“If I let you go…you’re gonna go in the house and chill?”
“Yes,” she rolled her eyes.
“Okay,” he kissed her before letting go.
“Get off of me!” she shoved him one last time before walking into the house. He was right behind her pulling up his sagging jeans and watching her ass. He licked his lips knowing that he was about to tare that pussy up.
“Let’s go in the room and talk,” he told her as he pulled her to their bedroom.
A few minutes later, all Chocolate could hear were loud moans coming from their room. She shook her head.
“Ghetto love at its best.”
* * * * *
“So, what are you doing for your birthday?” Amber asked as she and Necole talked on the phone.
“Well, Club Hush is out, but I am going to go to dinner with my baby. He’s taking me to Kemah to have some seafood; but first we’re going to Zuma’s for some go-cart riding.”
“Was this his idea or yours?”
“It was mine. I told him about the club and he wasn’t feeling that. He told me that he’d rather I didn’t go, so I came up with this.”
“So…just because he asked you not to go, you’re going to listen?”
“Yeah, it’s not a big deal. I can always go another time.”
“Necole, if he doesn’t want you to go clubbing on your birthday, then what do you think he’ll say on any other night? And doesn’t he go to clubs to perform his songs?”
“Yeah, but he hasn’t done that in a minute.”
“But he goes out sometimes.”
“Not since I’ve been staying with him, he hasn’t.”
“How do you know? I can recall two different times where you was complaining that he didn’t come home at night. So, either he was at the club or fucking some bitch.”
“He could have been hustling.”
“Necole, yeah right. You know how that nigga is, so why are you over there bullshitting yourself?”
“I’m not bullshitting anything. If he is fucking around, it will come to the light. I don’t have time to wreck my brain trying to figure out what he’s doing. That shit is tiring.”
“If you say so. Where is he now?”
“He told me that he and Lil’ Daddy were going to the studio.”
“Oh, really? Well, hold on and listen to this. And don’t say nothing,” Amber said before clicking over. She then came back to the line. “Hello.”
“Yeah, what’s up?” Lil’ Daddy asked with loud music in the background.
“Where you at?”
“Didn’t I tell you that I was at Metropolis?”
“I thought that maybe ya’ll had left by now. Are you coming out here?”
“I don’t know. It depends on what time Black takes me to my car. I rode with him.”
“Well, okay. Call me when you get to your car.”
“I will,” he said before hanging up.
“Necole, you there?”
“Yeah, I’m here.”
“You heard him?”
“Yeah, I heard him. So, that nigga Carmelo left me here to go out, huh? Well, I got something for his ass. Club Hush, here I come!”
* * * * *
The next day, Necole headed to school in her birthday outfit. She’d bought it almost four months ago which was right before school. Her ice white jeans were clinging to her like a second skin while her black and white checkered bustier pushed up her already perky breasts. Since she was going to school, she wore a white cropped jacket over it. Her black and white Prada heels set the outfit off. Chocolate had done her hair in an array of huge curls that framed her pretty face. Carmelo dropped her off with a huge grin on his face knowing that he had a bad young female on his team.
Necole walked away from him with her club clothes inside her Prada bag. He didn’t have a clue. The day went by fast since Necole had pinned a dollar on herself and ended up collecting over three hundred dollars in birthday money from her classmates. When she was in her last class for the day, she called Carmelo.
“Hello.”
“Baby.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s been a change in plans, so you don’t have to pick me up from school.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m going to Cali’s.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m going to Club Hush just like you went to Metropolis last night. Toddles,” she said before hanging up on him.
* * * * *
“Damn it’s jumping in here,” Cali said as she, Necole, Amber, Corrine and Tory entered the club.
“Look at all the lil’ daddies waiting on me,” Necole said as she looked around.
Amber looked at her with a raised brow. The more Necole hung with Carmelo the more her demeanor changed. “Damn, I guess you needed a thug in your life.”
“Your man ain’t loving you right, huh!” Necole boasted. She was feeling good since she had just popped a X. She had on a brown dress that dipped very low in the front exposing her flat stomach and dipped even lower in the back stopping at the top of her ass. She felt sexy and free; a feeling that she hadn’t had in a while.
The girls walked onto the dance floor and did their thing. Necole was extra that night, showing off her true skills. The deejay played Ciara’s, “Ride It” and she mimicked the dance moves to perfection.
Carmelo walked into the club with his niggas, including Lil’ Daddy. They were all taking their time checking out the women while he pressed ahead. He was on a mission. He searched through the crowd hoping to spot her. He didn’t see her anywhere. Something told him to check the dance floor and there she was. Necole was riding the beat and had all the niggas’ attention. She danced solo and when somebody tried to join her, she pushed them away.
He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Who the fuck…” she snapped before turning around.
“What?” he teased. “Don’t stop dancing now.”
“I didn’t know that you were coming here.”
“I know you didn’t. Why didn’t you answer my calls?”
“I thought that you were going to argue. I just wanted to enjoy my birthday.”
“Are you enjoying it?”
“I am,” she nodded. “It’s even better now that you’re here.”
“That’s what’s up,” he smiled as he kissed her cheek.
