Chapter 2
“Cam, take those garbage cans to the alley,” his mother called out from the second level of their home.
Stone was a name people said carefully, whether they were speaking of his father or their family.
His father ran shit like the businessman he was and was teaching Cam to be.
He had always been a sponge to his father and Stone hid nothing from his son.
Cameron was wise beyond his years; at seventeen, he could run circles around some of the heaviest dealers in the game.
He was taught to protect his family, women, and children, that was the code his father lived by and so did he.
Cam was never one to brag on his lifestyle, but he didn’t have to, everyone already knew.
Though he could pop his shit everyday if he wanted to, he didn’t, he was humble.
He hung with his same friends from the sandbox, they were his brothers that he never had, with him being an only child.
That was the only thing he longed for; he envied those households that had a lot of kids.
“I already did it, Lady,” he shot back from the couch as his mother made her way down the stairs.
She moved around the crib like she was a superstar: silk robes, diamonds gleaming off the lights, and her pixie cut was also done to perfection.
Though she lived lavish, Stacy Stone was hardcore, loyal, and blunt.
She held no punches when it came to the people she loved, especially the family she created.
She, too, came from the hood, but her stomping grounds were on the southside of the city.
Her and Stone often had debates about whose side was the best side, and Cam stood ten toes with his father, the west side was the best side.
“Good and you have one last fitting for your suit today.”
He still couldn’t believe he was about to graduate high school, on top of that, he was also turning eighteen at the end of the month. He planned on throwing the biggest house party ever, Kid and Play wouldn’t be able to come how he was coming.
“Is Farrah going or not?” He asked never looking up from his phone.
“Yes, she is and why don’t you sound happy about it?”
Cam wasn’t happy at all; Farrah had been a thorn in his ass since they were kids.
Their families were always trying to force a relationship that he didn’t want.
Farrah, on the other hand, was obsessed with Cam; in her head, they were together, no matter how many times he shot it down.
After a while, he just let them have it.
“Because y’all didn’t even ask me if I wanted to go on prom with her.”
“You right, baby, but it’s too late to find another date, prom is in a couple weeks.”
“I’ll go with her, but for y’all.”
“Nah, this is your day, and you only get one prom so if you want to take someone else, let me know so we can get it together.”
Cam had no other female in mind because every time he thought he was going to talk to someone, Farrah scared them off.
“Son Son, what’s the word? You’re late for school,” Stone walked in and sat at the long marble table in the dining room.
“School starts at eight.”
“Early bird gets the worm. Discipline builds men.”
One thing Stacy didn’t play about was her son, not even with her husband, “He’s a seventeen-year-old young man, Stone, not one of your soldiers.”
Stone sat back in his chair, his gaze was hard but calm, “He is my son, which means he’ll inherit more than any soldier could dream of. He needs to be ready and disciplined.”
“I stay ready, Pop,” Cam replied, grabbing a water from the refrigerator and kissing his mother’s cheek before heading out the door.
Cam hit the locks on his black-on-black Nissan Maximum, it was fully loaded and he loved it.
Farrah drove a Nissan Altima, which made their relationship look even more serious.
Farrah had been throwing pussy at him since he took her virginity freshmen year, and he only smashed her when he was bored ever since.
Everybody thought they were the cutest couple, they had no idea he had no feelings, the shit felt like a trap.
He drove to school with his music blasting as he did every morning.
For a second, his mind flashed back to Dime.
She stuck out to him because she was from the other side of everything.
The one who didn’t care who he was, on top of that, she stood in front of danger like she was built for it; she didn’t need protection, and dam sure didn’t fake perfection like everyone else did.
What you saw was her, raw and uncut. He didn’t know why, but something made him want to protect her even though the hood knew she was capable of doing that herself.
In a world full of Farrahs, there was real, there was Dime.
And that made her dangerous in a completely different way that she didn’t even know… yet.
By the time Cam pulled into a park, the streets were packed with khaki and white uniforms. He topped his off with a pair of Gucci sneakers and the backpack to match. As soon as his feet touched the pavement, people started talking to him, people that he didn’t even know for real.
Farrah appeared out of nowhere, looping her arm around his as her expensive perfume filled his nose.
Every nigga wanted Farrah and to be honest, he would hand deliver her to any nigga that was willing to take her off his hands.
She was too bougie and spoiled for him, he liked plain, he liked Diamond.
Diamond rocked her hair in the same ponytail, she was regular, she wasn’t hiding behind designer and clout.
“You ready to shut the city down for prom? My dad got us a Rolls Royce.”
Cam knew both of their families were anticipating them going together, but he wanted to enjoy himself and do something he wanted to do for once.
“I think I wanna go by myself, with the guys.”
“What?”
And that was when Diamond walked by. She had tunnel vision, her headphones covered her ears, she didn’t acknowledge anyone, not even him, and that was what he liked. She didn’t even glance in his direction, she didn’t care who he was. He lowkey felt slighted.
Farrah followed his eyes, “Please tell me you’re not looking at her. She looks like she got dressed in the dark, nappy head ass,” she said loud enough for people nearby to hear.
A few kids laughed, but Cam didn’t find shit funny.
Diamond would give the prettiest girl a run for her money, including Farrah.
She wore baggy clothes, but her curves came natural and everybody knew what was under the layers.
Lucky for Farrah, she had her headphones on and kept walking, but that didn’t stop Cam from defending her.
“She one of the prettiest females in school.”
“Fine, then take her on prom! Clown,” she released him and stormed off, he laughed as his boys, Chris and Ryan, walked up.
“Why the fuck her head spinning around?” the jokester of the group, Chris, asked.
“Her ass crazy. I don’t even wanna go on prom with that bitch.”
“Please, you know yo people ain’t having that. They love Farrah’s Gucci drawls,” Ryan chimed in.
“Fuck Farrah,” Cam shot back as they all laughed and made their way inside.
The day moved faster than other days, Cam walked out of his eighth period class and saw Diamond standing at her locker with her sister.
Not caring who was watching, he walked over to her, and when she turned around and locked eyes with him, he felt something that he never had.
Her chocolate skin tone, pure white teeth, and dimples captured him.
“You lost?” Diamond asked as he shook his head no.
“Nah, I was coming over to invite you and your sister to my birthday party in a couple weeks.”
“A personal invite? I feel special,” she teased, slamming her locker closed.
“You should because you are.”
Silence fell between them, the good kind, it wasn’t awkward. The kind of quiet both of them weren’t used to. Cam studied her from the corner of his eye, she had that look, she was guarded.
Diamond’s gaze slid to him, “Aht, aht…I don’t want any problems with your puppy.”
“My puppy?” he quizzed before smiling.
“Yeah, Farrah, poodle looking ass.”
Cam was dying laughing to the point he had tears coming from his eyes. Not only was she tough, but funny as hell, he fucked with it.
“You crazy as fuck.”
“A little,” she shot back with a smile.
He could have stood there and talked to her all day, but she walked away after her last statement. Diamond didn’t even confirm if she was coming to his party or not, but he hoped like hell she did, she was cool as hell.