A Hustler's Son

by T. Styles

  Kelsi jumped up when I appeared in his doorway. When Lakeisha saw me, she balled up on his bed and covered her face. It was as if she were trying to hide whatever she did from me but I saw right through her. Bitch! Bitch! Bitch! What have you done to my son?

  I was silent on the outside but on the inside I was lashing out. Something was wrong and she had everything to do with it.

  “Ma, uh, the police came by here today. Uh, and Keisha, told them something she shouldn’t have.”

  That much was clear, I thought. I was getting ready to ask him did they question him about the murder but I remembered Keisha wasn’t supposed to know anything. I was hoping that Kelsi kept it that way. I was hoping that he didn’t share anything with this idiot that would make her a weapon.

  “The police? The police came by for what?” I asked trying to alert Kelsi to not say too much around her while still trying to find out what she already said.

  Kelsi shook his head slightly and hunched his shoulders to acknowledge that he knew what I was doing.

  “Oh, the police came by to ask about a dude that went to my school who was killed. They were asking people around here if they knew or heard anything. I think he was found around here somewhere.”

  “That’s terrible,” I said trying to pretend I didn’t know anything either, and trying to show compassion about a person I could care less about. “Well why you mad at Lakeisha?”

  “You know I came in here the other day all messed up after scrapping with this cat right, well, turns out it was the same person who was killed.”

  “What? They don’t think you had anything to do with it do they?” I was laying it on thick but it was just to prevent myself from having to kill her. The less she knew, the better.

  “Naw Ma, they were just asking questions.”

  “So what happened?” I asked in a frustrated manner. In my mind if they didn’t know anything and she didn’t say anything what was the goddamn problem?

  “Well she told ‘em we got into a fight and that was the last time she saw him. She said the cops said somebody already told them about the fight. I’m mad at her because she shouldn’t have said anything.”

  I looked at Keisha who was still balled up on the bed. I was five seconds from snatching her by her hair and kicking her fucking ass out but I had another plan for her. See I knew in this world, nothing controlled more shit than pussy. Whether he knew it or not, hers had control over him, so what better way to make a man despise a woman more, than to make him think someone has taken it away. I decided to deal with her in my own way.

  “Oh, I see,” I said as I nodded to Kelsi. “Keisha, maybe it’s time for you to leave, baby. I need to talk to my son alone and don’t worry, everything is okay.” I added for free.

  “Oh, okay, Ms. Stayley,” she said in between wiping her tears even though new ones continued to fall.

  “I’ll talk to you later, Kelsi and I can walk myself to the bus stop. It’s not a problem.”

  That was funny because Kelsi wasn’t going anywhere anyway.

  When I was sure she was gone, Kelsi and I had a long talk and it was a talk he probably didn’t want to hear.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  SEPTEMBER 21st

  WEDNESDAY, 7:45AM

  KELSI

  Going to school today had me fucked up. Moms called the school and spoke with the principal. She told them I was under a lot of pressure and that’s why I went off on Ms. Temples yesterday. I wish she hadn’t done that because now she’d been looking at me like I was a fucking science project.

  The moment the door to my building closed behind me and the air touched my face, I knew I wouldn’t be coming back the same. For some reason I knew something would be different but I didn’t know what. I still didn’t know what set off the turn of events in my life. How did I go from being a hustler to becoming a murderer? And how did my moms go from being my mother to an accomplice?

  I called Bricks and asked him to meet me half way to school. I wasn’t going to tell him anything really. I just wanted to feel him out and see if he heard anything about me killing Charles’ punk ass. If he heard something, in my mind there wasn’t a need for me to set myself up by going to school. I’d just turn around and moms and me would have to discuss plan B. If he didn’t hear nothing, I’d walk into school like nothing was going on, easier said than done.

  I spotted Bricks right away. He was wearing a black shirt with a hood, which he pulled over his fitted cap. His hands were in his pocket and he was rocking a pair of black Nike boots. When he saw me he walked over. I couldn’t read his face and his expression looked blank.

