OG Sanchez “A New York Love Story”

CONTACT

It's been one week since the day I laid my eyes on Mr. Melo. And I still haven't figured out a way to get him out of my mind. I've thought about returning to the block where we met but that wasn’t my place and I definitely didn't wanna seem desperate. Although deep inside , I was desperate. Really desperate to see him again but I’m not about to let no man think he got me wrapped up…mind you, I didn’t even know what I was going to say to him or why I was even looking for with him in the first place. That part I haven't even figured out yet.

And I didn't have anyone to talk about with this.. I definitely knew that something like this wasn't something that I could just bring up to Shay. Although, I should, even after all those times that she had warned me about these men.

I knew that if I was to bring it up to her, I wasn’t going to hear the end of if. She was always warning me about the guys out here and how dangerous it would be to get involved so how would she react if she knew I had my eye on the most dangerous one of all. But I knew that I would have to if I wanted to carry on my pursuit. If it gets to that point, I would want to know how Melo got to his position as well. I didn’t know much about my family’s operations, only that these days, they ran most of Yonkers, Manhattan and the Bronx so I wasn’t 100 percent sure of where they stand when it came to Brooklyn. But I also knew that Brooklyn was a different animal. It takes a real gangster to run it and it makes me wonder if he may know about my family and their ties.

Asking her for details would have to wait because after that day, she warned me to just stay away from that block. She didn't really know how Melo really felt about the whole situation although I insisted that it wasn't even that bad. She threw back the fact that Melo didn’t reach the position he was in allowing random people to catch attitudes with him, especially in front of his people. I didn't press it further with her after that. Something was telling me that he wouldn’t take it that far but I wasn’t trying to convince her otherwise as of right now, so I left it at that.

I knew that there was something about him though. Maybe it was his eyes that were staring back at mines which were filled with curiosity and amusement. Maybe it was his swag which screamed confidence which I loved seeing in a man. Maybe it was because it seemed like he was such a hard person to reach or touch.

But truth be told...I’m stubborn, and I go after what I want.

And I wanted Melo.

***

The next day before I headed to my first class, I decided to nonchalantly asked Shay a couple of questions. She was in the kitchen making herself something to eat. Her back was towards me when I startled her with my approach.

“Hey boo”

Shay jumped, grabbing her chest and turning towards me.

“Maya, what the hell? What I tell you bout sneaking up on me” she yelled.

I laughed at her face expression.

“Shay, we freakin live together, how you getting scared?” I replied laughing still.

“Because I thought you had left already” she said continuing making her sandwich.

“But what’s up? You need a ride?” She continued asking me.

My palms began to sweat from nervousness.

“I got a question about Melo” I began.

“Really prima? He’s still on your mind?” She asked turning to me.

“Can you blame me?” I said answering her question with a question.

Shay took a moment to think about her answer.

“Nah, I don’t but you sure you tryna go down that route?” She asked me in a serious tone.

I paused before I spoke although I already knew my answer.

“I just wanna see what’s up..curious is all” I replied calmly.

“You know the family would kill me right if anything was to happen to you?”

This I knew. Since day one, Shay was always told to look out for me no matter what. But they all couldn’t front when it came down to it. I was street and book smart so I knew when to get out of a situation if needed be. I knew what I was doing, I just didn’t know what I was getting into at the moment.

“I know, but you also know what it is with me”

“Anything about him I should know?” I continued before she gave me another spill.

Shay nodded her head no and said.

“Apart from what I told you that day, no I don’t...he keeps it low key… I was actually surprised that we even ran into him that day… he usually is off the radar” she replied starting to put everything back in the fridge.

What about how he got to his position?...anything to do with my pops?” I asked her in a serious tone.

This was something that was a must to know.

Shay turned to look at me. She didn’t play when it came to that either. If there was anything about the Sanchez family, is that we were loyal to our own.

“Not that I know of...his name was never mentioned by my father or my brothers before...as far as I know. One of your dads right hand men took over after he passed then Melo came up a couple years after that. But word on the street is that Melo did things the correct way...worked his way up.”

“So Melo could of known my pops you think?” I asked nervously.

If Melo did know him, it's a dead issue. No one was suppose to know of my existence, let alone Brooklyn's most recent head honcho.

“I doubt it...your pops was a ghost out here...he didn’t let anyone know who he was or what he did. Only those closest to him did.” She said reassuring me.

