Page 10 of In Too Deep

Releasing a deep breath, she rolled her eyes and responded with, “Mimi was running off at the mouth, saying something about moving my mama out of the hood withyourmoney. I told her, straight up, that my mama is comfortable being on welfare. It was Synthia who put her stank ass two cents in and mentioned the constituency that comes from government assistance. Basically, raining on my parade and saying there was nothing long term in what you and I have going on. So, I shot off on her and called her a fat, sloppy ass bitch. I’ve told you baby, since day one, Synthia has had it out for me, the moment I met you and we hit it off.”

I moved my arms from the back of the couch and leaned forward. My elbows rested on my thighs as I looked up at her squinting my eyes.

“So, you don’t find truth in any of that shit she said?”

“Why would there be truth to any of it?” She questioned me, dumbfounded.

“Because if I put yo shit out right now, you’d end up right back with yo mama in that roach infested ass apartment. Learn how to tread humbly in the hood because that’s what get you respect. If bitches gone hate let ‘em do that, but you poppin’ off at the mouth ain’t a good look. That’s yo blood right there. Remember at one point that you were in her position and it ain’t shit for it to switch,” I snapped my fingers. “Like that.”

“So, what’re you saying Rome?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I released a sinister chuckle. Trecee was clueless as hell and lacked common comprehension skills.

“That I’m puttin’ yo ass in the fuckin’ doghouse until you learn how to be grateful for the shit around you, bruh.”

I took a deep breath and stood up. Before walking away from her, I slid my feet into my Ralph Lauren house shoes. As Itreaded on the carpet, a cool gust of air from the AC wafted over my shirtless upper body.

“W-wait Rome,” she stuttered behind me, heavy on my heels trying to plead her case.

“What does that mean?”

I glanced over my shoulder at her. “It means exactly what the fuck I said. You need to learn what it feels like to be without for a while, because you seem to have forgotten where the fuck you came from.”

“B-but Rome, baby, my car note is due and I?—”

“That ain’t my fuckin’ problem. I don’t count favors ‘cause that shit simp ass niggas do, but I’ve put yo ass in positions to triple yo income and you fumbled the ball, fuckin’ up the play every time Trecee. You ain’t listen when yo mama used to tell yo ass about fat meat being greasy?”

Just like that, she accomplished her mission and blew by my high. Instead of criticizing the next bitch, she didn't realize that her time was being cut short because she was lazy and ungrateful for what I brought to the table.

“The only reasonshe ain’t giving you no hours is because you pretty,” my co-worker Allen randomly mentioned.

Sitting in the passenger seat of his Buick Regal, we ate American Deli, courtesy of him. He opted for a Philly cheesesteak combo with fries, and I settled on a ten-piece honey hot lemon pepper wing combo with seasoned fries and a bottled water to wash it down.

I could barely hear my thoughts before he started rambling on and on about nothing I cared to know. Allen was cool though, and we were about the same age. He used to work at the Kroger Distribution Warehouse, but opted for something different versus being treated like a slave every day. From what he’s told me, he used to make good money, but those twelve-hour shifts were a pain in the ass. Hearing him boast about the pay, I triedto put in an application, but they wouldn’t hire me due to not having any warehouse experience, which sounded stupid to me. Besides docking a nine to five, Allen wore the hat of a scammer, aside from selling guns.

After only working for Kroger for six months, he’d already milked the company of $6,000 by doing gift card schemes. He didn’t have to say anything to me about it because there were times when I’d watch him do it, and I wanted no part in any of it. I figured if I knew early on, then the loss prevention department would catch on too. Either they were slow as hell, acting oblivious, or they were waiting for him to counterfeit a certain amount until they bust him and pressed charges. He was bolder than me though. The thought of stealing from my job steered me the wrong way. I’m sure I could get away with it easily, but I wasn’t willing to take that risk, regardless of the hefty payout. Allen begged to differ because according to his get rich quick scheme, he’d never get caught.

I vented to him about barely being put on the schedule for next week, and this week I’d only docked twenty hours. That wasn’t enough to put bread on the table. Allen knew I stole, and if I wanted to quit my job right now, I could, but I didn’t want to make it a habit. Stealing wasn’t supposed to be long term either.

Popping a ketchup covered fry in my mouth, I shook my head at his comment. “That doesn’t make any sense,” I stated after swallowing my food. “Me being pretty doesn’t have anything to do with giving me hours. She’s rarely at work anyway,” I shrugged. “It shouldn’t matter to her.”

“That’s the way shit be. I need some fine shit to look at, I’m tired of looking at these Earl Sinclair face ass bitches,” he joked, getting a laugh out of me. “Ms. Keisha caught her nigga looking at you one day and been out for you ever since,” he mentioned.

Twisting the cap on the bottle of purified water, I guzzled it down before scrunching my face up into a frown. “What does what her nigga do have anything to do with me?”

He hunched his shoulders after taking a bite from his sandwich. “Bitches be weird and shit like that,” he replied with a mouth full of food.

“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”

“Nah, not if they’re dating on the low. That’s a company policy. If they were married, she’d have to transfer him to another store. You ain’t the only one. Bitches be so insecure over shit they can’t control.”

“Ain’t that the truth?”

“But that shit you be doing, boostin’ or whatever you call it, how much you be bringin’ in?”

I glanced over at him momentarily. “Why? Are you the Feds?”

“Mane quit fuckin’ playin’ with me, bruh. Fuck I look like?”

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