Take Away From Me

2020

The burgundy cuffed Merino wool Polo beanie complemented his skin well - it made me wanna cop that; and his black pea coat too. As always, his slim cut goatee was fresh, looking like he just left the barbershop.

"Everything is everything, bro. I'm feelin' good."

My rare happiness surprised him. "That's wassup."

I was happy about how things were turning out for me. I had one of the most beautiful girls around and I was about to turn up with my dogs. Life was great.

I asked, "Yo, where Kev at? He rode with his girl?"

Jeremy started laughing and said, "Yeah."

"He was telling me earlier that he didn't wanna chill with her."

Jeremy laughed, "Of course he wouldn't. That man be too much into his own shit."

"I told him I don't see the point in having a girl if he sometimey with her."

Dwight yelled, "Niggas cheat on bitches 'n' bitches on niggas! Ain't nobody safe! He ahead of the game!"

My new found optimism couldn't help but ooze out. I said, "Na, not everybody like that. I trust Kassidy, cause I feel like she's different."

Jeremy looked back at me real quick, and said, "You sound real confident, kid. I respect it. At least you believe in something. Staying true to yaself despite other niggas is honorable."

It felt good that I wasn't alone. I said, "I know what I see in her. God would've never rewarded me if I was out here making people look stupid."

Dwight put on Fabulous and mouthed the Lyrics, "MY CURRENT SITUATION A LITUATION, MY CURRENT SITUATION MY LITUATION!"

"You hyped like this shit ain't ancient," I said.

" FUCK WHATCHU TALKING 'BOUT! SHIT SLAP!"

When we rolled in front of Autumn's crib, I peeped Kev, and his girl chillin' in her black '98 Infiniti with some black CH-R rims. I could see them two arguing, going at each other's throats, probably about the same old shit he told us about.

Once he saw us pull up, he started ignoring her like she wasn't shit, and walked over to us. He rocked his usual Chicago Bulls Jacket, army camouflage pants, and some Retro black and red Fourteens.

I laughed at him, "Yo, you straight bro?" I asked and took a look at Candice, still in her car, looking pissed off.

"Nah."

"Candice?" I asked.

"Yeah, she bitchin'."

"What's good, boy!" as Dwight embraced Kev.

Kev engaged, but seemed irritated from his loud voice. "I'm right here. Stop yellin' in my damn ear. Candice been doing enough of that shit," he said.

Dwight nodded towards Candice's and yelled,"Why Candice sitting over there in the car?! I'ma go get her, 'cause y'all niggas is rude!" and rushed over to her.

We all ignored him as usual and Jeremy got around to the other side to show Kev some love, too. He smirked, because he knew what was up. "You good, kid?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "Candice irkin' my fucking nerves, yo. Shoulda left her ass home."

I followed Dwight with my eyes, waiting to see how she looked rolling out of the car. She stayed looking right and I lowkey always wanted to dick her down. I tried not to think that way because she was with my boy, but that tan Bodycon dress wasn't helping—it was helping her little ass, though. If a chick's ass don't show even through a tight dress like that? Then ya shit a pancake.

I had to train my eyes not to look for long, because sometimes they had a tendency to control me. Candice made it hard. But, it wasn't really her body—she was too fine for it to ever matter. She had that Margot Robbie pop to her, favoring her a lot. Well, mainly the cheek bones, thin-lipped smile, and pale skin. There were two things that I loved about her—she was a ginger, a real one, and she had a sexy Boston accent that made her stand out from other girls.

And oh, DON'T fuck with her, because she's sassy and would rip someone's throat out if she had to. Them Italian chicks will give you the world, but if you fuck with them or their family, you might as well dig yourself a grave.

It seemed like every dude knew what Kev had except him. He ain't never appreciated Candice because he was too busy cheating on her every chance he got. For as long as I knew her, I never heard any nasty rumors about her fucking this or that guy, or carrying herself in a way that a hoe would. But for some reason, it wasn't enough for him. Regardless of the fact that he was fucking around or how often they argued about the same things, she didn't wanna leave that nigga. She loved him to death and was gonna ride that wave until it dried out.

I walked over to interrupt her conversation with Dwight. "What's up, Candice?" I smiled, face to face with her, because she was practically my height with those three inch heels.

She was joyful and gave me a big hug, "Heyy! Wasssup witchu?!" She smelled so good, like coconut, Malay and raspberries all in one.

