by A'zayler
My Love Ain’t Meant For a Thug
The Beginning of Us
A Novel By
A’zayler
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Copyright © 2019 A’zayler
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, places, events, and incidents are all a part of the author’s imagination and is used in a strictly fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording or other electronic or mechanical methods, without prior written permission from the publisher and writer, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed “Attention Permission Request”.
Chapter One
When We First Met I had no idea you would be so important to me…
“Nigga you heard me, I said you look like a fucking square with that shit on!” Neeka yelled as she stood on the other side of the bed with her hands on her hips.
“You stupid as fuck. I look like a square because I have a real fucking job? Dumb ass fuckin girl.”
“That’s right nigga I said it and I’ll say it again. You look simple as hell with that bright ass orange shirt on. With them tore up ass boots. You look fucking embarrassing.”
Congo shook his head at this crazy girl. What kind of a woman downed a man for trying to better his life? That shit was beyond stupid. Versus arguing with her Congo went to his drawer and snatched out a pair of gym shorts and a wife beater. He turned around to head to the bathroom when he felt something hard hit him in the back of his head.
“Fuck is wrong with you girl? You must want me to beat yo ass?” he was seething with anger because his head was already starting to throb.
Neeka stood there with smiling with the bottom half of the perfume bottle in her hand. “Well you shouldn’t have walked away from me when I was talking to you.”
“You want me to knock you the fuck out but I’ ma chill. I got better shit to do.” Congo exited the room a little quicker this time. He wanted to escape anything else she might have decided to throw. He wasn’t a woman beater by far but he couldn’t guarantee not putting his foot in Neeka’s ass if she hit him with something else.
After double checking to make sure the door was locked Congo stripped and flicked on the shower as high as it would go. He loved hot water, and desperately needed a shower right now. It was his second week on his new job and although he liked it, he was missing the fast life. Before joining onto his Uncle’s contracting business he spent his days in the streets hustling. He’d been slanging dope since middle school but decided to step away after his older brother was killed. They had both went on a pickup run to collect their cash when his brother’s car was shot up. Congo had been hit four times, twice in the chest, once in the side, and once in the leg. His brother however wasn’t so lucky. He’d taken a bullet to the neck and bled out before they could get to the hospital. It had been six months since he’d passed and from that day on he’d been trying to change his life, but his immature ass girlfriend Neeka was making that very difficult. She’d been on him about going back to the dope game since he quit but that wasn’t the move. He didn’t want to end up like his brother dead before the age of twenty five. Jabar was 24 when he was killed, with Congo only having been 23 then. Their birthdays were two days apart and one month after Jabar’s death. Instead of having their normal birthday bash, Congo celebrated both of their days alone in the house with a bottle of Hennessey and a blunt. The hot water from the shower washed the paint and dust from the house he and his team were currently working on down the drain. With both hands pressed against the wall he leaned forward and let the water run over his head. He stayed in the shower for almost thirty minutes before getting out. Once he was finished he dried off, got dressed and walked back out.
Neeka smacked her teeth as she lay across the bed watching TV. She gave him the once over before returning her focus back to Basketball Wives of LA. “Well at least you look better,”
Congo scrunched up his face. “For real Neeka, shut the fuck up. You starting to get on my gotdamn nerves.”
“Oh am I supposed to be scared because you acting all serious now?”
“No you better be scared because I’m two seconds away from choking your dumb ass.”
The word dumb must have pissed Neeka off because she hopped from the bed with the remote in hand and threw it at him. It hit him dead in the eye. Congo could feel his blood rushing through his veins as he fought with himself. He wanted to hit her so bad, but he wasn’t raised like that so he snatched his keys from the dresser and left the room. He slid his feet in the Nike slides next to the door and left. He was in his car and speeding out of the parking lot before he could finally feel himself relaxing. Congo squeezed the steering wheel before headed in the direction of the liquor store. He needed a pint of Hen to calm his nerves. That was another thing he was still adjusting to. He had always been a drinker, but not heavy. He preferred to get high, but his new job did random drug tests and he didn’t want to get caught slipping. Congo pulled into the liquor store and went in to grab his drink. When he came out he heard a lot of commotion going on down the walkway. When he looked up there was a man running towards his with a yellow Dollar General store bag and a ski mask on. I know this nigga aint rob the damn dollar store? Congo couldn’t do nothing but shake his head as he stepped back against the wall to get out of the assailants way. He watched the man duck off into the trees behind the store before turning to leave. He pressed the unlock button on his key chain and was about to get in when he heard the sounds of police cars behind him.
“FREEZE! DON’T MOVE!” The chubby white officer yelled. He was standing behind his squad car’s door with his gun already drawn.
Congo turned slowly unaware of what was going on. It was a mystery to as of why they were bothering him when there was a robber on the loose.
“The fuck y’all fucking with me for?”
“Put your hands on your gotdamn roof. NOW!”
