Every Thug Needs A Lady (Thugs)

by Clark, Wahida

  Roz had only two days to study for her first state exam. She was scheduled to take the respiratory therapy exam on Friday and physical therapy the following Monday. The pressure was on, but that didn’t stop her from making plans with Angel, Tori and Sanette. They were going clubbing in Philly, and she was looking forward to it.

  It took Roz a little over two hours to finish her exam. She couldn’t wait to get home and unwind. After turning in her test materials she skipped out of the building to her car reminding herself, one more to go.

  Angel called at 9:30 to say that they were on their way. So Roz sat on the couch and smoked a joint to the music of 100% Ginuwine.

  Angel was hanging out with two of her classmates, Tori and Sanette. Sanette just got a new Jeep as a graduation present. So, of course, she wanted to drive. When Roz heard the horn, she grabbed her keys and ran out the door.

  “What’s up, ladies?” Roz said, jumping in the backseat with Angel.

  “TGIF!” yelled Sanette.

  “It’s about time,” Roz added.

  “Sho’ you’re right,” Tori yelled.

  “What’s up with you?” Angel asked her girl.

  “I’m so fuckin’ tense. I still have one more exam to take and I haven’t worked out all week. It seems like all I’ve been doing all week is studying,” said Roz.

  “It’s almost over, my sista,” Angel assured her.

  They smoked a bag of weed on the way to Philly, with Sanette promising to kill anybody who put reefer burns on the seats of her new ride.

  “Which club are we going to?” inquired Roz.

  “The hottest club in Philly, baby. You didn’t know? It’s a new underground spot called Infinity where nothin’ but ballers and shot callers hang,” Sanette said.

  “See what I mean?” Roz whispered to Angel, referring to their conversation at the baby shower. “Why do we have to hang out where the ballers are?”

  Angel burst out laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” Tori asked.

  “Just a private joke,” Angel said.

  When they neared the club, they were all checking out the double-parked cars and the people hanging outside. Roz tapped Angel on the leg. “Ow, girl!” Angel yelped. “What’s the matter with you?”

  “No, I did not just see Trae’s Navigator!”

  “Where?” Angel asked.

  “We just passed it. Ain’t this some shit!” she spat. “I’m home waiting on his ass, and he’s out clubbing.”

  “Why are you trippin’? You are once again the wife of a hustla. You knew what you was getting into.” Angel reminded her. “And you are not sitting at home.”

  “Yeah. And now I see that I made a big fucking mistake!” Roz snapped.

  “What’s the matter?” Tori asked, turning around to look at them. “Looks like it’s gonna be some drama,” Angel sighed.

  “Don’t leave no junk, ashes, nothing in my car,” Sanette warned, pulling into a parking space.

  The club was huge and not too crowded. They all headed straight for the ladies’ room. Everyone was clamoring for a spot in the mirror. The four of them were putting on perfume and brushing their teeth, trying to get rid of the weed smell.

  Roz was brushing her hair and cursing out Trae. “Angel, I swear, if I catch him with another bitch, I am going to kick his ass all over this club. I warned him not to fuck with me.”

  “Aren’t we jumping to conclusions rather quickly? You said that he was good to you. ‘Trae this. Trae that.’ Check things out first, before you go postal and fuck up my night out on the town.”

  “Trae?” asked the girl standing next to Angel. She and her girlfriend were snorting coke.

  “Yeah, you know him?” Angel asked, trying to sound naive. “Of course, I do, if it’s the Trae from New York who keeps his hair braided and has some good dick.”

  “Yeah, that’s who I’m talking about.” Roz was looking the chicks up and down, not believing what she was hearing.

  She and her girlfriend started laughing. “Take a number, girl-friend. I will be the first one suckin’ his dick tonight. You ain’t know?” she said as she high-fived her girlfriend.

  “Him and his crew sometimes come here on Fridays. This is the only night I come. Y’all from here or Jersey?”

  “Jersey,” Angel said.

  Roz was getting angrier by the minute as she put on her straw-berry lip gloss.

