Around the Way Girls 9 (27 page)

“If you're going to Mike's gambling party later, we can hit it then. Everyone worth it will be over there so they won't know me and my boys working.”

I wasn't comfortable with Spook probing me for my night plans. No matter how cool he was or how friendly the exchange seemed between us, he was still a fiend and in street rules that meant not to be trusted. I wasn't getting ready to let him know my exact schedule of when my house was going to be empty. Spook was a lurker from the outside who never deserved to know what was on the other side of my door's threshold. “I can't call what I'm doing yet, but one of us will probably go. But the way I feel, I'll probably be posted while Nique goes to show face.” This way he wouldn't know if my house was empty or not, unless he saw us with his own two eyes. We could trust Spook enough not to be distrusted, but where I'm from, giving a person the opportunity to be disloyal was sometimes a legitimate reason enough to get played.

“Let's blow one, niece. I know that old Goldstein dude set you right.” Spook was relentless, always looking for a handout or a freebie. I had to give the old man credit for persistently trying.

“Naw, I'm straight, Unc. I've gotta stay focused for the rest of the day. You know I have to keep a clear head when I make my runs.” I turned down the offer to smoke with him as usual. Me and Spook weren't about to share a blunt, no way, no how. We weren't on the same level no matter what he thought. “I've got this bag of shake that might equate to a nickel bag,” I said, tossing it to him on the humble. Spook was a clear reminder of what I'd be in for if Wally could put me on with some work: niggas coming at me for credit.

 

All I could think about, stretching the thick black stocking cap over my client Tasha's big head for a quick weave, was that I couldn't wait to be done. I wanted to clear house, get off my feet, then rest up for my cousin Mike's party. It had been an exhausting week with my boyfriend Vic pulling dodge moves on me. I knew that nigga was freezing up getting scared at the possibility of having a permanent responsibility with me, but I wasn't about to walk this line alone. Me and him had been inseparable for the past six months so I thought he was about to wife me up. Silly me for thinking with my heart and not my coochie. If I would've kept it ratchet like the no-class-having heifers he liked to run up in did, my woes would be nonexistent. I couldn't wait until I was around my family so I could unwind. Between Vic and today's traumatic events, everything in my world seemed to be flipped upside down. As I stared out of the taped-up broken window, my mind drifted down memory lane.

Doing hair has been my main hustle since I was a young girl on the block. It came second nature to me. In our shallow-pocket home, I was the basement beautician. I learned how to grease my momma's scalp, lay her with a press and curl, and even knot up some tied zillions like the Africans. The more time my mom spent in the streets partying, the more women came knocking on our door looking to get hair appointments. Neither one of us were into turning money down so she allowed me to service the entire neighborhood from the washroom in our basement. I brought more cash into the house than she did. My trade was nothing but an asset for her and I did it all: twenty-seven pieces, weave coloring jobs, sew-ins, blow-and-go's, and I even specialized in natural hair care. Please believe I was a beast with the scissors and could leave your hair flawlessly laid.

“Hey, Nique, I'm about to take a quick nap. Wake me up when you're done with this hot and ready.” Cori laughed, purposely putting my client on blast. Her bluntness snapped me back to reality quick.

“Hot and ready? What's that supposed to mean?” Tasha played dumb with Cori, already knowing what it meant.

“Don't front boo-boo. You already know that means you're quick, fast, and cheap.” Cori was cutting into Tasha with no remorse.

“Quit playing, Corielle. I ain't got time for your jokes and shit today.” You could tell Tasha was annoyed by the way she smacked her lips. However, she never denied the allegations on the table. “G'on and take your troublemaking behind back to forging documents, or whatever it was you were about to do,” Tasha said, shooing Cori away. I knew Cori didn't care about the low blow. She lived by the hustle; therefore she gave it much respect.

“Me leaving won't change your truth. But sure, I'll go.” Cori continued mocking Tasha until she completely disappeared back into her bedroom. All I could do was laugh. As always, Cori had my back. She knew my motives with Tasha weren't good. I was on some sneaky, vindictive, payback type shit. Tasha could probably sense my mood. I could feel her intentionally jerking her head around and making smart comments about me and my roommate underneath her breath. It was easy to let the remarks roll off of my back. There were bigger deceitful plots brewing. It was time to get to work. Carefully spreading the black bonding glue across the thick weft of her Milky Way weave track, I couldn't help but smirk knowing it was mixed with super glue. I was about to go down as Tasha's number one enemy in life. After aggressively laying it horizontally onto her head, I pushed down onto the sides extra hard making sure the adhesive stuck.

