Chapter 3
“Sis, good lookin’ on the censor remover. That bitch helped like a muthafucka. So, here, man. Here’s a lil’ change for ya pockets,” Dreka whispered, before handing Nunnie three hundred dollars.
Nodding her head, Nunnie discreetly slid the money into her pocket. “Thank you. This is right on time, cause Save didn’t give me shit when he came through here earlier.”
Dreka narrowed her eyes. “Why not?”
Nunnie sighed, as she flopped down on the couch. “He got to questioning me about Chubby’s party, talking about niggas have been telling him to watch me.”
Dreka giggled. “I told your slick ass that you were getting a little too bold. It’s one thing to creep, but that party was really pushing it, Nunnie. It was too many eyes around. You might as well had openly fucked Mix.”
“But we just danced.”
Dreka pursed her lips. “Bitch, please. Do you know how many people ran to the hallway to see where the hell yall were going?”
“No,” Nunnie sighed.
“Exactly. The whole damn party was gossiping about the shit. I tried to do damage control, but you know they wasn’t listening to my ass, after seeing what they saw.”
Nunnie sucked her teeth. “See, that’s people’s problem now. Don’t know how to mind their fucking business.”
Dreka tittered. “Bitch, you don’t even believe that shit you’re spitting. You was out of line. Just face it. And that nigga Mix was too. Yall done fucked around and caught feelings. I can tell. I be reading them messages. The shit he be telling you to do don’t make a lick of sense. You can’t fuck your own boyfriend without a condom. Nigga, what? You better not have oral sex with Save. He tells you to make Save leave. He tells you that you can’t go stealing with me. And you listen.” She bucked her eyes.
Nunnie rolled her eyes. “Bitch, you too nosy. Something told me to put a extra code on my texts. And you don’t know what I listen to.”
“Oh, the hell you say,” Dreka rebutted. “Like you said, you should’ve put a code on your texts. I read all them shits. I see how Save’s dumb ass be begging you to let him hit it raw like he used to. You really a cold bitch. It’s like you done totally switched up on him, and it took him forever to realize it. And now, I think that you just don’t know how to come out and tell him that you fucking with somebody so close to home. Like, you’re cool with being done, but you know that you aint gon be able to peacefully be with Mix. Cause yall dirty as hell.”
Nunnie pricked at her lips, as she listened to her sister correctly analyze her situation. “Yeah, whatever. You just think you know me so well. And since you know everything, what do you think Save would do if I just broke up with him? Do you think that he’d just accept it and move on?”
Dreka sat down next to her sister, and contemplated. “Honestly, I believe that Save would be way more difficult than you think.”
Nunnie’s heart skipped a beat. “Why you say that?”
“Cause,” Dreka tucked her lips into her mouth. “Cheating aside, I think that Save loves you…from what he understands about love. Nah, he don’t love you the way that you want, and that’s why you’re ready to go, and that’s your right. But we gotta meet people where they’re at. Understand how a nigga like him thinks. Like if he was to get hooked up to a lie detector test and asked if he loves you, I feel like he would pass with flying colors, despite all the bullshit he’s done to you. Because he was taught certain behaviors, and in his world, certain shit is acceptable. Shit, the nigga was raised by a hoe, mind ya. So, she done fucked him all up. That’s deeper than you and aint your problem. But it comes back to you, when it comes to how he sees yall relationship, and how he justifies things in his mind. So, with his fucked-up upbringing, he feels like he’s carried you decently. Yall don’t fight. He gives you his money. He openly claims you. He’s done those things because he deemed you special. He’s done it for nobody else. And Mix is a nigga that has literally come over here with him a few times. They’ve done dirt together. Gotten locked up together. Yall done all posed in pictures together. You’ve been dealing with two wild niggas from the same hood, Nunnie. And even though I feel like that nigga Mix is a little more twisted with that gunplay, I aint never seen no bitch in Save. He aint finna back down. Win, lose, or draw. And those are some deadly ingredients. Somebody can fuck around and get killed. Even you sister. But I pray to God that it’s not the case.”
Nunnie gulped. “You know he pulled a gun on me last week?”
Dreka frowned. “Who?”
