by Jones, Bella
“Yo, my nigga, do you have to be flashy everywhere you go, I mean, we’re at school,” Samir whispered.
“I know you ain’t talking with those Ferragamo’s on your feet,” Cesar joked.
“I been wearing this shit since the day I was born, people are familiar to seeing me this way, you, on the other hand bro, are bringing too much attention to yourself.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Kendall, is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class, because that conversation must be really important that you have to interrupt my lecture,” Samir’s teacher interrupted before Cesar could respond.
“No sir. I apologize,” he said.
“Good, you may want to pay attention since there is a test coming up that is thirty five percent of your grade, and you do want to graduate this spring. I expect more from my seniors.”
Samir hated school and couldn’t wait for it to be over. He felt he didn’t need the lesson plan because he couldn’t use any of it in life, and besides, he had already chosen his career path. After class, he received a message from Tim that he was to be at the Lawrys’ restaurant immediately after school. He knew today was his father’s weekly co-op meeting, and he had never been invited before. He was nervous as to why the co-op leaders wanted him there. He started thinking the worst as his nerves got the best of him. He had just been dealt a major blow that he was quick to rectify, so he was hoping this invitation didn’t have anything to do with the situation with Kyle.
“Bring Meko with you. Don’t show up a second late nephew.”
Samir forward the message to Meko and headed toward his car. He knew he didn’t have to worry about Meko not being there. Meko was becoming his right hand man, and he didn’t want to move without him. Even if he didn’t get a request for Meko’s presence, he would have brought him along anyway. Just as he suspected, Meko was already at his car waiting for him.
“What you think this shit’s about bro?” Meko inquired.
“I don’t know, but I hope they’re not about to tell us they pulling the plug because of this Kyle shit. I’m nervous to be honest.”
“Man, don’t sweat it bro. With all the money we making your pops and his co-op, they would be fools to pull the plug now; we in too deep.”
Samir listened to Meko’s point of view and put his thoughts at ease. When his phone rang, he noticed it was Khloe’s friend. His excitement grew because he hadn’t spoken to her since their date and he was anxious to see her again.
“Hey doll face,” he answered.
“Hi Samir, what are you doing?”
“I’m on my way downtown to meet my pops. I’ve been thinking of you constantly. Why haven’t I heard from you?”
“It’s a long story. I had to go home, and I didn’t have a way to contact you while I was there,” she explained.
“Well, we’re gonna have to change all that. When I leave downtown I’m gonna come get you and we’ll make sure you can contact me whenever you need me, cool?
“Okay, cool. What time are you going to come, I’m at my friend’s house?”
“Give me two hours, baby girl, I’ll be there.”
“Okay, I miss you, and be careful.”
“I miss you too,” Samir ended their conversation feeling good. He didn’t care that his partner thought he was caking, he just knew he had to see her smile. He couldn’t shake the feeling he had for her. He never felt anything toward a female, so he knew this had to mean she was different, and he couldn’t wait to see her.
When they arrived at the restaurant, they were escorted to a private dining room where the co-op was already taking place. Once Carlyle noticed his son walk in, he stopped, introduced him to everyone at the table, and instructed them to have a seat.
“I know you are wondering why I called you here, and as you can see, there are some familiar faces here. As heads of your set you will need to attend all co-op meetings and give a full report on what’s going on with your set. If there are issues, they are discussed here,” Carlyle explained to Samir and Meko.
If running their sets wasn’t hard enough, now they had the added pressure of dealing with the entire co-op. Niggas who had been running Chicago for over 30 years.
“So, young Samir, I heard you had a problem in your neck of the woods, and I’m a little disappointed because those are our most profitable blocks, young gun. Explain to me what the hell is going on over there,” Quincy, a longtime member of the co-op and leader of the Joliet and Champagne crews asked.
“Yes, I had a problem with a jack boy, but that’s nothing to worry about because my crew and I handled that situation,” Samir responded.
“What do you mean when you say handled?” Tim asked.
“What Samir means is, we took care of the situation. We retrieved every dollar and every gram that was lost. Then we sent a little message to anybody else that may be feeling a little froggy,” Meko replied.
“So, in less than forty eight hours you found the people responsible and retrieved everything?” Another member asked.
“Yes, we did. There is nothing more important than this family and what the five of us are building. We refuse to allow anyone to bring shame on this family and our Black Corleone legacy,” Samir offered his answer.
“Damn Lyle, this young man is solid. You said this was your baby boy. He doesn’t carry himself like a baby to me.”
“I know, he isn’t and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He handled a situation when most cats ten years his senior would have folded,” Carlyle boasted.
“Samir, we know about the situation and we know that you handled it when you did and that’s why you and Meko are sitting at this table right now. So, this is your induction into these meetings. You and Meko are to meet us here every week. Tim will hit you once a week with the time. When you show up, you will need to have a full report on your sets down to what the corner boys are doing. If you can’t attend, an acceptable replacement must be here to represent your crew. Do you understand?” He explained.
“Yes sir, we do,” Samir responded.
