“Yet. I do admit it shocks me a bit.”
“And why does it shock you, Bernard?” I asked. I normally called my father by his first name when I was being sarcastic.
“Given his background an?—”
“You mean the streets.”
My father nodded.
“He isn’t in the streets anymore.”
My father nodded again. “When you were in the position he was in, you can’t just walk away like a normal nigga. Everybody still has some sort of ties.”
I just looked at my father because I didn’t doubt a word he said. I believed him because he still had ties to those very streets. His ties included my brother among various other things. All of that alone was enough for me to tell myself that I really needed to stay away from North. I couldn’t do the street ties no matter how minimal they were. Maybe I liked North, but not enough to deal with what he came with…
Surah
I probably should’ve stayed in the house tonight, but when my girl Bobby called me and said that it would be lit on her block I just had to get out. I could feel the walls closing in on me and I didn’t like that feeling. I didn’t fuck with the idea that I had no control over a situation, especially not a situation that I started out having all the control in. I knew I shouldn’t have taken it there with Namari, but I wanted to. I wanted him at that moment, and I was never the type to not get exactly what I wanted. In no way did I regret what happened, but I didn’t like the fact that he hadn’t hit me up since. Most niggas were begging to be chose, shit everything about me made niggas fold, but Namari had sampled the goods and seemingly went about his day. I can’t say my feelings weren’t hurt, but at the end of the day I was taught to keep it player about every situation. A nigga was going to be a nigga at all points, so who was I to expect anything different from him? Anything I expected from a nigga like Mari was my fault and never his because he not only told me who he was, but he showed me.
Instead of staying in the house thinking about a nigga who wasn’t thinking about me I had to get out and feel myself again. My cousin came and got Ssiah this morning which gave me time to get myself together and run my errands before I hit these streets. Now I was putting the finishing touches on my look for the night and waiting for Bobby to call and let me know she was downstairs. It was Bobby’s cousin Requ’s release day, so the whole block was supposed to be lit for him. I didn’t know anything about him, besides the fact that he was coming home from doing five years upstate. Unlike my cousin I love me a good hood nigga. It was something about them that excited me, and Icouldn’t stay my ass away from them. Hood niggas did it better and I knew that for a fact.
Lately I had been on a hood nigga fast and I swear I was failing miserably because for some godforsaken reason I thought that Namari and I could keep it platonic. I failed miserably at that, and the sex was fucking amazing. Shit, it wasn’t like I was going to ask the nigga for his hand in marriage or even try and claim him. I would’ve appreciated it if he wasn’t stingy with what was between his legs.
I felt my phone ringing in my back pocket, which meant she was downstairs.
I didn’t bother checking to see, I just grabbed my purse to leave. Bobby was one of the most impatient people I knew. Nah, scratch that Ommy was the impatient one. She hated to be waiting on anybody.
“Bitch, I’m tryna find my next sponsor tonight and you’re taking your sweet ass time.”
I chuckled knowing she was dead ass serious. I loved my girl, but we differed in that thought. I never needed nor wanted a man to take care of me. I had my own and I liked the idea of providing for myself. That way I never became too dependent on someone taking care of me. It was simple for me though, I liked money so every chance I got I went out and made it.
I guess I could see why she was rushing to get over here. Ever since we hopped out of the car the niggas were out here by the plethora. Unfortunately, I had sworn all of them off so in no way was I about to entertain any of them. I’d probably give some good conversation and a few smiles, but otherwise I was goinghome alone and not giving my number out. I’d pass on any of that because I was serious this time.
“Loosen up, what’s gotten into you?” Bobby’s voice made me turn around.
She was now standing behind me with two small semi clear plastic cups in her hand. She held one out for me and I accepted it without question. My girl knew me and the brown liquor in the cup was only the best.
“I am loose.”
“Um no you’re not, but after a few shots you will be. What’s gotten into you?”
“Nothing.” I lied. I didn’t tell her too much of my business on purpose. As a matter of fact, the only person who I told any of my business to shared my blood. These other hoes only got that surface shit. It was nothing against Bobby, because I loved her, but I also knew her. We partied together and got a good meal from time to time but that was it.
“Yeah, tell me an—Cousin! I sure thought you’d be coming in here loaded.” She squealed and then rushed past me to someone to my left.
When I finally looked to my left, I was lost for words at how beautiful the figure she was all over was. Shit if I didn’t know any better, I’d say Bobby was on that for her own cousin.
“C’mon B, you know me better than that.” He spoke to her, but I could feel his deep hazel eyes on me.
I can’t front and say old boy isn’t fine, but it didn’t matter I meant exactly what the fuck I said.No more hood niggas.I purposely looked away from Bobby and her cousin. Fine was an understatement, but I couldn’t even go out like that. This nigga was cut the fuck up and fresh out. I could only imagine what he went in for. In real honesty I could only imagine how much of a menace he was about to be just by being out.
I kissed my teeth when I heard her voice getting closer.
“Yeah, this is my girl, Surah. Surah, this is my cousin Requ.”
I turned and looked at him with a polite smile tugging at my lips. “Welcome home Requ.” Seconds later I extended my hand to shake his.
Biting into his bottom lip he gripped my hand like he was about to pull my body into his. Then he brought my hand to his lips and kissed it. “Surah. I like that.”
