Death Befits Me

Cold Blooded

            Jaclyn nodded in agreement. “Yea, but it was like 4 in the mornin’, and I had school…”

            “There you go with them excuses again,” I said, cutting her off once more. “Like the last ten times I called you, you aint pick up.”

            “But you call so late, the bus come at 7:40, I can’t be up all night talkin’,” She explained.

            “So you sayin’ you aint got time for me?” I asked, redirecting the blame to her.

            “No, I do. It’s just…”

            “It’s just what?” I replied, not letting her finish her sentence. “I mean I be busy durin’ the day trynna make these sells dog. I be tried and all that, but I still call when I get the chance. It may be late, but that don’t stop me from hittin’ you up. I be trynna talk to ya, but you neva’ answer the phone. That’s why I’m like how you comin’ to me, talkin’ bout you feel like you bein’ played’, but you the one who not givin’ me the time of day?” I argued. “You see how that sound don’t it?” Jaclyn lowered her eyes taking in what I said. Her display of weakness was the opportune moment to strike. “look, I know I aint been perfect lately… but you know I care bout you right? …you know that right?” I gently grabbed her chin and lifted her face so we caught eyes. “Hmm?”

            “I know…” Jaclyn nodded.

            “Com’ here,” I took her hands and pulled her into a hug. The expression on my face was very empathic. At first Jaclyn seemed a little tense, but she eventually melted in my arms. I leaned in and moved my mouth close to her ear. “Imma make it up for ya tomorrow.”

            “Oh yea… how?” Jaclyn asked, a slight smile on her face.

            “I can’t tell ya now, it gon’ spoil it,” I replied. She sucked her teeth as we slowly pulled apart.

            “Aye!” someone shouted to our right. We glanced over and saw Kevin in his car with his arm out of the window. “I aint mean to interrupt nothin’, but we got business to handle.”

            “Ight man,” I called back. Jaclyn and I embraced one more time, clinging to each other tightly. “Imma call you tonight Ight.”

            “Okay,” she nodded, letting go of my waist. “Bye Ricky.”           

            Kevin pulled his car in a parking space and hopped out. His eyes followed Jaclyn as she walked back to her building. “Man you still fuckin’ with that bitch?” Kevin asked, dapping me up. He stole one last glance at her then turned back to me. “You need to gon and pass that to the homies A.” We both laughed going into my home. Candice was still lying on the couch sleep while we slid past the front room and to my bedroom.

            I went under my bed and pulled a six shot revolver from a shoebox, placing it in my pants. “Bruh… nigga like me man. I’m tried as hell dog. High too.” I slipped into a black shirt then placed a long red basketball jersey over it. “Man Jackie came ova’ on some bullshit A. talkin’ bout, ‘she feel like she gettin’ played’.” Kevin smirked a little when I said that. “She tried to pen me A, but you know me though. Had to set that bitch straight… imma buss em guts up tomorrow too.”

            “I hear that,” he added, watching me straighten my self. “When eva’ you ready we needa’ be out. Aint no tellin’ what moves T gon’ make.” Kevin referred to Tito who we had recently located. Since Kevin’s girlfriend worked at a beauty shop we found everything we needed to know about Tito. The gossip in solons was good for something I suppose, because we learned his work schedule and his apartment number.