Still Hood (14 page)
Authors: K'wan
“Let me tell you something, Lance, I don't give a fuck how you talk to ya little sideline bitches, but for as long as your ass is black you better respect me.”
“Is you fucking crazy? I should knock ya fucking head off!” Lazy went to rush her but True jumped in between them.
“Son, what is you doing?” He held Lazy back.
“Nah, shorty on some bullshit!” Lazy struggled against him, but the heavier True held firm.
“Homey, you the one on some bullshit now. Laze, it ain't none of my business what goes on between you and ya lady, but it is my business to make sure you don't play ya self and wind up in jail. Did you forget where the fuck you are?” True nodded to the police who were now watching with interest.
“You right, I'm bugging.” Lazy took a deep breath. “Denaâ”
“Lazy, miss me with whatever the fuck you're about to say, cause I don't wanna hear it. You've made a fool of me for the last time!” she shouted.
“Why don't you shut the fuck up and listen for a minute!” he shouted back.
“Nigga, you ain't got no papers on me, so I ain't gotta do a muthafuckin thing except stay the fly bitch that I am. Now, if you're finished embarrassing yourself and me, I'm going back to the trailer with my girls to get fucked up.” She started towards Stacks's trailer.
“Dena!” he yelled after her.
“Kill ya self, nigga!” she said over her shoulder. Lazy moved to follow her, but Chiba grabbed him by the arm.
“Dawg, she hot right now. Let her cool off, then try talking to her,” Chiba suggested.
Lazy stood there for a minute, just staring at Dena's back until she disappeared into the trailer. “I need to go for a walk.”
“A'ight, why don't y'all niggaz gimme this walk to the store. I gotta get some more Dutch's,” True said.
“Come on, man,” Chiba steered Lazy towards the avenue.
DENA HAD AN EXTRA BOUNCE
in her step, walking to the trailer on 131st, between the blocks. Inside, she felt like she could die every time she thought about Lazy and the lil bitch from the ave, but she refused to show him that. Being weak for a man was what had her ready to break down in the first place. She had an idea that Lazy was fucking around, but seeing it live and direct just did something to her. Then he had the nerve to try to act like she was the one with the attitude. “Wrong and strong,” she mumbled.
in her step, walking to the trailer on 131st, between the blocks. Inside, she felt like she could die every time she thought about Lazy and the lil bitch from the ave, but she refused to show him that. Being weak for a man was what had her ready to break down in the first place. She had an idea that Lazy was fucking around, but seeing it live and direct just did something to her. Then he had the nerve to try to act like she was the one with the attitude. “Wrong and strong,” she mumbled.
There was a barrel-chested man wearing a tight T-shirt with the word SECURITY scrawled across it. He had a smooth chocolate face with a clean shaven head, putting one in the mind of Tyrese, if he were forty pounds heavier. When he saw Dena approach, the scowl on his face turned into a charismatic grin.
“How you doing?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Been better, but I'm here.”
“I know that's right.” He looked her up and down. “Yo, you did ya thing in the video, ma.”
“Thank you, I was nervous as hell,” she giggled.
“You'd never know it. I've worked on a lot of videos, and you played to the camera better than a lot of chicks I've seen.”
“Maybe because I'm not a chick, I'm a lady,” Dena told him.
He raised his hands in playful surrender. “My fault, ma. Didn't mean to offend.”
“I'm not offended, sweetie, just telling you like it is,” Dena said.
“Fo sho.” He stepped to the side so she could enter. As Dena passed he touched her hand to get her attention. “Are you gonna be in the next scene at the 40/40?”
“I don't know yet. Why, you working that location too?” she asked.
“Oh, I'll be there, but I won't be working. Me and my business partner, Mark, are supposed to be meeting up for some drinks. You should come hang out with us if you're not doing anything.”
“I'll think on it,” she said with a slight smile.
The man handed her a gold business card. “Well, the name is Raheem and this is my contact info. Don't think on it too long though.” He winked.
“Whatever,” she said, stepping into the trailer with Raheem's eyes glued to her ass.
“YO, THERE THAT NIGGA GO RIGHT THERE!”
Charlie said excitedly, as if Sha hadn't seen them already.
Charlie said excitedly, as if Sha hadn't seen them already.
“He ain't got no security wit him. We need to move on his ass and smoke them pussies he walking wit!” Spider said anxiously. He was flicking the safety of his gun back and forth.
“Hold up, y'all ain't said nothing about killing!” Tina, who was behind the wheel, spoke up.
“Mind ya fucking business and keep the engine running, bitch,” Spider snapped.
