Project Dreamz

by Natavia

  “We will.”

  I left Tryst sitting in his living room, so he could get ready for tomorrow. The house was borderline spotless after we mopped the floors and wiped off the walls. Trell and Naya were standing in front of the house when I walked outside.

  “I hope that bitch chokes on her throw-up in her sleep,” Naya said.

  “Who you tellin’,” I replied.

  “So, what’s up with you and Tryst? Y’all been in the room all weekend and the condoms are gone,” Naya asked.

  “Mind yah business!”

  “He was bangin’ that back out, shorty. You don’t have to be embarrassed,” Trell said and I pushed him.

  “Y’all get on my nerves.”

  “Tryst got you callin’ out from work,” Naya teased.

  I have something else lined up. Fuck that job.

  “You don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” I said and Naya shrugged.

  On our way home, my thoughts were running wild. What exactly was I trying to accomplish with Tryst? Was it worth telling him about hooking up with Kabella to make extra money? Every time I thought about it, I came up with the conclusion that we were just friends and it wasn’t his business to know.

  Naya and Trell went into the bedroom after we entered the apartment. Kabella said she was only thirty minutes away after I texted her. I plugged up the flat pressers, so I could re-style my hair after I took a shower. By the time I was done everything including putting on a little make-up, Kabella was knocking on the front door. Naya went to answer it while I put on my heels.

  “Where you going?” Naya asked when I came out of my bedroom.

  “With Kabella to the club.”

  “Have fun,” Naya said with an attitude.

  Naya always had to be under me, whether it was work or me just going out for fresh air. I thought with Trell she’d back off some, but she still had to be with me.

  “You have to go to school tomorrow anyway,” I replied.

  “Whatever be in here before two o’clock,” Naya said.

  “I almost forgot about those hips. This is the Dream I remember,” Kabella said.

  Naya rolled her eyes then went into the room and closed the door because she hated Kabella and accused her of flirting with Trell. Kabella flirted with everybody but not in an intentional way.

  “Naya still think I want that lil’ boy? Girllll, I could’ve had his daddy. I’m not checkin’ for these lil’ broke ass niggas out here and I know he broke because his father is dead,” Kabella said.

  “Naya gonna whip your ass so tune it down, but do I look okay? I haven’t worn a dress in a minute.”

  “You look good! Now, let’s go so I can introduce you to the other girls,” she said.

  Kabella was wearing a tight dress with a pair of stilettos and like always her hair was on point. I grabbed my clutch with my cellphone, ID and a couple of bills before I followed her out the door. The niggas outside was looking, calling out to us as we made our way to Kabella’s Lincoln Navigator.

  “I’m sorta nervous,” I said when I climbed into her truck.

  “That’s cause you’re ready to make this money. I guarantee you’ll have a big house and two cars in the driveway by next year. You’re thick in the right places, got beautiful skin and you rock the hell out of that short hair. All you have to do is get your nails cut down and stick with solid colors. These are classy men we will be dealing with, not these lil’ hood niggas that like long nails with a lot of color designs. Here, take this,” she said.

  She passed me a miniature Grey Goose bottle and told me to take it to the head, so I could relax. She pulled out of the parking lot and I looked in the review mirror. I had to get out of the hood so Naya could make something of herself after school. Everything else had to wait like starting new relationships and falling in love.

  Tryst

  Monday October 22nd, 2008, David’s Funeral…

  The church was packed, so some people had to stand outside. It was good to see many people rocking with him even though his name was in the newspaper as the head of a drug ring. A few police officers were inside the church and I saw a few who looked to be undercover. I was checking my surroundings while my mother was crying and screaming.

  “Ma, where is Deerie? You said she was coming. Do you even know where she is?”

  “She will come. I talked to her this morning and she has been staying over a friend’s house,” Kimberly sobbed. My mother wasn’t hard on Deerie the way she was supposed to be.

  Trell walked into the church with a young-looking woman. He said he was coming with his aunt, but I assumed she was going to look drugged out. David had a closed casket because of his face but me and my mother saw him before the service. Trell couldn’t see David that way so he came late instead. I waved him over and his aunt followed.

