by A'zayler
“Been waiting on you all day,”
When Myeisha said that, Quez laughed. I cut my eyes at him because I knew like hell he wasn’t on no funny shit, because if he was, I would be cussing his ass right on out.
“Well, here I am.” I smiled and grabbed the handle on the gas station door.
I went in without waiting for her reply. The gas station was fairly empty, so I’d grabbed Egypt a small packet of Tylenol and a Coke to swallow it down with. The gummy bears and gum I’d added to my list were for me. I stuck it into my fanny pack and headed back outside after paying for it all. I had been prepared to walk right past Myeisha, but she grabbed my hand before I could.
“Come ride with me real quick.”
“I can’t right now. I’ve got somewhere to be.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, with me. Now let’s slide.”
I paused, hoping she wasn’t one of the people who had been arranged with Master for me. I wasn’t gay by far, and whenever I was with Myeisha, that’s how I felt. I didn’t necessarily care for the other niggas I slept with on the regular, but after fucking Egypt, there was no way I could lay there and take that girl on girl shit today.
“Aight, just give me a second to call Master.”
Myeisha smiled like she knew something I didn’t know, and it made me want to punch her in the mouth. I could do it too, without even worrying about getting my ass beat. She was a woman like me, and I’d been beating on bitches for years now. I’d taken a few L’s too, but for the most part, I was the one passing them out.
With my phone to my ear, I popped a gummy bear into my mouth and walked toward the side of the building. I’d wanted to go to Egypt’s car, but I’d never done that before, and the last thing I wanted to do was seem too suspicious. I was pretty sure he didn’t want anyone to know about us.
“How’s my baby’s day going?” Master answered my call.
“It was good until Myeisha told me to ride with her,” I said visibly annoyed.
As soon as Master laughed, I knew. “Don’t be like that, baby. Just make your money.”
“But, Master…” I sighed. “I don’t like going with her. She tries to keep me all day.”
“If that happens, you know daddy’s only one call away.”
I exhaled roughly while shaking my head. I was not in the mood for that shit, but I knew better than to go against Master.
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
I hung the phone up before he could try to sweet talk me anymore. After I stuck my phone into my fanny pack, I grabbed another gummy bear. I leaned my head back on the brick wall of the gas station and closed my eyes. I took a few deep breaths, trying to ready myself to deal with that damn woman and all her bullshit. A swift kiss to my lips immediately popped my eyes open.
Egypt winked and took off walking toward the back of the building. Without even having to think about it, I followed him. We were behind the building near the dumpsters when he turned around and grabbed my neck. His lips were on mine, and he was tonguing me down so good that I moaned. Really moaned. When I did, he grabbed my waist and snatched me to him.
Egypt was kissing me like I’d never been kissed in my life. The way he held me in his arms and the way he tugged at my bottom lip every so often had been everything I’d needed in that moment, but when he pulled out of our kiss just enough to whisper against my lips, I lived. Really fucking lived.
“Azayna, I’ve been feeling you all day.”
He looked in my eyes while rubbing one of his hands up my back and the other against my thigh.
“You been in my body all fucking day.”
I ran my hands through his locs and pecked his lips. They were hanging right in my face and looking like they should have been in my mouth, so I took ’em. Took them and sucked them to death as he rubbed up and down my back and moaned into my mouth.
“Get away from me before I forget where we at.”
He softly pushed me away but kept his eyes on me. The feeling in his stare was hallucinogenic. I real life felt like there was no one in the world but us. Even with the nasty smell of trash, loud cars passing, and the world’s activities floating in our distance, I could feel nobody but him.
“Here.” He pushed the red and yellow gummy dinosaur out of his mouth and smiled. “You can have your candy back.”
My body warmed as I rushed to him and sucked it from his mouth. He and I both laughed when I pulled away. We were still looking at each other, but his intensity slowly faded as his eyes traveled over my clothing.
“Didn’t I tell you about them ugly ass contacts?”