  “I’m Tina,” said the one doing all the talking, “and this is Lo-Lo. Ladies, it is money all up in this bitch every Friday. C’mon, Lo-Lo, it’s time to work!” They left out.

  “C’mon, Angel, I gotta see what’s going down. All the clubs they got in Philly and we end up picking this one. Go figure!” Roz said, grabbing Angel’s arm.

  Sanette and Tori were still in the mirror. “Get four seats at the bar!” hollered Sanette. “Them niggas better start sending drinks over as soon as my ass hit the stool.”

  The deejay was pumpin’ I Like Dem Girls by Tyrese. They were only able to find three empty seats together, so Roz chose to stand. She wanted to scan the room for Trae.

  “I don’t see him, but I know he’s here. I’m sure if we find those two females who were in the bathroom they’ll lead us to where the action is,” said Roz.

  “You sound like a fuckin’ detective!” Angel teased, swirling around on the bar stool.

  “Mmm hmm, I know his car,” Roz continued.

  “You see him?” Angel was looking in the same direction as Roz.

  “Yup! See that skinny girl with the red dress? She’s standing next to the dude with the khakis and brown sweatshirt.”

  Angel was scanning her eyes over the crowd. She finally said, “Yeah, I see them.”

  “Well, look at the table with the five dudes,” Roz said, turning her back.

  “Oooh, Papi! Muy guapo! Muy guapo!” Angel said.

  “Angel, puhleeze!”

  “Puhleeze, nothing. I’m single, sexy, and free. I can’t help it if all of them look good. Which one is my future brother-in-law?”

  “The one with the braids.” Roz really didn’t want to see anything. So she turned around and faced the bar.

  “Roz, three of them have braids.”

  “The finest one.”

  Angel looked closer. “Dayum! The brother with the navy blue jersey?”

  Roz nodded. “That’s the brother who got me in a frenzy.” “He’s cute,” said Angel. “Look at those lips.”

  “What’s he doing?”

  “Looks like he’s rolling a blunt. You’re not going to go over there? I want to meet the brotha rocking the doo-rag.”

  “Hell no! I’m not goin’ over there. I’ma sit and watch. I gotta see if all that shit he is always talking ’bout it bein’ all about me is for real.”

  “You know you trippin’, right? But we’re getting ready to know for sure because it looks like our dick-suckin’ friends are approaching.”

  Roz turned her head around to see for herself. “Damn! They are on a mission, aren’t they?” Roz turned back around, trying to watch the action through the mirror over the bar. “What’s the four-one-one?” she asked. “I can’t see all the way over there in this mirror.”

  “My sista, how much am I getting paid to play private investi-gator?”

  “Angel, stop playing. What’s happening?”

  “Well, right this minute, the one named Lo-Lo is sitting on one of their laps. She better be glad it’s not the one with the doo-rag. I would have to go over there my damn self.”

  “That’s Kay,” said Roz.

  “You know him?”

  “No. Just seen him with Trae. What’s up?”

  “Introduce me.”

  “I will. What’s going on?” Roz prodded.

  “Tina is standing there. But I can’t tell who she’s talking to because they’re all looking at her,” Angel reported.

  “Even Trae?” Roz asked nervously.

  “Yup. And now he’s firing up his blunt.”

  “I s
wear, if she goes near him, I’m gonna go over there and dig my nails deep into his face until I draw blood. Watch me. Here, hold my bag.” She slid her Chanel bag to Angel. “He won’t be cute no more. What’s he doing?”

  “You are sick,” Angel said, shaking her head. “Blowing smoke rings. Looks like Tina scored. She’s sitting on Trae’s lap.” “What!” yelled Roz, turning around.

  “Psych! I’m only playing,” Angel giggled. “She landed the brotha with the white T-shirt. He’s cute too. So what now, Miss Fatal Attraction?”

  “What’s he doing?” asked Roz.

  “Picking up his cell phone and looking at me look at him.” “Stop looking!”

  “Too late, dawg!”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Roz asked.

  “He saw you.”

  “Angel, don’t play.”

  “I’m serious.” Angel was laughing. “He’s talking on the phone and looking straight at you.”

  “Shit!”

