: “Family comes first, Tre. Always.”
Tre kicked a loose piece of gravel, watching it skip across the cracked pavement. He couldn’t stop replaying their argument. Basketball was his lifeline, the one thing that kept him grounded in a world full of chaos. And now, it felt like it was slipping away, just like everything else. The streets were eerily quiet, except for the occasional car passing by or the distant sound of sirens wailing. Englewood was never truly silent, not even on the coldest nights. Tre stuffed his hands into his pockets, trying to keep warm as he walked toward nowhere in particular. As he turned a corner, he noticed a couple walking toward him. The closer they got, the more familiar the girl’s frame became. Tre’s heart sank as realization hit him like a ton of bricks. It was DeMika.
And she wasn’t alone...
A tall, lanky light-skinned guy, had to be no more than about 23, walking beside her had his arm draped casually over her shoulders, and she leaned into him as they laughed together. Tre’s blood boiled instantly, the anger from earlier now mixing with fresh betrayal.
“Yo, DeMika!” he shouted, his voice sharp enough to cut through the night air.
She froze like a deer caught in headlights. The guy beside her stopped too, raising a curious eyebrow but not saying a word as he was looking at Tre with mild confusion.
“What the hell is this, DeMika?” Tre demanded, his voice sharp and loud enough to make her flinch.
“Tre, calm down,” DeMika said, stepping forward and reaching out as if to soothe him.
“Calm down? Nah, don’t tell me to calm down. You out here hugged up with him, and you think I’m just gonna let that slide?” Tre shot back, pointing at the guy, who still hadn’t moved.
“Yo, is this dude serious?” the tall guy finally said, looking down at DeMika. “You seeing him or something?”
“Tre, wait,” DeMika stammered, stepping forward slightly.
“Wait for what?” Tre barked, his voice rising. “You think I’m stupid? What the hell is this?”
The tall guy shifted uncomfortably, glancing between Tre and DeMika. “DeMika, are you seeing this guy?” he asked her, his tone wary.
DeMika hesitated, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to find the right words. “Tre, it’s not what it looks like,” she said, her voice shaky.
“Oh, it’s exactly what it looks like,” Tre shot back. “You out here hugged up with another dude, and you wanna act like I’m seeing things?”
“What the fuck does it look like, Stupid?” Tre snapped at the guy before turning back to DeMika. “Answer the question! What’s going on?”
DeMika hesitated, guilt flashing across her face.
Tre scoffed, shaking his head. “Oh, I see how it is. I replace Andre then you skip on me?”
“I wasn’t—” she started, but Tre cut her off.
“Don’t lie to me! Damn, can't you even be honest?”
The tall guy stepped forward slightly, his face twisting in annoyance. “Look, I don’t know what your deal is, but I was just walking her home. Ain’t nothing else to it.”
Tre turned his glare to him. “Ain't nothing to it, huh? So tell me this, why you two goofies walking in the wrong way?”
DeMika stepped between them, putting her hands up. “Tre, stop it! You’re blowing this way out of proportion!”
Tre’s laugh was harsh and bitter. “Out of proportion? Nah, you’re the one that got caught. So, what is it? You done with me now? You replacing me with this clown?”
“It’s not like that!” DeMika said, her voice rising. “I couldn’t get in touch with you, and it’s late. He offered to walk me home so I’d be safe.”
“You couldn’t get in touch with me?” Tre repeated, his voice laced with sarcasm. “What, your phone broke? Or was you too busy bopping your head on him behind my back?.”
“Fuck you, Tre!” she yelled back. “You’ve been so caught up in your own world lately, acting like I don’t exist unless it’s convenient for you.”
Tre took a step back, her words cutting deeper than he expected. “Convenient? Are you serious right now? I’ve been dealing with real life, DeMika! My mom trying to make me quit the team, my little brother needing me more than ever. And through all that, I still made time for you. But now I see that wasn’t enough.”
DeMika folded her arms, her own anger bubbling to the surface. “You act like I don’t have my own problems, Tre. You think it's all about you? I’ve been trying to hold us together while you’re off in your head, but I guess I’m just another thing for you to worry about.”
Tre shook his head, bitterness rising in his throat. “Nah, you ain’t no victim here. You made your choice the second you stepped out with him. You ain’t gotta pretend no more.”
“Tre—”
“Nah, don’t ‘Tre’ me,” he interrupted. “You can have him. Matter of fact, I hope he treats you better than I did, because I’m done.”
“Man, I told you it ain’t like that,” the tall guy interjected again, but Tre shot him a glare so sharp it made him step back.
“Shut the hell up,” Tre growled. “This ain’t got nothing to do with you.”
DeMika reached for Tre’s arm, desperation in her eyes. “Please, just listen to me. I was wrong, okay? I should’ve told you what was going on, but I didn’t want to make things worse.”
“You already did,” Tre said, his voice cold. “And you know what? I don’t need this. I don’t need you.”
He turned on his heel, his heart pounding as he stormed away. Behind him, DeMika called his name, but he didn’t stop, didn’t look back. Her voice faded into the cold night air as Tre shoved his hands into his pockets, tears stinging his eyes as he walked faster. He didn’t know where he was going, but he didn’t care. His vision blurred as hot tears stung his eyes, and he clenched his jaw to keep them from falling. He couldn’t believe how quickly everything was unraveling. His mom wanted him to give up basketball. DeMika was out here playing him for a fool. And here he was, stuck in a city that seemed determined to keep him down. Tre walked faster, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts. His hands trembled in his pockets, his knuckles aching from how tightly he was clenching them. He wanted to hit something, to scream, to do anything to release the storm building inside him. As he reached the edge of a vacant lot, Tre stopped, staring out at the dark expanse before him. The cold wind whipped around him, but he barely felt it.
“I hate this city,” he muttered under his breath, his voice breaking. “I hate everything about it.”
He stood there for what felt like hours, his mind racing, his heart heavy. He knew he had to face everything eventually: his mom, basketball, DeMika. But for now, all he wanted was to disappear into the night and leave it all behind. The next day at school, Tre moved through the halls like a ghost, his mind elsewhere. His soon to be ex-teammates joked and talked about their next game, but Tre couldn’t bring himself to join in. His hatred for everything about last night was growing, and for the first time, he questioned whether the fight to rise above it was even worth it. As the winter winds howled outside, Tre felt the cold creeping into his spirit...
CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS TO START