Chapter 12
Raven had just gotten in from work and was checking the mailbox when a white car pulled up in front of her house.
She didn’t know who it was, but she could tell there were quite a few people in the car.
She squinted her eyes wondering who in the hell it was, but her question was quickly answered.
Xander’s cousin, Jenise got out of the car along with two other females that she didn’t recognize, and Raven wondered why they were there and what they wanted.
She spoke to Jenise when she saw her at family functions or in the streets, but they weren’t exactly friends.
Raven took note of the scowl on Jenise’s face, and she immediately put her guard up.
Raven wasn’t feeling how they were all approaching her at once, she fingered the pepper spray that hung from her keychain.
“Can I help you?”
The two friends stood back some as Jenise approached. “Yeah. My people saw you out with a nigga by the name of Diric. Funny thing is, Xander said Diric is one of the niggas that shot him. You a foul ass bitch for that shit. You helped set that shit up? You the reason that Xander got shot?”
Raven let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Get the fuck out of here. Since Xander is in a talking mood, he should most definitely tell you that he crossed Canyon for some money. I don’t know who shot him, but I can assure you that it didn’t have shit to do with me.”
“Mighty funny how you left that nigga for dead. After all he did for you, you haven’t come to visit him once. You foul for that shit. My cousin is fucked up behind that shit.”
Raven’s face contorted into a frown. “Girl, fuck yo’ cousin! All he did for me was cheat and get a bitch pregnant. His baby mama should be the one sitting by his bedside. I don’t have to explain shit to you.”
“Bitch, you fucking the opps, and you foul for that shit.”
Jenise lunged forward, and Raven knew she had to think quick.
They were going to jump her, and there was no way she could beat three people, but she could try to blind one of those bitches.
She sprayed Jenise in the face with her pepper spray, and the woman halted in her tracks as she screamed from the chemical that was burning her eyes.
That pissed her friends off, and they were on Raven.
She fought with all of her might and was getting the best of one of the girls, but the friend was punching her in the back of the head over and over again until Raven’s eyesight became blurry.
The girl then choked her from behind and allowed the friend that Raven had been beating to get some punches in.
There wasn’t shit Raven could do but take the whooping, but she took it kicking and fighting with all of her might.
She was slammed on the ground then kicked in the face. “Bitch, you gone pepper spray me?!” She curled up into a fetal position as she was kicked again. Then again.
Raven heard a voice, and it may as well have been the voice of an angel. It was her neighbor, Charlie. He was an elderly white man that was married to a black woman. “I already called the police, and I have your license plate number! Leave that damn girl alone,” he roared.
At the threat of the police, the three women scattered like roaches.
They ran back to the car and got the hell out of dodge.
Raven fought back tears as she peeled herself up off the ground.
It hurt to breathe, and she just knew that her ribs were cracked.
She tasted blood in her mouth. Every inch of her was aching, throbbing, or burning.
Raven’s vision was impaired because her right eye was starting to swell shut.
Charlie helped her as best he could and his heart broke at the sight of her. He had grandkids her age. “You need to get to a hospital sweetie. Let me get my wife to drive you.”
Raven didn’t even protest. Each time she took a breath, the pain was so excruciating that she wished she didn’t have to breathe.
Jenise and her friends had fucked her up good, but Raven promised herself they would all see her again.
With each step she took, a groan left her mouth, or a tear fell from her eye.
She made her way inside the house and when she saw her reflection in the bathroom mirror, her heart sank.
She looked like a monster. Her eye looked gruesome as hell.
Blood leaked from her nose. Her lips were swollen.
There was a knot on her forehead, and she could barely stand up straight from the tightness and pain in her chest.
“Fuuuccckkk,” Raven cried through clenched teeth as she wet a rag and tried to wipe blood from her face.
She never thought about anyone seeing her out with Diric because she really didn’t care.
Raven never thought anyone Xander knew would have the balls to come for her.
Not only did Jenise’s pussy ass come for her, but she had to bring two people with her.
If she wasn’t in so much pain, the shit would have been funny.
Raven heard a voice echo through her house.
