Don't Mess With the Carter Boys: The Carter Boys 3

by Desirée

  “You’ll be okay,” I said softly, watching him sit up.

  Shaking his locs loose, he adjusted the chains around his neck. They never came off unless we were in the shower.

  “What all do you have to do today?” I asked.

  “We about to sneak Trent out that hospital and get him to this damn party,” he said, getting on his phone as my mouth dropped. I was not expecting that. “How you gon’ be in the hospital on yo’ own damn party? Nah, nigga, we’ll have him back by morning, but he’s going.”

  “So, are you going to get a wheelchair or something? Because—”

  He waved at me to be quiet as he started talking on the phone.

  “Aye. Everybody know what the plan is for tonight?”

  “Yeah,” Jahiem answered on speaker phone. “Talin and Toni and her people are gonna hold it down outside, having the truck ready for when we bring him. Taylor told me his ex-girl showed up.”

  “Ahh, shit. Nigga got drama already and ain’t even left the fucking room. Where Shiloh at?”

  “You know he go ghost for a couple of days after doing what he do,” Jahiem mumbled.

  My eyebrows came together, confused. What did he do?

  “Nigga will be here, but don’t nobody know where he at? Trell got the wheelchair ready, but this nigga needs to be on crutches.”

  “How, Jahiem?” Elijah snapped sarcastically. “Nigga was shot in the shoulder. What the fuck you want a piece of wood shoved underneath that same shoulder for, bruh?”

  “I’m saying, though, a wheelchair? He ain’t that handicap—”

  “Trent will make the most out of that shit, trust me,” Elijah mumbled, looking back at me, eyes wandering.

  Teasing him, I started to rub my body down gently before proceeding to pretend like I was about to play with myself.

  “You hear me?” Jahiem snapped as Elijah’s mouth dropped in awe.

  “Yeah, um . . . nah, what you say?” he muttered, hand already on his dick as I laughed. We were nasty like that.

  I got up without so much as a word and went into the bathroom, coaxing him to follow.

  “Aye, I’m about to get it in. Let me call you back,” he said, hanging up, tossing the phone on the bed as he followed me. “Don’t tease a mothafucka then walk away, shawty. Not in my house!”

  * * *

  After enjoying some “us time,” we started to get ready for the party. The closer it got to the party, the more chaotic it became around his house. Everyone started showing up, including Trent’s fraternity brothers, a couple of sorority girls, and his family, of course. Elijah had a full house, but the drinks were already lined up, music was turned up, and the only one missing was Olivia. Once again.

  I was fresh out of the shower, hair straightened, waiting on Elijah to finish picking my outfit out because . . . I don’t know. That’s what he liked to do. It was one of the things I didn’t care too much for but tolerated. Music was bumping downstairs, and he had on his thick black sweatshirt with the red A on it, black straight-leg jeans, and black-and-red Gucci high top sneakers with a red bandana tied around his head like a headband. His dreads were loose, with rings on his fingers, chains, and just his usual flashy, reckless attire.

  “A’ight, try this on. I bought this for you a while back, but you wasn’t filling it out like how I needed you to.” He handed me some black leggings that zipped up in the back, and a long-sleeve black crop top that showed way too much breast. I slipped the ensemble on with no panties. A small line of flesh showed between the high-waisted leggings and the top.

  “Hell yeah,” Elijah mumbled, sitting back on the bed, looking me over. “Turn around so I can see the back and you can look in the mirror, bae.”

  I turned around, looking at myself in the mirror as I fixed my hair, feeling him come up and tap my ass. “God damn, J! You looking like Selena in this bitch! Shit, I’m gon’ have to fight niggas off yo’ ass tonight, boy, I swear.”

  “Hush, Elijah,” I cheesed, feeling him come up behind me, smoothing my hair out as it fell to my waist. If he could, I was sure he would marry my hair before me. “You want to do my makeup too?” I asked as he bent down, biting my ass hard. “Elijah!”

  “I’ma chill.” He laughed.

  As soon as I finished up, with him picking out my shoes and me managing to do a little makeup that I learned from the video shoot I went to, we stepped out hand in hand and made our way downstairs to the pre-party.

