15. Turk #3
“Oh, fuck,” Pay whispers, low enough for Nut not to hear, but Rico, Set, and I catch it.
Nut turns and smirks at the approaching man. “Look what the crips dragged in.” He daps Grimey up.
“I owe yo ass a ass whoopin’ but I’ma stall you today since I pulled a gun on yo niggas. These my people; Set, Turk, Pay, Rico, and Ty. And my lil nigga on the end. Gang, this is–”
I see the exact moment Grimey looks at Pay. Nigga whole face morphs into surprise and awe. And I know when Pay shifts her eyes to him because the nigga staggers back.
“Fox?”
I stand, which makes Rico and Set stand, too. Rico’s got his backpack in one hand, his other inside of it, ready for whatever. Ty moves back and grabs Denver, who has enough sense to go quietly with him far away.
Grimey doesn’t look away from Pay until I’m completely in front of her, like he couldn’t focus on anything else while she was in his sights. When he looks at me, he’s scowling, but he's more confused than anything, like he’s trying to figure out a puzzle.
His niggas though, they move to flank him foreal, and the Native nigga with the face tattoo is damn near foaming at the mouth.
“Move around, nigga. I told you Patience don’t exist to y’all.”
“Patience? Who…” He looks in the direction of Pay before smirking and locking his eyes back on me.
“Ay, Foe. I fuck with you but you and ya niggas need to skidaddle before shit get ugly.” Nut gets in between us and is chest to chest with Grimey, making him take a step back.
Never taking his eyes off me.
“Life… sure does have a funny way of moving. What you used to say, Fox? The spirits set things in motion long before we’re even thought of.”
“Why the fuck you keep calling Pay Fox?”
This exactly why I didn’t tell my bros. Nut, being the oldest, takes over immediately. He’d never leave us hanging, not if he can help it. And right now, he sees how easy shit is going left.
Grimey ignores his question. “I fuck witchu Nut. I even fuck witchu Turk. But on my mama me and my niggas will lay y’all out if you don’t move the fuck out the way. Foxtail! Tell these niggas how I’m comin’ behind my lady.”
“Lady!”
“The fuck!”
“Nigga–”
My shit is out and on his forehead before he can even blink. I hear Pay in the background screaming and crying and a whole bunch of other noise but it sounds like they all underwater.
In my bubble it’s just me and Grimey.
His niggas got they blowers out, pointed at my niggas. I’m sure the innocent bystanders are scrambling, too, since we all out in the open, none of us in our respective territories.
Grimey’s got a few inches on me, but he’s not looking down at me. Not at all. It’s hella shit warring in his eyes; amusement, muted rage, emptiness, even respect. He’s got an easy smile on his grill like I’m not pointing my gun at his ass, finger on the trigger, ready to blow.
“You gone do it, Turk? You gone shoot me?”
“Royce! Stop!” Pay gets through to our bubble but I shut her ass out. Just like she cried about Cochise and them other niggas, she crying about this nigga, like she ain’t scared out of her mind. Scared enough to wanna leave town.
Grimey glances at Pay, his jaw clenching. “You pregnant Fox? You never wanted my baby but keep this one?”
“Say another word to her and I’ma do it, witnesses and all.”
Grimey chuckles. “It’s yours, huh? Yeah… you got that same look I have. Ready to die ‘bout it. I know Pops is rolling in his grave right now.”
Huh?
I cock my head to the side and begin to lower my gun. The fuck he just say? I know I didn’t clean my ears this morning, but he couldn’t have just said that.
“What–”
Ratatatata!
We all duck and scan the area. The basketball court is outside, but we’re pretty far from the parking structure, so whoever is shooting would be on foot or off the street.
But everyone’s really running now, and I’m not in the business of shooting bystanders.
“Oh no!”
I turn and see Pay on the floor next to my dawg. My heart drops to my ass as I crawl over to them.
Pay’s holding a growing red spot at the top of Set’s shoulder, and I hold pressure at the one on his stomach.
The gunfire is done, and Rico comes and picks Set up. “We gotta go, now!”
“Fox!”
Me and Pay both turn back around. The scream she lets out sounds demonic as she runs over to the Get Money niggas.
Cochise is laid out on the ground not moving. The big nigga heaves him up on the shoulder and starts running toward the parking lot on the south end like a running back. The Native niggas are right behind him.
Rico and Nut are hobbling in the opposite direction toward their cars on the street.
“Patience! Let’s go!”
“Fox! C’mon!”
Me and Grimey both yell at the same time. Both of us a few feet away with Pay in the middle.
She’s looking between both of us, cradling her bump.
“Patience!” I boom.
She looks at me, remorse and guilt evident in her face. “He’s my brother, Royce. Cochise… I can’t…”
She turns and runs to Grimey, sliding her hand in his outstretched one. He glances at me, and I swear I see a hint of regret in his eyes, too, before they both turn and run toward where the other niggas went.