Love With a Price

1976

A cute little girl, with brown hair and blue-green eyes, and around the age of seven, spotted a boy that she has never seen before. He also had brown hair except his eyes were dark brown, almost black. She went up to him but as she did, the boy backed away.

"Why are you scared of me?" she asked.
"I'm not scared." the boy replied.
"Then why are you backing a way from me?"
"I'm not supposed to talk to you."
"Why?"
"Because, my father does not like your father and told me to not associate with anyone that is related to him. And that's you. You're his kid."
"Oh. Why does your dad not like my dad?"
"I don't know. Maybe because they're always fightin'"
"Can I know you're name?"
"Why?"
"So, that way I can tell my friends and cousins to not talk to you."
"Oh, OK. I'm Bruce and you are Angie."
"HUH, how did you know my name?" Angie asked in awe.
"Because my dad told me and you are seven."
"How old are you?"
"Ten, I'm almost eleven."
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Bruce went home and wondered for the rest of the day why he couldn't play with Angie. He had always thought that she was mean and rude and spoiled, but after today he wanted to be her friend.

"Father, how come I can't talk to Angie?"
"Why do you ask?"
" 'Cause I met her today." he said as he looked at his father. "It was an accident." he added quickly.
"Because, we are rival gangs and as gangs we don't associate with anyone from that gang. Ok, son." His dad asked sternly as he looked down at Bruce.
"Ok, Father." And with that he walked away to go to his room. Bruce had other ideas though. He thought that tomorrow he will go back to the spot that they met. Hopefully she would be there.
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"Dad, can I play with Bruce tomorrow? I know that his dad told him not to play with me, but you didn't say that I couldn't play with him. So can I?" Angie asked as she looked up to her dad, hoping that he would say yes.
"Um, you can't play with him, sweetie, Ok." He told her as he saw that his answer did not please her. "The reason for that honey, is that.... um..... how do I put this? His father and I are rival gangs. So, that means we don't talk or play with each other. Get it now?"
"No, but if you don't want me to play with him then I won't."
"Now, that's my good girl." he said as he ruffled her hair.
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The next day

Bruce waited patiently for Angie to come out. He's been there for nearly an hour and it was killing him. He had already planned out how they would meet everyday and what they would do and how they should do it. But, if she didn't like what he wanted to do then he would let her choose. Mother, always said that if the girl doesn't like it then let her choose, and that is what he was going to do.

"Finally, you're here!" Bruce exclaimed as he saw Angie coming from behind the fence. "I've been waiting for an hour now."
"What do you mean?" she asked all confused.
"I figured out a way so that we could play together." he said proudly. "I take after my Father."
"But, my dad just told me that I couldn't talk to you or play with you. I asked him yesterday."
"So, what. We're part of a gang. Gangs are bad which makes us bad. So us seeing each other in secret is part of our life."
"Really! I never thought about it that way. Ok, what do you want to do?"
"You want to climb over the fence and come to my side and go to the lake?"
"Yes!" And with that she tried to climb over the fence but she couldn't since she was short. "Help me. Please." Bruce climbed over the fence and went to her side.
"Why don't we just go to your side and you could show me it." Bruce told her with a smile as she turned around to hug him.