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“Yep. Let’s get it.” Once I made sure the crib was secured, me, Tito, Lucas, and our other homeboy Byron hit the door.

When we made it to the club Tito parked his Denali on the side of the building. The four of us walked toward the front of the building where security was. The nigga made sure to pat everybody down before he let us through the door.

But once we was in that bitch we were walked to our section and informed that our hostess would be with us. Tito had preordered bottles, so they were sitting on the table in the clear bucket just waiting on us to partake.

Tito scooped one up from the bucket and held it out. “To Juice. I applaud you for grinding it out and making your dreams come true. We ‘bout to take Majik by fucking storm, them niggas ain’t gone know what the fuck hit them.”

“To Juice.” The rest of my niggas yelled out. Once Tito popped that first bottle the night ensued.

I was standing against the railing in the section with my shades on and my arms folded across my chest staring out into the crowd.

Collectively me and my niggas had probably hit ‘bout five blunts.

That with the bottle of Ace that I had been drinking on had my ass in a zone.

When I felt myself getting out of body I decided to slow it down and just take in everything around me.

Low key I was feeling like this would be the last time that I was gone be able to move around freely. I knew next week my life was ‘bout to change and while I was ready for the shit, part of me was wondering if I would miss being known locally.

I was people watching when DJ Amp cut the music, making everybody groan.

“Real quick, real quick.” He laughed. “Wanted to say congratulations to Juice.

My nigga just signed his first deal with Majik Musik.

You niggas from the SWATS ‘bout to take over the music scene. Stax show ya boy some love.” He yelled into the mic.

I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face if I wanted too.

Raising my hand up I saluted Amp and started vibing to my track that he dropped.

When I started to hear people spitting my rhymes, I had to pull my shades up to make sure I wasn’t fucking tripping.

Standing there watching muthafuckas rap my shit hit different.

A few bottles girls stepped into the section carrying a sign that said, “congratulations” and some sparklers attached to a few bottles of Dom Perigon.

“Courtesy of Chucky.” A thick dark-skinned chick said as she stepped over to me wearing a smile that lit the whole fucking club up.

Momentarily I was rendered speechless. I mean she was fucking beautiful.

Her hair was up in a bushy ponytail and two strategically placed ringlets were hanging by her ears.

Finally finding my voice I said a quick thank you. I was about to say something to her when Tito rushed over to us and shoved his phone in my face. I was trying to see what he was showing me without taking my eyes off her. But he was so determined to show me what was on the screen.

I quickly read the article that Majik had dropped ‘bout their newest artist. Nodding, I said “that’s what’s up.” My eyes did a quick scan around the section for baby girl, but she had dipped.

Grabbing one of the few lingering bottles girls by the elbow I asked. “Aye, where lil mama go with the ponytail?”

“Ponytail?” She repeated quizzingly like she ain’t have a clue who I was talking bout. “Oh, you talking about Nari, the new girl. Umm.” She looked off. “I don’t know.”

“When you see her again can you bring her back over here?”

“Why?” She asked with a lil too much attitude tucking her arms under her breast. “You tryna holla?”

“Not yo business lil baby. Just please do me that solid.”

“Sorry.” She fake smiled. “I can’t. It’s against Chucky’s rules.”

“Oh aight.” I said, knowing good and fucking well that I ain’t give two shits ‘bout no damn rules. Walking away from her I went over to Tito. “Chucky the owner?”

“His pops the owner, he run it though.”

“Cool.” I nodded and rubbed my chin. “Think you can get him over here for a quick second.”

“Yeah, but what’s up?” Tito quizzed.

“Need to get some information up out of him.” I gave him a vague response.

Tito stared at me a few seconds before nodding his head. Without taking his eyes off me he tapped the same broad I was just talking too. “Go get Chucky for me lil mama.”

“Ugh.” She groaned and stomped off.

“What you got going on Juice?”

“All I’m tryna do is talk with the man.” Plopping down on the couch I propped my feet up on the table and waited for Chucky.

I had a lil situation that wasn’t that serious.

I mean we had fucked off a few times, but we weren’t together.

I actually met her that night I did the homecoming show.

She was a good girl but the kind of life I lived I knew her folks wouldn’t want her with a nigga like me, so I played it cool with her.

I didn’t have room for nothing serious, so I hit a few times and that’s as far as it went. Baby girl who I just saw could get me out of everything I fucking owned. The first thing I noticed about her was that infectious ass smile. I wanted her. Real bad.

“Juice, this Chucky.”

Chucky held his hand out for me to shake. “Juice, congratulations.”

Meeting him halfway I slapped hands with him. “I ain’t tryna take up too much of your time. But one of your bottle girls that you sent over?— “

Before I could finish my statement, he blurted out. “Which one was it and what did she do?”

“Nawl, nawl, nawl.” I shook my head. “Nothing like that. I think she said her name was Nari.”

“Nariah.” He corrected me. “Tonight is her first night working the weekends. Excuse her I’m still trying to show her the ropes.”

Nariah… That shit fit her.

“She ain’t did shit.” I chuckled. “I want you to send her over.”

“Send her over?” He repeated.

“That’s what I said. Tell her to come holla at me.”

“Uh...” He hesitated and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s kind of against club rules for the girls to mingle with the patrons.”

“Well then what time she get off?”

“She uh...she kind of got a lil situation.”

Getting up from the couch I towered over his ass. “Nigga did I ask you that? The fuck.” I frowned. The way he was acting was like she was his and that nigga was old as fuck. Baby girl couldn’t be no more than twenty.

He tossed his hands up. “My bad, Juice. I’ll send her over.”

“Thought so.” Taking my place back on the couch I watched him turn and walk out of the section. I hoped the nigga kept his word and sent her over. Cause if he didn’t, I had no problems going to find her for myself.

“Fuck that was about?” Lucas asked.

“I asked him to do me a solid and the nigga talking ‘bout she got a situation.”

“Nigga yo ass stay starting some shit.”

“I ain’t start a muthafucking thing. I asked him one simple question that nigga the one acting like it’s a problem.” I didn’t appreciate him trying to speak for her. I understood the whole not mingling shit which is why I asked what time she got off.

If the nigga ain’t feel comfortable giving me that information he could’ve said that.

I would’ve respected it and figured out another way to get at her.

He said she was new and the last thing I was trying to do was cause an issue at her job.

He threw me off with that ‘she got a situation’ shit like I asked him.

That brief encounter had left my ass wanting to get to know her.

Hopefully she didn’t have a situation, and if she did, I hoped she knew it was ‘bout to be a wrap on all of that.