I'll Ride For You, Homie

s e v e n

"Yes sir." She buckles her seatbelt.

We head out of the parking lot and make our way to Leo's Mexican Restaurant with my music blasting. It's a screwtape, Hellrsiser by DJScrew playing. I restart it because this is one of my personal favorite screwtapes.

"We cookin' birds, dippin' surp, think these niggas overheard, I be wreckin' down in Texas, plexin' ballin' on tha third, bein' cautious layin' poison, youngin's got'chu nauseous," I rap along with the freestyle. I look back in the rearview mirror to see Arique rapping along too.

"Benz don't make 'mends, the realest always win," then I look over to see Boo rapping too, "Southside rida, wit' lil Vyda, we go back since eighty three, hellraiser on the rise, paper makin' guys, don't stop enough to think we bluffin' look into our eyes, hellraisers on the rise." We all rap in sync with the freestyle that's playing.

We arrive to the restaurant about twenty five minutes into the freestyle. When I get out I open the door for Ericka and Arique gets out from the backseat shortly after. We all walk in and we're seated in a booth and given menus quickly because it's not that busy. I'm sitting next to Boo, and Arique is across from us.

"Hello, and welcome to Leo's, I'm Rolanda, and I'll be your server this afternoon." We're greeted by a yellow boned waitress with a smile. She fine too. "Do you guys know what you'd like to drink?" She looks at the three of us. Staring at Arique a little longer than us. Okay then lil daddy. Got'chu one. I think to myself.

"I'll have a Sprite please," he smiles at her.

"Yes sir." She bites her lip a little. "And for you two?" She tears her eyes away from Arique to look at us.

"I'll take a Coke," I tell her.

"And I'll just have a water with lemon please." Ericka says.

"Okay I'll have your drinks to you shortly." She leaves our table, but looks back at Arique after she's a little ways away. I smirk.

"I see you baby." I hold out my fist to dap him up.

"Mane, watch aht," he says, but he still daps me up with a smile.

"Mhm. My homegirl ain't enough for you Bubba?" Boo asks with a sly smirk. "Don't worry I won't tell." She says making a zip motion across her lips.

"Aw! But'chu give my pahtna hell for tryna get wit' her 'cause he a 'hoe'," I use air quotes, "but this nigga," I point my thumb towards Arique, "can dog ha' aht."

She rolls her eyes, "that's different Smutt." She waves me off.

"How?" it takes her a little minute to answer. "C'mon, inquirin' minds wanna know." I egg on.

"He my blood, I'an finna sell him out for KiKi." That's some bullshit, if I ever heard it.

"Aight, Ericka." Ain't my business, I don't care enough to know anyway.

"Well damn. Not y'all talkin' about me like I'm not here." Arique chuckles.

"Well you should be glad we'ain sayin' nothin' bad and behind your back." I tell him scanning over my menu.

"Mhm." The waitress comes back with our drinks and we all order our food.

It takes a while for our food to come out, and when it does we dig right in. We have light conversation about what we gotta do today while we're eating. I'm dropping Boo off at her salon and Arique is off for today. My shop is open Monday through Saturday from ten a.m. to eight p.m. so I just have them rotate their schedules however they see fit. I have a total of four emoloyees, so some days it's only two of them working. It works for them I guess, I haven't heard any complaints yet. From staff or customers.