My Thug Got A Rider (3 page)

“I don’t know who the fuck y’all be thinking y’all talking to, but you better watch your got damn mouth.” I never put my hands on women, but she had me fucked up and I felt myself taking my frustration out on her, so I let her go.

“Who the fuck is y’all’? What other bitch you done had in here, Kenyon? Ugh, I hate your stupid ass! I’m going home.” TaNeeka walked out and slammed the door shut behind her. It wasn’t in my blood to chase these hoes so I grabbed my food and took my ass in the living room to eat in peace.

After counting and bagging zips all night, I found a fifth of Hennessey and got lit. TaNeeka texted me, apologizing for snapping and begged me to take her to the mall the following day. I agreed and finally passed out across the bed.

Ashanti

When I woke up, it was quiet as hell. To house so many 'troubled teens' I didn't hear any troubles. I looked at my alarm clock and it read eight am. No wonder it was still quiet. I was always a morning person, so I grabbed my clothes and went to the bathroom we all shared. There were seven showers, seven stalls, four sinks and one big mirror that wrapped around. I stripped off all my clothes and stood looking at myself in the mirror. The swelling on my cheek had gone down and the scratch disappeared. I wondered if Lexi used the mixture and if her face would heal like mine. I smiled at myself in the mirror. I never had low self-esteem; even with my dark skin I was still bad as hell. I rubbed coconut oil in my hands and crimped my hair together making small curls. I was au naturale and always told people just because you're natural didn’t mean that you have to be nappy headed. I hate that stereotype. I jumped in the shower and sent a text on my raggedy Boost Mobile phone to tell Shauna to meet me downtown in two hours.

It was usually colder downtown than what it was in the city and the wind was whipping around the tall buildings, being very disrespectful. I was freezing with a black pair of joggers, my black combat boots and hoodie on. Shauna's ass was taking forever on the bus and I refused to wait outside. I walked in CVS and stood at the counter.

"Excuse me ma'am, are you going to buy something?" The black guy behind the counter with thick coke-bottle glasses was staring at me like I was about to steal something. Fucking sellout. I would have told his ugly ass to mind his business, but whatever Ms. B. said over me last night had me on hush. I went to get my usual Arizona tea, paid for it and walked out; praying Shauna was waiting for me. I turned the corner and cracked up, laughing at her.

"Bitch, what do you have on?" I died laughing at her silly ass. She had on a bubble coat, a scarf, gloves, a skullcap and earmuffs. She was doing the most. Her jeans and boots were cute though.

"You know I had to catch two buses out here right? It's cold as fuck and I'm not about to catch a cold for you or nobody else." I knew her sick ass would get defensive, but it only made me laugh harder. Shauna stayed with a cold. Sickle cell anemia was a hell of a disease, but my best friend was a hell of a fighter. She was the same height as me, if not a few inches taller, with skin so perfectly golden brown you'd swear she was Hawaiian. She was real skinny, about 110lbs.  Her long, silky wavy hair made the boys go crazy. Not to mention her B-cups and fat ass. From behind you couldn't tell us apart.

"Anyway, I have to turn in these applications for Lids and Foot Locker. Did you bring yours?'' I needed a job and fast. It was just the beginning of Spring and I didn't qualify for college until Summer.

"Yeah, they’re in my bag."

Once we walked in the mall I got hungry as hell. I always stood like a kid in a candy store in front of all those restaurants. The smells from every different place in the food court drove me crazy. I was convinced Circle Centre had the most restaurants of all the malls in Indy and I still didn't know what to eat.

"Ooh, what about Taco Bell?" Shauna's hungry ass was already in line ordering for both of us. She was tiny but she could eat. After downing three tacos, she nudged me.

“Hmm. Somebody’s got an admirer.”

I looked up. “Bitch where?” Shauna’s silly ass busted out laughing.

“Over there. He’s cute too.” I looked over my shoulder, not caring how obvious I was. This thugged out light skinned man, who looked to be about twenty-five, with tattoos coming up out of his collar was staring hard as hell. I looked that nigga right in his eyes and turned my head. I laughed to myself, thinking how funny it was that dudes thought us females had to be so pressed all because they looked in our direction. Like I said time and time again, none of that flattery bullshit could make me any more willing to take off the panties. He was fine as hell, but it took more than a handsome face and a dope-boy attitude to sway me. Fuck outta here. “Come on girl, let’s go turn these applications in.” I made sure to switch my ass real hard, walking past him and the tack head bitch he was with. She must have been his type: pressed, because I heard her yelling at him as soon as Shauna and I walked past. I knew all eyes were on us as they usually were. I felt his stare though, harder than anyone else’s.

