Even When It's Wrong

by Nicole Jackson

  Mya giggled her fucking head off.

  “The fuck is so funny?” I gritted my teeth.

  Flame looked up, locking eyes with me. “Playboy, we meet again. What’s good?”

  “Miss me with that friendly shit,” I snarled, noticing that he had maybe five niggas with him. After scanning over their faces, I realized that they were all from the block.

  “This man stay plexed up,” Flame snickered like it was a fucking game. “Ion want no problems.” He put his hands up. “I keep telling you that, homeboy.”

  “Shit, I know it aint no problems,” Kells interrupted, lifting his shirt, revealing the butt of his gun.

  “Ooh, you niggas wanna get into some gangsta shit, huh? But failing to realize that it aint about shit, if it don’t fold, lil’ nigga.” He flashed a wad of cash.

  “Nigga, put that baby money up, before I take it,” Kells threatened.

  Daynah shook her head. “Bae, let’s go. Yall don’t need to do that here.”

  “Yeah, cause I aint finna spit box with you. Keep testing the waters, and you gone have to see me, nigga. On God,” I growled.

  “And yall bitch ass niggas talking about something?” Kells brazenly questioned the niggas with him. To a certain extent we fucked with them too, but they were standing with the enemy.

  “Come on, fam,” Dee spoke up. “We fuck with all yall, and that’s why we aint said shit. Yall niggas tripping.”

  “Yeah, okay. We out,” I spat, before shoving Mya forward. “Go with ya friendly ass.”

  She glanced back at me. “What did I do?”

  “You know. The fuck you kekeing in that nigga’s face for?”

  “I wasn’t doing nothing.” She snaked her neck sassily.

  “Keep playing, and you’ll be walking home. Ion know who the fuck you think you are.”

  She spun around, standing directly in front of me. “Omari, my name aint Meeka. So, watch how you handle me. And I aint walking no fucking where. If anything, I’ll catch up with ole boy, and get a ride,” she wagged her tongue.

  “Who you think you playing with?” I gritted, as I chased her. She slickly avoided me, running around Kells.

  “Kells, get your boy,” she persisted.

  “Come here, Mya,” I sniped.

  “No. You hurt my feelings,” she pouted.

  “Bring your ass here.” I grabbed her up, and wrapped an arm tightly around her neck. “You gonna quit playing with me,” I spoke into her ear.

  She nodded, before turning her head, causing us to be mouth to mouth. “And you gon quit playing with me.”

  I chuckled, before biting her lip.

  “Ouch,” she whimpered, until I released her.

  Again she walked side by side with me, heading towards the exit. For some reason, I glanced to my left, and spotted…Glenda’s old ass. She had one bag from Forever 21, while she leaned against the wall. I knew that she’d seen us, as we looked dead into each other’s eyes. I quickly glanced at Mya, and saw that she was still smiling. This all told me that she was clueless to her mama’s running buddy standing just a few feet away. I considered letting her know, but that other side of me kicked in. The side that toyed with being with her seriously. That side didn’t give a fuck who saw us together, and since I’d let that ignorant muthafucka win, I knew what I had potentially started. But it was what it was, and I was ready for however shit came.

  Chapter 19

  Mya

  “Oouuu, tell me what you do, tell ‘em what to do, tell ‘em what to do when you see a bad bitch in front of you, baby,” I sang Nicki’s part of Do You Mind, as I cruised down the street.

  Once again, I’d put Omari’s ass to bed, then slipped the keys and some cash out of his pocket. I’d hit up Cavalli, and was now headed to her dorm to scoop her up.

  I checked out my wide framed Cartier glasses in the rearview mirror briefly, before focusing on the road. Omari had created a monster when he’d taught me how to drive on the freeway, and now I hopped on it with no hesitation, going wherever I wanted.

  Can’t front. I was stunting in Omari’s Benz, as I rode with all the windows down, and the roof open. I knew that he’d be pissed whenever he woke up, but that was some backlash I was willing to take. I’d just taken my locks down, and had a fresh silk press, which meant that I couldn’t let my newly done hair go to waste. Keeping it cute and simple, I wore Pink leggings and sports bra. I had a throw-over tee with me in case it became breezy later.