  “Dayum, it’s gettin’ even better. He’s getting up and walking this way.” She was still laughing.

  “It’s not funny,” said Roz, who could now see Trae coming towards her in the mirror.

  He stepped up behind her, grabbed both of her hands, out stretched her arms, and laid her palms flat on the sides of the bar counter. He then placed his hands on top of hers and began kissing her neck. “What up, ma? What are you doin’ here?”

  “What are you doin’ here?” she asked, enjoying the feel of his lips on her neck while watching him in the mirror.

  “Movin’ dope. You know what I do. Now answer my question.”

  “I came to party and to relieve some stress. I know I can do that,” she said.

  “You can party with me. I’ll relieve your stress,” he said in between kisses on her neck.

  “I need relief tonight Trae.”

  “I want you to go home. This ain’t no place for you,” he said, looking at her in the mirror.

  “Why can’t I hang out here? Because you’re here?” she protested.

  “No. Because it’s hot and shit always be jumpin’ off. This is a death trap and I said you don’t need to be here, a’ight? Plus, look at you. Why are you dressin’ like you ain’t got no man?” He was now caressing her breasts. “You ain’t got on no bra.” Then he slid his hands down on her butt. “Wearin’ these tight-ass jeans, and got the nerve to have an attitude. I should be the one with the attitude.”

  “I don’t have an attitude. Not anymore.”

  “Well turn around and show me then.”

  She turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly with her strawberry-flavored lips. She closed her eyes as he sucked on her lips and pulled her close. She pressed up against him to feel his hard-on and tried to slide her tongue down his throat. They stayed hugged up until somebody yelled, “Trae!”

  “Dayum! Who is that?” Tori nudged Angel.

  “That’s her nigga. His name’s Trae.”

  “Where did you park?” Trae asked her.

  “I didn’t. Me and Angel rode with some friends.” She still had her arms around his neck, not wanting to turn him loose. “I miss you.”

  After he thought about it, he said, “Stay right here.” He went back to the table where he had been sitting.

  “Well, well, well,” Angel said. “Girlfriend, your ass is sprung!

  That nigga is smooth. You went from clawing his face to freakin’ him down. These bitches in here was all up in yours. Trae is ob-viously on the most wanted list. We’re gonna have to kick some ass before the night is over.”

  “No, we’re not, because we’re leaving,” Roz told her. “Leaving? You got me fucked up! We just got here! Why are we leaving?” Angel snapped.

  “Trae didn’t come right out and say it, but I don’t think we want to be here,” Roz said.

  “Damn! Fuckin’ dealers just gonna move the partygoers out. They need to conduct their business at home or somewhere else. You don’t have to worry about me hanging out with you anymore.”

  “I don’t know why you hatin’. Your friends are the ones who picked this place. I didn’t know my nigga was going to be here,” Roz argued.

  Angel was pissed off until she saw the brotha wearing the doo-rag walking behind Trae. When he stopped to talk to someone she said, “Introduce me, bitch.”

  Trae came back over. “You ready?” He looked at Angel and then back at Tash. “What’s your friend’s name?”

  “Angel. Angel this is Trae. Trae, Angel. She wants to meet your boy Kay.” They exchanged greetings.

  “This is lawyer girl, right?” Trae asked. Tasha nodded in agree-ment.

  “Yo, Kay!” he yelled. Kay came over and was already checking Angel out. He threw the keys to the Nav to Trae. “Kay this is Angel. Angel this is Kay. Come with me to take them to the car.”

  When they got outside, they helped the ladies inside the Nav. Trae was standing against the door on the driver’s side talking to Tasha while Angel was watching out the side view mirror as Kay took some items out of the back and put them in the Benz parked behind them.

  “Damn! That nigga is fine!” Angel said, gazing at him. “Girl, he is even bowlegged!” Tasha ignored her as she was busy talking to Trae.

  Kay was now talking on his cell phone. When he started laughing, Angel practically lost it. “Oh no, this nigga don’t have dimples!” she yelled. “His appearance is too perfect. Something has to be wrong.” As soon as he closed up his cell phone, Angel stuck her head out of the window and said, “Let me holla at you, playa!”

