SCOOTER
After leaving Morgan’s house the other day, I texted Naheem and told him I had been at the halfway house and couldn’t leave.
He demanded that we meet up today, so I figured, why not meet with Naheem before I had to meet up with Beans?
I glanced at my phone and saw it was thirty minutes until nine.
The cold breeze smacked my face as I waited for Naheem to show up.
I didn’t want to miss out on this shit with Beans, so I told Naheem to meet me at the studio.
I watched the time tick by, and with each car that sped past, I was hoping Naheem would show up before Beans did.
Being out here alone gave my mind time to run its course, thinking of ways I could get myself out of this shit.
I knew if I went to Bop, he would listen, but knowing I was working with his pops on any level would be a death sentence from him.
I didn’t know if I could trust Beans, and I had no money to even get the hell out of Dodge.
Shit, if I did run, the laws would be on my ass because where I should have been at this hour was the halfway house.
I was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
All I knew was that this music shit had to work.
Otherwise, I would be trapped in this game with no way out.
The same way my hands worked Morgan’s controller to escape the creatures of the night was the same way I needed my mind to get me out of this shit.
I paced the parking lot, trying to think of what to do. “Fuck!” I shouted.
My mind wouldn’t shut the fuck off, and it was starting to drive a nigga crazy.
When the headlights pulled into the parking lot, I stopped pacing.
Morgan’s words lingered in my head. Why don’t you fight back?
Build an alliance with the ones they want you to go against. I didn’t know if that was possible.
I knew that with Dio and me fighting each other, those niggas would never trust me.
The thought of betraying my brother by being friends with the opps would make him not fuck with me.
I couldn’t let things play out that way.
The bright lights beamed in my face, making me throw my arm up to block my eyes. “Get in!” I heard Beans’ deep voice.
My eyes scanned the street as I hesitated to get in his ride. I shook my head because the decision I would make tonight would change everything by tomorrow. “Shit!” I grumbled as I jogged over and hopped into his car.
Before he put the car in reverse, he stared at me. “On time. I like that,” he finished as he backed the car up and sped out of the parking lot.
Beans turned the instrumental up and cruised through the streets. My fingers tapped at the window as lyrics automatically popped into my head. The beat was fire as fuck. The way the bass boomed with a subtle jazz tune lingering between each thump.
As we pulled into the parking lot, I could tell by how crowded it was that this was going to be the real deal.
Beans cut the music off and looked at me.
“The shit is like being in the booth. You do what you did in my studio, you’ll walk away a winner,” he paused.
“Trust me,” he finished and got out of the car.
I quickly hopped out and followed behind him. “What if I lose?” I asked.
“I guess you’re just going to be a nigga with a dream.”
“Fuck is that supposed to mean?” I snapped.
His mouth was becoming a problem. Yeah, I wanted the studio time, and yes, I wanted to make shit shake, but just as I moved with Dio, I was going to move with him.
Beans turned to look at me. “If you think you're going to lose, then you will. If I didn’t think you had it in you, we wouldn’t be here. My words sound fucked up, but it’s the truth. Nobody wants to hear the truth, even a nigga like me. Now, come on.”
It felt good to hear him say he believed in me.
I’ve never gotten that before, and the dim light that I felt before he said those words was now shining.
A nigga was ready. Tonight wasn’t about proving something to Beans, but to myself.
This shit was about conquering the naysayers.
The ones that didn’t believe I was worthy of anything but three hots and a fucking cot.
My talent has been with me since birth, and if I didn’t believe in my abilities, who would?