  Pulling into the complex, I immediately spotted Cavalli. She was already fully dressed, ready to go bop. I was glad too, as I glanced down, realizing that my phone was on one percent.

  “Bout time, bitch,” she mouthed off, as she pulled the passenger’s door open. “I was gonna have to slap one of these bitches out here,” she clamored in that Dallas accent of hers, as she slid into the car.

  “Why, what happened?” I questioned, as I headed toward the exit.

  “Some stupid hoes thought that the way I talk was so fucking funny. I mean, I get it. I talk different. But how many times are you gonna point the shit out? Understand me?”

  “Right,” I nodded. “But bitch, are you being sensitive, because I know how you can get?”

  “Hell, nah. Them hoes be trying me.”

  I giggled. “Okay, okay.”

  “Yeah, but later for the bullshit. What’s been up with you?” she enquired.

  “Oh nothing. Same ole same ole.”

  “Umm hmm. Still screwing Meeka’s old man, huh?”

  “Really?” I cut my eyes at her.

  “What?” she threw her hands up. “I’m just saying.”

  “You was just saying my ass. But yeah, me and Mari still good.”

  “Mari, huh? Done gave the next bitch’s nigga a nickname, and everythang. Boy, I tell ya.”

  “Hoe, you in rare form today, huh? Damn, let me make it.”

  “I can’t, bitch. Cause my new friend got a fine ass best friend, and I’d love to introduce him to my favorite cousin. But noooo. I know you aint with it, because you being faithful, even though you the only one in the relationship. That shit don’t sit right with me, and I can’t keep quiet about it.”

  “Come on, Valli. Don’t go there. You know the only reason he can’t be faithful is because…”

  “Cause he’s with your mama, and Skyy. Yeah, I know all that,” she cut me off. “But that shit gets old, Mya. You are too smart and pretty to be in that situation with him. I mean, I might halfway understand if he was trying to do the right thing. Like move you out of your mama’s and stop doing everything underhandedly. Would everybody be looking at you crazy? Absolutely. But you could be with him, and he’d be yours. That would be semi-right. Yall living in yall’s truth, and accepting the consequences. But he aint right. Especially not when he’s fucking three or four other bitches, and calling it fair, because yall living at Meeka’s. That shit aint gonna cut it.”

  I swallowed hard, as she aired me out. I mean, I knew that she wasn’t trying to attack me, but that did nothing for the sting I felt. “Okay, I hear everything you’re saying,” I admitted, as I felt my phone vibrate, indicating that it was completely powering off. “But you’re neglecting to consider one thing. Most of the shit I do wouldn’t be possible without Omari. And he’s doing what he gotta do to get by. Shit won’t be like this forever, and until it’s time to do something different, I promised to ride it out with him. Besides, he don’t give a fuck about Skyy.”

  “Girl, please. Is Omari somewhere hiding in the backseat, pulling your strings? Because I swear you reading from a script he gave your ass. He’s doing what he gotta do to get by? Yeah, right. You was just telling me how much he spends on yall at the mall. That’s enough money to do whatever he wanna do. He’s choosing to still be at Meeka’s, and I believe that he got his reasons. And it’s deeper than him not wanting you to get in trouble. Didn’t you say that he don’t seem to care if she finds out?”

  “Well, yeah, but…”

  “But no
thing,” she interrupted again. “Tell me exactly why are yall still at your mama’s, sneaking behind her back. And you can say what you want about Skyy, but that bitch is still in the picture, and done helped this nigga get this Benz. Please believe he is still fucking her, so you can’t speak to what he feels for her. Shit, I bet she don’t even know that yall are fucking, and he’d probably do anything for her not to know. You better wake up, and step out of that fantasy world.”

  Not wanting her to know that her words were affecting me, I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”

  “Okay,” she sighed. “I’ll ease up on that, but you know I aint said nothing wrong. But anyways, did you ever call that nigga Flame?”

  I glanced her way. “Why you asked me that?”

  “Cause, bitch. I went to a block party out in Fifth Ward with my roommates. He was out there, and bitches was dick riding. One of my roommates was acting like his dick was dipped in gold, and couldn’t believe that was he trying to holler at you when I told her. She almost passed out when I told her how you turned him down.”