“The both of y'all shut the fuck up and stop acting like some damn clowns,” Charlie quieted them. “Sha Boogie, what you trying to do?”
Sha Boogie just stared at Jah. He took slow puffs of his cigarette and expelled the smoke before answering Charlie's question. “Let's ride.” With adrenaline pumping through them, the three men stepped from the car and made their way in True's direction.
“JAH, WHAT THE HELL IS
your problem?” Yoshi asked, once they were out of earshot. Jah had led her out of the
projects and over to the front of Gladys Hampton, on 131st Street and Eighth Avenue.
your problem?” Yoshi asked, once they were out of earshot. Jah had led her out of the
projects and over to the front of Gladys Hampton, on 131st Street and Eighth Avenue.
“I could ask you the same, walking up to find that nigga, Stacks, groping my shorty!” Jah shot back.
“First of all, you know how I feel about that âshorty' shit, so please watch it. Second of all, wasn't nobody groping me. Them niggaz was going to get drunk and asked if I wanted to come.”
“And you was on your way back with them to get ya lush on, right?” Jah asked angrily.
Yoshi took a step back and glared at Jah. “You must have a low fucking opinion of me, Jah. Unlike some of us, I don't let business and pleasure overlap or intermingle. I'm here to do a job, not get drunk with Stacks Green and the rest of them hillbilly-ass niggaz. First you kicking the bullshit this morning, now you popping up at my job acting a fool. Jah, what the hell is wrong with you today?”
The impulsive side of him roared for Jah to bark on her and let her know that there was still an animal lurking beneath the surface, but he resisted. Instead, he composed himself and spoke as calmly as he could. “Yoshi, I don't mean to zone out on you like that, but I know how shit goes on these video sets. These rap niggaz be in violation, and I don't know how I feel with you hanging around them all day.”
“Jah, you know every time I do a video I get whoever's starring to give you first dibs on security so we can be on set together, but you're the one thumbing your nose at the jobs.”
“Cause these pussy niggaz get under my skin. How many of these fake-ass thugs throw a little bread around and think they can have whatever they want? Come on, how many of these bitches have fucked Stacks or a member of his crew since they've been in town?”
“And what does that have to do with me?” Jah didn't answer, but the look on his face said a lot. “Oh, so you think I'm out there on some party-girl shit, huh? Baby, I told you that I hung that âChina' shit up when we got together. I can't change what happened in the past, but I can change my mind-set and the way I go about shit.”
Jah opened and closed his hands, trying to get them to stop shaking. “I know,” he said softly. “Its just that when I think of
you maybe being with one of them other niggaz I just blank out.”
you maybe being with one of them other niggaz I just blank out.”
Yoshi placed a hand against his cheek. Just feeling her skin against his quieted Jah's beast. “Jah, for as long as you're doing the right thing you don't have to picture me with anybody but you. You gotta learn to trust me like I trust you.”
“I'm trying, ma, butâ”
“But what? Jah, you know who I was when you got with me, like I knew who you were. I know at times it's a hard pill to swallow, but we agreed we'd try. The same way you worry about me out here chasing niggaz, I wonder if you're gonna come home at night. How many times have I sat up thinking I was gonna get that phone call telling me that you'd been killed out here? Trust is a two-way street.”
Jah put his head down. “I'm sorry, Yoshi. Sorry for what happened earlier and sorry for being paranoid.”
“Jah,” she draped her arms around his neck, “lets not build our relationship on apologies. We just have to do better with understanding what makes the other tick,” she kissed him tenderly on the lips. “Now, how bout I dip outta here early and we go home and have make up sex?”
“I dig the way that sounds. Let me just tell Tech and Spooky ⦔ Jah's words suddenly trialed off and she could feel his heart quickening in his chest. When she went to ask him what's wrong, she found herself thrown to the ground. Dazed, Yoshi looked up to see Jah drawing his gun.
TRUE LED LAZY AND CHIBA
through the crowd, occasionally stopping to sign an autograph or two. Lazy was a few paces behind him, talking to Chiba. Two young ladies had ran up on them and asked for autographs, not even realizing they weren't actually a part of the group. The attention from the ladies took the sting out of the way Dena played him, but he was still tight. They had managed to make it out to the avenue through the throng of young men and women trying to get a glimpse of True. The store directly across from the video shoot only had White Owls, causing the trio to have to venture further up and away from the shoot.
through the crowd, occasionally stopping to sign an autograph or two. Lazy was a few paces behind him, talking to Chiba. Two young ladies had ran up on them and asked for autographs, not even realizing they weren't actually a part of the group. The attention from the ladies took the sting out of the way Dena played him, but he was still tight. They had managed to make it out to the avenue through the throng of young men and women trying to get a glimpse of True. The store directly across from the video shoot only had White Owls, causing the trio to have to venture further up and away from the shoot.
