She Used to Be the Sweetest Girl

by Briann Danae

  “I’m saying my nigga. You got guns out and shit. What’s good?” Vino asked backing up. He didn’t know what was wrong with Bones and wasn’t trying to lose his life.

  “Tell that nigga to come out here,” Bones said, motioned for Shemel to come out from the booth.

  “Aye, my nigga if you came in here to kill us get that shit over with,” Ricky said with a mug on his face. He had left his gun in the car, otherwise all three of them would have been laid out.

  “Aw yeah? Nick, go check that nigga pockets,” Bones said.

  Looking over at Pierre first, Nick took slow strides toward Ricky who was sitting on the couch. Shemel came from out the booth, with his fist balled up. He wasn’t about to raise his hands to no nigga who bleed the same way he did. Even though he had a gun in his hand, if he really wanted to kill somebody, he would have come in blasting. While Nick was checking Ricky’s pockets, he had a frown on his face.

  “Nigga, yo breath foul as fuck,” Ricky said. Even in the worst situations, his ass had to joke. On the other side of the room, Fatz chuckled. The other nigga who came with Bones was just standing there holding the gun looking dumbfounded. He was definitely not a killer.

  “What’s good nigga?” Shemel asked Bones.

  Clenching his jaw, Bones walked up on him ready to smack him with the gun, but Pierre intervened. Pulling his from behind his back, he let off a shot.

  POW!

  Wanting to be able to shoot the other two niggas in time as well, he ended up sending a shot to Bones arm, making his gun go off sending a shot in Shemel and his producer’s way. The bullet hit Shemel’s producer right in the middle of his head. He had been sitting there waiting for something to pop off, not saying a thing. Turning his head quickly, Pierre shot Nick in the chest twice. Before he could get to the other nigga, he was long gone. He ran as soon as Pierre pulled his gun out. Shemel swung and knocked Bones out in one hit, sleeping him instantly. Looking over at his producer, he shook his head.

  “FUCK MAN!” he yelled out.

  Before either of them could make another move, the police busted through the doors. They had stepped off the staircase and ran right into the nigga who was trying to escape. Tucking his gun back in his jeans, Pierre lifted his hands. With cops shooting niggas, especially with the scandalous shit that happened with Michael Brown, he was not trying to go out like that. Nick was dead as soon as the first bullet penetrated his chest. As the police started to handcuff everybody, Bones started to wake up, still in a daze. Seeing that he was alive, the cops quickly slapped the cuffs on him.

  Shemel hung his head low as they were dragged down the stairwell. He was saddened about his producer losing his life to some hoe nigga and knew he was about to hear Jae and his manager’s mouth. He was grateful he didn’t have his strap on him, but knew a few of his niggas did. It was good though. As soon as he was given a chance to make his first phone call, he was calling his lawyer and his pops. If anybody ever had to take a seat, the longest time was nothing more than a year. That’s one of the advantages to having long money and the law on your side. That drug money will truly buy you what you want, including your freedom.

  Seeing Bones getting dragged out of the building sent Reilyn into panic mode. Shutting her car off, she ran up to him. The blood stains on his shirt brought fresh tears to her eyes thinking he was truly injured.

  “What happened babe! Oh my God! Are you okay?” she asked dramatically.

  “Call your lawyer for me,” Bones replied.

  “No. For what! He didn’t do anything. All this is my fault,” she pleaded, pulling on Bones’ arm.

  She was willing to risk her freedom for him and didn’t care who knew it. He couldn’t go to jail, at least not by himself. Somebody is going to pay, she thought to herself.

  “Ma’am, please back up. If you want to come down to the station, you can do so,” an officer said, softly pulling her away.

  After getting the information she needed to meet up with Bones, she ran back to her car. Not before she got a glimpse of Shemel and his crew being walked out in handcuffs as well. As soon as their eyes connected, Shemel and Vino’s faces scrunched up in disgust. It didn’t take a genius to put two and two together. Shemel held his tongue, knowing anything he said could be used against him, but Vino didn’t give a fuck. Reilyn had him fucked up.

  “Bitch, wait till I catch yo hoe ass! On my mama, you done with,” he yelled out, trying to break free from the police.

  “Aye, chill,” Shemel hissed.

  Reilyn ran to her car as fast as her legs would allow her. She hadn’t been worried about anything happening to her. That was not the case now. She now had two people gunning for her head, and she knew Shemel wouldn’t stop until she was dead. He always told her he didn’t play that disloyal shit and she straight up went against the grain. Speeding away from her spot, she made her way to the station as Shemel and everyone else were put in the back of separate squad cars.

  It didn’t take long for the news reporters and homicide detectives to arrive on the scene. There were two dead bodies and four guns present. They needed answers and it was going to take a few hours to investigate. Jae and Shemel’s manager pulled up to the scene with Shemel’s dad not too far behind them. Knowing how this shit went, his pops told him to chill out and go downtown for questioning. Shemel let him know he didn’t have his strap on him, so he’d be free by the wee hours of the morning.

