by Tynessa
“I know, Ma. That’s why I didn’t come home to visit, because I knew once I came home I wasn’t going back. But I couldn’t take it anymore and had to come back,” Heaven decided to just move back home and go to a community college nearby.
Sunshine patted Heaven’s hand as they got off the interstate. “I know, baby. I just hope you don’t get here and start back running the streets with your little friends and forget about school.”
“Oh no, I’m not gonna do that,” Heaven assured her mother as they turned on their street. “Man, it’s so dead out here. Where everybody at?” Heaven asked. Sunshine just smiled as they exited the car and walked to the house.
“SURPRISE!” Everyone yelled when Heaven walked in. Everyone in the neighborhood knew each other so Sunshine wasn’t worried about anyone stealing shit while she was gone. Plus she knew La-La wasn’t having that.
“Oh my God, Ma!” Heaven screamed excitedly as everyone rushed over to her for hugs and to welcome her home.
“Bitch, we missed yo’ ass,” La-La said as she hugged Heaven, followed by Kim and Gina.
“I missed y’all, too” Heaven said to them.
Heaven walked around mingling with everyone. Everyone was there, including Jamal and the rest of their niggas, except for Zylen. Heaven shot him a nasty look because she still remembered the night he went off on her. Jamal laughed and made his way to her.
“I see you still mad at a nigga, huh?” he said.
“Why are you even here?”
“Because I’m proud of you, shawty. I guess you got tired of being a dumb ho.”
Heaven splashed her drink in his face along with the cup. “Bitch,” she said before walking off. Everyone heard the commotion and turned to face them.
“What the fuck happened, nigga?” Ali asked Jamal.
“That bitch crazy as hell,” Jamal said, walking off. Yeah, Heaven got that one but there was no way Jamal was letting her slide with that. Heaven tried the right one.
Around one o’clock that night the party started clearing out. Heaven promised to get up with her girls the next day. After helping her mother clean the house she took a shower and headed to bed.
Heaven got up the next morning and decided to head to La-La’s house. Even though La-La didn’t live too far Heaven still drove her new Benz. She passed by the store, seeing all the same old niggas out there and shook her head. “Some shit never change,” she said out loud. Once she pulled up to La-La’s house she saw her and a couple of people sitting on the porch. Walking up the walkway, she noticed one of them was Zylen.
During the two years she was away in college, Heaven did a lot of thinking and was actually happy Zylen didn’t give her a chance, because if he did, she wouldn’t have even tried to better herself. As she got closer to the porch she actually became embarrassed of the way she used to throw herself at him, only for him to blow her off.
“Hey y’all,” Heaven said nervously, not even looking Zylen’s way as he stood where the guys had a couple of dice games going on.
“Hey boo,” La-La said, getting up and hugging her as everyone else spoke. “We was just talking about you.”
“What about me?” Heaven asked.
“I was just telling them that I’m happy you’re back.”
“I am too,” Heaven smiled.
“Your boo thang Tre has been asking for you,” Kim said, smiling.
Heaven rolled her eyes upwards. “He don’t need to be asking about me. He needs to be worried about his baby mama. I’m trying to move forward in life, not go backwards to that bullshit.”
“Well he and Felicia isn’t together anymore and now he wants his boo back,” Kim continued.
“Well bitch, you fuck him then because Heaven don’t want him,” La-La said all loud and ghetto, causing everyone to bust out laughing.
“Exactly!” Heaven said.
Gina smacked her lips. “He is looking kind of good these days,” she said as her and Kim high-fived one another.
Heaven shook her head. “Y’all two will never change,” she said. Heaven stood up to leave. “Well I have to go register tomorrow for school so I’m gonna holla at y’all later on.”
“Okay boo, I’m gonna call or text you tonight,” said La-La. Heaven couldn’t deal with Kim and Gina, she thought after two years they would have grown up but clearly she was wrong. They were going to continue to fuck any and everybody.
