by S. L. Walker
“What are you doing inside anyway, it’s the middle of the day?” She looked at me with her hands on her hips. I took another puff of my joint and realized I had lost my burn due to the breeze. I reached over to my dresser and grabbed my lipstick lighter.
Molly tsk’d and sat down on the bed.
“I know your dad doesn’t want you hanging with those girls anymore,” she told me. I finally lit my joint, took a hit, and curled back under my red blanket. It was getting colder in my room with every breeze that entered.
“It’s not fair,” I sulked.
“I know how you feel,” she said to me, reaching out for my joint. I passed my joint to her, hoping she wasn’t going to throw it out. Instead I watched her surprisingly take a long puff. She closed her eyes and blew the smoke out like a pro. I didn’t even know she smoked.
“Did your dad ever tell you how I met him?” She asked me, handing me my joint back.
“No,” I shook my head. Then, I thought back to Thanksgiving and the intimate moment I saw between them. Molly kicked her black flats off and got more comfortable on my bed. She pulled out a joint from her front pocket of her dress.
“I had brought this for you. Didn’t know you were already smoking. Thought it’d make you feel better,” she handed me the perfectly rolled joint. Finishing the one I had, I took it and smiled.
“I don’t know if you remember your play Uncle Sebastian, you were just a little girl,” she said.
“Yeah, I think so. Really tall, had a bald head. He used to bring me blow pops every time he saw me,” I laughed, reminiscing on those days when my world was innocent. I lit the second joint she gave me. “He passed away, right?”
“Yeah, see Sebastian was your dad’s best friend. I mean, he’d do anything for him. Sebastian and I were also dating. Your mom, dad, Sebastian and I sometimes would go to plays and concerts together as double dates,” she looked at my blank white walls as if she could see her past on them. “Anyway, Sebastian got killed after he dropped you off at school,” she said.
I stopped smoking. My dad had never said anything about that, just that he had got in an accident and that he was in Heaven. I never asked about him again after that.
“See, the people that did that to your Uncle had no idea you were in the car. They wanted Sebastian to spite your father. All he could do was say if my baby girl was in that car,” she said. I handed her the joint. She looked at it, then me, and then took it, taking another professional smoke. “Your mom and him got into a really big fight about it. She almost left him. Sebastian had nothing to do with whatever war your dad had with other people. And yet they still hurt him and could have hurt you. Your dad wasn’t and STILL isn’t about to let that happen again,” she took another puff and handed it back to me.
I was speechless.
“So, my dad’s enemies are my enemies is what you are trying to say?” I finally asked her.
“That’s exactly what they are,” she told me.
“But Treach isn’t an enemy of my dad’s, they do business,” I told her, putting out the rest of the joint. I was too high as is and this was bugging me out even more. She stood up off the bed.
“Treach isn’t a friend either, love. There’s no telling what he has in store for those girls. What shoes he will step on to get what he wants and that’s what your dad doesn’t like. So it’s best you don’t be seen with them,” she told me. She slipped her shoes back on. “Don’t tell your father I told you this, okay?” She walked up to me, sitting on the edge of the bed. She hugged me, and I hugged her back. I wanted to ask her about Thanksgiving.
“If you want, the girls can come over tonight. Just for tonight so you can at least explain to them. It’s safer for you to be here than out there,” she pointed towards the open window, which now had my room colder than I liked.
“Okay,” I told her. She kissed me on the forehead.
“Just let me know. I’m going to go to the grocery store to get dinner for tonight. Take a shower or something,” she teased me and walked out, closing my door behind her.
I couldn’t say that I didn’t understand what my dad was saying and why he was protecting me, but those girls didn’t deserve me to just walk away and not say anything. Maybe I would invite them over tonight. At least keep it completely real with them; with Raven. Plus, I was dying to know what Treach had them up to.
CHAPTER 20
Raven had to step in front of Big Willy’s perverted gaze at Angel for him to snap out of his creepy look.
