Chapter 25 Renzamensah
Trill-Land, ’LoLux Estate
While ‘Lo and Toni was on vacation, doin’ they thing, I decided to chill at they crib just to get a lil’ peace and quiet.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved bein’ at the crib with Pressure and the fam. That was home. That was where everything was. But, lately, that shit had been loud in a way I wasn’t used to.
Pressure had them kids runnin’ around that muthafucka like they was trainin’ for track, and them lil’ niggas ain’t know how to sit still for shit.
Prestyn was everywhere at once, Kaylon right behind him, and Zurie moved around with that lil’ attitude like she already knew she ran shit whether anybody said it out loud or not.
I loved them kids real heavy though, I ain’t even gon’ lie about that.
That was my blood, and I wasn’t never gon’ act like they ain’t mean nothin’ to me.
I just wasn’t built to be around that much energy all damn day.
A nigga would wake up and somebody already yellin’, laughin’, cryin’ and feet hittin’ the hallway like they was racin’, and then you got Pressure and Pluto talkin’ back and forth about the kids, what they need, what got missed and what still gotta get handled.
It wasn’t no toxic shit, but it was still a lot to sit in all day.
I used to catch myself watchin’ him sometimes, lowkey stuck on that shit.
This the same nigga that used to crash out over nothin’, the same nigga that would look at you and if he ain’t like how you looked back, it was a problem that had to get solved right then.
Now he was over there helpin’ Zurie with school, packin’ lunches, fixin’ hair, gettin’ the boys dressed and movin’ in the mornin’ like that shit been part of him his whole life.
He stepped into that shit natural, like it was always in him, and I respected it more than I ever said.
The way he took Zurie in like she was his without hesitation, without no weird energy, or treatin’ her different, that told a muthafucka everything they needed to know about his character.
Most niggas wouldn’t even try some shit like that, but Pressure wasn’t most niggas.
Still, I needed a break from that shit.
So, I had been at ’Lo crib, laid up in one of the spare rooms, mindin’ my dam business and enjoyin’ the quiet. It was just a different type of silence over here.
Kelli had been here too, and me and him had been kickin’ it on some regular shit, talkin’, smokin’, laughin’ when we felt like it, then fallin’ back into our own lanes without it feelin’ forced. That was the type of energy I fucked with.
By the time I came out the room, it was late in the afternoon, and the sun was hittin’ through the windows in a way that made everything feel slower. I ain’t bother throwin’ no shirt on, but just stepped out in some shorts and my weed already in my hand, ready to chill.
I was headin’ to the back to sit by the pool, break down, and smoke while I let my mind cool off, but when I passed through the kitchen, somethin’ hit me that made me stop without even plannin’ to.
The smell hit me before I even realized what it was. It was rich and heavy, like that shit had been cookin’ for a minute, seasoned right and sittin’ deep in the air, and it made me stop mid-step without even meanin’ to.
I turned my head toward the stove, and that’s when I saw a pot sittin’ there with oxtails simmerin’ in dark gravy with that rich type of mix that clung to the meat and looked like it would fall apart the second you touched it.
The oil sat on top just right, glistenin’ under the light, and next to it was rice, cabbage, and fried plantains laid out like whoever made it wasn’t in there playin’ around.
I frowned a lil’, already knowin’ Toni wasn’t here and ’Lo damn sure wasn’t cookin’ no shit like this, and I knew for a fact Kelli ol’ white ass ain’t throw down like this.
“Who the fuck…” I muttered low, but I ain’t stay on it.
I grabbed a tray and kept it pushin’, headin’ outside like I planned.
Soon as I stepped into the backyard, the heat from the sun sat on my skin while the water in the pool moved slow and the music carried through the air low and smooth.
That’s when I saw Sha’Nelle.
She was laid back by the pool, sittin’ in one of the chairs with her feet up near the edge, a blunt between her fingers and a cup in her hand like she ain’t give a fuck about what was goin’ on in the world.
She was in her own zone, bobbin’ her head to the music, not payin’ attention to shit else around her.
And the way she was sittin’…
Yeah…
Her swimsuit hugged her body like it was poured on, every curve settin’ in place like it ain’t have nowhere else to be.
When she shifted in the chair, her thighs pressed together slow, thick as hell, and her hips rolled just enough to make a nigga notice without her even tryin’.
The way her ass sat back in that seat had hella weight to it, like it knew it was gon’ get looked at whether she cared or not.
