Trap Queen.

4♛

                                                C H A P T E R - 4

       E G Y P T - P O V ▼

       “I just don’t what I’mma do about these bills, Egypt.” Momma sighed deeply, so I knew she was stressed out. Jobs around here were hard to get, and the only way people hustled was selling drugs and prostitution, and to me, prostituting wasn’t an option.

       “Momma, I’mma figure it out. I don’t want you to worry,” I reassured. We all knew how I’d be getting my money, but of course I wasn’t going to let Momma know that. Usually, I’d just lie and tell her that Reggie made a little extra money this month and lended it to me because I told him I needed help. I hated lying to Momma, but I knew she wouldn’t take the money otherwise.

       “As a grown woman, I need to provide for myself. I shouldn’t have to depend on my daughter to bring in the money. It should be the other way around.”

       “Momma, you know I don’t mind,” I comforted. “It’s something I’m used to.”

       “It shouldn’t be that way.”

       I sighed. I loved Momma, so that’s why I did the things I do for her. Only for love. Selling drugs may have not being the best option, but it’s the only thing we could work with now. Since Momma could barely get a job, and prostituting wasn’t an option. Drugs, or theft. I rarely “stole” anything, and drugs were sold easily around Compton—anywhere really.

       Before getting into my own thoughts, I heard someone knocking at my door. I opened it, to see Serena. She was wearing a plain wifebeater and jeans with holes in them—and it didn’t look like that was the style of them. “How do you know where I live at?” I asked, laughing.

       “Don’t worry about all that,” Serena laughed, “I just really need your help. Walk with me?” 

         I stepped outside, and started walking down the block with Serena. Even though I didn’t have many people I associated with, Serena seemed like a cool person. Not someone that would end up being a snake or a opp, but just a down ass chick.

         “Okay, Egypt, I know we’ve only known each other for like a day, but I really need yo’ help, like really. I ran away from my boyfriend and he sendin’ folks out lookin’ for me. I ain’t got nowhere to go. I ain’t got no family, no friends, nothin’.” Serena sounded like she was holding back tears.

        “He made me do some dirty shit, so I had to get away, you feel me? I couldn’t be in that situation no more. I had to do better. So please, can you take me in? I understand if you don’t want to or you don’t trust me right now, but please find it in your heart.”

        Everyone in the hood knew I had a huge ass heart. But taking in a whole another human being in my home? It was a lot to ask for. It was a lot to do. I knew Momma wouldn’t be with it, neither. She was already ‘struggling’ with the bills, and to provide for somebody else and to have another mouth to feed was a lot.

       “I’on know if my mom would be wit’ it. I’d be totally down for it, but right now, I don’t know how my mom would feel.”

       “Can’t you just sneak me in?” Serena’s voice went from beginning to bargaining.

       “I’ll see what I can do. My Momma ain’t got no job, neither do I. With that being said, I’mma need you to contribute to the income,” I said, sounding like a landlord or something. “You don’t have to prostitute or something crazy, but I’mma need you to do something. Hustle and grind.”

       “I feel you. I swear to God if you let me in live with you, I’ll work my ass off. I just need a place to stay. And I don’t wanna be under my boyfriend’s wing anymore,” Serena explained.

       “What was he exactly making you do?” I asked, curiously.

        “I’d rather not talk about it.”

        S E R E N A - P O V ▼

        “Thank you so much, Ms. Henry. You have no idea how much this means to me.” It was good news to hear that Egypt was going to let me crash at her place for as long as I needed. I needed to get away from Dante, and after what seems like a billion years, I got strong enough to break away from him. In my opinion, no one should be kept in that type of relationship.

       “Don’t worry about that, baby,” Egypt’s mom said simply.

       Egypt’s mom cooked fried chicken, collard greens, and rolls made from scratch. I swear I ain’t had a meal so good in a while. Egypt’s Momma could really throw down in the kitchen. She cooked a lot, but she knew I’d probably still eating this for breakfast. Right now, I ain’t even care about my manners. I went from eating watermelon and popcorn—anything I could scrape up—to having a good, home cooked meal.

       “Damn, Serena! When was the last time you ate?” Egypt laughed. She obviously took it as a joke, but she really had no idea when was the last time I had a homecooked meal.

      “No one I know can cook as good as this.”

        “Yeah, Momma can really throw down.” I nodded my head. I cleaned the plate completely and put it in the sink. Egypt was barely touching her food, which was astonishing to me. No one I knew could cook as well as Mama Dee.

      “Aye, we’re going to have to pop out. I have to go by Reggie’s house to pick up a few. . . things.” Egypt was using ‘secret’ code, but I knew exactly what she was talking about. Shit, if she trying to provide for her mother, I don’t blame her. There’s a lot of people who won’t even do that, so I applaud her.

       “That’s good with me.”

       I followed Egypt out of the house and let her lead the way to Reggie’s. I heard about Reggie—he was like a Compton drug lord. But the L.A.P.D had yet to find that out. He was so slick with his trade it wasn't even funny. Word was that he had a grandma in Jamaica that had a full garden of Marijuana, and a cousin that ship him cocaine from Cuba.

       Egypt and I walked into Reggie’s house, like we lived there. I’d only had been in Reggie’s house a few times, but every time I went in, there was about 20 niggas in there (including A.J., who was white).

         “Aye! Aye! Egypt. You came to pick some up?” Reggie’s brother asked her. Egypt nodded her head like she was somewhat embarrassed. But you gotta get it how you get it. Egypt went to the back of the house with Reggie’s brother, while I stood in the front awkwardly.

      “Serena, Dante lookin’ for yo’ ass,” Reggie taunted, making everyone laugh. I narrowed my eyes at him, even though I knew it was true. If Dante was looking for me and just so happened to find me, I’d probably be dead or back to being trafficked. 

        “Aye, aye, Serena. You should ask Egypt what her number is. I wanna hit her up. She a bad bitch,” A.J. winked, looking like some kind of perv. I rolled my eyes.

      “Egypt don’t want yo’ white ass,” I shot back, laughing. The whole house erupted in laughter.

      “Don’t knock it until you try it.” A.J. was grinning, but I could tell he was embarrassed.

       Egypt came back from the back with a big brown paper bag. “Let’s bounce,” she says, looking kind of exhausted. She gave A.J. a flirtatious look, just to egg him on. We left Reggie’s house, and it was pitch black outside.

      “You diggin' A.J.?” I asked, half-jokingly.

      “He’s alright for a lil’ ole’ white boy. I know he likes me, but I don’t know about a relationship right now. I’m too busy trying to hold the household down, you know? I ain’t got time to chase after no boy. You feel me?” Egypt clarified.

      “One hundred percent. I wish I would’ve known that.”