Page 11 of Blake University: HBCU Chronicles: Brynleigh & A.Z.

brYNLEIGH

“Hello?”

My eyes narrowed at the sound of the unfamiliar voice on the other end of the phone.

Removing the cell phone from my ear, I checked the name on the screen.

I had for sure called Craig, but it wasn’t Craig that answered the phone.

It sounded like an older man and not just any older man.

He sounded like a white older man, and that made my antennas go up.

If it was nothing, Craig could call me back and explain, but I wasn’t talking to whoever was on the other end of the phone.

Especially since Craig and I were supposed to be linking so I could get more pills.

He was supposed to tell me where to meet him, and he hadn’t done so which wasn’t like him.

When I called him to see what was up, some country sounding hillbilly answered his phone freaking me out.

I hung up fast as hell and contemplated blocking the number as my heart pounded in my chest. What if he’d been arrested, and it was the police answering his phone?

“Fuck,” I hissed nervously. What if it was the Feds?

They didn’t need to catch you with drugs to get a conspiracy charge going against you.

If Craig was being investigated, all they needed was his word that I got drugs from him.

Of course, they’d probably watch me for a while.

Maybe even let him set up a time to sell to me, and then they’d move in and catch me in the act. Oh hell nah. I was done.

When I realized that I was pacing, I sat down on the edge of the bed and bounced my left leg anxiously.

It was supposed to be my last reup. I had a decent amount of money saved, but I wanted a few more thousand to add to what I already had.

I was just going to have to put another plan into motion.

Maybe pick up a part-time server job working two to three days a week just for a couple months.

I’d be pissed if I got my first apartment at damn near twenty-five years of age and struggled to pay the bills.

My sister was paying $2,400 a month for her two bedroom. I couldn’t do it that big, but I wanted to live somewhere nice and in a good neighborhood.

“Girl!” my sister burst into the room almost giving me a heart attack.

“What?!” I screeched.

“I was just leaving the mall, and I saw Craig on the side of the road hemmed up. There were like ten police cars out there and drug dogs. Whatever he had it must have been a lot.”

“I knew it!” My head fell back, and I groaned. “I called him, and some white man answered the phone. I just got the feeling it was a police officer, and I hung up.”

“It damn sure was. I’m glad you did because that man is on his way to jail.

I’m sure he has the money to get out if the bond isn’t too high but damn.

That’s why I can’t fall in love with a drug dealer.

Things can be good today and bad tomorrow, and I’m not visiting no prisons.

” Bree’s nose scrunched at the mere thought of visiting someone in prison.

My sister was as shallow as a kiddie pool.

My leg went back to bouncing. “He sold drugs to me. He didn’t buy them from me.

He’s the big fish. I’m sure they’d be pressing him to know who he gets pills from.

Why worry about the lower-level people he sells to.

That would be dumb right?” I was trying my best to use reason and be levelheaded before I stressed myself into a panic attack.

“Exactly. They want the plug plug. What’s the most pills you ever bought at one time?”

“Like one hundred.”

Bree waved my comment off. “Yeah you’re good. There are guys out there copping pills by the thousands. Getting caught with a hundred pills and it’s your first offense, a good lawyer can get you probation. I doubt they’d waste their time coming after you.”

I pushed out a small sigh. My nerves were tore slam up. I needed a drink. I had no pills left, and I was glad. If anyone called me for pills, I wasn’t even telling them I didn’t have any; I just wasn’t going to answer the phone. I wanted no parts of anything drug related.

“You should come out with me tonight. Kelli is pissed because she’s been trying to get at Deonte Malone.

He plays for the Diamond Cove Knights, and no matter how hard she tries to push up on him, he pays her dust. He’s hosting a lil’ party at Club 51 tonight.

She wants to go, but I already know the night can go one of two ways.

He can ignore her and piss her off, or he can give her some attention, and she’ll be happy. ”

I pretty much declined all of my sister’s invitations to hang out with her and her snooty friends.

My sister may have been a little shallow and self-centered, but she’d never choose one of her friends over me.

And if one of her friends rubbed me the wrong way and got cursed out, I’d hate to have her in the middle.

But I was curious to see that one play out.

I didn’t feel any type of way that Deonte hadn’t called me.

I was shocked that he’d even asked for my number in the first place.

