by Nicety
“I never leave home without it baby. Now fucking wait.” She told them as they eased back behind the garage opening.
She turned quickly pointing the piece at Keisha. “Hey ho! I said you can’t go!”
Keisha turned around staring at the long barrel pointed in front of her. Her palms became sweaty and her knees became weak but not for her, for her mother. When she remembered her mother she thought of the wisdom she had given her a few days ago and pulled it out pointing back at Pandora.
“What you think you the only one that carry one of those? Huh, bitch?” Keisha said biting her bottom lip.
“Keish, you don’t wanna do this man.” Pandora eased her finger up and down the trigger caressing it slowly.
“Naw, you don’t want to do this lil’ homie. I thought we was cool but I guess not. You ain’t the same bitch and for that I can’t fuck with you no more.” Keisha said waving the gun. “Now I think it’s best if you take your product and leave.”
“KEISHA!” Ms. Rita yelled using all of her strength. “What’s going on back there?”
“Nothing ma! Pandora was just leaving.” She answered.
“Naw. Tell her to come here for a second.” Ms. Rita retorted.
Pandora walked past Keisha bumping into her shoulder hard almost knocking her into the wall. Keisha rolled her eyes then went to pick up the baggies and exchanged them for the money the cluckers had. They were short and Pandora didn’t like that but Keisha let them slide anyway. Dumb trick. She thought as she shook her head and rolled her eyes.
Back in Ms. Rita’s room, Pandora flopped down on her bed inhaling all the smoke of her cigarette yearning for a taste. She reached over putting her hand out for the one in her hand, but Ms. Rita jerked back not wanting to give her any. She took one finger from her cigarette hand and pointed down to the box full of them urging her to get her own. Pandora grabbed it opening the lid and snatching out a long Newport. She put it to her lips then swooped up the lighter flicking it with one sift of her thumb taking a long drag. She wasn’t really a smoker, but when she was in the presence of the smoke it called to her every time.
“What’s good Ms. Rita?” Pandora said throwing the lighter back down on the stand.
“Listen. My girl don’t like to be out there by herself now. I thought you were going to have someone back there with her. What’s goin’ on?” Ms. Rita said with a raised eyebrow.
“Look, I’m not about to baby this bitch. If she can’t handle the set then I’m gon’ move it. Simple as that. But that means your little daily sample will be gone too.” Pandora snapped.
“Don’t get sassy with me, trick. I’m just saying my daughter needs somebody back there with her. You said you would handle the business, so handle it.” Ms. Rita snapped back.
“Before I came here, you was nickel and diming with this bullshit cut from around the way. I bless you with this good drop and now you buzzin’ at me, Rita?”
“See that’s what’s wrong with you little young hoes. You bitches don’t know your asses from your little nasty pussies. Gon’ out there and do what you do but I’ll tell you this, if my only child gets caught up and you ain’t there, somebody’s ass is on the line.”
Pandora looked deep into Ms. Rita’s eyes and knew she was not playing. It boiled her soul to have this old bat talk to her that way but her scare tactic wasn’t scary enough.
“Her blood is on your hands, Rita.”
Chapter 15- Not Me
Diamond turned the key to the luxurious Waldorf Astoria king suite. Lexi looked around the room in awe at all of the shiny tables and lamps that adorned the room. There was a 42” black LCD TV tucked away inside of its own hideaway in the wall above the electric fireplace. The elegant room amazed them both containing a refrigerator in one corner and a neatly made king sized bed in another. It was just the perfect getaway they needed. Diamond had paid for the whole week but was already thinking about paying for another. She cared less about the money it didn’t matter to her. It was time for her to live life and she was going to do so before time ran out.
“So what we gon’ do with all this money, Di?” Lexi spat falling into the plush sofa sitting in front of the fireplace.
“Little sis, there is nothing else to do with it…BUT SPEND IT!” Diamond shouted, raising her arms high then leaping backwards on the oversized bed.
