August 23, 1999
Arique
Ain't nothing like having your own shit man, I swear. I'm on my way to work right now in my new car. I ended up giving Delontae four thousand dollars for it. Some of it is to cover as rent 'til next month, even though I gave him three hundred on the first of August.
I don't know if it was Delontae, or the previous owner that had a deck put in here, but I need to get me some CD's. I'm listening to the radio on my way to work. It's not bad but, I'd like to have a choice of what I want to listen to.
I get to the shop at nine forty five a.m. to a car parked outside already. I don't know who it is, as I've never seen it before. When I park and get out of the car I'm cautious, but I sort of relax whenever I see it's just Psych.
"What it do baby?" He says to me hopping out of his car as I hop out of mine.
"Nothin'. What go dahn?" I shoot back.
"Ready to get to work."
"Delontae hired you to work with us?" Obviously, Arique. I mentally scold myself. I guess I'm just attempting to make conversation since we kind of got off on the wrong foot. I unlock the door and we enter the building.
"Nah, I only came to watch y'all work and get paid for it." He says back slickly.
"Aight now Psych. It's only room for one smart ass." I tell him laughing.
"Naw bruh, it hurt too much fa' me to bite my tongue."
"I know right!" I agree with him, "I had to explain that shit to Delontae."
"My brothers are a little slow so forgive him." He chuckles lightly, "what'chu need me to do 'til J slow ass get here?" He asks me.
"Shidd, I guess you can unlock the back gates and stuff while I get the lights, and stuff started in here." I shrug my shoulders.
"Bet, let me get the keys, lil Arique." Do all niggas have a problem with asking for stuff properly?
"Do you know how to ask?"
"Yeah." ......Okay?
"So...." I drag out. "You not gon' ask me nicely?" I look at him expectantly.
He shakes his head laughing. "I can get the keys off you, lil Arique?"
Why do I feel like this is as good as it gets with him. "I guess, but I know you know how to ask better than that." I give him the keys.
"Naw, I'm ignant as fuck." He walks out of the back door to unlock the gates and stuff, leaving me shaking my head.
So the lights are on in here, everything customer accessible is unlocked and Psych and I are just shooting the shit. "How long you sit fa'?" I ask him.
"Three and a half. Second offense. The first time I went to camp for a hot lil minute 'cause I was a first time felon. This time I went to jail though."
"Obviously. Drugs?"
"He'yeah. I had a jus' the right amount on me to get a distribution charge. A lil less and it would've been jus' a possession and I could've went to a lil drug class."
"Soft or hard?"
"Hard, which is why I sat for three and a half and I'm on parole for another three." He shakes his head, "some bullshit if you ask me. Should't matter if it's soft or hard, it's all cocaine and the time should be the same."
"He'yeah. Jus' another way for them to make money offa' us." I shake my head. "So this is how you are all the time?" I ask curiously. He might be one of them white boys that act like whoever he is around at the moment.
"What'hu mean bro?" He looks confused.
"And you called yo' brothers slow." I mumble rolling my eyes. "Do you always carry yourself as if you're from the hood? Is this natural or forced?"
"I mean, I don't 'act' like nothin' I'm not. Them Arians in the pen tried to get me to 'stop actin' black', and the black dudes tested my gangsta a few times, but this is all I know. Fuck I gotta fake the funk fa'?" He shrugs his shoulders with his head reeled back. "This is fa' real who I am, I don't change up fa' nobody at all. I know I'm white, I don't try to deny the fact, nor do I think that since I grew up in the hood I'm automatically accepted by black people. This me respect it or check it 'cause don't no man on this earth put fear in my heart."
"Squa'e biz bro." I dap him up. He cool in my book.
"So you and Smutt huh?" He asks smirking.
"So me and Smutt what?" I ask.
"Y'all together on the coo'?"
"Nah, he wit' my cousin Ericka, who is actually like a sister."
"Mhm." He still smirking, "it seems like that's what you tell yourself to keep from messin' wit' him. I know you tryna fuck wit' him heavy."
