Carmen and Aaliyah met at a restaurant before they went to the mall.
"Me and Keyanna loved this place", Aaliyah said.
Carmen put her food down and changed the subject because she noticed Aaliyah getting sad.
"So...you and Dre", Carmen started to speak. "You guys okay?"
Aaliyah nods. "Yea... we're okay", she said.
"... you still getting that abortion?", Carmen asked.
"I don't know...no. I guess", she said.
"...hey I get you're probably scared about this whole baby thing but-"
Aaliyah cut her off. "Carmen lets just talk about something else", she said.
"Did I say something wrong?", she asked.
"Nah, I just don't wanna talk about that", Aaliyah replied.
"Okay", Carmen said as she sat back. "Let's talk about you dying then"
"What", Aaliyah questioned.
"That guy came to me last night... I think he followed me. He thought it was you", Carmen said. "...he still wants the money and if not he's coming at you and Dre"
Aaliyah began to get up. "I need to talk to Dre", she said.
"I already did and he had no intentions on giving the money up", Carmen said.
"Even after you told him what was going to happen?", Aaliyah asked.
"Yea", Carmen said. "I gave him until two o'clock to come up with his final decision"
"Yet he wanna talk about keeping somebody safe??", Aaliyah said. "You know what, fuck him"
"The guy want 1 million", Carmen said.
"Meaning all we need is 500,000", Aaliyah said.
"So where is the other half coming from?", Carmen asked.
"Me", Aaliyah said as she grabbed her things. "So basically you didn't really need to go shopping. You just wanted to talk to me about this?"
"Pretty much", Carmen said.
"Okay.. listen, I know two guys that owe me. You talk to one while I talk to the other. I'm about to be on my way to Dre's house and I'll call you with the details on what to do", Aaliyah said. "This is only if Dre don't agree"
Carmen nods.
Aaliyah leaves.
——————————————————
Aaliyah got to Dre's house and he opened the door for you.
"You got some explaining to do", Aaliyah said.
"What the fuck did I do now?", Dre asked.
"Either you want me or you don't and if you want me muthafucka then you supposed to be protecting me!", Aaliyah shouted.
"Carmen told you?", he asked.
"You damn right", Aaliyah said. "I got half, you just need to give him the rest"
"The rest is all I got", Dre said. "If I give him half a million dollars, that's all my money"
"...well want matters to you more? Your unborn child or the money?", Aaliyah said.
Dre sighed. "Liyah, you need money to have a kid", he said. "I'm about to have two, then I got shit I need to pay, then your expensive ass"
Aaliyah folds her arms. "If I give this dude my money, all imma have is 1000 dollars to my name but it don't matter because I rather have my life then money. I've been without money and I promise you that wasn't the worst days of my life"
Dre looks down. "Fine", he said.
"..have it by midnight. We have to meet him", she said.
Dre nods.
"Don't pull any slick shit. He's smart", Aaliyah said.
"Smarter than me?", Dre asked.
"You do have your blonde moments", she said. "He never misses a beat"
"Mmm", Dre said.
"I'm serious? One fuck up and that's both out asses", Aaliyah says.
"Iight. Damn", Dre replies with a frown. "I get it"
Dre walks to the coffee table and grabs his keys. "I got shit to do. Send me the address", he said before he walked out.
Aaliyah shook her head.
————————————————
It was 11:30p.m when Aaliyah pulled up to meet Dre at the location.
"You got the money?", Aaliyah asked.
"What do you have on?", Dre asked.
"Just in case you try some shit I got a plan for it"
"What? Sleep with him?", Dre question. "Short ass dress"
"Shut up", Aaliyah said.
"You shut up", Dre said.
Aaliyah rolled her eyes.
"We got 30 minutes", Dre said.
Aaliyah looks around.
Dre puts his bag down and lets out a deep breath.
"Dre?", Aaliyah asked.
"What's up?", he asked with frustration in his voice.
"Are you mad at me?", she asked.
"Why would I be?", he asked.
