Chapter 8
Jakki didn’t know if she could do what was asked of her, practically demanded. Her family, father included, wanted her to betray School Boy’s trust to get him to sit down with them and figure out his options. She knew that was nothing more than a ploy, considering they’d already decided what would and had to take place. Not wanting to disappoint her dad or bring him any more shame, Jakki placed the call doing what she had to do. After three or four rings it was apparent her cousin wasn’t going to answer and then confirmed hearing his profanity-filled music voicemail greeting.
Once again fumbling with her new diamond, Jakki wished she could turn back the hands of time. Pulling up in front of Carla’s apartment building, Jakki hoped Paulette and Faye had already arrived. With a new hustle on tap to make money, she decided to put the situation with her cousin temporarily on the back burner and return to focusing on her own moneymaking ventures. There was no second-guessing she’d given up on the immediate idea of taking Ruben’s place, but her getting cash was always going to factor into her daily life. Like her uncle reported at the meeting, bringing a prideful smile to her dad’s face, percentage-wise, Jakki Crayton was turning in more revenue than most of the men in the family this week. The hard hustling Detroit-born diva knew every week couldn’t be like this week, but today was like Christmas, Fourth of July, and her birthday all rolled into one. This week she was queen of the clan. The only downside to her celebrated reign was heartbreakingly she knew her own flesh and blood; School Boy would do anything to dethrone her.
Once inside the apartment, Jakki had each lady take a seat and pay careful attention of how things had to take place if they wanted to walk away on easy street. With three sets of eager eyes on her, she laid out the next illegal venture that would sponsor the down for anything females to continue going on shopping sprees, pay car notes and rent, and avoid shutoff notices. Being the boss to them that she was, Jakki promised the trio that this game they were about to run was sure to be epic. Just like the UPS driver tipped her off about the two old guys running the pill house, Jakki had yet another plug. This plug was not a knowing or willing participant to the crime, but so be it. There were always casualties in war and make no mistake about it, Jakki making money was a full-out battle. This time it was a guy she used to go to summer camp with back in the day when they were just kids. She’d bumped into him at Red Lobster and they exchanged numbers.
Lusting after her now full breasts and thick frame, Jakki would hook up with him from time to time mesmerizing him with her advanced sexual skills. Like most men, the white collar businessman thought with his small head instead of the one mounted in between his shoulders. Her ex–camp mate was not like Jakki one bit. He was a perfect square knowing absolutely nothing about hustling in the mean streets of Detroit. Having been snatched out the hood five or ten days after camp ended, he never knew struggle or what it meant to make ends meet. The wildest thing he’d ever done was allowing Jakki to seduce him in the executive bathroom of the corporate office where he worked.
Jakki, always on the prowl for a scam, had figured out his passwords to various accounts he was put in charge of. Peer pressured into hooking a few of his equally stick up in the ass friends of his with hers, they had agreed to meet late night at their office penthouse for some innocent fun in the Jacuzzi. Planning on drugging the men and taking not so flattering pictures to blackmail them with, along with transferring some of the accounts monies to Green Dot cards, Jakki knew this was gonna put her on easy street for months. After tonight’s come up, she was going into semiretirement and let her father and uncle worry about the day-to-day bullshit.
Chapter 9
“Bae, what you think gonna happen to my big brother? You think they gonna let . . . let him go?” a worried Lena stuttered while looking out the front picture window.
“Girl, your guess is as good as mine.” School Boy leaned back on the couch propping his feet up on the coffee table. “I don’t know what that fool was thinking anyhow stealing a car just to joy ride around the hood in! He ain’t need to pull that low-budget stunt and we sitting on all this cash.”
Walking away from the window, Lena saw the plastic bag of stolen jewelry laid out next to School Boy’s feet, the same jewelry he claimed they couldn’t touch yet because it was too hot. “I told him he was gonna get . . . get caught. He was up in the middle of the . . . the intersection doing donuts!” She struggled to get the rest of her sentence out. “Like some little kid.”
“Well I hope no matter what that fool stand tall and be a solider about his.” He reached for the lighter. “I hope he boss up if need be, ya feel me?”
“What you mean, Bae?”
“Girl, you know what I mean. Stop acting so dingy. You seen us putting in that work all over the news.”
“I know,” Lena regretfully replied wishing her brother had never followed the man she loved.
“Well you know these non getting bread bums around here be on that snake tip. Whack hustle wannabe players don’t want the next man to come up if they can’t.” He lit a Newport and shook his head. “Let’s just hope ain’t nobody rat us out. And if they did, let’s hope your brother hold his head and his tongue.”
Lena was infatuated with her older brother’s friend and had been since she was about ten, but she loved her sibling and didn’t want anyone, School Boy included, to start rumors about his snitching. “Bae, I love you, I swear I do. And you know I . . . I got your back, but don’t be over here putting those misconceptions in the air about my family. My brother as solid as they come.”
“Damnnnnnnn, look at you getting beastie around this raggedy piece of nothing house!” He loudly laughed.
