by B. , Ivory
He knew Lucky would be hot with him for not keeping in touch but he had to do what he had to do. While down in Miami he was making power moves trying to prepare himself for retirement someday. No one really plans to live the illegal way their whole life and that included him. He knew deep inside he had been lucky to have had the type of longevity in the game as he did. But one false move could have him doing football numbers in prison, so he had to have his mind cleared of all distractions, including Lucky, that’s why he didn’t talk to her in the time he was gone. He’d always disconnected himself totally, from his personal life while he was conducting business. His own mother had learned to get used to it because there was a time she couldn’t even get in touch with him while he was making moves. They came up with text phrases for cases of emergency and he would know to call her back, other than that he didn’t speak to his own mama.
While he was down in Miami he had a custom platinum and diamond charm bracelet made for Lucky. He hadn’t planned on doing so but he spotted the iced out 4 leaf clover charm while he was in the jewelry store getting one of the links on his own diamond bracelet fixed after it broke while he was jet skiing.
The jeweler noticed Los admiring the charm and could tell he was good money. “Do you know what the 4 leaf clover stands for sir?” the jeweler asked. “Yeah good luck right?” “Yes, but that’s only one part of it. You see the Irish believe that every leaf on the clover stands for something. One leaf stands for faith, the second, hope. The third, love. And last but not least, the fourth for luck!” Los gave the jeweler the side eye. He didn’t know if ole boy was bullshitting to make that sale or not, but it sure sound good. After hearing that he knew he had to buy the bracelet for Lucky. Somehow, he couldn’t explain it but it felt as if she were all those things to him. He copped her the charm bracelet and also had the jeweler spell his and Lucky’s name out with individual platinum and diamond charms.
The day Los and Nice came to pick up the bracelet he looked at it and knew Lucky would love it. It had the large 4 leaf clover charm in the middle and on one side his name spelled out in charms and hers on the other side in colorful diamonds. Nice couldn’t believe it, his brother ain’t never ice no chick to this extent. “Damn son, that shit is flavas. You icing her wrist like that? You must be serious about Lucky.” Los didn’t comment, he only smirked. Nice ended up buying a tennis bracelet as well. When Los asked Nice who he was buying it for Nice said no one in particular. Los knew that was a lie, he knew Nice was buying the bracelet with Ty in mind.
Los looked down at his watch as he walked towards Buju. Buj was one of those Americanized Jamaican’s; he looked dressed and acted no different from Los and em. Although he could turn on and off his Jamaican at the drop of a dime. Real talk, you could be holding a regular conversation with him and suddenly you wouldn’t be able to understand a word he was saying. Buj repped his Jamaican people to the fullest though.
Buju dapped each man out and gave them quick manly hugs. “It’s good to see y’all home, Los I got that in the trunk, let me know when you ready for it.” “Nah nigga don’t be rushing us off. I’m tryna find me a chick like Shakita from Belly out here,” Nice said as he leaned up against Buju’s car scoping out the scene. They all started laughing at Nice. “Yo you been in the club yet?” Nice asked exhaling smoke from his lungs then passing the blunt back to Buju. Buju shook his head no. “You playin games son. I love Jamaican clubs, bitches be straight twerkin for free. You ain’t gotta come up offa no stacks that shit is for free,” Nice said as he eyed two scantily clad women walk out of the club. All the men started laughing as they stood there in the parking lot puffing, passing and watching the scene. “Yo why everybody got little flags?” Jah asked. “Oh they having a flag party, you know people out here holding flags representin where they from. Dude selling them lil ass flags for 10 a pop, I know he made a killin out here tonight,” Buj said nodding towards the dude who had his mini van parked adjacent to the club with the back popped open selling flags out the back. No one could blame him, hell everyone had a hustle.