“I’m not putting my hands on shit because I aint did shit.”
The cop opened and closed his hands around the handle of the gun giving off his nervousness. Seeing how uneasy he was made Congo a little nervous as well. Police in the other two cars that had pulled in had their guns out and aimed at him as well. He looked around observing the scene still not bothering to raise his hands. He wasn’t about to do shit until they explained what was going on. Congo wanted so badly to get in the car but he wasn’t ready to die today. With the way shit was going with the police and African Americans these days he’d probably be leaking before he could get his hand on the door handle.
“I’m going to ask you one more time to place your hands in the air.” The lead cop yelled at him.
“I’m going to tell your ass one more time, I aint finna’ do shit because I aint did shit. Tell me what the fuck I did.”
“Sir, you’re under arrest for theft of a motor vehicle.”
“Theft of a motor vehicle? The fuck? I aint stole a gotdamn thing.”
Congo’s mind was clouded as he tried to think of why in the hell they would think he’d stolen his car. Hell, had he stolen something for real he would have at least got something worth stealing. His Camaro was nice but it wasn’t all that. Everybody and they mama had a Camaro, that wasn’t shit to steal. If he was going to do something that would have him back in the pen it sure as hell wouldn’t be stealing a car. Tha
t was kid shit. He got paper like that when he was still in high school.
“This my shit.”
The officer lowered his gun just for a moment. “Sir, this car has been reported stolen. Now put your fucking hands in the air. YOU ARE UNDER ARREST.”
The police’s face began to turn red and the other officers had his car completely surrounded. A mix between the unwanted attention from the police, the crowd that had formed and the heat Congo’s attitude was on ten. He looked around at all the people standing around watching what was about to happen and relaxed a little. Some had their phones out while others stood with their arms crossed and conversing with one another. This was the shit that pissed him off with society. Here he was a newly law abiding citizen and they were fucking with him off some he said she said shit. Had this been a few months ago he probably wouldn’t have given the police a second thought because that was back when he was moving weight. He was always guilty then. Now all he did was go to work and try to live his life. He had a hard enough time doing that, now adding this shit was making it worse. Feeling as if he had nothing left to lose, Congo shook his head and laid the brown bag that contained his pint of Hennessey, and his keys on the hood of his car and put his arms in the air. The officers wasted no time rushing to him and slapping the cuffs around his wrists. The excessive force they were using was unnecessary and didn’t go unnoticed by the bystanders. He could hear a few people screaming obscenities but that wasn’t stopping shit. The chubby officer that had been harassing him slammed his upper body down hard across the front of his car. Being that it was a little over one hundred degrees outside the hood of his car felt like it was literally burning the skin from his body. His exposed shoulders and the side of his face was getting the worse part of the heated hood.
“YO THIS FUCKING HOOD IS HOT! DAMN MAN, GET ME OFF THIS SHIT!” Congo bucked back against the officer trying to raise himself off the hood but was unsuccessful.
The cop pressed his weight further down onto him, with his elbow on the back of Congo’s neck.
“Stay your ass down. Don’t you fucking resist.” He bellowed pushing Congo’s face down onto the hood.
“AGGGHHHHH NIGGA SHIT!” Congo screamed.
*****
Honey walked down the sidewalk headed to work. Dressed casually in a multi colored Nike top and shorts, she was ready for another long day at the shop. She fidgeted with the straps on her backpack as she trucked down the street in the heat. It was hot as hell in Columbia South Carolina, also known as the metro, during the summer time. The sun was beating down on her forehead as he made her way across the street. She had her hair smoothed back into a bushy ponytail with her sunglasses on her face. She’d just washed her hair and hadn’t felt like straightening it so she let it air dry and now it was big as hell and swinging every time she turned her head. Honey pushed her hair back over her shoulder for the thousandth time as a red Lexus pulled up beside her. The passenger side window rolled down and revealed the handsome brown face of Monte. He was one of her clients, and he was always so nice to her. Honey cut hair at one of the most popular barbershops in the city.
“You headed to the shop Honey?” He slowed his car down so that he was driving at the pace she was walking. Monte was one of her most faithful clients. He and his son came every Friday at the same time.
Honey smiled and waved. “Yeah I’m headed back now. I just went to grab me something to eat.”
“That’s what’s up. You want to ride to the shop with us then?”
Honey looked on the backseat at MJ he was smiling at her from the backseat. He the cutest three year old she’d ever seen. Probably because he looked just like his daddy. She blew him kisses before looking back at Monte who was still holding up traffic to talk to her.
Honey shook her heady. “No thank you. I’m enjoying the heat anyway. You know it’s always cold in the shop. Y’all go ahead I’m coming.”
“I don’t even know why I asked.” Monte chuckled and drove way.