It was hard for Zylen to focus on the dice game in front of him because he was too busy staring at Heaven. He wanted to tell her how proud he was of her for going back to school to better herself but he didn’t want her reading too much into it. Plus he didn’t want to do it in front of her nosey ass friends. La-La was cool with him because she was dating his right hand man, but Zylen hated Kim and Gina’s guts. They were all about drama and forever on that fuck shit.
**********
Posted at the corner store with his niggas, Zylen saw the black Benz Heaven was pushing the other day at La-La’s house pull in. He sat on the hood of his car smoking his Blunt as Heaven walked by in a black skirt with the blazer to match and a white blouse underneath. Her eight-inch pumps made her legs look long and sexy, and her jet-black hair was cut in layers, hanging long with a part in the middle. She looked like a real businesswoman. Zylen caught himself smiling at her as she walked past him. He had always thought Heaven was cute but her professional look was stunning.
Heaven walked around the back of Zylen’s car to get to hers to avoid the stares of the thirsty niggas that were standing in front of his car with him. Zylen shook his head as Heaven drove off. Damn, li’l mama on point, he thought to himself. He knew right then and there he had to make Heaven his.
Chapter 2
Zylen was posted on the wall inside the packed club smoking a Blunt and observing the scene. He wasn’t surprised at all seeing Gina and Kim but once he saw La-La he knew more than likely there was a chance Heaven was there as well.
“Aye bruh, there your girl go,” Ali said, pointing. Zylen laughed when he saw Ali was pointing at Heaven.
“My girl? Bruh, what you talking about?” he asked.
“Come on nigga, I saw how you was looking at shawty at La-La house and at the store a couple of weeks ago. I know you, man,” Ali laughed.
Zylen shook his head. “I’m saying though, li’l mama looking right. I’m just happy she decided to go to school and get out these streets,” he said as La-La was walking over with her girls.
“What’s up, y’all?” they all greeted one another. Heaven stood back quietly looking around.
“Damn, li’l mama, you can’t speak now?” Zylen said.
“I said hey,” Heaven replied. “I’m about to go get something to drink,” she said to La-La.
“Hold on, we coming too,” Gina said as her and Kim took off behind her.
Zylen rubbed his hands down his face. Lately Heaven had been on his mind like something serious. There was a time when he could look at her and not think anything else about her. That was when she was out living wild and didn’t have a care in the world. But now that she had something going for herself, it made Zylen want her in the worst way.
“Bitch, I haven’t even heard you talk about Zy since you been home. What’s up with that?” Gina asked.
Heaven smacked her lips and frowned. “Girl, I’m not thinking about his ass. I mean, back then I just wanted a thug nigga, and to be honest, I’m glad he turned me down because if he didn’t I would probably still be out here living crazy, partying, and sleeping with this nigga and that nigga,”
“Well I’m glad you finally over his ass,” Kim said as she rolled her eyes.
Heaven had to admit, he was still sexy as hell. Tall, chocolate, handsome as fuck, and stayed fresh as hell. After getting their drinks Heaven and her girls hit the dance floor. When they got out there La-La was already dancing with Ali. Dancing to Bad by Wale, Heaven and Zylen made eye contact. He winked at her and she quickly turned her head. There was no way he was going to catc
h her slipping.
It was only 12 a.m. and Heaven was ready to leave. She told her girls before they left that she had class in the morning. Since Gina was driving, she promised they would leave when Heaven was ready, but now that she was ready, Gina wasn’t. Heaven sat in VIP playing around with her phone when Zylen took a seat next to her. She sat up straight and gave him a weak smile.
“Why the long face?” he asked her.
“Just ready to go but my girls not.”
“Why you trying to leave so early? I mean there was a time when you could party all night,” Zylen teased.
“Back then I didn’t care about nothing, but I have school in the morning and right now my education comes first,” Heaven let him know. Zylen smiled and nodded his head. He loved that Heaven said her education came first. He was feeling the woman she’d become.