  “Yooo! Y’all ready?” Elijah let out as everyone turned their attention to us, eyes falling hard on me.

  “Nigga, you felt like you had to make a grand entrance with yo’ bitch?” one of his friends asked.

  Elijah checked him. “Nah, bruh. She can’t help but look that good. But what you not gon’ do is call her a bitch, especially in front of me. Apologize,” he said, taking a cup as his friend apologized to me.

  “Aye! Can I get everyone’s attention?” Ontrell shouted as he stood on top of a table. Elijah damn near had a heart attack, fussing at him about his furniture, causing Trell to get down with a laugh. “So, look! This is what we doing! We need everybody to bum rush that hospital and cause the biggest fucking distraction of a lifetime while we get Trent out. Soon as we get him in the car, we meet back up here to start the pre-party; then we rolling out! Any questions?”

  I looked around. There had to be over thirty-something people squeezing into this townhouse. A couple of girls from school were eyeing the Carter boys, especially Elijah, but they couldn’t see him without seeing me, because he kept me close.

  “What time we leaving?” Jahiem asked as the front door opened.

  Shiloh appeared in the doorway with about twenty guys and girls behind him. Oh, this was serious. I didn’t even know how he managed to find a space to park.

  “Ahhh, shit! You know it’s about to be some shit when this nigga show up with the gang! Hell yeah! We need to go now!” Elijah hollered out, making his way over to Shiloh as they slapped hands.

  “Uhh, it’s too many damn people up in here,” Tyree complained, cup and small tote raised in the air as he made his way through. “Nah-uh, y’all got pregnant bitches struggling to breathe and shit. I’m standing the fuck outside.”

  I smiled, following him out. We stepped out onto the yard, hearing the music continue to play.

  You could tell who was who. Trent’s fraternity brothers balanced out against the street boys, wearing red and dressing nice, while the guys with the Carters were either over the top, extremely hood, or quiet and just observing. Somehow, the two groups didn’t clash, but blended in well. The girls, on the other hand, you couldn’t tell the difference between one groupie and another. As far as I was concerned, they were all there to get a closer look at the Carter boys.

  “You good, Toni?” Tyree asked, hand on her shoulder as she nodded, holding her stomach.

  “I’m good. We need to hurry up and fucking do this before I change my mind,” she mumbled.

  I looked back at the house, seeing nobody was moving nowhere.

  “So, you the one that locked Elijah Jodie Carter down. I’ve been meaning to talk to you at the hospital but haven’t found the chance,” Tyree said as he eyed me. “I guess we related now,” he said, flashing his ring in my face.

  “Congrats on the engagement.” I smiled.

  “Nigga, she don’t give a fuck either way.” Toni laughed. “She looking like how I’m looking, ready to get the fuck on. I’m tired and I’m cold.”

  “Exactly!” I laughed.

  “Where is Noelle at?” Toni asked Tyree, who sighed.

  “I don’t even know. I haven’t spoken to—Shiloh!” he called out, waving the quietest brother over.

  He stared at us for a second before shoving his hands in his pockets and walking over slowly. He always freaked me out; never said a word to me, rarely spoke to anyone, so him having a girlfriend was shocking in itself. I bet he was mute in the bedroom, too. Ughh. That’s the worst. Quiet sex is a turn-off. He stood next to us
, low eyes hard on Tyree, wearing a black thick coat with the fur on the hood.

  “Where is my chocolate princess at?” Tyree asked abruptly, hand on his hip.

  “I don’t know where that bitch is at, and I don’t give a fuck,” he spat in a low voice.

  Tyree gasped, hand to his chest. “Nigga what the—”

  “She stole from me, and out of love for her, she better be glad I didn’t pop her on sight or put a hit out on—”

  “She what?” Toni and Tyree shrieked at the same time.

  Tyree started shaking his head. “Nah, nigga, we not talking about the same girl. Where is Noelle at?”

  Shiloh remained quiet, just stared at him, occasionally glancing at me, letting his eyes roam with ease. He made me so uncomfortable; I just took a few steps away from him.

  “She told you about that dude being in her house—” Tyree started.