"How figure that? How you even come to the conclusion I like nigga's?"
"You act like a girl." He laughs. Well damn, this nigga says the first thing that comes to mind. "I know a few dudes that was raised around a lot of females, so they tend to pick up some of those girly mannerisms. But I knew you liked dudes when you let Smutt check yo ass. I saw through yo attitude, you liked that shit." He smirks.
"Uh huh. Well aren't you observant."
"Gotta be. If you can't read people and situations right, you'll have a hard time getting through this life. Well that and J told me what he saw." He laughs. J ass can't keep water wet.
Speak of the devil.
Joshua interrupts our conversation, coming in at ten o' seven. "Whassup bro in-law?" He smirks at me, then I hear Psych chuckle on the side of me.
"Mane watch aht. Me and Delontae ain't together bruh." I tell him keeping a straight face.
"Shidd," he drags out. "I can't tell wit' the way y'all was hunchin' and suckin' each other faces off."
"Whateva' nigga, mind the business that pays you." I tell him.
"You a mean ass, lil dude you know that?" J says to me. "Don't make me get my brother in here to check that shit." He snickers dapping up Psych.
"Delontae will check a basketball before he can check me." I sass back.
"Let'chu tell it. We know you like that shit" Psych says, "we heard you slip up and almost call that man 'Daddy'." Why they think everything funny man? "Gay asses. Y'all cute wit' that gay shit."
"Cute is fa' kids. And for the last time, we're not together." I tell them with an attitude.
"Okay, lil Arique. Okay." Psych says still laughing. They childish bruh.
"Aight c'mon bitch. Let this man be in denial in peace so I can show you some shit." J says to Psych.
"Fuck boffa y'all," I call out to their retreating figures.
"No thanks! But I'll be sure to let Smutt know you ready!" Psych says back.
They make me sick.
*******************
So it is now towards the end of the day and Weasel pops up at the shop. Psych and J don't really talk to him like that. There's no animosity, they just don't like him like that I guess. The other two dudes that work here kind of fuck with him tough though.
"You know Delontae ain't here today right?" I ask Weasel as he walks towards me.
"I know. I jus' left from around him. I came to see if you needed a ride." He says with a smile.
"Nah, I gotta car now so I can drive myself home."
"Damn, why the attitude, Lil Boo?" He asks me. Did I say it with an attitude? Prolly, not gon' cap. I didn't mean to though.
"My bad, it's jus' been a long day." It really hasn't though, it was pretty chill, only a few customers. What did make it kind of long was them damn brothers picking on me. But, you know, that's no business of his.
"Well I came to see if you wanted to chill wit' a nigga at the crib or somethin'." Well naw.
"Actually I can't tonight, I'm goin' by KiKi whenever I get off."
"Okay, tomorrow night?"
Ugh!
"I don't know, me and KiKi gettin' kinda serious and spendin' more time together so I don't know when we'll be able to hang out again." I tell him. I might be stretching the truth a little, but, how is he going to find out?
Oh, Okay.
"Damn man, I'm tryna finish what we started in the car." He tells me trying to look and sound seductive. Tryna eat it, beat it, skeet it, and leave it.
"I'm good on that bruh." I tell him unapologetically, "we shouldn't have even done that."
"Why not?"
"'Cause I felt bad afterwards, like I was cheatin' or some'mn." I shrug my shoulders.
"I thought you said you said you and KiKi wasn't that serious?" He raises a brow at me.
Uhhhmmm.
"I don't remember mentioning the severity or extent of mine and KiKi's relationship to you," nor did I say that it was KiKi that I felt like I was cheatin' on. I finish to myself.
"Mhm." He hums, sounding and looking as if he doesn't believe me. He can't prove I'm lyin' though. "So y'all official now?"
"You're not good at listening are you?" I roll my eyes. "I said we're getting serious, and I only felt like I cheated."
