KG stepped out of his black on black tinted Lexus and slapped a fifty in Pookie's hand. "Keep the change you filthy animal," he mimicked from the movie Home Alone. "Told you the shit would work. Ya'll be sleepin on me. Sixteen ain't nothing but a numba."
"You right, cuz. You right," Pookie said, stuffing the gas nozzle in the tank.
They both turned their attention to a middle-aged woman walking by. She was alluring. She wore a red tube top and a jean mini skirt. Her long legs were covered with black fishnets and she wore a copper colored wig resembling Halle berry's short mane.
"Hey pretty lady," Pookie said.
"Hey Tenderoni," she replied.
Pookie smiled at the woman who moved her hips like a runway model. "Let me get your number?" He said. He locked the gas nozzle down to auto pump and walked toward the woman. He slid a pencil from his ear and then pulled a tiny notepad from his button down pocket. "Let me get them digits."
KG nodded his head. "Man. You corny as hell," he mumbled. He walked back to his car and turned up his music. He was on cloud nine, bobbing his head to the Humpty Dump. Nothing could bring him down. Not the people rolling their eyes at him for his loud music, not the cashier staring him down as if he were about to rob the place or even the fact that his cousin was taking forever to fill up. It was a beautiful day. He had money in his pocket and business was booming. "Sixteen," he shouted.
He pulled out his cd case and flipped through the sleeves. His finger slid down to 'Geto Boys' Mind Playing Tricks on Me. He slid it into the cd player. He sat there and DJ'd in the car, pulling cd out, playing a song and then putting another in. He wasn't paying attention to anything or anyone around him, he was busy thinking about a girl named Carmen.
"Hallle!" he heard his cousin yell. But still, KG didn't look up. He was busy reminiscing about the first time he'd met the shy girl. It was third period. He'd walked in, late as usual, and she was sitting there in the front row with a book in her hand. He sat right next to her, did a sexy pose, licking his lips like LL Cool J, but Carmen was so into Flyy Girl, she didn't notice him. And he liked her just because of that.
She was smart, but sassy at the same time and it reminded him of Shay. She wore plain clothes like Shay, always wore her hair in a tight ponytail, no makeup and no flashy herringbone necklace like most of the girls in the school. She was different and she turned him down every single time. He chuckled at her audacity.
He opened up his glove compartment. The book 'Flyy Girl' dropped down. He smiled. Monday morning, he'd spark up a conversation about the book and then she'd like him. That was the plan. Now all he had to do was execute.
"Aye!" A man yelled. "Aye!"
KG finally looked up. He jumped out the car, leaving his glove compartment wide open, his gun, money and the book in plain sight and forgot to shut his door.
"Aye!! Stop him!" the man said.
KG's heart throbbed as he scanned the gas station. He didn't see his cousin and he didn't see the woman either. The only thing he saw was the tail end of his truck moving slowly as the engine roared. The sound of the truck revving, choking on its own fumes confused him. Then he saw his cousin.
"Pookie!" he yelled, but Pookie couldn't hear him. Pookie revved the car for more attention and wore a goofy smile on his face. He cranked the music up louder, singing Girls, Girls Girls, Girls I do adore!' and then sped off.
KG didn't know what to do. All he saw was the gas nozzle still stuck in the gas tank as his cousin was pulling off. The last thing he wanted was flames, fire, law enforcement. "Pookie. Stop the fucking truck!"