“Good, because you’ve just entered the big league, son…”
The meeting continued as normal, and Samir and Meko soaked in everything they heard. They observed how the crew conducted themselves and their business. They watched their mannerisms and how they spoke to each other. There was a reason his father and his crew had been in the game as long as they were. They had everything down to a science. It was almost like they were heading fortune 500 companies, and this was a board meeting. They used code words and spoke in corporate terms. If you didn’t know who they were, you would never know they were drug lords.
Meko admired the old heads, and in his mind he wanted the Corleones to be exactly like them. He was excited about attending the meetings because he knew he could learn much more from them about running the game. Samir, on the other hand, already knew of his father’s way of conducting business, so he wasn’t as surprised as Meko, but he was in complete pupil mode. He wanted to make sure he observed as much as he could because he needed to be on point when they attended the meeting the following week.
After the meeting, Meko and Samir headed to the suburbs to meet with Seven. He was busy scouting a new location to move their trap spot. Ever since the robbery, the Corleones didn’t feel comfortable operating in the same places out of caution. Seven decided on a location in Riverdale that was just on the outskirts of the small suburb, but still within city limits.
“This is a good location, but make sure we have at least four niggas here at all times, and we need to update the surveillance around here too,” Meko said as he looked around the area.
“I’m already on it. I got the tech guys coming out here tomorrow,” Seven informed Meko and Samir.
“What’s up with Roseland; we get another spot over there yet?” Samir asked.
“Yeah, Ces found a spot on one eleventh and Parnell. He over there now getting the spot wired with cameras and shit,” Seven replied.
; “Aight cool, you and Chase go over there and check everything out, and hit me. I’m gonna fuck with y’all a little later, I got something important to handle. Meko, hang out with Seven and let him in on the meeting we went to today.”
“Cool, I got you. I was gon’ fuck with this nigga anyway.”
Samir left his compadres to take care of the business while he headed to see his ray of sunshine. Shit was becoming hectic in his world and he needed something to relax his mind so he wouldn’t go crazy. His peace would remain intact, and he couldn’t think of anything or anyone better to do that with than Khloe.
His palms began to sweat and his heart pounded in his chest when he arrived to her friend’s house. He sat there for a good five minutes trying to calm his nerves before he called her outside. Damn, what the hell is wrong with me, calm down Samir, you are Sam Corleone, and this girl got you tripping. He thought to himself. He snapped out of his nervousness and called her.
“Hello?” her friend Shay answered.
“Yo, what’s up, can I speak with Miss Khloe please?” he asked.
“Is this Samir?”
“Yea, it is. Is she still there?”
“Oh My God, heeeeey Samir, yes, she’s here. Hold on one second,” Shay laughed, “It’s your maaaan, bitch,” she handed Khloe the phone.
“Girl, stop being silly, he’s not my man, we just met. Hey, Samir,” Khloe said simultaneously to the both of them.
“So, I’m not your man now? Damn, I need to step my game up,” Samir teased.
“I mean, we just met, I didn’t think about it. Where are you?”
“Well, I am your man from here on out if that’s what it takes to stop somebody from stealing your heart from me. And I’m outside, you ready?
“Yes, I’m ready. Give me one second, I’m coming out,” She said as she smiled harder than she ever smiled. She quickly hung up the phone and grabbed her stuff.
“Girl, what are you so happy about?” Shay asked.
“Samir is outside, and he just told me he was my man,” she laughed.
“Whoop, Whoop! Well, don’t keep your man waiting,” Shay joked.
Khloe tried to keep her composure when she walked outside and saw him standing against his car, looking good. He was dressed in Coogi Australia from top to bottom. She ran and jumped in his arms as if she was a little girl jumping into the arms of Santa Claus. She kissed him passionately because the truth was, she really missed him, and couldn’t stop thinking of him since the day she first met him.
“Damn, what was that for?” he smiled.
“I just miss you, and I’m happy to see you, that’s all.”
“Well, I miss you too, Miss Khlo,” He said as he helped her into his car.
For the first time in a long time Samir was at peace; Khloe brought out a side of him that he didn’t know he possessed. All the cares of the world melted away when he was near her. He felt himself staring at her as he drove. Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and kissed it gently as they sat at a red light on 115th and Halstead. She looked at him and smiled. She knew at that very moment that her otherwise miserable young life would change now that Samir was a part of it.
“I’m glad you came, Samir,” she broke their silence.
“I told you I would be here. You never have to worry about me not coming. I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to be next to you for nothing in the world.”
“Where are we going anyways?”
“Where ever you want to go. But first, I thought we go to River Oaks mall and get you a two-way, so you don’t have an excuse not to call me.”
“Can we get clothes too?” she asked, giving him her best puppy dog face.
He laughed out loud at her attempt to play on his emotions, “We can buy the entire mall if you want to, as long as I don’t have to see that pitiful face you got on right now.”