  “That crack whore better not sit up here. That bitch isn’t family,” my mother whispered to me. She had on a black veiled hat with a pair of shades to hide her red sunken eyes.

  “She can sit here. It’s my father’s funeral and I don’t need you to ruin it! Just shut the fuck up!” I whispered back, and she gasped.

  “I hope Jesus strikes you right now,” she said, fanning herself.

  I slid down the bench so Trell and his aunt could sit. His aunt’s name was Tierra. She spoke to my mother, “How are you holdin’ up, Kimberly?” she asked.

  “I’m holding up just fine but that weave on your head isn’t. Matter of fact, how is that crackpipe holding up?” my mother replied.

  “Everything is just fine and welcome back to the neighborhood,” Tierra replied.

  “I won’t be there long, trust me,” Kimberly said.

  Ten minutes later, the service started. I couldn’t shed anymore tears because I didn’t have any left. The wound was still fresh, but it was starting to heal. Trell sobbed and his aunt rubbed his back. My mother tried to outdo Trell and at that moment, I understood why my father did her dirty. Kimberly wasn’t fooling me; I was convinced she was always fucked up in the head. I got up and she told me to bring my black ass back there. David didn’t have much family, so we were all he had left but she couldn’t even respect him. I didn’t want to hate her, but I did, and it should’ve been her funeral. I went to the last row to take a seat and sat next to a row of older women. The next row over, I saw Sebastian and Deerie. He was holding her hand while she cried on his shoulder. He kissed her forehead and I wanted to beat his ass. Sebastian was breaking the code.

  That nigga better not be fucking my sister!

  Two hours passed, and the funeral was still going on. Strangers were coming up to the podium to speak about David. A lady dressed in a two-piece pants suit came up to the mic. I was curious about her because she resembled my father.

  “My name is Deidra and I’m David’s only and older sister. I’m very heartbroken about my brother. I had to raise David as my own when I was only thirteen years old because our parents became victims to the streets. I still remember the day when he made me this macaroni necklace in school,” Deidre said while showing the necklace. “That David…he could make something out of anything. He was a good person despite what we see or hear. I spent many years angry with David because of a family dispute but I can’t get that time back. I’m going to miss my brother and I wish we could’ve worked it out because he’ll never know how much I regret everything. But knowing David, I know he forgives me,” she said. She broke down and cried. A man came up to the podium to help her down. I wanted to know what they argued about because I didn’t know my father had a sister. Dream told me to prepare for the day because she said when people die, their secrets don’t go to the grave with them. I knew there was more to come, if not now then later.

  The funeral lasted three hours. Me, Trell, Sebastian and a few others carried his casket out of the church. The street was filled with people who couldn’t come inside. They were wearing RIP shirts, and some were playing music out in the parking lot. My mother said her family didn’t bur
y loved ones, they cremated them instead, keeping their ashes. We put him in the back of the hearse before it drove off to take him back to the funeral home to be cremated.

  “I didn’t know you was coming,” I said to Sebastian.

  “Yeah, Deerie asked me if I could help out. I’ve been trying to call you and tell you that,” he said.

  “This is my brother, Trell. Trell, this is my right-hand Sebastian,” I introduced them, and they gave each other a head nod. Trell excused himself to find his aunt which was perfect timing because I wanted to know what was up with Deerie and Sebastian.

  “My sister been with you, huh?” I asked him.

  “Yeah, she called me and told me she couldn’t stay in the house because she was having nightmares. Bro, I know this isn’t the perfect timing, but I love Deerie. We made a pact a long time ago but that was before I caught feelings. I broke up with my girl over the weekend, so you wouldn’t think I was trying to play her,” Sebastian said.

  “Bruh, that’s my baby sister. How long have y’all been creepin’ around?”

  “Last year then we stopped for six months,” he said.

  “I can’t really say nothing since you came to me. Deerie is special so you remember that. You hurt my sister, cheat on my sister or even make her cry for not calling her back or somethin’, I’m fuckin’ you up and I put that on everything.”

