Street Dreams

by K'wan

  As the taillights of the Hummer faded into the distance, a figure looked around carefully before stepping from the darkness. Hound knelt down on the ground and ran a gloved finger over the tread marks the vehicle had left. He scanned the area once more and slithered back into the darkness. Prince was only prolonging his life at best. Once the Hound was set on your trail, death was a stone's throw away.

  Trinity, Alexis, and Joyce stood outside the club, trying to look cute. They were all dressed in eye-catching gear and dying to show it off. Alex was wearing a white leather skirt and go-go boots. The drop-neck blouse she wore showed off just enough cleavage without looking trashy. Joyce had on a black leather skirt that was cut a little shorter than Alex's. With the matching vest. The outfit was cute, but Joyce had to throw a little slut in the mix. Under the vest, she wore a see-through top and no bra.

  Trinity wasn’t really the dress-up type, but she could kill em when she wanted to. The tight leather pants she wore left very little to the imagination. She had on a white dress shirt that she had trimmed and tied off in the back to show off her six pack. The little half-tie she wore gave the outfit a certain effect that made many a head turn. As she moved through the line, her Shirley Temple curls bounced on her head. Trinity was definitely winning.

  Originally she wasn’t even gonna come to Baron's party. She was just gonna keep it local and kick it with her boo. But when she asked Rio about staying with her, he said he and his boys already had plans. Trinity figured she’d be a fool to waste another weekend in the house while her man got his party on. She hit the hair salon on 109th Street and got her wig tightened up. Her next stop was 125th to get a manicure. Once all the pieces were in place she called her girls and they set out for the party.

  Trinity nearly gagged when Rio had asked her about Baron. She hadn’t done anything with him, nor did she plan to, but she was overwhelmed by guilt when Rio had asked her. She made up a story about him being some cat that Alexis was fucking and brushed it off as nothing. He looked at her as if he didn’t believe the story, but he let it go.

  “Damn,” Joyce said. “It's niggaz out here tonight.”

  “Yeah,” Alex joined in. “I see quite a few ballers out here. Girl, I’m trying to snatch something.”

  “Y’all need to quit.” Trinity said, lighting a cigarette.

  “You need to quit.” Alex said, slapping the cigarette.

  “Bitch,” Trinity snapped, lighting another one. “These shits is eight-cash.”

  “So, you got it. Rio ain’t hurting.”

  “Fuck you, bitch.” Trinity said, laughing.

  “Yeah,” Joyce cut in. “I know that's right. But I don’t understand Rio. Now, regardless of what you say T, I know Rio getting it with Prince, but he don’t act like it. You don’t never see him sporting jewels or nothing. What up with that?”

  “Here we go,” Alexis exhaled.

  “Look Joyce,” Trinity began. “The niggaz who flash and act all crazy be the ones to catch football numbers. How could a guy that's supposed to have a minimum wage job afford a fifty-thousand-dollar medallion? And while I’m thinking about it, why you so worried about Rio's finances?”

  “Trinity, it ain’t even that serious,” Joyce told her. “Girl, you know we’re bigger than that.”

  “Yeah, a’ight. Let me find out, Joyce.”

  “Come on y’all,” Alex said, stepping between them. “Let's just go up in there and get our drink on.”

  Trinity reluctantly allowed Alex to lead her into the club. She shot Joyce a mean look on the way in. Joyce was a bitch that was gonna need some watching. She came wearing a smile, but Trinity knew that she had larceny in her heart. At the minute Joyce got out of pocket, she was gonna smash her.

  Rio stepped out of the green jeep flanked by Cutty and Shamel. He was dressed in a pair of black linen pants and a cream shirt. The diamond name bracelet he had on caught the eye of many people, but no one would dare rob Prince's boy. Besides that, niggaz knew what time it was with Cutty and Shamel. The Trio moved toward the line and it parted like the Red Sea.

  “Membership has its privileges, huh?” Cutty asked.

  “You silly,” Rio said, nudging him.

  “Damn,” Shamel said, looking at a scantily dressed girl on the line. “It's some hoes in this house. I’m trying to get my freak on.”