“Since you put it that way, come on,” Zylen said, getting up.
Heaven was hesitant at first but she slowly got up. “You wanna take me home?” she asked.
“Yeah, I don’t want you missing school from being out all night,” he said as they walked towards the exit.
Heaven couldn’t believe Zylen was willingly giving her a ride home, and if it was two years ago she would have been more than excited. Inside the car she kept noticing Zylen glancing over at her. Heaven couldn’t help but to think he was expecting something for the ride, so she decided to let him know up front that he wasn’t getting anything but a ‘thank you.’
“Um, I hope you’re not expecting anything for this ride, Zy,” Heaven said.
Zylen laughed at her sudden outburst. “Really, ma? If I wanted anything from you then I could have gotten it two years ago when you was throwing the pussy at a nigga.” He laughed but Heaven didn’t find anything funny at all. “But seriously li’l mama, I’m glad you decided to change up your lifestyle. I mean you was way too beautiful to be out in the streets like that. That shit wasn’t cool at all,” he said.
Heaven smiled on the inside. She was happy he at least thought she was cute. She wanted to ask him if he thought she was cute then why he wouldn’t talk to her but she thought against it.
“I want you to know that I am truly proud of you,” Zylen said as they were pulling up to her house.
“Thank you and thanks for the ride. I sure do appreciate that. Next time I know to drive my own shit,” Heaven said as she hopped out the car. She still wanted to know why he was being nice to her nowadays when a couple of years ago he wouldn’t even look her way.
*****
“Hey miss lady, can I walk with you?” A tall, medium-built guy walked up to Heaven as she was leaving her classroom. Heaven had been seeing him around campus a lot but never knew his name.
She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t care,” she said as she continued to walk to her car.
“Your name Heaven, right?” he asked her.
“Yeah, how you know that?”
He flashed a charming smile. “I been seeing you around so I asked about you,” he chuckled. “They gave me your whole life story”
Heaven rolled her eyes. “I bet they did,” she said as they approached her car.
“This your ride?” the guy asked, surprised.
“Yep, this me,” she smiled proudly.
“That’s what’s up. So can I have your number or you get mines so we can chat sometimes or maybe I can take you out?”
Though he had that thuggish mentality about him that Heaven was no longer interested in anymore, she still thought he was cute so she gave him her number.
“A’ight, miss lady, a nigga gonna hit you up tonight.” He started to walk off but Heaven called him back.
“Aye, you didn’t tell me your name.”
“Mark,” he said, then turned around and went about his business.
Heaven jumped in her ride and drove off, heading to get something to eat. She had never been the type to eat alone so she decided to call La-La to see if she wanted join her at Olive Garden.
After La-La stated she was chilling with Ali, Heaven decided to let them have their QT. Kim and Gina were out of question so Heaven went alone. After being seated by the waitress and her drink was ordered, the waitress walked off. Heaven felt awkward sitting alone so she pulled out her phone and just browsed through her Facebook page. Feeling someone standing over her, she looked up and made eye contact with Zylen.
“Eating alone?” he asked her.
“Yep, just me,” she let him know. Zylen took that as an opportunity to sit down with her. Heaven just looked at him wondering why he even came to her table bothering her. She wasn’t feeling Zylen like that at all. Her days of wanting a street nigga were over.
“Do you mind if I join you?” Zylen finally asked once he was seated.
Heaven gave a fake smile as she sat her phone on the table. “I guess not,” she said nonchalantly and it caused Zylen to laugh. The waitress came back over and took their orders while smiling at Zylen a little too hard. Heaven just shook her head at the waitress as she walked back off.
“So what you do, leave your date to come over here?” Heaven asked him. She was trying to find out Zylen’s reason for coming to her table.
Zylen laughed. “Yeah, I saw you looking lonely over here by yourself and a nigga felt sorry for you and shit.”