“You know I don’t like your friends.”

“Please,” Bree clasped her hands together and poked out her bottom lip. “We never hang out anymore, and sometimes I just need to be around somebody real.”

“Fine.” I rolled my eyes upward. I missed hanging out with her too. Plus, if I stayed home, I’d more than likely just stress and worry about what was up with Craig. For so long, any time I went out it was for the purpose of selling drugs. It would be nice to just be able to relax.

“Yayyyyyy,” Bree jumped up and down and clapped dramatically. “I’m going to go look for something to wear.”

I groaned at the thought of wearing heels.

I was a little girly but more tomboy than anything.

I didn’t judge or tell others what to wear or do, but the club was a time where I wore heels even if I didn’t want to.

It just gave a more grown and sexier vibe than sneakers.

I absolutely loathed them, however, and it reminded me that was another reason why I preferred college kickbacks over the club.

Laying back on the bed, I contemplated what I would wear. My phone rang, and my heart fell into my behind. What if it was Craig or somebody calling me from his phone? I almost panicked when I looked at the unfamiliar number and didn’t recognize it, but it said North Carolina. Maybe it was Deonte.

“Hello?” I answered hesitantly.

“Hey, is this, Brynleigh?”

Breathing a sigh of relief, I briefly closed my eyes. “Yes, this is Brynleigh. Deonte?” I asked skeptically.

“Yeah, I’m back in town. I have a lil’ hosting gig tonight. You should slide through. Then maybe tomorrow we can grab a bite to eat or something.”

Kelli had fake boobs, a fake booty, and a tiny waist. She was also the ‘exotic’ type that men liked to brag about having.

Maybe her reputation made her less desirable, but I couldn’t believe Deonte passing a woman like her up to ask me to come to the club.

I didn’t possess an ounce of low self-esteem, but I was being honest. Kelli fit the athlete girl’s aesthetic way more than I did.

And she damn sure gave hoe vibes. I liked sex, and Deonte was handsome, but he wasn’t getting my goodies simply because he was in the NBA and invited me out.

“My sister literally just asked me to go with her like ten minutes before you called.”

“Your sister knows what’s up.” I could hear the simper in his tone.

“She’s just a social butterfly.”

“And you’re not?”

“It depends. I don’t do well around certain types. I’d rather stay home than be fake.”

“I felt that. We have two sections side by side, but I’ll keep it G with you.

Three of my homeboys, my brother, and my sister will be in the section with me.

You and your girls are good for the other section, but my brother and homeboys will probably invite some chicks in too.

I might not be able to give you a lot of one on one attention, but you and your girls can def drink and chill in the section. ”

“Okay that’s cool. Thank you.”

A devious grin inched across my face. When Kelli found out I was getting us into Deonte’s section, she was going to be pissed.

Kelli came to pick us up in her burnt orange Genesis around midnight. Hailey was already inside the car. Bree and I slid into the back, and my sister had a big shit eating grin on her face. Her door wasn’t even closed all the way before she started rubbing Deonte in Kelli’s face.

“Bryn got us in a section,” she stated casually.

“For real?” Kelli asked. “How did you get a section, Bryn?”

Bree’s grin spread wider. “Deonte invited her and her friends to sit in one of his sections.”

Kelli’s head whipped over her shoulder so fast her neck probably cracked. “How did you get invited into Deonte’s section?”

“Um, can you pay attention to the road, please?” Hailey asked when Kelli came dangerously close to rear ending the car in front of her.

“He came in the shop to get a tattoo, and he asked for my number.”

Kelli didn’t respond right away. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. “He must want a connection at the shop.”

Bree and I frowned simultaneously. “What you mean he wants a connection at the shop? He’s a celebrity, and his money is good. He doesn’t need my sister to link with Penz. That doesn’t even sound logical.”

“Oh, he must be one of those niggas that’s intimidated by a boss bitch.”

My laughter filled the car. “Who’s a boss bitch? Kelli you really trying to play in my face right now. Please let’s not ruin the night, okay?” that was the only warning that she was going to get.

“Playing in your face how?” she feigned innocence. “I’m simply saying, he seems like the type that likes females that don’t go out a lot, aren’t on the scene, won’t try to run his pockets. There’s nothing wrong with being regular.”