•DANIELLE•
Dani
"The truth hides behind the waters Dani, thats where it hides." My grandmothers words haunted me.
It's been a week since my fathers death and I can't help but fathom how my grandmother who has Alzheimer's and barely remembers anything nor says anything told me this. Crazy thing is that's where my father was murdered. London Johnson murdered in broad daylight, found at 1:34 pm in the beach, throat slit, weight tied to his feet holding him down, bullet between his temple, eyes missing, finger cut off, and the middle of his stomach sliced open. And that's where he lied, in the beach, someone just dropped him there hoping the weights would keep him down.
Kids swimming in the beach found him. When I saw him I could barely recognize his face. Whoever did these things to him took everything personal. Hell I take this personal, especially because my grandmother told me the truth hides in the waters exactly a day after his death. She didn't even know he was dead.
"Danielle." My name was called out in the classroom.
"What?" I semi snapped. Everyone's heads turned to me. I could hear whispers, I could hear people talking about my dad, some felt sorry for me, others laughed.
"Just wondering if your okay." Mrs. Martinez said softly.
"Who are you the fuckin' counselor? Mind your damn business." The words came out of my mouth cold and loud. And clear. Some of the students in the classroom laughed, others gasped. She didn't hide her shock well at all but she must've not cared enough to send me to the principal. Maybe she feels I have enough going on in my life. But I don't need her pity. I don't want her pity.
I tapped my fingers against the desk waiting for the bell to ring. When it did I was the first out of the classroom. I could hear Terri my closest friend calling after me but I kept moving. I plan to make new friends, I plan to sit with new people at lunch, and I plan to ditch Terri. She brings back too many memories of my dad, times she's hung with us at our house, are dinner with us, chilled with us. I need to be around someone who does not know me at all, who does not care enough to ask me how I'm doing. Hell even someone who has no idea he's even dead.
So for one perfect moment, it'd be like he's not.
Is that so wrong?
I stopped at my brothers locker tapping him on the shoulder. "Damari can you take me home, I just want to go home." I whispered pulling at Damari's sweater I'm wearing. Today I just decided to wear a one piece, throw on some random jewelry, a tan sweater, with some tan converses. What can I say I just didn't have the energy to do anything today.
Mari's eyes met mine as he looked over his shoulder I could see he's been crying but he hid it perfectly. Damari didn't shed a tear when he found out our dad died, he just comforted us all while we did. Funny thing is London wasn't my biological father but he raised me and treated me as so. So I'd never disrespect him and tell anyone that. He was Damari's though, and because of that Mari felt he had to stay strong for us. That even though he's a year older than me and we're bother juniors in high school he still has to stay strong for both me and our mom. Mari is eighteen and I'm only seventeen.
"You good, what's wrong?" He asked looking around to see if anybody was messing with me. Just as I was about to answer a strong body knocked into me.
I was met with a light skin boy with neatly did dreads, brown pretty like eyes, a skinny lean stature. The other was brownskin with curly black hair and tattooed covered arms. I knew them as two of the Chase Brothers. "Aye ain't you the girl who dad died?" The light skin one jokes. He laughs and I can't help but feel bile rise.
I guess it's true what they say about the Chase brothers. Their all cruel.
"Tezo chill out," the brownskin boy tells him with a serious face. "Excuse him." He mumbles.
"What you just say?" I stepped into the boys face.
"D he ain't worth it anyways," Mari says trying to grab my arm. I snatched away and stepped to the boy.
"You heard me." He challenged. "We all knew your daddy was a bitch anyways-" I didn't give Damari the chance to react before I was launching myself at the tall junior and punching him across the face.
"Aye what the fuck!" The brownskin yelled trying to yank me off of him.
"Vanni! Get this bitch off me!" Tezo yelled trying to avoid my punches. I could only see red and was trying as hard as I could to fuck up his face as much as I can. I didn't even notice the crowd forming around us with their phones. I also didn't notice Mari punching Giovanni across the face. They were now in a violent fight and from what I could see Vanni was loosing. I wondered how they even started to fight but it didn't matter. I was soon being pulled off of him by a large security guard who I out of reflex smacked across the face. He put me in a choke hold but I still managed to use my right leg to kick Tezo down when he tried to get up.