"My bad. I jus' gotta make sure you still single, technically."
"I kinda feel like we talkin' in circles, so whatever helps you sleep at night." I roll my eyes really hard.
"I'an tryna piss you off, Lil Boo." I wish he'd stop callin' me that.
"You good fam."
"Already." He says leaning in closer to me across the counter, "let me know when you got some free time. I missed you." He goes to lean in for a kiss but I mush his face back. In the process of me pushing his face back, the brothers start to walk in.
"That's what'cho black ass get nigga." Joshua laughs.
"What'chu mean?" Weasel tries to play it off.
"Shit I don't know, I jus' feel like you deserve him puttin' his hands on you. Was prolly in here talkin' shit wasn't 'chu?" Joshua teases him.
"Nah man, lil dude jus' mean," he looks relieved as if he's glad they didn't see what he was just trying to do. "I'ma beat'cho ass next time you put yo' hands on me tho my nigga." And here we go wit' the cappin'.
Curtains.
"Talk shit get hit." I shrug my shoulders. "I didn't even hit'chu hard."
"You shouldn't have touched me at all, lil nigga." Ugh! I mentally roll my eyes and yawn.
"I have absolutely no problem with that at all bro." I smile at him. "You don't have to worry about me touchin' you no mo'." I shrug my shoulders. That was easy. "Jus' make sure to keep your mouth from gettin' reckless."
I can tell he's picking up what I'm putting down whenever I see the look in his eyes, and his shoulders slump slightly. He recovered quick though.
"Whateva' bruh, tell Smutt I was lookin' fa' him whenever you get home." He keeps up the charade, walking backwards toward the exit, before finally walking out of the building to get back to his car.
"Lyin' motha fucka'." Psych laughs. "We saw what he tried to do."
"Damn nosey asses." I say looking at them with my lip turned up. I'm halfway joking, but still, they're nosey.
"Shit we was tryna see why he pulled up by his lonely. We thought Smutt might've rode wit' him but when we walked to the door and didn't see him we figured we'd be nosey." Psych says with no shame.
"So do they know each other is tryna get wit'chu?" J asks curiously.
"Nah I don't think so."
"So why don't chu tell Smutt about him gettin' at'chu?" Psych asks looking confused.
"I'm not in the business of puttin' nobody business out there like that bruh." I pause before I elaborate. "I know how nigga's operate when it comes to this kinda shit. Besides...me and Delontae-"
"Ain't together. We know." They say in unison, rolling their eyes.
"So you out in the open wit' it?" J asks me.
"I mean, yes and no. I personally don't care if anybody finds out about me, but every nigga I've messed wit' is on the DL so..."
"You've never been questioned about it either?" Psych asks.
Is this twenty one questions? I mean got damn.
"Not really, not by anybody that matters anyway. Jus' DL niggas." I shrug my shoulders. "I still pull beaucoup broads so, thats another reason nobody questions me I guess. Nan female has ever asked me."
"You jus' selfish. Fuckin' on erbody and they parents." Psych says making them laugh out.
"Psych fuck you bruh. You make it seem like I'm ran through like one of these hoes mane. I've only fucked wit' two niggas."
"Well shit, you the one that said 'every'-" Psych starts his best attempt to mimic me.
"'nigga'" J says for him.
"'that I've messed with is on the DL' which to me sounds like a lot of people." He laughs at himself dapping Josh who was holding his fist out for him. They operate like a well oiled machine.
"Well that's not how I meant it." I roll my eyes at him. All these niggas get on my nerves. "Y'all think me gettin' mad is funny."
"Nah." Josh says sarcastically. "We jus' tryna keep you on your toes."
"Anyway, what y'all come in here for?" I ask them.
"Shit it's seven some'mn right nih." Psych looks at the time. "If I start on anything else I'ma feel obligated to finish it right nih. I don't see how this man be stoppin' in the middle of shit when it's time to go."
"'Cause you new to this, I'm true to this." Josh tells him.
