Today I was scheduled to teach a yoga session and I'm beyond thankful for this opportunity. The teenage girls in my class are so sweet and eager to learn. I'm able to mentor and teach them something I'm passionate about. I hate that we only meet twice a week though. Not saying that I wasn't happy when I was with Trae, but things are so much better for me right now.
"See you next week, Jay!" One of the girls hugged me as we wrapped up the session.
I smiled as I gave a her a tight hug in return. I then rolled up my mat and put my socks back on. I dabbed the sweat off my face while checking my phone to see I had three missed calls from Quez. Mind you, I haven't talked to him since the accident. I called him back though because it must be important.
Jakiyah?
Yeah, you called?
We need to meet up.
For what?
You talked to, Trae?
Not since his birthday. What's up?
Can we link? It's about, Trae. I need your help.
Is he okay?
He straight, we just need to talk.
We can meet at that one burger place by your house.
Bet.
I hung up the phone and tried calling Trae. His birthday was three days ago and I figured he would still be partying so I hadn't called him since. And plus if it isn't about Derrick, we don't have anything to talk about. He didn't answer the phone which made me kind of worry. I packed up the rest of my belongings and made sure all the girls left the building before I left.
Once I got to the small burger joint, Quez was sitting outside with his hands folded. I slowly walked up to him and he stood up to give me a hug. Quez is nothing but trouble so I denied his greeting. He then opened the door for me and we took a seat in the diner.
"What's going on?" I looked over the menu.
"D Man, good?" He asked about Derrick.
"He's with his grandma. Now what's wrong with Trae, because I know something has to be up?"
"That's good. Aye, I just wanna say that if you still mad about what happened, then Trae isn't the one you should be mad at. You should be mad at me because it was my fault." His hands were all over the place as he talked to me.
"This what we met here for? You got me nervous thinking something happened to him." I'm not trying to hear that.
"Listen to me, mane! When Trae was trying to tell you what happened you wasn't hearing it, but you gone listen to me." He was demanding.
"Now look, I know it looked bad when you came to the hospital. It wasn't even like that though." He ran his fingers over his short curly hair.
"How was it then?" I folded my arms.
"Long story short, Trae found out that Crystal was related to the lil dude that set Trae up. Ole dude was her cousin, crazy right? I been saying something was off with her and then Jermaine randomly got shot. The only person who still had ties with Crystal was Trae mama, so we figured she told ole girl where we would be. We was heated because she tried to set Trae up. I had the brilliant idea of setting her ass up too, I was gone kill her ass. But she caught on and grabbed the wheel, making us get into a car accident. Trae was acting all scary and shit, saying how he ain't wanna do it. I talked him into picking her up that day." He explained.
"Mike was her cousin?! What the fuck! And your ass is a fool, she coulda told on both of y'all." I frowned and leaned in closer because I can't believe this.
"Yeah, Trae can explain the rest. But I wanted to let you know you don't have a reason to be mad at him. Hell, I'm tired of him being a big ass baby about this. That's not the reason I called you though."
I waited for him to tell me why I was here. He looked all around as if someone was watching him. He made me kinda nervous so I was looking around too.
"Trae got locked up the night of his birthday, Jermaine did too."
"Locked up?! That was three days ago! Why am I just now hearing about this?" I damn near jumped out my seat.
"Because you and Trae don't fuck around like that. He told me all the shit you was telling him. I'm desperate and I need yo help, mane." He rubbed his face.
"Okay, I was pissed at the moment and we both said stuff that we shouldn't have to each other. Trae know my heart and he know I wouldn't let him stay down. His mama know?"
"Yeah she know, he was the one who called her. His mama the only one he talked to because he only had that one call. The reason she ain't call you is because her and Jermaine mama stressing bout it, saying how they bail gone be high as hell." He shook his head.
"He been there for three days with only one call?" I scrolled my phone looking for my moms lawyer.
"Jay! I been outchea' all day and night trying to stack some extra money for them. They mamas ain't got no fucking money like that, them niggas paying the bills at they mama crib. I need you to help me, help them." He pleaded.
"You ain't even gotta ask! We gotta talk to Trae or Jermaine to see if they gone get a court date. I just pray they don't hold them in there for too long. Why they get arrested in the first place?"
"At first we was chilling at Trae crib, and then we decided to go to the hood. I really don't remember the details, but I remember we was shooting in the air and smoking. Next thing you know, the laws rolled up. I dipped on they ass, but Jermaine, T, and some other nigga got caught. Jay, they both had drugs and guns on them." He banged his fist against the table.
I rubbed my temples, trying not to freak out. Trae cannot do time in prison. The police already harasses him all the time. I don't want Derrick growing up without his dad around. Whatever I gotta do to make sure they get out, I'll do it. I'm putting all the petty BS to the side to help my baby get out.
"We gotta go to Ms. Chrissy house so we can talk about this with her."
