“Yeah,” Tron answered, hyperventilating a little. “I mean, you know how niggas get when somebody die. Everybody wants a piece and shit.”
“Yeah,” Tyrese said. “That’s how that shit be.”
The two of them walked out onto the club floor and over to the bar. They sat in chairs there, looking out at the room.
“So, how was Friday and Saturday night?” Tron asked, clearly wanting to get down to business.
Tron picked up on Tyrese’s pause. Tyrese was always an upbeat dude and the kind of guy who didn’t really need long to think up some shit to say. Tron knew that whatever he was going to say couldn’t have been good if he was pausing like this. And he hated that feeling of not hearing the information right away.
“What, nigga?” Tron asked. “What?”
“Friday night was slow again,” Tyrese said hesitantly. “And Saturday night wasn’t a lot better.”
“Fuck,” Tron said. This was coming to be the third or fourth weekend in a row that they were slow. “It’s the damn shit that be going down out in the parking lot.”
“Yeah, that’s what I be thinking too,” Tyrese said. “But, you know, I been try’na think of what we can do.”
“Did any shit happen this weekend?” Tron asked.
Tyrese shook his head. “Naw, everything was cool for the most part,” Tyrese said. “You know what I think? Once the police started posting up around here and stuff, you know a lot of the niggas that come in here bout that life and shit.”
Tron nodded. “Yeah, I know.”
“Right, so the police be using this place as a way to get’em and shit is what I be thinking.”
Honeys East had a couple of major fights and one shooting in the parking lot since Tyrese and Tron opened the place. A couple of times, they made the news and quickly went from being that discreet place in the hood where real niggas could come and see some thick pussy to having a little bit of a negative reputation. At first, business didn’t slow down, but then it started to decline. Business owners nearby didn’t care for the business being there and the kind of dudes it drew to the neighborhood, but Tron really couldn’t be worried about that. He and Tyrese both had talked about their suspicions that the people calling the police could be the other business owners and workers up and down the street, in efforts to try to get the club to shut down or move. Tron and Tyrese were determined to keep the place up. The location was perfect; the building was small, but totally manageable; the girls were thick and could keep niggas’ attention. Even better, however, was that they could keep the dudes going to the bar.
“Man, we gon have to start promoting and shit again,” Tryon said. “And, we gon have to start hosting some other kinds of parties and shit. That’s money too and shit.”
“I feel that,” Tyrese said, agreeing. “I’mma talk to the girls and make sure that they know to make these niggas that come in her feel extra welcome so they can keep coming back.”
Tron knew what this meant. It basically meant that Tyrese was going to give the girls a free pass and turn a blind eye if they decided to do more than dance for the men who came to the club. Tron really didn’t like doing this, but at the same time he couldn’t deny that it was effective. A lot of the guys who came into the club were married or had girlfriends, and Tyrese and Tron had made it their goal to have a club where those types of dudes could come and relax with some girls and just enjoy themselves.
“Are there any dancers we need to swap out and shit?” Tron asked. Typically, Tron handled the business aspects of the club while Tyrese handled what the two of them called the Product: the dancers. Tyrese picked the dancers out after private auditions. He also got rid of them when they weren’t really entertaining enough to be taking up room on a small stage.
“There’s one I think we can let go,” Tyrese said. “I mean, she cool and stuff and got a nice body, but she just don’t get these niggas’ attention like that. She got a few regulars that come looking for her, but nothing like Diamond or Cherokee or them hoes like that. Plus, you know, her body nice, but she really ain’t got that kinda ass for real like that.”
Tron nodded. “That’s true, that’s true,” he said. “Well, do whatever you gotta do with that shit, nigga.”
Tyrese suddenly smiled, having just remembered where his boy Tron had spent last night.
“How was spending the night with Desirae, nigga?” Tyrese asked. “Don’t act like a nigga forget about that shit.”
Tron smiled, knowing that Tyrese would eventually ask about it. “Man, I smashed that shit three times. Once when I got there last night, another time in the middle of the night, then this morning I was back in that shit again when we woke up. She can take the dick, that’s for sure.”
