Page 2 of Breaking the Rules

TWO

“I know you’re fuckin’ lying!” Savanhi’s voice came in a roar.

Her eyes and brain both trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

The disbelief of the action still not settling into her nervous system – yet.

What she knew was that the sounds of music blasting drowning out noises she should’ve heard from the front door was still blasting through the small apartment, the clothes strung from the front door to her bedroom should’ve been indicators that some bullshit was taking place, and that the car that should’ve been used to pick her up from the dance studio was still parked outside.

Neither Janiyah, her best friend, nor her boyfriend, Brixx, could hear her roar over the music.

They were still fuckin in her bed like they owned this apartment.

Savanhi, having been raised right around the corner, was L.O.

through and through, but she avoided fighting at every possible turn.

But today – today they were bringing it out of her.

She spun on the balls of her delicate dancer feet, grabbed the speaker to the stereo, and launched it right at them. The speaker slammed her so-called best friend in the back of the head and knocked her off of Brixx.

“What the fuck?” Brixx shouted, watching Janiyah fall off of the bed. The moment he spotted Savanhi, he jumped up and covered himself as if she wasn’t familiar with what he looked like naked. “Why the fuck are you here?”

It was the audacity of him to question her as if she were the one that was caught red-handed riding his best friend. There was no evidence of pain in Savanhi’s eyes yet, only rage. She picked up the other speaker and with all her might, threw it at him. Brixx ducked as it barely missed his head.

Savanhi zipped across the room, grabbed Janiyah by her hair and began punching her. Yes, Brixx was her man, but Janiyah was her best friend and had been so since the fourth grade. That was betrayal she couldn’t stomach.

Janiyah, still dizzy from the speaker knocking her across the head, tried to cover her face and guard her body but there was no amount of self-preservation that could go up against Savanhi and the way she fought.

She was raised by her brother and male cousins – all Crimson Kings.

She was from 74 th and Huey, fighting was her rite of passage, and Janiyah knew that.

She was cursed with being the pretty girl in the hood who niggas tripped over themselves to get to but could never come close enough. The menacing, tattooed men she called family were to thank for that. She also had them to thank for her hands.

Brixx pulled her off and tossed her on the bed. It was telling the way he was willing to protect Janiyah but didn’t give a damn about her feelings. A second didn’t pass as Brixx attempted to help Janiyah up before Savanhi jumped on his back and dug her nails, in need of a fill, into his eyes.

“Stupid ass, bitch ass, dirty dick ass nigga! My best friend?”

“Agh!” Brixx groaned, flinging her off him. “You dumb, bitch!”

He turned around and mushed her face into the mattress he was just fucking another woman on. “Why you always got to do dumb shit? Huh? All you got to do is mind your fucking business. Shit!”

Running off adrenaline, Savanhi hopped right back up – kicking and landing punches of her own. “I’m going to have my brother fuck you up, nigga. Putting your hands on me. Bitch ass bitch!”

Janiyah was quickening down the hall, trying to get away from the ass-whopping she was never going to escape.

She’d made an enemy out of a woman who loved her for her and never judged her.

Savanhi shoved her forward watching her stumble and fall before gripping her hair by the tracks and dragging her out of the apartment.

“I move you into my apartment because your momma put you out. I feed you. I help you get back on your feet and you climb your ass into my bed and fuck my man? You lost your fuckin’ mind, bitch,” Savanhi grumbled, hitting Janiyah’s naked body on every stair from the third floor to the first.

“I’m sorry, Vanhi!” Janiyah cried out.

“I don’t give a fuck about none of that I’m sorry shit!” Savanhi shouted back. “Out of everyone, you hurt me?!”

Almost out of breath, Savanhi reached the corridor of the first floor. Janiyah was naked and bawling her eyes out. “I didn’t mean to. It just happened. I’m sorry. I have nowhere to go.”

“Both of you dirty ass bitches are not going to have anywhere to go. You can save all the crying shit.”

“Please, don’t do me like this. I’m sorry.”

Savanhi started back up the steps to the third floor. “Girl, fuck you and them tears.”

She wasn’t done with her rage. Brixx was creeping down the opposite staircase leaving Janiyah a mess. Her mind was already made up, Brixx would have a gang of Crimson Kings to fight off and Janiyah, she could crawl through Volts as far as she cared.

Back in the apartment, Savanhi zipped through, gathering their clothes and other belongings and tossing them over the balcony.

The neighbors were going to pick through it before either of them returned for it.

Brixx’s sneaker collection, tossed. Janiyah’s designer bags she sucked and fucked for, tossed.

Brixx’s gold chains he got from the Mega Mart, tossed.

The wigs Janiyah had custom-made with some married man’s money, tossed.

That, and whatever else they’d left behind.

Back inside the apartment, she had her brother and cousin on speakerphone recapping the moments that led her to this point of insanity.

“Why are you out of breath?” Zayden, her brother questioned, joining the FaceTime call.

Lawryn muttered. “I asked her that too but for the last five minutes she’s been ripping back and forth.”

