Page 50 of Not A Homie, Lover Or Friend
He handed me the blunt and I took a few pulls. He looked out toward the quiet streets before looking back at me. “I fuck with Monfua. I respect him. I don’t know what kind of fairy dust you got up your ass but that nigga rides for you. Maybe I was projecting what I went through on you two. I mean as long as the nigga treats you right. I’m cool with it. I owe my nigga an apology.”
I began choking on the smoke that settled in my lungs as I smiled. Foe snatched the blunt from my hand. “Give me my shit with yo green ass. It ain’t smokin’ if you ain’t chokin’,” he joked.
I cleared my throat. “I haven’t been in school in two years,” I mumbled.
He paused mid-smoke. “Fuck you just say?”
“I-I,” froze. “I got kicked out for messing with a professor. I thought I was in love, but I was—”
His head flew back. “Hold the fuck on. So, what happened to all that money I was giving you, Lakia!” he spat.
I could see the anger rising in him. “I used it to take care of us.”
“Us!”he barked, then shook his head. “No, youused itto take care of that nigga.” He laughed. “You’re just as bad as your momma. Y’all use me, then come around and act like shit is sweet. Every decision you’ve made since you’ve been here has been dumb as fuck. For two fucking years I’ve been breaking you off for school and you use my shit to give to a nigga that dogged you out. Where the nigga at?” he gritted.
I felt ashamed, so ashamed I couldn’t speak, but I knew I had to. It hurt me that he compared me to our mother, and as bad as I wanted to deny it, the shit was true. He ran in my face, seething at me. “Where the fuck is he!”
“Monfua killed him!” I screamed.
He stepped back and nodded. “So, what, you married that nigga cause you were too selfish to tell me you fucked up? You used one of my niggas for that shit? Lakia, of all people, you know what the fuck I’ve been through to get that money. A nigga walking around with no sleep, scheming, hustling, and robbing niggas for y’all. It was me. And you do some shit like that? It’s not even the school that’s fucking me up. It’s you not telling me. It’s you taking advantage of me. You couldn’t get it out of the mud on your own. Harvey was right, sometimes you do need to love your family from a distance. Fuck you. I wish I had known because I would have warned Monfua to fuckin’ run. Don’t hit my jack for shit!” he finished as he slammed the patio door before leaving the house.
“Foe, I’m sorry!” I shouted as he held his middle finger up before he hopped on his bike and took off.
I cried because, although Monfua and I were in a good space, I was still at odds with my best friend, my fucking brother.
FLEX
“Finally, out of this bitch,” Keith said as he scooped the applesauce into his spoon.
I had come to the hospital not only to check on Keith but to see if he could talk some sense into Kareem. Every day he was out there without a dime to his name was a day he was losing his fucking mind. When he threatened me at the club, I knew he had lost it. I know I promised him the money I made that night, but after shit went left with Foe, I knew I wasn’t going to get anything from him.
Harvey. I smiled, thinking about her. I liked her. I liked the taste of her sweet lips against mine, which made me feel something. The sound of Keith’s laugh brought me back. “You’re staring at me like you like me or some shit. You know Kareem doesn’t play that shit, and neither do I.”
I smacked my lips then waved him off. “Boy, please. Not interested, never have been. Hell, I’m trying to dodge your brother, but it seems almost impossible,” I muttered.
“Yeah, well, you chose him. Kareem needs someone to love him, right, that’s all. We all needed someone to love us right.”
I understood that, but he’s not the one I want to be with forever. I leaned forward. “I need you to tell him to back off, Keith. I’m sure he will listen to you.”
Keith looked at me. “I can’t control him. If I could, you think he would have been locked up in the first fucking place? Look, there are things I want to do, like college. I want a future. I will try to talk to him, but I cannot make any promises.”
I dropped my head in defeat. I knew it was a long shot, but I had to try. “Who did this to you?” I curiously asked.
Keith’s face curled up as he glanced at me with his bruised eyes. “A Zoo bitch. He caught me slipping, but he won’t get a next time.” He laughed. “Yeah, when he least expects it.”
The sounds of someone tapping on the door made both of us look. “My little nigga Keith,” Bishop said to him.
I had almost forgotten about how fine the Prince of the Cove was. He came through the door in his finest, per usual. I watched as Keith lit up seeing him. I could tell Keith was in good hands. He was getting all the things he needed from Bishop, but Kareem didn’t see it that way. He figured his brother loved him less because of Bishop, which I didn’t believe was true.
I stood from the chair to leave when Keith called out to me. “You should come to the Halloween party. Have some fun.”
I glanced at Bishop, “You can slide through. It’ll be at the lounge.”
I smiled. “I will think about it,” I paused. “Bishop,” I called out.
He glanced back at me. “Keep an eye on Kareem,” I finished before I left.
I didn’t know if anyone would be able to stop him. If Bishop couldn’t, I hoped the Zoo could. As I thought about the Zoo, I thought about Harvey. I wanted to see her again. A smile eased on my face as I rushed to my car. I was going to pay her a little visit.