Honey watched his car proceed up the street wishing she was in it. It was burning up hot and a ride to work would have been nice but she had to decline for two reasons. The main one being she didn’t do the social life thing. Hanging out, talking on the phone, any of the normal stuff people her age did, she didn’t. It just wasn’t something she was interested in. Secondly Samuel didn’t play that. Samuel was her long-time boyfriend and the one person she could count on. She loved him but he was too overprotective and didn’t like her around too many people. If she wasn’t bringing home money, he probably wouldn’t even allow her to work. It had already taken her forever to convince him to let her cut hair in the first place. The only thing he did was complain about her talking to other men, but Honey’s mind wasn’t even on that type of stuff. Not that men didn’t try to holla at her all day every day because they did, but it wasn’t worth the stress. If Samuel ever found out she would never hear the end of it. He was already helping her out big time, she wouldn’t mess that up for anybody. Honey bit her bottom lip as she continued to work. The closer she got to her job the clearer her view became. It was crowded with people and there were police cars everywhere. Honey scrunched her face up trying to see what was going on. From what she could see the police had some guy handcuffed and lying face down on the hood of a car. She couldn’t see everything that was going on but from what she could see the situation looked all off. From the police practically lying on top of the boy, to him screaming. Being that she was still a good distance away she couldn’t make out his whole sentence. The only word she heard was hot. Observing everybody else just standing around doing nothing to help infuriated her. The other police officers were busy searching his car while the other one held him down. If it was one thing hated it was to see a black man being handled by the law. Fed up with the entire scene in front of her, Honey took off running until she was close enough to everything. Once she reached the crowd she stopped running and pushed her way through. She wasn’t the biggest person so she had a time trying to get through but once she was standing at the front with no one standing in front of her she pulled her phone out and recorded the scene for a few seconds before snapping a few pictures as well.
“I said stay your ass down.” The police pushed the boy’s head back down against the hood.
“THIS FUCKING HOOD IS HOT!”
Versus the cop saying anything else he pressed his elbow down harder. Honey could feel her blood boiling.
“He said the hood is hot. Why don’t you let him up?” Her small voice came out loud and clear. She yelled before she knew it. Seeing how he was blatantly disregarding the boy’s outburst about the hot hood set her off.
The cop turned around and looked at her. “Mind your business girl.”
“Do your job correctly and I will.” Honey walked straight up to the car and stood next to the boy. He was still bent over with his face pressed flat down. Honey placed her hand down on the hood to test the temperature and had to snatch it right back off. “This is ridiculous. This hood is way too hot for you to have him pressed against it like that. Let him up now!”
“Ma’am this man is under arrest. If you don’t want to be on this hood next to him you had better step back.”
Honey snatched her shades off and folded her arms across her chest. “I’m not going no damn where. You better let him up before I call the police on your insubordinate ass.”
She stared him down for a minute to see was he going to listen before pulling her phone out of her pocket. She gave him a look daring him to try her. When he still didn’t budge she dialed 911 and put the phone to her ear. “Yes I would like to report one of your officers for using excessive force.”
She noticed him lifting his body from the boys back, but that wasn’t enough for her.
“Yes I can find out,” She looked at the officer. “Can you tell me your name please?”
He snarled at her before stepping back and pulling the boy from the car. Honey’s eyes traveled up his tall body. She couldn’t tel
l he was that tall while leant over the car. Tearing her eyes from him and returning them back to the officer she snapped her fingers at him to get his attention. “Sir, your name?”
“Sgt. Zeeverink,” he mumbled.
“Don’t get quiet now. You wasn’t quiet a few seconds ago when you were yelling for him to stay down.” Honey rolled her eyes and went back to her call. “Yes I would appreciate that thank you.”
Honey looked back at the officer. “He’s about to transfer me to somebody that can handle your ass. Black lives matter Office Zeeverink.” She smiled as he turned red.
It was clear that he was angry but so was she. If he thought he was getting off because he finally let the boy up, he was so wrong. She was going to make sure he got corrected some kind of way. She was still staring him down when she heard the line beep and the operator came back on asking for her name and number. She called it out to him and exchanged a few more words before ending the call. By the time she got off the phone the other officers were standing around looking at her too.
“What? Y’all must wanna get told on too?” Honey was on a roll. All of them could get it.
None of them said anything to her as they shot daggers at her with their eyes. Seeing that they weren’t going to say anything to her she turned her attention to the boy. When she looked at him, he was already looking at her. His dark skin was glistening from sweat as he stood with his arms still behind his back. His face wore a scowl, not at her, but the situation. He was breathing so hard she could hear it. When they finally made eye contact Honey raised her eyebrows as of asking was he okay. He nodded. She stepped closer and stood on her tip toes to try to see the red spot on the side of his face. She couldn’t see it too good because he was standing straight up and he was a lot taller than her.
“Lean down so I can see your face,” She rubbed his arm.
The cop that had just been searching his car stepped towards her. “Don’t touch the perpetrator ma’am.”