  “I won’t, but another reason I wanted to talk to you is because our school is under investigation. Someone leaked photos and videos of Amanda, Peyton, Ryan, Jonna and a lot of other kids getting high at a party. Check this out, they found drugs in Peyton’s locker and ecstasy pills. My father pulled me out of that school and a lot of other kids got pulled out also.”

  “Yo, Jonna was gettin’ high?”

  “Big high, bruh,” he replied.

  “I wonder who leaked it,” I said, getting a kick out of it.

  “I don’t know but all I know is they can’t call you a thug anymore,” he replied.

  “Yo, thanks for coming.”

  “David was cool people,” he replied.

  My mother came out of the church screaming while the pastor was holding on to her.

  “DAVIIIIIIIDDDDDDD!” Kimberly yelled. Deerie tried to help her by making sure her head didn’t hit the rail on the steps. A few older women were fanning her face, praying that she got through it.

  “Ohhh Lord they took him and burned him!” Kimberly cried. Sebastian ran up the stairs and helped out, too. Someone grabbed my hand from behind and it was Dream. She was wearing a black mid-sleeve dress with a pair of flat back shoes.

  “I didn’t see you inside.”

  “I came a little late. Me and my cousin went to a party and I woke up with a headache,” she said.

  “TRYST, COME HELP ME!” Kimberly screamed.

  “Is she drunk?” Dream asked.

  “Yeah, I saw her drinkin’ Everclear this morning,” I replied.

  “Come on Sister Kimberly, get up,” someone said.

  Deerie and Sebastian struggled to help her.

  “Go help your mother,” Dream said.

  I walked through the crowd and up the stairs. Kimberly was holding on to the rail yelling about how David’s spirit didn’t want to let her go.

  “Get up, Ma! Your draws are showing!” I said, snatching her off the rail.

  “Grandma’s handsssssss!” Kimberly began singing. The church members sang with her then some of the crowd followed. Deerie was singing, too, but didn’t know any of the words. Kimberly turned the homegoing into a hood musical.

  I heard people talking about Kimberly while I was walking away. A stretch Cadillac Escalade pulled up in front of the church. The window came down and it was the man I saw with David’s sister.

  “Hey, nephew, get in so I can talk to you really quick. It’s about your father,” he said.

  If he’s family, he might be good people. Fuck it, I want to know what he gotta say.

  The door opened for me and I got in, sitting across from him.

  “My name is Bentley, I’m Deidre’s husband. How old are you, son? I thought Chrome had teenagers,” he said.

  “Seventeen but I’ll be eighteen soon. What’s this about?” I asked.

  “You a cocky lil nigga I see. Chrome was the same way when he came to me. He was about your age, maybe a little older,” he replied.

  “I just wanna know why you pulled me up.”

  “How much do you know about your father’s lifestyle?” he asked.

  “I don’t know anything.”

  “Let me cut to the chase. I was Chrome’s connect before he died. Now let me break it down to you, your father was in deep debt, nine-hundred and fifty thousand dollars to be exact and just cause he’s dead, it doesn’t go away,” he said.

  The nigga looked like a lawyer or something. I wouldn’t have ever guessed he was the plug if he hadn’t told me anything. His jewelry was simple, wedding ring, plain face Rolex and a thin gold necklace. A lot of folks had this image of kingpins being flashy, intimidating and ruthless on first impressions.

  “I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

  “Look at your family. Your mother, your sister, your brother and what about the girl in the black dress? Are they important to you because if they are, you’ll be hanging on to every word that is coming out of my mouth. Chrome’s main men got picked up by the FEDs, that leaves you next unless you want me to put your mother and sister on payroll—and you better hope their pussy is worth almost a million dollars. You can either push my shit across the DMV or pay off the debt. I’m being easy on you because I know your family doesn’t have that type of money so I’m willing to compromise,” he replied.

  “I don’t know how to push weight.”

