Page 26

juice

. . .

Whipping my truck down the street I trailed behind Tito as he maneuvered in and out of traffic.

What started out as a good day could’ve ended up being the worst day of my fucking life.

When I woke up this morning, I had a message on the phone from Tamia telling me her cycle and shit hadn’t come on. She claimed she was two weeks late.

I asked her if she had taken a test, and her ass claimed she was scared.

Shit my ass was scared as fuck too. If I had fucked around and got her ass pregnant Nariah would never give me another chance.

My ass ain’t know what to do so I hit Tito up and per usual he hopped right on it.

After grabbing a few tests, he instructed me to meet him by Tamia’s crib so we could figure out if she was or not.

I know Tamia pissed on ‘bout six test and every time one came back negative my fears subsided. This wasn’t my first rodeo, so I knew we wasn’t necessarily in the clear just yet.

Tito had already scheduled her an appointment to do a blood draw, and I was praying like hell that came back negative too.

Turning into my driveway I hit the button to let the garage door up before backing into it. Before I could even shut the ignition off Tito was standing at the driver door.

“What’s on ya mind Juice?”

“Shit.” I huffed, scratching at the back of my neck. “How I done fucked up even more.”

“Out of all people why you fucking Tamia raw? You know she been dying to be in the position Nari in. Girl been waiting on y’all to split so y’all can be together.”

“That’s just it though Tito. I ain’t fucked no bitch raw but Nariah. The condom popped with Tamia and when I felt that shit, I pulled out and put another one on. I’on even nut in the condom while inside of her.

I ain’t no lil nigga so I know that lil incident could’ve very well been all that it was. However, I done been around the bitch a few times when I’m fucked up and couldn’t recall if I had hit her the previous night or not.”

“Tamia tryna trap yo ass.”

“Bout is.” Running my hand up my shirt I reclined in my seat. “I’mma quit fucking with her. She don’t think I know she been on the net fucking with Nari.”

“Yo ass might wanna do it sooner rather than later. Ain’t you tryna bring both families together for Juju’s birthday.”

“Yeah. Ain’t had the chance to sit down with Nari to see if she game or not.”

“Sounds like you got a lot of shit you need to handle.”

“I do.” I sucked in a deep breath. “The label on my ass ‘bout me completing this album and what not.”

“You done missed that deadline twice Juice. Yo head not in this shit right now. You too busy doing other shit. Lock the fuck in and knock this shit out so we can get to the money.”

Tito wasn’t lying when he said my head wasn’t right.

Hell, I hadn’t been right since Nariah dipped on my ass.

The only thing that garnered a smile out of my ass these days was Juju.

When it was time for him to go back to his mama that dark cloud was back hovering over my ass.

Simply put I needed my fucking heart back.

Nari wasn’t trying to give me a chance to make shit right with us.

I thought her dropping the charges was her way of saying she forgave me.

Bullshit. Nariah hit me up and told me to stop sending shit to her crib if it wasn’t for Juju, only call or text her phone when I was trying to get him, and to fuck off.

Hell, she was really telling my ass to die ‘cause that’s what it felt like I had been doing. Dying slowly and painfully.

Me fucking ‘round with Tamia was still just something to do. I had kept her on ice for a cool minute but shit I wasn’t fucking nothing and was backed up and like the duck she was her ass was willing to let me take my frustrations out on her pussy.

Should’ve stuck with my first mind and had her ass banked, now I was facing a maybe pregnancy.

Hopping out the truck I shut the door and hit the locks. “I’mma lock in Tito. I just gotta get my mind right.”

“I hear ya.”

Tito opened the door that led from the garage into the crib, and I followed behind him with the weight of the world on my shoulders.

Byron was the first one to notice us. The nigga spun around in his seat and joked. “Juju ‘bout to be a big brother?”

“Nawl.” Dropping down on the sofa I kicked my slides off and folded my hands behind my head.

“The test was negative so until we can get her to the doctor we won’t know for sure.” Tito added, making Byron and Lucas laugh.

“Sis ain’t ever gone fuck with you again.” Lucas said in between laughter.

I stuck my middle finger up at both of they ass. “Fuck y’all. And as far as I’m concerned both of y’all can raise up out my shit.” I based.

“Get out yo body nigga. We just fucking with you.”

“Fuck with me out there.” I pointed towards the front door.

Them niggas ain’t take shit serious and right now wasn’t a laughing moment.