Tyrese nodded. “That’s wassup, that’s wassup.”
“So how long you think you gon be fucking Diamond’s ass?” Tron asked. “How’d I know you be in some shit today, fucking around and shit? You betta not let Nalique find out you doing that shit or she’ll be up in here and beating Diamond’s ass. Then, we gon really be on the news.”
“Man, you know I’m tight about my shit,” Tyrese said. “Don’t trip. Diamond is just a little something to have every once in a while. You know I prolly ain’t the only nigga she fucking. Plus, she be suckin’ a nigga’s dick like crazy.”
“Yeah, Desirae, man,” Tron said. “Damn. She can deep throat like a muthafucka I can’t lie. She a little clingy and shit, though.”
“Man, be careful with that shit,” Tyrese told his boy. “You know how some hoes get. Do she know that she is just a side thing or what?”
This time, Tron was the one who paused before answered. Eventually, he felt his boy Tyrese tap his shoulder.
“Naw, nigga,” Tyrese said. “Don’t tell me you catching feelings for that over there, man. Naw, man, don’t tell me that.”
“I ain’t catching feelings and shit,” Tron said. “But the shit do got me thinking.”
“Thinking what? Ain’t like you over there every day or anything is it?” Tyrese said.
Tron shook his head. “Naw, I only get over there bout once a week. But nigga, when I tell you that bitch can take dick, she can take dick. Plus, she ain’t on all the drama and shit. But lately, we been talking about it and I can kinda see that she try’na get more and shit. I told her I’d think about it.”
Immediately, Tyrese’s head started shaking. “Naw, nigga, naw,” he said. “You shouldn’t have told her that shit, man. Now, you got her thinking that you might break shit off with Shawna and go be with her. You know how these side chicks think. That’s why I don’t even be talking to mine. Just come, give a nigga what he want, and be gone. You see how Diamond get the point. All she do is come through, I put it down, and she leave – no talking. You over there with that chick doing the pillow-talk shit and everything.”
“Yeah, well…”
Tyrese got a little serious. He could tell that Tron was really thinking about some real shit that could make some real changes.
“So, nigga, you really think that’s where you wanna be and shit?” Tyrese asked.
“Man, I don’t know,” Tron said. “I mean, when I’m over there, everything is so nice. Like take last night…when I got there, she was waiting in her robe on her couch. Ain’t no robe in this world made out there to really hide that body from being seen. She had a couple of glasses out; wine was already chillin’ in the freezer. A blunt rolled and waiting on the glass coffee table. Her place is laid out and nice and shit – always is when I come through.”
Tyrese’s eyes widened as he was nodding. “Damn, that’s wassup, man,” he said.
“We chilled for a sec then before I know it,” Tron said. “She was on her knees in front of me and sucking my shit good. Later on and shit, we had a movie on and she got up and made me a little something to eat. This morning, she practically had that pussy up and ready for me. That’s that shit I like.”
“I like that shit too,” Tyrese said. “So you really thi
nkin’ bout breaking shit off with Shawna?”
“Man, you know I love Shawna,” Tron said. “We been together like three years and shit and she a real chick who got her own and everything. At the same time, Desirae…it’s like Desirae is a perfect place to spend a little time and shit. You know, change shit up a little.”
“Yeah, but if you spending time over there, nigga,” Tyrese explained. “Then, after a while, she is gon start to want more no matter what. You shoulda just kept it to fucking and nothing more or else she is going to think more is going to happen.”
Tron didn’t want to talk about how he had talked to Desirae about him leaving Shawna to go be with her. He decided to just leave that part out of the conversation because he already knew what his boy Tyrese would say. Tyrese was the king of keeping a chick on the side and never really letting things get too close between him and her. And so far, he’d been with Nalique a couple of years, and in that couple of years, he had smashed at least a dozen chicks on the side. To this day, Nalique never had the faintest idea. Tron, on the other hand, hadn’t really been that kind of dude. He was actually content with his relationship with Shawna – content until he met Desirae out at the mall. His relationship with Shawna had started to get a little old, even though she was the chick he would take a bullet for without question.
