Enough Of The Drama (5 page)

   Just the thought of Whitey climbing his big, nasty, greasy ass on top of her nearly caused the contents of her stomach to make an exit.

   “Nigga you must be crazy if you think I’m letting you anywhere near this pussy. Nigga I wouldn’t fuck you if you were the last man on earth and my life depended on it. I’d choose death first.”

   “Oh I see you one of them stuck up bitches,” Whitey growled turning his face in disgust at her slick comment. “I’m a have to take your ass down a notch,” he said roughly grabbing her arm.

   As soon as he touched her China smacked him hard in the face causing spit to fly out of his mouth. She shoved him with all her might in an attempt to get around him; she knew she was no match for this grizzly bear. Whitey managed to recover. He grabbed her by the arm and backhanded her.

   “Bitch you’ve lost your fuckin’ mind,” he growled as he stared at her with death in his eyes.

   China fell into the wall and watched as stars momentarily circled her head from the hard blow she was given. She could taste the blood on her lips and she could feel it beginning to swell. She tenderly touched her lip and eyed Whitey with just as much contempt. Her anger didn’t allow her to think clearly, from the outside looking in anyone in their right mind would have ran for cover but not China.

   She gritted her teeth and dug her stiletto heel into Whitey’s knock-off gator boots. He howled in pain but the palm of China’s hand connecting with his nose temporarily distracted him from the pain that shot through his foot. He stumbled backwards caught off guard. Anger shot through his entire body pissed beyond words that China had laid hands on him again.

   Nene walked out of the playroom all smiles calculating the money she just earned in her head. Despite the large amount of change she was just dropped, it wouldn’t do much to improve her way of living only feed her growing habit.

   “Hey . . . bitch you ready to go-,” Nene’s voice trailed off immediately picking up on the deadly tension that hung in the air. “What the hell is going on?” Nene asked looking from China to Whitey once she noticed they were both leaking blood.

   “I’m a dead this bitch,” Whitey hissed through clenched teeth.

   “Nigga you ain’t gon’ do shit,” China snapped back, unfazed by the look of death in his eyes.

   “I don’t make threats bitch,” Whitey growled quickly flashing his blade that never left his side.

   China froze once she noticed the all too familiar shiny metal staring her dead in the face. She cursed under her breath for not having her own.

   “China, what the fuck did you do?” Nene began to panic, knowing that Whitey would make good on his threat.

   “Aye Whitey you might want to slow ya’ roll a little bit.”

   Whitey looked over his shoulder and sucked his teeth recognizing the all too familiar face. “Clay this ain’t got shit to do with you.”

   “See that’s where you wrong. You see that girl right there,” Clay said pointing to China. “That’s my home girl, so if you fucking wit her, you fucking wit me. Lay a hand on her and I’m a own you and everything up in this bitch.”

   Whitey gritted his teeth because he knew Clay meant business. Clay has been out the game for a while now, but his name still made niggas hearts beat with fear. He reluctantly put his blade away for now, but this was far from over. There is no way he’s going let some bitch get away with disrespecting him in his own establishment. He gave China one last look before limping away.

   Clay kept his eyes on Whitey the entire time keeping his trigger finger ready until he was out of sight. He couldn’t stand, Whitey. Clay pegged Whitey as a wanna-be thug, but he was just an overweight bully and only picked on the weak. He made a big mistake by fucking with China.

   “Sup, China,” Clay said looking over his shoulder to make sure the coast was still clear. He didn’t want to stick around in the club too long so he hoped to make his sudden appearance short and to the point.

   Instead of acknowledging Clay, China curled up her lips and simply walked around him. “Nene you ready?” she asked over her shoulder.

   “Damn, China I don’t even get a thank you?” Clay interjected before Nene could respond.

   “For what?”

   “I just saved your life.”

   “Nigga please, I could have handled that on my own. Nene you ready?” she asked again.

   “Girl I ain’t trying to roll out there just yet. Not after what just went down,” Nene replied, her bladder heavy with fear. She didn’t want to get caught in Whitey’s crossfire for being guilty by association. She wasn’t even sure if she even had a job now because of China.