  “I don’t believe that shit. She probably was talking to him this whole time.”

  “Uhh, no, I was there, nigga. He slick tried to rape her. She said he had been posted up in that house for hours before she got there. You didn’t see the door knob? He tore that shit off!” Tyree laughed. “If I wasn’t there, she would have still been screaming.”

  “You didn’t tell me that!” Toni flipped, punching Tyree in the arm.

  “Well, the girl held up that frying pan with her country ass, ready for battle! Ready to wop that nigga in the head! I told her to tell you, but she said you got enough going on with Trent being in the hospital and whatnot, so she said to say nothing about it. We took care of it, but I doubt if my girl stole yo’ money, nigga. You need to rethink that with yo’ quiet ass and go find her and apologize,” Tyree demanded.

  Shiloh just stared at him, almost as if he had zoned out, jaw working slowly, looking exactly like Elijah before turning to walk away.

  “He is so weird to me,” I mumbled.

  “Girl, that is just sex appeal you have yet to understand,” Tyree moaned, eyes following Shiloh’s every move. “I would let him destroy my ass if I had the chance.”

  Toni scrunched her face at him in disgust. “Nigga, you sick as fuck. I don’t want to hear nothing like that,” she said, walking off as I laughed.

  “A’ight! Let’s go! We moving out!” Anthony called out from the house. “Who blocked my truck in?”

  Everyone started to pile out. I felt a hand on my lower back. Looking up, I saw one of Trent’s fraternity brothers smiling back at me.

  “Hey, you probably don’t remember me,” he said as I smiled politely back.

  “Vaguely,” I responded to the nice-looking, brown-skin guy with a small fro and perfect teeth.

  “I used to see you around the yard a lot with yo’ books, heading into that library. How did you do on your finals?” he asked as we continued walking, his hand still on my back.

  “I’m pretty sure I aced them with ease,” I boasted with a smile as he laughed.

  “You’re probably the type that doesn’t have to study,” he guessed.

  “Oh, I’m always studying, constantly wanting to learn new things. It’s a habit.” I shrugged as we stepped out onto the street, holding a basic conversation about school.

  “Aye! College boy!”

  We both looked up to see Elijah standing at the edge of his yard, looking dead at us, legs wide as he pointed at the guy I was with. Great.

  “He talking to me?” the guy asked.

  I sighed. “I really don’t know,” I said, backing away, feeling embarrassed.

  “Bruh! I’m talking to you! Don’t look at me like you don’t know what the fuck I’m about to say, nigga! You had three years to get at her! That pussy belongs to me, nigga!”

  “Elijah a fool, bruh.” Someone laughed as I started walking back to the yard.

  “What is the matter with you, Elijah?” I snapped as he made his way toward me. “He wasn’t even—”

  “Get yo’ fast ass in the truck. I ain’t got shit to say to you right now, shawty,” he retorted, opening the door to get in. “Walking off with that nigga at my own damn house. Fuck is wrong with you?”

  “We weren’t even talking like that!”

  “Yeah, okay.” He laughed sarcastically as I got in the front seat, with his friends hopping in the back, laughing. I just sighed, clearly irritated by his display of ignorance. Boys.

  * * *

  The moment we rode into downtown, everyone was lined up, car after car trying to get into the parking garage of the hospital or lined up on the side of the street. There were just that many of us. I switched shoes, wearing all black Jordans that Elijah had gotten me, and I hopped out with him, heading toward the entrance. It took all of a few seconds for everyone to walk inside in waves and start disrupting the quiet peace. Someone was filming the whole thing as a few people went up to the desk to disconnect the phones, while others went down the hallways to make sure it was cleared out. Jahiem pushed the wheelchair, with Elijah sitting in it, singing, “We turning up tonight with them Carter Boys. If you here with us, then shawty, make some noise,” over and over with a touch of soul in it.

  We made our way to Trent’s room. I had to admit it was kind of exciting. I felt the adrenaline pumping as we covered the hallways with our people. As soon as we entered his room, we saw Trent and Jade lying in the bed. His mouth dropped at the sight of us.