“Angel, hand me the bag,” Raven turned around to face Angel, who was looked like a timid puppy. Big Willy turned his attention to Raven and the product. He motioned for one of the guys playing a video game to take the bag. He was shorter than he looked sitting down, when he stood up. He dusted the Cheetos crumbs off his black jeans and took the bag from Raven. He then sat it on the couch and opened it, revealing the bricks of coke.
“Awe, shit,” Big Willy’s eyes lit up as he pushed aside the guy and removed one of the bricks. “Come over here,” he motioned to the girls and his short friend.
They walked over to a small kitchen table by the covered window. Big Willy sat down and took a sharp knife from his pocket and cut open the brick. The short friend sat down across from him. There were only two chairs, so the girls just stood and watched. The guys who had been playing cards went back to their game, and the other dude started playing the video game by himself. Red Flannel walked over and stood behind the girls. He stood so close to Eva that she could smell his cheap cologne.
“Let’s see if this is worth all the money I’m spending,” Big Willy said. He took a razor blade out of his pocket and cut off lumps of powder, dumping them, onto the smooth surface of the white table. The girls thoughts were all the same: How the hell did they end up in this situation? They only saw this kind of stuff on TV. They watched Big Willy chop and gather the coke, then spread it into a long thin line. Red Flannel handed him what looked like a rolled up fifty-dollar bill. Before the girls knew it, Big Willy quickly snorted up the whole line. He threw his head back and let out a satisfying yell.
“Ah! Shit! That’s it right there!” He pointed at the brick and handed Red Flannel the rolled up bill for his turn. The girl’s eyes grew wide. They watched Big Willy rub the powder off his nose and his eyes gloss over, then Red Flannel took out a little for himself, arranged it in a line, closed one side of his nose and snorted.
“Whoa!” He said, shaking his head. “Fuck!”
“Nutty!” Big Willy yelled out to the homie on the video game. “Bring me that.”
Nutty stopped playing the game and walked over to a closet that didn’t look like it was big enough to hold clothes. He opened it, revealing a large black safe.
“Aye!” Big Willy yelled to the girls, who were staring at the safe. “Eyes this way.” He pointed to himself. He prepared another line on the table. “What’s your name?” He was looking straight at Angel.
“Um, Angel,” she answered.
“Of course it is,” he grinned. “Come here, cutie.” He motioned for Angel to come closer. She looked at Raven, who was uneasily observing Big Willy’s every move. Angel walked up to him, and he motioned for the short dude to hand him the rolled bill.
He handed it to Angel.
“You ever tried it before?” He asked Angel.
“Uh, no, I don’t do that.” She backed up a bit.
“Our ride is waiting,” Raven interrupted. Big Willy’s uncomfortable grin turned into an ugly sneer.
“Was I talking to you?” He asked. Raven didn’t like the look on his face. She remained silent, remembering what Treach had told her, and Big Willy turned back to Angel.
“Try it.” He handed her the rolled up bill. Angel took it, looking back at the girls, who all stood fearfully silent.
“I, uh-I,” Angel stuttered.
“I’ll do it.” Eva walked up, snatched the money roll, and pushed Angel to the side. Before anyone knew what was happening, she leaned in
and snorted the line.
“Whoa!” Big Willy jumped back laughing. Eva snorted the coke so fast she choked and gagged. She threw the rolled money on the table as she coughed and heaved; her nose and throat burning.
“What the fuck, Eva?!” Raven grabbed her by the shoulders. Angel had jumped back in shock, and Victoria had also run up to Eva, checking her face and holding her head. Eva hacked more and more as spit came flowing out of her mouth.
“Holy shit,” Eva managed to say. She held her nose as the burning continued. She looked at her fingers and saw blood.
“Well, damn sunshine!” Big Willy laughed, clapping his hands. Red Flannel handed Eva a towel for her bloody nose. Eva, not even thinking about where the towel had been, she quickly rubbed her wet mouth and nose. She could hear the boys laughing and congratulating her, but she was too focused on the tingling sensation in her face and the bitter taste that the coke had left in the back of her throat. Suddenly she felt somewhat on top of the world. Her body and mood was lighter. She giggled to herself.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Raven asked her, still checking her face to make sure she was okay. Eva had taken a big line. None of them had ever touched anything but weed and alcohol. They were afraid to even take an Ecstasy pill, let alone cocaine.
