Vicious Is The Name That They Gave Me: A Philly Story (17 page)

Chapter 26

Kassidy

“Are you cool Kas?” Tamika asked. She knew when something was bothering me.

“Besides what Chanelle did, I’m cool,” I lied to her. I am not doing well. I wanted to beat the hell out of Chanelle.
As if that will knock some sense in to her, probably not.
I should put her out of her misery.
But I can’t.
I can sit in the car and name everything I want to do to her. I can actually come up with ideas and not do any of them. No matter how mad I am with Chanelle or what she does, I will always find it in my heart to forgive her nutty ass. I don’t know where I am going to find forgiveness, but I’m sure it will happen.
Only time will tell when it actually does happen.
Tamika took her phone out of her pocket as it vibrated. I can tell she didn’t want to answer, but she did anyway.

“Yeah, Mae,” she greeted. “No I don’t know. Well, I’ll look for it when I get in the house. Whatever, you know, - alright, Mae. Alright then, I’ll deal with it later,” Tamika said as she hung up and put the phone on her lap.

“Is everything alright?” I asked her.

“Yeah, it’s Mae and her crazy ass! Umm, Kas,” Tamika called my name is a strange tone.

“Yeah,” I wondered what she was going to say next.

“Do you know some girl name Kiyah?” she asked.
Kiyah? Do I? I know so many females that I forget their names.
I would have to see what she looks like.

“Naw, don’t ring a bell. Why?” I asked her.

“Okay, do you know some girl name Paris?” she asked.
Where are these girls’ names coming from? What am I missing?

“What is up with all these questions?” It was time I started getting some answers.

“Calm down Kas,” she said.

“I wasn’t even that hype,” I told her.

“Uh, yea, you were. Kiyah and Paris are the ones that robbed you,” she informed. After Chanelle kicked everybody out, I went and hung out with Tamika. I told her what happen at the party with the safe.
Kiyah? Paris? Who the fuck are these girls? Why have I never heard of them?

“Who are they? Do they have a problem with somebody in my squad?” I asked her.

“Yeah, ya sister, it’s you. Kassidy your sister is in some real deep shit and you are too. Mae really meant it when she told you that the other day.” Tamika reminded me what happened when I was over her house with Mae. Mae was about to be unconscious if I had put my hands on her. I kept that in mind. Come to think of it, Mae is always finding out some shit.
I am starting to question how she knows these things. Like bitch, whose side are you on for real?

“People still think I shot Dymond?” I asked her.
You need to ask why the hell Dymond was down there with the people. But nobody is going to ask that. That’s too smart of them to do.

“Not only that, you snitched on Nelly,” Tamika informed.
No I didn’t. Who the fuck is lying about me?

“No, I didn’t. I told you what happened when we went out there,” Now I was starting to get hyper.

“I know, I know,” Tamika said trying to calm me down.
Too late, I’m already on ten.

“Well, what do Kiyah and Paris have to do with this?” I asked.

“They work for Tonya,” she answered. My head dropped.
The fuckery I deal with.

“Get the fuck out of here, stop playing,” I told her. I didn’t want to believe that. Tonya needs to stop playing. She is not the only one with a squad and goons.
Like the bitch doesn’t really want the work.
As I think about the other day the incident that happened in the bathroom at the party when Vicious was fighting that girl, she was beating her ass.
I think her name was Kiyah.
Most likely, Tamika is talking about her.

“Nobody is playing. Tonya is sending Paris and Kiyah to you and your sister because of what you did with Nelly and Chanelle because she was fucking Dollah,” Tamika informed.
Well isn’t this some shit.
Instead of Tonya coming to me directly, she sends bitches after me. Tonya would never confront me anyway. I am not even worried about her.
She doesn’t want that work.
What I am trying to understand is why they are going back and forth over a dead dick.
Get over it, the niggah is dead. She was under his benefits or something. It isn’t like the niggah had social security or pension.

“I’m not worried about Tonya, she isn’t about anything,” I told Tamika as I took out a bag of weed to roll up.
I need to ease my nerves.