  Pierre’s gun of the night happened to be his clean one. It was registered and surprisingly didn’t have any bodies on it. Tonight, it had caught two, and he grinned at how he knew the cops were going to be pissed about him getting off clean as a whistle. If he didn’t do shit else right in life, he knew how to piss a mufucka off at the wrong time. As soon as they made it down to the precinct, they were released in less than two hours, based off self-defense.

  Walking out the building, Shemel’s phone rang and Brix’s name came across the screen. Sighing heavily, he knew she was probably losing it. Sliding the answer button over, he spoke calmly into the phone.

  “What’s good baby?”

  “Shemel! Oh my God babe,” she screamed out, damn near in tears. “Please tell me you’re okay.”

  “What he saying Brix? Where Pierre at!” Carissa yelled, from the other side of the room.

  They just so happened to be watching the news when the live footage of the scene was shown. Shemel’s name wasn’t mentioned, but Brix and Carissa both knew that building too well. They had each dropped Shemel or Pierre off there before. Since he had been getting questioned, Brix was flipping out, thinking he was one of the bodies they pronounced dead.

  “I’m good Brix. Shit all bad though. They killed my producer man,” he said sadly.

  “Awww, babe. I’m so sorry to hear that. Is everyone else okay?”

  “Yeah, the team straight,” he replied.

  Looking at Carissa, Brix shook her head confirming that Pierre was good. Exhaling, Carissa’s nerves went from one hundred to zero. Although she hadn’t been talking to Pierre, she would be devastated if something happened to him, especially while they were on bad terms.

  “Where are you now? I can meet you somewhere,” Brix offered, standing up from her couch.

  “Nah, just relax for right now. I’ll slide through later on alright?”

  She nodded her head like he could see her.

  “Bae?” Shemel called out.

  “Huh? Oh, yes. That’s fine. Answer your FaceTime,” she said pulling the phone away from her ear, and pressing the video button.

  Shemel’s handsome but stressed out face came across the screen. He grinned looking at her tear-stained face. She was such a crybaby, but he loved that about her. She never hid her feelings and neither did he.

  “You look cute,” he joked but was serious.

  “Hush. I look a mess. I just wanted to see your face. You know make sure you were really okay.”

  “Yeah, I’m straight. In the car right now,” he replied, doing a quick sweep
over the truck full of everybody.

  Vino was tucked in the backseat pissed off. He couldn’t believe Bones had pulled some hoe shit like that. Pointing the gun at him was where he had fucked up. He was still in jail due to Reilyn coming up their running her mouth. She got herself in deep shit as well and her father came up there ready to break necks. There was nothing he could do though, and after hearing his daughter’s side, he told them to lock her ass up. Without so much as a blink of an eye, he turned right back around and walked out the building calling her mother. If she wanted to chase behind some thug, that was on her. He wasn’t about to ruin his name.

  “I’m glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I would have done if—”

  “Don’t talk like that. Didn’t nothing happen to me. Niggas knew I had to come home to you, so they left me alone,” he joked, making her smile.

  “Well, I’m glad they knew better. I’ll let you go though. Call me when you’re on the way okay?”

  “I will.”

  The two sat silent for a second waiting for the other to respond. Shemel had been contemplating when would be the perfect time to really express his feelings to her and this was perfect timing. He could have easily been the one to have lost his life tonight, but by the grace of God, he didn’t. Life was too short to let the people you really love, not let them know and he didn’t want to go another minute without letting Brix hear the three words.

  “I love you and I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  With tears in her eyes, Brix blushed. She had been waiting to hear those words for some time now.

  “I love you more,” she said quietly.

  “Yessss bitch! You better say that,” Carissa yelled, clapping.

  The two shook their heads before disconnecting the call. Shemel and his crew were headed to the warehouse to talk about what happened tonight. They needed answers from Vino, even though it was clear to see what went down he had no parts of. If Shemel planned to ever work with him, he wanted to ease his mind. Thinking about Reilyn setting him up really pissed him off, but it wasn’t shit he could do. Jail is suiting for her, he thought while chuckling. It was some bitches in there that would eat her little mixed ass up like lunch meat.

  On the other side of town, Brix had the biggest grin on her face. She had been wanting to tell Shemel she loved him, but thought it was too soon. He had proved himself over the weeks that he was willing to do whatever to get her trust back. With Reilyn out the picture and so focused on Bones, it was easy for him to not have any distractions. Their relationship was still fresh and that’s what each of them enjoyed the most. She had finally opened up about what happened to her dad and Shemel was livid. He wanted to find that nigga Drew himself and put a bullet in him and Nine. There was no need though. Brix’s uncles had already handled that little situation.

  “Eww, you all in love and look at me. Single as hell,” Carissa joked, pinching Brix’s cheek.

