“Oh shit, my fault” Renz finally said. “Old School you aight? I went up to the store today and I aint see you” Renz asked.
“Yea I’m good I just don’t think Imma be working at the store anymore.” Old School said.
“Shit why not?” Renz asked like he gave a damn
“ I ran into some money so I am good for a while” Old School said lying.
“Hell kinda money you ran into?” Renz asking, thinking his plan could work out easier than he expected.
“Ah just a little something” Old School said as if what he was saying was true.
Renz decided he didn’t need Old School after all, hell he just made shit easier for him “I hear that, imma let you go” Renz said but remembered even though he no longer needed Old School he still hadn’t talk to Terrell. “Oh yea you heard from Rell?” Renz asked as he started his car.
“Nah I haven’t” Old School said once again lying.
“Shit me either. But imma get at you” Renz said hanging up on Old School before he replied, he didn’t need him anymore. Renz put his seat belt on, and headed to Terrell’s house.
~
Terrell was sitting in the car, waiting for Phoenix to come out of her apartment, he had offered to go upstairs with her but she declined. Then he was going to visit his sister but she wasn’t home, so he just sat in the truck listening to music as he waited. His phone began to ring, and it was the same number that Fluffy had called from the other day, normally he wouldn’t answer but he needed something from her. “Yo?” he answered how he always did.
“What’s going on?” she said sexily into the receiver.
“Fuck you want Fluff?” he asked unbothered.
“You already know what I want, why we gotta keep going through this every time” she said trying entirely too hard to get him.
“Man, you tripping. I need a favor though” Terrell said ignoring her.
Fluffy didn’t care what Terrell needed the fact that he was even asking her for help was everything to her. “What you need me to do sexy, anything for you.”
Terrell couldn’t understand why she was the type of person she was, had she not lied about being pregnant and tried to trap him, they just may have worked out. “I need you to go to the hood, and find Pac man for me, and let him know I got something for him and when you find him call me” Terrell said.
“And what are you going to give me?” She asked hoping he would say sex.
“I gotta stack for you” Terrell said just as Phoenix was walking towards him with her things.
“Ion want no damn money Terrell, you know my ass aint hurting for money” Fluffy yelled into the phone.
“You ready?” Terrell asked Phoenix when she got in the car, ignoring the fact that Fluffy was screaming on him.
“Yes” Phoenix said.
Fluffy was pissed, when she heard Terrell talking to another female, and she let him know how pissed she was. “How the fuck you gonna calling me asking me to do stuff when you got a bitch with you, why don’t you have her ass do it” Fluffy said yelling into the phone.
Terrell didn’t say a word he just disconnected the phone, he really didn’t have time to be going back and forth, plus Phoenix had just got in the car. Backing out, Terrell headed back home.
Phoenix had just gotten in the car, and she wasn’t trying to listen to Terrell’s phone conversation but she couldn’t help but to hear, and when she realized it was a female it made her jealous. ‘I’m stupid to think he wouldn’t be single anyway, that’s what I get for being so damn kind hearted and thinking people could be genuine like me” she thought as she looked out the window. Phoenix wished she could yell; ‘take me home now,’ but no matter what she still didn’t want to be alone, so she didn’t say anything.
Terrell could see the look on Phoenix face, which let him know she heard what Fluffy said on the phone and he just thought ‘I don’t have time for this shit.’ “You want to get something to eat while we out, or order when we get to the house?” He asked Phoenix never taking his eyes off the road.
“It’s up to you” Phoenix said quietly, she had put her guard back up, she felt like she couldn’t trust Terrell, because he had a girlfriend.
Terrell grew up around women so he could tell Phoenix had an attitude, what he didn’t understand was why women shut down instead of expressing themselves. “Cool, we can order something once we get to the house” he said nonchalantly.
They rode the rest of the way in silence, one not understanding the other.
Chapter 21
As soon as they got inside, Phoenix started heading upstairs “You okay?” Terrell finally asked from the bottom of the stairs.
