************
The sun had set and the moon was coming out when Peter dropped Jazz off at home. As soon as she got in the house she told her mother what happened at school. She would wait until later to tell Pam about her date with Peter. Pam was going off about the fight. She was ready to go up there and whip some ass. Pam was a straight rider. She didn't take no mess, especially when it had something to do with Jazz. Jazz told her mother that she handled hers and that it was no need to go up there. She told her that she was sure they didn't want none after she put a beating on the biggest, loudest one from the crew. She also told her that since she was six months away from graduating, that if they did try something she would bring it to the counselor’s attention. She didn't want to get kicked out or have a suspension on her record. Her mother told her that was cool, but promised if she ever saw any of them bitches she was going to tap that ass.
“Ok, mommy.” Jazz said and went up to shower.
The entire time in the shower she thought about Peter. He was such a gentleman. He pulled her seat out for her, paid for the meal, and he even offered to get her a new cell phone. He showed interest in what was important to her. If she would have known that all she had to do was snag an older dude to spark her interest, she would have been dating. She then thought about Yay-Yay; the older dudes she hung around were only after one thing: sex. Peter was one of the most mature twenty-two year olds she met thus far. She prayed that Yay-Yay still felt the same way she felt about him when she dissed him back in the day.
After Jazz showered and put on her PJ's, she called Yay-Yay. When Yay answered the phone, she went off on Jazz about her not being at the school when she went up there, and how she wasn't answering her phone calls. Once Yay was finished venting, Jazz told her about the fight as if she did not know.
“Well you still should have called.” Yay said.
"I lost my phone and Peter’s phone was dead." She told her.
"Oh you was with Peter? Peter, Ken’s Peter?" Yay played it off.
"Yes. But it’s not like that. I know he’s checking for you."
"Girl, please. That's all you. I don't like him. I'm trying to get with Ken.”
Jazz was so excited.
“I’m going to set something up. Girl, when you wanna go? How about this weekend?” Jazz said all in one breath.
Yay ignored the excitement in her tone.
"That's fine."
“Alright, girl. I'm going to call Peter. But let me tell you about our date today.”
“Um. Call Peter and let him know what's up. I got something to do. Tell me tomorrow what he said.”
“K!” Jazz said.
Yay ended the call.
**********
Jazz and Yay-Yay were at Jazz’s house getting ready so they could go hook-up with Peter and Ken. The two cousins went shopping earlier that day. Jazz picked out what she thought was simple: a burnt orange stretch dress that complimented her dark brown skin tone. Jazz’s small frame and round bottom made her look like a super model. She wore a pair of silver, Steve Madden sandals, and matching silver accessories set the outfit off just right. After Jazz applied her Moth To A Flame lip glass from Mac, she blotted her face with her walnut Bobbi Brown compact foundation. She turned to look at her older cousin. Yay wore her beauty with confidence. She looks hot: Jazz thought. Yay-Yay wore a black mini skirt with a red, backless shirt that showed her belly and some clear, 4 inch stilettos. She dressed her face with silver eye shadow and red lipstick. She looked like an off duty stripper - which she was.
Yay could see from the corner of her eyes that Jazz was admiring her sexiness. It wasn’t nothing new; Jazz always did.
“You look pretty.” Jazz told her cousin.
“I know.” She simply replied.
“You think this looks right?” Jazz asked. Looking down at her outfit.
“You picked it out. I guess.”
Before Jazz could say something negative about herself, her mother walked into the room and spoke,
“You look classy and beautiful.” Her mother said.
“What about me, auntie?”
“Yay, you look sexy. Something someone your age can look.”
“I wanna look sexy too.”
Pam eyed her daughter.
“Just because you hang with a 20 year old don’t mean you’re grown. When you get Yay’s age I may let you dress that sexy.” She teased.
Pam never dictated what Jazz wore. She didn’t have to. Jazz never liked to show too much. When Pam used to shop for her and buy her little shorts, she wouldn’t wear them; she said it made her look fast. Maybe she learned it from her grandmother; her granny always said, showing too much don't make you look better, just slutty, and easy. Or maybe it was the fact that she didn’t like the attention her mother received when she barely wore any clothes that Jazz was selective about how much she showed. But tonight she wanted to look just as slutty as Yay, if not sexier. It never really mattered before how she looked compared to Yay, because Yay would get all the attention anyway, and she was cool with that. But now that she had a guy’s attention that she liked, she wanted to keep it and not allow Yay-Yay or anyone else to take the spotlight.
“I think I want to wear my skirt.” Jazz said.
“Girl, please. It’s time to go.” Yay said and walked out the room like her word was final. It was, because Jazz kissed her mother and followed behind her. The girls walked out the door and jumped in Yay-Yay’s Camaro en route to the west of L.A where Peter stayed.
