It is What it is: A Hood Love Story

by B. , Ivory

  Their glasses clinked together as the girls gave toast to Keema’s accomplishment. “Ummm, this Moet hit the spot,” Keema said complimenting the chilled bottle. “I can’t wait till I graduate,” Lucky complained. She had just finished her Junior year and now she had 1 more year to finish her BA in Biology with a minor in Psychology. Ty had just finished her first year working on her MBA with a focus in Finance, and loved it. “Lucky you damn near finished mama. You got one more year to go, just stay focused,” Ty encouraged. Ty looked at Keema and asked the question that she and Lucky been dying to know

  “Well Keema who’s Jah? And how the hell do you know him? And why haven’t we ever met him?” Keema looked overwhelmed with the barrage of questions at first and then she started laughing, that guilty laugh. Keema took a deep breath, “Alright damn, I told y’all I would tell all. So here it goes.” Keema became very serious, “Ijah is my first real love. I used to mess with him in high school. We both went to Jefferson High together and that’s where I met him.” “Oh that’s why I never met him, but it still doesn’t explain why I never heard about him from you,” Ty pressed.

  Both Lucky and Ty went to a different High School than Keema. Tina had already moved away from South Philly by the time the girls were in High School. Kevin had died and Tina took the girls and moved to a really nice area about 45 minutes to an hour away from their old neighborhood. Despite the distance the girls kept in touch because they were so close. Tina would often go pick Keema up to stay the night on weekends, and in the summers sometimes Keema would stay with Tina and the girls for weeks at a time.

  “I messed with him during my junior and senior year; remember I moved out of my grandmother’s house while I was still in school. And I was running around from house to house so I really didn’t see you guys all that much. Plus… I never really wanted to talk about us because it was too painful; I just tried to put it behind me.” Lucky and Ty looked at each other like what the hell? Keema looked so sad and serious. “I know you guys would’ve been too mad at me if I told y’all about the relationship back in the day anyways.” “Why?” Lucky asked with her face twisted up in confusion. Keema looked Lucky dead in her eyes before answering. “Because I was sharing him and I knew I it. I was his sideline chick.” Both Lucky and Ty looked at Keema as if she had sprouted another head. Keema was much too pretty and good of a woman to be anyone’s sideline chick. Any man would have gladly wifed her, not put her on the side. “Keema” Ty said in a chastising tone. “I know, I know. But listen, I was young and nieve, I’ma grown ass woman now and I know my worth. Jah never tried to hide the fact he had a girl. As a matter of fact he told me. I didn’t hear it from anyone else. He was fuckin with this older chick named Michelle; well Michelle had her own crib, car and let his ass have access to both of them at anytime he wanted. Girl that muthafucka even drove me around in her whip when his was in the shop,” Keema started laughing. “He said he loved me, but he was with her out of convenience. His mother passed away and he went to stay with his aunt Vera for awhile, things didn’t work out, so when he left Vera’s house he moved in with Michelle, who let him and his boys stash cash, drugs and guns in her crib. I didn’t have none of that shit she had, so I couldn’t tell him to leave her and come stay with me. I ended up getting pregnant.” Lucky’s mouth dropped open. “What?! When?” Ty asked stunned from the news. Keema waved her off and continued. “Back in high school. He didn’t know, I didn’t tell him. One of the guidance counselors at school helped me get the money for the abortion. I didn’t have the money and I knew if I asked him he wouldn’t give it to me to abort his seed. He would’ve wanted me to keep the baby. But after months of the bullshit and games with Michelle and hearing rumors about other hoes I told him no more. I couldn’t deal wit it, and that the bitch Michelle could have him.”

  Keema stared at her plate and played with her fettuccini. “I didn’t hear from him in like two weeks after I told him I was done. Then he calls me out the blue one day and told me he had his own apartment and wanted me to come stay with him. I told him no. I didn’t want anything to do with him. I thought we needed to separate, him do him and me do me. Well about a month later he got shot. I was fucked up over it. And I regretted not giving him another chance but most importantly I regretted aborting our baby. After he got out of the hospital I couldn’t get in touch with him for nothing. I was asking everyone where he was and that’s all people kept saying was that they heard he went to go live with one of his aunts that had a lot of money.