  “Yeah you do, you’re a smart kid, you’ll learn it in no time. I remember when your father came to me asking me for an eight ball. I saw the desperation in his eyes and knew he could do better, so I gave him a brick and he flipped that shit in less than a week. I know desperation when I see it. Your mother had to move back to the hood because she can’t afford your father’s house, she doesn’t have a job with two mouths to feed. Which one are you going to be? The leech or the provider? It’s easy money.”

  “Yo, Bentley, I don’t know how to push weight. Maybe somethin’ small but that other shit I know I can’t do.”

  “Or you can give me my money. What’s it gonna be?” he asked.

  It wasn’t much to think about. I didn’t have anyone to protect my family, it was either do what he wanted or get killed for not coming up with the money.

  “I’ll do it.”

  “You made a good choice. I’ll see you soon,” he said then tossed a cellphone in my lap.

  “It’s best you keep this between us,” he replied.

  The back door opened, and Bentley’s wife sat on the passenger seat next to him. He kissed her face and she slightly pulled away. Deidre looked around forty years old and Bentley was probably around fifty. He was an old head, probably been hustling for years and had important people on his side.

  “Why is he back here, Bentley? What are you making him do?” Deidre asked him.

  “I’m showing him how to take care of his family and he will,” Bentley said.

  “Noooo, please no. Have some respect for my family!” Deidre said. Bentley slapped her hard enough that her head hit the window.

  “Sit up!” he yelled at her.

  Deidre sat up and fixed her hair like a robot, but her tears were falling. It was fucked up, but I felt nothing for her. I had my own business to worry about and besides, married people fight all the time. I’d seen it my whole life.

  “Go be with your family, Tryst,” Bentley, said dismissing me.

  Dream, Sebastian, Trell and Deerie were all standing together looking at me. I put the phone Bentley gave me in my pocket. Trell pulled me to the side for privacy.

  “What was that about?” he asked.

  “I gotta take David’s spot.”

&n
bsp; “What do you mean ‘take his spot?’” Trell asked.

  “Nigga, you heard me. I gotta push his weight because everyone else connected to David is locked up or hot right now. We’ll all get killed if I don’t do it. It was the only choice I had left.”

  “How much was Chrome pushin’?” Trell replied.

  “He owed that nigga almost a mil’. Our father had a team, so he pushed that weight out easily. I don’t have a team, it’s just me.”

  “Naw, it’s not just you. I’m witchu, bruh. Look, my aunt Tierra knows how to package it, cook it and all that. All you have to do is pay her unless you want to runaway which means you’ll be looking over your shoulder. Who was in that limo anyway?” Trell asked.

  “Bentley.”

  “Ohhhhh yeah, you can’t fuck with him. I overheard June Bug talkin’ about him one day. He said Bentley ain’t the one to play with. Let’s just do what we have to do,” Trell said.

  “We’re not doing this shit forever. We’ll have to figure out something eventually.”

  “No doubt,” Trell replied.

  It was a new chapter of my life. What else could I do besides embrace it when I had no way out? I didn’t have any parents to look out for me. Since I was ready to turn eighteen, I was sorta a man anyway. I had to find my own path, start my own story.

  Part Two:

  Hustler’s Ambition

  Trell

  July 3rd, 2012

  “Wake up, Trell. Your phone keeps ringing!” I rolled over and snatched my phone off Katrice’s nightstand. It was my shorty, Naya, calling me.

  “Yo, why you ain’t wake me up?” I asked.

  “Why would I?” she countered.

  I jumped out of bed and grabbed all my clothes then got dressed. Naya was going to kill me because I didn’t come home last night. Katrice’s six-year-old daughter asked me for two dollars on my way out the door. I gave it to her and she snatched it away from me.

  “Lil’ snotty nose ass.”

  “My daddy going to beat you up,” she said with a missing tooth. I snatched my two dollars back out of her hand. She went crying to her mother; I was already out the door. The summer heat was beating on me and it was only eight o’clock in the morning. Niggas was outside shooting dice and drinking beers. Summer in the hood was like an ongoing cookout.