Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
MAKARI “HAVOC” SANCHEZ
“Wait, you were fucking Shakur’s sister?” Hell asked again before he fell out laughing. I’d been trying to explain what had happened, and all this nigga wanted to do was laugh about it.
“The shit’s not funny, Kelechi!”
“Bruh, how you fuck up so badly? You know that nigga doesn’t like you,” he said and laughed again when I flipped him my middle finger.
It was true, Shakur didn’t like me, but I never understood why. I ain’t ever said a word to that nigga before. The thought of it had me sucking my teeth. He didn’t like me before he left three years ago, but he damn sure hated my ass now!
To be honest, I didn’t know Kairi was his sister.
I didn’t find out until after the first time we already fucked when I asked her about her pops.
There was only one Kennedy, and I knew he was Shakur’s pops.
We’d crossed paths because of Orlando, but I only saw Kairi when she was much younger, so I didn’t recognize her.
Had I known who she was, I wouldn’t have fucked with her.
Fuck it, I was lying, I probably still would have. That was why I continued even after I knew who she was and didn’t tell her that I knew Shakur.
Since I could remember, my life had been surrounded by Hell, even right down to the females, including Ocean. Her eyes had been on my brother first, and she was pushed to me because he married someone else. It wasn’t because she wanted me.
Then I met Kairi.
She didn’t even ask me about Hell, not once. Not even what his damn name was!
Kairi looked at me like she saw me. Really saw me.
It wasn’t because of who my father was or even because of Hell.
It was because of me. I wasn’t stupid; I knew it was something to do with Ocean that pushed her into my arms that night, but even then, I still felt like Kairi had her eyes on me.
Everyone else looked at me and saw me as a key to Kelechi or even Orlando. Kairi didn’t.
That was why even if I knew who she was from jump, I still would have messed with her.
But none of that mattered now. Somehow Ocean found out, and I knew the only way to keep Kairi safe was to let her walk away. If Ocean saw her that night, she would have used her father to get rid of Kairi, even if I promised never to see her again.
Then Shakur finding out just further proved that we needed to stay away from each other. It had been a week, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss having her around.
My brother looked at me and sighed.
“Look, I know shit is crazy right now for you. I don’t know why the fuck Pops wants you to marry Ocean. He wrong as fuck for that, and she’s just as bad for wanting it,” Hell said. This was the first time he’d ever brought up me and Ocean.
From the moment Orlando said he wanted me to marry her, Kelechi never said anything about it. Sometimes, it felt like to me that he acted like he hadn’t been fucking the girl himself years before.
“We both know there’s no changing his mind, but fuck that. Life is too short, Makari, do what makes you happy,” he said, giving me a stern look. “Do you like her?”
That was a stupid ass question. The look I gave him let him know, and he laughed.
“What can I say? She’s unlike any female I’ve ever met,” I explained.
“And I know you like the fact no nigga you know has touched her.”
We slapped hands and fell out laughing.
That was one of the perks of why I liked Kairi so much, but it wasn’t just that. She was cool peoples and I just liked being around her.
“Then fuck it, I say do what you want. Shakur will get over it, you done had your dick in her. The fuck can he do about it now?”
Truth be told, I really didn’t give a fuck about what Shakur had to say. I was a grown ass man, and Kairi was grown too. He could fuss and fight all he wanted to, but I was still gonna do me. It was Kairi.
She’d pulled away from me, and I just didn’t want to hurt her any more than I already had. This whole situation with Ocean was messy enough, and I should have known better than to get Kairi mixed up in it all.
I might not have seen Ocean as mine, but because of what happened, she had her claws in me, using her father as a threat for us to get married. She made it clear; she wouldn’t tell her dad about Kairi if we got married—soon too.
How was I supposed to keep one hand on Kairi while marrying Ocean with the other?
“She ain’t fucking with me like that anymore,” I said before I explained about Ocean showing up at my crib.
All my brother could do was shake his head at me.
My phone started ringing on my desk, and my eyes widened when I saw that it was Kairi.
It had been a week since everything happened, and I hadn’t heard from her, not even once.
So why was she calling me now?
“Nigga, stop being a pussy,” my brother pushed.
I reached out a hand to pick it up, but found myself hesitating. Dare I say it, a nigga was scared!
Why was she calling me? What did I say? Should I answer or not?
Before I could get my thoughts together, my big forehead ass brother snatched up my phone and answered it.
“Hold on, he’s here,” Hell said and then pressed the phone up to my ear. I shot him a look to let him know that I was gonna snitch on him later, to my mama, and took it from his hand.
“Hello?” I finally spoke with my heart racing as if it was trying to burst through my chest and then I heard her voice.
“Makari.”
I couldn’t explain the joy I felt from hearing her voice. I’d missed seeing and speaking to her more than I could put into words.
“Yes, Kairi.”
“I’m just calling to let you know that I hate you, nigga! I really, really, really hate you!” she slurred, letting me know that her ass was drunk as fuck, but for some reason, it caused a smile to appear on my face.