  “Hey, champ. What up? Why you want me to meet you?”

  I hadn’t expected him to ask me why. Damn! What was I going to tell him? That I missed him and wanted us to spend more time together?

  Shit!

  I had to think of something quick, before I made myself look even guiltier.

  “Man I wanted to holla at you ‘bout Keisha. She’s lunching big time.”

  “Oh word? What she doing now? I mean, I thought ya’ll would be good now, since somebody put that nigga to rest.”

  I paused and he looked at me, trying to figure me out, but there wasn’t anything to see. If nothing else, I rehearsed in the house over and over how I would respond if somebody questioned me about that nigga or mentioned his name. It must have worked because he looked away as if he didn’t find what he was searching for. Maybe he thought I did it at first but then changed his mind because he felt I didn’t have the heart.

  “What man? The fuck you staring at me for?” I asked trying to see if he’d tell me something.

  “Uh, nothing, no reason. It’s just a coincidence that he showed up dead around the same time we had beef.”

  Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he did think I had something to do with it. I was mad when I saw we were already at school because I wanted him to go into more detail. I kept forgetting the school wasn’t far from where I lived. I slowed my pace. I wanted to see if I was reading him wrong or if he really was trying to fish for something.

  “Ain’t it though? That shit was perfect timing. I guess I wasn’t the only one he pissed off,” I said as I walked even slower so he would follow suit.

  “Yeah, perfect timing. So what’s going on with you and Keisha?” He asked as he slowed his steps too.

  “Uh, nothing, slim. They came around questioning everybody in the hood ‘bout that cat. Anyway, I fucked around and sent Keisha ahead of me cuz Kenosha was fucking with her head,” I said as I leaned up against the school building putting one foot behind me on the wall for support.

  “Damn! Where’s Kenosha man? You been supposed to hook me up with that ass.”

  “Bricks, I ain’t hook you up with her on purpose. I’m doing you a favor, nigga. You can’t afford her ass. Trust me.”

  “See that’s cuz you too busy paying with dollars and I’d be paying with dick.”

  I gave him dap and laughed a little more than usual at his dick joke because I was happy there was something to laugh about. But for real, that shit he just said was stupid. How the fuck he gonna pay with dick?

  “Well, the police came over while I was outside rapping with Kenosha and Keisha gonna tell them I had beef with Charles and that we got into a fight.”

  “Oh shit!! What they say to you?” He asked as he balled his fists and spoke through the hole.

  “Nothing man. They walked right past me but I know they’ll be coming back. It’s just a matter of time.”

  “Well,” he said as he looked up at me, “You don’t have anything to worry about right, so how can they fuck with you? It ain’t like you did nothing.”

  “Yeah, I guess you right,” I said confirming my lie and his doubt. “I ain’t have shit to do with it.”

  “Hey, slim, ain’t that Delonte’s truck?” He pointed to the right.

  I turned around to see what he was talking about and sure ‘nuff, Delonte was flagging me to come over. I ain’t know what the
fuck he was doing at my school.

  “Yeah, let me see what’s up with this nigga. I’ll get at you later,” I said giving Bricks dap.

  “Aight, peace,” Bricks said and went into the building.

  I walked over to his truck wondering what the fuck was up. I ain’t like seeing that nigga at the house, let alone at my school. As usual, I took my sweet time walking to his truck. I wasn’t on this nigga’s clock. I’m still trying to figure out what the fuck was his problem.

  “What you doing here man?” I asked as I waved my arms dramatically. It was a little extra but that’s how I was feeling at the time.

  “Get the fuck in the truck lil nigga.”

  “Man, Delonte what the fuck I tell you about disrespecting me?” I yelled as I paused for a second. “Get the fuck outta here with that bullshit.” I waved him off and walked back toward the school.

  When I started walking away he said, “It behooves you to get the fuck this truck…Trust me,” he threatened as he nodded his head while looking over the steering wheel.

