Reigning Starr

by Shan

  Bear dropped his gun to the ground and held his hands high in the air. My trigger finger was trembling, and the sweat from earlier poured down my face even more. I wanted to kill this fool just based off the principle of the whole thing but knew that Bubba and even my daddy would be pissed.

  "Fuck that and lets be out!" Bubba said in a deep, disguised voice. He kicked Bear's gun off to the side and slid past him, sure not to turn his back to Bear. I stood in the doorway with my gun still pointed at his head unable to move or decide what I wanted to do. "I said lets be out!"

  POW!

  I shot a bullet past Bear's head; close enough to bust his ear drums. He dropped down to the ground and I took off running towards the car along with Bubba.

  "Get your feelings in check man!" Bubba yelled as he started the car, threw it in gear, and peeled off the scene.

  "My feelings are fine. I didn't kill that nigga did I?" I asked peeling the soaked ski mask away.

  "So, what you plan on doing with the dope?" Bubba asked changing the subject.

  I checked the rear view mirror ensuring that Bear hadn't tried to follow us before answering, "I'm gonna check to see if Quad can buy them off me, if not then I know a few other people I can call. I should have your half by the end of the week."

  "Hell nah, I don't want no parts of that money ‘cause I still don't believe Bear has done anything wrong," Bubba sighed.

  "Then why did you help me?" I asked looking over at Bubba.

  "’Cause you know I got your back no matter what the situation is. Even though I hope not, I hope you right about all this. It will make me feel a lot better."

  I nodded my head and rode the rest of the way in silence. I hoped that I wouldn't regret what we just did either but in my heart I knew I wouldn't. The only thing I had on my mind now was selling these bricks off and getting the money over to Detrick for my daddy’s legal fees. The rest can be hashed out at a later date and time.

  When I made it back to my apartment and into my bedroom, Quad was sitting up in the bed playing on his phone and smoking a blunt. He quickly switched on the lamp and looked at me with anger and confusion on his face. I felt like a little kid being busted for stealing out of the candy jar or some shit.

  "Hey---I got these---" I tried to say but he cut me off.

  "You sneak out the bed to be with that fat lip ass muthafucka huh? Try and lie if you want to!" Quad yelled.

  "Yes I was with Bubba and I wasn't going to lie about that! I've told you a thousand times before that Bubba is like my fucking brother! It's nothing!" I screamed back.

  "Yea, and I'm tired of you giving me that same lame ass excuse! Fuck is you sneaking out for if he just like a brother to you?"

  "I---I--" I brought my hand up to my mouth, then rushed to the bathroom. Before I could even pull the toilet seat up all the way, vomit flew out of my mouth. My body was so freaking hot, I felt like I would pass out at any moment.

  "What's wrong with you?" Quad asked grabbing a towel and wetting it. "You sweating like you’ve been running from somebody."

  I spit in the toilet then threw up some more, "I don't know. Think it's something I ate. I just don't feel good."

  "Here," Quad handed me a towel and I placed it on my forehead. The coolness of it felt so good to my body; instantly taking my body temp down a couple of degrees. "You need some water or something?"

  "No, I just wanna lie down," I whined.

  Quad helped me back into the bedroom and assisted me with getting into the bed. I lie there feeling crampy, nauseated, faint, and just plain ill until I fell asleep.

  "What time is it?" I asked looking over at Quad.

  "Going on three o'clock," Quad answered.

  "Oh my God. Why you let me sleep so long? I got something to take care of," I whined.

  "What you need to get rid of these bricks?" Quad raised an eyebrow. "I thought you went to pick up some money Starr."

  "I did. I didn't say that it was already in cash form. Do you wanna buy them?"

  "Where'd you get them from?"

  "Look I'm selling them off for twelve-five. That's a fucking steal and you know it."

  "You can't tell me where they came from? I need to know who shit I'm buying before I buy it."

  "I robbed Bear's ass for them. Do you want them or not?" I sat up in the bed still feeling a little sick.

  Quad laughed, "Whatever. What did your daddy have these hidden somewhere? Know damn well you ain't robbed anybody."

