I looked at him and noticed how much he resembled Keon. I also saw a person who was carrying the weight of his brother’s death on his shoulders. We walked to the front pew, where his whole family was seated. I saw his casket and started shivering inside. His brother held my hand and led me over to see my baby.
“No, baby! No. Wake up, Keon. The joke is over, baby,” I yelled as I rubbed his charcoal skin. The corpse looked nothing like my baby. His face was swollen and his complexion was dark as coal.
“Baby, it’s gon’ be all right.” His mother wrapped her arms around me.
My heart broke all over again. “Wake up, baby, please,” I pleaded.
“He is gone, baby. Our baby is gone,” she bawled. We hugged and consoled each other.
“Come sit down, y’all,” Deon said.
I used everything in me to get to the seat. The tears wouldn’t stop. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him. I want to tell him we were finally having the baby he wanted so badly; but I couldn’t share the news with my baby because he was gone.
The service started, and the pastor started to preach. I really didn’t hear too much of what he was saying. Did he really know Keon? He was kind and gentle and he had a big heart.
You could hear screams and moans all over the church. I looked over at his brother and he just sat there looking spaced out. I rubbed my stomach a few times, trying to calm my nerves a little.
My phone was on vibrate and I felt it vibrating. I checked and it was a message from Nay telling me she was at the back at the church.
I texted back, Okay.
Finally, the preaching was over and it was time to go to the cemetery. One by one we walked out. I was two steps behind his mother and brother. I was looking around for Nay. I stood at the entrance trying to pick her out of the crowd. I was just about to call Nay when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. Before I could respond, I saw three bitches standing in front of me.
“So you the bitch who’s spreading lies about Keon fucking you?”
“Are you fucking serious? Bitch, you know where we are? In case your dumb ass didn’t notice, we are at the church trying to bury him!”
“Bitch, I don’t give a fuck. You better quit spreading them lies. I was Keon’s only woman and I swear I will drag your ass through the mud if you keep on.”
“Say what now? You all bitches gonna drag who?” Nay cleared her throat and said.
“Who the fuck are you? Fuck that; you can get it too, bitch,” one of the bitches said as she took a step closer to Nay’s face.
Man, I couldn’t believe this shit was going down like that. I had too much respect for Keon and his family to bring drama to them, especially today. “Listen to me, y’all low-level bitches. This is my man and baby daddy day and I will not disrespect him, but after the funeral y’all bitches can definitely get it. Come on, Nay, these bitches ain’t about nothing.”
“I swear we gon’ see y’all,” one bitch said before she walked off with the rest of those bitches following closely behind.
“Who the fuck are these bitches? I swear, funeral or no, I would stomp a hole into these bitches’ heads if they ever put a hand on you.”
“Girl, fuck them. They ain’t nobody. Trust me, I ain’t met the bitch yet who put fear in my heart. Let’s go so I can say good-bye to my baby.”
We took a step off the steps, then the unthinkable happened. Pop, pop, pop, pop. I fell to the ground and pulled Nay down. Gunfire surrounded us. We both held on to each other and I silently prayed to God. It was total chaos. People were running and screaming out for help.
The gunshots were not ceasing. My heart ached for my baby. First they took his life and now they were disrespecting his burial. When will all this madness end? I thought as I hugged my friend, hoping we’d make it out alive.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ajanay
This was ridiculous. First we got these old disrespectful bitches rolling up on my girl. I saw when they approached her and I eagerly made my way over to her. See, I didn’t have no chill button and, no disrespect to Keon, but if these bitches wanted it they would get the beat down of a lifetime. London did not want that, though, and I respected that. I could tell these bitches were not no threats, but mentally I vowed if we ever bumped into each other again it wouldn’t end so nicely.
I heard a pop sound, but I blew it off. That was, until the pop got louder and now it was back to back. It sounded like a war zone as bullets flew everywhere. London pulled me down to the ground with her. These niggas were dead-ass serious. I could tell this was more than gun firing. Bitches were screaming and yelling for help. I wondered where these scary-ass bitches were now. I bet you their asses weren’t that damn bad anymore.
