Two Sides to a Love Story: Rico & Raja's Story

by Natavia

  Lace

  sit in the hospital room with Tarae as they check him out. Thank God he is fine and no charges were filed. Rick came out and talked to the police and told them that Tarae lives there and it was a big misunderstanding. My phone rings and I answer it because the caller will not leave me alone. I’m trying to start my new life without all this crap in it. I walk out of Tarae’s hospital room into a quiet corner.

  “What the fuck do you want nigga?” I asked Jerrick.

  “Ohhhh, the white girl act is gone now, huh? I want you to come home and give up the connect so I can get back to business,” he says to me.

  “Nigga let me tell you something. I works for nobody! I move shit when I want to move it and if you call me again I will drive down there and slit your fucking throat! Keep playing with me!” I say into the phone.

  “I miss you shorty! I love you! Why are you down there faking it? I got my niggas out there watching you! They tell me you faking it and all that. I bet your cousin doesn’t know shit about your simple ass,” he says to me.

  “Nigga, I made you! If it wasn’t for me you wouldn’t be eating. Don’t fuck with me! Just because good ole Lace living properly doesn’t mean shit nigga! I can bang with the rest of the niggas,” I tell him hanging up.

  I was on queen pen level down in South Carolina. I was dating a guy that went by the name of Bricks but he was murdered a few years ago, then I had to take over his operation. I didn’t want to do it because I wasn’t originally made for that life. I only did it because Bricks had a lot of loyal people that needed me to keep it flowing who had families to feed.

  I was still the good girl and I stayed into the books. I always worked and it came in handy because I didn’t want the attention to be drawn to me. I end up meeting a guy name Jerrick. I fell in love with Jerrick but no one has my heart like Bricks. Jerrick used me to get a hold of what Bricks worked so hard for. I didn’t know that at the time. I trusted him and he robbed me blind. He took over what Bricks had built then got some cruddy ass niggas working for him. They turned my life upside down. Now his product is running low and he has no connections because I won’t give him the connect. He found some guy on his own but his prices were too high so he couldn’t cop as much as he wanted. He wants the connect Bricks had and it will be a cold day in hell before he gets it. As soon as my job offered me a transfer, I took it and never looked back. All this happened in my life because my first love was a drug dealer.

  Bricks told me before he was murdered, never let his lifestyle consume me. I miss him so much and I hate that Tarae reminds me of him. When I see Tarae, it’s like Bricks all over again. Tarae is just more outspoken. Bricks was laid back and he was street smart along with book smart. I still like Taylor Swift and I hate rap music. I’m still allergic to every damn thing and all that. Only thing that’s a fraud is my innocence. Everyone looks at me and thinks I don’t know what’s going on. That’s a bold face lie!

  I push my glasses up walking back to Tarae’s room and it’s some older woman in there rubbing on his back.

  “Who the fuck are you?” I ask letting it slip out. Another thing…my mouth can be ratchet as hell but since I been here I have been trying to control it. Anything that reminds me of my old life I’m trying to forget.

  “I’m Tessa!” she says to me.

  “Are you his mama?” I asked her and Tarae looks at me sideways. He’s not my man but I’m here with him and this bitch is too close. Tarae screwed me soooo good! I have never had dick that good! Bricks was a monster in the bedroom and so is Jerrick, but Tarae went over and beyond. Of course I pretended not to remember but that’s all a front. I don’t want his head to get all pumped up.

  “I’m his girlfriend,” she says to me.

  “Oh really?” I ask.

  “Tessa, go home to your husband. I don’t even know how you found out I was here,” he says to her.

  “I’m not leaving you alone with this hot in the ass young hoochie,” she shouts.

  I walked to Tarae then stuck my tongue so far down his throat he had no choice but to grab my ass, kissing me back. I kissed him to make Tessa mad but ended up getting horny. I pull away from him then push my glasses up. I smiles at them then walked straight out the room. He will be looking for me later!

  When I got to the house it was quiet. Nobody was home. I change my clothes then head out. I go in my closet pulling out my black leather Hermes bag. I stuff stacks of money in it. I change into a maxi dress and some sandals with a jean jacket over it. I let my beautiful dreads hang down then applied a little makeup on my face. I called a cab then headed to this soul food restaurant. It was empty but I was on a mission.

  I walk to the back. Royal and Corey were sitting down clowning like always. As soon as they saw me they start cracking up.

  “Damn, you a slick ass girl,” Corey says to me giving me dap.

  “I learn from the best,” I say smiling.

  “Yeah, I bet my nigga Bricks turning over in his grave because you are walking around here with those big ass glasses on,” Corey says and Royal laughs.

  I know them because Royal was Bricks connect but after he was killed I was copping from him. I was fine until Jerrick came into my life.

  “So, what’s up with you Lace? You good?” Royal asks me.

  “Yeah, I just need a favor,” I say to Corey. I go into my bag pulling out stacks of money, placing it on the table.

  “I need you to kill Jerrick for me! He’s fucking up the game down in SC. He got niggas robbing niggas for their supply and all that. My name is still on that shit! I don’t want no parts of what he is doing and that’s why I came here. I still have people who are trying to eat back there that I care about, but I need him dead,” I say to Corey.