  "Yea, that's why I had to get up in the middle of the night to go and get them. I needed to make sure no one was around when I went."

  "You sure your daddy cool with you letting them go for so low?"

  "Yea fool. I told you I gotta get Detrick the rest of the money for his legal fees. He's cool with it."

  "Already, I need to make a run to get the bread but I want all of them. This shit will set me right especially after that loss I took and Carlo still trying to get his shit right. I’m about to be good," Quad sighed.

  "What's going on with him?" I asked.

  "It's about to get real dry down here. I don't know who his connect is but whomever it is got out the game and he trying to find a new plug. I was thinking about talking to Bear and doing my own thing but I don't know. I'm really thinking about quitting my damn self."

  "Really? Where the hell that came from?"

  "With my cousin sitting in a coma behind this shit, Neek being away, and me having to do all the work. I'm starting to not like what I do real shit," Quad let out a laugh.

  "What will you do afterwards? Damn, I didn't know your paper was sitting like that," I said.

  "I got enough to live okay for a couple of years and still help out my fam but I think I'm a go to college and get a fucking degree. Open up a business or something."

  "Damn, that's what's up. I can actually see you wearing a suit and tie."

  "Aye, you need to go the doctor. You are starting to sweat again. You've been sweating all night," Quad touched my forehead and looked a little worried.

  "I think I'll be good if I get a little rest. Can I get you to do me a favor?" I asked.

  "What up?"

  "After you get the money, can you take it to my dad's lawyer?"

  "All of it?"

  "Yea, go ahead and give him all of it."

  Quad went into the kitchen and made me a bowl of soup before leaving. He called me once he left Detrick's office to let me know that he'd dropped the money off. Soon as I got off the phone with Quad, Detrick called to confirm the amount and said he sent a receipt by Quad. He also told me that my dad needed to talk to me and for me to come to the jail as soon as possible.

  I didn't know what was wrong with me. Both Quad and Brian were doing everything they could to get me better but nothing was even working. My temperature had gotten to one hundred and four and everything I tried to eat came right back up. Finally Brian and Quad convinced me to go to the doctor.

  Quad

  A few weeks later Starr and I were sitting at Bennihanas, finishing up our meals. I'd ordered sushi along with chicken and fried rice, and she ordered the same. Everything had been going real good between us and I was glad that I made a decision to leave Fatima and be with Starr.

  I found myself thinking of any and every reason to be around Starr and in her presence. I'd fallen in love with her way deeper than I had been before. She'd grown into a completely different woman, making her more attractive to me. Before she was so boyish and more like a homeboy to me and now there was some femininity behind her.

  "Damn, babe I'm really feeling what we got going on here," I said kissing Starr on the cheek.

  She giggled, "What you mean by that?"

  "I love you way more than I loved you before. I'm glad that we're back together."

  "I'm glad we're back together too and I love you too Quad," she kissed me on the lips.

  “Can I get some tonight? I mean damn you been holding out on me for a minute now.”

  “I’ll think about it.
I’m still mad about you abandoning me when my daddy got locked up,” she said.

  “I know, I’m sorry for that,” I kissed her on the cheek. "Can you see us getting married and having kids someday?"

  She shrugged her shoulders and stuffed a piece of sushi in her mouth. I still hadn't told Starr about Fatima being pregnant yet and wasn't even sure how to tell her. I had a feeling when I did mention it to her; she would most likely break up with me. Although, it happened before me and Starr made our relationship official, I know for a fact that she would leave me.

  "It's just a question. I'm not talking about right now. Just in the future," I put my arm around Starr's neck and pulled her closer to me.

  "Yea, of course I wanna get married and have kids. Not right now though. I gotta figure out what I wanna do with my life first."

  "What about opening up a shop down here? Doing hair again," I suggested.

  "Hell no. I don't wanna go anywhere near a shop again unless I'm going to get my hair done. I'll figure out something else to do. Maybe I'll be a hit woman," Starr laughed.