Tron and Tyrese went back to talking business, knowing that they had better put in some work to keep the club up and going. Within an hour, they were heading out the back door of the club and walking to their cars out in the parking lot.
“Man, remember what I told you,” Tyrese said. “Keep them hoes at a distance so you don’t have shit poppin’ off in your life and shit.”
Tron looked up at Tyrese, starting to feel disgusted, even sick to his stomach, from the way he was giving advice. “Nigga, I know,” Tron said. “I know.”
“Aight then, man,” Tyrese said. “You betta get that shit out of her head…don’t let her think you gon get serious with her. Don’t even talk about it. When you come through, just get what you came to get and get up out of there.”
“Yeah, yeah, man,” Tron said. “That’s what I been doing anyway,” he lied.
“We all supposed to be over to y’all place tonight at seven, right?” Tyrese asked.
“Yeah, that’s what Shawna told me and shit. Seven o’clock. She’s figuring y’all niggas will get there by eight because you can’t be on time and shit.”
“We gon be there at seven,” Tyrese said.
The two of them shook hands, hugged, then got into their cars and pulled out of the parking lot.
Chapter 3
Shawna finished up with setting and relaxing Miss Rhonda’s hair. Miss Rhonda was always such a nice client who never had a problem with paying or gave her any fuss. She was an older lady, maybe in her forties, who had some kind of good job over at a high school. Shawna always found her nice to talk to.
Shawna had a few other smaller appointments between the time Miss Rhonda had left at 3 o’clock and the end of her shift. Her co-stylists, in the booths up and down the main area of the shop, yelled playful gestures at Shawna as she was getting her stuff together to leave.
“Look at wifey over there, throwing a party and stuff for her nigga,” Amber said, jokingly.
“Y’all gone come or what?” Shawna asked.
Amber, as well as the other two girls, said that they would be there. One of the girls reminded Shawna that she’d better hurry up and get what she needed to get done before the traffic got too bad out there. Shawna agreed, quickly cleaning up her area and heading out the door. She got into her year-old Taurus and headed toward the highway so she could get out to Lafayette Square Mall.
Just as Shawna was getting close to the highway ramp, her sister Morgan called her.
“Girl, wassup?” Shawna answered.
“What you up to?” Morgan asked.
“Girl, you know I’m busy and shit for this party tonight,” Shawna said. “I’m bout to get on this highway and head out to Lafayette Square to get some shit.”
“Ooh, swing by and get me, Shawna,” Morgan said. “Come one, girl. I’ll be ready.”
“Girl,” Shawna said, a little irritated but laughing at the same time. Her sister Morgan was three years younger than her and was the kind of girl who is always down to go somewhere. Anywhere you were planning to go, if she had the free time, Morgan would hop right in your car and even pitch in on the gas money. The bad part about her being this way, though, was that she was rarely, if ever, actually ready when Shawna pulled up to get her.
“Girl, if I come and get you, your ass better be ready and shit,” Shawna said. “Get off that Facebook since all you doin’ is talkin to them niggas you know and be ready so I can keep going.”
“I’mma be ready,” Morgan said. “I’mma be ready. Come on.”
They hung up and Shawna drove past the highway ramp and picked Morgan up at her apartment complex. She lived halfway between Shawna’s shop and the mall. To her surprise, Morgan came out of the house as soon as Shawna pulled up and hopped into the front seat.
Shawna looked at her younger sister for several seconds as she put her seatbelt on and dropped her purse onto the floor.
“What in the world?” Shawna said in total shock.
When Morgan settled into her seat, she looked at how they weren’t moving yet. She looked at her sister and smiled. “What?” she said. “You said be ready, so I’m ready.”
Shawna began laughing as she pulled out and made her way over to Lafayette Road.