  One day, I was on my way to school. And I see his ass standing outside with that bitch Michelle and his boy Boogie. I cut across the street running to him, all excited. I tried to hug him and he backed away giving me the look of death, like he hated me. I will never forget what he said to me, he said fuck off me bitch. I assumed it was because I wouldn’t stay with him. Later on his boy Boogie told me that Jah had thought I left him for dead after he got hit up. I couldn’t believe he would even think that when I was going crazy running up and down his block, calling hospitals the whole nine looking for him. Later on I found out I couldn’t find him because he wasn’t in Philly. He was living like 2 hours out of Philly with Los and his mother.

  A couple of days after he left me fucked up crying in the streets Michelle’s house got raided. And that bitch turned state’s evidence against him and his boys. He didn’t get a lot of time because Los’s mother got him a high priced lawyer to beat the serious charges. With all his priors though, he had to do a year and a half in Juvi. And after he did time in Juvi he went to live with some family members he had down in Miami. So that’s that,” Keema said reaching over to take a long sip of her Moet.

  Lucky and Ty were speechless they didn’t know what to say. Lucky was confused so she asked, “Why was he so happy to see you yesterday, if things ended up the way they did between you two?” “Oh cause his boy Boogie had put him on to the fact my ass was stalking up and down the damn streets looking for him after he got shot. He been back up here for almost a year now. I just never ran into him until yesterday. A’ight I’ll be honest I been kinda dodging him. Like if someone told me they saw him here or there I would stay away,” Keema admitted. “So what’s going on between you two now?” Ty asked. Keema broke out into a big smile and shrugged her shoulders hard. “I don’t know, but it feels good to be with him.” “Does he have a girl now?” Lucky asked in a sincere tone not wanting Keema to get hurt again, she had been through enough in life already. Keema looked at Lucky with a straight face, “He told me no so I’m believing it. And even if he did, he would have to get rid of that bitch immediately. Like I said, I put up with the bullshit before because I was young, naive and didn’t know any better. I told him from the gate to come correct or step. I’ma grown ass woman and I have no time for the games. We ain’t having a replay of the last time.” “Church!” Ty shrieked giving Keema a high five across the table. Lucky just laughed because Keema looked dead serious. Keema’s roll of the neck snapping finger attitude face suddenly changed to a real sad look. “When I had that abortion I really didn’t want to. I was so scared of what my grandmother would do to me. And even more scared that I would be raising my baby on my own.” Ty and Lucky made eye contact with each other but didn’t say anything. “Besides, I don’t know if I would be where I am today if I had a baby. Like… would I have finished nursing school? I would probably be fucked up and struggling.” Ty screwed up her face with indifference. “What? Now you know that nigga got qwap. You can tell he holdin just by looking at him. Maybe your ass would’ve been single, but not struggling, nah I can’t see that,” Ty said. “Yeah I guess…I just wasn’t ready to have a baby,” Keema said with a solemn look on her face. Lucky reached over and grabbed Keema’s hand “Keem don’t dwell on the past boo, I mean, everything happens for a reason. I don’t know what’s gonna happen between you and Jah but it’s not a coincidence that you guys ran into each other after all this time. You know me; I like to think it’s something more like fate. Start wi
th a clean slate and see how things work out.” Keema shook her head in agreement. “You right Lucky, you right.”

  An hour and a half later the girls had finished their food and were working on a bottle of Moscato. They were sitting trading stories giggling like high school girls when Keema’s cell rung. Keema reached for her phone looking at the screen then breaking out into a big goofy grin. She placed her finger to her mouth to signal the girls to keep quiet before placing the phone on speaker. A deep male’s voice broke through the phone; his voice was bedroom deep with the smoothness of silk. “Meema come meet me somewhere.” “Jah I’m with Lucky and Ty having lunch.” “I know, but I need you now Meema,” Ty jerked her head back and fanned herself. You could hear the sexual intent all in his deep voice. That‘s all Keema needed to hear, she was out. “Okay baby, I’m at Branzino’s Italian restaurant, in Center City.” “I know where it’s at. I’ll be there in like 5 minutes, be outside,” Jah said before hanging up. Keema looked at Ty and Lucky “Well my best buddies in the whole world. It’s been real and thanks for the meal but I have to go, my baby needs me.” Lucky frowned “Meema who the hell is Meema?” Keema broke into a huge smile “That’s my baby’s name for me; he’s always called me that. And I know you not talking. What the hell is a Lucky Charm? That nigga around here calling ya ass a box of cereal.” They all burst out laughing. “No hoe, I’m his lucky charm, that’s why he calls me that,” Lucky said before sticking her tongue out at Keema. “Whateva,” Keema responded playfully. Keema bent over the table hugging Lucky and then doing the same to Ty. “I’m out.” She announced grabbing her bag and rushing to the door. They watched as Keema walked out and not a minute later a black Porsche Panamera pulled up to the curb and Keema hopped in.