  “You shameless,” Rio said, lighting a cigarette. “All you think about is pussy.”

  “You got that fucked up, Rio. I think about money and pussy.” Shamel corrected him.

  “I know that's right,” Cutty said, slapping Shamel's palm. “You better follow suit nigga. You spend all yo time wit ya head up Trinity's ass. Don’t you know she ain’t got the only pussy in the world?”

  “What would the world be without hating-ass niggaz?” Rio asked sarcastically. “Apparently you don’t know me as well as you think you do. I love my girl with everything that I am and I ain’t afraid to show it. But don’t get it fucked up, I still do me. Shit, I boned that chick Precious a while back.”

  “You lying,” Shamel said, sucking his teeth.

  “Nah, I took her to the ma fuck’n Liberty. That bitch fucked and sucked me like a pro. After I bust that pussy, she bounced. I only sleep next to one bitch and that's Trinity.”

  The trio made their way to the front of the crowd where a mountain stood between them and the club entrance. The mountain was just informing a well-known boxer and his crew that they would have to wait an hour before they would be allowed into the club. Cutty and Shamel hesitated for a minute, but Rio never broke his stride. He slapped a hundred dollar bill in the mountain's paw and kept it moving. The people looked on in astonishment as the unknown young player breezed into one of the city's most exclusive clubs.

  Rio got inside and paused to let his eyes adjust to the darkness as he scanned the club. Lately he was becoming increasingly paranoid. But when you live in the streets you had to be. A nigga could be waiting to get you at any given time. Rio waited for Shamel and Cutty to catch up, then the three moved to the bar area.

  Trinity and her crew sat at a table in the back of the club. They were laughing and sipping Crystal. All courtesy of their host, Baron. When they had arrived, he showed them to their table. He had been the perfect gentleman. Even when they were sitting at the table, he wasn’t trying to be all up on her. Baron seemed to be pretty cool.

  “You having a good time?” Baron asked, leaning toward Trinity.

  “Oh, I’m having a ball, thanks,” Trinity said politely.

  “So why you not acting like it?”

  “I didn’t realize I was that transparent.”

  “Only to someone who knows what to look for.”

  “Wow, you got like X-ray vision or something?”

  “Something. You’re not that hard to read, Trinity, and I don’t think you’re having a good time.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m probably messing up everybody's groove.”

  “Nah, you cool. But what's bothering you?”

  “I’m just thinking about my man. Me and him usually go out on weekends.”

  “So what happened?”

  “He and his boys had plans.”

  “Shit, then he must be a fool.” Baron said in disbelief. “What kinda nigga would put his boys before his lady?” Baron stroked Trinity's cheek with his index finger. The way he dragged his manicured nail across her skin, barely touching it, made her shiver. She pulled her face away and slid over a bit.

  “My bad,” Baron said, folding his hands. “I just got a little caught up, ya know? Can you imagine how it feels to want somebody, but you can’t have them because they already belong to someone else? Then on top of that, the person they belong to don’t know how to treat em?”

  “I’m sorry, Baron, I don’t. I’m perfectly happy with the man I’m with. You’re very sweet though.” Trinity reached out to give Baron a friendly pat on the cheek and all hell broke loose.

  Rio was posted up at the bar with his crew, getting his drink
on. When Cutty had told him about the party he didn’t really wanna come. He had been thinking about taking Trinity to dinner or something. But the more he heard about the party the more he wanted to come. At the last minute he said fuck it and changed his mind. Now that he was there, he was glad that he had come. Everybody was in the joint. Rio was clocking the honeys, but he was more occupied with networking. There were quite a few underworld figures there as well as some square pegs. It was always good to know people, as long as you were careful of who knew you.

  Rio was leaning against the bar tapping his foot and enjoying the show two lesbians were putting on in the corner. As Rio scanned through the crowd, he thought he caught a glimpse of a familiar face. He had to blink twice because he knew that his eyes were lying to him. Sitting in the back of the club sipping champagne was Trinity and the kid from the movies. Something had told Rio that the boy was shady when he first saw him.

  He saw through a haze of red as he stormed through the crowd. He didn’t even bother to tell his peoples. Rio got to the back just in time to catch Trinity stroking the dude's cheek. He walked calmly over to the table and leaned on his knuckles. “Sup, T?” he asked, staring.