“Save. He’s really been coming at me harder about this cheating shit. Watching me closer. Coming over unexpected. I barely be having time to warn Mix not to show up. That’s why I throw the phone at you and get you to text Mix for me. I be scared the nigga gon tackle me for my phone. He damn near did one night. It done got so bad that I had to lie and tell him that you couldn’t afford to pay your phone bill.”
Dreka fell out laughing hysterically. “And his dumb ass fell for it?”
“Barely. Bitch, stop it. It aint that damn funny.”
“Yes, it is, hoe. You stay lying on me. I’m tired of your shit.”
“Man, Dreka, stop bullshitting and let’s divide this stuff up,” Veeta, their big cousin chided, as she stomped into the room.
Veeta was a chocolate, heavy-set girl, who had tats all over her curvaceous body. As usual, she was donning a sleeping cap, and booty shorts. Her camisole was too small and was rolling over her stomach, but she didn’t care, as she knelt over, sifting through one of the many shopping bags, containing stolen goods, scattered around the living room.
“We racked the fuck up today, man,” Veeta announced. “I can’t even lie.”
“What did yall get me?” Marie questioned, as she ambled into the living room, puffing on a blunt.
“I got you a few outfits from PINK,” Dreka spoke up, while Veeta pretended that she didn’t hear her mama’s question.
Glancing her sheist cousin’s way, Nunnie shook her head, as she thought about what Save had said. By hook or crook, she and her sister were seemingly the only two giving her aunt anything, and Marie never said a damn thing about it.
Marie nodded. “Okay, cool. I can wear that to this trail ride I’m going to. And Nunnie, you got a few dollars on you?”
Internally, Nunnie’s blood boiled. Veeta’s ass had clearly just hit a nice lick and had all her merchandise sitting in her mama’s living room, yet Marie was asking her for money.
“No, I’m broke,” Nunnie unintentionally curled her lips.
Marie arched her brows. “How is that, when I just saw Dreka give you a lil’ change?”
“Cause that wasn’t nothing but a few dollars, and I’m about to go pay my phone bill with it,” Nunnie gritted. “Why don’t you ask Veeta for some change? I’m sure she got it.”
Veeta shook her head. “Hell, nah. Veeta aint got shit. Veeta gotta sell this shit, and even then, I aint got it. Besides, she aint asked me. She asked you. So, you keep Veeta’s name out of that bullshit. Straight up.”
“I’m just saying—” Nunnie began.
“Nah, you aint just saying nothing,” Veeta cut her off. “Like I said, keep me out of that bullshit. You know not to play with me, lil’ girl. You know that Ion even rock with you like that.”
Nunnie scrunched up her face. “You’on rock with me like that? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what I just said. I don’t fuck with you, Nunnie. With ya smart-ass mouth. You always got something to say, but I aint these lil’ hoes out there in them streets. You might got some work for them, but you know you aint got nothing for me. I’ll straight walk you in this bitch!”
“Now, Veeta, you know it aint finna be none of that, so you can calm all that down,” Dreka spoke up calmly.
Once the quiet storm spoke her piece all arguing ceased. In this family size didn’t matter. It was about crazy, and no one had more than Dreka. She was a slim, young, violent something. She’d been
in and out of jail her entire life, racking up a lengthy rap sheet. The girl had stabbed more than five people, leaving one in ICU. She’d assaulted her last boyfriend with a brick. She’d dashed acid on bitches. Putting it plainly, Dreka was just someone you didn’t want to go up against, and she didn’t play when it came to her little sister. Nunnie was all she really had in this world. And although she wasn’t the most emotional person around, she loved the girl unconditionally. So, perhaps it had been a lapse in Veeta’s judgement, if she thought for a moment that she could deal with one, without handling the other. It just didn’t work that way. Cousins or not.
Marie continued to puff on her blunt without addressing the tiff that had just taken place. As usual, order had been restored, without her having to say a word. In all, she had four daughters, and two nieces living with her, but she pretty much allowed them to do whatever the hell they wanted. Besides, they had an unspoken hierarchy amongst them that kept things from getting too far out of hand. Veeta was the leader of her daughters, but Dreka was the leader of her.
