Another Hood Love

by Jontu'

  I was about to increase my territory some because Jaeda and Laela went to a separate high school from my girls, and I was about to have them doing the same thing that I had my girls doing. They would be supplying the kids in their school and pushing the blocks surrounding after school. I was keeping the young boys over there on the blocks, but putting the girls over there to be my eyes and ears. I had never involved the girls in our family meetings due to the fact that they had not been introduced to the family hustle, but tonight that would all change. Shit, they should give my ass a show on VH1. T.I might got his family hustle on, but I was about to be named hustler of the year the way my family was going in.

  “So I called this family meeting because there are about to be some changes around here.” I looked at Jaeda and Laela as I spoke. “In my house, everybody is required to pull their own weight, and girls I love you like my own, but y’all ain’t exempt,” I said.

  “So you want us to get jobs?” Jaeda spoke.

  “Something like that, but not quite–hear me out,” I replied. “In this house, you either sell ass or gas, but everybody must go, feel me?”

  I then ran down my expectation for the girls. I wasn’t sure how they were processing this plan in their brains, because on the outside they had their poker faces on. I wasn’t too much tripping though, because in this house it was my way or the highway, and I made that perfectly clear. I had a new shipment coming in next week, so in two weeks the girls would be trained and ready to go. Laela didn’t know, but I already had her little boyfriend Jah on payroll working the blocks; them little niggas was pushing something heavy and had the other squads spooked to test them. In a matter of months, I was about to triple my profits with this move of territory. I had already run the plan down to the rest of the family in the last family meeting and my crews in the streets, so after asking the girls if they had any questions the meeting was concluded and the household returned to their activities. I was living in a house with a 6:2 female to male ratio, so I grabbed a bottle from my bar, some blunt wraps, and took my ass down to my recreation room/office to ease my mind. At 44 years old, I just wanted to get lifted and think about money.

  Jaeda

  After the meeting, I was laying in my bed deep in thought, trying to figure out where in the world I went wrong in my previous life to have to live the way I did now. Like damn, all the things that my sister and I have been through, and I swear it is always something. During the “family meeting,” my uncle basically told us that he wanted Laela and I to jump into the family business and start selling drugs at our school and, on the block after school. He gave us two burnout cell phones and explained to us that all of our buyers would be calling or texting that phone and it was to be powered on from 7am-7pm. After 8pm, we were required to be in the house doing homework and getting ready for the next day. This was weighing heavy on my brain, because clearly the thug life just chose me. I didn’t want this for my life, and soon as I turned 18 I was leaving and not turning back. Fuck Uncle Ken and his mother fucking rules, I wasn’t down.

  Laela, on the other hand, had a very different perspective of the whole situation. She felt like it was a good thing for us. She said that this way it would ensure that when we reached 18 that we wouldn’t have anything to worry about financially. She explained that we would be seeing more money in a month than we would see in a year working part time, and if we saved and invested right, we could leave and never turn back. As leery as I was about the whole situation, if Laela was all in then so was I. I was most definitely my sister’s keeper, and I was going to go all in just like her to ensure that our futures would be secure. On that day, Laela and I made a pact that we were going to go hard for each other as well as in school; we were going to get our education, and wasn’t nobody going to stop us.

  I laid in bed with my eyes open, just thinking about where this new plan of action would take me in life. My sister and I were young and although we weren’t ghetto, we were accustomed to the hood. We lived a pretty decent life with my grandmother, but we were living in the hood with our parents before living with her – not in no run down ass projects or nothing, but we had a decent two-bedroom apartment with no roaches or anything, but we also didn’t have many belongings either after my parents’ downfall.

  My thoughts instantly went from my parents to the one thing I kept trying to shake, but I couldn’t – Tone. Antonio Taylor; man that boy was cute as hell, and being around him on a daily basis due to the fact that he was Laela’s boyfriend’s best friend didn’t help keep him out my thoughts. I shook my head slightly, just thinking about his crooked smile and that one dimple in his chocolate chin. I definitely liked Tone, but I tried my best to hide it – even though he never hid that he was trying to get with me. I picked up my phone and shot him a text; it was only 10pm, so I was sure he was still up.