Heaven rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but to laugh. “Whatever!”
“Nah, I was just playing. But this is my favorite restaurant so I always come here to eat. Most of the time I come alone to clear my head, just like today. You know, sometimes this shit becomes stressful and a nigga needs to get away. I love to eat so this is the spot I come to.”
Heaven rolled her eyes upwards because she knew what shit he was referring to that was stressful. “Yeah, this my favorite restaurant also,” she replied.
“Well that’s one thing we have in common,” Zylen said as the waitress was bringing their food. They begin eating in silence. Zylen kept stealing glances at Heaven. Just knowing she was bettering herself made him want her more. To Zylen there was nothing better than a beautiful woman with an education.
“So how was school today?” Zylen asked, breaking the silence.
“It was fine.”
“Just fine? Come on ma, I know it was more than that. I heard you was trying to be a lawyer and shit.”
“Yep.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah, I guess. I mean, it’s school.” She shrugged.
Zylen just nodded his head, unsure of what to say next since Heaven was being nonchalant about everything. Heaven sat her fork down and just stared at Zylen, wondering what his problem was.
“What’s up, Zy?”
Zylen sat his fork down and wiped his mouth with a napkin while looking at Heaven confusedly. “What you mean?”
“I mean before I went to college, I was damn near throwing the pussy at you and you was acting all scared like I was contagious or some shit. I tried to talk to you and you didn’t have much to say back. You were blowing me the fuck off. Now that I’m back you have all the conversation in the world for me. Why is that?” Heaven was feeling some type of way and wasn’t trying to hide it.
Zylen laughed before giving her a serious look. “You really wanna know why?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Okay, first I want to let you know I’m not trying to come on to you or no shit like that. I always have thought you were beautiful, but look how you was living. I mean sleeping with this nigga and that nigga. Real shit ma, don’t no nigga want no girl like that. That shit ain’t attractive at all.”
Heaven didn’t say anything. She just looked down at her plate, embarrassed.
“I’m not trying to make you feel bad or no shit like that. I mean look at Gina and Kim. Ain’t no real nigga gonna make them their main bitch. Those hos don’t want shit in life, but a gangsta ass nigga with a little money. La-La my people and I fucks with her the long way, but she smashed a couple of niggas in our circles, too.”
Heave
n knew what Zylen was saying was right but she wanted to see what exactly have her heard about her. “What you mean, too? Who else smashed the homies?” she asked, trying to see if he thought she did.
“Come on li’l mama, you know I know the deal. I know how the four of y’all rock.”
“How do we rock?” Heaven questioned him. Heaven wanted Zylen to just come out and stop beating around the bush.
“I know a couple of my niggas done ran through y’all,” he finally said.
Heaven bust out laughing. It was funny to her that everyone thought they knew her so well. “That’s what you know or that’s what you’re assuming because of the people I run with?” Zylen didn’t say anything so Heaven continued. “Yeah, exactly! I know I’ve had my share of niggas but I can honestly say I have never smashed anyone in your circle. I’m not gonna lie, yeah I have fucked someone you probably dealt with, but ask your main niggas how many of them I fucked.”
Zylen just sat back looking at her, not saying a word as she went into her purse, pulled out a fifty-dollar bill and threw it on the table before walking off. Heaven didn’t even know why she felt the need to explain shit to him. It wasn’t like they had even been in a relationship or were gonna ever be in one.
Chapter 3
It had been three weeks since Heaven walked out of the restaurant on Zylen. She didn’t even know why he always felt the need to talk to her when he would see her. Heaven only hoped he didn’t think she was still feeling him like that because she wasn’t. Or was she?
Heaven and Mark had been trying to get to know one another a little more but she didn’t see herself being in a relationship with anyone yet, especially not with him. Mark had gotten kicked out of school and was too needy for Heaven. As she laid in bed her phone began to ring and it was Mark.
“Hello,” she answered.
“You sleep?” Mark asked.