CHAPTER FOUR #2
The next morning, me and Yah-Yah was sprawled out in the living room looking a hot-ass mess.
I had on my old Pink sweat pants, with a white cami on, and a pink bonnet was on my head, and Yah-Yah wasn’t doing much better in her faded Nike t-shirt and some basketball shorts.
We both had our feet propped up on the coffee table.
Yatta came thumping down the stairs, already dressed in dark jeans and a black button-up, his Timbs laced tight and his chain gleaming.
"Y'all look real productive today," he said sarcastically, eyeing us as he grabbed his car keys off the hook by the door.
"It's only nine in the morning, nigga," Yah-Yah shot back, scrolling through her phone. "Some of us ain't gotta be on demon time 24/7."
I snickered, pulling my blanket tighter around me while Bonnie, my prissy-ass Persian, jumped up on my lap. "You heading to Detroit now?"
Yatta nodded, checking his watch. "Yeah, I’m meeting Loon at eleven. I should be back tonight unless some shit goes sideways." He grabbed his leather Pelle Pelle jacket from the coat rack. "Y'all ass don’t get in no trouble while I’m gone."
“Trouble? We ain’t five years old Yatta.” Yah-Yah said and I only rolled my eyes.
“Y’all heard what I said.” He said as he came over, bent down, and kissed my forehead, then did the same to Yah-Yah. That was the thing about my brother, he was hard as granite in the streets, but soft as hell with his sisters.
"Byeeeeee Big brother,” I sang out,
"I'll be back before midnight. Answer your phones if I call. And Yah-Yah…."
"I know," she cut him off. "Keep an eye on shit."
“Love Y’all” he said,
"Bye, Yatta, Love you more." Yah-Yah sang out, waving him away.
The door closed behind him, and we listened to his Benz start up and pull away from the curb. The second he was gone, Yah-Yah turned to me with that nosy-ass big sister face.
"So, you never did finish telling me what's really going on with you and Rah."
I stroked Bonnie's fur, avoiding Yah-Yah 's eyes. "Ain't nothing to tell that you don't already know."
"Bullshit." She tossed a throw pillow at me, which I dodged.
Truth was, Yah-Yah was right. I was spitting bullshit.
Me and Rah had been dancing around each other these last few months, even though we never made anything official.
But the past few weeks had been different.
More intense. Like he was trying harder, and wanting more, and to be honest I didn’t see more with him, because I didn’t even like him like that.
"He said he loves me," I admitted, feeling my cheeks heat up.
Yah-Yah 's eyebrows shot up. "For real? What you say back?"
"Nothing." I shrugged. "What was I supposed to say? I like Rah and all, but..."
"But you ain't in love with his ass," Yah-Yah finished for me, nodding knowingly. "That nigga is looking for a wifey, and you just want a good time."
"It ain't even that. It's just..." I searched for the right words. "I got plans, you feel me, I wanna finish school, get my vet tech license, save up for my own spot."
"And Rah don't fit in those plans?"
I sighed, scratching behind Bonnie's ears as she purred. "He's tryna get into business with Yatta. So even if I did love him, which I ain't saying I do, mixing business and personal is messy as fuck." "Tell me about it," Yah-Yah muttered.
Bonnie suddenly stood up on my lap, stretching her bougie ass before stepping carefully onto the coffee table, knocking over my mug in the process.
"See, this why I told you not to get no damn cats," Yah-Yah laughed as I hopped up off the couch to try and get up the spilled coffee with some paper towels. "You live in the hood but want fancy ass cats. You shoulda got a regular stray from the alley like normal black people."
"Leave my babies alone," I defended. "They royalty just like their mama."
"Girl royalty my ass," she said, still laughing. "That cat look like it pay taxes and got better credit than all of us."
I was about to clap back when the doorbell rang. We both froze, exchanging looks.
"You expecting somebody?”
"Shit," I muttered, jumping up. "Rah said he was bringing me breakfast, but I thought he was coming later."
Yah-Yah smirked. "Yatta just left and this nigga already pulling up. He got radar or some shit?"
"Shut up," I hissed, adjusting my bonnet and checking my reflection in the hallway mirror. I looked a mess but fuck it.
I pulled open the front door, ready to give Rah shit for coming so early, but my words died in my throat.
'Cause yeah, Rah was standing there with a bag from Peach's Restaurant in Hyde Park in his hand, but behind him, leaning against a glossy black Charger, was the same light-skinned nigga who had been watching me at the trap house.