  "Whatever. You can be a housewife and walk around in lingerie and stilettos all day. I'll take care of you."

  "No thanks Mr. Mitchell. I like taking care of myself and you know that. Let's go. Starting to feel sick again," Starr pushed her plate away.

  "How long before they say you get over that shit? Never heard of anybody having a stomach virus for this long."

  "I don't know. They just said that it will go away; like seven to ten days."

  The waitress came over, gave us the check, and to go boxes. I paid for our meal leaving a twenty dollar tip and we left.

  "It's kinda cool out here. Here," I said taking my jacket off and wrapping it around Starr.

  "Such a gentleman," Starr giggled.

  "Only for you. My other bitches could freeze to death."

  "Other bitches?"

  "Damn, baby you know I'm just playing. Look at you bout ready to cut my ass huh?"

  "Hell yea---"

  WHAM!

  I lost my grip on Starr's hand when she went flying to the ground. Once I turned around to see what was going on, I was hit with the butt of a gun. The force from the blow knocked me off of my feet, landing me right next to Starr. I rubbed my forehead, feeling blood as it dripped down my face.

  "Jonathan?" I questioned.

  Jonathan is Fatima's older brother. Me and this dude have drunk and smoked together plenty of times and now here he is holding a glock on me and Starr like its nothing. What’s even more messed up is I just kicked it with him just a couple of weeks ago when I went to see Fatima.

  "Who the fuck is Jonathan?" he asked and kicked me in the stomach and pointed the gun back and forth between Starr and me. The fool was wearing somebody’s stockings over his head; not doing a good job at covering his face at all. "A'ight—umm--give me your---empty your pockets!"

  Nervousness was all in his body movements, his eyes shifted all over the place, and his stocking cap was becoming drenched with sweat by the minute. He moved towards me, kneeling down to go in my pockets. I head butted him in his head, causing him to be off balance.

  I grabbed the end of the gun and we began to wrestle over it. Trading blows with our free hand; each of us never letting go of the gun.

  POW! POW!

  We both froze when the sounds of gun shots resonated throughout the air. I waited for the pain from bullets to take over my body but it never did. Jonathan's body became limp and his grip around the gun loosened as he fell to the ground. His blood painted the concrete red while his eyes rolled deep behind his head. I looked up and spotted Starr tossing a chromed out .32 cal Berretta in her hand bag.

  "Let's go!" she yelled.

  "We gotta get him to a hospital! I bellowed.

  "Get him to a hospital? Quad this fool just tried to rob you! Fuck him and let’s go!"

  Starr grabbed my arm to pull me away. I took one last look at Jonathan and felt hella bad. Even if I got him to the hospital, it wouldn't matter because he was already dead. I knew the only reason he was here trying to stick me up was because of Fatima. Jonathan was a cool cat, a good dude from what I'd grown to know. He'd gone to college and gotten his degree but once he came home and hooked back up with his baby mama, he got strung out on coke. From there he'd done a few petty robberies so I guess Fatima knew he would be a good fit for the job.

  "Quad, come on! People are starting to come outside!" Starr screamed.

  We both took off running towards the parking lot where my car was parked. I hit button on my car to unlock the doors and started the engine before we got in. Soon as we jumped in the car, I stuck the key in the starter, placed the car in reverse, and backed out of the spot we were parked in.

  "Fuck!" I yelled after hearing that I backed into a car behind me. I put the car in drive and skated out of the parking lot so fast the tires screeched, pushing out smoke behind us.

  "Who the hell was that Quad? I heard you call out his name!" Starr yelled after we drove in silence for over five minutes.

  I didn't say anything, contemplating if I wanted to tell her or not. If she found out that Fatima was behind this shit, she would more than likely confront her and find out the secret I was planning to keep for as long as possible.

  "Who the fuck was he? Quad!" she yelled again.

  "Tima's brother," I said deciding to tell the truth.

  "Tima? So that bitch had something to do with this shit? Call that bitch right now! Bitch done put another unnecessary murder on my damn hands. Got me fucked up!" Starr pouted.