********
When the girls pulled up in front of Peter's house, Jazz called him to let him know they were outside. Peter came out, unlocked his gate and escorted the girls into the house.
“Ain’t this about a bitch?” Yay thought, when she walked in the house and saw Ken with some Puerto Rican girl. She looked at Jazz who looked at Peter. Peter just hunched his shoulders as if he didn’t know why Ken brought that girl over there. Jazz sensed her cousin’s vibe. She was not happy at all. And neither was Jazz. That was not the plan.
“You ready?” Jazz asked, looking at Ken like he was her date and he dissed her for another girl.
No this stupid little girl did not just say that out loud, thought Yay.
“Ready for what we just got here, damn, relax girl. She said. She then looked at Ken;
“Hi Ken.”
He looked at Yay, threw his head up as a way of saying what’s up, and continued talking to his girl.
Jazz did not speak to him, she didn’t know him like that, and plus she did not like his attitude. She could tell he thought he was all that.
“What y’all drinking?” Peter asked.
Jazz hunched her shoulders. Yay told him that she wanted brown. Jazz said her too. Peter walked over to the bar and made the girls their drinks.
“XO on the rocks.” he announced as he handed them their drinks. He then rolled up a blunt and they enjoyed each other’s company. Ken and his girl stayed to themselves.
“It’s real fucked up when your own blood do you in. I guess when they said keep your grass cut low so you can see the snakes they weren't excluding family!"
Chapter 1
The Present
Higher than an eagle off that Kush, Peter and Kendrick sat on their front porch in a zone observing the festivities that took place on their block. Young girls were playing jump rope; middle school boys were slap boxing, trying to impress the girls who they assumed were watching. Cruising up the block sitting on gold D's and bumping Soldier Boy’s latest hit, the hood ice cream truck was ready to supply its customers with everything from candy, ice cream, chili cheese chips and more. The aroma from the BBQ function up the block filled the two homeys’ nostrils and broke them away from their thoughts.
“I'm cool on Big Twin’s shit today. His baby momma forever coming through starting shit. Then she wanna call the police when he slap her ass. Aye, that Bar-B-Q do smell good, tho!"
When Ken didn't get an immediate response, he glanced over
at Peter. He shook his head when he noticed who had Pete’s attention. It was the young hoochie next door: Sabrina. She was getting dropped off in a white Chevy Impala SS a few houses down from her house by a dude who looked to be at least 18 years her senior. Sabrina was only fifteen, all the make-up she wore didn't make her look any older, but her banging ass body and the things she'd let a nigga do for some paper, made most dudes forget her age.
"Ho or not, she’s only 15 nigga." Ken stressed.
“And? So what? Shit, I'm only 22. Besides, I ain't going to do nothing to her she ain't already had done.” Peter responded, never taking his eyes off Sabrina.
Ken shook his head in disgust. Did his childhood friend have any morals?
"That's crazy. You'll put your dick in anything.”
Once Sabrina was out of Peter's eyesight, meaning walking through her front door, Peter responded.
“That’s not true. The only things I go in are warm holes and they gotta be attached to a female."
Shaking his head, Ken replied, “Yeah, whatever. You burnt my nigga.”
"Call me what you want, but you won't call me a gay. If Yay-Yay crazy ass wasn't on her way, I would have hollered at shorty. I know she’s waiting on me to say the word and she gon be ready. I see how she be checking for a nigga.”
Ken cracked a half-smile. This fool is unbelievable. That's my nigga, tho.
“Don't you mean Jazz?
“Nope. Jazz is at dance practice. Yay-Yay on her way over, tho. You know she be acting all jealous when she sees a nigga talking to anybody else besides her or Jazz.”
“You crazy. You don't think you playing it close?” Ken asked.
“Nope. Why you say that?”
“Why? 'Cuz, you already hitting your girl’s relative, and now you trying to hit Sabrina’s young ass. Nigga, Sabrina’s right next door. I swear you playing with fire.”
“I'm a man… A man with needs.”
Ken cocked his head sideways and looked at Peter with a curious stare.
“Don't tell me Jazz still ain't gave you none?”
“Nope! She still talking that shit about waiting until she turns eighteen. I can respect that, but I gotta take care of me, you feel me?”
Kendrick laughed, “Well in that case, it is what it is. But you still a cold ass nigga."
"Pretty much." Peter agreed and licked his lips.
Just as the two finished their conversation, Yay-Yay’s high yellow, bow legged, hooched out, sexy ass walked up.
"Hey Boo." She greeted, Peter. She then walked over and ran her hand through his curly hair. “What’s up with you?”
She wants something. Peter thought. Yay ain't nice unless she has a reason.
“Chilling.” Peter said.
Yay looked over at Ken. “What's up square.” She said in a playful tone.
"Square? I got your square. Peter you better learn how to keep ‘em in line."