  Me: Wake up square

  Tone: Shut up mark, was hannen??

  Me: Bored, call me

  That night, I talked on the phone with Tone for three hours straight and I really liked talking to him; it was just smooth and easy. There wasn’t that creepy awkward silence or none of that. I promised to see him in school the next day, and he promised to buy me lunch. I drifted off to sleep with dreams of my whirlwind of a life.

  The next day I woke up with the sun beaming in my face, dreading getting out of bed. I was so not a morning person, and I couldn’t understand for the life of me why they felt that school should start so damn early in the morning.

  “Ugh!! The fuck!” I huffed. I silenced my alarm and rolled out of bed, trying to adjust my eyes to the morning light. I got up and walked into the bathroom that was between me and my sister’s room to handle my hygiene and hop in the shower. This house was a six-bedroom Victorian style home, as were most of the houses in this area. We lived in West Oakland, and all the houses on this side of town had that old Victorian look. The West was like a whole different world from the East; you could spot a nigga or female from the West easily. The two sides of this big little city just carried themselves different. Laela and I had to get up earlier than the rest of the house because we still went to school in the East, so we had to make sure we were out of the house an extra hour earlier so that we could catch our BART train to get to school on time.

  I grabbed a pair of ripped Aeropostale jeans with a hoodie, and a pair of Retro Jordans, then began to lotion my body with some Hot Crush lotion from Vickie’s PINK line. Next, I put on my matching asymmetrical print bra and panty set, and then my clothes. I wasn’t a girly girl but I did keep it cute. I liked the simple comfortable look, especially because I was known to have a bit of a temper at times, so I needed to always be ready. My mouth was slick as hell, and I just didn’t have patience for people.

  I knocked on Laela’s door as I left out my room to see if she was ready to go; it was now 7:10, and we needed to have been out the door ten minutes ago.

  “Lae, you ready or nah?” I asked as I tapped on her door lightly. Seconds later, she stepped out her room looking like she was going on 20 and not my 17 year old sister. I guess that’s what happened when you got you a boyfriend. I laughed lightly as she flipped my braids with her hand.

  “Yeah we out,” she responded, and we headed out the front door as we passed Tamia and Jamiya on our way out. Them dusty bitches were just sitting there mugging like something stank. I swear family or not, them bitches were haters. I could care less though; I had my sister, so I didn’t need any new friends.

  An hour later, we were walking off the bus, where we met up with Jah and Tone at the corner store to grab our regular donut and apple juice before the first bell rang. Laela and Jah went their way, and Tone walked me to my first class before he went to his own. A couple girls called after him trying to get his attention, but he just hit them with the head nod as we joked and chopped it up until I was at my class, then we went our separate ways.

  The school day went by fast. I spent my lunch chilling with Tone and his partners and my friend Lexis joki
ng around, but I was really just admiring Tone as he and his people tossed around the football on the football field where we were hanging. Damn that boy was cute.

  “Tone black ass sexy as fuck girl, I’m tryna hit that shit,” I heard some random girl passing say. Oh hell no! See, I needed to just tell Tone how I felt, because these trifling hoes needed to be stopped. I mugged the girl as she passed, and she turned away. Bitches knew how I got down. My sister and I had hands; these hoes weren’t ready for these problems.

  “Look at you, ready to fight for your man,” Lexis snickered.

  “Uh uh girl, don’t do me, Tone ain’t mine; shit, he for everybody like all the rest of these niggas,” I said. She gave me a knowing look, and we changed the subject.