  When Trinity looked up and saw who was addressing her, everything in her stomach turned to liquid. Of all the rotten-ass clubs he could’ve picked to go to, Rio had to pick the one her girls dragged her to. She wasn’t doing anything, which was a plus for her, but Rio probably took the cheek thing the wrong way.

  “Rio,” Trinity said perkily. “What you doing here, boo?”

  “I should be asking you the same thing, shouldn’t I?” he said coldly.

  “Chilling. Me and the girls decided to come out tonight and get a few drinks.”

  “I see,” Rio said, eyeing the glass as if it were poisoned. “Who ya peoples?”

  “Oh, this is Baron. It's his party.”

  “What's good?” Baron asked extending his hand. Seeing Rio wasn’t in the friendliest of moods, Baron dropped his hand. “I hear that hot shit. So, this ya boyfriend, Trinity?”

  “Yeah, this is Rio.” Rio didn’t say a word. He didn’t blink, he didn’t breathe. All he did was stare. “Rio,” Trinity said, trying to break the tension. “Baron brought us a bottle of champagne to help celebrate his birthday. You want some?”

  “I’m good,” Rio said through clenched teeth. “Matter of fact, I think I’m gonna keep it moving. Y’all have a good evening.” Rio turned and walked off. By this time Shamel and Cutty had come over. Trinity got up from the table and went after Rio. She could’ve kicked herself for letting Baron get to her. It wasn’t that serious, but Rio's pride was hurt.

  “Hold on,” she said, grabbing his arm. “What's wrong with you?”

  “I told you, I’m good,” Rio said, jerking away. “Go back to ya table and do you, ma.”

  “Oh, I know you ain’t tight about a nigga buying some liquor? Boo, it ain’t like he just bought it for me, We’re all drinking.”

  “T, I told you, I’m good. You go be a fucking jump-off like ya friends.”

  “No-the-fuck-you-didn’t,” she said, placing her hands on her hips. “Darius Santana, for as long as you know me, you better never speak to me like that again. You over here clowning over some nigga that I don’t even know.”

  “Fuck,” he barked, “I couldn’t tell. You stroking his cheek and shit.”

  “Rio, how many times I gotta tell you that you’re the only man I want in my life? Remember the promise? Through good and bad. You remember?”

  “Trinity, I’m tight right now and I ain’t really trying to talk to you.” Rio tried to walk away, but Trinity grabbed his arm again. This time when he jerked away he put a little too much force into it. Trinity staggered back and bumped into an approaching Baron.

  “Yo a’ight, Trinity?” Baron asked, catching up.

  “Yeah,” she said, straightening herself up. “Thanks.”

  “Yo, money,” Rio said, moving toward Baron. “What's really good with you? You want my girl or something?”

  “Actually, yeah,” Baron said, looking Rio square in the eye. “You in here stunting like uptight about something?”

  “Fuck you,” Rio growled. “Ain’t nothing sweet over this way.” Baron's crew drew their weapons at the same time that Cutty and Shamel drew theirs. Baron and Rio stood toe to toe, neither man flinching. “However you wanna do it, money,” Rio said, grinning. “Y’all niggaz ain’t the only ma fucking gangstas uptown. Ifyou want it, then buck, nigga.”

  The club-goers were climbing over each other trying to get out of the way. No one wanted to catch a stray bullet. But before the violence could erupt, Truck, of all people, muscled his way through the crowd, followed by Slim. When he made his way to the center of the disturbance, he was quite surprised by who was standing in it.

  “Well, well,” Truck said, smiling. “If it isn’t my two favorite rising stars. What's going on, boys?”

  “Truck,” Baron said, without taking his eyes off Rio. “You know this clown?”

  “Hey, watch what you say, Baron. He's with us. This is Prince's new protege, Rio.”

  “Hold up,” Baron said, tilting his head. “This is that Rio? Truck this ain’t that Rio. That Rio is supposed to be a businessman and a gentleman. This nigga here is a street punk.”

  “Watch ya mouth,” Cutty said, tightening his grips on the two 9s.

