Page 26 of He Thugged Me First

“No.” He shook his head like he was my father or something.

“Why not?” I found myself whining with a pout.

“You hear Mel throwing them damn toys around in that room. If I slide up in you and she comes running out here because you’re screaming, how are you gonna explain that to her?”

He had a point, so I rested back in his arms and settled for the cuddling.

“Why did you drag me here?”I mugged Kasair as he made sure my protective vest was tight enough. I couldn’t believe I had allowed this nigga to drag me paintball shooting with him Mazz, Quari and Gayze. Of course, Love was here, but she was out for obvious reasons.

“This is teamwork. This is how I’mma know you got my back for real.” He looked at me like we were actually going to war. The last time I was shot with a paintball was Halloween of ’07. Somebody was driving past and shot me right in the thigh. My bitch ass cried all the way home. Now I was petrified of those damn things. I swear I didn’t know why I let him bring me here. He made it seem like it was fun, but getting shot couldn’t be fun, and I was pretty fucking sure Mazz shouldn’t have even been here.

“Y’all ready?” Quari walked around the corner, strapped up like he was in Iraq. I mean, literally his outfit was like some shit out of a hunting magazine.

“Hell nah. Let me go sit by Love. This is not my sport.” I shook my head.

“Fuck outta here. Just aim and shoot.” Kasair mugged me.

I side eyed him while Gayze walked up with my brother in tow. He smirked and looked at me before he shook his head. He knew I didn’t do shit like this.

Before I knew it, a horn blared and Kasair had dragged me in a different direction from my brother and the group. It was like we were in a maze. I didn’t even know how this was considered fun. I wasn’t able to speak because all I heard was clicks whiz past me.

“Get yo’ ass down!” Kasair whispered harshly.

Of course, I did what I was told before glaring at him. I had half a mind to shoot his ass because he had me in this predicament.

He put up two fingers and silently pointed at the opposite direction.

“Negro, we ain’t in one of ya fucking games. You betta speak.”

“Yo, you gonna get us shot. Move yo’ slow ass over there.” He pointed.

I tilted my head to the side. “Nah, you first.”

He looked at me like he hated my ass before shuffling to the side opposite of where I was. Hearing footsteps, I turned around and did what I remembered Kasair saying. I closed my eyes and pulled the trigger.

“Thank you!” Gayze rejoiced and skipped off the course.

“Good fucking job, but don’t close them big ass eyes no more.” Kasair mugged me just as a few shots whizzed by his shoulder. It barely missed him, but you could tell somebody was higher up with some good ass aim.

“This motherfucker done got a vantage point,” he whispered. “We ain’t on that super soldier shit, Quari!” he yelled out as we eased along the wooden barrier.

“Stop moving so fast.”

“Stop moving so fucking slow,” he countered as he continued to move.

“My bad, Mec!” I heard Quari yell out before three shots rang out and I felt pressure on my shoulder.”

I fell to the ground, dropping everything like I was actually shot. This nigga had shot me, and I didn’t even know what direction he was coming from.

“Yo, you shot my bitch.” Kasair yelled out, which brought me back to my senses and I picked my gun up and aimed at him, hitting him in the back. He knew I didn’t play about that bitch word.

“No friendly fire! The bullhorn blared throughout the course.

“Get yo’ ass on, we’ll deal with this at the crib.” I laughed and skipped off, hurt shoulder and all. When I entered the space where Love and Gayze stood, they were giggling at something.

“What’s funny?” I asked.

“I was just saying I don’t know why y’all even did this with him. He’s too good.” Love pointed to the top of a tree. I squinted my eyes, and after a few seconds I saw Quari. I wondered why his outfit looked like it was from Rednecks anonymous.

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