Yay-Yay rolled her eyes; she then directed her attention back on Peter.
“Here” She said, tossing him a Swisher, and then a bag a purple haze. “Roll this. I'll be back. I hope you got some ice.”
When she turned to walk in the house both Peter and Ken caught a glimpse of her ass.
“Damn.” Peter mumbled.
Not my type. Ken thought to himself.
When Yay came back out of the house, she had a cup in her hand of Vodka and juice mixed. Sipping from the cup she eyed Peter seductively. Peter wasn't all that good looking: standing at an even six foot, mocha skin tone, with big brown eyes and natural curly hair you would think that was the reason he was a ladies man. Nope, like Yay, the females were attracted to how freely he gave his money, what he could do with his tongue, and the monster that hung between his legs. Yay’s eyes followed Peter's hand as he passed Ken the blunt. Now he was the one that was fine to Yay. Ken is 6'2, unlike Peter, Ken has a nice build, dark as they come and wears his hair in a fade. Yay wished she could find out what he was working with. She always said if she ever got a chance to give Ken some, she would put it on him so good he would change his mind about fucking with girls of Yay’s caliber. Ken claimed he didn't mess with girls who did not know the difference between acting like a lady and a ghetto diva. That day Jazz brought Yay to Peter’s house in hopes of them hooking up, he damn near chocked on his soda laughing so hard when Peter begged him to chill with her. He already knew how Yay got down; the bitch was a ho.
“Please, please just for today” Peter begged.
“Hell fucking no. What I look like fucking with a stripper? Shit, being a stripper ain't half as bad as fucking with a gold digging hood rat, and she's both.”
Peter kept on begging. So what Ken did to let him know he was serious: he called his Puerto Rican hottie from the valley over and chilled with her all up in Yay’s face. Yay did not want to feel played, so she stayed and chilled. She had never been so aggravated and jealous, watching Jazz laugh off of all Peter’s corny jokes, and Ken and his stuck-up bitch having a good time talking about whatever that was stupid. Like college and her week at work. If I really wanted to, I can fuck either one of their niggas. Yay’s ego told her. And just like her ego said, she had Peter; he was wrapped around her finger. He paid her car note and kept money in her pockets. He was breaking her off at least five hundred a month on top of what she was making for selling X pills for him and Ken. Her ego told her, it may take a little more work, but she would have Ken one day too. We'll see! After Ken was done hitting the blunt he passed it back to Peter. Yay jumped up from the window sill she was sitting on.
"Excuse you nigga. You gon’ learn today on how to rotate somebody else’s shit."
Kendrick ignored her. He wasn't tripping off nothing Yay-Yay was talking about. He did what he did on purpose. He simply didn't like the hood rat bitch.
“Peter, give me my shit.” She said, and tried to take it out of his hand.
"Watch out.” He said, moving his hand.
“Watch out my ass. Give me my shit. I ain't playing.”
Peter looked her up and down slowly, he licked his lips.
“Let me give you a charge?” He told her.
Yay looked at Ken one last time, rolled her eyes, and then walked over to Peter and climbed on his lap. He stared at her perfect set of 38D cups and again licked his lips. The softness of her ass and the fact that she didn't wear any panties under that jean skirt had Peter extra hard. He slapped her on the ass.
"I'm going to fuck the shit out of you." He told her.
"I know." She replied.
Peter blew the ash off the blunt, and looked up at Yay-Yay while putting the lit end of the blunt in his mouth. Yay then leaned forward pressing her breast against his chest and placed her mouth on the other end of the blunt; it looked as if they were kissing.
This nigga Peter is a fool. I wonder if he really likes this bitch.
Kendrick’s thoughts where interrupted when the dark-brown complexion cutie walked up. Jazz looked like Kelly Rowland from Destiny Child, but a little shorter with a nicer frame. Ken hit Peter on the leg,
“Here come Jazz", he mumbled.
Peter wanted to push Yay-Yay off of him, but that would make him look guilty. So he didn't stop with the charge until Yay-Yay’s lungs couldn't take any more of the Kush smoke, which was about a second after Jazz walked onto the porch.
Hands on hips, Jazz snapped,
“Yalonda, what are you doing sitting on my man like that, and Peter what the hell are you doing with your hands on her ass?”
Yalanda was pissed off when she heard her cousin's voice.
What the fuck was she doing over so early? This bitch always fucking some shit up. She thought.
After coughing out her lungs she answered Jazz with a question,
"Why aren't you at dance practice?"
She got up off Peter's lap. She then coughed some more. When she was done, she asked another question,
"And what it look like? He was giving me a charge!”
She picked up her dri
nk and took a sip from it and went back and sat on the tip of the window sill.
Salty: A Ghetto Soap Opera (Drama In The Hood) Page 2