Page 1 of About the Green

Chapter 1

“Hey, Vert, can I talk to you for a second?”

He looks at me, already halfway out into the hallway, and pauses there. There's a few other people who are in the meeting as well, that walk around us as we stand outside the doorway.

Soon as it's clear, I get very close to him with my biggest smile and say, “I am Racquelle’s most prized possession. Not only am I her most prized possession, I'm also one of her greatest assets, so I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop trying to fuck me over.”

For a moment Vert looks completely stunned by what I've said, and then his grumpy face returns to its usual brooding nature, thick eyebrows casting shadows over his deep set eyes. “That right?” he asks with a voice that brokers no amusement. “And why would that have anythin’ to do with me?”

I stand my ground, and raise my chin, “I know you've been snooping around, and I don't like it. I'd actually like for you to get out of my way.” Poking him in the chest with my long nails before mirroring his crossed arms. “If you could do that as soon as possible, it'd be fantastic.”

“Well, that'll be difficult, considerin’ we're workin’ together for the next who knows how long.” His words are dry and not at all hinting at pleasure in being close to me for an indefinite amount of time.

How… weird?

Maybe he’s not into women?

I’m everyone’s type.

Instead of letting go of whatever beef he has with me to get close, he’s sticking to his ire.

Fucking vamp.

“Oh, don't worry. As long as you stay out of my way, I'll stay out of yours,” I say in a cheery voice, flipping my bubblegum pink hair over my shoulder and heading out the hallway to catch up with my ride home.

I don’t care if he’s not into me.

I don’t.

I have more important things to consider.

As soon as I fall into step behind my Queen. Racquelle looks back at me. “Are you going to stay over tonight?”

“Of course, my Queen” I say, picking my purse up a little higher on my shoulder, making sure that my jumpsuit hasn't fallen out of place, and that my boots are still as fluffy as they should be. I hate being at my apartment alone. It’s not as pretty as my place in Atlanta and quite frankly, it’s boring.

“When did you start calling me that?” Racquelle asks.

“I just noticed that the guys do it around here, and I think it's fitting. Maybe we should make everyone call you that. I think that originally it was supposed to be a rude thing they're saying, but honestly I think it suits, since they called Blue the King, right? And you are royalty.”

She thinks over my words for a moment, “I guess,” she says. “Better than being called bitch to my face…” Then she shakes her head, “I’m not making anyone call me Queen though. Dupont is with that codename thing. Lafayette isn’t going to adopt that practice.”

I nod, knowing that I’ll still be calling her Queen. Even if it is just me from our family. “Is Blue going to be there?” I ask, knowing that she's genuinely happier when he is around, and a happy Queen is happy times for me also.

“I'm not sure. I think he has more business to follow up with. He's got to do something about the fact that he lost his fourth in command after everything that went down.”

“It is unfortunate what happened to him, right?” I ask, trying to gauge if I should be feeling any type of way. My Queen is the most important factor of my outward appearance. If we’re sad over this, I’ve got to know since I wasn’t close to her partner’s court. Maybe by design since we trust no one, and with good reason it seems.

Obviously from how Vert basically said he was going to continue being a pain in my ass.

“It really, really is. Good thing we don't have to worry about that,” she says with finality as our main guard, Lidia, comes to join us at the truck.

“Exactly,” I confirm. “I would never ever put you in the position that Geno put Blue in,” I say, assuring my Queen to make sure that she knows exactly where my loyalties lie, if not with words, but with the commitment I've shown to keeping her where she should be–in charge.

Long before she became the Queen, I knew that she was destined for something as great as this, and if I only played a small part in paving the way for her to step into that role easier, that is still an accomplishment for me.

I owe her my life. Her and my Liezel are the reason why I give my all. Why I always will.

“Do you think Liezel will ever come back to Louisiana?” I ask, hoping that one of my other role models will be here to see exactly how well Racquelle is doing after her takeover.