I didn’t care if she called to tell me that she hated me; I was just happy to be on the phone with her.
“Is that so?” I asked with a smile.
“Mmhmm, I hate you, and that’s all I called to tell you!”
“That’s it?” I asked just to mess with her head a little.
My smile widened. Hell rolled his eyes at me and shook his head but I just ignored him. The only thing I was interested in at that moment was Kairi.
“Yes! I’m going now.”
“You not gon’ tell me where you are?” I questioned.
“Hell no, nigga! I’m not gonna tell you!”
A thought came to me, and I laughed before saying, “That’s cool. I already know you’re at the club.”
Kairi giggled, sending a tickle down my spine.
“Ha! Shows how much you know, nigga! I’m not at the club; I’m at The U bar and grill on Amsterdam Avenue!”
I smirked, knowing my plan worked, and slowly stood to my feet so that I could make my way.
“Really?”
“Yup!” she responded with a pop sound.
“Bitch, who you talking to? Hang up and let’s drink!” I heard her homegirl’s voice before the phone was hung up in my ear.
I chuckled and put my phone in my pocket.
I didn’t even have to tell my brother where I was about to go. He already knew. The smirk on his face and the fist bump he gave told me.
I knew I should be staying away from her—it was what she wanted, and it was the right thing to do, but that was easier said than done.
I stepped into the sports bar and searched around until my eyes finally landed on Kairi.
I just stood there for a few seconds, taking her in before I slowly approached. I grabbed a barstool and put it beside her.
It took Kairi a few seconds to look my way, and when she did, I allowed myself to get lost in her eyes. She squinted at me, showing just how fucked up she was, and then she lifted a finger to point at my face.
“Havoc, I’m here!” she squealed, and I laughed. She was all types of fucked up on that liquor.
Sparkle looked my way too and sucked her teeth. I had to laugh. She wasn’t feeling me either.
Kairi suddenly reached over and grabbed my arm, pulling me closer to her.
“Nigga, I hate me because I like you. Do you know that?!” she yelled at me.
“I know.”
She nodded and continued. “I hate how you make me feel! I feel everything when I see you and see me with you. I like me with you.”
My jaw dropped because I wasn’t expecting that.
“I-I hate how you make me look for you and how my heart races like boom, boom, boom when I see you. How I want to just lay on your skin, smell you,” she sniveled as she slurred her words.
“I hate how I smile when I see you and how you make me laugh! And I like to laugh, you know?”
She shook her head as if she was having an inward battle.
“I hate how you have me wanting to go against my family for you! I want to run away so I can have you because I hate you sooooo much!”
I sat there silently, taken aback and trying my hardest to digest everything I had heard.
She drunkenly stared at my face and then sighed heavily, closing her eyes. I could feel her pain and heaviness in her words.
Kairi’s eyes flicked open, and she stared at my face. As I stared back at her, I knew there was only one response for all that she had said.
“I like you too, Kairi, and you make me feel the same way.”
There was a sense of comfort to know that I wasn’t the only one who had these feelings or was having this battle.
I grabbed her hands and caressed the back of them with my thumb. Her skin felt silky soft as I glided across it. Our eyes locked on each other, and that same magnetic pull encased us just like that day I saw her in the club.
It was pulling me, and I was too weak to fight against it, so I leaned forward so that I could taste her lips.
“Uh, hell no, nigga!”
I was stunned when Sparkle suddenly reached out and covered Kairi’s lips with one hand while pushing me back with the other.
“No, you’re not about to fuck up my best friend’s head again, Havoc!” she snapped at me. “She’s been crying and talking about you for hours.”
I frowned at her words.
“Here, bitch, put this in your mouth and not that nigga,” she told Kairi and handed her another shot.
“Sparkle, you know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her,” I said, looking at her.
“And what about Ocean? That girl’s been messing with Kairi for years, and it will only get worse if she finds out about y’all,” she said, humbling me. “And there’s no way you can protect her, is there?”
I looked at Sparkle, seeing the love and worry she had for Kairi.
“Then leave her be, Havoc. Please,” Sparkle begged me. “She’s not strong enough to stay away from you, but you can.”
I turned my eyes to Kairi. She had taken the shot that Sparkle gave her and was leaning back on the barstool.
For a brief moment, I sat there in silence. All my thoughts were colliding in my mind, making it hard for me to find a definitive answer. I didn’t know anything, I just knew that I cared about this girl and couldn’t let her go, even though it was the right thing to do.
I took her hand in mine, which made her look my way.
“Kairi—”
“Kairi,” I heard behind me, and I turned to see it was her brother. He narrowed his eyes at me and shook his head.
I released Kairi’s hand and sat back to watch him.
“Kairi, let’s go,” he said, pulling his sister up to her feet.
Sparkle turned and gave me a sympathetic look as she followed him outside.
My body stiffened as I watched him take her. I wanted to object. I wanted to protest. I wanted to fight, but I didn’t. Helplessly, I sat there and let him take her.
My chest tightened as I watched him take her to a world that didn’t want me in it.