Page 39 of Just Like Summer

“Music history and business management,” Kamilla quietly answered.

“Campus is definitely tempting. It’s best to get a leg up,” the woman replied. “Have you ever taken birth control?”

“I’ve…never had sex.”

The nurse nodded. “You don’t want to keep it that way?”

Kamilla cleared her throat. “Mm mm, no. I want experiences, I just want to be proactive.”

The nurse nodded. “Remember condoms along with the pill will help prevent from STIs, STDs and HIV.”

Kamilla adhered. “Yeah, so I’ve heard.”

“It’s the best practice. Sit tight, I’ll grab your medical history and get you two on your way,” the nurse stated, turning around to her computer.

After the questionnaire and finding the best option for Kamilla, the two were out of the clinic with prenatal vitamins and birth control. They grabbed lunch and then roamed through the small hair supply shop.

“You want to keep your curls?” Dania asked, looking at products.

Being that Kamilla’s curls were as wild and flourishing as her fathers were, she wanted to keep that.

“Yeah. Half braided, half opened?”

“I got you.”

Kamilla offer her a soft expression. “Thanks, D.”

Dania shrugged happily. “I’m just happy to have a friend that’s not Cairo’s mean ass.”

fourteen

“Look at this nigga,” GeeBlue grumbled, as Cairo stepped out of his car and roamed over to the group of Azuls.

He looked over to Nate as a compass, just to be sure the tone of a man Cairo put to work was laced with hostility. Nate smirked and shook his head knowing that Cairo was already on one. Tiny was doing exactly what he’d predicted – dumb shit.

“I turned the faucet off, so where this shit come from?” Cairo questioned, eyeing the packs Gee pushed deeper into his pocket.

GeeBlue scoffed a smirk. “You might as well sit down, C4. On Azul. You playing with pussy and not handling business.”

“I’m doing what?” Cairo quizzed, moving closer.

“I saw that bitch you been with. Ridin’ her all through the hood knowing she CK. Too busy with pussy to get to the money. Martez should be in the fuckin’ dirt for that KP shit, but you too busy getting ya’ dick wet,” GeeBlue spat.

The handful of Azuls he was with stepped back and Nate whistled. Gee was so focused on trying to cast doubt over C4’s character and street cred. That was a battle he’d never win and it was evident in the way the men who should’ve had his back left him alone to face the giant alone.

“Say what you said to me again,” Cairo muttered, looking into the eyes of a neighborhood hustler who was using a beef that would never be as personal as it was to him. The issue with Cairo not being vocal about the moves he made had people like GeeBlue thinking he’d lost his edge. Like he wasn’t exactly who he thought he was or who the hood saw him as.

“I said I saw that bitch you been with. Too busy with pussy to get to the mon-” GeeBlue attempted to repeat what he said as if he still had back up. Instead, what he got as a reward was Cairo’s fist to the mouth. Another to the eye.

GeeBlue swung back. Cairo dodged it and delivered another series of swings, each landing with an audible force. This was more than Cairo fighting for his respect. He had it now and would have it forever. His position on every block of Los Oceania was cemented and had been. This fight was for Kamilla, for KP.

Fists still up while his opponent staggered, Cairo would never trust it. A harsh lesson he learned from his father. No child should’ve ever had to fight a grown man but that was Cairo’s development. As much as he hated his father, he was thankful for him.

GeeBlue spit at his shoes. “Fuck you, nigga.”

“Nah, don’t give up. Keep talking that shit. Only bitch I see is you,” Cairo replied, dodging a weak swing. Serving GeeBlue a two-piece that knocked him to his back, he leaned over him and snatched the chain from his neck. “I’ll keep this.”

Even in his loss, GeeBlue had to get the last word. “It should’ve been you. Not, KP.”