“Dang, Nique, between you and your girl, I don't know which one of you is worse. What's wrong with you?” Tasha was responding to me squeezing her temples with no remorse.

“I can't speak for Cori but I'm good.” I laughed, playing it off. “Just sit still so I can get you right. You know I gotta make sure this shit holds.” Only half of the plan was completed. Unbeknownst to Tasha, because this was normal routine, I sprayed a generous amount of spritz across the same super-bonded weft then blow-dried the area until she cringed from the excessive amount of heat. It was pure bliss to watch her in so much discomfort. She had no idea I could be this ruthless.

“You're right. I'm not trying to have my tracks slipping while I'm on the pole. Plus I've got a date lined up that's planned to get a little hot and heavy; my shit has to be whipped.” Hearing Tasha's voice was making my skin crawl. This trick better be happy I was about my bread. Too bad for her I was a sneak like Cori was a fraud and was all about getting revenge on the sly. Rumor had it she'd been tricking for my dude getting hers while I kept her looking A1 for him. Well it was timeout for that. Since I was the one lucky enough to have trapped his seed in my womb, I was looking to knock any and all other chicks off his radar. What potential baby momma wouldn't? I wanted my full sixty dollars and couldn't wait for her to come looking to cash in on an ass kicking once she realized I'd purposely made her baldheaded. Jesus Christ Himself was gonna have to lay hands on her head to get this quick weave out.

“Oh I got you. It'll be tight so you can make that the least of your worries.” Putting extra glue and spritz on first the stocking cap then the weft, I watched with a grin growing on my face as it bled through onto her natural hair. This trick was gonna learn her lesson about creeping with any taken nigga of mine.

Tasha sat back playing on her phone while I worked hard at getting retaliation. It took me no time to clip her layers, wand her curls, and pocket her cash. These three twenties were going straight to the “get rid of it” fund, if a collection was even necessary.

“Girl, you're a beast at doing hair.” Tasha complimented me while checking her reflection in the mirror. “You always get me together.”

“No doubt, girl, that's what I do.” Playing it off, now sweeping into a pile the hair I'd cut, I was ready for her to poof and disappear. With more serious matters at hand in addition to being preggo, I couldn't give her the proper ass whopping she had coming.

“Let me get up out of here before your cranky-ass roommate comes back up here ready to pop off.” She now was the one trying to perp. “Pen me in the schedule for next week, same time.”

“Cool. I got you. Tell my old dude I'll be waiting up if you see him down at the club.” I couldn't help but throw hints that I knew she checked for Vic.

“Oh fa'sho, no doubt.” Tasha hurriedly scattered toward the door. “That's if I see him.” The dumb look on her face told me she was cold busted and the rumors were true.

“Girl, bye, I ain't stupid. You already know the hood been talking. Just tell him to get at me. It ain't nothing.”

“Whoa, wait up. First, Corielle cuts into me about being a hot and ready then you snap out the side of your neck about me having sidebars with your dude. If you got something to say, then say it.”

“From what you're playing back to me, you've already heard where me and my girl are coming from. I don't know how many ways to spell h-o to you.” My pregnancy hormones couldn't be contained.

“Ho? That ain't right, Ta'Nique. Me and you go back to elementary school. I'd never cross the line with your dude. We're better than that.” Tasha tried to get emotional but she was using the oldest line in the book. I wasn't falling for it.

I couldn't believe this fake, cheap-weave-wearing broad had the balls to be lying through her teeth straight to my face. The hood hadn't lied and the innuendo Facebook statuses hadn't either. Tasha was checking for Vic and bold enough to slither her snake ass around me. “I don't put nothing past nobody, you included. Let's not make this about no Barbie doll bullshit, Tasha, we're way too grown for that now. You've been tricking with my dude, you thought I was dumb, but you're gonna be looking like a clown in the end.” Clapping my hands at each point made, I was getting hype ready to tear a mud hole off into her ass. I wanted Cori to hear the commotion so she could swoop in to help tag team Tasha. With the cash pocketed and the underhanded dirty deed done, all hell could break lose for all I cared. The beef was wide out in the open now.

“On that note, I'm about to bounce.” She slung over her shoulder the stolen Michael Kors purse Corielle sold her a few weeks back. “I'll pass ya nigga the word but please, baby girl, any beef you got with him, take it up with him. I ain't the one. Despite what these broke-back bitches around here speak up on me, I ain't no foul friend!” Turning to march out the house, Tasha could've spared me the loyal friend speech. She was as low-down and grimy as I was a vindictive sneak. Gluing her bald was enough payback for me, for now.