  At the end of the school day, I hurriedly grabbed my things and headed to my locker to meet Laela because we had to hurry home. Uncle Ken had told us to come straight home after school all week because he wanted to start giving us our “directions.” I stood at my locker talking to Lexis and a few guys from our last period class when Tone and Laela walked up. Tone mugged the nigga standing closest to me; he knew dude was feeling me, so he let it be known he didn’t care for the nigga. I laughed inside at his jealousy; it was cute. We all said our goodbyes and walked off.

  “Answer your phone when I call later on, Jae Money!” Tone yelled; I guess that was his way of letting dude know what it was. I laughed and nodded my head as I walked off and caught up with Laela.

  On the way home, I just kept reminding myself of the bigger picture. Yes I was about to be a drug dealer, but it was better than being homeless and broke. I would be smart about the shit and once I turned 18, I was done. This whole set up was hella stupid to me, but I was going to put on my big girl panties and man the fuck up, as the guys would say.

  It seemed like the ride home went quicker than usual. I looked over at Laela, and she didn’t seem to be bothered.

  “Get it together,” I whispered to myself as we rounded our block.

  Laela

  The past week flew by; Uncle Ken had given Jaeda and me the dope boy’s crash course as he called it. In six days, he had taught us to cook dope on the stove and in the microwave, to chop it and sack it up, and he also taught us the various weights of coke. I couldn’t eyeball or nothing, but I at least knew off the top of my head that 14 grams equaled a half and 28 was an ounce. I knew how much I was supposed to bring back at the end of each week and for the most part, I felt pretty confident in my newfound trade.

  I knew Jaeda wasn’t feeling this whole set up, but I was willing to rock it out. Shit, I didn’t mind the fast money and hugging the block. I liked just hanging out, so it was nothing to me. We had met most of the crew from the east side and I knew a few of the niggas from around so shit, I was about to get on my grizzy and I just hoped that my little sister fell in line for the sake of our livelihoods.

  Uncle Ken taught us a lot; he taught us what to do in the case 5-0 pulled up on us, how to handle the knocks and to spot a decoy and most importantly he taught us how to hold, load, and, shoot a pistol as well as handle a razor. Jaeda may have been shell shocked, but me? Nah. I was a natural at this. Shit was in my blood; it was in Jaeda’s too, but she wasn’t ready to open up. I took to the game like a fish to water but no matter what, I was forever my sister’s keeper so I would make sure Jaeda did the least possible without it being obvious.

  The shipment came in Friday and while other teens were spending their Saturday mornings watching cartoons and doing household chores, my household was cooking and bagging up dope to be set out to the streets come Monday. I was trying my best to do my part and get the fuck up out of dodge because I had plans. I looked over at Jaeda and mouthed the words “Hurry up” to her. Most of the product was bagged, and we probably could be done in another 30 minutes. It was going on four in the evening, and we had been in the back house all day putting together these packs. Jaeda and I were supposed to be going to this barbecue with the guys and a few of our other friends. We still had to get dressed, meet up with the guys, and then make it to the lake. The party started at 2 p.m., so we were cool on time; everybody knows black people don’t start showing up until two hours after the time you tell them anyway.

  Once we had finished in the lab, Jaeda and I flew in the main house to get ready. It was mid April and the day was unusually warm for this time of the year. I dressed in a cute mid-thigh, red-striped Polo dress with some red and gold Michael Kors sandals, and added some gold Kate Spade jewelry with a coat of nude lip-gloss and I was set. Jaeda was dressed in some cute white cut off jean shorts that weren’t too short, with the all white fruity pebble foams and an all white True Religion tank, and a cute green belt. She was cute with her boyish ass. I was definitely the girly girl and although Jaeda wasn’t a girly girl, she wasn’t quite a tomboy either; either way, we still shut bitches down because we were naturally pretty and our shapes were tight. Hoes stayed throwing shade and I just let that shit roll off my back, but a lot of times Jaeda let it get to her and her anger would get the best of her. Jaeda had stupid hands though, so there weren’t too many females that could go head up with her and say they didn’t get scraped.