"Whateva' bitch ass dude." Psych says. "Bet I'll be able to outdo you in a month."
"Squa'e biz?" Josh asks.
"Squa'e biz mane."
"How much we bettin'?"
"Fo' dolla's." I'm going to go out on a limb here and say they mean four hundred dollars.
"Nah fam, fo' men too many." So Josh is cheap, because I know for a fact Delontae pays good. "How 'bout a man and a half?" He suggests.
"Fuck I'ma do wit' a buck fi'ty?" Psych looks like he's been insulted.
"I'an got it like that bro." J shrugs.
"You is some bullshit mane. Yo' ass jus' cheap." Psych tells him.
"At least you know. We agree on a man and a half? If not we can say a dolla' and call it a bet." J says holding his hand out for a shake.
"Aight bruh, a buck fi'ty it is," and they shake hands
"Question," I butt in, "how y'all gon' be able to tell who win if Joshua showin' you everythin' you know and finna know?"
"Why you tryna ruin our fun, lil Arique?" Psych straight faces me.
"I'm not, I'm ju- you know what. Neva' mind bro." I just shake my head and let them do them. I look at the clock to see it's seven forty one p.m. so I start walking away from them to shut the place down, starting outside.
They didn't help at all, they just continued to argue with each other. When I'm done I walk back inside, "ghee thanks for helpin' me niggas." I tell them sarcastically.
"Oh no problem." Psych says smiling, a genuine smile at that.
"Yeah, anything for our new baby brother...in-law." J adds, smiling at the end.
"How y'all figure I'm the youngest? I'm more mature than the both of y'all. Delontae ass too." I say.
"Well how old you is, lil Arique?" Psych asks.
"Twenty five."
"When ya birthday is?"
"April tenth."
"Ha!" He childishly sticks his tongue out, "I'm older! My birthday February twankie fif'."
"Year?"
"Se'dny fo'. I'm twankie fi'." He cheeses like he's sooo much older than me.
"Nigga that's only two months older." I roll my eyes at him.
"So." He shrugs his shoulders. "I'm still older."
"And probably the most childish."
"Nah." Psych says.
"Thats me." J says.
"Y'all act like twins and it's creepy." I tell them.
"Nah," Psych says again.
"You jus' a hater." J says.
"That ain't what I was goin' for doofus!" Psych smacks the back of his head. "We was onna roll today too bitch."
"You know better than to put yo' hands on me Psych." J says with a hint of seriousness.
"Y'all bet no-" I start to fuss at them but Psych cuts me off.
"You won't buss a grape in a fruit fight. Bit-" my mouth falls open in surprise, I just witnessed a grown ass man get his chest caved in. I feel like I've truly seen it all. Even though Joshua is the goofiest of the three, and isn't in the street life, this nigga hits HARD. I felt that damn hit. This niggas great grandchildren had to have felt that hit.
Psych is turning red in the face trying to catch his breath he was hit so hard. He inhales a good amount of air, and punches J back, but in his stomach making him fart. Man hell naw bruh! I pull out my PrimeCo and dial Delontae. While J is down, Psych pulls him in a head lock, WHILE HE'S STILL OUT OF BREATH! I can't take! And did this man shit on himself? Got damn! Ass smell like sewage!
It takes a little while for Delontae to answer, but it does sound kind of staticky, so I pull the antenna out. Two rings later he answers. "What it do baby?"
"Bitch!" J yells out body slamming him, but since Psych got him in a head lock, he goes down with him.
"Yo' brothers is over here fightin' man. How far away are you from here?"
"At this girl house meetin' her peoples." Trap house.
"Which girl bruh? 'Cause I'm ready to leave these niggas here to fight by themselves."
"Bitch!" Psch yells punching J in his sides while he's still on his back. He pushes him off of him successfully then gets up real quick. Shit, J back must've been made out of rubber because he was back up just as quick.
They going blow for blow now. Why the fuck is Psych laughing?
"The big booty bitch thats ran through." Delontae answers. The house on McGowen.