***

Kenyon

Damn. She was fine as hell. This chick was sitting about four tables up at the mall, looking like my next girlfriend. She and her friend were bad as fuck. They might have been sisters, but I was feeling what Future said, ‘I don’t give a fuck if they was real sisters’. I watched her turn her head and look at me, then look away. She knew I was looking too. Neeka’s bitchy ass was complaining about everything as usual. I wanted to walk over to the sexy ass piece of chocolate and leave TaNeeka’s crybaby ass sitting right there watching, but I didn’t want no smoke today. I just got a call from the Chi, telling me the pack just touched down early and the last thing I needed was problems at home. I don’t even know why I was putting up with her anymore, but it was something about them crazy broads. They had the best pussy and they were down for whatever. When she walked past switching that ass real hard, I knew it was just for me. I turned all the way around in my seat to watch her walk. “Aye, follow that for me.” I nudged my boy, Tae, who was mugging the fuck out of TaNeeka.

“Yeah, a’ight.” He got up and walked behind them, doing just what I was doing, staring at that ass.

“What the fuck are you looking at?” TaNeeka slapped my arm and started getting loud. “Oh, so you staring at other bitches now? Really?”

I got up and left her ass sitting right there. I had shit to do today and she was killing my whole vibe. Plus, I knew the make-up sex was going to be crazy. My phone buzzed in my hand. “
Foot locker”
was all the text said. Now I needed a reason. I looked down at her feet and smiled to myself. Her gold digging ass wasn’t going to put up any complaints.

When we finally made it to the store, shorty wasn’t there anymore, but my main nigga Carter was.

“What’s good Kenwood?” I dapped up with the crispy black, dread head nigga that had been like my brother for years. “Watch out, nigga.” Carter shook his head at me like he always did.

“Hey, C.J.” TaNeeka walked up to the counter, smiling hard as hell. I didn’t give a fuck. Carter nodded what’s up.

“Don’t you want them 11’s?” I handed her a wad of money and pushed her ass out of my way.

“You hell, man.” Truth was I was just tired of her annoying ass. “Anyway, who are those bad broads that just left? All I saw was the chocolate one. My nigga, face, ass, titties and she look crazy as hell. My kind of woman.” I had to laugh at myself because I could be a straight fool when I wanted to.

“You ain’t never lied. The gold one was bad as fuck, nigga. Thing about it is they’re high schoolers, I am not fucking with that. I just got in a new position. I can’t be no ChoMo.” I just about died laughing.

“Aye, you a fool, man.” I made him promise that he’d give them the job. He said he made up his mind as soon as they walked through the door. TaNeeka walked back up to the counter looking mad.

“Bae, they don’t even have the ones I want yet.” She poked her lip out at me and hugged my arm.

“They’ll be in next week.” Carter looked at me and gave me that look. Hell yeah, I was coming back.

“We’ll be back when I get back in town.” She smiled and kissed me on the lips.

***

Ashanti

Two weeks had gone by before I got the call, telling me I had an interview with Foot Locker and when I got there, they offered me the job on the spot. I was on a roll, first setting up my driver’s ed classes and now, working a full time job.  I was too happy. Shauna got the part time job because she was still in school, so I was bored as hell at noon on a Tuesday.

“Can I see this shoe in a size six?” Asked some tall, light skinned chick whose breath smelled like onions, and standing a little too close to the counter for my taste. Evidently Ms. B’s shit was still working because I didn’t get smart like I normally would have.

“Yeah, give me just one second.” I went behind the door that led to this warehouse type of room that held box after box of shoes and easily found the last size six. When I came back through the door, I almost dropped them. The same nigga from two weeks ago was standing beside the girl and I instantly recognized her as the ol’ chick that was cussing him out the last time. I cracked up in my head and rang her shit up. “That’ll be $175.93.” I was amazed at how much black people will spend on shoes that cost less than a dollar to make, to impress motherfuckers that they swear they don’t like or give two fucks about. That shit was dead to me.