That night Necole enjoyed herself all the way up until she threw up all over Carmelo. He’d given her his glass of Ciroc, and minutes later, she was hurling all over his clothes. That’s when they left their friends behind and headed home.
“Baby, you can’t hold no liquor at all,” he told her as she rested in his arms after they’d both showered.
“Yes, I can. This wasn’t my first time drinking.”
“So, why did you throw up?”
“I don’t know, Carmelo. I’m thinking that it might have something to do with the fact that my period is late.”
“You late?”
“Yeah, I’m late,” she nodded as she leaned her head back in order to look at him.
“So…so you think you pregnant?”
She shrugged. “I might be.”
“Damn, that’s crazy, man,” he smiled before thinking. “So, why did you drink if you thought that you were pregnant?”
“Because I don’t know for sure.”
“Well, tomorrow we going to get a pregnancy test.”
She took a deep breath. “Okay. I hope that I’m not, because I’m want to go to Spellman in Atlanta.”
“Spellman? You never mentioned going to school out of state.”
“I didn’t? Oh. Well, me and my friends all planned on going to Spellman. I guess that I had the excitement last year when they contacted me.”
“They contacted you?” he asked surprised.
“Yeah, colleges have been taking interest in me since I was in middle school.”
“That’s what’s up,” he nodded. “I got a genius in my bed,�
�� he laughed as he squeezed her tighter.
* * * * *
“There it is,” Carmelo said as he and Necole stared at the stick. “We pregnant.”
Necole sat and stared at the pregnancy test without blinking. She was stunned. A part of her felt that it was a false alarm all the way until she pissed on the stick. “How did this happen?”
“What you mean, how this happened? We fucked and now you pregnant.”
“But, I got school and then college,” she rambled.
“No, you’ll have the baby and then you can think about all that other shit.”
“What? I’m finishing school without a question,” she stated adamantly.
“I never said that you couldn’t.”
“Well, I was just letting you know,” she snapped as she lifted off the toilet.
“And I was just letting your ass know,” he told her.
She washed her hands and walked out of the bathroom. “Well, what it say?” Ms. Brenda asked as she stood in the hall.
“She’s pregnant,” Carmelo said as he followed Necole into their room and closed the door. “What’s wrong, man? Why are you trippin’?” he asked.
“I’m scared, Carmelo. I don’t take this kind of shit lightly. Are you going to be here for me?”
“I’m here now ain’t I?”
“This is different. I don’t want a baby daddy. I need a man that will take care of his responsibility because I’m sacrificing a lot for you. And I will have to give up plenty more if I have this baby.”
“Look, ain’t no if about it. You having the baby and to answer your question: yeah, I’m going to be here for you and the baby. That’s my word.”
“You saying that shit now. I bet you Lil’ Daddy told all those girls that too.”
“What? First off, I’m not that nigga. We are two different people. I don’t run from my responsibility.”
“Oh, you don’t? Well, what about the pregnant chick that went by his house looking for you?”
“Who told you that shit? Amber? Well, since you must know…she is a girl that I fucked before I met you. It was a one night stand. I strapped up and then she came back around with a swollen belly claiming that the baby was mine. I told her not to come back around until we can get some blood work and I haven’t heard from her since.”
Necole glared at him. “Are you lying to me, Carmelo?”
“Naw, man. It’s the truth. The only child I have is Carmelo Junior and this one right here,” he said as he lightly stroked her belly.
Chapter 8
Pregnancy was kicking Necole’s ass. Everything she ate came back up and she could barely keep her eyes open. She would sleep her entire day away. She would go to bed at ten o’clock at night and wake up to an empty bed. Carmelo was gone more than ever, but it was mostly when she slept, so she wasn’t as bothered by it as she probably should have been. She wanted to sleep in peace, so she was happy that he wasn’t there to bother her for sex.
School was now out for the Christmas break, so she wasn’t seeing her friends regularly. She still needed a little hang time with the same sex, so she found herself hanging with Carmella and her friends. Chocolate was twenty and ran the streets quite often, so all of her girls were worldly like her. Necole was intrigued by them and their seemingly rebellious ways.
Carmelo was perfectly fine with her hanging with his sister because he knew that she’d report anything Necole did. So he didn’t think twice when she’d tell him that she was leaving with Chocolate.
Everything was cool until Necole was dropped off one night by one of Chocolate’s friend’s brother.
“Nigga, I’m telling you…that bitch gon make me hurt her, main.” Lil’ Daddy complained about Amber as they sat on Carmelo’s front porch.
“Oh, yeah?” Melo said, half listening. It was almost twelve o’clock and Necole still wasn’t home. “Man, let me call this girl again,” he said as he dialed her number. Her voicemail picked up again.
“Nigga, she ain’t gon answer. Lil’ sis don hooked baby up with some new meat,” Lil’ Daddy teased.
“Fuck you, nigga,” Carmelo spat, becoming frustrated.
“Damn, that Escalade clean,” Meech said as the red Escalade pulled up to the house. “Who is that?”
“I don’t know,” Melo shrugged.
Lil’ Daddy stood to get a closer look. “Oh, shit. That’s baby, nigga,” he chuckled as Necole climbed out of the truck.
