𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞, 𝐨𝐦𝐛/𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧

twenty five.

TAMIA COOPER POV

If you were to ask me why I'm attending this boujee ass party, I would hesitate to respond. This ain't my type of scene at all. I don't mess with the rich folk because they don't understand our struggles nor do they care.

So why am I attending this party? Well, for Shawn. After I gave him the okay to shoot Latrelle, we had to set up a time and place. Well, this is the place.

I'm a little skeptical though because I don't want any innocents to get hurt. But Shawn's a Prophet and Prophets don't miss.

The worst part about this plan is that I'm playing the waiting game right now. I don't know when Shawn is gonna pop up, and when he does, is he gonna make a big scene? Or is he gonna come in stealthily, get the job done, and then leave?

I don't know. All I know is that by the end of the night, Latrelle won't be breathing anymore.

And I know it seems shady of me to put a hit on him, over Olivia at that, but I'm tired man. Enough is enough. Latrelle has done me dirty more times than I can count, even if he hasn't realized it.

They don't say karma's a bitch for nothing...

"I thought that you were a part of that squad?" Jordan Baker asked me out of nowhere. I didn't even see him next to me.

He nudged his head at something. I followed his eyes and saw Olivia and Latrelle drinking and laughing.

See what I mean?

"Yeah well, not no more," I finally answered.

"That's unfortunate. You seem dope."

Jordan took a swig from the bottle that he's holding. I just looked at him curiously. "You gonna drink all that?"

He looked down at the bottle and laughed. "After the night I'm having, I plan on it."

I scoffed in agreement. "Tell me about it."

He held the bottle out towards me, offering me a drink. I grabbed it with no hesitation and took my own swig. Then I handed it back to him.

Jordan drunk some more while glaring at the inseparable duo. "We should go over there and confront them."

"Na man, just let them rock."

He refused to be civil. "Na. I got some things that I need to get off of my chest and I know you do too. Let's go."

So there I was being dragged by Jordan to confront my ex friends. I really don't even want to look at them, but I am interested to see what Jordan has to say.

"Gotta be honest, I don't like how you guys are icing Coop out," was the first thing Jordan said.

I don't need him defending me. I'm not weak. "Jordan, it's fine."

"It's not fine!"

Olivia stood up to her brother. "What are you talking about? We're not icing her out. She's the one that cut US off!"

"Because you iced her out!" Jordan yelled in her face.

Olivia wasn't happy with his tone. "First of all, watch your tone because I'm not one of your little bitches Jordan! You can't talk to me however you want!" Then she pushed him away from herself with a disgusted look. "And you reek of alcohol!"

"And so do you!" he fired back. "You shouldn't even be drinking anyway. We all know how you tend to get."

I raised a finger in the air. "Um, I don't."

Jordan opened his mouth to respond, but Olivia stepped up to me now. "If you had something to say to us, you could've said it yourself. No need to bring my brother into it."

"Excuse me?"

"Okay, woah, woah!" Latrelle quickly stepped in between us to deescalate the situation. Then he defended his little bitch's actions. "Olivia's clearly been drinking. Don't take what she says to heart."

I just rolled my eyes.

"Coop, we miss you," Latrelle said sincerely. "And you're always welcomed to hang with us. You know that."

Jordan took the words right out of my mouth. "Oh shut the fuck up, Latrelle! No one's falling for your false promises!"

Latrelle instantly snapped at him. "The fuck is your problem with me, Jordan?! You've been pressing me since day ONE!"

"My problem is that you keep getting your little minions to confront me!" Jordan argued. "You told them to shoot me, huh?!"

Olivia's puzzled. "Shoot you? What the hell are you talking about?!"

Latrelle spoke. "Man, I don't got no minions! If I wanted to handle-"

"HANDLE ME THEN!"

And Latrelle was getting ready to punch Jordan's lights out, but I intervened. "OKAY, ENOUGH!"

Then I spoke directly to my savior. "Jordan, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I can handle this."

"So leave," Olivia told him.

Jordan took another swig from his bottle, glared at Latrelle, and then left.

When he was gone, Olivia faced me and spoke apologetically. "Coop, I didn't mean to come at you so hostile."

"It's whatever."

She sighed. "Look, we really do miss you. Especially Latrelle. He's been a mess without you, believe it or not."

Latrelle nodded. "You've been on my mind nonstop, Coop. I want our friendship back and I'll do anything to get it back."

"Even if it means that he and I need to become a little...distant," Olivia added. Latrelle gave her a shocked look. "We just want you to feel comfortable."

"Y'all really care about me that much, huh?" I asked.

"Always," they both said.

Now it's my turn to apologize I guess. "Well it's not entirely y'all fault. I'm sorry for acting the way I did out of nowhere. I should've at least talked to y'all about how I was feeling."

"Yeah that would've been nice," Latrelle humorously replied.

I laughed a little bit and he placed his hand on my shoulder and said, "I'm sorry for making you feel obsolete. I don't ever want you to feel inferior to me Coop, and if you do feel that way again, I want you to tell me immediately okay?"

"Yeah."

"And I'm sorry for being such a ladies man," he added.

"Yeah but I don't want you taking my ladies, man."

He and I laughed.

"So do you forgive us?" Olivia asked from the side.

"Of course I do."

She clapped her hands happily. "Yay! We were about to hop in the hot tub if you wanna join?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a sec."

They nodded and made their way to the backyard. As for me, I pulled out my phone and called Shawn. Latrelle and I made up so I need to call off the hit.

Thankfully, Shawn answered. "Yo?"

"I'm calling off the hit, Shawn."

"What?"

"Latrelle and I made up. You don't need to hurt him anymore."

And all he said was, "You got it."

Good. Crisis averted.