"Don't be grabbing her up like that!" Mari tried to help me but soon we were all being contained by school guards.
"I didn't even touch that bitch!" Tezo yelled.
"All four of you in my office now!" Principal Patterson yelled throughout the halls. "And everybody else go back to class,"
"The show is over."
•••••••
"So what is the meaning of this? We've managed to have a great first day yesterday and now here we are. A fight breaks out. You are all juniors, you too old to be acting this way. How do you expect to set an example with this kind of behavior?" I just stale faced the principal as he preached to us. I wonder who told him I wanted to set an example. Because I sure as hell didn't.
"Listen this bitc- I mean Danielle started going bat shi- I mean crazy and punched me. And that's when the fight start." Tezo managed to get out.
"Te'zon use better language when referring to a female, and is this true?" Patterson questions turning towards me.
"He joked about our dads death." Mari answered for me.
"Listen I never meant for a fight to break out, I was barely even apart of this shit." Vanni says shrugging. His face had a slight bruise while Tezo's face was covered in bruises and a busted lip. Mari on the other hand had nothing on his and I had nothing on me either.
"Well your all suspended, I understand this is a tough time for you guys but I suggest you keep your hands to yourself. And thank god that he didn't seek to harm you back."
Mari laughed. "Thank god for his sake he didn't because I would've had to whoop his ass-" he was cut off by a deep voice filling the room.
"Patterson what is this?" The voice was so chilled and deep. Almost like he barely even talked at all. It had a certain accent to it, almost southern like.
I glanced up from my converses and up at the man in front of me. Casmarian Mortikai Chase. I've seen him around in the hallways, but never in none of my classes considering he's a senior. Compared to his brothers he's way more attractive. Tattoos cover his neck and some are even seen peeking from under his football sweatshirt which holds our school name LakeWest and his number 11 on it. His hood was pulled over his head and as he pulled it down my mouth parted. His skin is dark chocolate, his eyes are a light brown, his hair is in nicely brushed waves, his bottom row of teeth holds a gold grill, he's wearing black sweatpants and the brand new Air Force 1's. He has a gold chain of a devil horns on his neck, I took notice to how they all have the same chain. He has a stud in one of his ears, and a piercing on his nose.
He licked his pink plump lips not intentionally as he stared at the principal in anger. "What they do now? You pulled me out of Astronomy just for this." He motioned to his brothers who sat there looking even more mad.
"I don't get why you even called him down here." Vanni mumbled. I could tell they were embarrassed that their older brother had to come down here to "set them straight".
"I called him down here because he seems to be one of the only Chase Brothers managing to stay out of trouble." Patterson replied smartly.
"This isn't his damn problem, this isn't even my problem. He should've watched his mouth and maybe they wouldn't be in this situation. Can we go now?" I asked. Patterson stared at me with sympathy that only angered me more.
"I know you've been going through a lot Danielle and I apologize fo-"
"I don't need your sympathy nor do I want your apology. Now once again can we go now?" I repeated.
"Dani she's just trying to-" Mari was cut off by Casmarian speaking.
"She's trying to be nice, you think she owes you something? She doesn't owe you a damn thing. Now we get it if your going through a lot because your dads death and all but that's no excuse to be a bitch to everyone." My jaw dropped. Did he just say what I think he said? This nigga don't know me from a can of paint and has the nerve to tell me what someone does and does not owe me?
Mari attempted to stand up and confront him but I grabbed his shoulder and pushed him down. "Look maybe you don't know me but that's not an excuse for you to talk me like this."
He stared down at me like I was nothing, barely worth a conversation. "Baby girl do you know me? Like do a 360 and realize who the hell your talking to." His deep voice says arrogantly.
"Nigga I know who I'm talking to, a spoiled brat who thinks he's too good to speak to me. Need I remind you we're both still living in the hood and going to a not shit ass school-"
"Danielle." The principal gasped.
"And I will talk to you just like I talk to anybody else, matter fact I'll talk to you just how I talked to your bitch ass brothers cause lord knows y'all all some bitches." I crossed my arms over my chest and began shitting on his life. "And you just think your all that, think your so cute lemme tell you your not all that. You may have these girls in this school bowing at your feet and hoppin' in bed with you but that's not me. So why don't you take several seats and realize who the fuck you're talking to. If I'm a bitch so are you for even attempting to feed me that bullshit."