  “That’s your fault for always playing games. What you tell me? You need a thug in ya life,” she replied, cracking up.

  “Girl please. I got me a thug nigga; he just ain’t fooling with me right now. That’s still my nigga though,” she said, slapping hands with her.

  The two sat around chatting until Carissa started to yawn. Shortly after she left, Shemel used the back door to sneak up to Brix’s room. He told her she needed to get her own shit since her mama’s health was increasing but she was scared. Mrs. Carla didn’t take the news about her husband as hard as Brix did. She was saddened that Drew would risk his life for something he could have easily prevented. She was also encouraging Brix to move out. She had even gathered her names of places and rent prices. With her and Shemel being a couple now, Mrs. Carla wanted them to have as much privacy as possible. A grandbaby would be exactly what she needed to keep her busy once Brix moved out the house.

  After taking a shower, Shemel slid behind Brix in the bed and wrapped his arms around her small frame. Placing a kiss on her forehead, then her neck, Brix woke up and looked at him. Placing a soft kiss on his lips, she ran her hands through his dreads.

  “You made it,” she said quietly.

  “I told you I would, didn’t I?”

  Brix nodded her head up and down.

  “And I meant that. Now let’s go to sleep. I’m tired as shit.”

  Burying his face deep into the crevice of her neck, Shemel pulled her in closer as if she was going to disappear. He was content with his life, but he knew the upcoming week was going to be hell. The thought of laying his producer to rest pained him, but he knew it had to be done. He thanked God for watching over him and his family tonight and made up in his mind right then what profession he would be choosing.

  Epilogue

  The crowd went crazy as Shemel announced his signing to Homage. It was the day after his producers funeral, and he just did a show at the Annual Hoop-A-Thon in memory of his name. He had signed his contract the morning after the incident at the studio and Brix couldn’t be happier. Watching her man walk off the stage, she beamed with pride to be his woman. Shemel was everything to her and didn’t care what anyone thought; he was hers.

  After shaking hands and saying thanks to hundreds of people, Shemel finally made his way to where Brix, Carissa, and Lexi were. Standing in the back of the gymnasium by the concession stand, she brushed off every dude that approached her. The look on her face was pleasant, but when she told them she wasn’t interested at all, they knew she meant that shit.

  “Them niggas better gone,” Shemel said, swooping her up in his arms.

  “Melly, stooop. My hair,” she whined.

  For the first time in three years, she had her hair straightened out and looked damn good. She had gotten it done for the funeral and Shemel loved it. He couldn’t keep his hands out of it.

  “Shit, I can fuck it up if I want to. I’ll just pay for you to get it done,” he replied kissing her neck.

  “Ugggh. I swear you two make me sick for real. I ain’t lying,” Carissa groaned.

  “Don’t be a hater all your life my nigga. It ain’t a good look,” Pierre replied, walking over with plates of cake Brix had baked for the event.

  Mugging him up and down, Carissa didn’t even respond. She was pissed off with him, which wasn’t anything new. She had went over his house a few days prior and they had sex and went out to eat. She figured if she gave in and gave him some pussy, he’d kill the attitude he’d been having with her. That isn’t what had happened at all. He hadn’t hit her up since, and she was in her feelings tough.

  “Y’all want some cake?” Pierre asked.

  “I’m straight. You know I don’t eat that,” Shemel replied.

  “Nigga, Brix made this shit. It’s hitting,” Fatz said, walking over stuffing his face.

  Brix looked at Shemel and grinned. She hadn’t forced him to try any of her desserts since they started dating, so she wanted to see how this played out. Taking the plate, he stuck a fork full in his mouth and nodded his head.

  “This shit good. It’s sweet too,” he said kissing Brix’s lips. “Not as sweet as you though.”

  Blushing, Brix took a bite from his fork. She had been through enough drama these last few months and was truly happy this go around. There was no more fake smiling and putting on a façade. She was finally at peace with her daddy’s death, her mama was healthy, her businesses were bringing in major money, and she was looking to expand. Life was good and the trials she went through hadn’t turned her completely sour. She wouldn’t let them either. Brix had too much to be grateful for and would never give the enemy another opportunity to break her. Like Shemel said, she was still sweet, only now people knew not to take her kindness for weakness. No longer the young girl still caught up on her past heartaches, Brix had developed into a grown woman with an even tougher skin, standing by her mans side ready to ride it out with him.

  -The End-

  Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed! Please be sure to leave a REVIEW to let me know what you
thought of Shemel and Brix’s story. Carissa and Pierre will have their own, dropping this summer, so be on the lookout for that release!

  To stay updated with all of BriAnn Danae’s happenings including, sneak peeks, cover reveals and interact with the author herself, join her reading group on Facebook: BriAnn’s “Beyond The Book” Reading Group!

  Previous Releases from Author:

  Speechless: When Love Hurts 1-3

  I Was Never Supposed to Love You: Meechi & Erica’s Story 1

  (Part 2 dropping June 22nd)

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