Dirtiest Revenge

by Cha'Bella Don

  “Okay, babe. Be careful. Love you, boo.”

  “Love you, too,” he replied, hanging up the phone.

  Chapter 3

  Nicole strutted down Main Street with a couple of workers. She stopped in front of Trent and asked, “Can I talk to you?”

  Trent handed one of the workers his package and stepped off to the side with Nicole.

  “About the other night. Trent, I was out of line, and I wanted to tell you how sorry I am,” Nicole said.

  Trent looked at Nicole and said, “Don’t even trip, little mama, and I apologize for putting my hands on you.” He replied as he stroked Nicole’s cheek.

  “I know you didn’t mean to, daddy,” Nicole said.

  Marcos walked up and said, “Yo, man. I’m outta work, and it’s time to get on.”

  “Yeah? Me, too. I gave Renzo my last dub, so we can make our way to the house,” Trent said. Then, he turned to Nicole and said, “Do you need a ride home?”

  “Nah, I’m good. I’m staying at the Huntington tonight,” she answered.

  “Ugh, that nasty-ass, crack-infested shit,” Marcos laughed.

  “A’ight. then, we out,” Trent said, hopping in his work car.

  It was three in the morning. Trent and Marcos felt good. They had been able to dump their packs without any interruptions from the Crew Cuts. Trent hopped right on the highway. They made it home in ten minutes. To Trent’s surprise, Kendra was still up.

  “Hey, baby,” Kendra greeted Trent, kissing him on the lips. Then, she turned to Marcos and said, “Hey! Nia’s up in the bedroom. Y’all might as well stay. No need for you to wake her.”

  “Thanks, little sis,” Marcos said, heading upstairs to the guest bedroom.

  Kendra grabbed a glass of water. Then, she turned the lights and TV off. Trent grabbed her hand, and off to bed they went. Everything seemed so perfect to Kendra. Over the next few weeks, her job seemed to become less stressful. Trent came home at decent hours, and the sex got better. It was like Kendra had fallen in love all over again. Trent was being the man that she had always dreamed of. The house stayed cleaned, and he cooked every evening before he left the house. He even went one step further by sending Kendra a bouquet of flowers every Friday. What more could Kendra ask for?

  *****

  One evening, before Kendra got off work, she called Trent. His phone kept going straight to voicemail, and, each time this happened, Kendra became more and more annoyed. She had left four messages, cursing him out. When Kendra called Trent’s phone for the fifth time, a woman answered, leaving Kendra stunned.

  “Hello,” the girl said with a lot of attitude.

  Kendra fumed as she looked at the phone. Once she made sure she hadn’t misdialed, she put her ear back to the phone. Very irritated, she asked, “Who are you, and why are you answering Trent’s phone?”

  After she asked that, the phone went dead. Kendra grabbed her belongings and let her boss know that she was leaving.

  “Miss LaSalle, before you leave, can you put the Atkins case on my desk?” her boss asked.

  “Sure thing, Mrs. Monroe.”

  Kendra grabbed the file and passed it to the receptionist. She was very eager to get out of the office. Once she got to her car, Kendra threw all her things in the back of her Nissan Altima and sped off. She had so many things running through her mind. She felt deceived and betrayed. Tears poured out of her eyes as she drove like a mad woman, checking all of Trent’s spots to see if she could find him. Her first stop was the Nickel since her office was close to downtown. She drove down Main Street. She was like a hawk, stalking her prey. She circled the block twice, but she did not see him. While still calling his cell, she decided to head to his next spot, but his voicemail kept coming on. Kendra was so determined to find Trent that she kept on calling, but to no avail. Kendra drove all around Los Angeles, looking for her man. After checking out all of his regular spots, she drove to the only other place she could think of— Trent’s parent’s house.

  Just as she had suspected, Trent’s Escalade was parked in the driveway. Kendra pulled in, blocking the driveway. Kendra regained her composure as she took one deep breath before going to the door. As she walked toward the house, Mrs. Moore, Trent’s mother, was just heading out.

