He didn’t even bother to look at me, “Yeah, give me a minute. I’m trying to kill this hoe ass beast. Ah shit! Right there! Right there!” he shouted. “Fuck! Man, this is why I stick with Madden or 2k, this shit is for the nerds,” he said as he tossed the controller on the table.
He came over to sit on the bed, but I stood up. “Let’s take a walk.”
His face frowned. “Nigga, it’s winter. Twenty fucking degrees outside. Are you crazy?”
“You got a coat, right? Stop complaining and come on before I beat yo ass like I used to.” I laughed.
He rambled off as he snatched up his thick coat and put it on. “I’ll be back,” he told his roommate.
“You like it here?” I asked him.
He nodded. “Yeah, shit is cool. I enjoy the whole HBCU life. Classes are ass, but I’m good.”
I nodded. “I’m not going to lie. I wish it were me who was doing all this shit for you. It’s supposed to be me, your big brother, but it’s clear Bop is doing the job.”
Keith stopped walking as he turned to me. “I know, Kareem. Look, our life looks different than everyone else’s, and I know you had some things going on. Bishop, Bleek, and Indigo have been good to me, but at the end of the day, you’re still my brother, and I would never treat you differently.”
A nigga was getting choked up because, through it all, my baby brother still saw me. I knew the conversation was about to change, but I had to do it. “You know I got your back no matter what. I don’t ask many questions, I move, but I want to know what happened between you and Dio?”
Keith’s face changed. Anger began to rise. “Fuck that nigga. Ever since he got to the Cove. When Samara told me about him, I should have—”
“Wait, so you and this nigga got beef over a female?”
Keith dropped his head and tried to walk off, and I pulled his shoulder back, “Nah, little nigga, answer my question.”
He swatted my hand away. “Kareem, nigga, don’t touch me. Ok, maybe it’s over a female, but the nigga violated. Coming around on some big ego shit, so like I said, fuck him.”
I couldn’t believe this shit. This entire time, I thought Keith was moving because there was some real shit between them, only to find out it was because he had fallen for some girl that clearly chose Dio. “Keith, my nigga, you can’t be serious. So, what now, you want the nigga gone over a girl you will never have? Make it make sense.”
Keith stepped closer to me. “That’s the problem, Kareem. We always get whatever is left. We always get the short end of the stick. We get treated like fucking trash and never get to have something we can say is ours. Samara was mine before that nigga came skipping around and when I checked him on it, we caught the fade. It doesn’t matter, though, because I will be seeing him on the other side. I’ve been meaning to tell you, but now seems like the right time. I joined a biker crew.”
I ran my hand through my hair, “What the fuck! Nigga, is you cool? I’m starting to think that you’re losing your fucking mind.”
Keith shrugged. “Maybe I am, but remember, Kareem, it’s my life, not yours. Let me move how I want, you did, remember. I love you, bro, but what’s done is done,” he finished and walked back toward his dorm.
Something in me told me my brother had joined the wrong side of the tracks. I didn’t know what the fuck was happening, but what I did know was that my brother was playing a game he was bound to lose.
MORGAN
I had gone out with Alyse today to pick up things for Samara’s date night. Between my parents calling me nonstop and me still trying to get a hold of Kareem, I was tired. I wanted to enjoy tonight, but also didn’t want to be the oddball out. The girl who sat in the corner while everyone was all coupled up. I figured I would stay for a bit, then somehow tell Alyse I was sleepy and leave while they enjoyed their night.
Alyse must have sensed that I was off because she stopped grabbing things and stood in front of me, “You still haven’t talked to him?” she asked.
“No, and I’m really worried.”
I did share some things about Kareem with her, but I didn’t tell her exactly who he was. When it came to me sharing things about someone I was sleeping with, I kept it to a minimum in case shit like this happened, being ghosted. It saved me the embarrassment. She reached out and stroked my arm, “I’m sure everything is ok. If you want, I can ask my dad, just tell me his name,” she said.
“No, it’s fine. I shouldn’t be worried about his ass anyway. It’s not like he’s my man.” I shrugged.
I knew I needed to snap out of it. Kareem and I spent barely any time together, and he fucked me a few times in one night, now here I am concerned for a nigga who didn’t care. As we left the store, I spotted Papi’s bike but didn’t see him around. I snatched Alyse’s arm, damn near dragging her to the car. “Girl, what the hell is wrong with you?” she asked.
“I see his bike. Did you tell your boyfriend and his friends what I told you?”
She hurried and unlocked the door so we could get in. “Yes, I did. They said they will handle it. You keep talking about Papi, but I’ve never seen him,” she hissed.
“Yeah, well, I don’t know why. He isn’t hard to find. The nigga thinks he’s big shit. I’m sure he’s been on campus bragging,” I muttered as my eyes bounced from the road to the mirror.
I wasn’t sure what the Zoo was going to do with the information I gave them, but I hoped like hell they did something. Alyse had a nigga to protect her, or someone who would come and save the day. I didn’t have that. I was still Princess Shira, wandering Loch Ness, trying to find my way. If I made even a single wrong move or turn for a second, I wouldn’t survive the level, because Papi catching me again would be deadly.
