A U T H O R N O T E: All Rights Reserved.
"JULY 4TH" - CHAPTER 7
Truth took a long pull from the blunt before he passed it back over to Cashmere. They all were chilling in Cashmere's basement nodding their heads to music and thinking of their next move.
"So, when we gonna call this nigga?" Tyrone pressed as he looked over at Truth. "Been two days since we got this number and ain't nuttin' happening."
Truth exhaled the smoke in shapes of o's before he replied. "Be patience, nigga. I just wanted to wait it out for a bit. We gonna call his ass today."
"Right now?" Tyrone asked, grinning. He could already see all the shit he was gonna buy with money they was gonna make.
"Yeah, throw me the phone." Truth answered as he took his phone out his pocket.
Tyrone quickly handed him Dice's phone and watched Truth go through the phone.
Truth looked for the number in Dice's contacts before he called the number on his phone making sure he blocked his number.
"Who this?" Kendrick barked through the phone on the fourth ring.
"Let's not worry about that, but what a nigga like me can do for you." Truth replied, smoothly.
"Yo, is this some fucking joke or some shit?" Kendrick asked, annoyed hating to have his time wasted.
"Naw, man. This ain't no joke." Truth replied, calmly.
Kendrick chuckled. "Then what the fuck is this 'bout?"
"Dice." Was all Truth said.
"What about that nigga?" Kendrick questioned interested in what Truth was speaking about now.
"Told me to tell you he's going outta town and have no plans on coming back." Truth responded, smirking.
"Damn." Kendrick mumbled under his breath as he rubbed his chin. "Can't believe this shit."
"Naw, don't even sweat that little nigga." Truth said.
Kendrick rubbed his forehead pissed that Dice was stupid enough to be caught out there slipping now he had to find some other nigga to sell his product. "I got shit to do today. I'ma call this number back later."
Truth was pissed he didn't hear what he wanted to, but knew he might still have a chance at getting his connection.
"So, what's up?" Cashmere inquired, excited.
"Nigga said he'll call back." Truth replied as he threw Dice's phone on the coffee table.
"Damn, man," Tyrone said, annoyed as he sucked his teeth.
Truth looked down at his Michael Kors watch and saw it was already after two. "C'mon nigga's we still gotta go to my momma cookout."
"Oh, yes, free food." Cashmere said, grinning as he got up from his seat.
They all walked out the house and towards Cashmere's car. That looked dirty ass hell.
"Damn, nigga when you gonna clean this muthafucka?" Truth questioned, laughing as he hopped into passenger side seat.
"Shut the fuck up nigga before I make your stupid ass walk to your momma house," Cashmere said, as he walked around the car to the drivers side and hopped in.
Truth felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, he took it out and saw Kandi's smiling face staring back at him on the screen.
"Yo?" Truth answered.
"Uh-uh, that's not how you answer a phone." Kandi scolded, playfully.
"Aye, this my phone right here and I'ma answer it however I want, you feel me?" Truth replied, joking.
"Anyways, where your ass at?" Kandi questioned.
"On my way to mom house, you?" he responded.
"On my way too." Kandi lied as she looked through her closet for an outfit because she know if she would've told Truth she was still home he would've had some slick shit to say.
"A'ight, I'ma see you there." he replied.
"Okay, bye." Kandi hanged up the phone and threw it on her bed.
"Yo, when you gonna hit that?" Tyrone asked, seriously.
"The fuck," Truth said, twisting his face up. "That was Kandi ass."
"I know it was nigga. A big ass Kool-Aid always comes onto your face when it has anything to do with her." Tyrone observed.
Truth waved his off. "Man, ain't nothing happening there."
"Yeah, a'ight." Tyrone said sucking his teeth as he twisted his lips to the side. "So you wouldn't mind if I talked to her?"
"Tyrone chill." Cashmere said, knowing what he was trying to do.
"Yes, nigga. I don't wanna have to beat your ass if you fuck it up with her." Truth responded.
"Yeah, whatever. I bet that's not the only reason." Tyrone mumbled under his breath as he leaned back into his seat.
Cashmere pulled up in front of the house sixteen minutes later and they all hopped out his car and made their way towards the backyard.
Truth saw most of his famliy members there relaxing by the pool and one of his uncles on the grill.
"Whaddup, Unc?" Truth asked, grinning as he gave him some dap.
"Nothing much, young blood." he replied as he looked back on the grill.
"You saw my mother?" Truth asked as he looked around the backyard.