“A costume, remember?” I tilted my head to the side. “Nobody gets Azayna but you.”
I tried to dress it for him before he got too mad or too far in his feelings and focused on the obvious. Which was me being a hoe who was about to slide off with his gay homie. I was beginning to get nervous the longer we stood there in the silence. He was still looking at me but wasn’t really giving off anything. The red gym shorts and a white tank top that he wore looked simple and sexy.
He was wearing a crisp pair of white running Nike’s and a gold chain. Both of his grills were in and shining while his hair swayed in its normal direction. I lingered on his locs a little longer. I loved them.
“Egypt?”
“I got some runs to make. I’ll holla at you,” he rushed out while walking past me.
I wanted to yell for him to come back because I already knew what had just happened. Reality had hit. His feelings had taken the front seat for only one moment, but here we were, living in my strongest fears. Who I was, was loud and clear in his face, and he hadn’t figured out how to handle it yet. I allowed my head to fall backward for a minute before taking a few deep breaths and walking back around the building.
Everybody was in the same spot, only this time, Egypt and Bo were added. They were standing near Egypt’s car, apparently about to leave because his car was running. I glanced at him but not for long.
“Dream, what’s good, girl?” Bo yelled across the parking lot.
I smiled and waved at him. “Nothing, just enjoying this Miami weather. What you up to?”
Bo nodded his head toward Egypt. “Trying to convince this young nigga to get some medicine for this headache he’s been screaming about all morning.”
“Hell yeah. Blood, been quiet as hell all day,” Quez chimed in from beside me.
I looked at him before turning away and switching casually toward Egypt’s car. His eyes were on my legs as I walked. He even licked his lips but looked away before I could get all the way to him.
“You want this?” I raised the little black plastic bag with the soda and medicine that I’d gotten for him. “I had gotten it for myself, but you can have it.”
I extended the things to Egypt, doing my best to act normal. He looked at it for a minute before shaking his head.
“Nah, I don’t take medicine.”
“It’ll really help you.” I took another step toward him.
“I’m good. I got a li’l remedy that works for me. I’ma dive into that a li’l bit later.”
My stomach went on a full rollercoaster ride as his words took me there. He was talking about me. He’d called me his thug remedy the night before just before we made love, and it had nearly driven me insane when he’d said it.
“Nigga, you better take that medicine,” Bo urged.
Egypt looked me up and down and took the bag from my hand. “Appreciate it.”
“No problem.” I turned and walked away as slow as I could.
I wanted him and Bo to pull out of the parking lot before Myeisha said some more shit about me leaving with her. Too bad prostitutes had the worst luck in the world. Myeisha brought her happy go lucky ass right over to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. I cringed when she kissed my forehead. I was sure even with our backs to Egypt, he knew what she’d just done.
“Myeisha, you out?” I heard Egypt ask her.
That nosey bastard.
I guess he figured he’d get his own answer. I held my breath as I waited for her to respond.
“Yeah, I’m about to slide with Dream for a minute. I need to relax my mind before heading to Master’s tonight.
This bitch. I rolled my eyes. She got on my fucking nerves. Her dumb, thirsty ass. I didn’t even give a fuck no more after that. I walked right away from her and over to the gas station. I could feel her looking at me as I walked away, but I didn’t care one bit. She had no business throwing me in her mess. She could have easily answered him without outing me, but no, she had just had to do the most with her fake ass.
“Bet.”
The one word held so much weight in my life right then. I wished a thousand times that it was his car that I was about to get in, but that had been far-fetched before. I was more than positive now that it would never happen. The roaring engine of the old school car was loud in my ear as Egypt sped out of the parking lot.
“Dream, you ready?”
I cut my eyes at that hoe so hard that she should have bled out and died right there in the parking lot.
“Yeah.”
“Let’s roll then, baby.”
More of Quez’s annoying laughter came from behind us. “Y’all kids have fun now,” he yelled, trying to be funny.