The two laughed as they thought more on what they should do first. Lexi’s mind was running a mile a minute with ideas when she was distracted by the vibrating sensation in her jeans pocket. She dreaded looking at it since she already knew who it was. Her eyes rolled to the back of her and when they came back around she stared dead into the display at the name she didn’t want to see. Pandora. The vibrating stopped them abruptly started again revealing the same person on the display. Lexi threw it against the couch getting up with the shit face.
“What’s wrong with you?” Diamond asked noticing her unpleasant disposition.
“It’s your damn sister. I swear I don’t feel like talking to her right now.” Lexi said plopping down next to her on the bed.
“Well, shit don’t. Nobody is forcing you to work with that bitch. Fuck her.” Diamond said stroking her sister’s bob.
Diamond wasn’t really Lexi’s type but she was fiending for some action and was ready to get it in. She reached into her pocket pulling out a bag of Yompers of all different colors. She had red with a moon on top and purple with a lion printed on it. The ones she liked most and that gave her the most kick were the yellow ones with tigers on them. She took one of those out the bag and popped it in her mouth then stuffed it back down in her pocket. Her hand began to have a mind of ’its own as she reached over to rub on Diamond’s tits as they pointed straight up into the air. Diamond batted her hand away with the quickness.
“Lex, now I love you to shit but I told you last time, I ain’t on that with you. We did that shit that one time in front of Sun but that was it.” Diamond spat sternly.
“Awe, com’ on. It ain’t gon’ hurt. Shit we blood. You know what I got and I know what you got.” Lexi said extending her tongue out over Diamond’s shirt where her nipple would be.
“Girl, don’t make me hit you in the face, now. No! Your nasty ass.” Diamond rose laughing headed towards the bathroom.
Diamond locked the door, turned on the shower as hot as can be and lowered the toilet seat. She sat down with tears as large as an ocean falling from her eyes. Her mouth was wide open but no sound eroded from it. She just wanted to find a razor blade and kill herself before the ailing disease had a chance to. If she was going to go it would be on her terms. Knock! Knock! Knock! Diamond knew she wanted to talk but she wasn’t in the mood. She didn’t realize her rejecting her had nothing to do with her.
“Com’ on Di, answer me. I didn’t mean to freak you out. I’m sorry.” Lexi yelled through the door.
“Naw, I’m good. Ay, why don’t you take some cash and beat it. I need some time alone right now.” Diamond yelled trying not to let the sound of crying seep through.
Lexi hated it when she said that. It always made her feel like she was the little girl all over again, who got left in the house all the time because she was too young to go anywhere. It was a feeling she could do without since Diamond seemed like the only person she had left. She wasn’t in the mood for Pandora’s selfishness either. She looked at her cell and dialed the first number that came to mind. It was a long shot but she knew she had to find something to get into before she lost her mind especially with a fire ass Yomper flowing through her veins. She needed some ass and she knew just where to get it.
****
“Why you can’t call nobody?” Pandora spat as she drove down King Drive headed back to the crib.
“Girl, yo’ ass is trippin’ for real. Didn’t I just fuck with you no less than ten hours ago?” Kojack spat angrily.
“Yeah but it’s been all day and you ain’t called me yet. What’s going on, Kojack?” She asked sweetly.
“You ne
ed to find a job or go to school or something ‘cause you too fixated on me, man.” Kojack responded.
“Oh baby, I got a job. Trust that. Where you think I’ve been all day?” She said smiling.
“Oh yeah. Where?”
“Uh, um…Shark’s Fish on 63rd and Francisco.”
“Come on now, Pandora. You too high maintenance to be working in some shit like that. You really expect me to believe that?”
“It’s true Kojack. I needed some money so they hired me.”
“There you go lying again. I’m out Pandora.”
Click.
“Kojack! Uggghhh!” Pandora screamed as she threw her phone against the passenger side window.