  “Cool, but all I need is half!” Corey says taking the money. He is a hitman and his numbers are through the roof. He only took 20,000 from the stacks of money I placed on the table. I stuff the rest into my bag. I will make someone’s day if they snatch my purse.

  “Look at Lace putting a hit out on somebody,” Royal says smiling at me.

  “He fucked my life up. I think he had something to do with Bricks getting killed. I believe it in my heart. I was blind at first but then I started paying attention to him. He tries to be so much like him it’s sick. Oh, and you know Fitz linked up with him too?” I says.

  “Get the fuck out of here! I don’t care what that nigga does though. He is cancelled from this state. He better not bring his ass back,” Royal says hitting his blunt.

  “Thanks for not blowing my cover yesterday. When I met your wife and sister for the first time, I didn’t even know they were connected to y’all. It’s a small world,” I say getting up and Corey’s eyes roam to my ass. Corey is a mess.

  “Stop looking at my ass nigga! I can’t see how your woman puts up with you,” I say and he smiles showing his diamond gold fronts.

  “I can look! Long as I’m not touching we cool! But I don’t remember your ass being that big,” he says and I rolls my eyes. Corey’s ass just fresh, that’s all.

  “I will see y’all later,” I say. I walk out then walks up the street to the bus stop. I have money that I saved up but I choose to live like this. I miss all of this; the bus rides, living with family, wearing regular clothes, shopping at discount stores, all of it. Sometimes we forget the normal things in life. I can’t wait until Jerrick gets dealt with.

  My phone rings and it’s Raja. I laugh before answering. Raja is a lot but you just got to love her lil mean behind.

  “Helllooooooo,” I sang into the phone.

  “Don’t helllloooooo me! Damn you, Lace! You had me worried. Why the fuck you fucking Tarae’s nasty ass? You in trouble when you get home! I can’t wait ‘til you get through the door! I’m whipping your ass and you wait ‘til I see Tarae!” she fusses into the phone. I shake my head then snorts. I cover my mouth.

  “Raja, mind your damn business!” Rico says in the background. I also hear Zy babbling in the background
. Raja just doesn’t know how beautiful her family is. I want that one day. I know Bricks loved me but he was more about business. He treated me with respect and pampered me, but him being there emotionally, he wasn’t. Rico gives Raja all that and more and she still bitches and complains. I hope she gets it together.

  “You are with your family I hear. That’s good,” I say to her.

  “Yup, I’m with my family,” she says sounding happy.

  I tell her I will see her later when I get home then hangs up the phone. I sit on the bench then a Dodge Charger stops in front of me. I push my glasses up then sucks my teeth but I’m blushing on the inside.

  “Get in here shorty,” Tarae says to me.

  “No, I’m going to wait for the bus!” I say.

  “Get your ass over here! I would get out but my fucking body still sore,” he says. I get up walking to his car and like always, his eyes are following my ass.

  I get into his car and his cologne fills my nostrils. He looks at me then smiles.

  “You are not cute!” I say laughing.

  “But you are though! With those ugly glasses and all,” he says to me.

  “Tarae is giving me a compliment?” I asked.

  “So, you like older married women who, by the way, are shaped like humpty-dumpty?” I ask then he laughs.

  “She’s cool. She was my teacher in high school. She kept coming on to me so I end up fucking her in the closet in the classroom. From that day forward I just kept fucking with her. But I completely cut her ass off. I was young and was just happy to be fucking an older woman,” he says and I laugh.

  “Nothing but germs!” I say to him.

  “Was she mad that I kissed you?” I ask looking out the window.

  “Hell yeah she was mad, especially after my dick got hard. Security had to come and get her ass out the room because she raised all hell.” We stop at a red light and a green Malibu pulls on the side of us. The window comes down and stuff is being thrown at the car.

  “Is that Tessa?” I asked squinting.

  “What the fuck! Today is not my fucking day! My pops sucks dick! My stepmother is a fucking a man! I got stunned by a cop and now this bitch!” Tarae fusses. I been known Tarae’s daddy was gay. I was in the car with Tataliscious and Raja when they were talking about it. I’m not telling him that because he doesn’t seem wrapped too tight.

  He rolls the window down. “Bitch, I’m ready to get out this car like they do in Grand Theft Auto and pull your ass out of yours then slap your dumb ass!” Tarae says.

  “Fuck you Tarae!” she shouts.

  “Bitch, I’m calling your husband. Leave me the fuck alone Tessa! You keep fucking with me your ass going to get fired for fucking students. I don’t want your ass!” he shouts. The light changes then Tarae speeds up. Tessa is close on his tail.

  We are now on a small back road with nothing but trees. Tessa bumps the back of his car.

  “What the fuck Tarae!” I shout. She then rams her car into his again making us swerve off the road and we hit a tree. She busts my window with a crow bar. I block it so the glass won’t go in my face. Tarae gets out slamming her against the car.

