Charm City Part 1 (Welcome to Bodymore Murdaland)

by S. L. Walker

  “When do you go back to him?” Angel asked.

  “Friday. Sadly, it’s the last one. I mean, if I ask for anymore help he’s just going to think I’m stupid,” Eva said. “And I ain’t havin’ that!” She grabbed her backpack.

  “I have been thinking about taking it up a notch,” Eva smirked.

  “Oh my God girl, don’t over do it,” I warned her, knowing she was asking for trouble. She blew a kiss to us and headed towards class. I looked at my watch and realized the bell was about to ring. I stuffed my face as Angel was also packing her backpack up.

  “Angel, you really do need a distraction, though. Nothing wrong with messing around,” I told her. She shook her head, but I could tell her mind was debating the thought.

  RAVEN

  I was meeting up with Zara after school to go to one of the little outlet malls to help her find something to wear for her birthday. I immediately caught a glimpse of Kaitlin walking straight towards me. I tried to turn and walk away but Zara was also walking towards me at the same time.

  “Hey!” Kaitlin yelled. I rolled my eyes and turned towards her. “Can I talk to you?!” She asked.

  “You ready?” Zara walked up to me and turned to Kaitlin. I noticed her facial expression changed; Kaitlin’s changed too.

  “Seriously, Raven,” Kaitlin said, her face meaning business. I held up my finger for Zara to give me a minute as Kaitlin and I walked to a more private area where there weren’t as many students waiting to go home.

  “What the fuck are you doing, Raven? You working with Treach?” She asked, angrily.

  “Why do you care?” I asked her, also angry. I felt some type of way about her ignoring me at school ever since that whole thing went down with Deon’s stuff. Seeing her that night put me on edge.

  “Because of you, I’m running errands for his ass. Because of you, Deon is walking on egg shells! And now I see you walking out of his spot! What the fuck is up…” She stopped when she heard herself getting too loud. “This ain’t cool, Raven. And I know for a fact your brother doesn’t know,” she told me.

  “Look, I know what I’m doing. It was only one drop,” I explained. “Deon don’t gotta know shit. And you not gonna tell him,” I stepped closer to her face. This was my only warning.

  “Raven. One drop is gonna turn into two drops. Then five, then before you know it, you are a full time worker. I was only supposed to do a few drops. He told me all he needed was a female nobody seen before. This mothafucka has me running coke now,” she whispered, angrily.

  “Coke?” I repeated. My heart dropped a bit. “Well, that’s not gonna be me, okay? We already agreed,” I told her shaking it off. I was smarter than her. “I gotta go,” I said, walking away, but she pulled my arm.

  “How much did he pay you?” She asked me.

  “None of your damn business,” I snatched my arm away.

  “Raven, how much?” She questioned, looking around to not cause a seen. A few people looked our way, but didn’t stay interested enough in our conversation. Zara was staring pretty hard, though.

  “$2500 now and I guess I am getting the other half when I get it,” I told her.

  Kaitlin put her hands to her forehead as if she had a headache.

  “Five gs?” She asked me. She laughed but not out of humor. For some reason she was mad.

  “Yeah, why?” I asked, now a little bit more concerned than I was before.

  “He used you Raven. He don’t give a shit about you or shit about me. He will be back for you. Do not fuck with him. I’m telling you,” she told me.

  “You don't know that! Just cuz you got caught up don’t mean that’s gone be me. I did what he asked and I’m done,” I frowned. A part of me felt like she was wishing that shit on me, but it didn’t matter, her ass was speaking it into existence and my day was going just fine not worrying about Treach anymore; until now. The $2500 I still had on me burned in my backpack. I couldn’t wait to go spend some of it. I even

  made a mental note that I didn’t even want the other half of the money for the drop. I was done.

  “Now you owe him. He never pays that much to errand boys for trees. A thousand dollars tops. He wants something from you,” she shook her head.

  “I don’t owe him shit,” I started to walk away.

  “You gotta tell Deon,” she said. I hesitated before I said anything else.