  Both women turned and looked at each other thinking the same thing, Wow! They couldn’t believe she had never told them about her and Jah. “I can’t believe she never told us about that, but we never told her I had an abortion either,” Ty said looking glassy eyed thinking about her past which always seemed to bring tears to her eyes. Lucky fell silent they never talked about that time when they were younger. It always felt weird bringing it up. And family therapy only helped them keep things hushed. Lucky reached over and touched the side of Ty’s face “C’mon Ty you can’t dwell on it anymore okay,” Ty shook her head yes. A few awkward minutes of silence passed before Ty changed the subject.

  “You never told me about your night or should I say morning with Mr. tall, dark and handsome.” Lucky couldn’t help but blush like a school girl with a crush. “It’s really nothing to tell.” Ty shot Lucky a skeptical look. She knew Lucky would be evasive, she always was when the subject of sex came up. While Ty and Keema shared their freaky stories Lucky would always sit there damn near mute. Ty knew for a fact her cousin was still very much a novice when it came to sex. Before her night with Los there was only one guy she knew Lucky was intimate with and that was her ex Cutty. “What you mean it isn’t anything to tell? I saw the way you was walking today when you came in.” “Well, we didn’t really have sex. I mean…we did but he didn’t cum and I didn’t so… And it was really quick. I don’t know,” Lucky said in a low tone before gulping down a mouth full of water dreading this convo. Ty gave her a disgusted look. “Now hold the fuck on, Lucky help me understand this, all that body, sexy swag and it’s all a front to compensate his inadequacies. Well I’ll be damned! I’m almost shocked that he ain’t holding it down in the bedroom.” Lucky looked down with a shamed look on her face. “No it wasn’t him, it was me,” Lucky confessed. “What?!” Ty asked incredulously. Lucky’s eyes shot up as she scanned the semi crowded restaurant trying to make sure no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. “He’s big…like really big. It hurt, so we didn’t finish,” Lucky admitted feeling her ears and cheeks burn with embarrassment. Ty looked at her cousin wide eyed, she feared that her cousin was going to be one of those chicks that were labeled beautiful but sucked in the bedroom. Ty felt bad but there was only so much she could do, she couldn’t actually teach her how to fuck. “Well baby girl listen to me and listen good, that’s a grown ass man you fuckin wit, so you better learn how to please him if you want to keep him,” Ty said in a matter of fact tone. Her comment must’ve hit a nerve because Lucky immediately put her defenses up. Lucky became very tense before rolling her eyes, “I’m straight,” she grumbled. Ty decided to change the subject she said what she had to, she hoped Lucky took her advice. That night Lucky didn’t see Los. When she called he said he was busy handling some business and he would see her another day. She was disappointed but didn’t want to seem too clingy, so she put a smile in her voice and said okay.

  The next evening after Ty got off of work, Ty Lucky and one of Ty’s co worker’s Ebony decided to go to South Street for a few drinks at a restaurant/ bar for happy hour. Afterwards Ty wanted to look in a couple of the many accessory stores that lined South Street. They’d been shopping for about 3 hours and the sun had already started to go down when they heard a car horn blow. “C’mere, can I talk to you for a minute beautiful?!” All three of them turned around to see a brand new charcoal grey Maserati Granturismo. “Ooh damn, who pushin that shit?” Ebony said. “Ladies c’mere, I don’t bite,” the attractive dude with dreads called from the passenger side window. “Damn he sexy,” Ty commented just loud enough for her girls to hear.” “I concur, but I wonder who pushin that whip, shit what type of car is it?” Ebony repeated. Lucky shrugged her shoulders she didn’t care who was driving the car, she wasn’t interested. ‘It’s a Maserati” Ty said rolling her eyes discreetly at Ebony sounding like a straight thirst bucket. Cutie in the passenger seat pointed directly at Ty “C’mere sexy. And pretty miss wit the green eyes my manz wanna holla at you for a minute. He wanna know if you gotta man,” he said pointing at Lucky. “I got somebody for you too baby girl,” he added pointing lastly at Ebony who was looking salty for a minute. She broke out into a Colgate smile getting all amped. Mr. Dreads winked at Ty. He was fine as hell, his dreads were neat, goatee freshly shaped up, teeth white and pretty, not to mention ole boys wrist was on froze. Lucky shook her head no and turned to walk away. Ty grabbed her arm intercepting her escape. “Luck c’mon just come with me to talk to this dude real quick.” Lucky stomped her foot and huffed in frustration. “Ty you and Ebony tryna get me fucked up. I don’t wanna be seen talking to no other dude.” “Luck I’m not asking you to give the nigga who tryna talk to you no play, all I’m saying is walk over there with me. Pleeease Lucky,” Ty pressed. Lucky didn’t say a word she rolled her eyes and started walking towards the car. They were still feet away when Lucky tried to peek in at the driver. He had his head down and a black snapback on his head. His Gucci shades were the truth and his wrist was lit up. Lucky couldn’t get a good enough look at him because the tented passenger side window that was halfway rolled down only gave her a glimpse of the driver who had his head down.