Just then, Fatima, Marie’s youngest daughter, raced into the house. She was a chocolate slim girl, rocking a cute lace front that flowed down her back. “Yall can’t be on the Gram,” she rambled excitedly.
“Why you ask?” Dreka questioned.
“Cause, bitch,” Fatima spewed animatedly, as she stomped her feet. “Everybody got the fight on their page. But I was there! I caught the end, but I was there,” she announced, out of breath.
Everybody glanced around confusingly.
“What fight?” Marie enquired.
Fatima whipped out her cell. “Here, let me show you.” She scrolled to a video, before handing her mama her phone. “You see?”
Marie scowled. “Is this…Save?”
“Yup.”
“Well, who is kicking his ass like that?”
“That’s Mix!”
Needless to say, Nunnie’s stomach did somersaults.
Both Veeta and Dreka scrambled over to the phone and peered down.
“Got damn,” Veeta winced. “I can feel them licks through the phone. Them niggas out there fighting hard.”
“Yeah, Fatima, I thought you said that you caught the end?” Dreka arched a brow.
“Shit, I did. They was already going at it by the time I ran up. Niggas was just letting them go for what they know.”
“Oh, wow,” Marie’s jaw dropped. “They should’ve stopped it right here. Mix didn’t have to do him like that. Is that a tooth on the ground?”
Slowly, Nunnie climbed to her feet, and ambled over to where Marie was seated. Reluctantly, she glanced down at the phone. She caught a glimpse of Save throwing a slug that didn’t connect, and then she watched Mix punish him for it. “What were they fighting for?”
Everybody sucked their teeth and gazed her way.
“Just keep watching, Nunnie. Mix was out there on the bullshit, for real.”
Nunnie stood there, listening. Eventually, the video reached the end of the fight, and then showed the arguing. Mix was really letting it all hang out, causing everyone in the living room to fall out laughing, except Nunnie, of course. Especially, when he told Save to go back to their bitch. In the back of her mind, she always imagined them fighting over her, but she never imagined it feeling like this. The devious part of her thought that she’d feel like that bitch, but the feeling eluded her. Now she just felt remorse and embarrassment. Her business was now out there in the streets to be digested and picked a part. People would make assumptions and label her, and she didn’t like it.
“Damn,” Veeta sighed. “Shit is finna get crazy. Your hot ass is gonna be the reason my mama end up moving. Watch.”
Nunnie scowled. “What is you talking about, girl? Why would we have to move?”
“Cause you been laying up with the wrong two niggas. Why you think that I said that Ion fuck with you? This is why. I told you not to fuck with ‘em. I damn sure told my mama to stop you from sneaking Mix up in here. I knew this shit was gonna blow up. But she wouldn’t listen. She just taxes your ass extra, but I keep telling her that them measly dollars aint worth it. And now look at this shit. I know damn well Save aint just finna take that ass whipping and gone ‘bout his business. That’s a BK nigga. Aint none of this shit over. The drama done just begun, and you know this. Shit, we all do—”
Everyone lifted their heads, as there was a loud knock at the front door. As the woman of the house, something didn’t feel right in Marie’s spirit. “Who the fuck is that, knocking like the fucking police?”
Suddenly, a cold chill eased down Nunnie’s back, as she felt unsafe.
Ever alert, Dreka locked eyes with her sister. “Go ahead and go to the back. I’ma come and get you after we answer the door.”
Quietly, Nunnie nodded, before scurrying to the back.
“Shit, where my muthafuckin’ knife at?” Veeta grumbled, as she flipped over one of the couch’s cushions. “Nigga come in here on some bullshit, I’m slicing him. Period.”
Fatima giggled. “Man, yall tripping. It aint that serious. Mama, you want me to answer the door?”
Dreka shook her head, while she headed to the kitchen.
Marie sighed heavily, as she stood up. “Girl, shut the hell up.” She twisted over to the door, and cracked it open. “Uh huh?” she greeted Save. He sported a hoodie, concealing much of his face.
“Damn, why you talking to me through a crack?” he questioned.
Sucking her teeth, she pulled the door back a tad more. “What’s up?”
“What’s up?” he repeated, looking at her strangely. “I don’t know. You tell me. Usually, yall just open the door and let me in. So, let me know. Have my privileges been revoked?”
