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The ride was quiet, and although I wanted to ask Beans so many questions, I decided against it.
I knew what it was like to have a dark past and to try to do whatever you could to keep it from the world.
I thought after leaving his people’s cribs, we were headed toward the school.
However, we pulled into another neighborhood where the homes seemed just as big as his people’s.
It made me feel weird and shit because a nigga like me had been living in Toussaint all my life and hadn’t seen this part of town.
When he pulled into one of the driveways, he looked at me.
“I’ve always been a loyal nigga. I fuck with you because I see the potential.
I’m also loyal to my crew. So, if you and I are going to be working together, whatever you and Dio have needs to be squashed.
But first, the gang has to meet you and know who you are beyond what they think. Get out,” he grumbled.
I nodded. I knew the time would come when I would have to see all of the Zoo face to face, but despite what Beans felt I should do, what Keith thought meant a lot to me. “I’m going to do this, but Keith is my priority. So, whether these niggas like me or not, my loyalty is with my brother.”
“If you say so,” he muttered as he got out of the car.
I followed behind him as he led the way.
We didn’t enter the house; instead, we went around back.
As soon as we came around the corner, all eyes were on us.
When I saw Bishop and Bleek, I felt a little more at ease.
It was a bunch of niggas sitting around.
We stepped on the back deck as I had now become the center of attention.
Beans pointed. “That’s Preach, Diamond, Foe, Zu, Monfua,” he paused.
“Peanut, Bishop, and Bleek, who you know already, and that there is Chevy,” he finished.
I turned to him curiously, “Where is Mali?”
Since hearing about his accident, I had been waiting to talk to him. “He’s being cared for. Why do you care?” Monfua gritted.
The animosity that hung in the air was thick. “Look, I know that shit between him and me looks bad, but—”
“But what, crab in the barrel ass nigga? You wanted him to go down like you?” Foe spat.
Bishop stepped up. “Mali wasn’t a saint, so slow your roll. I’m sure all of us have done some fucked up shit in our day.”
Chevy sat there, tilting his head side to side as he watched me.
He placed a blunt to his lips and lit it.
The nigga took a few puffs before he nodded for me to sit.
Foe lifted and snatched the lighter from the table.
“Do you smoke, because we get high over here?” he asked as he pulled a blunt from his ear and sparked up.
I nodded slowly. “Here then, nigga,” Diamond said, handing me an already rolled blunt.
The sound of lighters sparking was like rapid fire as all of them, except Preach and Monfua, started to smoke.
Zu came and sat next to me. He pulled on his blunt before he blew out the smoke that he held in his lungs.
“I’m trying to figure out why I should like you because my brother doesn’t,” he gritted.
“Shit, I guess we’re feeling the same way because I’m going to step ten toes for mine,” I shot back.
“Look, all a nigga want to do is rap. I’m here trying to get in where I fit, but I ain’t no bitch, so if this is some tactic to scare me, the shit ain’t working.
Ayo Beans, what the fuck is this?” I pointed as I looked at him.
Beans pulled on his blunt before speaking, “We’re chilling. We know you can hold your own, and we all know you ain’t scared. Just vibe, let the niggas feel you out.”
Chevy stood as he continued to smoke. “Dio, that nigga can be off the chain, but he has also been through a lot. We cannot control how he feels or what he thinks about you. However, what we can control is what we think. Honestly, I’m not the nigga to turn enemies into bffs.
I’m a nigga who’s trying to figure out what the fuck is going on around me.
Bishop told me what happened. All I want to know is what those muhfuckas up to.
You can keep all that other shit where it’s at,” Chevy said.
It was something about his presence that changed everything.
This couldn’t be the same man that Naheem and Clark hated so much.
However, the way the nigga moved, I could see why he could be a threat.
I shrugged as I had now started smoking too.
“I don’t know what you did, but them muhfuckas hate you.
They want you gone. Only advice I can give is watch your back. ”
“Oh yeah, is that what they said, I need to watch my back?”
I took a double pull this time, filling my lungs with the weed they had given me. I began coughing so hard I could barely breathe. Foe and Diamond began laughing, “This is that gas. If you ain’t choking, nigga, you ain’t smokin’,” Foe smirked.
I nodded as I smiled, my eyes lowering to Foe, “Is this some Cali shit?”
“I thought you knew Cali got the best gas,” he replied.
Chevy glanced at Bishop, Beans, then me. “He a’ight. Keep his ass close because if they’re after Bishop or me, they’ll find him, and I won’t be too far behind.”
“Honestly, they haven’t told me anything, but they’re up to something. All I care about is protecting my brother. So as long as that little nigga safe, we can go to war,” I said to all of them.
Chevy nodded. “I fuck with it. You sound like someone I know,” he said as he looked at Zu. “We don’t have anything against you, but Dio, that’s something you niggas need to sort out. Smoke up, nigga, thanks for the info,” he finished as he and Bishop walked into the house.
I wasn’t sure what would happen from here, but to me, the Zoo was straight. I just needed to figure out what the fuck happened between Keith and Dio so we could all move on.