  To get her off my back, I gave her what she wanted. “Fine, I’ll tell him. You say nothing, Kaitlin, I’m for real,” I put my finger in her face and didn’t walk away till she nodded.

  We didn’t really talk during the bus ride to the mall. I could tell Zara was sensing my irritation and worry. It wasn’t until we entered one of the shoe stores when she felt the need to say something.

  “That was the same girl I saw at the drop off that night,” she disclosed.

  “She knows my brother,” I confessed to her.

  “Oh shit, that’s her?” Zara’s eyebrows raised.

  “She wants me to tell Deon. She said pretty soon Treach will have me running coke,” I whispered.

  “You remember what happened last time you told your brother,” she reminded me.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t tell him, he found out and I had to tell him. It felt worse with him being mad at me for not tellin’ him,” I said picking up a pair of red and white Air Force Nikes.

  “Well, it was only this one time, right? So leave it alone,” she told me picking up a black pair that was next to mine. I handed them to a store clerk who was staring at us anyway.

  “Size 6 in boys. I’m taking them. No need to try on,” I told the young boy.

  “Me too. Size 5 1/2 if you got them,” she handed him hers. I smiled at her and our same sense of style.

  “You right, though,” I sat on the bench to wait on my shoes.

  “If you feel like Treach is up to something, then maybe you should. But if you think it was just Treach’s way of getting some easy work out of you real quick, then leave it alone. Get it out your mind and let’s spend them bands,” she smiled pointing at my backpack. I nodded, agreeing.

  Kaitlin had me tripping for nothing.

  “Here you are. Size six for you and a size five and a half for you, mam,” he handed us our shoes.

  “Mam?” Zara busted out laughing. “How old are you?”

  His answer got cut short when he noticed three females entering the store. His smile faded causing us to look towards the door.

  The same chick who was in detention with us, Asia, rolled in with two other girls. They were all dressed in camouflage pants and black shirts. Each of them had a black bandana displayed. The chick from my school had it displayed around her neck.

  “Uh, you can pay at the front,” he pointed to the front register and left our side to go talk to another store clerk.

  “The fuck?” Zara said what I was thinking.

  “Let’s hurry up and get these. I’m trying to hit up Nordstrom. Maybe you can find something in there, too,” I walked to the cashier and sat our box of shoes on the register. I couldn't help but watch Asia as she was holding one girls hand browsing in the same section we were. The store clerks were staring hard and weren’t being discreet at all.

  “Oh, no, ring them both,” I told the clerk.

  “Nah, I got money,” Zara waved her hand.

  “It’s cool. It’s a thanks for the other night,” I moved her hand letting the cashier go ahead and ring her shoes.

  “You know I got your back, but aight, you don’t gotta tell me twice,” she stepped back.

  Since I had gotten home so late, we lied and told my dad I fell asleep at her place. My dad didn’t even question it twice. Just told me to not let it happen again.

  Asia walked up behind us and asked to see a leather black hat behind the register in her size. The cashier told them he’d be right with her. The tension was weird and I felt like she was staring at us. Her movements were too slow and steady. I looked over at her friend and she had a pair of Jordans
in her hand, looking over the red and white color designs.

  “That’ll be $225,” the cashier told me. I went into my backpack, trying to hide the wad of money as best I could. I could see Asia eyeing what money she could see as I took out $300 bills and handed it to the clerk.

  He gave me my change, my receipt, and our bags and wished us a good day.

  “Nice shoes,” Asia commented as we excused past her to the exit. I knew she wasn’t talking about the ones I just bought because they were already in the box. I looked down at my black and red Jordan Retro 13s. They matched perfectly with my all black Nike sweat fit.

  I gave her a faint thank you and kept walking.

  “That’s the chick from detention,” Zara looked back at her. “Ol girl creeps me out. She’s in my P.E. class. Must be her girlfriend she’s with.”

  And just like that, yelling came from inside for everyone to get the hell down and to open the register.

  “Oh my God!” Zara screamed looking behind us as Asia had her gun to the cashier and her friend had a gun to the boy who had helped me.