Caught in her emotions, Lena headed back to the window wishing she’d see her menace to society brother stroll up the walkway like him being knocked was all a joke or a big misunderstanding on the cop’s behalf. “Naw, it ain’t that. But ain’t you the one always around here talking that family first, blood in blood out, family loyalty stuff? Now look at you, pissed . . . pissed off not even talking to my homegirl Jakki. She always got your . . . your back and mine!”
“What?” He started feeling some sort of way, but kept his composure. “Slow your roll, girl, with that annoying stuttering. You getting out of order with all that speaking on mines. Stay in your damn place!”
“Dang, Bae, I’m just saying you might need to call her and at least go visit you uncle. He’s like your daddy.” Folding her arms Lena had tears starting to form. “I just wish my brother would come home or at least call.”
School Boy, in deep thought, finished smoking his cigarette then leaned his head backward closing his eyes.
It was nearing ten and Jakki was getting ready to meet back up with her crew. After calling School Boy several more times, she’d completely given up on trying to encourage him to sit down with everyone and try to come to a middle ground. Forget all of that! Let him keep doing him. I’m so over it, she thought as she stopped to get gas and buy a pack of chewing gum. Me and my girls is about getting that paper tonight and I straight like that don’t need or want no distractions to my concentration courtesy of School Boy’s self-centered attitude!
Tossing the station attendant a twenty, the pump seemed to be moving extra slow allowing two different men to try to run slick game on Jakki. Amused, she laughed as she got back in her car. Glancing up in the rearview mirror, she checked her makeup. Both guys coming at her sideways let her know she was indeed looking extra cute tonight. Starting the ignition, she was finally on her way to pick up Carla so they could meet up with Faye and Paulette.
Less than fifteen minutes from her destination, Jakki’s cell rang. Turning down the radio, she reached over swooping her cell off the passenger seat. Without looking at the illuminated screen, she pushed talk assuming it was Carla.
“Hold tight. I’m almost there.”
“Almost where?” School Boy blurted out.
“Hello?”
“Yeah!”
/> “Cuz, is this you?” Jakki asked pulling the phone back from her face so she could see the screen.
“Yeah, fool, it’s me!”
“Well what number is this you calling from?”
“Girl, I’m calling you from my new iPhone 6 Plus this female blessed me with!”
“Oh yeah.” Jakki giggled tired of being evil toward her blood.
“Yeah, my number one go-getter!”
“I got your go-getter, crazy, but where you been? I was blowing your line up all evening.”
School Boy, for the first time in days seemed to be in a good mood and it showed in his voice. “I had it here at Lena’s crib charging. I been rocking this new big boy all day.”
“Dig that, well . . .”
“Well what, cuz? I know you ain’t trying to rush a guy off the line. Where in the hell was you going anyhow? Who you thought I was?”
Jakki thought twice about telling him, but figured what was the difference. “I was about to go holler at Carla and blow one.”
“Man, eighty-six Carla always coattail-riding ass! Come swing by Lena’s and get lifted with your manz. I got that good fire over here!” School Boy demanded not willing to take no for answer. “I’m about to roll up a few blunts right now. So hang up, cuz, and pull up on a young, handsome moneymaker!”
With the scheme she’d perfectly plotted ready to jump, Jakki didn’t want to be late, but at the same time didn’t want to leave her family hanging, especially considering this was the first time he’d reached out ever since her father collapsed. Damn this fool messing with my bread! Busting a U-turn, Jakki called Carla telling her to let the girls know she’d be a little late. After that she texted ol’ boy telling him one of the girls had babysitting issues but the party was definitely still on. I’ma just smoke one blunt with his crazy ass, tell him what the family want him to do, and be out!
“Okay now, cuz, I ain’t gonna lie, this right here is some good weed.” Jakki choked inhaling twice more before passing the blunt to Lena. “Whoever got this making a killing, I know.”
Eyes bloodshot red and wired, School Boy cracked open a bottle of Rémy Martin 1738 and separated the three clear plastic cups he’d gotten from the corner store. “Yeah, girl, them trees is the deal. Me and Lena been getting high as three kites off an ounce for two days in a row.”
“Yeah,” Lena agreed after also choking. “I think this weed is what made my brother bug out and act a fool.”
“Oh yeah?” Jakki grew confused wanting to know more.
“Yeah, sis, that’s why he’s in jail now.” Lena’s high started to deflate even thinking about her brother’s present confinement issues.
“Jail?” Jakki, puzzled, raised her eyebrow at School Boy. “What she mean jail, cuz? What he in there for?”
School Boy wanted nothing more than to jump up and slap the spit out of Lena’s mouth but put his anger on safety. “Naw, cuz, it ain’t what you think.” He reassured Jakki who was on pins and needles. “It ain’t about that other thing, I guess.”
“There the hell you go . . . go again with that. I told you he ain’t nooooo snitch!” Lena, fist balled, jumped up like she was ready to do battle with a giant. “And don’t think I don’t notice that big, shiny diamond ring on her finger that was in that bag yesterday! I thought you said—”
“Yo, nosey trick, don’t worry about what I said! And chill on all that stuttering before I stuff some of this big boy in your mouth.” School Boy motioned down at his crotch. “Ain’t nobody said that okay? I was just telling my little cousin when it comes to my manz, it’s whatever.”