  Now I was curious. I wanted to know what gave him the balls to come up to my school knowing I couldn’t stand him. I opened the door, put the only notebook and pencil I carried around on the floor, slid in and slammed the fuck out of his door.

  “My bad.” I laughed. Then I looked at him and said, “What up, nigga? Make it quick.”

  Instead of telling me whatever he had to right off the bat, he pulled off. My body flew back against the seat but I kept it there. I didn’t want him to think his speed bothered me. If he knew I was uneasy, he may start driving stupid and shit and I may have to steal this nigga in his jaw. We were on the Baltimore Washington Parkway that was five minutes from my school before he started speaking to me.

  “What you want to listen to? I got anything you want in my CD player.

  “I want to listen to why the fuck you picked me up from school,” I said as I looked at him and then back at the road. “This shit ain’t funny, nigga so what’s up?”

  “Ha ha, you a funny lil nigga. Well, let me put something on for me then.”

  When I heard “Pimpin’ All Over the World” by Luda, I put my head against the seat and looked at him again.

  “Delonte, what up man? I ain’t got time for your shit! You pulled me out of school and now we joy riding like we fucks with each other like that. Now stop bullshitting, tell me what you want or let me go.”

  Silence.

  “Did you hear me, nigga? What the fuck is up?”

  Silence.

  I lost it and I hate that I did too. Now he saw I didn’t like how he was carrying shit and most of all, now he knew that I knew, he had the upper hand. When a nigga is in control, it’s best to remain silent. I realized that but for one second I forgot. It’s just like what happened when Charles was on top of me with the gun in my face. It fucked him up when I didn’t beg for my life. I was silent.

  Silence is always best. And that’s what Delonte was doing to me. He was playing my game.

  “Don’t fuck wit’ me, man. I’m telling you, don’t fuck with me.” I warned.

  Delonte didn’t say shit, just pushed his foot on the gas and sped down the parkway. We were all the way in the left lane, acting like no other cars were on the road, he moved straight to the right. Mothafuckas were on horns and brakes hard as shit. I kept stomping on the imaginary brake that was under my foot and none of that shit worked. My toes damn near came out my timbs I was on it so hard.

  My life was in his hands and he was playing Russian roulette with it. I looked at the exit and saw he was taking the Benning Road exit and I’m telling you now, as dirty as Benning Road was, it never looked so good. He stopped at the first place we came to, next to some houses on the street.

  I ain’t gonna lie, he scared the fuck out of me with that bullshit. I looked around like somebody was coming to explain to me what the fuck was going on.

  Nothing.

  “This is what the fuck is up,” is how he started. “I lost The Woods last week.”

  “What?” I asked trying to regain my composure after the stunt he just pulled.

  “I said I lost the fucking Woods last week!”

  “So you want a shoulder to cry on or what?”

  When I saw he wasn’t laughing and I wasn’t smiling I said, “And?”

  “Well, Skully said I lost it until the heat goes away because of that kid showing up dead. That was a big part of my income man. You don’t even know. With your moms staying in my pockets and me having my own bills and shit, I can’t have that. I know you understand what I’m saying little nigga.”

  This bamma’s lunching! If he seriously thought I gave a fuck he was sadly mistaken. Why should I give a fuck if he hits hard times? My moms is gonna be good just as long as I’m out there. Believe that!

  “I told him I can’t just stop business over there. Shit, I was pushing over there before he even came back from New York. This nigga gets mad and tells me to find somewhere else to push my shit, Period. He wasn’t even trying to hear me out!”

  “Nigga, what the fuck this got to do with me? I ain’t Skully! Tell this shit to him!”

  “It got a lot to do with you, you greasy head mothafucka! More than you realize. I want you to run my business in Autumn Woods. That spot brings me no less than ninety stacks a week and I want you to handle it for me. Don’t worry I’ll make sure your pockets are lined.”

  “How you sound?” I asked.

