Altered Destiny: A Hustler's Choice

by Sherylynne L Rochester

  She was old enough to get a GED. She was not enrolled in high school. She felt this would be a piece of cake. All she needed to do was get 410 or higher on each individual subject area tested. This would show that she had the level of knowledge equal to or greater than forty percent of graduating high school seniors. She knew she was smart and knew that she could handle this. She would ace it with no problems.

  “I think it would be wise for you to meet with a guidance counselor so that they may talk to you about this decision.”

  “No, thank you.”

  “Well, there are preparation classes that you may want to enroll in so they can prepare you for what’s on the test.”

  “OK, I’ll think about that.”

  “Ms. Mills...”

  She was annoyed. “Yes!”

  The Secretary handed Sasha a study book to prepare her for the GED. Sasha took it and walked out the office. She was not going to sit in classes and be in school another couple of years. She would get her GED. There were more important things to be concerned about. She did not want to waste it by being in school.

  Chapter 6

  “Well, I guess congratulations are in order?” S.D. asked.

  “Yup, Steph. I did it. I got my GED,” Sasha said.

  “You should have gone back to school instead of taking the easy way out.”

  “Look, I got it and now I’m done.”

  “What’s next?”

  “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it.”

  “College.”

  She sighed. She really did not feel like having this conversation with him. School was not her thing. She felt she could do better elsewhere. It would be a waste of her time.

  “So how are we going to celebrate?”

  “What?”

  “You should take me out.”

  “Take you out?”

  “Yes, take me out to dinner. Celebrate with me.”

  He laughed. “Celebrate a GED.”

  Sasha sucked her teeth. “Fine, forget it!” Sasha screamed.

  “Why are you yelling?” he continued to laugh as he looked at her. “Alright, alright. We’ll go anywhere you like.”

  Sasha remained quiet.

  “Since you suggested it you paying.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me.”

  “You the one with the degree and the money.”

  “You got jokes.”

  She continued to look straight ahead as he drove down the busy street towards downtown Brooklyn.

  “So, where you want to go?”

  “Surprise me.”

  “Alright, Sasha.”

  The borough they lived in was a beautiful place. Contrary to what people said and thought about Brooklyn it was the best place to live. It had drugs and gangs, but also good people, families, and good times. It was the place where music was born and where athletes were born and raised. She just sat back and enjoyed the ride in the city she called home.

  “Hello,” he answered the phone that was ringing. “You found them.” He paused. “What do you mean?” Another pause. He was becoming very annoyed and began to scream into the phone. “You can’t handle it...well, I’m busy.” He was furious. It looked like this was getting on his nerves.

  “Fine, I’ll be there in a few. Wait for me.” He hung up the phone. “Look I have to make a quick stop. I can drop you off and pick you up or you can go with me. Your choice.” At this moment he really didn’t care what she decided. He just needed to get there fast.

  “I’ll go with you.”

  He made a quick u-turn and headed back. He began to speed and Sasha held on for dear life. It was a wonder why no cops pulled him over.

  “What’s the rush, Steph?”

  “Some important business I have to take care of with T and the rest of the guys. There is this crew we been fighting with for some time now. Recently T told me they were the ones who stuck up some of my guys on the streets. They stole money and our packages. So we found them. We going to get them now.”

  “Oh.”

  His phone ranged again. “What?” he screamed, annoyed once again. “I will be there in two minutes. Hold tight. I will park the car and meet you there. After things get done you handle the rest.”

  They had finally arrived and he did what he said he would. He parked the car near a fire hydrant half a block away. He was in a hurry and needed to get in fast before someone noticed him.

  “Look, I should’ve dropped you off. But…I will leave the car right here. You stay here. Don’t move.”

  “Ok.”

  Before getting out of the car he opened the glove compartment and took out his gun. He closed the glove compartment and opened the driver’s side door and stepped out.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be right back,” he said as he winked at her and gave a little smile.

  He grabbed his black hoodie, which he pulled on as he ran ahead. She remained in the car. She could see S.D., T, and a few of the guys making their way inside a building with their guns drawn. She was curious as to what was going on. By the looks of it, it would not turn out good for someone. She was even more curious as to see what else he had in the glove compartment.

  She opened the glove compartment and searched through it. Inside the glove compartment were some papers, but nothing out of the ordinary. She began to search the driver’s side and still nothing. Whatever she was looking for was not there. He sure didn’t keep anything important in his car, but why would he? He was too smart for that.

  Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

  Gunshots ranged out in the neighborhood. Everyone took cover. Some people started running and screaming. Sasha stopped what she was doing as she saw S.D. coming out the front door of the building firing shots. He was aiming, shooting, and was not missing. One man went down and then another. He ducked behind a car. He barely missed a bullet.