This whole day was annoying as fuck, and it had just begun. The only thing that had halfway made it worth living was the kiss from my boo. I held on to that feeling the rest of the time I was with Myeisha. It was hard as hell to do, but I’d found a way to make it work.
“Why you rushing to go? I know you’re tired.” Myeisha was in bed with nothing but a sports bra on, looking like she had no plans of getting out of the bed anytime soon.
Me, on the other hand, I’d washed off and was standing near her dresser fully dressed. I wasn’t about to lay around her house all day like we were a couple. She was a fool if she thought that shit.
“I’ve got some other stuff to do today.”
“Like what? Another nigga? If so, I’ll slide you some extra cash for that.”
I frowned. That was the type of shit I had been trying to tell Master about. This hoe didn’t know when enough was enough. She literally overstayed her welcome in my presence every time she was in it.
“Nah, you’re good. I just have a few personal errands to run before it gets too late.”
Myeisha looked over at me like she didn’t believe me and stayed right where she was. I tapped my foot on the floor to try and give her a minute to get her life before I walked out of the door and found the nearest bus stop. Man, these tricks weren’t going to be able to tell me nothing once I finally got my car. I was going to be swerving all over their asses, and that was a promise.
“Myeisha, come on. Take me back.”
“In a minute. Just chill,” she mumbled while lighting the blunt hanging between her lips.
“I don’t have time for that,” I snapped. “You know what? Just don’t worry about it. Give me my money, and I’ll catch the bus.”
Myeisha smiled before laughing as the aroma of weed clouded the room. I waved the air in front of my face so that I could see her.
“You don’t be trying to give me no play.” She chuckled to herself because I found absolutely nothing funny. “Look in that trunk in my closet and grab you a stack.” She coughed as I walked to the closet. “Just one. Don’t steal my shit.”
“I’m not,” I told her.
The trunk she’d been speaking of was filled with neatly stacked cash. Myeisha was either dumb as hell or high as hell. This crazy chick had sent me to all her money. I could have easily taken some of this shit and dipped. She was lucky I wasn’t like that. I took the one stack that she’d instructed me to take and closed the top.
Her eyes were glazed over as she sat against the headboard looking at me. Small clouds of smoke surrounded her head as she continued puffing on the blunt she’d been smoking. I held up the stack to show her what I’d taken before waving at her.
“You want to come lock your door?”
“I’ll do it in a minute. I’m about to take you back since you’re in such a rush to get away from me.”
“No, I’m not. I just have stuff to do,” I told her sweetly while I headed for her living room.
I walked down the hallway, to her front door, out, and to her car to wait for her. I was so tired of fucking for money that it didn’t make any sense. A couple more weeks, I told myself. I was almost to my goal, and looking at the stack Myeisha had just given me, I was probably even closer.
When we finally made our way back to my side of town, I was past ready to go home. Nothing about the day made me want to keep flipping tricks. I’d so much rather be at my house cuddled up with my man and nursing the headache he had. My life spun in a quick circle as I thought about how unreal it was for me to be pairing myself up with Egypt.
All this time, I’d been holding so much love and hate for him in my heart that now since I had the chance to pour it out, that was all I wanted to do. Minus the hate; I didn’t really feel like I hated him anymore. Egypt… sexy, li’l, crazy ass Egypt. I was daydreaming so hard that I’d totally missed the small gathering in front of where Myeisha had just parked. All of that changed the moment I heard a voice that automatically put me in a bad mood. I wasn’t even out of the car good before he started with me.
“What’s good, Dream? You ain’t speaking today?” Joshua was taunting me, and I knew it.
Since I didn’t have anything to say to his rude ass, I ignored him and kept on walking up the street.
Him, Egypt, Bo, Quez, and a small group of girls were gathered near his car. It was parked in front of one of Master’s known trap spots. I wasn’t surprised to see a group of them there because that was what they did. It was a small apartment on the first floor directly in the center of the hood, so there was always somebody standing somewhere around it. It had been partially empty when I’d first passed this morning, but the sun was out, so the people were too.