"Chillin', chillin'," I said, catching myself staring at the freckles on her cheeks. I didn't see that a lot, so it fascinated me every time we linked up.

She put some sour apple bubble gum in her mouth and said, "I've been hearing some good things about you, suh!" She naturally had a loud and aggressive voice that you could hear from anywhere. Even if she was next to you, she spoke like that.

I folded my arms, looking on curiously. "What'd you hear?"

She was smacking on her gum like crazy. "I heard you got dah juice!" She jokingly turned her head sideways, smiling with her hands on her hips. "Huh name Kassidy, right?"

I started cracking up, "Kev gotta big mouth, I swear!"

"I ain't find out from him. Thank speakah phone fah dat. "

"He need to chill with that."

She kept her smile, "Why? You don't want ya girl tah know? I thought we was here! No?" She asked, using her two fingers to push back and forth between us.

"Nah, I'm fucking with you." I started thinking about Kassidy. "But yeah I'm feeling this girl, yo. I love her vibe and the little things she does for me. I can trust her. I just feel like she gonna hold me down, man."

"That's good. I'm glad fah you. I remember when me and Kevin started out like that." She started lighting up from reminiscing. "Y'all aint fuck wit me at first 'cause I used tah take up all his time."

"Yeah, y'all used to be all over each other. I admired that, though. And look at y'all now, two years and still kicking."

Her jolly mood immediately changed and I felt that I could see the sadness in her eyes, "Yeah. Still kicking."

She looked at me like she was seeking answers or wanted me to snitch on Kev about shit she already knew he was doing anyway. I was cool with her, but Kev was my nigga, and whatever he did was his business. I wasn't gonna get involved in that mess.

We all walked into Autumn's kickback together. Her two-home apartment complex wasn't cluttered, with a handful of people all chillin'. The mahogany wooden steps going upstairs was right in front of us, a big sixty inch flat screen TV was about ten feet towards the left, with a couple of Puerto Rican dudes sitting on stools playing FIFA, and two others watching. Diagonal from it was the three-seat, white linen couch. A group of girls sat there; Autumn, her friend, Dee, and this penny-colored, boney-looking Jamaican chick with a long ass face. There was a mole on the right side of her lip and her disgusting blue-hair highlights. She eyed me like she had a stank ass attitude.

Music was blasting from the kitchen where people were dancing and eating pizza. Everybody was chillin', waiting to celebrate the new year.

Autumn and her friends were ready to pounce on Jeremy. They didn't try hiding that shit in the slightest, looking like they were ready to risk it all.

"This shit look wack. I'm all dressed up nice fah nothin'," Candice complained.

Jeremy said, "We ain't gonna be here long. Just came to show my face."

Kevin agreed, "You coulda showed ya face on ya own then. This do look kinda dry," and grabbed his girl's hand. I could hear them in the back laughing with each other, and he asked me, "Yo, where the bathroom at?"

"I don't know. Go look around."

Kevin and Candice walked past us, while Autumn got up to greet the rest of us. I already knew what that meant. They had forgotten whatever they were arguing about before, and was about to go fuck it out, like they always did.

Dwight laughed and said closely in my ear, "Shorty on the couch is ugly as shit, nigga," referring to the boney-looking Jamaican chick.

I started laughing, too. "Like you said though, pussy is pussy, so go ahead. That's you, bro."

"Nah, that's not pussy. I bet that shit is bones. I want that other chick next to her." Dwight was referring to Dee, who was a mocha brown skin girl with a FAT ass that popped out through her black leggings. That, and her big thighs were the only things worth looking at on her. She was already thick, but it looked like she was started to let herself go a little. Her tummy was showing through her slim purple t-shirt.

Autumn came up to us and flashed a big, dimpled smile, saying, "Hey, guys!" and greeted us with hugs. I was so tight, because this hoe gave me some corny ass side hug, but this nigga, Jeremy, got a prolonged "arms around his neck within kissing distance" hug. The disrespect.

We both responded with, "What's up?"

I liked Autumn's dark red hair. It was in two chunky braids. It matched well with her peach-colored skin. It wasn't natural, but it was a cool look. I didn't think she was a straight dime, but she was a good eight. She was tall too, like a couple inches taller than me. It bothered me standing next to her.

When she placed her long fingers on Jeremy's big shoulders, I noticed that her nails were painted red with a white star in the middle of each one of them. Whenever she would whisper in his ear, I glanced at her cute cupid lips that had a deep and defined "V" on the top one.