  He continued shooting as he ducked behind the car. T covered him and shot through the windows of the house so that S.D. could get a better aim. It seemed like a scene out of a movie. It seemed like it would never end. This was the life of the streets. This is how business was handled.

  She continued to search the car as they were handling their business. A block away T kept an eye on where S.D. was parked. T aimed and fired some more shots. While he was firing at those inside the building he noticed something. Something just did not seem right. What was that, he thought. His instincts kicked in.

  “Yo, you got this man?” T asked as he started running toward S.D.’s car.

  “Where are you going? We are not finished here.”

  “I’ll be back, something ain’t right.”

  “What?”

  S.D. continued shooting along with the rest of the crew as T ran straight and as fast as he could toward the car. When he got there he aimed his gun at Sasha. Sasha’s eyes widened as she saw T aim his gun in her direction and fired.

  She screamed.

  Chapter 7

  “T hank you for bringing me here. I love this place and the food is always goooood.”

  After the shootout, S.D. took her to a great food spot in Brooklyn.

  “Yeah, this place is cool.”

  “This is my favorite place. I remember my mom taking me a few weeks before she died. I don’t know maybe she knew she was going to go because that was the only time we ever spent together.”

  “Really.”

  “Yeah.”

  “So what are your plans for the future?”

  “I don’t know. I never really thought about it.”

  “There has to be something you want to do. Something you are good at.”

  “Well, to be honest, I just like making money. Whatever way that gets me paid, I’m there.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Look, enough about me, what about you?”

  “What?”

  “So you went to college, what did you go for?”

  “Business and Marketing.”

  “Fo’ real.”

  �
��Yup! I always loved the business aspect, you know. Selling products, getting people interested in it.”

  “That’s cool! So you used all that information and turned out to be what you are now. Successful and got your stuff together.”

  “I wouldn’t say that this is ‘successful’, but it gets me paid and I have all the things I need.”

  “I hear you. So, do you plan on staying in the game long?”

  “Nah, my intentions are to get enough money to retire on, leave the game, and open a legit business.”

  “Oh, I like that. That’s smart.” Sasha was getting as much information as possible. All the information she could get could help her in the end.

  “Yeah…but in order to do that I have to stay alive.”

  “What you don’t think you will?”

  “Sometimes I don’t think I will. People are always gunning after me. When you’re on top people want to always take you down. People want my spot. That’s why I am on the move a lot. I can’t stay in one place.”

  She had gotten his trust. He was beginning to share his heart and that was all she wanted and needed. A man who shared his deepest thoughts to a woman meant that she was special and he could trust her. She made sure to listen attentively to his every word.

  “So where do you stay since you can’t stay in one place?”

  “I stay wherever is safe and after today people will definitely be gunning for me.”

  He continued to eat his ribs and French fries. He then raised his head and looked into her eyes. She took her hand and placed it on his face to show that she was there and concerned for him. She knew something was on his mind.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “I’m sorry to have put you through that earlier today, but it had to be done.”

  Sasha had seen things like that before, but never so close to her. She was in danger and she did not even know it. Good thing T saw the guy pulling up beside S.D.’s car. He moved quickly when he saw the man and aimed his gun and killed him. If he had not seen it and taken action the way he did, she would have been dead.

  “They must have seen me coming. You know, they have lookouts all over. I slipped and that will never happen again. That could have been me you know.” He was upset and concerned that it could have been him. They could have killed him at any moment when he was not looking. He had slipped. He had let his guard down. That he vowed would not happen again.

  “It’s ok. Don’t worry about it. See I am ok. Really, I am fine.” She smiled and thanked God for T seeing and being there when she was in danger. She moved closer to him and hugged him just to make him feel better.

  “That wasn’t smart of me and again I apologize.”

  She leaned over and kissed him on his cheek.

  “So can you tell me what happened? I thought you just handled the business aspect.”

  “Well, sometimes, you have to do both sides or people will think you’re soft, you know. They won’t respect you. In this game you must be ruthless. You have to kill and you have to do business. That is what keeps you in the game.”

  “I understand, but I don’t like it. You should allow the others to handle all that. You just worry about the business aspect and getting that money.”

  “Well, that’s the game.”

  “Well, you don’t want the game to be over, do you?”

  He wiped his mouth and began to reassure her. “I will be fine. I got muscle and I got smarts. Death won’t come this way.” He smiled wearily and this time placed a kiss on her lips.

  “I was thinking. I like you. You got everything together. You’re someone I can trust to handle things and be there when things get rough. I need that especially right now,” he said with a smile and a smirk. “You’ve been proving yourself, you know. I watch how you are and how you get things and money. I like that you are all about your business. Not too many girls are like that. Stick by me and I’ll teach you the ropes and get you what you need to get by. I don’t do that with too many girls.”