Quez and Bo were leaning on the wall while Joshua and some girl sat on the hood of his car. Egypt was seated casually in the driver’s seat of Joshua’s car with the door open. There was a cute little dark-skinned chick with braids sitting in the passenger seat of the car with Egypt. I didn’t necessarily care for her placement, but it wasn’t like I could say something about it without making a fool of myself. I quickly looked over at Egypt as I walked to the sidewalk. His face was indifferent, not giving me much.
“Damn, it’s like that now?” Joshua continued to pick with me. “You too good to open your mouth now?”
A couple of the girls laughed, and it took everything in me to ignore them. They were just groupies anyway. Joshua, on the other hand, was definitely someone who I would never take it there with again. Money or no money, I was good on that nigga. After the way he’d done me the last time I saw him, he’d better be glad I hadn’t spit on his ass yet.
“She needs to be too good for them raggedy ass flip flops she’s wearing.” The snide remark from the girl sitting behind Joshua caught my attention and pissed me straight the fuck off.
I turned around to look at the hoe. I sucked my teeth when I realized who it was. Quanna, Joshua’s desperate baby mama. I’d gone upside that hoe’s head so many times that it wasn’t even exciting anymore.
“Worry about yourself, hoe,” I told her.
Quanna laughed. “I’m the hoe, but you’re the one selling pussy.”
I watched her as she slid from the hood of the car so that her feet were now on the ground. If this bitch thought she was about to fight me today, she had the right idea. I was irritated too, so she would catch a good ass whooping the moment she came my way.
“I can do that when I have men like Joshua cashing out every other day.”
“Get the fuck out of here. Don’t nobody spend money on your hood hopping ass.” Joshua immediately tried to flex on me.
His crowd of followers laughed like it was the funniest thing on earth. I looked straight at
Egypt to see if he was laughing; he wasn’t. He was looking down in his lap doing something that I couldn’t see from where I was.
“Quanna, I know this ain’t the hoe that Dre was messing with,” the chick who had just been in the car with Egypt asked as she rounded the hood of the car.
I stood there with my arms folded because if I knew nothing else, I knew for a fact that I didn’t know this girl. The name Dre definitely rang a bell. He was the dude Egypt caught me with yesterday.
“Yep, that’s her dirty ass.” Quanna snickered.
She and the girl both continued to say slick shit about me, but I wasn’t worried about them. If they weren’t going to do anything about it, then I wasn’t about to entertain them. I looked over at Egypt once more, and he was looking at me. Not hard, just looking.
I tried to convey some of my feelings through my eyes, but he didn’t bite. His head dropped to his lap again, and that was where it stayed. A bit hurt, I began to walk again. I wasn’t about to keep standing there making a fool of myself.
“I better not find out you’re with Dre again, bitch, or I’m beating your ass,” the girl yelled after me.
I kept right on walking. “Beat his ass, not mine. He’s the one chasing me.”
I could hear Quanna behind me boosting her up to say something else, and it annoyed me so bad that I had to turn back around and say something that would shut her up too.
“Quanna, you’re saying too much to the wrong person. You need to be talking to Joshua. Tell him to stay off my line too.” I smiled before turning around to keep walking.
I could hear them all laughing and saying shit behind my back, but I expected that. What I didn’t expect was the can of soda that came flying at me. It hit me so hard in the back of my head that it could have been easily mistaken for a baseball, a rock, or something hard enough to cause some damage. My hand instantly went to the back of my head as I watched the can roll past my foot.
Soda dripped all over me as I listened to them all laugh at me. Embarrassed was an understatement. I was so mortified that I didn’t even want to turn around to see who’d thrown it. Maybe had Egypt not been there, it wouldn’t have been so bad, but to have him witness one of the most horrendous moments of my life made me feel so small.