They headed toward Samir’s favorite suburban mall. He stopped at the Sprint Store to get her a Nextel phone and a Motorola two-way, and then he followed her into every store she liked. He watched in awe as she looked through the racks of Man Alive and picked out her clothes. Every once in a while she would ask him if she could have different things, and each time he told her she could have whatever she wanted if it made her happy.
During their first shopping spree Samir spent close to $8000 on everything; from Pelle Pelle, Coogi, Guess, Airforce Ones and Jordans. He made sure she got everything her heart desired without thinking twice. As they were about to leave, Samir made one more stop. He walked into Zales and dropped another $3500 on a diamond heart necklace that was just as beautiful as he thought Khloe was. It sparkled the way her smiled sparkled to him.
“Did you get your pretzel Miss Lady?” he asked as she approached him, coming out of the jewelry store.
“Yes, I did, sir. But I’m hungry, can we go to Bennigans, I saw one across the street?”
“Of Course we can. I got something else for you too,” he told her as they were seated inside the restaurant. He pulled out the jewelry boxed and her eyes lit up. He opened the box and revealed the necklace he just purchased for her.
“Oh my God, Samir it’s beautiful. You bought this for me?”
“Yea, because I think you’re beautiful, it’s my heart, so I hope you like it.”
“I do, I love it,” she said, but her excitement immediately turned into sadness as she thought about the current state of her life.
“What’s wrong babe?” he asked her.
“Nothing, it’s just… I never had anybody in my life be this nice to me.”
“Tell me that long story you mentioned earlier,” he said, grabbing her hand.
“It’s just that my home life is horrible. My mother is physically and emotionally abusive. She makes me hate my life. So, when you say I’m beautiful, I don’t see it because no one ever tells me that. I run away, but she always finds me and makes me come back, and then she kicks me out again. Sometimes I wish I could just die so I don’t have to feel so bad anymore,” she told him as the tears filled her eyes.
Samir got up and joined her on her side of the booth. He put his arm around her and sat in silence for a moment. He would have never guessed that this beautiful young girl felt so ugly on the inside. He made a silent vow to himself that if it took his whole life he would show her how beautiful she really was. He wanted to be her superman at that very moment.
“Listen, Khlo, don’t worry about that shit no more. I’m here for you, and I always will be, I promise. If you need me, I’ll be there, no matter what I’m doing; I’ll be there. Okay, don’t cry baby, you got me.”
They spent the rest of the day together. No phones, no two-way pagers, no drug game, nothing; just him and her. He wanted to make her happy even if it was just for one day.
When they arrived back at Shay’s house, he didn’t want to let her go. He wanted her to stay with him forever. Since she told him all about what was going on in her world, he wanted to protect her from any pain she felt.
“You gon’ be okay over here, right?” he asked her.
“Yes babe, I’ll be fine,” she kissed him goodnight and went inside.
He didn’t know it then, but this would be the last time he saw her for a long while. He watched as she retreated into the house safely, and right then his serenity was over. He had to go back to being Sam Corleone.
Chapter Three
In a somber mood and with Khloe on his mind, Samir met with Seven for the second time that day. They stood outside of the Robert Taylor projects hanging out when Seven noticed something was amiss about Samir’s demeanor. He couldn’t help but wonder if the trial of the dope life was getting to his brother and leader.
“Yo, what’s on your mind, my nigga?” Seven asked as he passed a swisher Samir’s way.
“I just got a lot on my mind with pops inviting us to the co-op meetings, and with all eyes being on us. I been trying to keep my name out these streets, but the truth is; everybody knows who I am, and on top of all that, I gotta go see my b
rother’s tomorrow.”
“I know, this shit is tough and it’s getting to me too, Joe, but we in this shit together. We got your back no matter the situation. Just relax, we doing what we set out to do,” Seven tried to assure him.
“You remember that shorty I met the other day, Joe?”
“Yea, I remember, what about her?”
“I’m really feeling her, but she going through some bogus shit at home, plus she young as shit.”
“Oh yeah, like what kinda shit?”
“Man, Joe, her mom beats her and shit. She told me today that she feels like she wants to die sometimes. She’s beautiful as hell to me, and she’s going through some fucked up shit. I can only see her when she runs away to her best friend’s house.”
“Damn, how old is she?”
“Young bro, she is hella young.”
“How young, my nigga?” Seven insisted.
“I can’t even tell you how young she is. Plus, I’m about to be eighteen in a couple of weeks.
“Bro, if you feeling her that strongly to be worried about her, then fuck how old she is. Age ain’t shit but a number, bro.”
“You right, but when I turn eighteen she would be barely a teenager, bro. She would barely be a freshman when we’re about graduate.”
“Damn, that is young. But fuck it, the heart wants what the heart wants. She young as hell, but you can mold her.”
“Yea, you right, if I get to see her again. I bought her a phone and shit, so she can hit me when she needs me. It’s tough knowing that she going through that shit and I can’t do nothing about it,” he said as he took another pull of his blunt.
“Don’t trip bro, she’ll hit you. I’m sure of it.”
“I hope so, because when I’m around her my mind is at ease. All the bullshit of this crazy life just goes away. Feel me?”