She was tired of him hanging up on her and she was tired of chasing after him. He’s the man, he should be chasing after me. She thought wondering what made him better than her. She shook her head then exited the car headed toward the elevator. Oddly enough, the button was already lit bright red as she stood in the parking garage waiting for the doors to open. Pandora watched as the elevator doors opened, stepping in and pressing her floor, leaning against the wall in pure distress. The elevator doors buckled and opened once more as if they were stopped by force but nothing was there. She looked around to see if someone was trying to board it but the garage was empty.
The doors closed then buckled again. Pandora was already aggravated and that did nothing but aggravate her even more. She walked out of the elevator headed towards the stairs as a hand reached around her mouth pulling her back into the darkness. She almost pissed on herself not knowing who was behind her or what they wanted. She felt her piece being ripped from behind her back out of her shorts. Screaming was useless and resistance was futile because the beast holding her was an amazon at best. The only thing she could feel was strong broad arms and boats for fingers. He released her pushing her into a corner where the garage lights didn’t shine.
“Diamond Burden. You’ve been a naughty girl. You’ve stolen something that doesn’t belong to you and if you don’t return it in forty eight hours, you’re a dead bitch.” The tall bulky figure said in a deep raspy voice.
“I’m not Diamond. You got me fucked up dude. I don’t have shit of yours.” Pandora spat sassy-like trying to walk towards him to get a better view.
“You don’t seem to understand.” He said holding his hand up pushing her back into the darkness. “You stole something that doesn’t belong to you. You’ve got until Friday at midnight.”
The figure flicked a business card at her then walked away disappearing into the night just as quickly as he came. Pandora let out a huge sigh a relief but it was short lived as she realized he took the gun she had stolen from Sun. If he didn’t know the truth then when he looked at the gun he would know.
“Damn!” She breathed picking up the card staring down at the seven digits written on the card.
Pandora hurried up the stairs to her condo, opening it quickly and locking the door. She was nervous wondering whom that dude was and how he had found her. She went to the bathroom and ran the cold water throwing a little bit of it on her face and in her mouth. Whoever he was he wanted Diamond, not her. Shit, if he wants her he can have her. Better her than me. She thought.
****
“Lexi you bogus as hell boo. You come and fuck whenever you want and then I don’t hear from you for another six months. What’s the deal?” The young sounding female said taking a small drag of her cigarette.
“Shut the fuck up. Damn. I come get this pussy when I’m ready and you either gon’ give it to me or you not. Simple.” Lexi spat sounding like an old school player.
The woman pouted not liking to be treated like some sort of whore but Lexi had that fire head and she just couldn’t give it up. She didn’t care about the fact that she was married with six kids as long as she supplied that fire tongue she was boss. Lexi could have told her to go to the end of the moon and back, she would have did it all so she could get tasted once more.
“You need some money this time baby? I could go re-up on Yompers for you.”
“Naw, I’m good, Brandi. You just keep that pussy nice and tight. You hear?” Lexi retorted.
“Yes, baby.” Brandi responded giving her the healthiest tongue-lashing she had ever given her.
Lexi didn’t normally like to kiss but she was all for the shit today being horny as hell, unable to get whom she really wanted. Kojack. As she slid her shirt off, working her way down to her jeans as they began to vibrate crazily. She ignored it already knowing who it was then prepared herself for another round with Brandi. She popped another Yomper then grabbed her cigarette taking a few pulls before putting it out in the ashtray aside the bed. She leaned into her groping her soft tits like a high school boy in heat. She moved her lips down to them ready to suck on her small lightly brown nipples as she listened to Brandi’s kids play loudly in the hallway.
BANG!
“What the fuck is going on in here?” A short stocky man yelled kicking the door in.
The kids ranged in ages from four to eleven and they were all gathered behind their daddy to watch the show. Shit! Lexi thought as she began to regret her decision for coming over there in the first place. She very rarely went to Brandi’s but her horniness got the best of her.
