Under the Radar (COMPLETED)

Double Life

I scream into my hands, as I see that the $10,000 check has cleared. Honestly, if they didn't promote me, at work, I would quit. I didn't deserve to deal with shit like that and I leave for school, in about four and a half weeks. But, I put my phone back in my back pocket and prepare to go home. Now that I'm a shift leader, I work no less than four/days a week. It gives the other two shift leaders time away, so they're not here all week. Three o'clock strikes and get ready to clock out. As soon as do that, I see an incoming call from Dre. Is this man really clocking me?

"What's up?" I answer. "Well hey to you too." Dre says, making me laugh. "Hey, what's up?" I rephrase. "You off yet?" "Literally just clocked out." "Bet. I'll pick you up, when you get home." "Wait what? I'm supposed to hang with Daisy..." "She'll understand." Dre says and hangs up. Wtf?! I angrily walk to the car and call Daisy. "Damn girl you barely clocked out." Daisy laughs. "That's what I was saying! Dre ass called me!" I yell. "Let me guess, he wants to chill." "Yea. It's so annoying. I have plans and I have friends. He can't just summon me like this!" "Well I did want to hang with you but honestly over half the hood would be happy if Dre kept tryna chill. It's a lot of hoes actually." Daisy points out. "I know but we need some ground rules, if we gone be cool." "Well just tell him today. I'm not gone take this shit much longer though." Daisy laughs, with a hint of seriousness. I've seen how angry she can get and even I wouldn't dare try her.

After we hang up, I finally drive home. I pull up and see Dre already waiting. "We need to talk." I say, as soon as I get out of the car. "So you breaking up with me now?" Dre says, throwing me all the way. Then he starts laughing. "Relax, Maya. I'm fucking with you. You know when people say that line, they bout to piss the other person off." "I'm not tryna piss you off. I just need you to be respectful of my other friendships." I say and fold my arms. He cocks his head to the right a little and rubs his chin. "I feel you." He says, simply. "Okay. Now, can I at least change?" I ask. "Yea. I just had a few hours to spare and wanted to check in with you. Yesterday was a lil wild." He says, reminding me of his bullshit cousins. "It's all good." We finally walk up to my apartment.

He surprisingly waits in the living room, while I change. I come back out in a basic black, v neck t shirt and jeans. I threw on some gold jewelry, just to accent everything. It's my favorite kind of accessory. "Who you bout to go rob?" Dre asks. "Shut up!" I laugh. We both head out and I follow him to the car. I have no idea where we're going and why but I just know Daisy was right. Hella people would be happy to be in my place. I've already gotten the eye from a few, just on the way to the car. Smh.

We have a casual conversation the whole ride. I haven't even been paying much attention but I'm taken aback, once I see my surroundings. "Uhh, where are we?" I ask. He puts in a code, to a gate, before it opens. There's nothing but bomb ass houses with families hanging in their yards. I ain't never seen this type of shit before. "This is the side of Dre nobody else sees." He sighs. I am literally in awe, as we drive in. These are literally the type of homes I save on IG, for my dreams. "You live here?!" I ask. He just smiles a little and pulls in a pretty long driveway.

We both get out and I eye the house. It has to be over 3,000 square feet. "You live here?" I repeat. "Come on." Dre says as he opens the garage. This nigga lives here. I eye the Camero, BMW and Nissan Altima, in the three car garage. When he opens the door, I'm even more than amazed. Everything is perfect. Clean kitchen, large living room, beautiful staircase. There's no way they allowed this to be bought with drug money. "I didn't buy all this with drug money, if that's what you're thinking." Dre says. "That business I didn't tell you about, I started it at 18, right up the street from here." He smiles. "What is it?" I ask. "My business." He says sharply.

He opens the fridge and grabs a large container out of it. "Did you eat?" He asks. "I made salmon, last night. I wasn't tryna eat any bbq left overs." "Uhh. I haven't, actually." I didn't realize how hungry I was, until he brought up food. "Cool. I got broccoli and potatoes on the side. That cool?" He asks. "Yea that's fine. Thank you." He warms up the food and I continue to eye the place. My eyes lock on the most beautiful picture I've ever seen, in his living room. It draws me toward it "Oh you like that?" He asks, from the kitchen. "Yea." I say, breathless. Never in a million years would I have thought that Dre lived like this. I just thought he lived in the hood with us. I'm kinda offended. I mean ion buy his drugs but how he gone sell to the hood and then just leave?

The timer ends, letting us know the food is ready. He really put the food in the oven. That's so proper. He fixes me a plate and grabs some bottled water, from the pantry. "Does anyone else know where you live?" I ask. "Nah and I'm tryna keep it that way." He says, sternly. "I won't say anything." "Yes you will. You gone tell them folks you hang with but all of y'all better keep your mouths shut!" "Yes sir." I say, annoyed. We then sit in silence and finally dig in. It's actually well cooked. Why'd you bring me here?" I break the silence. "Uhh...I don't know." He stops eating. "I didn't really know where I was gonna take you until I started driving here."

Once we finish eating, we head to the living room. "What kind of movies you like to watch?" Dre asks, as he turns the TV on. "I like scary movies." I answer. "I'm not tryna have you in here crying and tryna crawl up under me and shit." Dre shouts. "You asked. I answered." I say with an attitude. One minute he's being nice and shit and the next he's rude. It's annoying. "Saw good enough for you?" He turns the tv to an already playing Saw. I actually loved this movie and all the sequels. I give him a small smile and we just relax.

My eyes blink open. I didn't even realize I fell asleep. I look around and realize it's dark out. I look at my watch and it's almost 9:40PM. "Dre get up!" I yell. My mom is going to kill me! She thinks I've been with Daisy but she knows I'd never be late. Dre slowly wakes up. "It's late! Please take me home!" I freak out. He looks at his phone. "Shit." He says and starts getting up. We both rush outside, to his car. My mama will take this car away for at least two weeks, if I'm late.

I don't remember how long it took to get to his house but the drive back feels longer than the way there. He speeds for the most part but he doesn't want to go too fast and get a ticket. The police is itching to take him to jail. We get to a familiar area and I know we're not going to make it. We still have another 10 minutes and it's already 9:56. "I'm going to be in sooooo much trouble." I decide to text my mom and tell her I'll be a little late but I'm on the way home. She hasn't responded. FML.

When he pulls up, I rush out of the car. I didn't even say "bye." I run up the stairs and jam my key into the lock. I'm already late but the earlier the better. I get the door open and she's standing right there. "Little girl I know DAMN WELL you not out here riding round with Dre! He's the biggest drug dealer Atlanta has ever seen!" She is livid! "Ma, please." I try. "Don't say shit! Give me your keys right now! I'd take your phone if we didn't live in this shitty ass neighborhood!" She practically grabs the keys out of my hands. "He's not what you think. I swear." "Maya Mae I don't care! You see what he does out there and you go hang with him and then come home after curfew?" "Mama we fell asleep." I defend myself. "Fell asleep??? Doing what, Maya??!" "We literally watched a couple movies after we ate. That's it! He didn't try anything I swear to God." "Get yo ass in that room!"