And that fat pussy was showing right through her black Adidas joggers when she stood toe to toe with us. I accidentally blurted out, "Damn."

"What?" She asked curiously.

I looked up at her, "Nah, nothing. I ain't say nothing."

She already knew what I was talking about and I can tell she loved that shit too. "Mhm," she muttered and then turned her attention back to Jeremy.

Once she acknowledged me, it was like only Jeremy existed. Every few minutes, she would find different ways to rub on him. She was making it known that she wanted the dick BAD. Well, I can say the same about every girl in that place. They all wanted a piece of him. It was like that everywhere we went. Normally, I would be jealous, but I ain't care 'cause I had Kassidy.

Dwight was already over on the couch talking to Dee, so I grew tired of standing awkwardly in the middle of the conversation, and checked to see if Kass texted me. By the time I looked up, I saw them heading past me, upstairs to her room. I rolled my eyes, because that meant everyone in the crew was about to get or was already getting pussy except me. I mean, even Dwight was doing his thing. She wasn't all that cute, but at least she had shit to work with. I was the odd one out, making me wish that Kassidy was here even more. I made it known to her.

She texted back,"I'ma be back before you know it, cutie. I'm all in church thinking about ya sexy self, getting horny and what not. Making me feel bad bc the preacher talking about getting right for the new year lol."

I started laughing at what she said, and walked towards the kitchen but was stopped by one of the dudes playing FIFA.

He got excited when he peeped me, "Yo Jerome, that's you, my boy?"

I looked at him real good to remember, "Yo, what's good, Miguel?! Haven't seen you in a minute, bro." We used to play ball around the neighborhood together back in high school, but hadn't seen him since then. Shit, his big ass curly afro was shaped like a ball, too.

We walked over to the kitchen to get some pizza and I smelled the weed all over him. His eyes were low like he was half asleep. I didn't fuck with that shit, so I hated being around people who did.

I noticed he had a big tattoo saying, "Fuck Bitches, Get Money," which stretched out from the elbow to his wrist. I asked him about it, "Yo, what made you get this?"

He laughed and said, "Cause I focus ona bag. I don't fuck with these hoes," thinking that shit was actually funny.

"Whatchu been up to these last couple years?"

He grabbed some pizza, acting as if he didn't hear me or dozed off or something, and asked "What happened?"

I got annoyed, "Yo, ya heard? I asked you what you been up to." That nigga was so unaware that I wanted to stop talking to him.

He randomly said, "Yo, this pizza bussin' right?"

I shrugged him off. "I'ma check you later. Good seeing you." I walked back into the living room.

I hated how stupid weed made some niggas act. If you was around someone that was high, you just don't get any of their jokes or shit the they say. I'm not discriminating against those who do, 'cause my niggas do it, but not in front of me. Even though, it's not a proven fact that weed kills brain cells or non like that but it definitely does something to a nigga's reactions or reflexes. Shit is annoying.

Dwight was still over there laughing and joking with both chicks. He was just that guy who could mesh and be cool with anyone, because he had a people's person personality. I didn't know Dee enough to say what's up to her, I just knew her by name. I damn sure wasn't saying hello to that other chick next to her, so I just walked passed them, but Dwight stopped me.

"Yooo, Rome, get ya ass over here!"

"Yo," I greeted, while glancing at Dee's fluffy ass titties.

He looked at Dee and the other chick to introduce us, "Ladies this is my boy, Jerome."

Dee smiled with delight and waved, "Hey!"

"Hey, how you doing?"

The other chick, Jackie, didn't speak and folded her arms with an attitude. I got offended and asked, "What the hell is ya problem?"

She snapped her neck at me, "Nigga, fall back."

Dwight got upset and interrupted, "Yo, you ain't gotta do all that. Don't talk to my boy like that, girl!"

I laughed, "You already ugly and baldheaded, so choose one. You can't be ugly and have an attitude."

Dee got into it, "Don't start talking shit, aight?"

I made a slick comment, "I wasn't but ya girl right here is rude as fuck."

Jackie started yelling at me in some other language that I didn't understand so I just walked away. Those tricks weren't anything to look at anyway.

It was about ten minutes to midnight, and I was ready to go. Candice and Kevin were back from wherever they came from but Jeremy was still upstairs with Autumn. Candice came back with a totally different attitude, all jumpy and happy and shit.