“Yes, I just want to take a shower, Phoenix said stopping on the stairs but never turning around.
Terrell chuckled a little before he responded. “You want to order this food before you get in the shower?” he asked as he scratched behind his ear.
“Sure, whatever you want is fine with me” Phoenix said turning around smiling. She had to smile because against her will she had tears filling the bottom of her eyelids.
Terrell stare up at her for a second, though she tried to hide it he could see the tears, but what he didn’t understand was why she was about to cry. “Okay, pizza and wings cool?” he asked.
“Yes that’s fine” Phoenix said with a smile before turning and walking away.
Terrell walked away from the bottom of the stairs shaking his head.
~
After ordering the pizza and wings from Papa John’s Terrell, made him a drink and was about to sit down and roll him a blunt when his doorbell rang. “The fuck?” he said out loud as he walked to his door, knowing damn well it won’t the pizza man that quickly. “Yeah?” he asked Renz as soon as he opened the door and saw him standing there.
“Hell you been nigga, I been calling your ass all fucking day” Renz said with a little more aggression than Terrell liked.
“Shit my fault, I had a lot of hit to deal with” Terrell said short and sweet.
“Damn, baby boy can I come in?” Renz asked as she tried to step inside but Terrell stop him.
“Actually, I got a shorty over” Terrell said tilting his head up to the stairs.
“Oh shit baby boy, my bad” Renz said as he dapped Terrell up.
“Yea so imma holla at you later” Terrell said really getting a bad vibe from Renz, which kind of hurt him because Renz was like a brother to him.
“That’s what’s up” Renz said as he started walking back to his car.
“Hey Renz” Terrell called out to him before he got to the car and he turned around “good looking out on Old School, you were right about that nigga” Terrell said lying.
‘Damn I was tryna set that nigga up, and his ass really was fucking stealing’ Renz thought. “Of course baby boy, anything for you. So how we gonna handle that?” Renz said.
“We will talk about that later, I got shit to do tonight” Terrell said referring to Phoenix. Renz had fell into the trap of really thinking Terrell thought Old School was stealing from him, but little did he know Terrell thought he was the one stealing.
“Aight baby boy, be easy” Renz said climbing into his car and driving off.
Stepping back inside Terrell grabbed his drink and quickly downed it, he knew shit between him and Renz was not going to end well, and a little piece of his heart ached because of that.
~
Phoenix had just stepped out the shower, and after drying off, she rubbed herself down with lotion and then put on her Victoria Secret matching bra and panty set, followed by her tights and tank top. After brushing her teeth, she headed out the bathroom, and almost ran into Terrell as he was coming out of his room. “Shit!” she shouted as she dropped the things she was holding.
“Damn my bad” Terrell said with a smile. He didn’t mean to scare Phoenix but the look on her face was priceless.
“You scared the shit out me” Phoenix said grabbing her things. Not only did Terrell sca
re her, she damn near had a heart attack just by the way he looked. He now only had grey sweatpants and bedroom slippers on and his body was everything to her. He only had 3 tattoos on his body, but the way they looked were perfection, he was surely a gift from God.
“You aight?” he asked Phoenix because she was standing there with her mouth slightly open staring. Just as she was about to reply the doorbell rang. “That’s the pizza” Terrell said with a smile as he headed downstairs.
Phoenix watched as Terrell jogged down there stairs. ‘Lord give me the strength’ she thought to herself before walking into the room putting her things down.
“You ever seen the Conjuring? Terrell asked the moment Phoenix reached the bottom of the stairs.
“No” Phoenix said, she really wanted to say she didn’t watch scary movies, but she wasn’t about to tell him that to and seem like a punk.
“You aint scared are you?” Terrell asked, Phoenix went to speak but it was pointless because Terrell spoke again “I can see your ass scared, but don’t worry I got cha, ill protect you” Terrell said with so much meaning.
Phoenix couldn’t help but smile “I really don’t watch scary movies” Phoenix admitted. “But I don’t mind watching it with you” she said sitting down on the couch.