Suddenly, Lucky stepped out of the club fiddling with the top of her strapless dress. Los spotted her immediately and his manz down in his pants jumped to salute her. She looked absolutely beautiful. “Damn! Can you be my baby mama?!” Some lame ass dude yelled from his car. Lucky stuck her middle finger up at the car as it drove by. Carlos was watching from across the street and couldn’t help but laugh a little. She was standing there alone waiting on Keema and Ty when a dude walked up on her. Los was just about to go over and check that nigga for walking up on Lucky from behind like a real weirdo when Ty and Keema walked out of the club. Lucky said something to her admirer that had him walking away looking deflated. She wasn’t paying these thirsty niggaz no mind, her main objective was helping Ty usher Keema who had jello drunk legs to the car. A loud scream from a female caught Lucky and everyone in close proximity attention. “Buj!” Lucky looked in the direction of the scream to see a chick acting like a true groupie as she threw her arms around an attractive, dark skinned, slim dude with dreads. Lucky’s breath caught in her throat, she blinked rapidly thinking the few drinks she had were deceiving her eyes. Nope, there was no doubt about it, that swag was undeniable there was Los standing amongst a small group of dudes looking well rested and carefree, while she’d been restless and stressing for two whole weeks straight. “Oh so I haven’t heard from this nigga in two weeks but he out here at a fucking club,” Lucky fumed not believing her eyes. Both Ty and Keema looked in the direction Lucky was staring at and saw Los, Nice and Jah. Los stifled the smile that threatened to cross his lips once him and Lucky locked eyes. It wasn’t hard to tell she wasn’t exactly happy to see him. Without thinking she started towards him with attitude and purpose in each step she took.
“Really? Carlos this how you do?! You don’t pick up your fucking phone for two whole weeks but you posted up at a club?! Where they do that at? Enlighten me; you really got some fucking nerve!” That was just the beginning of her verbal onslaught. Los was never a real public person; as a matter of fact many didn’t even hear him say too much outside of his close circle. So all this unwanted attention made him feel uneasy and angry. Not to mention, how stupid he was feeling right now after trying to rush back home to her. By then they had a little audience and Lucky was still going in on him. Los’s brows furrowed as he glared down at Lucky angrily. The slight change in his breathing, and the fact his amber eyes seemed to darken right before her didn’t go unnoticed by Lucky. She backed up a bit not knowing what to expect. “Ayo, who the fuck is you talkin to like that? You don’t got no fuckin papers on me. I ain’t gotta check in wit you like you my PO. Fuck outta here wit that bullshit” Los’s voice boomed while he waved his hand at her dismissively. Lucky’s jaw damn near hit the ground. This man who had always been so caring and attentive had turned into somebody she didn’t know.
Silent tears clouded Lucky’s eyes instantly and one blink sent tears flowing down her face like a river, she was so hurt and shocked by his reaction. He felt some type of way seeing her standing there with tears falling from her eyes but he would never show it. He wasn’t actually experienced with expressing his feelings. The feelings he had for Lucky scared him, so he threw up a defense mechanism fast and did what came natural; he got angry instead of comforting her. “I’m not fuckin wit you no more, do you. It’s a wrap!” Los snarled. Lucky’s heart felt as if it had broken into a million pieces after he said those words. She turned around and bolted down the street crying, having trouble seeing through her tears.
Ty wasted no time setting shit off attempting to rush Carlos, trying to get a slap, kick or anything in, but was cut short by Buj and Nice who rushed to grab her like they were secret service and he was Obama. Carlos didn’t flinch or seem to be fazed by Ty’s outburst. “Carlos you know what? Nigga you ain’t shit! How you gon spaz on my cousin like that when she been sitting up stressing, crying, thinking something might’ve happened to your sorry ass? My cousin to
o good for you anyways. Keep fuckin wit these slime bucket ass bitches cus that’s what you used to, you don’t deserve somebody like my cousin.” Ty snapped jerking away from Nice’s grasp giving him an indignant look before turning and running after Lucky. To say Carlos was feeling a little fucked up inside was an understatement but he wouldn’t let it show, nah never that. He looked over at Nice and shook his head. “Yo I’m ready to bounce son.” Buju turned to Los shaking his head back and forth,“Whoooweee, Los I think you might have met ya match with that one right there,” Buj said referring to Lucky He’d never saw Los take no shit off a chick like that before. Los cut his eyes at Buju “Just pop the trunk nigga,” Los snapped, mad that Buju had stated the obvious.
Maybe it was the full moon or something in the air but Lucky and Los weren’t the only ones at it, Jah and Keema were beefin too. Jah had Keema by her wrists stopping her from trying to swing on him again. Moments ago he’d snatched the bottle of liquor she was drunkenly cradling and smashed it to the ground and Keema came at him swinging wildly stumbling, showing just how inebriated she was. It took Jah only seconds to get her tantrum under control. Now he had her hemmed up against a building down the street yelling at her. Jah was pissed off that Keema was out here in this condition, she was past tipsy she was straight white girl wasted. Knowing that her grandmother wasn’t shit but an alcoholic, he felt Keema should’ve known better than anyone about getting this drunk. Jah’s blood boiled when he saw Keema stumbling, drunk with a bottle in her hand. He didn’t find this shit to be cute.