Her chest sat full in that top, pushed up just right, risin’ and fallin’ easy every time she breathed, and the sun had her skin glowin’ in a way that made it hard to look away once you started. Her shit was smooth and warm like she been layin’ in the heat for hours.
Her lips stayed glossy like she kept somethin’ on ‘em at all times. Her eyes sat low, like she was halfway in her own world.
Her hair was full, thick and curly. It was pulled up high, but still fallin’ down her back and around her face.
Sha’Nelle always looked good. That wasn’t new. But sittin’ out here like that, relaxed and comfortable… yeah, that was the type of shit that made a nigga look a second longer than he meant to.
Sha’Nelle had been around long enough for all of us to know her, so none of this was new to me.
She was always around whenever we linked up, whether it was cards, dominos, or Toni havin’ somethin’ goin’ on.
Her ass would be right there like it was regular, laughin’, eatin’, talkin’ her shit and movin’ around comfortable like she belonged.
And truth be told, she did.
That’s why I never let myself sit in her energy too long. It wasn’t ’cause I ain’t see her or ain’t notice what she had goin’ on. I saw all of it. I just knew where that road led if I let myself play with it. So I kept it where it was.
For a second, I thought about turnin’ around and takin’ my ass back inside, but I shook that shit off quick.
Man, fuck that.
I wasn’t about to be dodgin’ nobody in a house that wasn’t even hers. I came out here to smoke and chill, and that’s what I was gon’ do.
So I walked past her without sayin’ nothin’, set my tray down, and sat where I had a clear view of the water, keepin’ my attention on breakin’ down my weed like that was the only thing on my mind.
But I felt her here…
Even without lookin’, I knew she was right here. The way that chair scraped, the way she moved around, the way her presence kept catchin’ my attention… that shit kept tryna pull at a nigga, but I wasn’t goin’.
I kept my head down, rollin’ up slow, takin’ my time with it, then lit it once I had it right and leaned back, pullin’ in deep.
The smoke hit smooth, and I let it out slow, lettin’ my body settle into it.
My phone buzzed in my hand, and when I looked down, I saw Reni name pop up.
I smirked before I even opened it. She sent a picture, and soon as it loaded, I already knew what she was on.
It was a Louis bag, green and clean and the type of bag you ain’t even think twice about if you had it like that.
I let out a low laugh. Big Mama always knew what she wanted.
I texted her back.
You ain’t even say hey first, huh?
She ain’t take long.
I want that for my birthday, baby.
I shook my head, smilin’ to myself.
I got you, baby. Don’t even worry ’bout it.
She sent a heart, and that was that.
I locked my phone and set it down, goin’ back to my blunt while I kept my eyes on the water.
Then I caught movement out the corner of my eye. Sha’Nelle had stood up.
And yeah… she wasn’t tryna be subtle about it.
She walked past like she knew exactly what she was doin’, with them hips rollin’, thighs brushin’ together and chest movin’ just enough to turn heads.
I kept my eyes forward, but I was aware of every step she took.
By the time she got close, I could feel her lookin’ at me.
“It’s okay to speak, Renza,” she said, her tone light but that attitude sittin’ right under it. “I don’t fuckin’ bite, bro.”
I looked over at her and shook my head.
“Aye, Nelle,” I said. “How you doin’, girl? Don’t be comin’ around here with no damn attitude.”
She rolled her eyes like she was already over me.
“You lucky I care more about pourin’ me another drink than arguin’ with you,” she said, turnin’ away before I could say somethin’ else.
I ain’t chase it, though. I just watched her walk inside, then looked back at the pool like I ain’t care.
A few minutes later she came back out with a plate, passin’ right by me like I wasn’t even here.
I glanced at the plate in her hand a second longer than I meant to, and she caught it right away.
“You want some?” she asked, already knowin’ the answer.
I looked at her, then back at the plate, then shrugged like it ain’t even matter.
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Well starve then, nigga.”
Then she kept walkin’.
I let out a low laugh and shook my head while I took another pull from my blunt.
She went back to her spot, sat down, dipped her feet in the pool, and went right to eatin’, drinkin’, smokin’ and vibin’ like I ain’t exist. And I let her.
I stayed where I was, mindin’ my business, smokin’, and keepin’ my focus where it needed to be.
The sun had just faded and I was high as hell and needed to put somethin’ on my stomach, so I found myself back in the kitchen like I ain’t just spend earlier actin’ like I ain’t want none of this food.
I stood in front of the microwave waitin’ on my plate to heat up, watchin’ that shit spin slow while I leaned on the counter. The smell was back, stronger now that it was heatin’ up again.