SUGAR

Twenty One

"Thank you." I smiled faintly before exiting. I hope Ms.Sherie was right.

___

"So sick of love songs, so tired of tears, so done with wishing you were still here! Said I'm so sick of love songs, so sad and slowww, So why can't I turn off the radiooo?" I sang off pitch as bobbed my head to the melody. I had turned on the radio to vibe and clear my head and I guess they could feel my hurt too.

It had been a long ass two months and I had forced myself to push everything that had happened recently to furthest part of my brain. It seemed easier to not think about it and pretend shit didn't play out the way it did but the reality of it was it did. Just when I thought it was over all the hurt I hid came rushing back causing me to have a meltdown. I cried like a lil bitty bitch. I had never dealt with anything like that before. It was when I realized I needed to talk to someone.

Sugar mentioning Amir's name fucked me probably the most as well. She wouldn't return my calls and messages and the shit she said just didn't add up. I needed to let it out even though letting it out turned out to be harder then I thought. She didn't make it any easier ignoring me. I knew if I seen Sugar in person I'd probably fold under pressure. It was still some shit I couldn't speak on. But I still had too many unanswered questions that constantly fucked my head up.

When Kyra left Bruce and I seemed grow closer then before. We were becoming the boys we had use to be before I came up and had first had taken off. Bruce said the shit himself. He felt as if Kyra had gotten in the way of our friendship. He was right, we had gotten distant once I began to truly love Kyra. The bitch ain't have it all but at the time it was where my heart was at. I guess because of my player ways I use to have Bruce would have never guessed I'd really fall for someone. I even told that nigga I wanted kids by her. He knew how hurt I was behind Mira not being mine. He was there for me the most when that shit played out. Just like he had been recently.

After helping Bruce put two and two together on Kyra being the one to hurt Mira it all made sense to him. At first, Bruce had come at me crazy about that shit. The nigga initially blamed me for killing Mira just because my mouth had gotten real reckless about her in the past. I didn't blame him for thinking that way especially when I gave him reason to think like that but I knew I didn't which caused me to flip. We had had exchanged words that resulted in us going blow for blow with each other until I pulled out my pistol when I felt we wouldn't stop. Seeing I was serious about putting one in his ass he decided to sit down instead and reevaluate his opinion on me being her killer. He even told me about Kyra being pissed about Mira crying before he dropped her off home which led us no other option but to believe my theory was right.

I can't lie for a while I was becoming iffy about Bruce. After Kyra and me moved in together and shit I slowly began to see the change in em. I was praying to God Bruce wasn't one of those jealous ass niggas on the low. Bruce met me when I was only seventeen. He was once my stepdad's homeboy until he seen how the nigga fucked me over. Shortly after he took me under his wing so I can get the fuck out my mom spot and get my own money. He ain't ever give me no shady vibe so I dismissed it. Plus why would the nigga who put me on and basically raised me do all of this only to destroy me? He was my OG.

He had been stepping up in a major way though lately since I been a lil off my square. CoCo said her son been having a lot of issues so she hadn't been around as much lately which is why Bruce stepped up. I had began to send her to Stacks to do drops and pickups now that I had no other women around to do it. She had done it enough and built enough trust with me but now Bruce and her was all I had beside me. I felt like it was time I did Bruce the favor of thanking him properly for all his hard work.

"You at the spot G?" I asked Bruce as he picked up the phone. "Say less, I'm pulling up right now."

Pulling into the long spiraled driveway I seen a heavyset Bruce walking outside with his crispy white ones, white tee, and Rock Revival jeans. He his bald ass head was glistening in the sun as he used a white facecloth the rested on his shoulder to dab at his head. "What's good my boy?" He asked hopping into my truck as we embraced each other with a handshake.

"Maaan, not shit. I was just cruising the streets trying to get my thoughts together. Thought I should holla at you bout some shit."

"Word? We aint talking bad news is we?" Bruce asked as he pulled a black and mild from his ear to spark.

"Nah, not even. I actually came here on some love shit. You been stepping up in a major way since a young nigga head been fucked up."

"You know it's all love. That's what boys are for. Shid, you damn near like a son to me."

"You right, that's what they are for. That's the reason I wanna give you a promotion. No more baby ass drops and babysitting shit now that Kyra and Sugar gone.." I looked out the window for a bit before looking back to Bruce. "It's time you be the boss you deserve. Working side by side with me, this our shit." I said proudly confident in the decision I had made. This had been well overdue.

"Yooo, my fucking mans!" Bruce said excitedly pulling me in for brotherly hug. "I appreciate this shit."

"I know this shit took forever, but hey better late then never." I shrugged.

"Already, you know I ain't gone let you down. I'm ready to make some money, ya hear me?" He laughed.

"You know, I know." I laughed along with him.

"This shit sound like we need a celebration! Let's go out next week or some shit. Pop a few bottles."

"Mmcht, maaaan. You know that ain't even my type of seen no more."

"Man look, I know you been hurt about that shit with  yo girls. But you need to have some type of fucking fun. You can't be cooped up in the house listening to Jagged Edge and shit." I shot him a look at his Jagged Edge comment.

"Yeah, I heard you banging that shit the other day like you just lost yo best friend and shit." I looked away embarrassed while he belly laughed. "This shit got to stop, I hate this kind of Ant. This ain't the young wild nigga I used to know. Even if you don't wanna go back to that nigga at least have him pop out for one night so I can celebrate this promotion."

I sat in thought debating if I was ready to try to have fun again. "If that ain't enough to convince you then I bet this will."

"Talk to me then, let's see what you got." I asked in amusement.

"Word is this nigga Stacks deciding to throw a party next week. You know the nigga act like he can't show his face. It'll give us the opportunity to finally spot this nigga, you know all the hustlers gone be there too, and the nigga Stacks work with bad bitches only so you might even get yo dick wet so you can get out yo feelings."

The first thing that caught my attention was the name Stacks. Him throwing a party? It was about time I seen this nigga in the flesh since he acted as if he was the invisible man. Plus, it was the perfect opportunity to make new connections for some new money. "Wellll.. when you put it that way. I guess I'll fuck with it."

"That's my boy!" Bruce said excited like. "I'll be sure to hit you up with the details once I find out." We embraced one more time before Bruce hopped out the car to go back inside his crib.

Thinking of the party for some reason I felt a bit of nervousness. I ain't been fucking with parties since Amir's bangers he used to throw. I was finally gone see the man behind the mask of Stacks. I wouldn't be surprised if the nigga ain't even show face to his own. He'd probably been doing all this undercover shit all turn out to only be some pussy with a few racks on em. I chucked lightly at the thought. But I guess I could only wait and see..