Page 10 of Juke
I stepped out into the hallway but paused before the elevator. When I turned back, I caught her still at the door, watching me like maybe she wanted me to stay after all.
***
When I left Sophi’s, I headed straight to my place to shower and change. Once I was done, I threw on some sweats and a black tee, grabbed a water bottle, and headed to the gym. By the time I walked in, MJ and Deion were already there, posted by the weights. MJ was setting up the incline bench while Deion sat on his phone, probably in somebody’s business. I looked around to make sure that everything was up to par before joining them.
“Took you long enough,” MJ said without looking up.
“I had to go home first. Unlike you niggas, I’on walk around looking and smelling like yesterday.”
“I be in too much pussy not to wash my ass, nigga,” Deion bragged.
I looked at him like he was the stupidest nigga ever. “You a nasty nigga.”
“Far from nasty… well maybe a lil’ bit.” He smirked.
“Anyway,” MJ cut in before the jokes could keep flying. “Boom hit me this morning. He wanna officially set up the rematch.”
I grabbed a towel off the rack. “When?”
“Soon,” he uttered. “He’s throwing twenty bands in the pot. Winner takes all.”
I snorted. “So, that nigga tryna pay me to knock his ass out again? Bet. Set it up.”
MJ nodded. “I figured you’d say that.”
Deion chuckled. “Twenty bands to get his shit rocked? That’s the most productive ‘L’ he ever took.”
“Right?” I countered, tossing my water bottle down and stepping up to the bench. “If the nigga wanna pay me to beat his ass, I’ll gladly deliver that shit.”
“I’on know,” Deion said, grinning. “He might come in there making his shit stick this time. You gone lose yo’ money and end up laid out.”
“I’d beat my own ass before I lose to that sorry ass nigga,” I snarled.
“Yeah… yeah.” He waved me off. “You say that shit now until you wake up on ya back.”
“Keep running yo’ pussy-eaters,” I warned, laying back and gripping the bar. “Ya jokes ain’t got no weight, just like yo’ po’ ass.”
That made MJ laugh. “Damn, bro. You gone take that?”
“Fuck both you niggas.” Deion frowned causing me and MJ to laugh harder.
We kept working out, and after a while, MJ tossed me a towel and gave me a look.
“You straight though?”
“I’m good.”
“Nah, I mean… Sophi. She straight?” he asked.
I nodded. “Told her about Rio’s parole hearing. She ain’t take it well.”
“Damn,” MJ muttered. “You know what kinda time that nigga on?”
“Not really,” I said, wiping sweat from my neck. “I just knows she’s scared as fuck, and that shit hits deep. She was shook when I told her that nigga was going up for parole sooner than expected.”
“Damn,” Deion mumbled.
“I stayed with her last night to make sure she was good. I couldn’t leave her like that.”