“If you don’t want to watch it, we don’t have to” Terrell said bringing the pizza box, and sitting beside Phoenix.
“It’s cool, I don’t mind, as long as you protect me like you said you would” Phoenix said flirting unsure of what came over her.
“I told you I got cha, Phoenix, just trust me” Terrell said looking right in her eyes. He knew shit may have been moving fast, because hell he still didn’t know what happen the other night, but for some reason he didn’t care, he really just wanted to protect her.
“I trust you” Phoenix said truthfully, because she did trust him.
“Good” Terrell said before kissing her. Phoenix wanted to pull back, and say something about the girl on the phone, but something about Terrell made her deepen the kiss. His tongue was sweet, and the way there tongues danced was everything but wrong. Finally breaking the kiss, Terrell pressed his forehead against hers, “You lead, and I will follow.” He said.
Phoenix could have sworn she felt butterflies, never in her life has she been told to lead, she always was made to follow. “Okay” she simply said. Terrell was winning her over fast.
“Shit, let’s eat before it gets cold” Terrell said as he opened the box. The remainder of the night, they eat pizza and watched movies. Phoenix ending up falling asleep before Terrell, so he placed a blanket over her, careful not to disturb her, and then went to sleep himself.
Chapter 22
It had been a week since Geno was shot and left for dead, he was doing much better and had been moved from ICU. He had recently found out that Butter was killed the same night he was shot. He still hadn’t heard anything about Phoenix; he assumed she was killed too, because he didn’t think it was possible for her to have made it out alive.
“What’s up fam?” he said to Terrell the moment he walked into the room, he hadn’t seen or heard from him since that day he told him who shot him.
“Can’t call it, glad to see ya ass in a better condition” Terrell said sitting in the chair that was in the room.
“Yea nigga’s thought they had my ass, but shit my ass made of steel” Geno said with a chuckle.
“Good shit” Terrell said laughing along with him.
“You check out Pac man?” Geno asked without hesitation as he set up in the bed.
“Yo Pac man dead my nigga, somebody smoked his ass before I could even get to the hood” Terrell said leaning up in the chair.
“Word?” Geno said. He was happy that nigga Pac man was dead, but at the same time a little pissed since he didn’t know who the other cat was that was with him. “Any word on who he was with, like who the job was for, cause we both know Pac man aint come after me on his own.
“I got my ear to the streets, but right now nigga’s aint talking. Not only that I’m dealing with a fucking thief in my own camp” Terrell said as his phone began to ring; it was Phoenix.
“Fuck you smiling like a lil fucking girl for?” Geno said laughing.
“Fuck you nigga, and mind your damn business” Terrell said as he simultaneously answered the phone. After telling Phoenix he would call her back after he finished handling something he went back to talking to Geno. “But like I was saying I got my ears to the streets but I am dealing with my own shit too.”
“Who the hell stealing from you fam?” Geno asked seriously, that’s one thing he didn’t play with and that was blood.
Terrell was shaking his head before answering because it was still real hard to believe, “fam, I believe it’s that nigga Renz.
“I hate to be one that says I told you so, but nigga you know I always told you it was something about that nigga that you shouldn’t trust. That nigga wants to be you so bad it’s sickening.” Geno said with a look of disgust.
“Shit I know,” was Terrell’s simple reply.
“How you gone handle that shit? Geno asked.
“Shit, I’m still tryna figure that one out, that’s why that nigga still breathing” Terrell said as soon as one of Geno’s nurses walked in.
“I’m sorry I don’t mean to interrupt, but sir it’s time for your therapy session” the nurse said with a smile.
“I’m about to get up out of here anyway, my girl at the crib waiting on me” Terrell said as he stood to his feet.
“That’s why your lil pretty ass all fucking smiles, some chick done finally got your ass” Geno said laughing. He and everybody else knew that a female had to be something if Terrell was calling her his girl.