"For putting you in this predicament", she said as she looked at him.
Dre didn't say anything.
Aaliyah looked away.
"Stop blaming yourself for everything baby", he said as he sat on his car hood.
They begin to here a car pull up.
"Get in the car", Dre said.
"But-"
Dre cuts Aaliyah off. "Now", he said.
Aaliyah stood there for a few seconds then got into the car.
The car pulls up and the guy gets out.
Dre makes a face. "Herbo?", he asked.
"Let's skip the small talk. You got the money or not? Oh and I already took care of the niggas you had hiding around here. I know your place Dre", Herbo said.
"What the fuck is this?", Dre asked.
"Didn't I say let's skip the fucking small talk and give me the money or something could possibly happen you and you know who", he said.
Dre looks back at Aaliyah who was in the car then at Herbo.
"I ain't got all night. Boss wants his money", Herbo said.
Dre grabs the two bags filled with money and gives them to Herbo.
"Thanks bro. Hope it's no hard feelings, especially after this", Herbo says as he pulls his gun out and aims it at Dre.
Aaliyah's heart dropped once she saw Herbo's gun. She closed her eyes and covered her ears before she heard and saw anything. She was shaking at this point and afraid to look up. She didn't know if he was going to come to her next and she was scared to find Dre dead. She began to cry because this was the third person she has gotten closed to leave her.
Suddenly, her door opens and Aaliyah jumps. She start to scream until she realizes that the person who was calling her down was Dre. Aaliyah looked at him in shocked.
"Wait what?", she asked as she looked back to where they were to see Herbo dead. "How?"
"Lets just say... your brother is good at not being seen", Dre said.
"But that guy is still out there!", Aaliyah yelled as tears was running down her eyes. "Fuck Herbo! What about the dude!"
"I got that handled...remember? I said I was going to kill the person who killed Keyanna and I keep my promises", he said.
"...when did you kill him?", Aaliyah asked.
"While I was on the way here, I had my boys handle it. I knew he had somebody on the way... I didn't know it was going to be herbo though", he said.
Aaliyah looked down. "I thought you got shot", she said.
"I'm good", he said.
"I see that now", she said.
"...so I should know. Is there any more crazy niggas I should be worried about?", Dre asked.
Aaliyah shook her head. I don't think so", she said.
Dre nods.
"Hey, I got a question. When Nae was pregnant do you know if her stomach cramped or not?", Aaliyah asked.
Dre shrugs his shoulders. "Me and her wasn't together. I don't know", he said. "What? Your stomach cramping"
"Yea, started today", she said.
"Maybe it's nothing", Dre said.
Aaliyah shrugs her shoulders.
"When is that appointment you made?", he asked.
"In a few days", Aaliyah asked.
"Ask her or him then", He said.
Aaliyah nods.
"Imma get shit situated here.. you head to my house", he said.
"No..I don't wanna be alone", she said.
"Go with Carmen. I don't want you seeing this", he said.
"...I'm staying Dre", Aaliyah said.
"Alright, fine", he said. "Sit here then"
Dre walks to Jay and they put on gloves and put Herbo in a body bag and put him into the back of the car that Herbo drove in.
Aaliyah watched them as they did it. As she did that she just thought of how much more attracted to Dre she was. She couldn't understand why he came into her life and why he was so different than other guys that she dealt with. The way she felt when she thought he was dead, made her feel like somebody ripped her heart out.
Dre came back to her car. "Follow me to my house", he said.
Aaliyah starred at him.
"...you heard me bae?", he asked.
Aaliyah got out the car and began to kiss him. Dre slowly kissed back and Aaliyah pulled away.
"What was that for?", he asked.
"I don't know... I just wanted to do that", she said with a chuckled.
Dre smiles a little. "Mmm.. well I like it", he said.
Aaliyah smiles as she gets back in the car. "I'll see you the house", she said before she shut the door.
Dre backed up as she started the car and he walked to his car.
TO BE CONTINUED...