“Oh, man,” Eva laughed when she finally came to.
“Aye, bruh, hand me that.” Big Willy motioned for the guy at the safe, who had $20,000 wrapped up in his hand. He walked over and handed it to Big Willy.
“Done deal!” Big Willy handed the money off to Raven. She took it, pissed. Big Willy finally stood up to walk the girls out. “You tell ol’ Treach he will be hearing from me soon,” he told Raven. “And you.” He stopped Angel as she tried to creep past him. He took one of her pigtail braids in his hand gently playing with it. “You stay, innocent cutie.” He smiled at her. Chills ran down Angel’s body. She tried to give a smile back but knew it was half-ass. Big Willy opened the door to let the girls out while Raven stashed the money in her backpack and took Angel’s hand. Victoria held onto Eva’s arm, who was floating on cloud nine as they exited behind Raven and Angel. They all seemed to look back at the same time at Big Willy’s devious smile, and he closed the door.
“Y’all wanna take y’all a plate to go?!” Jorgina shouted from behind the BBQ grill. She pointed at the steaming ribs with her prongs as the girls walked quickly out the front door and gate.
“No, we are fine! Thank you!” Raven yelled out, waving, and the other girls smiled and waved goodbye.
“Hey! I'm hungry!” Eva frowned at Raven for speaking for the both of them. She started to walk towards Jorgina, but Raven snatched her by the arm.
“Alright now! Y’all come back, ya hear?!” Jorgina smiled and went back to swaying her hips to the old school music and flipping the ribs over.
“Ow!” Eva complained.
“You’re fuckin’ high!” Raven never let her grip go.
The girls saw the black Expedition at the corner and hurried and got in the back. West looked back at them and noticed Eva was acting funny.
“Y’all get it?” He looked mostly at Raven, who was holding the backpack. She handed it to West, who opened it and smiled. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
The driver quickly put the car in gear and sped off.
“It’s so damn hot in here. Y’all ain’t hot?” Eva said, taking off her coat.
“Aye, what’s wrong with her?” West asked, again looking at Raven. “Did she take some of that shit?” He knew a high person when he saw one.
“Yeah, so what?!” Eva answered for them. The girls could see her start to sweat.
“Chill out,” Victoria said, trying to help Eva take her arm out of her coat.
“Treach was right. Y’all ain’t as innocent as you seem. You can’t be doing that shit with our clients!” He yelled at them.
“Look, he practically forced her!” Raven took up for Eva. “We don’t do none of that shit. Did Treach not tell us to just go wit it?” Raven glared at West.
At the end of the day, Raven didn’t forget who West was and how he betrayed her brother. Almost got him killed. West took that answer, knowing it was probably true and let it be.
He pulled out a wad of money and separated it into four stacks. “Here’s your cut.” He first handed Raven hers and then Victoria. He then gave Evas' and Angels’ to Raven to pass back. The girls looked in shock at the money.
“Holy shit! This is ours?! Hell yeah!” Eva wasn’t quiet to say what all the girls were thinking. She flipped the money through her fingers and then took a big whiff of the money. “Mmmm!” She smiled, looking at Angel. Angel flipped through her money as well.
“How much is this?” Victoria asked West, also sifting through her money.
“A stack a piece,” he told them.
“A thousand dollars?!” Victoria’s mouth dropped.
“Oh my gosh,” Angel finally said, cracking a smile. Raven couldn’t help but smile too. Then, as if in sync with each other, they all laughed in rejoice and for that brief moment that encounter with Big Willy, the hold that Treach had on them and even Eva being high didn’t matter.
“This is $4,000 y’all!” Victoria shouted.
“Calm down, calm down. Y’all act like y’all ain’t never seen money before,” West shook his head.
They hadn’t.
None of them were dirt poor, but they were barely middle class. No kids their age that weren’t filthy rich had that much money. To them, they were the richest kids right now.