‘Fuck you’ Terrell mouthed as he fist bumped Geno, he didn’t want to be disrespectful since the nurse was still there. “Imma holla at you” he said walking to the door.
“Aight, won’t be long for my ass be up out of here anyway. Geno said before Terrell left.
~
“Mariah, you and I need to hangout” Phoenix said as she lay across the bed in the guest room. Though she and Terrell were officially a couple she still slept in the guest bedroom and they hadn’t had sex; she just wasn’t ready for all that.
“How the hell we gonna hang out, if your ass up Terrell’s ass 24/7, his ass might as well be your best damn friend” Mariah voice blared on speaker phone with jealousy in her voice.
“Whoa seriously?” Phoenix asked with disbelief.
“I’m just saying Phoenix, I am supposed to be your best friend and I aint heard from your ass in forever. Lately all I hear is Terrell this, and Terrell that, like I’m happy for you and all, but you can’t forget your friends.” Mariah said feeling hurt because she was losing her best friend.
Just as she was saying that Phoenix heard Terrell clearing his throat ‘shit’ she thought to herself as she turned around and saw him standing there leaning on the wall; she didn’t hear him come in. “Mariah it’s not like that at all I promise, and we will hang out” Phoenix said feeling horrible because she was dissing her best friend. “But Mariah let me call you back, I promise” Phoenix said sitting up on the bed.
“Whatever” Mariah said before hanging up in her ear.
“You in trouble” Terrell said joking with Phoenix.
Normally Phoenix would laugh, but she didn’t find it funny that her only friend was mad with her, because before anyone else there was always Mariah. “It’s not funny” Phoenix said burying her face in her hands.
“Why don’t you just go chill with her baby?” Terrell asked sitting on the bed next to her.
“Terrell, you know my situation about my car” Phoenix said never looking up.
“Shit, what you want to drive?” he asked handing her his sets of keys. Phoenix looked up when he said that, and her face read ‘are you serious?’ “Just don’t wreck my shit, or I will have to wreck your ass” he said with a smile.
“You gone let me dri
ve your car for real?” Phoenix asked getting excited, not because he was going to let her drive his car (well just a little) but because she could hang out with Mariah.
“Nah for fake” Terrell said mocking her voice.
“Thank you” Phoenix said holding her hand out for whichever key he was going to give her.
He handed her the keys to his 2013 silver Audi tt coupe “Now get the hell on” he said jokingly before kissing her lips and blowing in my mouth.
“Ewe, that’s nasty” Phoenix said lightly pushing him away.
“Yea well” he said with a smile as he got up. “Have fun though for real, and if you ever need something don’t hesitate to ask I aint no damn stranger.” He said seriously as he was digging in his pocket.
“I know” Phoenix said sounding like a little girl who had just gotten scolded by her daddy. She was really feeling Terrell and he seemed to be right for her, but for some reason she felt he was too good to be true.
“If you need me, just call me, I gotta make a few runs away” Terrell said kissing her as he dropped something beside her that she didn’t see right away.
“Okay, I will” she said as he was leaving the room. Phoenix stay sitting on the bed as she heard Terrell leave back out the house, and once he was gone, she called Mariah back. Mariah told Phoenix to meet her at her house, even though she was still a little mad, she really wanted to hang out with her best friend.
Phoenix stood to get ready, and when she did a whole lot of 100 dollar bills fell. “Terrell” she said out loud as if he was there. ‘Yea too good to be true’ she thought as she picked up her phone and dialed his number; as soon as she answered she said “thank you.”
“It’s nothing, have fun” he simply said before they disconnected the call.
Chapter 23
Terrell cruised in his 2014 Porsche Cayenne headed to Second Street restaurant; he was meeting Polo and Old School there. It was time to get to the bottom of some shit with Renz, he hated the thought of having to take his best friend out, but at the end of the day no snakes were allowed in his circle. Pulling into Seconds streets parking lot, his phone began to ring it was Fluffy “Fuck!” he said out loud before answering. “Ion have time for this shit Fluffy” he said hopping out the car.
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