  “Hey, Kendra sweetie. I haven’t seen you in a while,” Mrs. Moore said, hugging Kendra and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

  “It’s nice to see you, Mrs. Moore. I’ve just been so busy with work and getting ready for my graduation this summer that I haven’t had much free time,” Kendra replied.

  “Good. Good. I always knew I liked you. You’re a go-getter,” Mrs. Moore said, hugging Kendra once more.

  Mrs. Moore stepped aside to let Kendra into the house. Kendra walked in and greeted Trent’s sister.

  “Hey, Treniyah. How are you, boo?” Kendra asked.

  “I’m good, working and doing me, you know?” Treniyah said while doing a booty dance.

  Both girls started to laugh.

  “Girl, you know you’re crazy. Where’s your nappy headed brother at?” Kendra asked.

  “He’s in the back. Daddy’s showing him his riffle collection again,” Treniyah replied. “You don’t have to go back there. They’re going to drive you crazy. That’s why Mama left,” Treniyah laughed again while going to the family room to watch a movie.

  Kendra made her way down the long hallway to Mr. Moore’s office. Kendra tapped lightly on the door. Mr. Moore yelled, “It’s open!”

  “Hi, Mr. Moore. How are you?” Kendra asked as she entered.

  “Not too bad for an old fella like myself,” Mr. Moore said.

  “Excuse me, Mr. Moore. Can I steal Trenton away for a moment?” Kendra asked.

  “Of course. Be my guest,” Mr. Moore stepped out the office and closed the door behind him.

  “What’s going on, shawty?” Trent asked.

  “Would you knock that shawty shit out, Trent?” Kendra angrily spat.

  “C’mon, baby. What’s with the attitude?” Trent asked, not understand where her anger was coming from.

  “Let me make a couple of things clear to you. I don’t know what kind of bullshit-ass game you think you got going on—”

  “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Watch your tone! What the fuck are you talking about?” Trent

  asked.

  Kendra was trying her best not to slap Trent, but her patience was wearing thin. Somehow,

  she managed to ask, “Where’s your fucking phone?”

  “Why you asking me for my phone, Ken?” Trent asked, getting angry.

  “Look, Trent. If I call your phone one more time and a bitch answers, I’mma beat your ass and hers.”

  “Ain’t no fuckin’ bitch answer my phone. I’ve been here with my mom and dad all day. It could’ve been my mom or my sister that answered it.”

  “Trent, do you honestly think I’m Boo Boo the Fool? If you was with your mother or sister, why would they just hang up in my face? So, like I said before, let another bitch answer your phone and watch you get fucked up,” Kendra said calmly, controlling her anger.

  “Who the fuck you think you’re threatening, Ken?” Trent asked. He was heated.

  “It’s not a threat, Trent. It’s a muthafuckin’ promise, yah dig?” Kendra said, storming out the office.

  Kendra’s heart was beating rapidly and tears were pouring out of her eyes.

  Trent stepped out of his father’s office and said, “C’mon, Ken baby. It’s not that serious. You’re overreacting, ma.”

  Kendra snatched herself away from Trent’s hold and stormed away from him, but he was right on her heels. They didn’t want to make a scene in his parents’ home. Mr. Moore asked if was everything alright once Kendra was outside.

  “Yeah, Pops. She alright,” Trent said as he closed the door behind him.

  Outside, Kendra slapped Trent’s face.

  “Don’t bother bringing your ass home,” Kendra said furiously.

  “Bitch, I’mma let that shit go ‘c
uz you’re feeling yourself. You forget whose name’s on that house you’re sleeping in.”

  Kendra slapped Trent once more.

  “Nigga, who the fuck you calling a bitch? Like I said, don’t bring your ass home tonight. I pay bills up in that bitch, too,” Kendra screamed.

  Then, she stormed off. She got in her car and drove off, leaving Trent in the driveway.

  “Fuck!” Trent yelled.