"You buggin Danielle, maybe if you did hop in bed with me you wouldn't be a bitch like you are now."
"Aye nigga watch how you speak to my sister." Mari stood up.
"Tell yo sister to watch how she speak to my brother-"
"Everybody just shut the hell up! All of you! Suspended for three weeks, including you Mr. Chase. And while your at it since you and Danielle love disrespecting me in my office why don't you both come here every Saturday to clean the school until your suspension is over." My jaw dropped again.
Casmarian smacked his lips. "Man don't they got janitors and shit for that?"
The principal nodded. "Yep and for the next three Saturdays it'll be you two." She says smartly.
"Yeah whatever." I mumble as I open the office door and make my way out of it. Making sure to bump shoulders with the tall man with the bad attitude.
•••••••
As I walked into the house memories of what the officer said filled my mind. Actually our entire conversation had been on repeat since I'd left the station.
"Hey has any new information about my dad been brought in here?"
"No Dani, you know I'd call you if it was."
"Well actually I think you wouldn't call me."
"Why would you think that?"
"I know Mari thinks he's protecting us by telling you not to tell us anything about the case but I need some closure. So please-"
"No Danielle. Now please leave I have a lot of paperwork to tend to."
"Com'on officer Phil I need it, please I can't eat, I can't sleep. I'm stressed out by the minute and the funeral didn't help either. Can you just please tell me?"
He sighed. "We do have one thing. You can't tell Damari I told you this but we searched your fathers phone and the number of Marvin Chase popped up. We traced where the phone had been after the call and he seemed to have been by the Chase family club. We asked around to some of the people who are regulars at that strip club and some say that he was seen arguing wi-"
"Hey sweetie how was school?" My mom attempted to sound happy. Her breath smelled of alcohol, her eyes were bloodshot red, her hair all over the place, and her shoulders slumped. I could tell she hadn't slept in days. And though she attempted to hide the bills under magazines I could see the notices for our house peeking from under. With my dads sudden death, and my mom using the last of the money she had for his funeral we are completely in debt and could be loosing our home any day now.
"Good." I brushed passed her and went upstairs. I needed some time to plan out my revenge and the last thing I need is her in my face right now. I removed my book bag and tossed it on my bed. Just as I was about to grab my pj's so I could go take a shower and go to bed Mari walked in. "Damn don't you ever kno-"
"What were you doing going to see Phil? And how'd you even get there?" His eyes were filled with anger but I didn't care.
"I had to since you told him not to call me or mom." I say with a attitude.
"And I had reasons for that," he snapped. "Just forget what he told you."
"Forget it?! The biggest drug dealer in town and Casmarian's father could've possibly murdered our father and you want me to forget about it?"
"That's exactly what I want you to do. Don't hype your own head up and get your ass killed out here. This ain't a joke Dani, niggas like Marcus kill people like us everyday. We don't need that type of drama in our life. I mean look at how moms doing." He says sadly. He stared at his feet and only one thought came to my mind. Weak. He's so damn weak.
"Right! Look at her Damari! She's sad, hurt, and she's drinking her life away. We may loose our house while people like Marvin who murder people everyday is living it up in their big mansions. While we have to live our lives without a dad theirs is in their life and ruining others. While our mom is messed up downstairs and depressed theirs is alive and happy. It's not fair and you know it!" I screamed at him.
"Shhhh." He shushed me looking outside the room to make sure our mom didn't hear. "Life ain't fair Danielle. These are the damn cards we're dealt with and we have to do our best to play in this game called life. And sometimes you loose, but either way there's nothing we can do about it-"
"We can get them back!"
"By what? Murdering them?" He asks his eyes widening.
I shrug. "If that's what it takes, either way our dads death will be avenged."
He laughed at me. It continued on until his eyes were watering and his cheeks were red. "Really? This ain't boys in the hood or no damn movie Dani. This is the real world, these niggas have houses filled with guns and your ass never even held one. Matter fact you never even seen one." Each word cut thru me. It made me realize that he was right. I didn't stand a chance. But there is one thing he was wrong about.
"It doesn't matter, it'll get done with or without you." I'm not going to let them get away with this.
"I swear to god Dani, don't do it. I'd hate for mom to have to plan another funeral." And with that he brushed pass me.