  "What you mean another unnecessary murder?" I questioned.

  Starr became silent, and then reached for the radio to turn the volume up. I slapped her hand away and she looked my way scowling with anger.

  "Croy! I'm talking about Croy, Quad."

  I nodded accepting her answer but somehow I knew it wasn't the truth. I'd heard some things about Starr in the past but refused to believe any of it; I pushed it in the back of my mind not wanting to think she was capable of what I was told. It wasn't until she came home in the middle of the night with a duffle bag filled with dope and money that I wondered if any of what I heard had been true. All that talk about being a hit woman and shit; although I laughed I kind of wondered if what she said was true. Then her mentioning that she robbed Bear for it really set off some red flags. I knew she probably hadn’t robbed him but possibly someone.

  "Call that bitch Quad and find out where the fuck she is!" Starr screamed at the top of her lungs.

  "I'm not about to call her. What the fuck you gonna do? Kill her too?" I questioned.

  "Most definitely nigga. Now call her ass!"

  "Man you tripping. You just killed a dude in the middle of the damn street and you acting like its nothing. You did Croy because you had no choice but Jonathan? I could've handled that. That fool was whacked out of his mind."

  "And could have possibly killed me and you both! I did what I felt like I had to do! Maybe you should be thanking me ‘cause if that gun had went off, you'd probably be dead right now."

  "How long you been toting that pistol in your purse? Do you carry it everywhere you go?" I asked.

  "My neighborhood ain't too friendly; can never be too careful, you know?" Starr remarked sarcastically.

  "I bet."

  "Look you acting like a straight up bitch right now! Don't act like you ain't never murked a few cats before. Let's not forget I was witness to a couple. I killed Jonathan and I'm gonna do Fatima next. So back to what I asked you to do at first; call that bitch!"

  "Now since you killed Croy you on some murder type shit?" Yea I've committed a few murders before but only ‘cause I had to. Til this day the shit I’ve done still haunts me and I've always wondered if it ever haunted Starr when she had to watch. "Bout that shit back in the day. You should've never had to witness that and I’m sorry."

  I was doing everything I could to keep her from wanting to call Fatima. Shit she was carrying my seed and I was
n't trying to bring her any harm; harm I knew Starr would cause.

  "Quad, call that bitch and stop playing with me! You know what, fuck it, I'll call that bitch my damn self," Starr said reaching over at me and snatching my cell off my hip. I tried to get the phone from her all while steering the wheel and trying to keep my eyes on the road.

  "Starr, chill the hell out! I'm gonna handle Tima! That's what the fuck I be talking about with you not letting me be a fucking man!" I bellowed. My temper was flaring and she was pissing me the hell off.

  Starr tossed the phone into my lap and crossed her arms over her chest, pouting like a lil ass kid. She stared out the window and sat in silence until we made it to my house.

  "Come on," I said after parking the car in the driveway.

  "I didn't say I wanted to come over here. Take me home," Starr huffed.

  "Get out the damn car! I'll take you home when I get ready," I yelled and stepped out the vehicle. I shook my head noticing that she wasn't moving. I'm definitely not about to kiss her ass to get her to come in the house. I stuck the key in the door, unlocked it, and walked in. Neek and his girlfriend Charlene were chilling on the sofa watching a movie on the flat screen.

  I rarely stayed at my crib mainly because it was too damn lonely. Starr is the only woman I've ever brought out here, my own damn mama or my sisters didn't even know where I lived. It was just necessary to have a place where you can lay your head peacefully and not have to worry about anyone bothering you. After what happened tonight, both Starr and I needed to lay low until the shit blows over.

  "What's up? Any change?" I asked Neek referring to my cousin Tron's condition.

  "Nope, still in that bitch ass coma," Neek sighed.

  "'Sup Charlene?" I nodded my head.

  "Nothing. Heard you had a baby on the way," she smiled.

  "Who told you that shit?" I asked checking behind me to make sure Starr hadn't walked in.

  "Tima called me the other day. Said she pregnant and can't wait to take your ass to court," she laughed.