  “Fuck you talking ‘bout how I sound? I’m offering you a chance to be good in The Woods.”

  “I’m good now.”

  “Well you getting ready to be better!” He said as spit escaped his mouth and hit my face. I swear I was getting ready to haul off and steal this nigga, until he leaned back and lifted up his shirt revealing the handle of his gun. Niggas loved showing their bitches.

  “I was bringing Skully more money than he could count,” he continued as if he didn’t just threaten me. “And he cut me off like it ain’t even matter! Well I want a piece of that back and you gonna bring it to me.”

  I ain’t believe his ass. If he getting that much cash, how come he still lived in Autumn Woods with us? I mean, I knew that some ballas lived where they worked, but I still didn’t see him making ninety grand a week. Plus, Skully would’ve never closed down an operation that was generating that much revenue.

  “Maybe you ain’t hear me man. What the fuck does that have to do with me?” I repeated. “You ain’t my daddy, nigga. You ain’t putting shit in my pockets and I’m not offering you a shoulder to cry on!”

  “Your name is all over shit, youngin. I talked to some folks and I know you killed that that lil nigga last week. I got people too. A few dudes saw you stomping him at the gates and him running off with your pussy in his car. That’s enough to make a nigga want to kill somebody.” He was laughing like he told himself a good joke. I wonder how funny Charles would think it was.

  “I need you to move my shit or I’m dropping a dime.”

  I was facing him until he said that shit. But since I wasn’t expecting his clown ass to say anything about offing anybody, or about dropping a dime, I needed time to get my shit together before saying anything else.

  “I don’t know what the fuck you talking ‘bout, partner!” I told him. As far as I was concerned, it was my word against his.

  “Nigga, I heard you in the room with your mother. Stop playing games you bitch ass nigga!” He growled.

  “Naw, man,” I said as I sat back in the seat. “You got me all fucked up. I got a kid on the way. That’s what we were talking ‘bout.” I lied, remembering what my mother said she told him.

  “Is that right? Well how come I congratulated Keisha and she ain’t know what the fuck I was talking about?” He questioned as he started laughing. “She said she ain’t pregnant.”

  See this is what the fuck I be talking about. She wonders why I go off on her ass. Keisha never fucking listens to me. I told her ass not to fucking talk to this clown and
this is why. The littlest things she says to his ass gets blown up and now my life is on the line.

  “Well maybe Keisha ain’t want you in our business man,” I retorted realizing we could go all day at it for all I cared. Because unless he had proof, he could suck my mothafucking DICK!

  “I got the shirts, Kelsi. With your blood and Charles’s mixed. You shoulda burned ‘em man.”

  Silence. There was the proof.

  “I’m listening.”

  “Yeah, I figured you would.” He started laughing. “Anyway, I ain’t got no intention on telling nobody you a murderer. Trust me.”

  I gave that nigga applause and two fake ass laughs. His punk ass kept talking like he ain’t even hear me.

  “Cuz to be honest, at first I thought you did it but then I said, NAAAWW, that lil nigga ain’t got no heart. But after speaking to your mother and thinking about the way she was pressing me to see how much I heard, I knew you had everything to do with it. Then when she tried to lie by saying she found out that Keisha was pregnant but acted all calm, I knew I was right all along. Like I said, I ain’t got no intention on saying shit just as long as you run for me in The Woods. I know you pushing Skully’s shit because you ain’t bold enough to do a mothafucking thing in The Woods without his approval.”

  “And neither are you that’s why you running to me.”

  “Nigga, shut the fuck up and listen to how the fuck it’s going down! From now on when a mothafucking head approaches you, instead of going for the weed, you ask them what they want.”

  I heard everything he said, even though I zoomed in on this dude yanking the fuck out of this girl. She must have did some fucked up shit to set him off. When she walked back into the house and he followed her, I directed my attention back at this punk ass nigga in the truck with me. Looking at something else was the only control I had over anything at the time. Once again shit was out of whack for me and I only saw one way out.