“I’m getting this nigga’s shit out of my apartment,” Savanhi finally spoke up.

That made Zayden sit up and look into the camera, brows furrowed, ribbons of weed spoke dancing around his rich brown skin. “You doin’ what?”

“I don’t believe it myself,” Lawryn stated as Savanhi came back into view holding a duffle bag. “What’s that?”

“Zay, you gave him some work? Come and get it before I throw it out too,” Savanhi huffed.

“Girl. Stop and tell us what the hell happened. And why are you sweating,” Lawryn spoke up.

Zayden was now standing and moving about, the camera jumping with every step he took.

“Tell me why I got out of my last lesson of the day with the girls, and I walk out no Brixx. After I called and verified that he was coming to get me at five. Never mind the fact I was working all night and got up for three classes back-to-back today. Never mind that he promised me he was going to go make a drop for Zay and be on time to get me. Tell me why I called, and he never answered the phone. So I had to take the bus back here. Okay cool, maybe shit ran over, maybe it got sticky. I’m understanding, right?

Right. Well, I walked my tired ass in here thinking maybe I was going to shower, cuss him out for not showing up, sit on the couch and talk my shit to Janiyah.

Tell me why I walked in my room and they’re in the bed I paid for, fuckin’! ”

“I told you!” Lawryn erupted into the camera.

Zayden’s screen was paused.

“I told you moving that girl into your shit with your man was the dumbest thing you’ve ever done!” Lawryn continued. “That and get with Brixx.”

“I can’t even put into words how mad I am,” Savanhi replied.

“I hope mad enough to whip that bitch’s ass!” Lawryn stated.

“I did and his,” Savanhi shared matter-of-factly. “At the end of the day, both of them owed me loyalty.”

“That nigga hit you back?” Zayden asked, camera still paused.

“He flung me off him, but I’m fine. I just…” There went the pain, stabbing her in the back with a rusty, jagged knife. Tear swelled in her eyes. “Why would they do that to me?”

“Because they are fucked up and today is just the day you caught them. They’ve been doing this shit behind your back. Smiling in your face and fuckin’ your man is some scum of the earth type shit.”

“He still there?” Zayden asked.

“No, he ran off somewhere,” Savanhi sniffled.

“Aight. Law, go get her. I don’t want that nigga coming back. I’ll hit y’all in a few.” Zayden didn’t give either woman a chance to respond before he left the FaceTime call.

“Savanhi, don’t you dare cry over that bum ass wannabe dope boy nigga. Or that hoe ass Janiyah. For one, you’re too pretty for that. Two, they ain’t worth your tears.”

“I just don’t get it. Like what did I do to them?” Savanhi sniffled, the hurt settling into her chest. “Like what didn’t I do?”

“You did everything, and that’s the damn problem!

You are so good to people who don’t deserve shit from you.

You giving that nigga pussy and he’s sharing his dick with the next bitch, hell no!

You giving her a roof to stay under, and she’s in your space betraying you.

To hell with both of them. Stop that damn crying,” Lawryn instructed.

“Wipe your face, pack a bag, I’m coming to get you. ”

“I’m not going out with you, Law. I’m going to lay on your couch and have a pity party,” Savanhi huffed, pushing her hair out of her face. “Plus, my back hurts. He flung me hard as shit.”

“Tonight, we drink, cuss and if you want to ride the streets looking for his bitch ass, that’s what we’re going to do. But tomorrow, we’re going out because I have an exclusive invite and I get to bring a plus one.”

“So I’m an afterthought?”

“Girl, shut the hell up,” Lawryn sassed. “You know, when I do my prowling, I go solo.”

“Who is the man you got trippin’ over you this month?”

“This month and next, bitch. Watch your mouth talking to me,” Lawryn stated with a soft giggle. “Sincere is hosting a pool party for his friend.”

Savanhi curled her lip. “Ride solo. I’m going to sleep the days away until I have to go to work.”

“No, you’re coming. You get over one by getting under another.”

Savanhi rolled her eyes. “That worked for you? Trill goes to prison, and you hook up with some random nigga?”

“Trill and I were over long before he went to prison because he couldn’t keep his dick to himself. I don’t share if we locked in. Plus, this guy’s been applying some pressure.”

“For how long? Until he goes on another tour?”

Lawryn rolled her eyes. “You act like I’m looking for a nigga to love me. That’s you, not me. I’m just having a good time. You should have one too. When is your next shift at Tempt?”

“Saturday night.”

“When is your next class?”

“Monday, when I have more money to cover the time.”

“Hmm,” Lawryn buzzed. “Then tomorrow, I help you get some dick so you can knock the edge off and move on. How long has it been since you really gave that nigga some?”

“Not since…you know. Not like I haven’t wanted it, he just didn’t want me. And now I know why.”

“Cut it out. That nigga couldn’t afford all that you are on his best day. Now, poke your chest out, you’re her, act like it! I’m leaving the shop, I’ll be there in a minute.”