Respect

Chapter 9

"Cupid doesn't lie
(Ain't no doubt about it, Lord knows, I really mean it)
But you won't know unless you give it a try
(I'd rather die before, before I lie to you)
Oh baby, true love won't lie
But we won't know unless we give it a try
Give it a try."
112 "Cupid"

Kyrie

"Do you think she'll like them?" I asked the woman I was buying flowers from at her stand near the road. They look like roses, but they're called gardenias. I remember Maia told me white is her favorite color and these smell sweet, so that's why I'm getting them for her. They do look familiar, but I can't put my finger on where I've seen them before.

"I know I would." She winked seductively, moving her body too much.

"Well, they're not for you." I waved my finger from side to side in front of her face. I handed her the money and she aggressively snatched it from me with a scowl on her face. Her being mad at me is not going to spoil this night. I left her shop to allow other people in line to get their own flowers. I made my way around the curb to my car, a neon yellow G63. I've come a long way from the 1987 Toyota MR2 I had back in high school. I pulled out my key from my pocket and tried to walk faster, after looking at the time on my watch.

From rushing so much, I missed my step for only a millisecond, but I didn't fall. Something else did though.

"What kind of bullsh*t is this?" My key fell into the storm water drain. This can't be karma for putting that thirsty lady in her place back there.

I gently placed the bouquet of flowers on the hood of my car and crouched down to see where the key was in the sewer. I pulled out my phone and dialed Kobe's number to see where he was at.

"Yo." He answered.

"I need a huge favor from you man. Can you bring me my spare key for the G Wagon?"

"N*gga, I'm busy with Benita." Kobe complained.

"So what? I'm your brother."

"You should have thought about that when I asked you to get me some juice yesterday."

"Are you being for real? You're not going to come help me over some Tropical Punch Tampico?"

"You prefer Kareem over me, right? Call him."

"You know he's at work right now."

"Kyrie over here calling me to come help him, so he can go on his date with Maia." I heard him say. I guess Benita was right next to him.

"You want me to go?" Yes! Team Benita, all day.

"You can't make me." You must not know your own girl.

"Owww, owww, owww! I'm going, I'm going. Don't remove my skin. You owe me." Kobe came back on the phone with an annoyed tone.

"Like the $200 you owe me."

"Hello? Hello? I can't hear you. The line is—." I immediately ended the call as he pretended there was static that prevented him from hearing me. I turned on my flashlight to see down there as I waited. I heard a car approaching, but I didn't pay it no mind. That was until I heard a car door slam shut, but I didn't see anyone when I looked around.