“I hear you, Save, but Nunnie aint here, right now.”
“She aint here? Well, where she at?”
Marie shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” he repeated.
“No, I don’t.”
“Well, what do you know?”
She squinted. “Come again.”
“I’m saying. You knew that she was fucking my homeboy? Was you allowing the shit to go on in your house, just because she was sliding your roaching ass a few dollars?”
“You know what? I think it’s time for you to go. You can get the fuck off my porch with this bullshit,” she scoffed, as she attempted to slam the door shut. Unfortunately, he slid his foot in the door jam. “Move!” she screamed.
Seconds later, he violently kicked her door back, sending her flying backwards. Naturally, Fatima’s smile dropped, as she witnessed her mama’s body being flung to the floor.
“Where the fuck is Nunnie?!” Save exploded, as he brandished a pistol.
“She, she, she aint here,” Fatima stuttered.
“Nunnie!” Save shouted, as he aimed his gun at Fatima. “Bitch, if you don’t bring your ass out here, I’ma start knocking your fucking people off, bro. One by one. The choice is yours!”
Knocking over things in the process, Nunnie scampered into the living room to find Save holding her cousins and aunt at gunpoint.
“Save,” her voice trembled in complete fear. “What are you doing?”
Filled to the hilt with emotion, Save wasted no time, as he violently attacked Nunnie. Viciously, he slammed his pistol upside her head.
“Ahhhhhh!” Nunnie screamed out in agony.
“Bitch, shut up,” Save gritted, while punching her like a man.
Like a cheetah, Dreka came out of nowhere, jumping onto Save’s back, wrapping her arms around his neck, securing a strong choke hold. “Somebody grab his fuckin’ gun!” she shouted desperately, fearing in her heart that he’d really pull the trigger. Unlike them, she knew firsthand, that Save had a few bodies under his belt, and something told her that he’d come there not giving a fuck. He was willing to go to jail, and they needed to fight for their lives. It was literally him or them.
Nunnie held onto his wrist, while he pulled the trigger.
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BLOW! BLOW! BLOW! BLOW!
Thankfully, the gun was aimed at the ceiling. Hearing those gunshots seemingly sobered the other ladies, as they all practically dived on his ass, wrestling the gun out of his hand.
Once Veeta had the gun in hand, Marie’s chest heaved up and down, as she was in a state of shock. She was damn near a story on the ID channel. Her niece’s little love triangle that she used to secretly laugh about with her friends had spiraled out of control, underneath her roof, no less.
Both Dreka and Fatima were on top of Save, trying to hold him down.
“The police are on the way,” Dreka announced. “I called them when I was in the kitchen. You going to jail, nigga. Shoot his ass, if he gets up, Veeta.”
Marie stepped over to a battered Nunnie, who was bleeding profusely, while curled up on the floor. Before she could do anything, she heard someone dash through the living room.
“What the fuck going on?” Mix questioned, as he stood in the middle of the living room.
Marie attempted to help Nunnie off the floor.
Mix laid eyes on Nunnie, and his trigger finger began itching instantly.
“Mix, grab this nigga,” Dreka spoke up, catching his attention. “We trying to keep him pinned down, until the laws get here.”
Snapping, Mix raced over, stomping the daylights out of Save.
“Mix, no!” Nunnie struggled to get out. “She said the police were on the way. Just hold him down!”
Mix paused, as Save now held his stomach, while spitting up blood. “Aye, I’m not finna interact with the fucking laws. You can forget that.”
Mere minutes later, the house was swarming with police, and Mix sat on the neighbor’s porch, watching it all go down. The police came in manhandling Save, like Mix knew they would. He was dragged out of the house in handcuffs, while staring a hole in his old friend turned foe’s head.
Of course, the police had several questions for Nunnie and the family. After being held at gunpoint, nobody had love, and gave damning statements, ensuring that he’d be facing stiff charges down there at the Harris County jail. Nunnie’s obvious physical injuries alone were enough to convict Save, but that wasn’t good enough for them. They wanted to make sure that he went down for pulling that gun on them and letting off four rounds in the house. Clearly, he was a loose cannon and needed to be off the streets.
No Matter What Page 3