KJ’s facial expression changed to one of hope. I knew he ain’t want smoke with Thyri just as much as Tez ain’t want it with his mama.
“We ain’t even sell it,” Tez spoke up. “We was just showing it to our people to show that we had it.”
Another lie. I leaned back in my seat and forced my tone down into something steadier. “So, you want me to believe that y’all showing off weed packs for shits and giggles? Cut the bullshit, Cortez.”
“We sold a few packs,” KJ finally admitted.
Cortez’s head whipped in his direction. “Man, what the fu…”
“Shut up,” I scolded him. “He ain’t tellin’ me shit I ain’t already know.”
Starting up the car, I pulled out of the parking lot and headed to Cortez’s house first.
“We weren’t even selling to anyone outside our circle.” Cortez spoke after we’d been riding for a few minutes. “Can’t even trust niggas to hold it down.”
“You sound real stupid, you know that?” I glanced over at him, and his jaw clenched. “Yeah, lil’ nigga, get mad. You talkin’ ‘bout y’all only sold to y’all circle. It don’t matter who you sold that shit to. You sold it on school grounds. You know who the fuck your family is, and you out here sellin’ bum ass Za packs? And you,” I looked back at KJ again. “You ain’t exempt from this shit either. Only thing is I can’t put my hands on you. But y’all pulled this dumb ass move for what? Sneaker money? Pocket money? Shit that y’all get without even asking? Make that makesense. Better yet, answer the number one question. Where y’all get it from?”
Neither spoke, both of their heads turning toward the window at the same time.
“Don’t make me ask again.”
“My uncle,” KJ uttered.
“Yo’ uncle gave you weed to sell, bruh?”
“Nah. He gave it to me to smoke. I decided to sell it. Cortez really ain’t have nothing to do wit’ it. He just was…”
“Helping him sell it,” Cortez jumped in, letting me know in not so many words that he wasn’t letting his man go down by himself.
It was admirable, but it didn’t change the fact that they still fucked up. I eased onto Cortez’s block and pulled up in front of his building. Turning off the engine, I turned to him before he could run out of my car.
“Let me explain something to both of y’all. Leave the street shit for the niggas that belong in them. Don’t be the ones trying so hard to be a part that y’all start doing goofy shit like this and put a target on y’all back.”
“It was just weed, Unc,” Cortez tried to reason like it was no big deal.
“Weed today, coke tomorrow. Y’all got so much shit going for yourselves. Popular, talented, handsome young niggas but y’all wanna do bum shit like sell weed. If y’all wanna be the talk of Millenium Prep, do it for some playa shit. This ain’t it.”
“Aight, Unc. We hear you.” Cortez had his hand on the door handle like he was ready to go.
“I’m sure you don’t, but it’s cool. Just know there’s consequences for your actions. I’ll be hittin’ yo’ line with that consequence after I drop him off.”
He huffed and sucked his teeth as he opened the passenger side door. “I’ma hit when I can, KJ. Hold ya head.” Reaching in the backseat, he dapped KJ up.
“He ain’t going to prison, bruh. You talkin’ bout hold ya head. Getcho dramatic ass outta here. Hop in the front, KJ.”
I waited until Cortez walked into his building before pulling off.
“My moms asked you to come get me?” KJ inquired.
“Nah. I offered since I was already coming for Tez. That cool witchu?”
He shrugged. “It’s cool. Was she mad when you spoke to her?”
“Flustered,” I replied. “I think she was more worried than anything.”
“Man, she ain’t gon’ let me out her sight now.” He shook his head. “Then I know she gon’ tell my pops. I’ma just go in the crib, hand her my phone, unplug my game, the PC, and hand her that too.”
The stress was clear in his voice.