“Y’all both chill,” Jakki intervened thinking about the code of the streets. “As long as he keeps his mouth shut then everyone is good all the way around. Lena’s brother always been a soldier.”
Pouring the smooth-tasting liquor in the glasses, School Boy made a toast to family cruelly telling Lena she needed to sit this one out because she wasn’t they blood. “Not you, Lena, you fall back!”
“Boy, stop that! This girl been rocking with you since she was in disposable diapers. Don’t do her like that. She done helped us out more than a few times.” Not wanting to tell School Boy she totally agreed with him and Lena was no more than an insignificant jump off who would do anything to fit in, she decided not to add fuel to the already scorching fire.
With everyone calmed down, the three of them continued to get white boy wasted. By midnight, Jakki had forgotten about her prior commitment to her friends and the plan that was gonna enable her and them to chill on the mindset of everyday monkey hustling. She knew they were counting on her and she hated to let them down, but at the end of the day School Boy was family and to her there was nothing greater than that bond friendship included. Ignoring the constant buzzing sounds of her cell, she was busy being twisted up in School Boy and her bonding over all the things his new phone could do. Out of nowhere, with Lena in the kitchen frying a bag of wing dings, Jakki dumbly decided to kill the mood by bringing up family business.
“Cuz, trust me when I tell your worrisome soul.” He raised his slurring voice. “Don’t nobody wanna hear that crap right about now.”
“Dawg, I’m just saying,” Jakki leaned in closely whispering in his ear. “You don’t know what that stuttering jump off broad’s grand theft auto brother behind them bars saying. You know guys just like females ain’t loyal.” She glanced over at the kitchen door making sure Lena’s happy-go-lucky ass wasn’t coming with their plates. “For all we know he in there telling them everything he can think of so he can come home.”
“Cuz.” School Boy shook his head laughing while rolling up yet another blunt. “You know they say jail builds character with some dudes!”
“Naw, fool, you know what they really and truly say is: first one in, first one out. He ain’t blood.” Jakki bargained trying to get her point across. “You need to talk to the family; well, at least my father. You don’t wanna get mangled around in the system and don’t have the full support of the Craytons do you?”
School Boy started to feel some sort of way, but decided to keep it to himself. Flicking the lighter, he blazed up. Finally no more words on the subject were passed as Lena, naïve to the game, returned to the living room with chicken, bread, and a big bottle of ranch dressing.
Chapter 10
It was getting late. Well after one in the morning. Jakki, School Boy, and Lena were definitely feeling the full-blown effects of their highs. Laughing at a DVD of a Kevin Hart comedy show, each seemed to outwardly forget their worries. However, School Boy wasn’t really in the same place mentally as the females in the living room were. The more he drank and the more he smoked, he kept replaying in his mind what Jakki was urging him to do: throw himself at the mercy of Ruben. Yeah, he was ecstatic his little cousin wasn’t tripping any longer and had come to hang out with him, but disappointingly to him, she’d brought the same bad vibe feelings she’d been displaying to him all week long since his uncle fell out in the street. Yeah, he was out doing his own thing, that most of if not all the family took as being pure renegade in nature; but so damn what? He felt as if he wasn’t putting any of them in any real danger.
Unlike Lena’s brother, School Boy felt he was bred for prison and if it came down to it he would do his time, no matter how long, standing on his head. Whatever was gonna happen was gonna happen and he wasn’t one for living his life on his tiptoes, avoiding walking under ladders or trying not to break mirrors. School Boy was ruthless and rotten and had no off button and no home training since birth.
“Bae, you good?” Lena noticed her so-called man was zoned out seemingly in another world. “What you over there thinking about?”
“Yeah, cuz, what’s good over there in that wild mind of yours?”
School Boy took his time in answering. Downing the last swig in the bottle, he finally spoke. “You know what, Jakki? I was thinking about what you said earlier.”
“Earlier?” Lena cut in. “What she say? I missed it.”
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br /> “Yo, fall back, girl,” he insisted with an annoyed tone. “I’m talking to my family.”
“Well excuse the hot piss outta me!” Lena sarcastically shouted while getting up heading toward the bathroom.
When the cousins were finally alone, School Boy felt more at ease to speak. “Look, I was sitting over here thinking about going to talk to Unc in the morning.”
“Oh yeah?” Jakki was overly elated she’d gotten through to him to do the right thing. “That’s good, cuz, for real!”
“Well, I can admit I’ve been out here messing up, but you know hearing you talk down on me seeing you father on the ground like that kinda had a nigga’s brains fried. Ya feel me?”
“Yeah, I do. And seriously, I’m sorry I was saying them things. I was out of order. You pull your weight with the family just like I do.”
“Thanks, cuz.” School Boy grinned with a forever scheme floating in his head. “Well just for old times’ sake before I go and holler at your pops and the rest of them fools in the morning, let’s hit one more lick together.”
“A lick? When and what you talking about?” Jakki frowned knowing that must’ve been the weed, pills, and liquor talking.
“Yeah, cuz; just something I’ve been plotting on since last month but never got around to.”
“Last month?”
Girls From Da Hood 10 Page 5