"Yeah, she's in the house." he answered as he flipped a burger on the grill.
"Good lookin'," Truth said, before he walked towards the sliding glass door.
Truth slide the glass door opened and saw his mother making pink lemonade on the kitchen island.
"Mom." Truth said as he walked around the kitchen island and gave her a hug.
"How's my baby?" Valerie asked, smiling.
"I'm good, is Kandi here?" Truth questioned as he let her go so Cashmere could give her a hug.
"No, she's not here yet." she replied, then said to Cashmere. "How are you, baby?"
Cashmere let her go and grinned down at her. "I'm doing good, mama V."
"That's good and you Tyrone?" she questioned as she gave him a hug also.
"I'm doing good, but will be better once I taste your famous apple pie." he replied eyeing the pie that was on the table.
"You can't have none yet, boy." Valerie playfully, scolded.
They all stood around talking for a few minutes before something out the corner of Tyrone's eye caught his attention.
"Aye, there goes your girl." Tyrone said, smirking as he nudge Truth with his elbow and nodded his head outside.
Truth turned and saw Kandi was talking to her uncle for a few seconds before he pointed towards them and she started walking in their direction.
Truth couldn't help but stare and wonder how they hell she could walk in such high heels, she was rocking a white cèline short sleeve shirt with a pair of ripped high waisted jean shorts, black and white flannel shirt wrapped around her waist, hair pulled into a high ponytail with big Chanel glasses covering her face and a purse in her hand.
Kandi stepped into the quiet kitchen as she lifted up glasses off her face and on top of the head and walked to Valerie giving her a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey, mom." Kandi said, smiling.
"Hey baby, how are you?" she replied.
"Good." Kandi answered, smiling.
Valerie looked her over before she pointed to her heels. "Love the heels."
"Oh, these?" Kandi said, grinning as she lifted her all black Zigi NY knee high lace up Timberland sense boot in mid-air shaking it side to side before putting her foot back down. "I can get you a pair if you want."
"Thank, but no thanks my walking in heels days are over." Valerie replied.
"A'ight, but you're missing out." Kandi said, shrugging her shoulders.
Valerie chuckled before she spoke. "Maybe, but Truth I know you just got here but would you mind going to the supermarket I'm running low on ice."
"Mom, I drove over here in Cashmere's car." Truth replied not really wanting to go to the supermarket.
"Kandi you drove over here in your own car right? Would you mind driving Truth to the supermarket." she asked.
"No, I wouldn't mind." Kandi responded, giving her a small smile. "C'mon big head."
Truth inwardly sighed as he followed Kandi out the house and to her Escalade. They both hopped in and Kandi drove off.
"It's hot as hell in this damn car." Truth complained as he fanned himself with his hand.
"The air condition isn't working just roll down your window." Kandi suggest as she turned left.
"You need to get that shit fix." Truth replied rolling down his window.
"I am." Kandi responded, simply.
Kandi parked across from the supermarket a few minutes later and turned the ignition off before they got out the car.
"Make sure you look both ways." Truth joked.
"I'm a big girl Truth I think I know how to cross a damn street." she replied, rolling her eyes.
They walked across the street and walked into the welcoming cold air that brushed against their warm skin when walking into the supermarket.
"I hate summer," Kandi said as she started walking down the aisle trying to look for the ice.
"If it was cold your ass would say you hate the winter." Truth restored as they walked down a different aisle.
"Shut up!" Kandi chuckled as she playfully mushed him in the head.
"Aye, keep them bird hands to yourself," Truth said as they turned and started walking down the frozen food aisle.
"I ain't got no damn bird hands." Kandi replied as she saw the ice next to some frozen peas.
"Yes, you do with them weird ass nails." Truth said as he picked up the bag of ice as Kandi held the door open.
"Whatever." she said pursing her lips and dug into her bag for her phone cause it was ringing.
Truth watched as a big ass smile stretched across Kandi's face before she answered the phone.
"Hello?" she cooed into the phone.
"Kandi?" Kendrick asked on the other line.
"Yes." Kandi answered.
"It's Kendrick." he said, nervous. He haven't been this nervous before talking to just some chick.
"I know." she replied, smiling.
"How?" he asked, grinning thinking she already remember his number by heart.
"Caller ID." she answered as she waited on the check out line with Truth and could feel his gaze on her.
"Oh, yeah." he chuckled. "Well I'ma get straight to the point so I don't waste no more of your time. I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me tomorrow night?"