All the tough talk Keema popped off earlier about what she would do if she saw Jah was thrown right out the window. Keema melted like a popsicle in a heat wave. “Keem why the fuck you out here acting up?” Jah gritted. “Jaaaah…I…I,” she started in a drunken slur, pissing Jah off even more. “Get the fuck in the car Keema!” Jah barked. At that moment he was glad he chose to follow Los out here in his own car. Keema hopped right to it sobering up a little instantly, walking the best she could with Jah’s help to his car and getting in without one word of protest.
Lucky was walking down the street aimlessly with no destination in mind. She wasn’t thinking straight, all she wanted to do was get away from Carlos. She heard footsteps fast approaching right before someone grabbed her from behind, Lucky spun around swinging blinded by tears. “Lucky! Lucky, chill it’s me,” Ty said pulling Lucky into a hug. Lucky wrapped her arms around Ty crying hard on her shoulder. “Lucky c’mon stop crying like that, it’s gon be alright, fuck him, you can do better.” Lucky shook her head in disagreement. “I feel so stupid. Ty, he treated me like a quick nut,” Lucky cried. “No, you not stupid,” Ty said hugging Lucky back just as tight, shedding a few tears herself. It had always been that way since they were kids, one cried and they both started crying. Lucky pulled back from Ty’s hug and wiped her tears with the palm of her hands. “I’m ready to go, I got a headache, I just wanna go,” Lucky said in a even tone. Fuck it, she wasn’t going to be out here crying over a man who obviously didn’t give a shit about her. Lucky sniffled as she walked to Ty’s car in silence with her arms wrapped around herself. Ty reached over and rubbed her back comfortingly; mad she wasn’t able to hook off on Carlos ass for her cousin.
Meanwhile, Carlos had a banging headache himself and he attributed it to all the drama he’d just been through. “Yo I can’t even drive right now, I got a bangin ass headache,” Los said tossing his keys over to Nice. Nice hopped in the driver’s seat and sped off enroute to his own house since it was closer. He didn’t feel like taking that drive way out to Los’s crib. Los reclined his seat all the way back to the point he was laying down, placed one folded arm behind his head, closed his eyes and turned his head towards the back door. Nice decided to let his man settle down a little before addressing the issue at hand.
Both men had been the best of friends since meeting when they were only 5 and 7. They seemed to only become closer after Los’s parents adopted Nice when he was 8 years old. The word close didn’t even describe them; they were literally two peas in the pod, closer than siblings who shared the same blood. They didn’t even consider themselves adopted brothers, nah fuck that; they were brothers in every since of the word as if they came out the same pussy. That’s why Los knew Nice was just itching to give his take on the situation between himself and Lucky, he knew his brother all too well. Being that Nice was a few years older than Los he always thought he could school Los, give him advice on anything from finances to women. The funny thing is this nigga never practiced what he preached.
“Ayo not for nothing my nigga, I think you went at baby girl a lil hard. Nah mean, You was kinda outta pocket,” Nice said breaking the silence in the car. Los let out a loud sigh of frustration. Nice noticed Los was getting tight but he didn’t care he was one of the few people in this world that could give it to Los straight with no chaser. Nice wasn’t scared or intimidated by Los so he held no punches when it came to telling him the truth about himself.
“Matter fact, I think you was dead wrong for the way you went at it, you shouldn’t have blasted her like that in front of everyone. She was really hurt bruh.” Los shot his head up and looked at Nice like he had heard him wrong. “Ayo you got selective hearing or some shit nigga? You didn’t hear the way she screamed on me? She was really smellin herself tonight, coming at me like that. What was I supposed to do? Stand there looking stupid? C’mon man you talking real reckless right now,” Los grumbled. “Yeah but you should’ve been a man about that situation. Nah mean? I don’t think baby girl really meant no harm. And you know she didn’t, she was worried about you. She new to this, how was she supposed to know how you play when you out here on ya grind?”