  The dude with the dreads cracked a huge devilish grin while looking directly at Lucky. “My man wanna talk to you?” “Nah, I’m straight, I have a man.” “So what, ya man aint got shit to do with you talking to my boy.” Lucky huffed with frustration; she could feel herself losing patience. If there was one thing she couldn’t stand it was a pushy man, who wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Look, tell ya boy, since obviously he can’t speak for himself that I got a man. And I won’t disrespect my man by talking to him.” The dude chuckled sarcastically pissing Lucky off even more. “You did good ma, you did good.” “What?” Lucky asked with attitude. “Yeah you the truth Lucky.” All three women looked on with alarm and confusion before the passenger side window rolled all the way down exposing Los wearing a big grin. The dude in the passenger seat started rollin. Lucky knew what was up immediately, this was a test. And she was happy she stayed true blue and hadn’t played herself.

  Los looked dead into Lucky’s eyes “You did good ma, but the next time I don’t give a fuck what ya peoples do, you don’t walk up on no other niggaz car.” Lucky
stood there looking dumbfounded. She didn’t know what to say. It was true she hadn’t even played with the thought of talking to anyone else but she did walk over to the car with a little pressure from her cousin. Lucky looked down at the ground trying to avoid Los’s intense stare, she hadn’t done anything yet for some reason she felt caught out. “And you outta order for that hot shit you on,” Los said pointing at Ty. “Matter fact, I think I need to call my brother to put ya little ass in check right quick.” Ty screwed up her face with defiance. “What you mean you gonna call Nice? I don’t mess with him.” “But you going to… Oh shit! There go my man right there. I aint even gotta call him,” Los said tapping his horn twice.

  Ty turned her head and sure enough Nice was right there stepping out of a red Range Rover Sport. Ty looked up at him and was speechless. Damn, oh my goodness he fine. Nice walked up to the driver’s side door and dapped out Los. With a mischievous grin on his face, Los didn’t waste any time starting some drama. “Your girl out here on some hot shit, walking up on niggaz cars,” Los said nodding his head in Ty’s direction. Nice looked up at Ty and for a moment Ty could’ve sworn she saw a quick flash of anger in his eyes. “Nah you got me fucked up bruh, that aint me. If it was she wouldn’t be doing no shit like that,” he said coolly. Ty got immediately offended. To her it felt as if he were dissing her in a roundabout way. She twisted her face up with attitude and glared at him. “I don’t have a man, so if I wanna holla at a nigga that’s my business. I don’t have to answer to anyone, I’m free as a bird.” “Word? So that’s why you out here acting like one ha?” “What?! Don’t be fuckin disrespecting me; you don’t even know me like that.” Ty demanded. Nice opened his mouth to spew some more slick shit but then closed his mouth almost immediately, his jaw clenched tight with anger as he glared at Ty and Ty glared back. Los looked back and forth between his brother and Ty then cracked the hell up laughing. He had instigated the whole thing, and now both Ty and Nice were staring each other down like two opponents in a boxing ring. The cutie with the dreads hopped out of Los’s car and gave Nice dap. “What up playboy?” Nice finally broke his icy stare down with Ty to address his boy. “Ayo, Biggz I can’t call it son,” Nice answered before giving Biggaz a manly hug. The men shared a chuckle and a look as if they knew a secret making Ty feel more than uncomfortable. She turned her head away from them and was ready to go. Biggaz gave Ty one last longing look before Jah caught his eye.