“Bitch, be gone. I've got bigger fish to fry. I'll catch up with you on the flip side,” I spoke out loud into the now-empty dining room, tossing the mixed tainted glue into the trash. I paid no mind to Tasha revving her engine, or burning rubber out of my driveway. I sent Vic a quick message that I just got at his slut bucket so the score had been leveled. I knew his low-down dirty behind was too much of a coward to admit to being busted, or even question me on what I meant. So instead of holding the phone waiting like a fool, I turned the ringer off, promising myself not to sweat his little stack-having ass. Besides, if he was running up in ol' trife-life Tasha, condom or not, he was marked for a future shot of antibiotics with a dose pack of pills.
Ugh, he makes me sick.

Warming up a bowl of grits and the one spare sausage Cori was barely nice enough to leave me, I could barely get it out of the kitchen before I was smacking on a mouthful. This right here was on point! Out of nowhere I started to feel lightheaded, nauseated, and repulsed by the food I was swallowing.

Oh shit, say it ain't so.
I covered my mouth quickly as I gagged hard, almost letting it rip all over the floor.
Run to the bathroom, stupid!
I couldn't get over the fact this was actually happening. I took off at full speed and barely made it to the toilet before all of the grits, cheese, and sausage was right back in front of me.

 

Ta'Nique and I lay back in her bed watching a scorned woman saga on Lifetime while blowing through a blunt. We both needed this downer as today thus far had been long. As we sat in silence I tried to read her mind. We'd been friends for so long; I could tell something was wrong. Her whole aura and disposition was off and I thought it had to do with Tasha and Vic. If the rumors were true, Nique had every right to be offended and pissed. Whatever the case, I had to play the friend card so she could start feeling better. My girl simply wasn't herself. It felt good to be totally still and relaxed. All that came to an end once my phone vibrated and disturbed my sleep. I snatched it up with the quickness hoping I could send the call to voicemail but it was Wally who'd sent the text message. So much for resting.

No excuses. Why you hit me up to bullshit? Come thru, Wally's text read.

“Nique, wake up a sec. I'm about to meet up with Wally so I'll be back.” I didn't get much of a response from her as she groggily rolled over getting more comfortable. I shrugged my shoulders walking out. Her mood would improve once she realized things were in motion with Wally.

After I let him know I'd be on my way in a few, I got prepared for what might go down. Even though this wasn't planned to be a sex thing, if needed I had to manipulate him with pussy. Rummaging through my panty drawer for a cute set to wear, I then headed to the bathroom to wash the monkey extra good with Summer's Eve. Nothing turned a guy off more than fishy-smelling coochie so I needed it extra fresh if he went to lick the cat. Not putting too much emphasis on my attire, I slid on a pair of too-tight leggings that accentuated my plump behind with a wife beater and jean jacket. After I laced up my retro Jays and grabbed my car keys, I was out the door. I'd have much rather been on my way to get dicked down by Mike but from the looks of his feed, I was still an afterthought. I couldn't wait to question him about that light, bright broad. Maybe Nique was right after all.

 

 

“Yeah, Wally, open the door,” I shouted up to him as I arrived at his four-family flat. I wasn't in the mood for long, drawn-out procrastination 'cause I had to put my cards on the table.

“What up, girl, hit this purple. Ain't no nigga in town got weed hitting like this.” He eagerly grinned as I walked in the door. The aroma in the air made my eyes tear up. It could only be described as downright stomach curdling. Wally was the type of dude you'd describe as foul to his very soul. Dude smelled like he took a long bath in straight vodka with no chaser in addition to at least a whole pack of stale Newport cigarettes.
Ugh. You can tell his ass been trapping.

“Oh shit.” I choked and coughed, feeling my lungs expand as they filled up with the potent Purp that had Wally's eyes bloodshot. My body instantly felt stuck. The only good thing was that I wasn't feeling nerved about cutting into him about doing business. Coughing hysterically, surely waking one of three attached-unit neighbors, no doubt his product was indeed fire. I passed it back, not even needing a second puff. It was too strong for my blood. Besides, it was time for me to talk business and get out of here.

“Naw, girl, don't tell me that you're a rookie out here.” He laughed loudly. “Got you over here choking out and shit.” Animated, Wally imitated the face I made once tasting his purple power.

“Boy, stop it. You already know ain't nothing about C-Money rookie.” I was playing it off. His one hit had me on cloud nine. Me and Nique could make a killing easily off this killer Mary Jane.

“Damn, your legs looking tight right in those leggings, ma.” Wally paid me a hood compliment as I leaned back onto the couch. I knew I didn't want to lead him on but the buzz had me feeling heavy.

