Page 14 of Cove City, Volume II
“It’s hot as fuck. Where this bitch at!” I spat.
I sat outside near a funky ass garbage can waiting for Flex to come out of the club. It had been three fucking hours, and her ass still hadn’t set foot outside. The heat penetrated me so much that a nigga started to become delusional. Things were shifting, as if I were seeing some type of mirage. I swiped my hand down my face and stood. I paced the side of the parking lot thinking. The more the sun sizzled my dark, handsome skin, the more my mind began running.
I thought about that fucking girl who was in Zaria’s Place. I didn’t realize she was in there until after the cocktail flew from my hand into the window. The way her eyes widened when I went to throw the second one stopped me. I tossed the cocktail into the bush and ran. Keith’s ole giddy ass just had to be the hero. “Fuck!.
“I shouted.
I let out a sharp breath as I began thinking about the bitch that came between me and my cousin. I fucked up letting my impulses speak louder than my thoughts. This wasn’t the first time, but this time I knew I had hit rock bottom. With nowhere to turn and limited funds, I had no one to rely on. The Zoo Boyz didn’t put a nigga on, Sasha had turned her back on me, my auntie didn’t fuck with me, my momma was shooting shit up her arm somewhere, and Pierre’s head was stuck up a bitch’s ass.
Another hour went by before Flex finally came walking out of the club. The painted-on jeans hugged her wide hips, while the crop top she wore was barely hanging on. I wiped the sweat that trickled down the side of my face before I rubbed my hands together, stepping toward her.
She giggled as she held the phone in her hand, talking to someone.
“Excuse me,.
“I tried whispering.
“Let me hear it,.
“she said on the phone.
The next thing I know a nigga’s voice boomed spitting bars.
“It’s a crazy feeling to be in love and on lock down
If baby was not down
I wouldn’t have this feeling in my heart now
She gotta get to the bag
and them slim hips really got rhythm
I can’t let her get away
yet I can’t shake this feelin’
Soon I’ll be back out in the world grindin and getting checks
So I can pull up in a Porsche
Wit my Porsha and really show niggas my Flex.”
Oh, so the nigga was locked up? Bet.
“Excuse me,.
“I said again.
This time, she looked at me, and her face went from a snarl to a smile. I knew she thought a nigga was fine. I needed to get to the point, though, because it was hot as a bitch, and I couldn’t be out in the open too long before Pierre or Bishop spotted me. They had niggas everywhere. If I knew Seven to Da Cove as well as I did, them niggas had people on the lookout.
“Ayo Flex, whoever that nigga is, tell him I said step! Don’t let that stripping shit get you caught up.”
Her eyes still hadn’t pulled away as she responded to him.
“Scooter, let me call you back.”
“Really? You know what fuck it!.
“Beep! Beep! The phone hung up.
She dropped the phone in her purse to give me her undivided attention.
“How can I help you since you rudely interrupted me?”
“Oh, you got a mouth on you.”
“And do. Now what do you want? You didn’t give me a fucking dollar in the club and my time is expensive.”
Money hungry broad. I thought.
“I wanted to know if you wanted to chill, you know smoke and shit,.
“I told her.
I was hoping she would take the bait. The way she was eyeing me I thought she wanted to fuck a nigga where he stood. Simple words like chill should work just fine. I happened to glance over her shoulder when Bishop’s car slowed down. I grabbed her by her shoulders and spun her so my back could face the street. She swatted my hand.
“Nigga are you crazy! Don’t touch me!.
“she shouted.
I dropped my head because she was bringing attention I didn’t need to us. The same security that asked for my ID strolled over.
“Yo, Flex, you good?”
I waved my hand.
“She good nigga, watch out.”
“I asked her not you, Flex?.
“he called out.
I was getting agitated by the second because his big body small leg ass was fucking up my night’s rest. I held my hand out to stop him from moving forward.
“Watch out, I said she—”
Whap!
He drew back his fist and hit me on the side of my neck. That was my queue to beat his ass. I swung, jumping up slightly, connecting my fist with his face. The other security came out pulling me back, one of them niggas had me in a full Nelson before slamming me onto the ground.
“Ah shit! ight, ight, ight!.
“I shouted.
When I glanced up, I saw Flex watching me with a smirk. Bitch! Then I heard a familiar voice, one that sent chills down my spine.
“Quinton? Q?”
My eyes followed the voice and there she stood. Her legs were small with saggy skin. She wore a pair of shorts that were dirt-stained so bad you could tell they once had life in them, but life had taken advantage just like her. Her stomach hung, droopy like her old titties as the shirt she wore was too small. “Ma?.
“I called out.
I was embarrassed. I should have ignored her. My eyes landed back on Flex, who now held sympathy in her eyes.
“Beast!.
“she called out.
“Beast, let him go,.
“she told him.
He released me, then kicked the side of my ribs. My mother ran up to me trying to help me up and I shoved her ass off of me. Seeing her like this made me angry. She had been part of the reason my life was the way it was. Her feet shuffled back, almost tripping. Once she caught her balance, she looked at me. The son she once knew was long gone, just as the mother I once knew had never arrived. She scratched at her arm as she backed up to the sidewalk and disappeared down the street.
Flex walked over to me.
“You didn’t have to do all that. She’s your mother?.
“she asked.
“Nah, just some fucked up lady who used her washed up pussy as a holding cell.”
“Look, I didn’t mean for Beast to do that to you. My bad. You still want to smoke?”
I dusted myself off.
“Yeah, you got a spot?”
“Yeah. Come on.”
Right then, I knew I had her. What Flex thought was about to be a chill session was about to be my hiding spot. The goal now was to keep my cool so I wouldn’t have another person turn their back on me.