Part of The Game

XXXVI

The next morning...

Dave's View

I called Tanya's phone for probably the 30th time this morning. She was supposed to be here helping us set up for Bianca's party but she wouldn't answer the phone. Hoping she's just in a really deep sleep, I decided to wait until Tyrell and Tariq got here.

After getting her voicemail...again, I hung up and slid my phone in my pocket. I went to the backyard and looked over the work that my mom, Kianna, and Carrie had done so far. Luckily, Tanya had brought all the decorations here after she bought 'em.

"Dave." Kianna called.

"Yeah?"

"Did you reach Tanya?" She asked.

"Nah, Imma just wait 'til Ty and Riq get here."

She sighed. "Alright."

The front door opened and Tyrell and Tariq walked in. I walked up to the them with a confused look on my face.

"Where's Tanya?" I asked.

"She not here?" Tyrell asked.

"Nah."

"She never came home yesterday so we thought she was with you." Tariq said.

"Wasn't she with some friend yesterday?"

"Gionni? Yeah." Tyrell said.

"The fuck is Gionni?" I asked, scrunching up my face.

"He lived next to us when we were younger. Him, Tanya, and Kianna were inseparable before he moved."

"Why'd he move?"

"He stabbed somebody for Tanya and I heard his mom got married so they moved in with her husband and his daughter." Tariq said.

"Dave, I need you to start those ribs." My mom said.

"Alright, I'm coming." I said. "Let's just wait it out."

Grabbing the seasoned ribs out the kitchen, I went to the backyard and started setting up the grill. If Tanya wasn't here by the end of the night, some shit went down. I can guarantee it has something to do with that nigga Gionni.

Later on...

The party's been going on for a good 3 hours now and Tanya still hasn't shown up. I'm glad that my baby sister's enjoying her day but my mind was only focused on my girl. Everyone's been blowing up her phone and haven't gotten anything close to a response.

I was sitting at a table with Tyrell and Tariq when I heard Kianna yell, "Oh hell no!"

When I looked in her direction, I realized she was referring to some chick standing by the back door. I stood up and walked over to Kianna while Tyrell followed behind me.

"Who's this?" I asked.

"Rochelle, what the fuck are you doing here?" Tyrell asked.