“Thanks, boss. You got the whole building smelling nasty with your eyes hung low.” I smirked and slid closer beside him on the cracked leather couch. I hadn't come for a sex session but my pussy was starting to tingle needing some attention. The game plan had just been changed. I didn't know if this was Wally's game plan or not but I was all in. I was about to smoke this nigga's shit, fuck him extra good, get some weight and be back home in no time. The new blueprint had just been set.

“You already know how I do, girl. So what's up? Chop it up with a nigga.”

“Me and Nique trying to get a zip. We can lock up our hood with that strong shit you're puffing on.” I stared at him dead on in all seriousness trying to read what he was thinking before the reply left his mouth.

“Straight? You and ol' girl trying to take me and my game over, with me leading y'all straight to the honey pot huh?” He tapped the ash from the rolled Mary Jane blunt into an empty beer bottle and got up stretching and blowing the strong thick smoke into the air. “I don't know about all that.” Wally's jaw line had tightened, which meant he was in deep thought.

“Don't cut into me like that. You already know I ain't into no shady biz when it comes to you. We hold each other down.” I refused to give up without a good fight. “You have to give me credit for at least that.” It was then that I started to talk a little more seductively.

“Yeah, I hold your ass down after you come up out of those panties.” He winked, passing the blunt back. “So what will I get out of this deal?”

I decided to work my magic, taking off my clothes leaving just my thong and bra on. Wally, with his criminally ugly ass, was like a mouse on cheese as his hands moved up and down my curves as his dick grew in size. He wasn't the best I'd had but truth be told he wasn't the worst. And since Mike was on a hiatus with the mystery girl, I owed him a payback nut. I took a sip of Wally's purple then took a few more puffs of his product. There was no turning back.

I bounced my ass up and down on his thick black dick as he fucked me like an inmate fresh out the joint making me bust nuts all over his living room couch. I kept picturing that girl on Mike's arm and it made me grind harder on Wally. This had become more than me working on a percentage off a zip. It was making me feel slightly better. Even with a condom on, Wally pulled out when he came. That didn't make me feel no type of way 'cause I wasn't the mothering type. After we both got our clothes back on, he smacked me on the ass and told me to holla at him when we were out. I didn't question him or take my time getting out of the family flat. I knew I didn't have kryptonite in my pussy even though I bounced my ass like my life depended on it. Doing grams on consignment was common in trustworthy relationships. What was odd was that we hadn't even discussed the terms on this deal. That had even my swindle-minded-ass confused.

Oh well! I'll tell Nique he couldn't take a loss and charged me for the whole zip. That way, I can keep her half of the money in my pocket.
'Cause, don't get me wrong, she was my girl, but she hadn't just been bust wide open either.

 

 

Once back at home I found Nique was up and halfway out of her funk, trying to find something to wear for the party. I set the Ziploc bag and scale onto her dresser then immediately made a dash for the shower. Wally had put the pipe down, giving him credit, but I wanted his scent off of me. Before getting into the shower for a complete redo, I tracked my packages from UPS to assure they were on their way. I had to make sure the ball was rolling from each end. “So, how are we going to split the money?” Nique asked, throwing a few outfits onto the bed for me to look through for my opinion.

“How about we pay DTE first so our lights and gas services aren't shut off, then we split everything else we make evenly down the middle.”

“Yeah, that's a good idea. We need Mr. Goldstein to work there,” Nique joked, but I agreed with her. We'd be set straight for life.

“Me and Wally still gotta talk about the re-up situation so let's just deal with profiting on this zip. This is just a trial so if we do good with this then there's more to come.”

“How much did this zip cost?”

I was quick on my feet deciding to charge her for “back minutes” since I had to put my pussy on the line to get us product in the first place. “Two hundred fifty dollars; he couldn't take a loss giving me a percentage off,” I lied. There was no way of her knowing otherwise so that was the story I was going to rock with.

“Damn, Cori, he charged you the whole ticket? I thought for sure he'd come down a bit since y'all got down.” She went into her nightstand drawer and started counting out the quote.

“Yeah, I'm just as surprised as you because I put my all into that dick. But you know how stingy niggas get when it comes to their chedda.”

“Well, trick, you better try harder next time so we can keep more cash in our pocket. God gave us vaginas for a reason.” She handed me the money then went back to searching for something to wear.

“No doubt or we can just make it a threesome next time. God also made me who love vaginas.” I tossed the idea of me not doing all the work onto the floor. And by the change in her facial expression, I thought she got the hint.