  He went back into the house to grab his cell phone and the keys to his truck. Trent knew Kendra was pissed off at him, so he opted to let her have her space. On the other hand, Trent was fuming. He had never let his phone out of his sight, and he had been at his parents’ house all day. He knew like hell his sister hadn’t answered his phone. Trent sat in his truck, took out his peach, and, after filling it with up with kush, blazed it up. He had no idea who could have answered his phone. Trent was known to lie, but, that day, he was being very honest. He’d been at his parents’ house all day, chilling in the back with his pops. The only time he had let his phone out of his sight was when he had left it in the kitchen to charge. Damn, Trent thought.

  *****

  “If this nigga don’t give a fuck about me, then I don’t give a fuck about him. Fuck it.”

  Kendra was distraught, but she didn’t want to bother anyone else with her problems, and her head hurt from all the crying and screaming, so she thought it would be best just to go home. Kendra called her sister to let her know that she was going to take a few days off from work and clear her head.

  “Sis, what’s wrong? I’ve never heard you sounding so depressed,” Nia said, full of concern.

  “Nothing’s wrong. I just need a break from work,” Kendra quickly answered, trying to keep from breaking down.

  “Ken, do I have to call Trent and curse his ass out?” Nia snapped.

  “No, boo. I’m fine. I just need to relax and chill a bit, you know?” Kendra said with a forced smile.

  “Fo’ real, Ken. You know I will cuss a nigga out and beat a bitch’s ass for you, sis?” Nia reassured her sister.

  From the time she was born, Nia had always been the rowdy one of the duo. She would whoop ass and take names later when it came to protecting herself and her younger sister. That was how they had grown up, and, in the mean streets of LA, it was all about survival. On the other hand, Kendra had always thought she was too pretty to fight, but she was very outspoken. Because of this, she always got into fights, but don’t get it twisted. Although she didn’t like to fight, that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t whoop ass. Besides, that was what she liked for people to do— underestimate her capabilities.

  “Nia, I said I’m good. I just wanted to let you know how I was feeling, so, if you happen to call me and I don’t answer, you will understand why, okay?” Kendra said.

  Just as Kendra was about to power her phone off, Trent called. She pressed the END button and sent him straight to voicemail.

  “Now, he can see how that shit feels,” she stated.

  Instead of powering off her phone, she put it on silent. Then, Kendra threw on a Ginuwine CD; something about that man always sent chills up her spine. Because Kendra was feeling herself, she did something she had never done before. She went into Trent’s blunt box, took a couple already rolled blunts out, lit one, and started to smoke. Kendra puffed real hard on the blunt, holding the smoke in her lungs as she had seen Trent do many times before. Once she exhaled, she started to choke and gasp for air. Kendra flicked the ashes on the floor. She took another long drag and caught a head rush. Damn! I can’t smoke this shit, Kendra thought as she smashed the blunt in the ashtray.

  *****

  Trent was still in his truck, parked in his parent’s driveway. Kendra had pissed him off. First, she had acted a damn fool. Then, she’d had Nia to call him and tell him off.

  When he answered his phone, Nia started going in, “Trent, yeah, you my bro. Bro, I love you dearly, but, if the reason my sister is stressing is because of you, I’mma fuck you up personally. Feel me?”

  “Calm the fuck down, Nia. Ain’t gone be none of that. You heard? And secondly, yo’ sister’s a big girl now. She can handle herself,” Trent stated.

  Then, he released the call. Trent was still flabbergasted about what had taken place at his parent’s house. Trent called Kendra, but she didn’t answer. He knew that she was pissed, so he didn’t press the issue. While he was trying to talk to Kendra, Mrs. Moore drove up and had a car full of bags, so Trent hopped out the truck to help his mother with the groceries.

  “Wipe that look off your face, boy, and tell Mama why you and Kendra were out here acting like fools,” Mrs. Moore demanded.

  Trent was shocked to hear how quickly news had traveled. It was probably one of his mom’s nosey-ass neighbors.

  Trent stated, “Ma, it was nothing that I can’t handle.”

  “Boy, if it’s something you can handle, Kendra wouldn’t have stormed off, and you wouldn’t be over here looking like you lost your best friend!” Mrs. Moore said, continuing to lecture her son on his wrongdoings. “Now, I don’t know what you two are going through, but you better hurry up and fix the situation, Trenton. Kendra is a lovely lady. Her type doesn’t come around that often. Now, I know you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity and be left with coulda, woulda, shoulda. You hear me talking to you, boy?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Trent replied.