Kevin asked, "Where's Jerm at?"

I leaned my head towards the stairs, "He upstairs with Autumn."

He smiled and said, "Myyy Nigga."

I got annoyed and said, "That nigga been up there for like an hour. I'm ready to be out."

Candice said, "We about to leave anyway, you could come with us."

I texted Jeremy, "I'm out."

"Bet," I said and got ready to walk out.

Kev stopped me real quick, "Wait where E at?"

"I don't know. He disappeared with them girls he was sitting with."

Candice let go of Kevin's hand. "Hold on, I'ma go see if he in the kitchen."

Kev looked at the time on his phone and got hyped. "Oh shit, it's five minutes till midnight, nigga!"

"Damn, this year went by quick as hell. It ain't even gonna feel right writing the year down next semester."

"Facts. I might put 2019 on my shit, out of habit."

We both cracked up, I asked, "Yo, where was y'all at earlier?"

He gave me a slick smirk, and rubbed on his big beard, "Nigga, you should know this shit by now."

I smiled back, "Ain't nobody hear y'all?"

He shrugged, "I don't know, and to be honest, I don't give a fuck. I beat that up real nice, so she could shut up."

Candice came back and said , "He said he comin' right now. He chillin'' in the kitchen, talking to those ugly bitches."

"Right! They ugly as hell! I got in an argument with that bald headed ass Jamaican chick!"

She said, "Wait the one with the big booty or the black wig?"

"The wig."

"Oh, wow that bitch look stupid with that nasty wig on her head."

"Word! She was rude as hell and didn't wanna speak to nobody when Dwight tried to introduce us."

While we walked to Candice's car, a red Charger pulled up in front of us, and a random ass girl popped out with authority, locking onto Kevin with her icy blue eyes hiding behind glasses. She looked like she was Puerto Rican with wheat-colored skin, and she had an ass like Serena Williams.

When she rushed over, her face was red like a tomato. She looked ready to stir some shit up. You know a chick is coming with a purpose if she flies out of a car with some pajamas, uggs, and a scarf.

She pointed to Kevin and shouted, "OH, SO YOU CAN HANG OUT, BUT CAN'T ANSWER MY CALLS AND TEXTS?!"

Candice let go of Kevin's hands and looked directly at the girl confused, "Who you?"

The girl ignored her and kept eyes on Kevin, "HELLO?! DON'T YOU HEAR ME TALKING TO YOU, NIGGA?!" She shouted as she waved a hand across his face.

Kevin didn't say anything, looking like he didn't know her. So Candice stepped in front and spoke for him, "Listen bitch, I don't know who you ahe, but you bedda get lost if you know what's good fah you!"

The girl started smacking her right fist against the left palm, "AND IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU, THEN YOU GONNA MOVE AND LET THESE GROWN FOLKS HANDLE THEIR BUSINESS! YOU GOT ME FUCKED UP!"

Candice came as close as she could to the girl's face, "If you got a problem with my man, then you got a problem with me. So, I'ma tell you what, you got Twenty minutes to remove yaself, get back in ya cah, and move along before I knock ya face in!"

The girl didn't budge. "WELL, MAKE SURE YOU TELL YA MAN, THAT THIS BITCH RIGHT HERE IS PREGNANT WITH HIS MOTHERFUCKIN' BABY!!" She looked at Kevin and pointed, "YEAH, THIS YOURS, NIGGA! YA STUPID ASS BEEN DODGIN' ME!! YOU JUST AS CORNY AS THIS BITCH YOU  WITH !!

Amazingly, Kevin remained under control, and acted as if she wasn't even there. He sat there and allowed the girl to talk shit. He left Candice out to dry.

Candice waved her hand in front of the girl's face with a smile, "Heyyy! Guess what!?"

The girl stopped talking and turned her attention to Candice, looking her up and down.
"Ya time is up, bitch!" Candice yelled and punched her so hard that her glasses popped off, with blood gushing out her mouth. She immediately fell head first onto the street. She couldn't even get up and get a hit, because Candice went straight ballistic. She grabbed a huge handful of her hair, and started bashing the back of her head against the pavement at least three times, before Kevin attempted to restrain her. Every time I heard the girl's head pop against the ground, I cringed.

Kevin used all his power to get Candice off,"YOO, CANDICE, LET THE GIRL GO! LET HER GO!!"