I followed him down the steps. "Where are you going?" I asked staring at the empty living room that no longer held our mom.
"To Cash house, can you just stop following me? Like please leave me the fuck alone Dani." He ordered as he continued out of the house.
At first I stood there stunned, but as I realized that Cash has a sister my age I now wanted to go to. When I walked outside I could see him in the distance wayyy across the street. I looked both ways and then as soon as I was almost across the street a car almost rammed into me. "You fuckin' piece of shit watch where your going you almost hit me!" I screamed at him slamming my palm onto the hood of his car.
I came around the front of the car to see him through his tinted windows he rolled down. Tattoos inked his entire body from what I can see considering he wore no shirt. His body was toned yet not skinny more so thick. His skin is a mocha brown complexion, his hair is neatly placed in braids. His eyes are an intense dark brown, he appears to be way more older than me, maybe in his mid twenties. But he was still very very attractive. I could feel his ora, it's laid back yet intense, almost like aggressive but not in a violent way. He too has studs in his ears,!a Rolex on his left hand, and an angel chain on.
I took hint at that, I also took hint at his very expensive car.
He finally turned his head away from the steering wheel acknowledging my existence. It seemed like his eyes stared at me as a whole not just my face or body. It's like he stared into my soul and I couldn't breathe. "Sorry dawlin' wasn't really watchin where I was going I guess." He spoke in his thick Nola accent.
His voice is so smooth, so deep, so passionate it almost caused my legs to go weak. But I easily pushed it aside. I placed my hand on my hip and his eyes dropped down to it with a smirk. "Look sir, I know your not from here but when a woman walks across a street you don't almost hit her."
His eyes raked up and down my body before landing on my face. "Well I don't see a woman anywhere around here." He said slyly with a smile. Well isn't he charming.
"Maybe that's because your gay or som-" before I could finish I was snatched back away from the car. I was met with an angry Mari.
"Dani what the fuck didn't I tell your ass to stay home? And to stop following me?" Just when I was about to answer the man did.
"So that's her name, Dani?" He repeated. It sounded so foreign on his tongue, so sexy and delicate.
"Khalil." Damari straightened his chest and I could sense his fear. The man named Khalil I guess chuckled which caused Mari to untense but not completely.
"Told you young blood, just call me Kade." He says. I wondered why he was still waiting here, I also wondered how Damari knew him, and how he was holding up traffic and not one person honked their horn or yelled yet.
I noticed how Mari hands shook by his sides. "D-Dani this is Cash's dad, he's come down from New Orleans to live here." Damari informed me. "Kade this is my little sister Dani. I'm sorry if she said anything rude..." my face mugged him. If I'm not apologizing for me what makes him think I want him to do it.
"Actually he's no-"
"She's good. Actually I was just headin' to see Cash right now. Y'all need a ride?" He asked.
"No we were goo-" I cut Damari off.
"We'd love one." I smiled. I knew if I didn't accept this ride then Damari would be able to force me to go back home. I walked around the car getting ready to open the passenger door but Mari pushed me aside. I was about to take the L until Kade cut him off when he opened the door.
"Let the lady get in the front, be a gentleman to your lil sister." He orders. Though Mari looked mad by his comment he ignored it and moved aside letting me get in.
I smiled happily as he closed my door. The entire ride was silent up until we were about two blocks away from Cash's house. "So your Jose's little girlfriend?" Kade asked calling his son by his birth name.
I almost choked on my own oxygen. "W-what? No uh...no I'm not." I stuttered. I mean it's a little obvious that over the years Cash has developed some sort of crush on me. But the feelings were never returned.
"Why not?" He laughed. "My son ain't ugly, he's got my genes so I know damn sure that's not it." I wondered why Mari stayed so quiet in the back, perhaps he's too intimidated by Kade to join the conversation or interfere.
I found myself blushing but I quickly hid it. "No that's not why, he's just not my type." I whispered. I don't know why but I was so used to people not speaking to me, or half ass doing it that for his attention to be so set on me in this very moment I grew a little scared.
He stared at me a while too long his face turning serious. "And just what is your type?"
My breath got stuck in my throat and I was frozen. "Uh...mature." I don't know why I was acting this way. He's a normal person, hell he's Cash's dad for fuck sake.