“Ugh, look, if you want to join in so we all can have some fun, I ain’t got a problem with that, ya’ know.” Lexi spat as calm as could be.
The man wasn’t hearing it. The bulge in his neck was bigger than the bulge in his pants at that time. Brandi put her hands over her head ashamed at being caught with her kids gawking at her mess.
“Lex, just go baby. Just go!” She yelled.
“Naw. Y’all ain’t going anywhere. You wanna fuck? Then let’s fuck!” The man yelled running to the closet for his shotgun.
Lexi didn’t need any other cue but that one as she leapt off the bed grabbing her shoes and ran through the kids towards the front door. As she ran down the stairs of the project building she heard to loud booms coming from Brandi’s floor. She stopped to cringe both times at the sounds hoping she was okay but it would be a cold day in hell before she went back to find out.
Chapter 16- Sweet Revenge
Nothing mattered anymore but vengeance. It seemed the thought was beginning to consume her. She yearned much more than that, however. They needed to feel the pain she would feel for the rest of her natural life. Diamond took a few hundred-dollar bills from the case then locked it and slid it under the bed. She looked at the mini bar and hit it hard drinking every little bottle of alcohol shots they stored in the room. It didn’t hit her that she had mixed light and dark liquor until they were all gone, shaking her head at the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She passed out on the floor as the soothing sounds of Maxwell’s Pretty Wings rung through her ears. She crawled to the nightstand her phone sat on and was shocked at what the display read.
"Now, what the fuck this bitch want?" She exclaimed tossing her phone to the side on the floor.
Diamond felt bubbling in her stomach and then a light headed dizzy feeling. She rose as did the chunks in her throat as she scurried to the toilet to blow in there. It felt good to release as she dry heaved what was left inside of her, collapsing on the side of the toilet still holding on. She realized either the baby wasn’t agreeing with the alcohol or her disease was kicking her ass in full force. Lying next road to the commode, smelling it’s porcelain essence made her feel even sicker and lower than she had ever felt before. She looked down at the scratch on her leg left when the pastor ripped her panties trying to get inside her. She rubbed it bursting into a crying frenzy with huge raindrop like tears falling down her face. A small light bulb went off in her head prompting her to get up dizzily looking for her keys. It was time to talk.
She jumped in her rented ride and headed down the street like she was Speed Racer of the night. The windows were rolled down so she could stay awake letting the cool night wind slap her in the face mildly. She didn’t have a thought in
her head as she drove through red lights and ran stop signs. She dodged the few cars on the street whipping corners like there was no tomorrow. Whenever she spotted the police she straightened up getting her act together but once they were out of her sight she went right back to her speed demon tricks.
The house she pulled up in front of was all too familiar. It had only been a few weeks since she had been there but seeing it again was like reliving an old memory, you never forget. Diamond jumped out the car pushing the door drunkenly exiting. She slammed it hard not realizing then slowly made her way to the steps of the beautiful house. She whipped out her keys and opened the door feeling right at home. It was if she never left.
“Pastor.” She yelled through the house causing an echo.
She got no response. It was eerily quiet and every corner was dark except for the little light that shined in the windows from the streetlights. She walked to the island in the kitchen tossing her keys on the counter, gazing through the darkness at what was once a beautiful home to her. She walked toward the knife block on the counter, sliding out the smallest one she could find and slipping it in her panties on top of her ass. Now all it was was a pathway to hell. She walked to the fireplace where her mother’s urn used to sit almost teary eyed at the fact that it was gone.
“What are you doing here, Diamond?” The pastor asked puffing away on his cigar.
Diamond noticed the red fire circle burning in the darkness near the couch. She couldn’t see his face or even a silhouette of him but his voice was prominent. There were no words that she could speak to him. She headed over standing in front of him swaying slowly. He could not understand why she was over there after all the shit that happened between them. It was a trick and he knew it but he was too intoxicated to care. There were beer cans all over the living room floor where he was sitting and most had been there for days.