After ten minutes of what seemed like war in the Middle East instead of the east end, the gunshots ceased. I heard people start running. I grabbed London’s hand and we started running in the direction of where my car was parked. I hoped nothing happened to my car this time.
As we got to the car, London got in. I was about to get in when I heard a car speeding through the parking lot.
My first instinct told me to duck into my car but, before I could, the car flew past me; but not before I got a glimpse of a face in the passenger side. It was a face I was familiar with! Oh, my God, this nigga can’t be serious, I thought as I hurriedly got into my car.
“You okay? Did you see that car that just flew by?”
“Yeah, I saw that. I swear, this is getting out of hand. Do you know what cemetery they burying him at?”
“Yeah. Let me get the address.”
I put on my seat belt and tried to pull off. I heard police sirens and ambulances close by. I knew that someone had to be hurt. There were too many gunshots, unless them niggas were busting blanks.
After twenty minutes, we were able to pull out of the parking lot. I noticed at the entrance of the parking lot, police had a few niggas hemmed up, searching them.
“Slow down; let me see who they got,” London said.
I slowed down just enough for her to look. Then I pulled off. I followed the rest of the cars to the cemetery that was over on the south side. It was funny that they killed him on the south side and his final resting place was on the south side.
We got out of the car and walked up to where his grave was. I noticed London was crying again. I knew no words would help soothe her pain, so I just rubbed her back so she could know I was there with her.
As the final song was sung, London started screaming uncontrollably, but she wasn’t the only one. Keon’s mama and sisters were also screaming.
“No, Keon, please wake up,” London screamed.
“I can’t let you go. Please, baby, stay with me,” his mama screamed as she hung on to the casket.
I preferred not be here right now, because it was a sad-ass scene to see. I did notice that none of Keon’s brothers were present, which was kind of strange because they were all at the church earlier.
I managed to get London under control as we walked back to the car. I saw the bitches from earlier, and I thought about running up on them hoes; but, for my girl’s sake, I let it ride.
I dropped London off at home and I got out of the car with her for a minute. “I love you, boo. You sure you gonna be all right?” I asked London as I hugged her.
“Love you too; and, yeah, I’m about to lie down real quick.”
“Well, you know I’m a phone call away. Hit me up if you need me.”
I got back into my car and pulled off. I swear, I needed a blunt. All this shit was too much for me. I stopped by the weed man, Troy, and grabbed me a twenty bag of Loud. I guessed I was going in the house early.
After I rolled the blunt, I poured a glass of wine. I needed something to help me relax. One thing kept coming back to my mind. I knew that it was Amir who I saw in the passenger side of that car. I would never forget those eyes, especially because I stared in them while I was fucking the nigga.
Everyone thought it was south-side n
iggas who killed Keon, but I knew better. I knew it was Amir and his boys. The thing was, how would I even tell my girl that I was fucking the nigga who killed her man? Also, I wasn’t ready to be caught up in no war between the two cliques.
I took two more pulls of the weed as I pondered what I was going to do next. See, that nigga Amir didn’t really fuck with me; like he said, he was only using me for information. Since we’d been fucking with each other, he hadn’t really come at me with no questions, though, so I had no idea what his intentions were. I was pretty sure he saw me today, because our eyes locked for a quick second before the car he was in sped off.
* * *
I was at the salon getting my hair done. It was too hot to have my inches in, so I decided to cut my hair off and put a little color in it. As usual, the shop was jumping with gossip. If you wanted to know the latest hood gossip, then this was the place to be.
I overheard two around-the-way girls talking. They were talking about everybody’s business, so I went back to scrolling through Facebook while sitting under the dryer.
“Girl, did you hear what happened the other day?”
“Bitch, so much shit done happened, what are you talking about?”