  “Easy fellas,” Truck said, stepping between the gunmen. “All this cowboys shit ain’t called for. Plus I ain’t gonna have you two niggaz shooting my place up.”

  “A’ight Truck,” Baron said, waving his men off. “Yo an OG, so I’ll re-spectthis call. Butyou really need to teach this li’l nigga some manners.”

  “No harm no foul,” Truck said, patting Baron on the back. “You boys go on and have a bottle on the house.”

  Baron spared one last angry glance at Rio and sucked his teeth. As he was walking away, he winked his eye at Trinity. Rio started to pursue, but Truck stopped him. He knew that Rio really didn’t know who he was fucking with. Baron was a ghetto superstar and had people that would gladly kill for him. He couldn’t have his father's newest Capo getting himself bodied over some dumb shit in the club. Besides the pleasure of killing Rio would be all his.

  “So,” Truck said, turning to Rio. “Seems as if you ain’t so laid back after all.”

  “Fuck that nigga.” Rio spat.

  “Easy, youngster,” Truck said, pulling Rio out of everyone else's earshot. “Do you know who that was that you were about to lock ass with?”

  “Don’t need to know. He can get it just like anyone else.”

  “That's the problem with you young cats. Y’all always wanna rush into shit half-ass. If you plan on going to war you gotta do it right. The first rule of thumb is, know your opponent. You’re becoming a big man on the street Rio, that's true enough. But you’re still green. Baron, he's on the come up, same as you. The only difference is, he's been in the game a little longer than you have. Experience will usually win out over a fast trigger.”

  “I’m good, Truck.”

  “Say what you want, Rio, but you better try listening to someone other than Prince and J.”

  “That nigga was trying to play me, Truck. Clawing all over my girl and shit.”

  “I told you about that girl before, kid. When you got a lady as fine as Trinity, you gotta put a lock on her. Every nigga wit a few dollars is gonna be looking to holla. If yo shit ain’t tight, the girl is gonna be tempted. Temptation usually leads to actions, if a ma fucka ain’t strong in the mind. Think about what I’m telling you.”

  Rio watched Truck as he walked back through the crowd. What Truck was saying only made Rio tighter. Trinity was his girl and supposed to act accordingly. Having some nigga pawing over her in the club wasn’t keeping it funky. Especially one of Rio's rivals. Rio took a deep breath. Truck might have been a bullshit nigga, but what he said made sense. Trinity was the kinda girl that needed to be treated like a queen. Rio was getting money,
but his heart really wasn’t in it. A regular nine-to-five nigga couldn’t get it done.

  “We out,” Rio said to his entourage. He stormed for the door while his men watched his back. Trinity continued to call after Rio, but he ignored her. His pride and the alcohol wouldn’t allow him to think straight. All he knew was that his pride was hurt and Trinity was the cause of it. If she wanted a baller, let her have Baron's punk ass. Rio was a stepper and you can’t stop a stepper.

  Trinity stood in the middle of the club feeling hurt and embarrassed. What was supposed to be a night out with the girls had turned out to be a complete disaster. She knew that she would never stray from Rio, but she’d done a poor job of showing it. Her friendliness had caused a rift between her and her lover. A rift that would take some time and understanding to fix.

  Alexis and Joyce just played the background while Trinity got herself together. Neither of them had ever seen that side of Rio. They had always known him to be a fun-loving and laid back dude. The man who had broken up their little party was a stone gangsta. It goes to show how enough time in the streets can bring out the worst in a person. Alexis was shaken by the whole incident, but Joyce found herself strangely turned on.

  Rio and his crew left the club and hit the block. Shamel and Cutty wanted to stay with their friend to make sure he was all right, but he wasn’t trying to hear it. Right then, Rio didn’t need friends, he needed isolation. The only things that could bring him peace at that moment were his poetry and the fifth of liquor he had tucked under his arm. Against their better judgment, Shamel and Cutty left their friend alone to gather his thoughts.

  Rio took his bottle and notepad to the roof of his building. This was his special place. He would sit up here for hours, just writing and looking at the sky. It was in this place he found temporary peace. A peace that brought on creativity.