"That's like twenty minutes away from here Delontae." I whine a little, "what'chu want me to do about these niggas mane?" I ask running my hand from the top of my head and down my face.
"If it's jus' body shots then they're playin'." As hard as these muh fucka's hittin' each other?! Who plays like this?! "If one of'em hit the other inna face break that shit up."
"Man hell naw! If eow one of these muh fucka's hit me on accident, all us gon' touch erthang in this bitch 'cept the ceilin'. They hit-"
"Chill, Lil Arique." Psych interrupts my ranting breathing all hard, both of them are. "Delontae yo' daddy not ours. We good baby." They dap each other up, with smiles on their faces. I cant fuckin' deal mane. Psych jacks the phone out of my hand. "We good bruh, we finna take our new baby brother in-law to get some food so don't wait up for him... 'cause we can bitch...ain't nobody stuntin' you pahtna, who gon' do me some'mn...he like kickin' wit' us foo'." He turns to me, "right, Lil Arique?"
"W-"
"See," he cuts me off, "we straight bruh. Well obviously not Lil Arique but you get the gist." I punch him in his arm. "Marshmallow ass punch," he mumbles. Nigga solid den a hoe, my hand tinglin'.
I really wish I knew what Delontae was saying. "Saye, he-hello? Aye, you breakin' up." He hangs up handing me back my phone. "Follow us bro, we finna go eat somewhea."
"This nigga really called Smutt like he was gon' check us or some'mn." J laughs talking to Psych while pointing at me.
"Right!" He laughs with his brother. "Fuck he was finna do?"
"Shit I don't know!" I exclaim.
"Did you hear him whinin'? Thats twenty minutes away daddy." Psych over exaggerates me whining.
"I didn't even say daddy, prick."
"Aight, leave our lil brother alone Psych. He 'bout ready to cry." J says.
"Fuck y'all." I say mean mugging them and leading the way out of the shop.
"Saye, J, you got a phone?" Psych asks.
"Mane naw! Shit cost too much. I gotta beepa'."
"Cheap ass," Psych mumbles. "I can use yo' phone right quick, Lil Arique?"
I start to pull it out, but I'm going to teach him to ask properly. "I don't know. Can you?"
"Yeah," he grabs it out of my hand and begins dialing. I exhale deeply, I'm going to let him make it. I stay behind a little to lock the door. When I walk back up to them Psych has the phone up to his ear waiting for somebody to answer. "Smutt Butta! What it do baby...yeah I'on care for real so shut up. Lil Arique wanted me to tell you some'mn..." J is trying to keep from laughing, looking like he's constipated. "Shut up bitch...whateva' I'an tryna hear that shit...I'm tryna help you aht foo'...yeah, yeah, yeah. Lil Arique said he tryna fuck tho." I try to jack the phone away from him but he runs around his car.
"I'an lyin' J can vouch...I sound like this 'cause it was s'posed to be a secret. Hol'up, let me put Josh on the phone." He runs around and quickly hands the phone to J. I run up to J to try and to take it from him.
"Y'all stop playin' dawg. I swear y'all some overgrown ass kids!" I say getting frustrated.
"Yeah he said that shit...ain't nobody talkin' in the background you trippin' bro...I'on sound outta breath bitch, you trippin'... Aye he said he on his way, lil bro." He tells me laughing. I'm finally able to jack the phone from him after running around chasing him.
"Josh you had one fuckin' job bruh!" Psych says with his hands up.
"Delontae I didn't say that." I tell him breathing heavily.
"Me either, I told him 'fuck y'all 'cause I know y'all playin' and he told you I was on the way." He tells me.
"I told them 'fuck y'all' too." I let him know, "I didn't even know they was finna call you. Psych ass jus' asked for my phone." I mug Psych.
"Tell'at bitch we gettin' out thea next time I see him."
I look over at Psych to relay the message, "Delontae said y'all fightin' next time he see you."