   China shook her head and smirked. “And you call yourself the baddest bitch.”

   “I can walk y’all outside,” Clay offered.  

   “No thanks,” China quickly replied. She didn’t want to be anywhere near him.

   “Excuse me!” Nene said crossing her arms across her chest. “I don’t mind living another day. I’m rolling with you playboy,” Nene said hooking her arm in his. “This bitch swear she
Coffee Brown
or some damn body.”

   “Whatever,” China said sucking her teeth and walking ahead of them.

  
Who the hell this nigga think he is? He ain’t getting shit from me,
China thought to herself.

   China walked right through the club mean mugging Whitey who was now sitting at the bar surrounded by his bodyguards. Clay kept close watch making sure nobody wanted to prove their gangsta. China flipped Whitey the finger adding fuel to the fire before slipping out into the brisk weather of January, allowing the cold air to numb her senses. Seeing Clay bought back unwanted memories. He’s the reason Dre is dead, and she isn’t ready to forgive just yet.

   “Thank you Clay,” Nene purred her light brown eyes glowing underneath the moonlight. Clay is definitely eye candy with his smooth caramel skin, full pink lips and dreamy hazel eyes. To her he looked like a taller version of T.I. His hair is full of perfect waves, enough to make you seasick. She wouldn’t mind letting him melt in her mouth. His act of bravery had her panties moist all over again, and she was ready to fuck.

   “No, problem,” he said unhooking his arm from hers. “Look, China I-,”

   “Save it,” China said holding up her hand, cutting him off in midsentence. “Can you unlock the door?” Nene did as she was told. China quickly hopped into Nene’s Honda Accord and turned her entire body the opposite direction to avoid eye contact with Clay. She was on the verge of breaking down, but she sucked it up and somehow managed to keep her composure.

   Clay looked at China and simply shook his head.
She still stubborn
, he thought to himself.
This is going to be harder than I thought.
“A’ight y’all be safe,” Clay said backing away from the car.

   “Wait,” Nene said grabbing his arm. “I really appreciate what you did back there. Is there anyway I can get your number so that we can keep in touch?”

   Clay eyed Nene up and down. He had to admit she wasn’t hard on the eyes at all. The way her ass filled out the low rider jeans she wore had his manhood standing at attention, but she had a reputation. He wasn’t feeling that. “Nah, I’m good.”

   Nene dropped her jaw and slowly picked her face up off the ground.
Damn, he just played me
, she thought to herself as she made her way to the driver’s side. “Well, thanks again,” she shouted before ducking into the car.

   Clay watched them leave. China never even bothered to look his way. He wasn’t expecting her to embrace him with open arms, but he didn’t think she would be this cold. He knew she still blamed him for what happened to Dre, he still blamed himself. Dre always tried to talk to him about leaving the street life alone and go legit, but Clay being young was in love with being a thug and all that came with it. He was stacking paper, kept plenty of ice, and pussy was being thrown at him on a daily basis. But like Biggie Smalls said
more money more problems.
His status in the streets, made him the target of many, like his second in command of his operation, Mince.

   Mince was greedy and wanted to take over the empire that Clay had worked so hard and effortlessly to build. Mince put a hit out on Clay, but in the casualties of war stray bullets don’t have names. Clay and Dre just left the strip club after making it rain on them hoes, down in Baltimore. As always Clay got pissy drunk, automatically assigning Dre as the designated driver. The windows were tinted deep on his chromed out Denali, so the shooter assumed that Clay was driving. They were both hit but Dre’s wounds were fatal. He died that night in Clay’s arms before they even made it to the hospital. Clay shook his head to relieve himself of the memory. He still had nightmares about it.

   A year and half has gone by since Dre passed, and he could see that the wounds are still fresh for China. She didn’t show any love, and it stung his heart. China was like a sister and he loved her just as much as Dre did.

   A part of him wanted to say fuck it, but he made a promise to Dre that he would take care of her. He knew he let his boy down when Ms. Adams called and told him she thought China was doing drugs again. The glossy look in her eyes as he watched her perform on stage confirmed his suspicions. She lost a lot of weight and she looked different. He already let his boy down once he vowed he wouldn’t do it again.