“What?” Melo piped as she walked over to them. The dude in the truck gave them a honk before driving off.
“Hey ya’ll,” she spoke.
“What’s up?” both Lil’ Daddy and Meech spoke while Melo said nothing.
“Nothing,” she smiled.
“Where you been?” Carmelo questioned.
“I was with your sister. They weren’t done hanging so Jamilah’s brother gave me a ride home.”
“Why you ain’t call me?”
“My phone is dead.”
“Okay,” he nodded. “Let me holla at you in the house for a minute,” he said as he stood.
“Okay,” she said unsurely. She could tell that he wasn’t pleased with her and she didn’t know what to expect.
He went into the house and she followed. He closed the door behind them. “Look…as long as you got fucking breath in your body, don’t you ever let another nigga give you a ride home! Matter of fact, don’t take a ride from another nigga period!”
She sucked her teeth. “It was just a ride Carmelo, damn. I don’t say anything about all the shit you do that could be considered disrespectful.”
“What?” he asked in disbelief.
“You heard me,” she twisted her neck.
Before she could blink, he’d grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into the door. “Who the fuck are you talking to?!”
She couldn’t answer him because he was choking her too hard. She clawed at his hands trying to loosen his grip. She had her mouth wide open, but no sound was coming out. He leaned in and whispered into her ear. “If you try this shit again, I won’t let go until you stop breathing,” he gritted before releasing her.
She cried and gagged at the same time. She rubbed her neck as he stood glaring at her. She was pissed, but could tell that it was a battle that she’d lose if she tried to fight. So she stormed out of the living room.
The next morning, Necole was still awake staring at Carmelo’s back as he slept. She never thought that she’d see the day when she would allow her boyfriend to put his hands on her. She wanted, now more than ever, to just go back home. Getting abused is not what she signed on for. She was praying that her mom wasn’t right about him. She didn’t want to be wrong, but if she was, then she was going home and without looking back.
Melo stirred in his sleep before his eyes fluttered open. “What you still doing up?” he asked her.
She shrugged.
“Go to sleep, man,” he told her as he wrapped his arms around her and snuggled in.
“Melo.”
“Huh?” he looked up at her with bloodshot red eyes.
“I’m thinking that maybe I should go back home.”
“Home?” he asked as he became fully awake.
“Yeah.”
“What are you talking about? You at home.”
“No, I mean back to my mom’s house.”
He sucked his teeth. “Fuck that shit. You wanna go home for what? So that you can fuck with other niggas or something?”
“What? This has nothing to do with any boys. You choked me last night, Carmelo. I wasn’t raised to let a man abuse me.”
“I don’t abuse you, Necole. Yeah, I lost my cool last night, but you have to understand where I’m coming from. I hadn’t heard from you since earlier yesterday and then you pull up with another nigga. What would you think if I did some shit like that?”
“Okay, I admit that it didn’t look good, but that’s where the trust comes in. I haven’t given you any reasons not to trust me. On the other hand, you have giv
en me plenty of reasons to not trust in anything you say. So if I did have a bad reaction to something like that it would be because of prior situations. With me, you never have to wonder.”
“I hear you, but you ain’t listening to me. A married man can go home faithfully every night, fuck his wife and then go to work. He can have the same cycle going on for years and never break routine. That don’t mean that he can’t fuck his secretary while he’s at work. So what I’m saying is that you don’t openly do anything suspicious, but that doesn’t mean that you won’t cheat. I bet you all the money in the world that same nigga would go off if another nigga dropped his gal off to him. The only way a nigga wouldn’t care is if he doesn’t really care about that woman. You treat hoes like hoes, and let them do what they want. But when it comes to my woman, I hold her to a different standard. I expect her to think before she acts. I expect for her to know that certain things will bother me. I expect her to consider me in every action.”
“Well, does that same logic apply to you?”
“Yeah…I never intentionally disrespect you. Now, there were two times that my shit was out of order. That was my bad, but shit was still fresh with us. I admit that I had to tie up some loose ends, but that was then. Ain’t no broads calling the house or stopping by unannounced. I let all those girls know that I’m with you. Ain’t nobody coming to pick me up unless it’s one of my niggas. I made it like that out of respect for you.”
“That’s what you say,” she yawned. “I’m sleepy.”
“Go to sleep then.”
“I will,” she nodded as she laid her head on a pillow. “Carmelo.”
“Yeah?”
“Please don’t prove my mom right and make a liar out of me.”
* * * * *
It was Christmas Eve and Necole was missing her mom. She had never spent a major holiday without her. Ms. Brenda had cooked a huge feast and their entire family always made her feel welcomed, but still she felt incomplete.
“What’s wrong, Necole?” Chocolate questioned as Necole sat on the couch.
“I was wondering how my mom was doing,” she said solemnly. At that moment, she was regretting how she’d been treating her mother. Janet had called her several times begging her to come home. Each time, Necole hung up on her. She didn’t do it to hurt her mother, but she had fallen in love with Carmelo, so she didn’t want to live apart from him.
Love is Blind (G Street Chronicles Presents) Page 9