“I don’t wanna hear that shit. I told her I was going outta town to handle some business. Besides, I’m not for having some chick keep tabs on me, having to check in and shit, like I’m on papers, what’s next urine tests?” Los said sarcastically. Nice chuckled and shook his head with disappointment, he knew he wasn’t going to get anywhere with Los right now because he was still heated. Nice shrugged his shoulders “Whateva bruh, all I’ma say is I think you just bodied any possibility of y’all ever having something, that’s all.” A feeling of despair started to creep into Los’s heart and he felt himself get angry “Well fuck it then. I guess we’ll never know how things could’ve been between us. It is what it is,” Los said. Nice looked over at Los and saw right through him, he knew Los was feeling it. “Yo you can’t front though, y’all pretty mufucka’s would’ve made some pretty ass babies,” Nice said through laughter. Los had no choice but to crack up laughing at Nice’s left field comment. Nice was glad he was able to make Los ease up a little. He just hoped his brother would stop being so bull headed and see what he had in Lucky.
It had been a little over two months since Lucky and Los’s falling out and the summer was winding down. She had accepted the fact it was officially a wrap for them. Heartbroken was an understatement, she felt used and stupid. In the past months she had cried to the point she couldn’t cry anymore. Trying to keep busy to avoid her mind from slipping to Carlos seemed like more of a feat with every passing day. While she’d been shutting niggaz down left and right she doubted he was doing the same with chicks. Everyone knows the quickest way for a nigga to get over a chick was with another chick, or several other chicks. She couldn’t blame her heartache completely all on him though, she had to take some responsibility in being gullible. Falling head over hills for a dude of his caliber was dangerous grounds, and she knew this from the beginning. For some odd reason she threw caution to the wind and caught immediate feelings assuming he felt the same. Obviously that wasn’t the case, because he hadn’t tried to contact her in an attempt to make things right, not even once since their blowup outside the club.
Lucky’s mind zoned in and out as Keema and Ty talked about the upcoming Hoop it up annual basketball tournament. It was late July rolling into August and hot as hell outside. Both Keema and Ty were amped about the tou
rnament which was always a big event in Philly. Lucky would’ve been excited too if Los wasn’t on her brain something awful today for some odd reason. “That shit is gon be poppin, and my baby playing too.” Keema squealed. Keema and Jah had been going strong since they reconnected. She had basically moved right in with the man. Not to mention the sexcapades Keema was always telling Lucky and Ty about were off the damn meter. According to Keema Jah was laying pipe like a plumber. It must’ve been true because you rarely saw her without a huge smile on her face.
Keema looked over at Lucky who seemed to be zoning “You still going to the game right Luck?” Keema asked hoping that Lucky said yes, so it would save her the trouble of duct taping Lucky’s ass up and dragging her outside if need be. She’d been in her mourning stage over Carlos for far too long. “Yeah I’m going, remember I’m doing that favor for Wayne,” Lucky answered unenthusiastically. “How’s he doing? He still thirsten?” Keema asked with a laugh. Lucky chuckled, “No I think he got the message. He kept it straight platonic when he hit me up and asked if I could do him this favor, he didn’t ask for a date or anything.” “Well, maybe you should think about saying yes for a change. I mean… what’s it gonna hurt. This whole summer you’ve been shutting dudes down left and right, you need to do you, I’m sure Los doing him,” Ty said leaving Lucky with some food for thought. Ty didn’t have it in her to tell Lucky she had actually saw Los hugged up with a dark skinned dime standing outside a restaurant last week.
Hoop It Up
Chapelle Gardens was all the buzz everyone and their mama’s was in attendance to the Hoop it up tournament. It was a beautiful day and the last weekend of July. Females were out there deep trying to find them a sponsor; clad in skirts that were barely covering their asses and shorts that could be mistaken for a pair of boy cut panties. It was shameful how thirsty and desperate some chicks were out there looking. From the looks of it some of these chicks weren’t supposed to be wearing what they had on in the first place. Unfortunately for them and the general public they lacked real friends to tell them before they left the house that they looked a hot ass of a mess. Stomachs were hanging, stretch marks and weave tracks were showing, the fashion offenses they had committed were damn near criminal. That wasn’t to say the tournament was lacking eye candy. Nope, there were many certified banger’s out there who had their shit together from head to toe. Lucky looked at some of the women who were looking dead right and had second thoughts about her outfit of choice. The uncertainty was short lived though; she was content with her outfit.