  They had been hanging out a lot and getting to know each other even more. She was getting closer and closer to him and his lifestyle. Her plan had worked. Just a little more time and she would get what she wanted with the man she really loved.

  “I’ll do anything for you S.D. Just tell me and I am there.”

  Chapter 8

  W hen I was with S.D. life began to change. I was the chick, his chick, and no one could mess with me. I made sure people knew it too. S.D. was helping me with life, teaching me so many things, and he even had me handle some of the business. I loved it. But, this life I was living sure did cost me something. You know, I couldn’t watch any more. I tried to close my eyes, but I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I began to speak, but he turned and looked at me. He told me to continue watching and that we would talk when this was all over. I didn’t want to see anymore. I didn’t want to be here. I was sorry. I am sorry. That didn’t matter now. It was too late. I had time on earth to say it, but my will got in the way. My way got me here.

  * * *

  “Oh, girl you are too good. I didn’t know you had it like that.”

  “Oh yeah, I may be young, but I know a thing or two.”

  S.D. pulled her closer to him and kissed her passionately.

  Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

  “What?” answered S.D., who was very bothered by the phone call.

  Every time they were together something always interrupted them.

  “Where you at?” asked the other person on the other end of the phone.

  “Don’t worry about where I’m at. I’ll be home soon.” It was Tanya. Tanya knew where he was. He would do things like that from time to time. But, Ms. Gold-Digger really did not care. She would allow him to do his thing and she would get what she wanted as well.

  Sasha sucked her teeth and folded her arms as she sat up in the bed. She knew who was on the other end. He looked at her with a glare and resumed his conversation.

  “I don’t have time for this. I’m busy, okay.”

  He rolled his eyes and was about to hang up.

  “Look you like to shop and spend so let me work so I can pay for your habit.”

  He hung up the phone knowing he was about to hear an ear full from Sasha too. “Why can’t women just let things be,” he said shaking his head. He looked at her. “Don’t give me that look.”

  She did not say a word.

  “You knew the deal when we started messing around.” He got out of bed and picked up his charger to charge his phone.

  “We been messing around for months now. You say you love me, but you still with her.”

  “Yeah, but you know the situation.”

  “I don’t care anymore, drop her.”

  “I can’t! She’s my son’s mother and she has been down with me since before all this.”

  “And I haven’t been there for you?”

  “Not like her, there’s history and things you wouldn’t understand?”

  “Try me! You know she’s only with you for your money and everything else?”

  “And you’re not? You probably only with me for the cash and stuff I buy you just like all the other girls.”

  “Wait...what...where did that come from?”

  He shrugged his shoulders and turned his back on her. I shouldn’t have gone there, he thought. Now he was going to hear another ear full.

  “Look I don’t want to get into this now. We just had a good time and now you are ruining it.”

  “Ruining it? Look, I ain’t like that.” She got out of bed with the silk covers wrapped around her. She got all of the stuff he had brought her and then got up in his face.

  “Girl, don’t start now.”

  “Here, I don’t want it. I don’t need it. I never asked you for a thing. All I asked you for was to be there for me. I don’t care about this money or your lifestyle. I can make my own…”

  “Oh, please, you never complained about it when I gave you it.”

  She folded her arms
and just looked at him. The anger showed in her face and as he looked at her a smile widened across his face.

  “You look so good when you’re mad.”

  “Don’t change the subject.”

  “Boo,” he said batting his brown eyes. “Look she knows too much. I’ve told you that before. That’s why I can’t get rid of her just like that.”

  “What does she know, please tell me?” she became all the more angry.

  “I can’t discuss that with you. Just leave it alone.”

  “Lies…all lies.” She began to hit him angrily.

  “Sasha hit me one more time.”

  She slapped him across the face. He just stood there looking at her. He wanted to slap her back, knock her out, but he reframed from doing so. Instead he lunged at her and grabbed her. “I ain’t gonna take you hitting me like that. You hear me.” He squeezed her arm forcefully. It seemed as if he would break her arm. “Now, don’t you ask me questions like that again! You will only know what I tell you when I feel like telling you. That is if I want to tell you. Some things aren’t your business. So don’t go asking questions. This is something we will not discuss ever again. Ok.”

  “Let go of me!” She tried to get out of his grip, but it was too tight.

  “Do you hear me?”

  “Yes.” She became fearful. She had never seen him like this. He truly was angry. She had hit a nerve of his and had done something that made him tick.

  “Now, you have nothing to worry about. You and I will be together forever. I promise.”

  Sasha smirked inside. Forever. I don’t think so, she thought.

  “Baby, I want you and always will.”

  He grabbed her and once again laid his magical kiss on her as the sun began to rise. Being angry like that was all part of her plan. He would think she really cared. When really she was after something much deeper.