  “Let’s roll, now!” We took off with our bags, hitting the first corner we could to the exit.

  EVA

  My last tutor session with Professor Heart was today after school and you can bet anything I was going to go all out. I wore another tight sweater dress, red, and some black knee high boots and had my hair in one French braid all the way down my back. I had even bought him some chocolates to say thank you. The girls roasted me all day for it but I didn’t care.

  I walked into his classroom and noticed another girl, Caucasian, tall and skinny with a black mini skirt and black ankle boots, bent over his desk with the same grin I give him. He was sitting at his desk laughing, too. They both looked over at me as if I was interrupting.

  “That’s my 3:30. We will pick this up again Monday, Nicole,” he dismissed her.

  “Okay Professor Heart,” she smiled. She was clearly flirting. She sashayed past me exiting the classroom. I rolled my eyes and looked back at Professor Heart. I couldn’t help but be jealous.

  “I felt like I just interrupted something,” I told him, walking over grabbing a chair to sit at his desk. I tried not to say it with an attitude, but it came out anyway.

  “Oh, naw, naw. That’s Nicole, one of the seniors, she’s just making sure she graduates this year,” he laughed.

  “I bet,” I said, sarcastically taking my things out of my backpack. I’m sure he could sense my jealousy and I was getting mad at myself for letting it show.

  “Are those for me?” He pointed at the chocolates. I had forgotten I had even brought them.

  “Oh, no. Some guy gave them to me,” I lied, hoping it would spark a little jealousy back.

  “I’m kidding, but I see you have you a boyfriend huh? I didn’t know that,” he smiled.

  “No, no boyfriend,” I told him, looking at him trying to figure out if I could detect any jealousy.

  “Well, he’s starting on the right foot that’s for sure,” he said. “Now, let’s see your rough draft of everything,” he changed the subject. I took out all my work from my report to graphics and handed it to him. He shifted through it giving positive assurances and gave it back to me.

  “It looks good, Eva. Real good,” he said.

  “Like an A good?” I asked.

  “We will see how well you do in your presentation. Make sure you cite everything you take from the book. That’s important,” he said.

  “So, I’m done?” I asked a little taken back that it was a ten-minute meet.

  “You’re all done, miss. No need for me anymore,” he laughed.

  “Oh I doubt that,” I told him giving the most lust of eyes I could throw at him. His composure changed.

  “Well, I’m here if you need anything else,” he said, getting up from his chair. I quickly put my stuff back in my backpack.

  “Thanks for everything,” I told him. I left the chocolates on the desk as I began to walk out of the room.

  “You left your chocolates,” he said holding them up for me.

  “They are for you actually,” I smiled and walked out, but not before I caught the smirk he gave me.

  ANGEL

  I was straightening my hair in my room when my mom knocked on my door. I was trying to put the last finishing touches before I met the girls for Zara’s party tonight. She peeped in the door and smiled at me.

  “My little Angie is growing up so fast,” she said. I smiled back and continued flat ironing my hair. She walked in and closed the door. “I remember when I used to have to do that for you. God, it took so long to get those curls out of your hair,” she said, standing next to me in the mirror.

  “I know, I used to hate it,” I told her.

  “But it made you look so beautiful. It’s like it changed your whole look,” she said laughing. She took the flat irons from me and started parting sections in my hair to flat iron. “Those earrings are really cute, too,” she said pointing out my shiny hoop earrings to match my shiny top and black skirt.

  “Thanks,” I told her.

  “Listen, I know this isn’t the ideal time to talk about this, but I do want to discuss all that’s going on,” she continued flat ironing my hair. My jaws tightened. “I know you’ve noticed the tension with me and your dad. I’m not going to act like you don’t and I don’t want you to act like it either.”

  “Ma-” I started to say.

  “Your dad and I are going through a rough patch right now and I’m not sure how it is going to end and I need you to be strong,” she said, still flat ironing. “Can you do that?”

  “Yeah, but-” I said.

  “I need you to be strong,” she said putting the flat iron down and facing me towards her. “No matter what happens,” she said.

