She didn’t answer right away. And that was enough. He got out of bed and started putting his clothes back on. He grabbed his things off the chair and placed them back into his bag.
“Kenji, please listen—” she stepped in front of him, still clutching the sheet around her, palms on his chest. “I’mtryin’. I’m healin’. I’m, I’m, learnin’ how to let somebody love me other thanhim. This meant something to me.” She grabbed his wrist. “Bare with me.”
He looked down at her hands, then up into her eyes. “I know it did. That’s why this shit hurt more.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “So you just gon’ leave me after this?”
He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “I’m not leavingyou. But I’mma fall back for a minute. 'Cause I need toknowyou fuck with me for me. And not just 'cause I came around when the last man broke you.”
Tasha blinked back tears, trying to avoid looking him in the eyes.
Kenji stepped back, with his duffle bag in hand. “I'll be around when you're ready, okay?”
And just like that, the door shut behind him. Leaving her standing in the middle of the dim room, naked, shaking, and wishing she could snatch Juelz’s name back out of the air. But it was already too late. She went and fell face first on the bed, screaming into the pillow. “Damn you, Juelz.FUCKKK!”
Three months had flown by,and Juelz was back on the scene fresh out of rehab. The old Juelz, who always smelled like Hennessy, blowing on some loud before daybreak, and kept a little powder on standby, was long gone. In his place was a better version of himself. Still hood. Still Juelz. But his energy was different. He moved differently now. More focused. The long nights in the trap and meetups with the plug every other week had also become a thing of the past. He finally decided to put his electrical skills to use and landed himself a big-time electrician position working on commercial buildings and large construction projects. For the first time in a long time, Juelz could finally say his money was clean.
He was also no longer living in the penthouse and finally moved back into his house after months of waiting for it to be rebuilt. But something about it felt different now, like the air itself had changed. No more stale smoke clouds floating throughout the living room. No more random empty bottles on the counters. The ashtrays were clean. The vibe felt peaceful. This was his second chance at life, so he wasn’t going to fuck it up. The doorbell sounded off, and Juelz headed down the spiral staircase to answer it.
He opened the door, wearing all black, his gold thick chain hanging against his chest. The dreads were gone now, replaced with a low fade that the waves were taking over. His face looked cleaner, his eyes brighter, and his body had filled out again, no more sluggish movements or that low buzz always humming under his skin.
The crew was already talking shit. Sintonio came in, propping on the chair arm. Kane had stretched himself out on the rug, resting on one elbow, while Mar was on the phone, arguing with someone over who cheated last in the spades game. But when they finally looked up and saw Juelz, they all paused.
“Oh, shit,” Kane grinned, sitting up. “Look like he got that Gucci clone going on. You sure this you, nigga.”
Juelz smirked, dap’d him up. “Nigga, shut up. It’s me.”
Sintonio stood and hugged him. Real tight, one hand on the back of his head and the other on his back. “Good to see you, bro.”
“Good to be seen.” Juelz shot back, taking a seat on the sectional. “I miss this shit. Missed y'all.”
Kane nodded slow. “You look better, Jue. Deadass. I mean, damn, nigga ya whole aura is different.” He looked Juelz up and down. You sure you didn’t do the Gucci on us?”
Juelz laughed and brushed them off, “Man, watch out. I just had to get myself in a better place. Shit, I feel better too.”Juelz said, leaning back on the sectional, interlocking his fingers behind his head. “Ain’t touch no weed. No fuckin’ powder. Ain’t even had a drink since the night I checked in. Shit wasn’t easy. But it’s done.”
They all went quiet. Not awkward quiet, just respectful. Kane broke the silence first.
“So… you mean to tell me no more blunts, no, 1942, no lines off the counter,” he chuckled, “Now I know this ain’t the real Gawddamn Jue.”
“Nigga, I amme,” Juelz said with a smirk. “Just a newer version I was before all the dumb shit.”
Mar raised an eyebrow. “So basically you ah square now?”
Juelz leaned up and nodded. “Nigga I’ll still flame y’all dumb asses. Don’t get it twisted.”
Laughter cracked around the room. It felt good. Familiar.
Juelz looked around the room at his new beginnings. He thought about his life and the way he fucked up the one good thing he had going for himself.
“I fucked up a lot,” he said. “Damn near lost everythin’. Includin’ my fuckin’ life. I appreciate y’all boys for havin’ my back on that.”
Kane leaned forward, serious for once. “We got you, bruh. Whatever you need, we brothas.”
“Have y’all boys seen Tasha or heard anythin’ about her? I miss the fuck outta that girl.”
Sintonio went to the refrigerator for a bottle of water. “Man, Jue. To be honest witcha. Tasha had been kickin’ shit heavy with that baseball nigga, Kenji. We saw them the day you checked in at the hospital. But they called it quits recently, shit.”
Juelz went silent for a beat. He wasn’t expected to hear that news. He knew he had fucked up with her, but damn.
