Down Chick

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Adamant Not...

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Adamant Not…

“Lakeisha.”

The sound of my name penetrated through the grogginess of my sleep. I stretched slightly, pain running through a small moan of pain escaped my lips and I found myself looking up into Rome’s pretty hazel eyes. What was he doing here? Where was Angel? Pulling myself up into a sitting position, I glanced around the room before my gaze moved back to him.

“Where’s Angel?” I asked.

“He’s currently being questioned by those bogus ass cops,” Rome responded. “Rodriguez and his partner decided to question him about some fire, yesterday.” 

I stared at him and arched an eyebrow. “What do you know about Officer Rafael Rodriguez?” I asked him.

He chuckled. “What makes you think that I know anything about that nigga?”

“I’m sure you’ve encountered him. He’s riding Angel’s ass and constantly warning me from Angel. Yesterday, he gave me his personal cell phone number and said, he’d check Angel for me.”

Rome leaned over as he burst into laughter. “Officer Rodriguez is a slightly crooked officer, who has a thing for younger black women. He despises men like Angel and me. We represent everything that he lost. A few years ago, he had him a woman and a child. This was when he was a straight edged officer. A few thugs got pissed that he locked up their homeboy, who ended up being murdered in the pen. So they went and took both of them captive. Then, murder them on camera and sent the bits and pieces along with the video to the Police Headquarters. Ever since then, he’s been jaded and willing to work to find out the killers of his woman and child. Can’t say that I blame him? I just despise him constantly fucking with me and my homes.”

I blinked rapidly. “That’s the issue with this whole lifestyle,” I snapped, suddenly. “You niggas can’t just keep your problems amongst each other. You just have to drag in family members, girlfriends, and children. Doesn’t make any damn sense. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking falling for smooth talking words that sounded well. I should’ve just packed up and left like I thought about doing years ago. The first time Angel indicated his interest I was planning to attend some far off university so that I’d be able to make a good escape away from everything.”

He chuckled once and then burst into laughter. “What stopped you?” he asked.

“Life,” I said, seriously, a small smile on my lips. “I found out that it doesn’t always  go according to plan. I had to take on three jobs to keep up with bills. Pushed off the application here and there. Til the deadline passed one year and then another one passed. Until I told myself that I didn’t have to deal with him and I didn’t have time for college.”

He shook his head, before a smile came across. “I may not be on the best of terms with that nigga, but I can tell he’d have found a way to sabotage you going anyway.”

I sighed. “It wouldn’t have surprised me if he did. Shit, he won’t let me go anywhere, right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I told him last night I was thinking about going across the country and he pretty said he’d drag me right back.”

Rome arched one eyebrow, before sitting on the edge of the bed. A serious express crossed his face. “You’ve been through enough, shortie. You know I’m here for you. That nigga’s already put you through so much, just by being associated with him. I’m sorry for the loss of your child. There’s nothing that can change that. I’ll give you time to think about it, but if you really want to leave, then I’ll be right there with you. We can go to the other end. There’s something I’ve been needing to do over there, anyway.”