“So, what?” Shawna asked. “Are they all at work or something? Did they find jobs?”
“Girl, stop it,” Morgan said. “You make such a big deal out of nothing. Just cause I ain’t playing wife and stuff like you don’t mean that I’m out here just being a thot. So, where we going?”
“Well, I was thinking first we could stop at that party supply store and get some tablecloths,” Shawna explained. “Then we can go stop through that department store at the mall, whatever it’s called. I kinda wanna get something else to wear tonight, but I don’t know. We’ll see. Plus, I’mma stop at the store cause I gotta get some more food and shit for tonight.”
“Okay, whatever,” Morgan said, happy to just be there. “So, how many people you think gon be there tonight?”
Shawna shrugged. “Not a lot,” she said. “I mean, you know we having it at our place, so there’s only gonna be so many people.”
“Is what’s his name going to be there?” Morgan asked.
Shawna rolled her eyes, knowing just who her younger sister was talking about. “Damn, girl,” she said, halfway laughing. “Would you get off his dick? Plus, you know that nigga Tyrese got a chick, Nalique. Don’t go starting no shit tonight, girl. Plus, Nalique gon be there.”
“You act like I want that nigga or something, Shawna,” Morgan said. “You know I just think his ass is cute. He look like Ray J to me, just taller.”
“Ray J my ass,” Shawna said. “Don’t go staring him down or no bullshit tonight, please. Plus, you know I’m just trying to be the good chick and keep my man’s spirits up and shit. You know what he going through with his family with his grandfather’s passing and everything.”
“That’s right,” Morgan said. “He was down in Louisville this weekend with them, wasn’t he?”
Shawna nodded. “Yeah,” she answered. “And when I was on the phone talking to him earlier, I could tell that it was bothering him. He was just getting into the city and called me to let me know, and, girl, I could hear it in his voice when we was on the phone. It really did sound like something was bothering him. I asked him about it, but you know how dudes be. They don’t really wanna talk about it and shit.”
“Yeah,” Morgan said. “Well, he gon have a nice little birthday party. Did you get the cake?”
“Yeah, girl, I got that yesterday,” Shawna answered. “I just wish it was a different kind of cake.”
“What you mean?”
�
�I mean, you know how I was talking to him a couple weeks back about us.”
“Uh oh,” Morgan said. “I know what that mean.”
“No, you don’t,” Shawna said.
“Yes, I do,” Morgan said. “And I was thinking the same thing. Y’all be together like what, three years now? Y’all even live together and shit. I know what you thinking and you wanna know when he gon put a ring on it.”
“Morgan, now you know I ain’t no chick who is really into the wedding and all that,” Shawna said.
“So,” Morgan said, shrugging her shoulders. “That still don’t mean you don’t wanna get married and have that nigga’s last name – be more than just a girlfriend. Do you feel like y’all getting to that point?”
“I mean,” Shawna started, not really sure where she wanted to go with her explanation. In fact, she really didn’t even know where their relationship was going. Everything was just so comfortable that she thought that maybe Tron wouldn’t want to change anything. Deep down, however, Shawna wanted to change things in a lot of ways. To her, it already basically felt like they were married and living the married life. As she got a little older, the idea of being a wife instead of a girlfriend was definitely starting to appeal to her more. Business was going good for Tron, and Shawna was doing well with getting clients in the shop. To her, no time was better than the present to really get the ball rolling on making things official. She had held Tron down when him and Tyrese almost got caught up out in the streets and now he was out of that life and really coming into being a man. “I don’t know where we’re getting to,” Shawna admitted. “I just don’t know at the moment.”
Shawna pulled up to the mall entrance and turned into the parking lot. She and Morgan walked side by side as they headed toward the mall entrance. The mall parking lot was already getting a little crowded, but not as much as usual. This was normal on days when there had been a huge snowfall. A lot of schools had two-hour delays for the morning and people just weren’t out shopping a lot because it was getting close to the end of the month.
The Diary of a Side Chick (Side Chick Diaries Book 1) Page 3
