I didn’t answer.
“Exactly,” he said. “You tryin’ to crash out in broad fuckin’ daylight, in a city that is not yours, fresh out on bond—the nigga don’t even know you.”
“And that still won’t make her come back if she don’t want to,” Bully added.
That part made me ease up a lil’ bit.
But it didn’t make me stop.
I switched from lane to lane, keeping up with him until he reached a store, a jewelry store. He parked in front, and we parked across the street.
“One of y’all go in there and see what he’s on.”
Kronic shook his head and hopped outta of the car.
Bully and I sat in silence in the car, while our eyes stayed glued to the door. After a few minutes, Kronic walked out with a lil’ bag in his hand. I looked at Bully with my face twisted up.
He hopped in the car.
“That’s a cool lil’ shop,” he said as me and Bully looked at him, “I grabbed myself a gold bracelet. His prices are nice.”
Bully laughed.
“Nigga, what was he doin’? Buyin’ her something?” I asked.
Kronic laughed. “It’s funny that you asked that, and no, he was not… He’s the owner; he owns a few stores.”
“He owns it?” I repeated, eyes cutting back to the store.
Kronic nodded, leaning back like the shit he was talkin’ was nothing. “Yeah, people behind the counter were callin’ him boss. He went into an office, and they talked to him when they needed to.”
Bully let out a low whistle. “Shorty upgraded.”
I didn’t respond. Just took a picture of the store and wrote down the address. She didn’t get some random nigga; she got a nigga with motion.
That made my stomach turn in a way I didn’t like.
“G…” Kronic said low. “I’m tellin’ you right now, this ain’t what you want. It looks like Islah has moved on. You should want the best for her.”
I looked away from the store. “The best for her is me.”
“Man, you think her nigga is gonna let you swoop down and take her?”
“The nigga don’t have to let me do shit,” I stated. Before I could finish my thought, the nigga was walking back out of the store, keys in hand, phone to his ear. People who passed him dapped him up. People in cars honked and yelled at him.
He got in his car and pulled off. This time, I didn’t follow.
Bully sat back in the seat, letting out a deep breath. “You done?”
“Hell nah, nigga, I’m just getting started.”
I kept my eyes on the road where he disappeared, my mind already working. That feeling in my chest wouldn’t settle, not even a lil’ bit.
“So, what are you thinking?” Kronic asked.
I leaned back in the seat, running my tongue across my teeth slow, then started the car.
“Where you going now?” Bully asked.