  “You know all the little thotties going to be here Jae, don’t let nobody take you out your character boo,” I said as we stepped off the Bart podium waiting on Jah to pull up.

  “I’m straight sister, I just want to chill and have a good time,” Jaeda turned to me and smiled that sneaky smile. I knew she was feeling Tone even if she wouldn’t admit it; she was the type that always liked to play like she didn’t give a damn about anything. She held all her feelings in to the outside world, but I knew my sister like the back of my hand. She couldn’t fake me out; I always knew the real when it came to her. Jaeda was my heart, and I just wished her and Tone would quit playing before he got tired of chasing her and snatched up one of these thot ass broads. I couldn’t have little bruh go out like that, or my little sis.

  Honk! Honk!

  I turned to the left and saw Jah sliding up on us in his Audi. His shit was nice; a coke white 2011 A6 with chrome wheels and a slapping ass sound system. My baby’s ride was wet, especially for a 17-year-old high school star football player. I knew Jah did some illegal things to get his money, but who followed rules at our age? And shit, I was now about to be knee deep in the same game. Jaeda and I hopped in and we pulled off with two cars following behind us, headed to the barbecue.

  Once we got to the lake, it was already full of people and in full swing. We slid up there about twelve deep. There were all sorts of activities going on; some were off in various areas smoking weed, there was a group of guys off to the side shooting dice, and some females that looked like they were having a twerking contest. The rest were mingling and making plates. Jah and I dipped off together towards the grill, where his older brother Gio was working his magic on some oysters and shrimp.

  I leaned in to Jah and asked if he wanted to take a stroll. I felt like now was a good time to run down the plans my uncle had for Jaeda and me. I wasn’t asking him for permission or anything, but since we were together I would rather he find out from me now before he heard from somebody else. I just recently found out that Jah and Tone also worked for my uncle. I didn’t know how my babe was going to respond to the fact that his girlfriend would be out on the block with him, but he didn’t have a choice but to accept it. Shit, I didn’t have a choice but to accept it.

  “We can walk this way babe, it will take us a good 35 minutes to circle around the lake,” Jah said. I followed him and began to tell him of my uncle’s plans.

  “Man that’s some bullshit!!” Jah yelled. “What grown ass man puts his children and nieces at risk in the streets? Fuck!” Jah was pissed and ranting, and I just stayed quiet. I had a plan and soon as he was done bitching, I was going to put him up on game. I may have been young, but from what I learned over the past couple weeks from Uncle Ken and the investment techniques I acquired from Jah, we could really make some money over th
e next couple of years. I wouldn’t stop until Jaeda was 18; then I would be ready to walk away as some rich youngsters.

  I figured that if the four of us invested $5000 into an interest-accruing account and contributed $5000 monthly over the next two years with a 23% interest rate, we could accumulate more than $170,000. That was just into an interest-accruing account; not to mention what we actually kept from the streets, and what we would make in the other two stocks that Jah and I had already began to invest in. We already had money invested in this bio-pharmaceutical company and stocks in the Actavis Company. These were already making us some change that we had yet to touch. We were saving money as a couple although we hadn’t had sex yet, and we were still young. We talked a lot about our dreams and goals, and if we happened to break up, we would divide the money in half and go our separate ways.

  We had met back up with Jaeda and Tone. As I was walking up, I saw some girl approach my sister. I began to speed up as Jaeda began to tie up her singles. Tone stepped between the two as the “bitch” word flew out her mouth.

  “So you’re going to stand here and defend this bitch like I ain’t nobody, Tone?” the girl questioned.

  “Man Neka, gone with all that shit you talking, you know you ain’t my bitch so don’t front ‘cause you got an audience,” Tone responded. I stood next to my sister with my hand on my hip, ready to pull my razor from my bra strap if need be. This bitch wasn’t the smallest and I wasn’t about to be wrestling all over the grass with this big bitch and her damn potnas.