“Raven, dear I’m here to drive you to the hospital. ” It was Charlie’s wife.
She made her way to the bathroom, and when she saw Raven, she stopped in her tracks.
“I wish one of my grandbabies would have been home. She would have come and fought with you. Three females for one person. Punk ass hoes,” she spat.
She was furious because Raven was so sweet, and she knew the woman didn’t deserve what happened to her.
She walked Raven out to her car and helped her to get in. Raven was in so much pain, she just wanted it to go away. All she knew was that once she healed, she just might end up going to jail, and she didn’t even care, because Jenise had to see her.
“Xander got released today,” a female by the name of Rikenya said to Diric.
She was a nurse at the hospital Xander was at, and she kept Diric updated on him.
As long as he kept his mouth shut and didn’t talk to the police, Canyon, Diric, nor Amar were worried about him.
He could live. As long as he minded his business.
“Word? That’s good for that nigga.”
Diric had fucked Rikenya a time or two, but she was a little too clingy for his taste. Still, there were certain things she came in handy for. Like this. Diric was about to get her off the phone before she asked for dick, but she said something that piqued his interest.
“I was late getting off because I was being nosey. The chick that I thought was his girl came into the ER beat the fuck up. Whoever got a hold of shorty didn’t show her no mercy.
I know it wasn’t him because he doesn’t even have the strength to beat anyone that bad.
He can barely walk. I didn’t see her visit his ass one time while he was there.
Some pregnant girl was up there with him. ”
Diric felt himself growing angry, and his nostrils flared. “Who?” he asked aggressively. Her ass was talking a mile a minute gossiping, and he needed to know who the female was. “Who was the female? Was it Raven?”
Rikenya was a little caught off guard by his tone. She could tell he was pissed. “Ummm yeah, I think that was her. Her face was fucked up, so I couldn’t really tell.”
“I’mma hit you back.” Diric ended the call without waiting for her to respond. He called Raven, and she didn’t answer. When her voicemail came on, Diric ended the call and tried to figure out what he should do.
What if he went to the hospital, and it wasn’t her?
A customer called his phone, and Diric went to make a play with thoughts of Raven heavy on his mind.
They hadn’t spoken since their date, but it wasn’t because he wasn’t feeling her.
Raven was cool as hell, and he had fun with her.
He had just been busy. Diric often put money before anything.
He didn’t like to waste time and in his eyes, if it wasn’t making him money it wasn’t that important.
There were times that he just wanted to chill though, and it was during those times, he often hit up whatever female he was in the mood to see.
Diric hadn’t been serious about anyone since his son’s mother.
His child’s death hit both of them hard, and they just weren’t able to come back from it.
They barely knew how to get past his death, so they damn sure couldn’t help each other.
They shut down, shut each other out, and would go days without communicating.
Diric became angry. He even stopped believing in God.
He was lost for a minute and that’s why when his baby mama wanted to get pregnant again, he wasn’t with it.
A new baby wouldn’t fix their issues. She refused to accept that answer, and she found a nigga to give her a baby.
Now, she was miserable, and she would hit Diric up often to complain.
He wasn’t into backtracking however, and he had no desire to save her from her current situation.
Diric had just finished making a play when his phone rang. He saw that Raven was calling, and he answered it anxiously. “Yo. What’s up?”
“Umm I saw where you called me. I’m in the hospital, and I couldn’t reach my phone. A nurse had to give it to me.” Her voice was muffled, and it sounded like she had a mouth full of marbles.
“Why you in the hospital?” he asked as he clenched his jaw muscles together.
“Xander’s cousin and two other bitches jumped me.
She said her cousin saw me out with you, and she accused me of setting him up.
Xander told her that you shot him. My ribs are bruised, my nose feels broken, but it’s not.
The doctor said I can go home in a few hours.
I’m on some strong ass pain medication, and it’s kicking in.
” Her words suddenly sounded slurred. “I don’t have my car, so someone has to pick me up. ”
“I’m on my way up there. I’ll take you home.”
“I don’t want you to see me like this.” She sounded as if she was already half-way asleep.