Black & Ugly (10 page)

Black and Ugly

stay until every last one of them leaves even if it means me getting another ride. I don't want none of them clowns dropping the 411 on me behind my back. I want this one for keeps.

I am so glad that he doesn't know anybody around the way that I don't know what to do. There is finally a possibility that somebody is feelin' me, and I don't want to mess it up. I'm being given a chance, a clean slate. I'm already forming in my mind that if God lets me keep him, I'll work for six more months to save up enough money and get a real job.

"I got good feelings 'bout you, shawty," he says as he smiles with all his teeth in place. "So who you stay with?"

"By myself."

"Word? That's what's up. Look, write your numba down so I can get up wit' you lada." See, he's fine, so he's gettin' the home and cell number. And, I don't give nobody my home number but my friends. Just as I hand him my numbers, Parade comes runnin' up to me holding Sky by the arm.

"We gotta get out of here! Where's Miss Wayne?" Parade asks.

She's nervous and jittery, and Sky looks out of it, too. I glance down at Sky's white pants and see blood all over them.

"You alright, yo?" he asks Sky.

Sky nods up and down. Right then, I realize I don't know his name. I'm worried about my friends, but not that much 'cause Sky gets into shit all the time. I fig-T. Styles

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ure she got into a fight and, once again, Parade bailed her out.

"I'ma walk her to the car," Parade continues. "Find Miss Wayne and let's get out of here! Hurry up, Daffany," Parade says as she runs behind Sky.

"Look, I have to go. What's your name?"

"Ed. Go see about your girl," he says in a concerned tone. "I'll get at you lada. Do what you gotta do."

"Okay." I smile as I give him a hug and inhale his leather jacket.

I leave him and see a blueberry top approaching me. Appearing extra dramatic, Miss Wayne's handbag is clutched real close. I look around and notice people seem to be huddled in groups, and then I realize something definitely went down. Once again, Silver's boys ruined a party. I think.

"Gurl, where Miss Parade and Miss Sky?" Miss Wayne yells.

"They went to the car. What the fuck is goin' on?

Why is everybody gathered in groups?" I ask, realizing he knows more than I do.

"Somebody got stabbed. Let's get out of here. I'm not sure if I got a warrant out on me for those traffic tickets I ain't pay when I had Miss Rick's car, chile." The music stops and niggas are runnin' out the front door. We make a beeline for the exit, too, and almost get out with no problem until Miss Wayne yells,

"Aaaaggghhh!"

"What? What?"

"Bitch, I broke my new heel!"
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Black and Ugly

"You what?" I ask. "Boy, come on. Let's get the fuck outta here."

"Shit," he continues, picking up his size thirteen and hobbling out the door.

~~~~

The ride home is quiet. I'm scared to think that either Parade or Sky had something to do with what happened. After all, why does Sky have blood all over her pants? Before that shit happened, my night was turning out nice for a change. I met a guy who didn't treat me like a whore and who seemed to be really interested in me. And Sky, with her bullshit, ruined it again.

~~~~

I walk through my apartment door to the kitchen then reach in my purse for an E-pill and down it with water. I feel rattled with all the different emotions I have goin' on inside me. I plan to call Parade to get all the details first thing in the morning. My phone rings.

Can it be him callin' me already? I throw my drink down and run toward my junky bedroom to find the cordless phone. I don't see it. I hear the third ring but still can't locate the phone. Shit. I look under my bed and lift my pajamas off the floor then pick it up. I really do need to clean this room. I press the button before whoever it is hangs up.

"Hello," I say, out of breath.

"Is Daf in? It's Ed."

You know I'm psyched, right? I just met him and already he's hittin' me up. He doesn't want Sky or anyT. Styles

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Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

body else, he wants me. He's probably calling to make sure I'm okay. After all, the way I left the party was fucked up.

"It's me," I say, smiling through the phone.

"You okay, yo?"

"I'm good, Ed. Thanks for callin' me."

"It ain't no problem, shawty," he responds. "But look ... my boy just told me you give the bomb-ass head. How much you charge?"

I hang up the phone and cry myself to sleep.

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Black and Ugly

5

Smokes

SMOKES IS TAKING IT HARD, finding out his wife was
murdered. He can't believe someone had enough nerve
to actually kill her, knowing full well what he'd do to
them. He is the largest dealer in Hyattsville, Maryland,
with over six shops around the surrounding areas. All
he wants is to handle the funeral proceedings, bury his
wife and find out who ruined his family.

"Sir, is there anything else I can do for you?" asks
the officer who, just a few minutes earlier, told him the
news of the murder.

"Naw. Ain't shit you can do for me," he responds,
having no trust in the authorities. "I'll take it from
here."

"Take it from here?" the officer questions. "I hope
you don't intend on taking matters into your own
hands, sir. Let us handle this."

"Yolanda," says Smokes, calling his maid, "show
the officer the door."

The officers leave and Smokes summons the care-T. Styles

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taker to soothe his son who has been crying for his
mother all morning. She takes the baby, kicking and
screaming, to his room. Smokes then calls Silver to see
if he has any information on what happened to his wife
at the party.

"Silver, you know anything 'bout this?" he interrogates, without even announcing himself.

"Naw, man, but I'll do everything I can to find out.

Just give me a few days."

"You got two," Smokes commands before hanging
up the phone.

Smokes doesn't have time to cry. And even if he did,
he doesn't like showing emotions, even when alone. But
in his mind, whoever murdered his wife killed the only
woman he'd ever loved. There is no way on Earth he
can sit around and pray that the authorities will catch
the perpetrators. He decides to solve the mystery the
old-fashioned way.

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Black and Ugly

6

Parade

I WAKE UP TO THE nagging-ass voice of my mother at nine-thirty in the morning. If she ain't yellin' 'bout something stupid, she's yellin' 'bout something dumb.

"Parade, get your black ass up and clean that fuckin' kitchen. You ain't gonna lay your funky ass around here all day and not do shit." I jump up and lock the door before she comes barg-ing into my room. I still need time to regroup from the craziest night of my life, and the last thing I want to see is her face. Thinking back on how much blood was around that girl's body, I'm sure she has to be dead or hurt really bad.

The phone rings. I hurry up and grab it. I know it's for me because no one calls my lonely-ass mother, not even her own husband. If I don't grab it, she'll do her best job of attempting to embarrass me on the phone.

"Hello," I whisper after noticing it's Miss Wayne.

"Hey, Miss Parade." His voice is so thick it sounds like his breath stinks. The mornings are the only times
T. Styles