  “Bitch you crazy? You could’ve killed us!” he says. He walks to her car as she follows behind him crying. He goes through her things getting her cell phone out. Her phone rings in his hand.

  “Look who is calling; the person I want to talk too!” he says answering.

  “Ay nigga, come and get your wife! The bitch tried running me off the road. She won’t leave me the fuck alone! I’m going to end up murkin her dumb-ass! Control your bitch!” he says into the phone.

  “Who am I? I’m the nigga that WAS fucking your wife! She likes fucking young niggas! How old am I? I’m young enough to be her son! Get her ass now! Oh, and one of y’all paying for my fucking whip,” he says hanging up.

  “Leave me the fuck alone Tessa! I’m serious as fuck shorty! We in these woods and I can do some shit to you and not even God himself can find you,” he says to her. Tarae turns around and she hits him with a crow-bar.

  I get out of the car. I slowly pull a thin, skinny pencil like sharp razor from my dread, in the middle of my head. I grab her by her hair bending her head back, dragging it across her face and blood spirts out. She drops to the ground screaming.

  “Bitch! The nigga said leave him the fuck alone! Fuck is wrong with your thirsty ass? You should be lucky I didn’t cut you that deep! Next, time it’s going to be your throat! Fuck! Bitches keep testing me when I’m trying to get away from this shit!” I say fussing walking to his car then slams the door. Tessa hurriedly gets in her car pulling off.

  Tarae gets in the car pulling off and I can hear his bumper dragging as we drive down the road.

  “You welcome,” I says pushing my glasses up.

  “I had enough surprises! I need some Kush, a half gallon of Henny and some wet pussy,” he says looking at me licking his lips. I lean back in my seat and start smiling because I don’t mind screwing that again.

  “Let’s go see Fifty Shades of Gray first then I might can help you with that!” I say.

  “You my type of bitch! You weird, crazy and you a dread-head,” he says smiling and I laughs. Tarae’s not that bad after all.

  “I need to swing by the crib and get my Caddy. I can’t ride like this,” he says to me.

  “What’s up with you Lace? Underneath all of that, you’re hiding something! I have seen you get ratchet a few times today and you cut Tessa’s face!” he says to me.

  “It’s a long story and once everything gets taken care of I will tell you. Tessa will be fine; I didn’t cut her that deep. Once she cleans it up it will be a thin long scratch. It will heal but I bet she will think twice about fucking with me,” I tell him.

  “So, you taking me out on a date?” I ask him brushing the small pieces of glass off of the seat.

  “Naw shorty, we just going with the flow,” he says then I laughs, snorting.

  “You still a fucking geek though,” he says to me, smiling with his handsome face.

  Rico

  My aunt finally let up and let Samari come and stay with us. She is starting to let Samari stay on weekends and even said she can stay the whole summer. I’m riding down the street with Samari in the passenger seat.

  “Rico, there is mama!” Samari points out. I don’t know why this girl won’t give up. Our mama’s soul is dead! It has been dead for years. Any time you offer your own son some head you are gone.

  “She is not our mama,” I say to her.

  “Stop the truck, Rico! That man is slapping her!” she cries out. I should’ve taken another route. If I was by myself I would’ve kept going. She looks like my mama but I don’t know who that fiend is.

  I stop because I will do anything I can for Samari.

  “Stay here!” I say getting out walking up the street. Once I get to the corner, it was that nigga Dimo beating my mama up like she was a mam.

  “Bitch, I want my money!” he shouts as he kicks her. I bum rushes him. I cock back hitting the nigga in his mouth.

  “Nigga, you want to fight on somebody, fight me nigga!” I say punching him in the mouth again. He lazily swings back and I knock his ass out on his ass. All of a sudden I feel something piercing through my side. One of the niggas he was with stabbed me. I turn around and he and I scuffle. The day I have no weapon because I have my sister riding around with me, I gets into some shit. I hit him and he falls on the ground. All of a sudden three niggas starts jumping my ass, but the one I’m fighting I’m not letting him go. The more they punched me the harder I swung on the nigga with the knife. The nigga stabs me again then I fall on the ground. They start stomping me. I can hear screaming and it sounds like my little sister. The nigga Dimo shoots at me hitting me in the leg and they start running. My mama goes into my pockets taking my money then took off running. I grabbed my side and that shit hurts like hell.

  “Rico!” Samari cries.

  “I told you to stay the fuck i
n the truck!” I say slowly, getting up off the ground. I limp to my truck with blood dripping everywhere. I only have ten minutes ‘til I get home. I hope I make it. I’m not trying to go to the hospital so they can question me and all that bullshit.

  “Samari, hold this towel against my side while I drive home,” I tells her and her small hands shakes as she presses it against my side so I won’t bleed out. I hurriedly pull off trying to get home.

  I limp through the door with blood trailing behind me. Raja is running her mouth on the phone.

  She looks at me then drops her phone screaming. I hope her ass will calm down. I fall onto the floor. She picks her phone up. “Tee-Tee please come over here! Someone shot Rico and he is bleeding everywhere,” she says. She runs to get some towels holding it against my side. Tears are flooding down her face.