We got up and left the diner then headed to Trae's mom house. I need to find out what jail Trae is in and what they arrested him for in the first place. I trailed Quez and he sped the whole way in his Jaguar. When him and Trae first started hanging around, he didn't even have a car now look at him.
I parked my car on the side of her house and walked behind Quez. He banged on her door like he was the police and she yelled from the inside. After two minutes of waiting she finally opened the door. She puffed on a black n' mild with her blonde hair all over her head. Quez and I spoke to her, but she didn't look too happy to see us.
"What y'all want?" She blew the smoke out her mouth.
"What jail Trae call from?" Quez asked.
I wasn't about to say anything because I don't want her going off on me. She looks pissed and I'm not trying to argue with her. I'll let Quez do all the talking for now.
"The same jail they always send his ass too, Jakiyah know. I already told Trae I don't have the money right now if that's why y'all over here." Her two gold teeth shined as she talked.
"Can we come in? We don't want money." I finally spoke up.
She flicked the black n' mild across the yard and let us in her home. There were papers scattered all over her living room table and she tried to organize them while we sat on the couch.
"Quez said that Trae hasn't called anybody since he first got locked up. I wanna go down there and see what's going on."
Ms. Chrissy cracked a smile and I was confused as to why. Quez frowned up at her and so did I.
"No matter what. No matter what you and Trae go through you make sure he's okay. He could break your heart into a million pieces and you still hold him down. I love you for that and I pray Trae gets his self together."
I smiled with her and she stood up to give me a hug. She agreed to come to with Quez and I to the jail. As soon as she put some clothes on we were in route. I let her drive my car because I have a bad sense of direction and Quez drives too fast for me to trail him.
Entering the jail, I was nervous as hell. Trae's mother walked in front of me, she was bold and frustrated. At the front desk was a middle aged white woman with bright red lipstick. I scratched my head and looked at Ms. Chrissy because I wanted her to speak first.
"We're here because you're holding two people we're concerned about." His mother said.
"Take a number." She pointed to the left of her.
I looked up at a screen to see they were only on 23 and the number we pulled said 67. I'm not sitting here all this time.
"Ummm, excuse me. We just have a quick question... You guys are holding two males here who haven't had a phone call in days. Why is that?" I spoke up, still nervous.
"24!" She ignored me.
"Trae Ross and Jermaine Rodriguez have been here for three days with only one phone call. We need to figure out what's going on and I'm not taking no damn number." I threw the paper down.
"What do you want me to do?" She popped her gum.
"Can you tell me how much it'll be to bond them out?"
She searched her computer and we waited patiently for her to tell us something.
"They both need to make a court appearance before being released." She rolled her eyes.
"When can they go to court?" Quez asked.
"I don't know. When there's a judge available to review their case."
"How long will that take? Can we just pay something to get them out?" I tried to look over at her computer.
"It could take days, maybe even months. It just depends on how many people are ahead of them." She shrugged her shoulders.
"This some bullshit. Y'all better make sure they can call somebody if they plan on being in here for that long! Y'all gone be seeing me everyday if I don't hear from them sometime soon." I got loud.
"Not my problem, I don't control what goes on back there." This lady had a smart mouth.
"Well somebody better handle it!" Ms. Chrissy said with sass.
I didn't really accomplish much, but I found out a little bit. Welp, it's time to go into my savings account and start getting money for a lawyer and bail money for both of them. Quez and I are going to go half and both of their mothers are going to give what they can. Good thing I'm good at saving money because it comes in handy for times like this.
I don't have as much money as Trae so I pray this doesn't break me. I have the combination to Trae's safe, but I no longer have my key to his house. I'll just have to do this out of my pockets. I don't mind because I know Trae would do the same if the tables were turned.
I ended up getting in contact with the lawyer and she's charging an arm and a leg to represent them both. I even called the lawyer who handled Chris' case, but he charges 10x more. Man, if it ain't one thing I swear it's another. I'm only 19 years old, I don't know how to handle these situations. But I gotta do something and make it work.
I dropped Ms. Chrissy back off and went to handle business. Before I start though, I had to pick my fat man up because my mom has to go to work. Derrick was backseat riding as I headed to my bank. It hurt me to do this, but I took out over half of the money I was saving. If this is as bad as Quez made it seem, then I'm definitely going to be needing all of this money.
After that, I started making so many phone calls in hope that someone could get me in contact with Trae. It seems like everyone I talked to had an attitude. I know Trae isn't the most innocent person, but he doesn't deserve to be in jail. I used to be like all those other people judging his lifestyle, wondering why he's destroying his community for personal gain. Spending two years with him, I kinda understand his point of view now. He'll do almost anything to make sure his family is straight. His mindset is you gotta get it how you live. Some won't get it unless you're in his shoes. Trae wants all his people to eat and this is his way of doing so. He takes care of me so even if I'm dead broke after this, I got him regardless of how bad he pisses me off.
I hope Trae sits his hot butt down after this. It's a waste of money constantly having to pay them. I'll be praying so hard tonight.
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#FreeTrae&Jermaine lol