"Josh ass too." Delontae adds.
"You too Josh," I look at him now.
"Whateva's cleva bitch." Josh tells him.
"Josh said whatever's clever."
"Tell hi-"
"Unh unh, I'm not finna play messenger all night. I'll see you later Delontae. Bye." I hang up with out waiting for a response.
"Aaawwww," J says childishly.
"You gon' be in troubllleeeee," Psych assists.
I roll my eyes at them, "fa' what?"
"Hangin' up in his faaace," J says.
"By who?" I ask with a raised brow.
"Yo' daddy, Delontaaaeee." Psychs finishes.
"Y'all are for real live children." I shake my head unamused.
"Yeah," Psych says.
"Whateva' nigga," J says.
"Get inna car and c'mon, Lil Arique. We goin' by J crib."
"How y'all know I'an have plans?" I can't believe these niggas.
"We know you do." Psych says.
"Wit' us nigga." J as always with the assist.
"W-"
"Aht, aht. Stop talkin' back and brang ya ass!" Psych hops in his car starting it. I look to J because I just know he's going to follow up.
"What he said." He gets in his car and starts it up. I shake my head to myself and get in my car and starting it up.
"I'm glad I didn't grow up wit' brothers if this is what it's like." I say out loud to myself.
*********************
When we get to Joshua's I'm surprised at how nice he's living. The complex itself is nice, and his apartment is clean and put together well. We end up ordering pizza and start a game of dominoes.
"C'mon J wit'cha slow ass!" Psych says, "study long, study wrong."
"Shut up bitch I'm countin'." He tells him still focusing on his hand.
"Aight I'ma turn this shit to prison bones."
"The fuck is the difference?" He says playing a dominoe, that didn't hit for shit.
"You only got three seconds to play something." I tell him playing one. "Fi'teen." Psych is keeping score so he gives me my points.
"And what y'all gon'-" J is interrupted by a knock at the door. He gets up and grabs a gun from the stand by the door. "Who is it?" He makes his voice deeper. Why he asking when there's a peephole? I don't know.
"Pizza!" A male voice yells from the other side of the door. Joshua tucks the gun in the back of his pants and opens the door.
He pulls some money out and gives him a three dollar tip. "Preshate'cha fam." He closes the door and puts the pizza on the counter in the kitchen
"I'm tryna figure out two thangs J." I start getting up so I can get some pizza. "One, why you got a gun if you ain't inna streets? Two, why you answer the door like that when you don't live in the hood?" I grab the paper plate he's handing to me.
"Well both of those questions have the same answer." He shrugs... Okay?
"And that is?"
"Sometimes niggas venture out of the hood to rob people so I stay ready."
"That don't really answer the first question." I straight face him.
"It does, lil doofus." Psych adds his two cents in.
"How dumbass?"
"'Cause he said he gotta stay ready. Erbody I know from the hood keep some typa weapon on them whether they in the streets or not." He shrugs his shoulders.
"Whateva'." I roll my eyes grabbing a few slices if pizza. "Why you ain't at the halfway house? I know you gotta curfew." I ask him.
"Well when you pipin' ya PO you can get like me." He smirks.
"Well I'm not on parole so, I wouldn't know nothin' about that." I tell him.
"You wouldn't know nothin' about fuckin' broads eitha' , lil gay ass lil boy." He mushes my face.
"I know you heard me earlier when I said I still pull bitches. And I'm fuckin' one right nih too." I stuck my tongue out at him childishly.
"I know you lyin', but whatever helps you sleep at night kid." He pats my head.
"You really get on my nerves D. Why would I lie on my dick?"
"'Cause you jus' said 'I'm fuckin' one right nih' when you're clearly standin' here wit' us." He shakes his head.
"You know what? You got it bro."
"I know't." Is the last thing his says before biting half of the slice of pizza he has.
This finna be a long night wit' these ignant niggas mane.
****************
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Are my chapters too long? My shortest one written is 4,200+\- words before the authors note.
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