“Apparently she is. Since she was able to get into where the safe was,” Tamika made a point. She is good at getting people to steal for her. What I am really concerned about is who told her where the safe would be.
Someone in this squad is a traitor. Now I am going to have to be on guard. I need to watch the girls around me and who may come after me.
“I know she pretty much screwed you over and all, I hate to say this,” She paused. “Tonight might be your last night,” Tamika said. I looked at her in disbelief.
Well damn, our last night, though.

“Well damn, what else is about to happen because it sounds like you know more than what you are saying,” I told Tamika.
Why would she even say shit like that? Is she with Tonya too?
At this point, my trust in people was starting to diminish. Despite the number of things Chanelle put me through, I still forgave her and I will always have her back. Even though she used my name to get out on bail, I still forgave her. And even when she used my car as a getaway while doing some shit with Retta and got it totaled, I still forgave her. I never really did anything to hurt Chanelle.
That’s my fucking sister. She is all I have and all I had.
What happened between Chanelle and Roc, I’m slowly getting over it. I’m over him but now over what she did with him.
Why do I keep forgiving her? I don’t know, she’s my sister.
People in the world would fuck you over and so can family.

I closed my eyes and thought about what I was going to do in the little time I had
since we are about to die according to Tamika and her eavesdropping sister.
I thought about the old times Chanelle and I had together. I remember Chanelle and I stole over five hundred grand. When we got back to the city we booked ourselves a vacation with the other girls in the squad and went to Jamaica. Back then, everyone was loyal to each other. All the girls had their own individual reasons for being in the squad. I remember when we all were there for each other. At that time no one was getting killed. Yes, we were doing shit, but no one was dying. I remember we used to have barbeques at the house, throw parties, and had several movie nights. I remember the night we were in the back of the house sitting on the deck and we all shared our stories. Memories were made as emotions were being revealed. I used to look at these girls as my sisters. I use to love being around them. I use to have respect for them. We always had each other, were
ridahs.
We were getting so much exposure around the city just from our name alone,
Tha Philly Ridahs.
Bitches wanted to join our squad. Niggahs wanted to be our goons.
We were the shit. No one could fuck with us, we stood as a team.

I remember the time we came back from somewhere. I forgot where but we were standing in line waiting to get our boarding pass when a lady walked by and bumped Chanelle. Chanelle turned around to the lady.

“Excuse you, I know you saw me standing here. What the fuck! Show some respect with your bald headed ass,” Chanelle said loud enough that everyone near could hear. The people in line started to laugh. The lady suddenly turned around and walked back towards Chanelle.

“What did you say? You better get the fuck out before you get fucked up around here,” The lady said getting real hype. Chanelle was already having a bad day, she just charged towards the lady. Next thing I know the lady was on the floor. It happened so fast.

“Recognize this face bitch, because the next time I’m going to take you out of your misery,” Chanelle threatened. She is such a bully. And the other girls from the squad were standing around making sure authorities were not heading our way. I guess what I am trying to say is, at one point in time we always had each other’s backs. We have gotten into some crazy things, and as long as we had each other, we were able to handle anything. I laughed to myself. I’m always going to love my sister.
I am going to try and get Chanelle and me out of this mess.

“Kassidy. Kassidy,” Tamika yelled at me. I was in a deep daze.

“Huh,” I answered.

“Did you hear me?” she asked me.

“No, what did you say?” I asked her, smoking my blunt. I don’t remember Tamika asking me anything.

“I said Mae’s source told her. They saw Paris and Kiyah break into the safe. What are you going to do?” Tamika asked me.

“I’m going to figure something out,” I told her.

“Wow,” She was surprised.

“What? Can’t I help my sister out?” I asked her. Mae put Tamika through so much shit and Tamika is always helping her get out of it.
Or is it what’s good for one is not good for the other? However, that saying goes.

“No I didn’t say that. I just said wow. No matter what you still come through for your sister. That’s some real unconditional love,” She said.
Yeah it is.

“So where can I find Kiyah and Paris?” I asked her inhaling and exhaling my blunt.

“There’s more to this,” She added.
What now?