Up close, he was even finer than I remembered.
Tall, the nigga was at least 6'2", with a rich vanilla skin tone, a sharp jawline, and eyes that seemed to see right through me.
He had a neat beard that framed his mouth just right, and when he caught me staring, the corner of his lips turned up in a knowing smirk.
"Damn, Mya, you gonna let a nigga in or what?" Rah asked, snapping me out of my trance.
"Yeah, my bad." I stepped back, letting him in, trying my hardest not to look back at dude by the car. "I didn't know you was bringing company."
Rah leaned in, giving me a quick kiss. "That’s my homie Trigg. He was dropping me off. I had to take my whip to the shop," He held up the Peach's bag. "I got them salmon croquettes you like."
Before I could respond, I heard footsteps behind Rah and looked up to see the dude, Trigg approaching the door.
"Ay yo, Rah," he called, his voice deep and smooth like aged whiskey. "Let me use the bathroom real quick before I bounce."
Rah turned to me, raising his eyebrows in question. I hesitated, not loving the idea of some stranger in our house, but also not wanting to seem uptight.
"This ain't no public bathroom, nigga," I said, but my tone was playful enough to let him know I wasn't really tripping.
Trigg stepped closer, and I caught a whiff of his cologne, this nigga smelled good as fuck, it was something expensive for sure, and that made my stomach do a little flip.
"My bad, Shawty," he said, looking me dead in the eyes with confidence that bordered on arrogance. "I can go piss on your front lawn instead if that's more convenient for you."
I felt my eyebrows shoot up at his boldness. Nobody talked to me like that, most niggas knew better than to try me, especially knowing Yatta was my brother.
"Do that shit and watch me and my sister beat yo’ ass in this house.”
“Yo’ chill out Ma,” Rah laughed.
“The bathroom is at the end of the hall," I said flatly, stepping aside. "And don't touch shit. And my name is Ya’Mya, not Shawty."
"I know yo’ name ma," he replied with a slight smile that made my pulse quicken.
With that, he brushed past me, his arm grazing mine and sending an electric shock through my body. I watched him walk down the hallway, noticing how his broad shoulders filled out his white tee, how his jeans hung just right on his narrow waist.
"Who the hell is that?" Yah-Yah 's voice startled me. She had come to the doorway of the living room and was eyeing Trigg's retreating figure with suspicion.
"Rah's friend," I muttered, turning back to Rah, who was already making himself at home in the kitchen. "Why you ain't tell me you was bringing somebody?"
"He just gave me a ride," Rah shrugged, unpacking the food. "Don't worry, he cool. I’ve been knowing Trigg since we was shorties."
"What's his deal? He roll with Sosa and GMB too?" I asked curious to know.
"Something like that," Rah replied vaguely. "But don't worry about all that. Come eat while the food hot."
Yah-Yah had joined us in the kitchen and was already digging into the bag.
"These hash browns still warm. I swear Peaches got the best breakfast spot in the city.
" We were setting out the food when Trigg reappeared, his presence immediately filling the room.
He nodded at Yah-Yah, who gave him cool once over.
"Appreciate it," he said to me, then turned to Rah. "I'm out. Rah, hit my line when you ready for me to pick you up."
"You sure you don't want none of this shit nigga?" Rah offered. "I bought a lot of this shit." I shot Rah a look, but Trigg caught it and smirked.
"Nah, I'm good. I don't wanna overstay my welcome." His eyes slid to mine. "Nice meeting you, ladies." He said heading for the door.
I watched through the window as he slid into his Charger, the engine roaring to life. As he pulled away, I could tell he looked back at the house one last time, and even through the tinted window, I could feel his eyes on me.
"That’s yo best friend or something?" Yah-Yah asked Rah, her tone making it clear she wasn't impressed.
"Nah, Him and Sosa are best friends, BooMan is my best friend, but we all been knowing each other forever," Rah repeated, handing her a Styrofoam container.
“Trigg good people tho."
I sat down at the kitchen table, suddenly not as hungry as I thought I was.
My mind was stuck on Trigg. It was the way he carried himself, that cockiness that should have annoyed me but instead did something else entirely.
It turned me the fuck on. The way his eyes had held mine, like he knew exactly what effect he was having on me.
Rah and Yah-Yah fell into conversation about something, but I wasn't really listening. I was replaying that brief interaction in my head, wondering why, with Rah sitting right next to me, all I could think about was another man.