  “You’re scaring me,” I finally was able to blurt out.

  “I’ll explain it more when I can, baby,” she said taking my cheeks in her palm and kissing her forehead. “You just go have a good time at that party. We will talk soon,” she ran her fingers into my straightened hair. “I love you,” she told me walking out.

  “I love you too,” I told her. I looked back in the mirror and couldn’t help but wonder how I was going to enjoy this party now.

  ZARA

  Everything was perfect for my party. The music was playing, white lights all over the backyard, different drinks and appetizers were set up in the corner, and my outfit was the best part. I had found an all white floral lace dress that had long flowing sleeves and some 2 inch heels on. Cute enough to not do too much but still be the birthday girl.

  I don't know what happened after we left the mall that day. The news said no-one was talking but that the thieves left with over $300 and several pairs of shoes. Raven and I hit up another mall after that and splurged. We couldn’t stop talking about the robbery and if Asia was waiting on us to leave before she stood them up. Either way, we both didn’t see shit at this point.

  I hadn’t invited too many people. The only people I knew stayed far from me, so just a few girls and guys and of course Raven and her friends. Molly had stuck around to make sure everything went smoothly. I had barely talked to my dad all day who was stuck in his office in business meetings.

  “This is from me,” Molly said as I was checking the back yard again for perfection. She handed me a small gold gift bag.

  “Oh, thank you Molly! Can I open it now?” I told her.

  “Of course you can, it’s your birthday,” she told me. I opened the bag and it was a jewelry box. My eyes lightened. I opened the box to a shiny silver necklace with a diamond pendant.

  “It’s so pretty, Molly! Thank you,” I told her.

  “Well, put it on,” she told me taking it from me and fastening it around my neck. “Gorgeous,” she said. “It goes great with your dress.”

  My eyes gleamed.

  “I’m going to go show papa,” I told her skipping past her to my dad’s office.

  “Okay, well make sure
you are ready. Your guest should be arriving soon!” She yelled behind me.

  My dad’s office was slightly open, but before I knocked on the door, I over heard him saying something about a change in business and then I heard Treach’s name. My heart dropped.

  “Rico, it’s only temporary until we figure out a new source,” my dad said on the phone. “I know he’s not good for business, but we can still make a lot of money right now and our mortgages don’t pay themselves, amico,” he said.

  I stood there by the door yearning to know what he was talking about and forgot all about my new necklace. The doorbell rang making me jump. It interrupted my dad, too.

  “It’s my daughter birthday today, we will discuss this tomorrow, huh?” He said. I saw Molly walk over to the front door and I quickly followed behind her. Two of my guy friends were standing there. I put on a fake smile and hugged them.

  “Wassup, Z!” They laughed.

  “Hey Mike, Wassup Sean,” the hugged me back.

  “I know we early, but we brought the weeeeed,” Mike laughed with a green shiny gift bag.

  “Happy birthday, sexy,” Sean laughed. I laughed with them and walked them towards the backyard.

  “Damn, this is nice back here,” Mike said. Mike was Mexican and had a full-blown accent and a weed head. Lucky for him my dad didn’t mind a little tree, but either way I am sure he would have found a way to smoke even if he had to walk blocks down the street.

  “Yeah, nice,” Sean added. Sean was black, had cocoa brown skin and played on the junior football team. Him and Mike were best friends. Sean and I had met at the mall over the summer and messed around a little, but it ended soon as I started school. They didn’t go to the same High School so it made it difficult to continue anything, but we stayed friends and then there was Tommy after. The doorbell rang again.

  “You guys help yourself, there are wings and punch in the corner. And Mike don’t spike it!” I told him heading over to the front door.

  “No, no, you go entertain your friends, I’ll get the door,” Molly said stopping me in my tracks and pointing back towards the backyard. She opened the door to my good friend who also didn’t go to the same school, Ashley. If you’ve never seen a bougie dread head, let me introduce you to Ashely Simmons. She walked in smiling with gift in hand wearing a torn it’s all about me shirt and leather pants.