“Say it,” I told her.

“Don’t you think they knew where the safe was because someone in your squad said something?” she asked. I thought of that same question as well. I already knew one of these bitches, just which one or is it all.

“Who?” I knew Tamika knew.

“Ceyanna and Vicious,” She said.
Huh?

“What?” I was in shock. I really am. I don’t know how Mae finds things out, but Ceyanna and Vicious? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Just like how people are saying I set Nelly and I killed Dymond. I don’t know what was true and what wasn’t true.

“You know Nelly is right,” She told me.
This bitch.
For the last time I did not set her up. She got caught and I got away. It’s just that simple. Furthermore, let’s get this war popping.
May the baddest bitches in Philly win, which we will.

“Alright,” I told her.

“When you leave the meeting come straight to my house,” Tamika said.

“Alright,” I was ready for war.

              When Tamika pulled up around the back of the chambers, she turns towards me. Tamika has been everything; a real friend anyone could ask for. I don’t know how to thank her for everything. I started to think about our times back in the day. I remember the time I came to her and told her I was pregnant and wanted an abortion. I got pregnant at a young age and I wasn’t ready to be a mother at the time. The more Tamika talked to me, the more I thought about not having an abortion. I wasn’t ready for parenthood. I knew we would not be ready for that. I named my son Carmelo after his father who is C-Roc. I asked my Aunt Bethany to look after him until I find a way to get away from this life. I didn’t want raise my son around this type of life. He deserves better. Roc understood my decision but it’s not like he goes with me to visit him or sends him any money.
He is such a fucking dead beat father.
Every month I send my aunt money for her to take care of him and visit him twice a month. Hopefully I will get out of this life soon, so I can go back to my son. Soon I will be ready for him to come home and call my name while running into my arms. Carmelo is three years old now. I had him when I was thirteen. I do not regret having my son. I regret letting my sister talk me into joining the squad. When all of this is over I am going to get my son and live a normal life, you know not being in the streets. I have to give Tamika credit for being such a great godmother to Carmelo. She truly is a blessing.

“You know I’ve got your back one hundred percent right,” Tamika thought she had to remind me. She didn’t have to. I know if anything goes down, Tamika will be right there.

“Yeah, I know. Thank you,” I told her. Still thinking about my life I began to get emotional. She saw the tears running down my face. Her eyes started to get watery as well.
Like I said we are always there for each other.

“Don’t cry, Kas, it’s going to be okay. We are going to get through to this girl,” She leaned over to hold me in her arms to comfort my weeping. All the pain I ever felt, I let out and cried.

“I want to be with my son. I want to go back to my son. I don’t want him to be without me. I’m his mother,” I cried. I was holding it in for too long. I don’t want this life anymore.

“Don’t cry. You are a tough woman, a soldier in disguise. Nobody can break you down Kas. You’re my girl and I love you like you my own sister. Tamika continued to empower me.

              Tamika knows I don’t want this life anymore. I do not want to live like this anymore. Sometimes when you get caught up in things, you have to live with it and sometimes it’s hard to leave. You have to sacrifice your life every day to make that dollar.
Putting my life at risk, was it worth it?
The money is so good, it takes care of all your financial problems like the mortgage, rent, car note, car insurance, shoes, and clothes.
The money was so good.
After a while you start to feel as though you are living the good life, the high life, being on top of the world.
So why stop? I can’t stop now. I’m just getting into my prime. I need more and to hustle more, rob more and steal more. After a while, you feel untouchable. You feel as though you have power.
I did all that for dollars, more dollars, and more dollars.
I did it for Carmelo, my son.
I saved up enough to buy a house for my son and I and enroll him in a private school. I have invested in stocks so when Carmelo gets older and he says he wants to go to college, he’s able to.
All he has to do is pick a school and his major. Tuition will be paid in full. He’s not going to need a student loan.
I saved up enough money so I can go back to school. I want to go back and get my diploma so I can go to college and get my degree. So I can help people like myself caught up in this shit, become a therapist. It’s time for a change. After all of this, I will make that change.
For my son and I, it’s time to change.