He pulled out a wad of money and counted out two hundred dollars. I rang it up and cashed him out.

“Twenty-four dollars and seven cents is your change sir, have a nice day.” I tried to hand him his change but he shook his head.

“You keep that.” He smiled for the first time and I saw a dimple in his left cheek. I didn’t see him last time like I was seeing him this time. At 6’5” I was looking up with my head tilted back. His skin was the same color as those caramel candies in the gold wrapper that old people liked to pass out. His dark goatee and thick eyebrows drew attention to his dark, mysterious brown eyes with eyelashes that put mine to shame. Did I mention those lips? His lips were dark like he had been smoking all his life, but they were the perfect size, shape and looked well taken care of. Damn this nigga was sexy as fuck. As nice as the gesture was, I didn’t take anything from anybody, especially not money and especially not from men who thought, I needed something from them.

“No, thank you.” I declined. He smiled again and took the change. His girlfriend was too busy smiling in Carter's face to see her man over here smiling in mine. I was glad though because I'd hate to fight on the job. When she came back, he winked at me and walked out with his arm around the girl’s waist. As soon as he left, Shauna came in.

“Ooh. I saw that. What’s his name bitch?” She always thought she knew something.

“I don’t know and don’t care. He has a little girlfriend anyway.” Shauna busted out laughing like I had told the funniest joke ever.

“Uh-uhn. When you say ‘little’ in front of shit it makes you sound like a hater. And since when does Ashanti Renee Woods give a damn about a girlfriend? Hell, where is your competitive spirit?” I cracked up.

“Well aren’t you just the comical bitch today? Eastside Ivo head ass.” We both busted out laughing.

“Let’s just call that nigga T.O.” I was lost. Her ass was always coming up with nicknames for people. “Thugged Out. T.O. for short.” I shook my head.

“I’m nothing on you today. Do some work hoe. As a matter of fact, why don’t you help me stock this new shipment?” Carter, our manager, poked his head out of his office door and flashed us a smile.

“Good job, Woods. Team work makes the dream work.” Before I could respond, he stepped back into his office.

“See, you need a nigga like T.O. and I need one like Carter’s sexy ass.” Sometimes she sounded so thirsty, but when you looked like Shauna, no nigga was off limits and if he was, she pulled all the right strings to get him. I was happy I didn’t care for niggas like that. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t care for bitches either, niggas just wasn’t as important as my money or my time. If I could find a nigga that could match me in every aspect, such as money-making, intellect and loyalty, I’d consider, but so far, I was good without. I can’t lie though, T.O. made me think real hard about reconsidering. The rest of the day went smooth with Shauna and me working side by side. I was tired as hell, but still had T.O. and that dimple on my mind.

***

Ms. B. was in the kitchen cooking for everyone when I made it back to the house.

“How was work today Miss Thang?”

The large pot was simmering on the stovetop with her down deliciousness. I smelled her usual Cajun seasonings from the door and my craving for salt was through the roof.

“It was alright. What’s cookin’?” Ms. B. may have been from Africa, but she never pounded foo-foo in our kitchen, it was solely Louisiana cuisine when she got down. How she could go from Erykah Badu to the queen of Nawlin’s was funny to me.

“Jambalaya. I made our pot with all the spices. I was hoping you’d be off in time to make the corn bread.” Thankfully, Ms. B. had kept me in the kitchen with her from the time I arrived at the home. I was six years old learning how to flip pancakes on the griddle with Ms.B. Since none of my family was willing to take in the daughter of two big time drug dealers, I was stuck with Ms. B and I couldn't have been happier. The only thing I did feel bad about was not knowing who my family was exactly. I walked from one end of the spacious kitchen to the other, fully admiring the granite countertops and imitation hardwood floors. I never got tired of being in the spacious room. Not wanting to have to come back to the other end, I grabbed everything in one trip. I took the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt from the cabinet before grabbing the milk and eggs from the fridge. I mixed the dry ingredients first then the wet, careful to put just the right amount of milk in.  Ms. B. caught me reaching for the sugar again and snatched it away quickly.

“Nobody wants sweet cornbread Ashanti.”

I greased the pan with unsalted butter and poured the batter just as Lexi walked into the kitchen. The tension was so thick, I could’ve scooped it with the spoon I had in my hand.