Chapter 7 #3
I didn’t say anything. Turned back around and squared up while extra mayo and her friends started to surround me.
Before we could get to going, I heard tires screeching behind me.
Glancing over my shoulder, I wasn’t surprised to see Exodus’s truck now just a couple of inches away.
Because I needed to keep my head on a swivel, I turned back around, ready to fight.
But extra mayo and her friends’ attention was elsewhere.
Their eyes were focused on what was behind me.
Because I didn’t trust either of them bitches, I kept my eyes peeled, thumb grazing the cold steel of the pocket knife, ready.
Not even the ringing of my phone tore my attention away.
“Type of time you bitches on? Move around,” Zeke said, standing next to me.
“Grab yo shit,” said Exodus.
I glanced over at him but stayed where I was at, still ready to fight regardless of the number of bitches.
Regardless of Zeke and them diffusing the situation.
I just didn’t trust it. I didn't trust a damn thing. Not when it came to bitches in Wildermere. However, around here, the word of a Christ was law. We didn’t bow down to anybody out here, but they had a crazy level of respect out here.
Mainly because of what they did for the community, partially because people knew they weren’t for any bullshit and would disappear a muthafucka real quick for disrespecting them in any way.
A second or two later, Exodus handed me my purse and my food, despite telling me to grab it a minute ago.
I looked over at him, snatched the purse and draped it over my head, over my shoulder before grabbing the bag of food.
“Get in the truck,” said Exodus. “Now.”
I drew back, ready to curse him out but before I could, he walked away. A couple of feet away, I noticed Vellz pull up. He stopped and wildly blew his horn, trying to get my attention. I looked at him, sucked my teeth and slid onto the soft leather backseat of Exodus’s truck.
Once I was inside, Kiss closed the door and got into the front. Zeke sat next to me right after, and Exodus kicked the truck into reverse, then into drive and sped out of the parking lot.
“What was that about?” Zeke asked.
I shrugged, fishing around my purse for my ringing phone. “She’s mad about mayo.”
Kiss snorted.
Exodus’s eyes caught mine in the rearview mirror.
“You walk home?” he asked.
I ignored Lake’s call and texted her, telling her I’d call her when I made it to The Woods. Told her I was straight and sent the cross emoji to symbolize the Christ brothers.
“Sometimes.”
“You tweakin,” Zeke said, shaking his head, his long locs moving effortlessly with him. Reminded me of my brother. I looked away.
The ride to The Woods was short. The minute we got to the ‘Welcome to Ironwood Estates’ sign, I noticed Lakeland, Alani, and Kiera walking, getting ready to leave the complex. Upon noticing the truck, they stopped.
“You can let me out right here,” I said to Exodus.
He didn’t stop or say anything. Kept driving until we got to my building. When we made it to the front of the building, he shifted the truck in park, unbuckled his seatbelt and got out. Before I could open my door, he did.
“Ay sis,” Zeke said. “You gotta be careful out here, my baby.”
I showed him my pocket knife. “I’m careful.”
“Not enough,” Kiss said, before a thick cloud of smoke filled the air around him.
I looked down at the pocket knife, and back up at the both of them.
I knew it wasn’t enough. When I first got it, Meech laughed, saying I needed to put that little shit up because if a nigga wanted me bad enough he would get at me, leaking and all.
I kept it on me regardless because I was going to have something on me. I couldn’t just be out here naked.
I grabbed my sandwich, and got out of the truck, closing the door behind me.
“Let me holla at you for a minute,” Exodus said, standing on the sidewalk, a couple of feet away from the building's entrance.
I stopped in front of him, resting my arms in the front of me, my hands wrapped around the dusty brown paper bag.
Looking up at him, our eyes met and because his look was a little intimidating, I glanced away, noticing my cousins heading in our direction.
I took a deep breath and looked back at him.
“Wassup?” I breathed out.
He looked off, stroked his chin and then looked back down at me with this look of confusion on his face. “I got a job for you.”
“A job? For me?”
“Yeah,” he said. “Be ready to get picked up tomorrow around nine. I’ll text you fifteen minutes before.”
I drew back. “I’m not moving no drugs or—
“Man what?” He frowned. “Just be ready at nine.” He eyed me up and down. “Dress comfortable too. Leggings, crocs… shit like that.”
With that, he walked away and I stood there looking dumbfounded.
I scratched the back of my head and took a deep breath.
A job? I rolled my eyes, automatically thinking he wanted me down at the church for something since clearly it had nothing to do with drugs.
I didn’t want to work at the church. He probably wanted me to do some type of volunteer work.
That type of stuff wasn’t for me. I wasn’t religious.
Believed in God, for sure but I wasn’t a Christian.
Wasn’t a Baptist either. I didn't adhere to any religion; I just believed and had faith. If he wanted me to do something like mentor young girls or something, I wasn’t the girl for the job.
I’d get in that church and challenge every part of the bible.
A couple of seconds later, Lake and them joined me. We watched him pull out of the parking lot before Lakeland turned to me.
“What happened? Fuck you mean you were about to get jumped? How the hell you end up with them? How y’all keep ending up in the same place?”
“Right,” Alani said, her eyes steady fixed on the back of Exodus’s truck. “What’s really goin on?”
“First the nigga givin you bread, now you pullin up with him. Don’t let me find out!” Exclaimed Kiera.
Just as I was about to say something, Vellz whipped into the parking lot, stopping just a couple of feet away from us. He was going so fast and braked so hard that Alani jumped back, thinking he would hit her.
I rolled my eyes and turned to go into the building. A second later, he got out of the car, slamming the door behind him.
“Rei!” He yelled.
“I know you ain’t callin’ my cousin like you her daddy or some shit. Pipe down,” Kiera snapped. “And I heard you were supposed to pick her up but didn’t. Fuck on, nigga.”
“Sereia!” Vellz yelled again, ignoring Kiera.
I grabbed the door handle to the building to walk in, but he pushed it closed. “You fuckin’ with that nigga, for real ain’t you? That’s why you actin so fuckin’ funny. You know he got a bitch, right?”
I looked at him like he’d lost his mind, sizing up all 5’11 inches of him. “If you don’t get the fuck out of my face with that bullshit, Chevelle,” I said with a laugh. “You in my face like you don’t have a whole ass bitch yourself. Fuck out of here.”
“I thought you didn’t care—”
“I don’t! I want you to leave me alone, nigga!” I yelled, snatching the door to the building open, hitting him with it in the process.
He had some nerve, didn’t he? In my face, questioning me about shit as if I was his bitch. As if he didn’t have someone himself. Did he forget I just beat the bitch up for stepping to me about his goofy ass? Niggas, boy. I swear, they had all of the audacity.
Before he could say anything, Lake stepped in front of him and told him to leave me alone.
She said a couple of other things I didn’t hear.
I was at the stairs, getting ready to take that uncomfortable trip up.
My cousins were behind me, with Lake lingering behind a bit, talking to Vellz.
Whatever she said got rid of him because not too long after I started my trek up the stairs, I heard the entrance door creak open.