  I shook my head. “I guess. But no, I haven’t talked to him. He don’t have my number, remember?”

  “But you have his.”

  “Right.”

  She waved me off. “Sometimes I think you’re a lost cause, girl. Aint no way in hell I’d be stuck on somebody else’s nigga. Yeah, he done looked out, and all, but I swear I’d be using all that shit he bought me to hook a bigger nigga. The fuck he thought?”

  I laughed, as I pulled into Shell gas station. “I feel you. And don’t think that I don’t be listening. I just gotta do things on my own time. My own terms. Not because you told me to. But you definitely gave me some shit to think about.” I parked at a pump. “I’m about to run in this store, and grab something to drink. You want something?”

  “Yeah, bring me a bottle of water.”

  “Bet.” I nodded, hopping out of the car with some cash in hand.

  In a hurry, I grabbed myself a fruit punch, and a bottle of water for Cavalli. I paid for it, and stepped outside, running right into my damn grandma. I knew that she had to be out on the town, because she was wearing her best short wig, and her Love jogging suit she’d bought from Walmart. And she was rocking hot pink lipstick to match her clothes, but it looked weird on her chocolate complexion.

  “Oh lawd,” she grabbed her chest. “Girl, you scared the hell out of me.”

  I smiled. “I’m sorry, granny. How you been doing?” I gave her a hug.

  “Fine,” she hugged me back. “Not that you been concerned.”

  “Granny, what you talking about?” I asked, pulling away from her.

  “Mya, when was the last time you been by the house?”

  My eyes fell down to the ground. “I been gone all summer, granny. And school just started back. I was coming by.”

  “Yeah, right,” she pursed her lips.

  “I was,” I lied, as I lifted my head.

  “Uh huh,” she smacked her lips, before looking me up and down. “And what do you have on? Guh, you half naked out here. I thought we discussed that big girls aint supposed to have it all hanging out? It aint appropriate.”

  “What’s wrong with what I got on?” I looked down at my clothes.

  “Everything. You got all ya breasts out, and ya stomach is exposed. Meeka had been telling me that you been smelling yourself, lately. I was hoping that she was exaggerating, but now I see for myself.”

  “Huh?” I scrunched my face up. “What are you talking about?”

  “She called me, telling me how you been talking back, and laying down with different mens for clothes. And I’m beginning to believe that she on to something. You out here half naked in them clothes that ya cousin nem be stealing from the mall. I know it aint cheap. I know that much. And you all dolled up, bringing all that extra attention to yourself,” she carried on. “Didn’t I see you get out of that there Benz? I was saying to myself, ‘look at that big gal with it all hanging out’. Not knowing it was you.”

  I gritted my teeth, wanting to cuss her out, but there was no way that I’d ever do such a thing. “Yeah, I’m in the Benz.”

  She lowered her eyes into slits. “Now, I might not be up on it, but I was on my Space Book, and I saw that same car on Meeka’s page. She claimed that it was her lil’ boyfriend’s car. Am I wrong?”

  I gulped. “It’s his car. Yeah.”

  “And Meeka know you driving it?” she placed her hands on her hips.

  “Honestly, I don’t know. She at work, right now.”

  I watched the expression on her face change, as she inched closer. “Let me tell you something. I don’t care if it’s your mama’s old man, or mines. If they offer you anything, you don’t take it. I don’t care if they with us. They aint no kin to you, and it’s inappropriate for you to accept stuff from them. It sends the wrong message. And you damn sho don’t drive they car. It just don’t look right. Just like it don’t look right for a big girl like you to be wearing next to nothing. Hell, I wouldn’t let you step a foot in my house like this. I got a man, baby. Just like your mama do, and I know she wouldn’t appreciate you coming in her house dressed like that.”

  “Granny, you tripping. What do I have to do with your man or anybody else’s?”

  “Listen,” she snapped, bucking her eyes. “What you got going on with ya mama’s man? Huh?”

  My heart dropped down to my stomach. “What? Why would you ask me that?”

  She shook her head. “I can tell by the look in your eyes that something aint right. And I don’t even wanna think about what you could be doing.” She sliced the air with her hand. “But whatever it is, cut it out, Mya. I don’t care what’s going on with you and ya mama. That’s still your mama, and even if you aint doing nothing but riding in her man’s car; you wrong. So, cut it out. And granny don’t wanna see you behind the wheel of that man’s car again. You hear me?”