My pops always made his moves low key. But I knew I still had to make sure before possibly putting not only myself but the whole family in a f**** up situation.

“Good to be reassured…I needa start heading out cuz, I got class in an hour” I replied starting to make my way towards the foyer.

“You sure this what you wanna do Maya?...messing with someone like Melo?” She asked me following me out.

I thought a moment about my reply. I wasn’t completely sure what I was looking for with him but I knew that I felt a vibe between us from the jump. Enough to have me curious to see what was up with him or at least to see if the vibe was still there.

“Hard to explain...but I felt a vibe between us that day. It got me curious so I wanna see what's up” I replied.

“How you even going to find him again?” She asked before I made my way out the door.

I turned to her, giving her a side eye and a smirk.

“Girl, you know I always find a way and I always get what I want”

We both broke out in laughter.

****

Later on that week, now with the confidence I needed from the conversation with Shay, I started to take walks around the neighborhood. Getting closer to the Stuy as each day passes.

During one of those walks one day, I somehow ended up in the Stuy, deliberately of course. I managed to find the block that I met Melo on so I figured I would walk by. I convinced myself that they wouldn’t remember me giving how many people be on this block all the time.

I seen the same men outside the building just like that day but this time his beemer wasn’t outside. I felt bold today so I decided to ask the same guy with the braids who Shay was dealing with, if he knew where I could find him...I figured it would be a good enough ice breaker and would get straight to the point. I just wanted to shoot my shot and leave.

Walking over to him nervously I said “Hey, what’s up?..do you know where I can find Melo?”

The atmosphere thickened. Immediately all eyes & ears were on me… their cold stares feeling like daggers being thrown my direction. They definitely remembered me or he really did keep his s**t low key.

“Nah...I think you got the wrong person, I don't know a Melo.” He answered back with a serious tone. I knew when I wasn't wanted and when to stop asking questions. And looking into his eyes, I knew that it was my only warning.

“Ok, my fault” I replied, quickly turning back and walking away before he called out to me.

“And yo if I was you, I wouldn't ask around for that name anymore”

Shit...I didn’t think it was like that when it came to him. They were nothing to play with. I caught on. I knew what time it was, I nodded my head in understanding and I got out of there quick.

I made it back to my apartment within 10 minutes.

****

MELO POV -

Damn yo where this man at? Got me waiting over 10 minutes and s**t… I’m not tryna hit traffic going back to the Stuy and I still got a couple of moves to make today.

(Cell Ring)

Dre?… I'm supposed to be meeting up with him later on tonight. He shouldn’t be hitting me up yet. I picked up on the third ring.

“Yoo , what up boy?”

“What's good man?...I know we meeting up a lil later but just wanna give you a heads up ...someone out here looking for you..mentioning names and all that”

Who the hell would be looking for me?

“What's good…details”

“Shorty from the other day from outside the P…Fine lil spanish lookin shorty with the long curly hair...Shay cousin?”

Um…that shorty…I knew exactly who he was talking about. Lil momma.

“Yea, I remember her...Whats that about?”

Not sure, but shorty came back to the block and everything looking for you. Told her to stop if she knew what's up...She seem harmless enough”

I already knew she was harmless. Her lil fiesty ass ain't about that life.

“Aight , I'll handle that… what's good, everything else straight?”

“Yea, everything good money on this end”

“Aight cool, I'll holla at you later then” I said hanging up, my mind still lingering on shorty.

What could she be looking for me for? I've seen her cousin Shay a few times before, I know she been dealing with Dre for a minute now so I already knew she was cool people. But that day was the first time me hearing of this lil cousin of hers and now she coming out here looking for me? It wasn’t her place to come back over there looking for me but neither did she strike me as some bum chick...I caught a good vibe from shorty but what I looked like dwelling too much on it. I didn't expect to run into her again. But apparently lil momma had other plans. Shorty was sexy though and had a innocence about her that you don't see enough now a days. Bout 5’3 , thick in the thighs too...She had on these jeans that day that almost made me snatch her up. She had big beautiful green eyes that made it hard for me to look away and long black curly hair that was down her back. She looked like a mix from one of those Caribbean countries. Not sure which but my guess would be that she was Dominican... And her feistiness. I loved that s**t. I haven’t had a shorty speak to me like that ever. Shorty was asking for it...But what really caught my attention was the way she looked at me. There was a fearlessness in her eyes that I haven’t seen in a long time...I liked it.

She had me curious to see what she had to say.