My life would forever be fucked up if Tamia ass was pregnant with my jit.

The worst thing a nigga could do was get an industry bop pregnant.

Might as well hand my fucking bank account over.

I would take care of my jit no matter what, but she wouldn’t get the same benefits as Nari, and that wouldn’t do shit but piss her the fuck off.

I was sitting here in deep thought when Lucas dropped his phone in my lap. “You seen this?”

Grabbing it up I watched the collage of pictures that somebody had posted on the internet. Turning my face up I nodded my head. I knew I had my own shit going on but clearly so did Nariah.“When this was?”

“Last weekend.”

“Wasn’t she in Vegas with Juju last weekend.

” I said to no one in particular. Juju and I spoke several times while he was away with Nariah.

His lil ass called me after everything they did bragging ‘bout how much fun him and his mama was having.

He was all smiles, so I sat there every time he called and listened.

“Yep.” Byron confirmed. “Lox ain’t say shit ‘bout this though.”

“Y’all know that nigga gon’ have Nari back.” Lucas chuckled. “I ain’t tryna start nothing Juice but I had been peeped the way that nigga Flocco used to look at Nari.”

“Fuck is you tryna say?” I asked and tossed him back his phone. “Nigga was kicking it with me like we was cool and whole time he was tryna get at my girl on the low?”

Tito popped around the corner with a look of confusion plastered across his face. “Wait…What the fuck is going on?”

“Shit judging by them pics Nari and Flocco call they self fucking off.” I grabbed my phone off the table and dialed Nariah. Holding the phone up to my ear I listened to it ring before her sweet voice came booming through the receiver, the call had gone to the voicemail.

I was getting ready to shoot her a text and tell her to hit me back when Lucas said some shit that had me hopping off the couch. “Nari freaked out.”

Grabbing that nigga by the collar I snatched his ass up off the couch. “Nigga we bros and all but don’t ever let me hear you say shit ‘bout Nariah like that. Fuck yo personal opinions and how you may feel that’s still yo nephew’s mama.”

“I ain’t mean no harm Juice.” He held his hands up.

Coming to my senses I let him go and paced the living room floor. “My bad G. I know you ain’t mean it like that. My anger was misdirected. Regardless of her not fucking with them like that Byron and Lucas loved Nariah like she was their blood.

She running ‘round here not talking to them ‘cause she think they was holding my secrets and whole time they ass stayed out of it ‘cause they weren’t trying to break the family up. “Flocco gotta know I’mma see him.”

“And you not!” Tito interjected. “Whether you like it or not Nariah is free to date whoever she wants to date. Is it fucked up for her to be kicking it with him.” He pointed at the phone.

“Yeah, it is. This all part of the game Juice. You violated and Nariah doing her now. You can feel how you want but don’t go creating no beef behind no pussy. ”

“Yeah aight.” I snorted. “I’mma holla at you niggas later.” Ambling out of the living room I went into the garage and hopped in my truck. I ain’t give a fuck what Tito said, that nigga Flocco had to see me. I was gon’ beat that nigga ass the minute I laid eyes on him, and I put that shit on Juju.

____

Leaning up in my seat I peered out of the front window.

I left the crib earlier without a destination in mind.

I really was trying to calm myself down before I did some shit that was gone land my ass back in jail.

No matter what I told myself the only way I could erase this hurt feeling was by wrecking some shit.

I had been calling Nariah ass since before I left home, and she still hadn’t picked up the phone, so I decided to pay her a visit.

I knew she was in town cause Juju had sent me pictures earlier of the shoes she had bought him.

When I made it to her condo, she wasn’t there, and I was getting ready to leave when a thought popped into my head.

Something was telling my ass to camp out in the parking lot and I’m glad I did.

A black Maserati had pulled in front of the building.

I watched some nigga get out of his car and walk around to the passenger side, when the door opened Nariah stepped out. Whoever the nigga was had a hood pulled over his head so I couldn’t quite make out his face.

Reaching in my middle console I pulled my pistol out and sat it in my lap.

How the next few seconds played out was solely on Nariah.

The two of them was standing at the car talking.

I mean the muthafucka was all smiles and shit.

The way she was giggling and dropping her head I could tell she was feeling this nigga.

Nariah fucked up when she pulled the hood down, I caught a good glimpse of him, and I swear fo’ God all I saw after that was red.