  My leg was shaking, as I fought against myself. I wasn’t going to do a damn thing, but whatever the fuck I wanted, but I couldn’t say that to my granny. No matter what. “Man,” I swallowed. “Bye, granny.” I stomped off, never giving her a second glance. I hopped in the car with an attitude.

  “What happened?” Cavalli pried, as I handed her the bottle of water. “Who was that old lady?”

  “My granny on my daddy’s side,” I grumbled.

  “Well, what did she say?”

  I stared straight ahead, mad as hell. “Nothing.” Tears slipped from my eyes.

  I was pissed, for real. Sadly, I didn’t know at who. I think what bothered me the most is that I knew in my heart that my granny’s reaction would’ve been the exact same had Omari never laid a finger on me. But it was even more fucked up, because I was exactly who she’d accused me of being. I’d definitely been feeling myself, and was fucking my mama’s man. That was the reality, and I didn’t like that. I hated it actually, but I was utterly confused on what to do about it. The only way that I could possibly save face was to end things with Omari, before shit hit the fan. But I wasn’t sure of where that would leave me then, and I was afraid to find out.

  “Bitch,” Cavalli grabbed my hand. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” my bottom lip trembled, as I put the car in drive.

  “For real, Mya. Tell me what’s up. Do I need to cuss your old ass grandma out? Cause I will.”

  “You stupid,” I giggled, as I wiped away the tears. “But don’t worry about it. I’m good. Let’s just pull up to the right scene. I need to chill out.”

  “Shit, I really don’t know where to go, but let’s stop and get something to eat. I’m hungry.” She rubbed her flat stomach.

  I side eyed her. “I thought you said that you was broke?”

  “I am. That’s why the food’s on you.”

  I shook my head. “Fucking with you, bitch, I should’ve known. But I got you.”

  Omari

  “Nigga, I’m still laughing at yo fool ass. Nigga talk all that shit, but done let
a youngsta come along, and handle him. I mean, can you even record today, or do I need to call Young Mya?” Melo jested, as we pulled up to the studio. He’d been going in ever since I’d called him to scoop me, after I woke up and realized that Mya was gone in my car.

  All I could do was laugh to keep from blowing up. I’d been calling her for two hours straight, and her phone was going straight to voicemail. I had forgot to mention that I had a studio session scheduled today, but then again I shouldn’t have to. She’d taken my shit without asking, and it was happening a little too often for comfort. Then since this was a session I wasn’t trying to miss, I had to hit up Melo, putting him in my business. So, overall, the shit wasn’t a good look, and Mya was gonna feel me whenever I laid eyes on her.

  I knew that she was probably going to pull up at the studio, because I’d texted her several times, instructing her to pick me up from there. So, the minute she charged that phone up she was gonna know what’s up, and I had no doubt that she’d obey my commands. She might have been a little adventurous, but she knew when it was time to listen. Still, admittedly, I felt kind of lame, as I found myself without a ride. I had to laugh, as I found myself knowing what it felt like to be Meeka on all those nights I’d be late picking her up from work. Waiting on your own vehicle was a muthafucka, boy.

  “Look, at this shit,” Melo chided, as we hopped out of his Porsche. “Just looking at the lot, I see that everybody aint even here, yet. Especially, Lil’ Amir’s ass, and he’s supposed to be the first muthafucka here,” he complained, referring to the producer we were working with. “Let me call this nigga,” he grumbled, whipping out his cell.

  He waltzed into the building, and Skyy stepped out, before I could go in. Immediately, I knew that something wasn’t right, as I saw evident tears in her eyes. “I…I gotta talk to you,” her voice quivered.

  I squinted my eyes. “What’s up?”

  She glanced around. “Not out here,” she sniffled. “Let’s go to my car.”

  “Alright.” I nodded. “Come on.”

  Together we climbed into her BMW. Sitting in the passenger’s seat, I leaned the seat back, adjusting it to my height. “What’s up, Skyy? Talk to me.” I checked her face out, realizing that her eyes were swollen and blood shot red.