Kandi gently nibble on her bottom lip as she watched Truth pay for the ice. "Um, sure."
"A'ight, cool is eight okay?." he asked.
"Yeah that'll be great can I call you back?" she inquired as she tried to catch up with Truth who was speed walking to the car.
"Yeah, okay." he replied.
"Bye." she said before she hanged up the phone and called behind Truth. "Slow down Truth!"
Truth didn't say anything and just waited for Kandi to open the car doors.
Kandi shook her head as she let them both in and turned the ignition on before she pulled off from the curb.
Stopping at a red light Kandi looked at a quiet Truth. "What's wrong with your ass?"
Truth smirked as he propped his arm on the car door. "When you got yourself a boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend? Truth the hell is you talking about?" Kandi asked, confused.
"The nigga who you was talking to on the phone. Got you smiling all big and shit." he answered.
"Oh," she said, simply.
"Yeah, oh." he mocked her.
"First of all he ain't my boyfriend." Kandi snapped as she made a right hand turn. "And second off your ass always getting jealous when I talk to another guy I'm starting to think you like my ass more than a friend."
Truth sucked his teeth as he looked out the window and replied harshly. "Never that Kandi."
Kandi sighed annoyed as she pulled up in front of the house and parked the car.
Truth grabbed the ice off his lap before he hopped out the car and walked to the backyard.
Kandi leaned her head on the steeling wheel for a few second before she sat back up and hopped out the car slamming the door behind her.
The rest of the afternoon Truth avoided talking or being near Kandi almost everyone could feel the tension between the two. It was night time and everyone was taking seats and waiting for the fireworks to start.
"What's up with y'all two?" Tyrone asked before he took a sip from out his red plastic cup.
"Nothing." Kandi replied as she watched Truth go and seat down in the last empty folding chair.
"Don't look like nothing." he said, smirking.
"Mind your business." Kandi snapped rolling her eyes as she walked over to Truth and sat down on his lap.
"The hell you doing?" he asked.
"Sitting." she answered, simply.
"K, don't get a smart." he said sucking his teeth and Kandi smiled inside when he used her nickname telling her he wasn't that mad at her anymore. "Why your ass sitting on my lap."
"There's no more empty sits and you know my ass not sitting on the damn ground." Kandi replied.
Before Truth could reply the fireworks started going off in the sky, but he couldn't pay attention to them because his eyes was stuck on a smiling Kandi.
"What?" she asked catching him staring at her as she leaned her head on his shoulder.
"Nothing." He replied, quickly as he took his eyes off her and looked at the fireworks. Truth didn't know why the hell he's been acting so crazy but he knew he had to shake it off and let Kandi be her own woman he couldn't protect her from everything.
Truth leaned back and knew or at least thought he wasn't getting jealous because he like her, but because he didn't wanna see her get hurt, throwing that to the back of his mind he sat back and just enjoy the show.
After the fireworks was over everyone decided it was time to go home. Kandi and Truth said bye to everyone before they hopped into her Escalade and went home.
Pulling into the driveway a half and hour later they both hopped out and made their way inside the house.
"You wanna watch a movie?" Kandi suggested.
"Hell no, there's so many times a nigga can watch Love & Baskball." Truth replied. "I think I'ma just jump in the shower real quick."
"Don't be hating on my movie and fine." she said, before she walked away to take off her heels cause her feet were killing her.
Kandi decided to make her something to eat real quick because she didn't really eat much at the cookout, she decide to make a few hotdogs just in case Truth wanted some.
After she finished making them she decided to go upstairs to Truth's room and see if he was done in the shower.
"Truth?" Kandi softly knocked on the door twice before she opened it and walked in. "I made us some frie-"
Kandi words died on her lips as she looked at an almost naked Truth and the only thing keeping him covered was a white towel that hanged dangerously low around his waist.
"What's up?" he asked, staring at her.
"I, um." she said not able to make a complete sentence as she watched one drop of water roll down his chest onto his six pack and at that moment she wished she was that drop of water.
"K, you a'ight?" Truth questioned, concerned as he lifted a eyebrow.
Kandi closed her eyes quickly as she rubbed her forehead before reopening them. "I just wanted to know if you wanted some hotdogs."
"Thanks, but naw I'm good." he responded, smiling.
"Okay," she said, before she looked his body over once again before leaving the room.
Gently closing the bedroom door, she leaned her back against it and squeezed her legs together to stop the tingling sensation knowing it was gonna be a long night.