They had almost made it to 132nd Street when Chiba stopped
short. Noticing that he was talking to himself, Lazy turned around and saw three men wearing bandannas around their faces making hurried steps in their direction. By the time True even realized something was about to pop off, Chiba was already in motion. Yanking the small .25 from his pocket, he began firing wildly.
short. Noticing that he was talking to himself, Lazy turned around and saw three men wearing bandannas around their faces making hurried steps in their direction. By the time True even realized something was about to pop off, Chiba was already in motion. Yanking the small .25 from his pocket, he began firing wildly.
Charlie dove to the side, narrowly escaping one of the small bullets as it sparked off the ground. Sha Boogie returned fire with his 9, trying to lay True, who was now scrambling for cover. Spider noticed Jah standing off in the cut with his gun drawn and assumed he was an enemy. From a crouch, he fired two shots in Jah's direction. Jah easily avoided the bullets, but one came dangerously close to where Yoshi was crouched, distracting him. When he turned to shout for her to take cover, a bullet grazed his neck, throwing him off balance.
“Oh shit,” Lazy screamed, as he crawled under a car. From his vantage point he could see True and Chiba banging out with the other gunmen in the middle of the street. Chiba tried to run up on the gunman closest to him to get a better shot, momentarily moving out of Lazy's line of vision. Lazy screamed for him to get down, but the sound of gunfire drowned out his frightened voice. Something heavy crashed into the car he had been hiding under, followed by Chiba's body hitting the ground a few feet away. Lazy looked into his best friend's eyes and watched in horror as the life slowly drained from them.
“Die, niggaz!” Spider roared, firing everywhere at once. He wasn't giving the trigger of his pistol a break, but his untrained arm hit more inanimate objects than targets. A flicker of movement caught his attention, causing him to turn and fire. There was a sound of a body hitting the ground behind one of the front pillars of the entrance to Gladys Hampton, but when Spider saw a female hand flop from behind it he knew that he had missed his target. He was about to move closer, but a wailing coming from somewhere near the lobby froze him in place.
JAH LAY AGAINST THE WALL
of the Gladys Hampton lobby, breathing like he had just run a marathon. His eyes were fixed on Yoshi, who was laying on the ground bleeding from a hole Jah
couldn't see, but he couldn't force himself to go to her. Seeing his lover down tipped the balance between madness and sanity in his mind and Jah howled. Instead of moving to check Yoshi, he stepped from behind the pillar with his weapon at the ready.
of the Gladys Hampton lobby, breathing like he had just run a marathon. His eyes were fixed on Yoshi, who was laying on the ground bleeding from a hole Jah
couldn't see, but he couldn't force himself to go to her. Seeing his lover down tipped the balance between madness and sanity in his mind and Jah howled. Instead of moving to check Yoshi, he stepped from behind the pillar with his weapon at the ready.
Spider saw Jah come into view, but there was something in the man's eyes that made him hesitate for a second. This was all the time Jah needed to put a bullet through his head, and dump three more in his chest as he passed him. Thinking about nothing but the kill, Jah started walking towards Sha and Charlie, popping shots. People screamed and ran for cover as bullets lit the corner of 131st and Eighth, but Jah kept firing.
Tina pulled to the curb and motioned for Sha to get in. Knowing when to bow out, he quickly did so. Charlie jumped out from behind a car and popped two shots at Jah. Jah acted like he hadn't even noticed as he turned and fired on Charlie. Charlie and Sha were just thugs shooting guns; Jah was a skilled killer. The first bullet exploded Charlie's shoulder, and he was saved from the second one when he fell behind the car. Before Jah could finish him, a car pulled up and Charlie's remaining comrades pulled him inside and peeled off. Jah continued to fire at the car until his clip and his soul were empty.
“JAH, GIMME THE HAMMER!” SPOOKY
shook him.
shook him.
Jah blinked and looked up at his friend as if he didn't understand what he was saying. At first he thought that the ordeal might've been a bad dream, but when he looked down and saw Yoshi laying unconscious in his arms he knew it was real. Her pulse was faint and she didn't respond when he shook her. Her clothes were so bloody that he didn't even know where to begin looking for the wound.
“You hear me talking to you, nigga? Gimmie the fucking strap before the bulls get here!” Spooky shook him roughly. Finally realizing what was going on, he handed Spooky the gun and watched him disappear around the corner.
“I'm sorry, baby,” he sobbed over her, and then listened as the sounds of sirens closed in on him.
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