  “And I know Nicole’s been around for years, but that girl is trouble. She rubs me the wrong way.”

  Trent raised a brow. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Then and there, he realized that he couldn’t get nothing passed his mom. She even knew Trent was selling drugs. She just had a few rules of her own. She had told him, “If this is the life you plan on leading, then you need to make sure you are the best at what you do. Now, keep in mind. I don’t do jail cells, grave sites, or hospital rooms, and please don’t bring the law to my doorstep.” Trent was eager to know just how much his mother knew about him and Nicole.

  “What does Nicole have to do with this, ma?” Trent asked, a little aggravated.

  “Mommy knows best, and I heard how she kept asking about you earlier when she was over here. You better watch that young girl. She’s nothing but trouble.”

  “Nicole was over here today?” Trent asked with a surprised look on his face.

  Now, it was all starting to make sense to him. The woman that had hung up in Kendra’s face was Nicole. Trent kissed his mom on the cheek, put the groceries on the ground, and said, “Thanks, Ma. I gotta go.”

  Trent got in his truck and smashed through the city streets, eager to snatch Nicole up. As he drove, a lot of thoughts ran through his mind. She had violated him one too many times, and, now, she had to pay for her actions.

  “This is why I shouldn’t be fucking young bitches,” Trent said, as he ran a red light.

  Trent was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice the flashing red lights behind him until he heard the loud speaker coming from the squad car.

  “Pull over right now!” the officer commanded.

  Trent looked in his rearview. “Shit,” he exclaimed as he pulled over to the right.

  “Put your right hand out the window, and turn your ignition off with your left hand and drop the keys on the pavement,” the officer said. Trent did as he was told, still cursing under his breath.

  The officer approached the truck with caution. “Do you have registration and proof of insurance for this vehicle?” the officer asked.

  “In the glove compartment,” Trent said with the officer still watching him. He reached in and grabbed the paperwork.

  “I’ll be right back,” the officer said and went back to his cruiser to run the plates. He came back with a ticket.

  “You checked out. Just make sure you pay attention to the intersection. You could have easily run someone over,” the officer said, handing Trent the ticket.

  Trent thanked the officer, grabbed his papers, and continued on his journey.


  *****

  Nicole was standing outside, smoking a blunt and engaging in a conversation with her neighbors when he arrived.

  “Hell yeah! I got that nigga wrapped around my pinky. He knows where home is. He just go play house with that bitch until I’m ready for his ass,” Nicole said, trying to make herself look good in front of her friends, but she was fabricating a lie. Nicole was always bragging to her neighbors to make them jealous. The girls were around her age and clung on to every word she tossed their way. They listened with open ears, like they had a pad and pen to take notes with. Nicole was so busy making up lies about her life with Trent that she didn’t even notice him pulling up. Without warning, he grabbed her by the throat and choked her in front of the same girls she had just been bragging to.

  “Bitch, you want to play games!” Trent spat.

  “Baby, not so rough and not in front of everyone,” Nicole said, trying to keep up appearances, but the girls immediately understood.

  They turned their backs and went into their houses. Trent dragged Nicole into her house by her ponytail.

  “Yeah, bitch. I don’t see you talking that shit now,” Trent said as he backhanded her.

  Nicole’s eyes bucked as she cried, “Baby, what’s the matter? I’m sure we can work it out.”

  “Fuck working it out,” Trent said as he slapped Nicole again.

  Nicole tried fighting back, but it only made matters worse. Trent dopefiend her, blackening her eye. It closed up at once.

  “Bitch, this is what you want, right? You just can’t accept your position as my sidepiece, huh? You keep playing like you’re wifey. Know your fucking place.”

  Trent was fuming. He was so mad that spit came out of his mouth as he said, “Bitch, you’re

  lucky I have some compassion for your ass, or I would’ve beat you like a nigga in the street.”

  Nicole was baffled. Tears poured out of her eyes, mixing in with her snot. She knew she had