“I heard Tony’s wife beat the brakes off that loud-mout’ bitch Sheika.”
“Bitch, you lying. Which Sheika? Sheika from ’round here?”
“Yes, that same bitch. You know my man be with Tony. Yes, girl, so he said Tony was creepin’ wit’ Sheika and the wife pull up on them. I heard that bitch didn’t even see what was coming at her.”
“Girl, I thought that bitch ran around here claiming she do bitches. How the hell she got caught up with a nigga?”
“Bitch, please, these bitches are trysexual,” one chick said.
“And what the fuck is that?”
“Ha-ha, you don’t know what a trysexual is? A bitch or nigga who try everything: man, woman, dog, horse; you name it, long as the price is right they trying it.”
“Bitch, you are very special. I never thought of it like that. But back to this juicy gossip. I can’t believe this bitch. How the hell you creepin’ wit’ somebody man and get beat up? Babyyyy, I would’ve whupped that ass too. I bet you her ass won’t creep with nobody’s man no more.”
“Uh-huh, that’s what I said. I can’t wait to see that bitch to laugh in her face. She walks around here like she the shit, but she got dragged.”
“Nay, come on,” my girl Lexi hollered at me.
I got up from under the dryer and walked over to my stylist’s booth. I was still shocked over that earful that I just heard. I knew it had to be true because I saw the scars, and Sheika’s ass was reluctant to tell me who the fuck she got into a fight with. That bitch really was fucking with Tony. Now it all made sense. This bitch was running back and telling him our business. Oh, my God, I wanted to call London, but I waited until I left there because I didn’t want these bitches up in my business.
I practically ran up out of the salon. In my car, I grabbed my phone and dialed London’s number. “Hey, babe,” I greeted her when she picked up the phone.
“What’s up, bitch?”
“Listen, I was at the shop getting my hair done and two bitches were talking as usual, telling everybody business, and guess what the fuck I heard.”
“What, heffa? You know I hate suspense.”
“Sheika been fucking with Tony and his woman was the one who beat her ass.”
“Bitch, you lying. Sheika fucking that fat nigga?”
“I’m dead-ass serious. Girl, I told you she didn’t want to tell me what really happened. Which was suspicious because, any other time, that bitch would want us to come defend her. I can’t believe this shit.”
“Why can’t you? I told yo’ ass to quit fucking with this old grimy-ass bitch. Don’t get me wrong, I used to rock with her hard, but for the last few months she’s been acting really shady toward us. I don’t say nothing a lot of times, because she was always your friend and I didn’t want it to seem like I was hating on that bitch. But she is jealous and a jealous bitch is a dangerous bitch. Now it all make sense how that nigga knew what the fuck you said. Only God knows, what else she done told that nigga.”
“I swear, I’m going to confront that bitch; and she better not pop off slick at the mouth, ’cause if she do, I’m gonna drag that ass. I don’t give a fuck if we supposed to be homegirls and shit. That bitch straight violates us.”
“Well, let me know when you confronting that ho so I can be there. You know I can tell when a bitch is lying.”
A beep came in on the line. I looked at the phone quickly and realized it was Amir. “All right, chica, I’m on my way home. I’ll hit you later.” I hung up with London and clicked over to Amir. “Hello,” I said in a nicer tone.
“Yo, what’s good, shawty? You ain’t hit a nigga up or nothing. Lemme find out you done with me already.”
“Nah, I just been busy and shit, you know?”
“Yeah, I can dig that. So come holla at a nigga tonight, if you ain’t too busy.”
“Okay, I gotcha.”
I hung the phone up and threw it on the seat. I really didn’t want to be around this nigga, but I was scared that he might suspect that I was on to him. Fuck, I swore I wished I didn’t hear what I heard. I wished I didn’t fuck with this nigga; but, then, I wouldn’t have this car and I swore I loved this fucking ride.