Chapter 6

   “You know I should smack the shit outta you, right?” China snapped at Nene.

   “For what?” Nene asked, rolling her eyes and snaking her neck. “If anything I should be the one smacking the shit outta your black ass after that shit that went down tonight. Both of our lives could be in danger. China you can’t be going around wildin’ out like that. Whitey is just no ordinary nigga, he got clout in the streets.”
   China laughed. “Nene, do you even know what the fuck clout means? You probably heard somebody say it.”

   “Stop hatin’.”

   “No, Ne on some real shit though, you wrong. You know how I feel about Clay. He’s the reason Dre is dead.”

   Nene rolled her eyes unfazed by China’s sad story. “China, get over it. What happened to Dre was a mistake. You need to move on.”

   China stared hard and long at Nene trying to process what she just said. “Wait,” she laughed. “Did you just tell me to get over it?”

   “Yeah,” Nene said, nodding her head.

   “You know you are getting real bold. Dre was the love of my life Nene, how the fuck do you get over that?”

   “Simple, just find a new dick to fall in love with.”

   “What! Nene whateva,” China said giving her friend the wave of her hand ready to dismiss her. “Not everybody opens up their legs or falls in love with the first dick they meet,” China said rolling her eyes and looking out the window. Nene knew how China felt about Dre, and for her to come out and say something so nonchalantly really hurt.

   “Excuse me?”

   “I ain’t stutter Ne, you heard me loud and clear.”

   “Fuck you China! I ain’t no hoe.”

   “Okay, could have fooled me. What were you doing in the playroom?” China asked placing a finger on her chin. “Oh that’s right making extra money. Is that what they call it now days?”

   Nene swerved and brought her car to an abrupt stop. “Get the fuck out,” Nene snapped.

   China didn’t even flinch, only laughed at Nene’s sudden display of courage. She simply folded her arms across her chest and looked Nene directly in the eyes. “Make me.”

   Nene knew she was no match for China’s crazy ass. She reluctantly put her car back in drive and pulled off nearly colliding with a Ford Explorer, but she didn’t care she’d just been punked in her own car.

  
That’s a’ight though, payback is a bitch
she thought to herself.

*   *   *

   China hopped out of Nene’s car without so much as a good-bye, thank you or kiss my ass.

   “Close my damn door China,” Nene yelled.

   China ignored her and kept on strutting to her front door. “Fuck that half way bitch,” she muttered under her breath.

   “She so damn childish, get on my damn nerves,” Nene grunted as she leaned over and slammed her passenger side door before peeling out of China’s driveway.

   China unlocked the door to her house and walked in with a heavy heart. She dragged herself to the living room and placed her bags in the middle of the floor. She hated being alone. She wrapped her arms around herself as stolen memories echoed off the walls, making her encounter with Clay that much harder to endure.

   “Dre, I can’t do this without you,” she cried as she dropped to her knees. Her heart was heavy with agony from a love she couldn’t restore. Sometimes she wished she’d never met him at all. She reached in her bag and pulled out her pipe. She lit it and inhaled deeply.

  
“You know I love you right?” Dre asked, running his fingers through her hair as they snuggled on the couch watching The Five Heartbeats.

   “Yeah nigga,” she joked, closing her eyes for a moment savoring his intimate touch. She could never grow tired of his touch it was something about his hands.

   “Soooo, when are you going to have my baby?”

   China laughed and looked at him sideways. “When you put a ring on this finger.”

   “Okay bet, so that should be within the next nine months right.”

   “Dre, what are you talking about?” China asked sitting up. When she sat up Dre pulled out a ring and got down on one knee.
   “China baby, will you do this honor in completing me, and be my wife. Will you marry me?”

   China covered her mouth tears instantly leaking from her eyes. “Yes, baby. Yes,” she managed to say through tears.

   “Thank you baby,” he said scooping her up in his arms and twirling her around in the air.

  
China closed her eyes and smiled at the memory. “Love shouldn’t hurt this much,” she mumbled to herself as she curled up in the fetal position and cried like a baby.