  “What the fuck are y’all—”

  “Get yo’ ass up, bruh. We going to this party tonight!” Elijah hollered, getting up to help his brother out of the bed. “This yo’ fucking graduation party. What you look like not being there? I wasn’t gonna leave you hanging, twin.”

  “Yo, y’all niggas is straight wilding right now,” Jade said in awe as she grabbed Trent’s things. There was no sign of Taylor.

  As soon as they got him in the wheelchair, they rolled him out and made a run for it. Everyone cleared a path as Jahiem took off, while the rest of us followed, laughing the entire way. Jade caught up with me, struggling to carry the bags. I took one to help her out.

  “What the fuck is going on?” she asked.

  “Just go with it,” I told her with a laugh as we all hopped on the elevator. Some people took the stairs, screaming “Allll the waaaay turned up!” and ending it with “Aaaye!” before repeating it once more. This right here felt like the true ratchet essence of Atlanta.

  The moment we made it to the car, with his brothers helping Trent inside, we pulled off with such speed. Everyone was trying to get out at the same time, knowing the cops had probably been called.

  When we made it back to Elijah’s house, everyone really started to enjoy themselves. Jade helped Trent shower and get dressed. His brothers carried him up and down those steps until finally, he was dressed in his usual pretty-boy fashion in the wheelchair, enjoying a drink, laughing it up with everyone.

  “Y’all niggas are straight-up fucking crazy!” Trent laughed as people posed for pictures. The sorority girls all crowded around his wheelchair, fighting to see who was going to sit on his good thigh, while his brothers acted a straight fool, throwing up gang signs that strangely looked almost identical to the frat signs.

  I hung back, leaning against the wall with a drink in my hand, watching everyone else have fun. Parties and me had never really gone hand in hand, but I tried my best to be a good sport about it. I watched Elijah interact with a few girls. He glanced at me, low eyes glossy red as he made his way over. Taking my drink, he sipped it, standing close up against me.

  “What, Elijah?” I said softly, just a little under the music. He leaned in and kissed me on the side of the mouth repeatedly as my hands gripped his sides, trying not to laugh.

  “Why you all the way over here being antisocial on me?” he asked, stepping closer in front of me as I moved a loc out of my face.

  “Gee, I don’t know,” I said sarcastically. “You think it’s got something to do with half the men in here are scared to approach me, and the females in here are staring at you and your brothers like me
at?”

  “A’ight, chill with all of that, shawty.” He laughed, taking another sip of my cup. “They not scared to approach you—”

  “Yes, they are, Elijah. You are too territorial sometimes. You just need to—”

  “I just need to get my dick wet. That’s what I need to do,” he said, coming to my neck, trying to bite it as I laughed. He was drunk and barely even trying to listen to me, so I let it go. Elijah was going to always be Elijah, and nothing more.

  “Are any of your brothers leaving the party early? I have rehearsal tomorrow for my concert on Sunday,” I told him.

  He lifted his head up to look down at me with those low eyes. “Shiloh is usually the first to leave. You want him to drop you off?”

  I immediately shook my head no, and he laughed.

  “You acting like you scared of that nigga.”

  “I am!”

  “Ahh, come on!” He laughed sloppily. “Probably won’t even say shit to you. I’ll get him to drop you off back at yo’ place.”

  “Elijah don’t—”

  “Shi!” Elijah called out in front of everyone as I covered my face in embarrassment. “You got my girl scared to ride in the car with you, nigga. Can you drop her off?”

  Shiloh laughed as I quickly silenced a drunk Elijah.

  “Yo! We need to roll out! It’s time to go!” Ontrell yelled. “Time to celebrate!”

  With that being said, everyone started to pile out of the house, with people wanting to ride with other people. Too many girls were trying to ride with Elijah, but with me driving because he was too drunk to drive, they were hesitant to even ask. They waited around that car like groupies. Outside in the yard, with dozens of people trying to get their cars started, warmed up, and ready to go, Ontrell and Tyree made their way over to us.

  “Aye, we riding with you since my car is up front. I don’t feel like waiting for everyone to leave just so I can pull out,” Ontrell said, hopping in the back seat, with Tyree following.