"We're here." Mari interrupted. I could hear the attitude in his tone and it kind of had me taken back. I don't know why he's acting like this, it wasn't like Kade was flirting with me or anything. Right?
I opened the door slowly. I expected a goodbye or something but it never came. Mari slammed his hand down on the neck of the seat telling me to hurry up. I climbed out of the car and just as I was about to speak to Kade Mari closed the door.
"Thanks Kade." Mari said lowly but somehow the man managed to hear him. He nodded giving Mari the okay that he heard him.
I just sighed and prepared myself to tell Cash's sister why I thought it'd be a good idea to come over.
•KHALIL•
Kades
I watched as the girl walked away. Girl I reminded myself. She's a kid. But that mouth on her was anything but that, she's very rude. But on another note she's very beautiful. Her style seems very different than the girls I've seen here. She didn't rock the usual crop tops and booty shorts. Instead her hair hangs or the middle of her back. Highlighted brown curls. A one piece reaching her thighs, and a tan sweater wrapped around her body covering her ass leaving you to only see her outline of her curvy hips and breasts. Two chains on her neck, her lipstick on her perfectly lined lips, her brown chocolate skin glowing in the sun.
The curve of her hips and her medium sized ass, and even the outline of her perfect breasts and nipples which were very evident considering she wasn't wearing a bra.
Damn if only girls were looking like this when I was in high school. I tried not to feel bad for my attraction towards the young woman. I mean she is almost a woman right? She's a junior in high school, I guess you could say she's almost one year closer to being one.
But that still doesn't make me feel less like a pervert. I washed the thoughts out of my head as Jose walked towards the passenger side opening it. "Hey pops." He greeted he leaned over and dapped me up before closing the car door.
I stared at him trying so hard to find a hint of my features but none were evident. People always say we look alike but he looks just like my damn brother. Which makes sense because that is his son. After my brother Davin died when Jose was one years old I promised myself I'd take care of Jose, well Cash and his mom Gina. Soon I started raising him like he was my own, though me and Cash both know I'm not his real dad we still look at eachother like we are. Hell I raised the little nigga he might as well be my son.
And after hearing about the drama Cash has been in down here in Atlanta I left Nola and moved down here for a while. Just in case any shit got started. I knew all about Marvin and his boys, but they didn't scare me. They used their guns to talk but me? I used way more. The Chase Family is a tiny little gang as I am something bigger. What I have is an operation, and let me find out somebody's fucking with my son I'll shut all this shit down.
"Hey did you drop Mari and Dani off here?" He asked. I watched as his eyes lit up in some sort of happiness. Yep this is definitely my brothers son. Davin was known for being a straight sucka when it came to women. I on the other hand was known as chill, not a player but also not in love. It's easy to see which gene Cash took.
"Yeah, she got a attitude on her."
He smiled widely. Before looking back at the house probably realizing she was in there. "Yeah she does," he blushes. "She gone be mine some day pops I promise you."
"Look I don't mean to burst your love bubble or nun but I don't think she's feeling you J." I laughed. Shit somebody got to let the lil nigga know.
He rolled his eyes but his smile never faded. "Maybe not now. But she will someday." There was something so pure about Cash. The type of pure that lets you know a persons never been touched by the streets. I just don't want him ending up like one of these youngins who blood paints the sidewalks. Definitely not like Davin.
I chuckled. "Let's hope so," I say. "Anyways you got any problems going on down here? You know I got people looking out for you."
"No," he shook his head. "I'm good."
"You sure?"
"Well...." he trailed. "There is one thing you can do. Dani's dad was murdered a week ago, and today she had a run in/ fight with the Chase boys. Can you watch out for her? At least when I can't?" He asked me with hope in his eyes.
I wanted to tell him no. To tell him that I can't watch that girl, that she hates me already. And that her problems ain't mine to worry about. But as I looked into his eyes and saw my little brother I knew I couldn't tell him no.
I sighed. "Fine. I gotchu." He beamed.
"For real you'll watch over her?" I nodded and he reached over to hug me. I awkwardly patted him on his back until he pulled away. He held out his hand. "Promise?" Something told me I'd regret this but I did promise myself I'd do anything for my son. And if it meant watching over this girl for him then I would. I reached my hand out and shook his.
"Promise."