I busted a U-turn in the middle of the street and headed to Creighton. I needed to talk to Melody. I needed to see what the fuck she knew. I called her phone to let her know that I was pulling up. I knew this was Amir’s territory. I just hoped he wasn’t out and about right now because I really didn’t feel like dealing with him right now.
“Hey, boo,” she said as I walked into her crib.
“Hey, chick. What’s going on wit’ you?”
“You know, same shit. Out here trying to make it. I love the hair,” she said.
“Melody, I’m going to get straight to the point. I need to ask you a question and I need you to be straight up wit’ me. What did you tell Amir about me, and what did he say about me, if anything?”
She looked at me like she was surprised about what I asked her. “Nay, you know you my bitch, and we go way back. But Amir and these niggas are killers and I don’t want to get wrapped up in no drama.”
“Really, Melody? I am not getting you in anything. You know me better than that. I just want to know what you told him about me.”
“I didn’t tell him anything. He saw you a couple times when you came over here, and he asked me who you were and where you live. I told him you were my friend and that you live over Whitcomb. He didn’t say anything until a few weeks ago. He hit me up and said that he would give me a few dollars if I called you over here. Nay, I swear, I was broke as hell, so I told him I’d do it. I mean, it ain’t like he was going to hurt you. He was only trying to get with you, right?”
“Are you fucking serious? You took money from this nigga to get me over here? Did you ever stop and think why this nigga who can get any bitch he want was so desperate to get wit’ me?”
“Not really. I mean, maybe he just want someone who didn’t live around here.”
“You know, you sound dumb as fuck right now. I thought we were better than this. You my nigga. I’ve always had yo’ back and you sold me out for a few bucks.”
“You can sit here and yell about ‘a few bucks.’ I am broke. I don’t have shit. I am sorry. It ain’t like it didn’t work out well for you. You got a brand new car, you got money to spend. Shit, I would kill to be in your position right now. See, bitches like you are ungrateful. Y’all don’t appreciate shit.”
I looked at my girl and shook my head. I wouldn’t ever have believed that she’d turn out to be a snake.
“Nay, I am sorry, I swear. I would never do anything to bring you harm. Amir just kept telling me how bad you are and he wanted to be with you. I only got suspicious yesterday when I overheard them talking about him fucking with yo
u so he can get info on Whitcomb niggas. And, right after that, he showed me a cell phone pic of London and asked me her name and where she live. That was suspicious, especially since London is your girl.”
“What? He had a picture of London?”
“Yes. She was walking with a dude, and she had on a black-and-white dress.”
My mind went into overdrive. A black-and-white dress; London walking with a dude. Fuck, that was yesterday when she got out of the car and walked with Keon’s brother. Oh, my God, that only confirmed my suspicion that Amir was at the funeral.
I didn’t show any emotions in front of her. “What did you tell him about London?”
“Nothing.”
I could tell she was lying. “Melody, what did you tell him?” I was ready to hit this bitch upside her head.
“I was scared, so I told him that’s your bestie and she live over Whitcomb with you.”
I was at a loss for words. I just shook my head and walked over to the door.
“I’m so, sorry, Nay, I swear.”
“Bitch, save that shit. I put this on my mama: if anything happen to me or my bitch, you better pray to God I’m dead, ’cause if I’m not, I’m going to come at yo’ ass. Please lose my number, bitch; and you better not say shit to him, either, about this conversation.”
I didn’t wait for a response from her. See, these bitches knew I used to wreak havoc in school, so I had no idea why they were playing around with me.
I got into my car and pulled off. I turned on Plies’s “Kept It Too Real.” This was how I was feeling. All these bitches were turning out to be snakes and shit. The only solid one was London. Speaking of London, I knew her life was in danger now that this nigga had a picture of her. I wasn’t sure if he knew she was the one with Keon but, either way, I knew my girl’s life was marked. I didn’t know my next move, but I knew it was gonna be my best one. I loved my bitch and I wasn’t going to sit back and let anyone, and I mean anyone, harm her.
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