“Aight, get out,” he said, as the driver pulled up to the park corner he picked them up from. “Y’all will be hearing from Treach soon.”
The girls came back down to reality as they exited the truck, sticking their money in their backpacks
“Eva, you should come stay at my house tonight. Your mom can’t see you like this,” Raven told her.
Eva smiled and nodded in agreement. “Bye you guys,” she waved to Angel and Tori.
“I’ll hit y'all up later,” Raven said to them.
“Take care of her,” Angel said to Raven, worried, as she walked away to her bike. She felt way too guilty and knew that if that was her and not Eva, she would have never looked at herself the same again.
“Call me if you need anything, okay?” Victoria told them. “I’m going shopping,” she laughed, patting her backpack where her money was. Victoria made those plans as soon as West told her how much it was. She made it a point to spend it all just so she wouldn’t feel guilty for actually having the money on her.
$$$$
No one was home when Raven arrived, holding on to Eva who was coming down from her high.
“I’m starving,” Eva said, stumbling into the front doorway feeling herself start to get tired and anxious.
The fun was over, just that fast.
Raven smacked her teeth as she helped her inside.
“How are you feeling?” Raven asked her, closing the front door. She knew it wouldn’t be too long before Eva would come crashing off of her high. She had seen it happen to her brother before and even his friends. She remembered when Deon had tried it for his 16th birthday. He kept it a secret from their dad but not from Raven.
“My mouth is dry,” Eva told her, heading straight for the kitchen.
“I don’t know why you did that shit,” Raven told her. “I’m going to call your mom and tell her you’re staying. Raven headed for the house phone and dialed Eva’s mom.
“Hello,” Eva’s mom answered.
“Hey Miss Eva its Raven,” Raven replied, looking towards the kitchen where she could here Eva rambling around for food.
“Oh my God, is Eva okay?” Her mom instantly panicked.
“Oh yeah yea, is it okay if she stays the night tonight?” Raven asked her. Eva dropped something in the kitchen that made a loud bang on the floor, causing Raven to cringe and put her hand over the receiver of the phone.
“Why isn’t Eva asking me this? Where is s
he?” Eva’s mom asked. Raven assumed she heard the loud noise in the background.
“Oh, she’s showing my brother something with his homework. She asked me to call,” Raven made up some ridiculous lie.
“She’s on punishment. She shouldn’t even be over there. As a matter of fact, did you know?” Her mom’s voice changed.
“Did I know what? She never told me she was on punishment,” Raven sounded confused.
“Sorry!” Eva shouted from the kitchen. “I spilled your leftovers!” Raven, once again, nervously put her hand over the receiver
“You didn’t know she was seeing her Biology professor?” Eva’s mom asked.
“Professor Heart?!” Raven frowned. She knew Eva had a crush on him but that was as far as she knew it went. “Are you sure? She’s always with us,” Raven needed more details before she headed into this conversation with her.
“Well, that’s not what she told her little sister,” her mom smacked her teeth. She was phishing for Raven to give her information as well. Both of them teetering on their words.
Raven, realizing that if Eva really had a relationship with Professor Heart that it would have been a bigger scene than this. “I don’t know what her sister told you, but Eva isn’t like that. Maybe she has a crush, but we would know if Eva was doing anything with anybody,” Raven lied. Eva’s mom grew silent as if she was trying to figure out if she wanted to believe the story Raven was telling. For all she knew, Raven could know everything.
“Well, she can stay just for tonight. But she’s to come straight home in the morning,” Eva’s mom gave in.
“Thanks,” Raven smiled through the phone, relieved Eva didn’t have to go home in the shape she was in.
She then turned her attention to this new information.
She believed Eva was messing with that teacher and didn’t tell them; or at least her. She hung up the phone and went into the kitchen to see Eva struggling to wipe up the spilled leftover spaghetti from last night’s dinner.
“What the fuck, Eva?” Raven ran over, grabbing a towel and pushing Eva out of the way. All she was doing was spreading the spaghetti sauce more and more over the floor.