I had got involved to separate the two, because Candice was fucking her up so bad that she was about to kill the chick.

Candice kept resisting. She screamed, "I TOLD YOU, BITCH!! I GAVE YOU TWO MINUTES, AND YOU AIN'T LISTEN!! DON'T EVA COME NEAH MY MAN AGAIN, OR I'LL KILL YA!! YOU FUCKIN' HEAH ME, BITCH?!!"

I saw everybody from the corner of my eye pop outside from the party, including Dwight, those two girls, Jeremy, and Autumn.

I heard Miguel with his boys yell, "OH SHIT! LOOK AT THIS!!" He pulled out his phone trying to record whatever he could on Instagram.

Once Jeremy noticed, he quickly snatched the phone out of his hand and said, "Gimmie that shit." They didn't even bother to challenge him because they were so intimidated by his size.

He rushed down the stairs to attend to the girl that was bleeding out of her mouth and nose. While holding her head up, he looked at Kevin and said, "Yo, get Candice outta here!" Then he looked at Autumn, worried, and said, "Go get me a towel or napkins, some shit to wipe up this blood!"

There was a bunch of chatter coming from different parts of the crowd surrounding the sidewalk. I heard this one girl say, "Damn, she fucked her up."

Then the friend next to her said, "See, that's exactly why niggas ain't shit." For the most part, everyone was looking at the girl bleeding, and they were shocked by how bad she looked. It was only a matter of time before someone called five-o.

Autumn rushed into the house as quick as she could, and came back out with a big white shower towel in her left hand, and a bunch of paper towels crumbled together in the right. The girl was refusing the help, wanting only to seek revenge, rushing off of adrenaline.

Meanwhile, Kevin was telling Candice to get in the car, but she kept refusing and started ranting at him instead.

With her face and fist still red, she looked at Kevin in the eyes and asked, "Is it true?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "Is what true, Candice? What?"

She got frustrated with Kevin's oblivious and nonchalant attitude. "DON'T FUCKIN' PLAY STUPID! DID YOU GET HER PREGNANT??!"

He folded his arms together, and spoke in a low tone, "No."

She pushed him, "DON'T FUCKIN' LIE TO ME!!"

He walked back towards her for a hug, wanting to fix things. "Come on, baby. You know I wouldn't do that shit to you. I love you."

But she rejected him and yelled, "NO, I DON'T KNOW!"

He tried grabbing her arms and said, "Baby," but she again, refused, and I could see her eyes tearing up. "Come on, baby. I don't know who that girl is. I would never disrespect you like that."

I looked away while he tried lying his way out. It pissed me off, because Candice was hurt to the core, and all she wanted was for him to be real. I didn't say anything or even give off the impression that I knew something she didn't. I knew he was fucking that girl, so I was as guilty as he was for not speaking up, but that wasn't my place. What I felt bad for, was out of my hands.

She started crying, "WHY ME, HUH? DON'T I DO ENOUGH FAH YOU?! DO YOU SEE ME OUT HEAH DISRESPECTING YOU?! HUH?"

Kevin looked down, like he was disappointed. "I know..." He didn't have to confirm anything because it was all in his sad expression.

"WHEN YOU WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH YA PARENTS FOR LIL' WHILE, WHO TOOK YOU IN? WHEN YOU NEEDED MONEY FAH YA BOOKS, WHO MADE SURE YOU WAS SET? WHO PUT BREAD IN YA POCKET WHEN YOU NEEDED IT?" She pointed at herself, "ME! NOT ANY OF THESE BITCHES YOU FUCKIN'!"

She kept ranting, the tears rolling down her cheeks messing up her eyeliner, "FROM DAY ONE, I'VE DONE NOTHING BUT DO RIGHT BY YOU! NO BITCH HAS TREATED YOU BEDDA THAN ME! I MEAN, I'D DO ANYTHING FAH YOU!" She smacked against her chest and said, "BUT YOU KEEP SHITTIN' ON ME OVA AND OVA AND OVA AGAIN! I'M SO FUCKING TIRED OF IT! SO, YOU KNOW WHAT?! FUCK YOU AND THAT BITCH!!" She yelled as she opened her door and got into the car. Before she closed it, she yelled, "DON'T CALL ME! FUCK OFF!!"

I grabbed Kevin's arm before he could speak, and she drove off. I looked at my phone, and it said, "Friday, January 1, 2020." Happy New year, I guess.