  He came up to the window smiling, “What up, beautiful?”

  “Right now? You. And those dimples.”

  “Oh really?”

  “Mmm hmm. What does the K stand for?”

  “Kaylin.”

  “Kaylin,” she repeated. “I like that.”

  “Your man let you hang out this time of night? Why hasn’t he clipped this Angel’s wings?”

  “What are you trying to say?”

  “I’m saying if you was my Angel you’d be home.”

  “Home?”

  “Home waiting on me.”

  Angel laughed. “I’m sure you really do have somebody home waiting on you.”

  “Actually, I don’t.”

  “Nigga, please. Fine as you are? If she’s not at your home then where is she?”

  “Nah. I’m not into nothing serious right now.”

  “So that means I could get me a kiss right now and a bitch won’t come running out the club screaming and wanting to kick my ass?”

  Kay blushed. He was checking out her skin, hair, teeth, and nails. “Nah, ain’t nobody serious right now.”

  “Well, come here let me kiss you.”

  He leaned over and kissed her neck inhaling her scent at the same time. “You eat swine?”

  “What? I have to be interviewed to get a kiss?” She was now kissing his neck and inhaling his scent. “And, no, I don’t eat pork. I don’t even eat chicken. Fish only.” She grabbed his head and ran her tongue over his lips and kissed him.

  “Mmmm,” she moaned. “I want you to have my babies.” “Do you?” He said in between the kiss.

  “Mmm. Hmm.” She was totally turned on.

  “I thought I was suppose to be saying that.”

  “I beat you to it, didn’t I?”

  “Yeah. You did.” He grinned.

  She broke the kiss, gently poked in one of his dimples. “I just didn’t want you to forget me.”

  “Now why would I do that?”

  “Give me another kiss and maybe I’ll answer that for you.”

  “Oh. It’s like that?” He leaned in still blushing and began nibbling on her lips and kissing them lightly. She placed her hand on his shoulder and pulled him closer.

  “Time to go, Angel,” said Tasha.

  She unlocked lips with Kay and said to him, “I want to see you again.”

  He flipped open his cell phone, pushed the memory button, an
d gave her the phone. “Put in your number,” he said. She did and passed it back. He leaned over and kissed her again not stopping until Trae was standing next to him.

  Angel and Kay continued to gaze and smile at each other as the Navigator pulled off. “Motherfuck! There oughta be a law against a nigga being that fine and that sweet.”

  “You a ho!” Tasha teased.

  “Say what you want. That nigga can carry my babies. He can even have my last name!” she joked. “I’ll bend a few rules for him.”

  “I see,” Tasha said, with a look of surprise.

  “Psych!”

  “Yeah, right, ho! I think you’re serious.”

  Roz dropped Angel off and cruised home in the Nav. When she got inside the house she decided to check her messages since she hadn’t done so in three days. One was from Kyra. The dry cleaners also left a message. She had been so busy she hadn’t picked up her clothes in almost three weeks. Then there was another message from Kyra. The second floor tenant also had some flimsy excuse for not paying the rent, and then there was Angel confirming Friday night’s clubbin’ plans.

  The last one said, “What up, Tash? This is Case, and Trae wanted me to tell you that he misses you. And if you want to know how much, listen to this.” Then he started singing his joint I’m Missing You. Roz wanted to scream, but instead just collapsed on the bed with the phone glued to her ear. She erased all of the other messages and played it again and again. Even though it was almost 1:30 in the morning, she called Kyra, Angel and Jaz and put them on three-way. Jaz was the only one who was asleep and, of course, she cussed Roz out for interrupting.

  “What is it?” Angel asked.

  “Y’all gotta hear this!” She punched in her password to play the message.

  “I don’t fuckin believe this!” Kyra said after it was over. “That shit is off the heezie!”

  “He sounds oh so good!” Angel sang.

  “That’s the shit! No, he didn’t hook you up like that,” Jaz said, sounding wide awake now.

  “Oh, yes he did!” Roz smiled.

  “Case can wake me up anytime,” Jaz moaned, looking over at Faheem to make sure he hadn’t heard that.