Black & Ugly as Ever (10 page)

What the fuck was that about? When I walked into the living room, Zeeway told me Smokes was in the den, and when I went to see him, he screamed at me before I could walk in. Something was up and I was uneasy.

Walking back in the living room, I caught Zeeway’s stares. Wearing a pair of tight fitting blue jeans and a short Juicy top that showcased my fit abs, I put a little extra in my step so he’d continue to look at my body and not my face. He did everything I wanted him to do. His mouth dropped as he saw the flatness of my stomach and the fatness of my ass.

And seconds later, Smokes walked out. I walked over to Smokes and planted a passionate kiss on him and then I wrapped my arms around his neck. When I did, I saw Sweets standing behind him.

“Is everything okay?” I asked my eyes fixated on Sweets. “Yeah…Sweets was just leaving,” he said nonchalantly. Without saying a word, she walked out the door. When she was gone, Smokes directed his attention toward me. But I wanted to know what happened in the den. Part of me cared but the part that loved Jay could give a fuck! I just wish if he did want to be with her, that he’d let me go.

“Zee, this my future wife.” He said changing the subject. “Parade.”
I extended my hand and he accepted, holding it longer than he should have. My plan had exceeded my expectations. He was so consumed with lust that he didn’t even realize that we’d been in each other’s presence before. Done with my game, I decided to excuse myself.
“Baby, I’ma step out real quick.” I told him as I kissed him one last time on the cheek.
“Where you goin’?” he asked holding me tighter around my waist.
“Just hangin’ with Miss Wayne and them,” I lied.
“Bet…bet…,” he said releasing me and then rubbing his head. He then looked at Zeeway who smirked. What the fuck was that supposed to mean? “Call me when you get there. I want to talk to you about something.”
“You got it, daddy.”
Not wanting to be around Zeeway too long, I ran out of there so fast I almost fell on the cement. I had to get to Jay. All day I’ve been thinking of him. The way he talks to me…and the way he holds me…all move me.
“I’m on my way.” I told Jay on his cell phone as I jumped in my ride and backed quickly out the driveway.
“Good…I got a surprise for you.” Jay responded sexily.
“And what surprise is that?” I wanted to keep him on the phone a little longer just to listen to his voice.
“Well if I tell you I’ll have to kill you.”
“You’d kill me?” I asked him playfully. “How we gonna have fun if you do that?”
“Naw…but I’d murder that pussy!”
“I’ll be there in five minutes.” I hung up before my pussy got unnecessarily wet before I saw him.
Everything about this is wrong. But I hung up with him and hit the gas. I made a decision that today…I’m not engaged and I don’t belong to anybody but Jay, the original love of my life. Yeah he’s fucked up. I already know he is. But…still…there’s something about him that I simply must have. At any cost.
I blasted my Neyo CD and let number 11, “
Say It”
play over and over in my ear. About thirty minutes later I was sitting outside of Jay’s place waiting, parked next to his car. With my right knee vibrating I pressed my hand on it to stop it. Unbuckling my seatbelt, I quickly moved toward his building and knocked on the door. No answer. I knocked again. Still no answer. His car was there so he had to be home. I glanced down at my watch and got irritated. He was late. Why wasn’t he here when I just spoke to him? I called him several times and he didn’t answer his phone. It took fifteen minutes of no Jay for me to realize he played me. I was in my car with the seat belt buckled preparing to leave when I heard a loud roar. Looking out my rearview mirror, I saw someone pulling up with a lime green Ninja motorcycle. I knew enough to know it was a 900 cc or larger.
The large motorcycle pulled up right next to me and its loud roar made me uncomfortable. I wondered who he was until he removed his helmet and I saw Jay’s beautiful face. A black and white scarf dressed his head. He took it off and placed it in the back of his jeans.
“You ready?” he asked looking into my car.
“You can’t be serious?” I got out. His mouth dropped when he got a look at the curves of my body.
“Uh…yeah…I’m serious.” He handed the spare helmet. “We ridin’ out on this tonight.”
“I’m not messin’ with you on no bike, Jay.” He stood up and placed the bike on the kickstand.
“Let me find out you scared.” He laughed holding his helmet under his arm. “Not Miss-I– beat -a-bitch-down.”
Without even talking I got on the front of the bike and said, “Get on.”
“You real cute. Stop playin’ girl,” he laughed. “You don’t know shit ‘bout ridin’ no motorcycle. Just slide that phat ass behind me and enjoy the ride.”
He was still running his mouth when I hopped on, removed the kickstand and revved the engine. He didn’t know as much about me as he thought he did. Living in Quincy Manor hanging around guys and being a tomboy had its perks. I knew how to ride everything from dirt bikes to motorcycles.
Jay eased behind me hesitantly and wrapped his arms around my waist. And to make him feel comfortable about a woman taking the lead, I backed my ass into him. Immediately he got hard. I don’t care who Jay’s been with…nobody fucked him the way I did. I was certain.
“You know this shit is sexy right?” he said loudly over the bike’s engine.
“If you like that I got somethin’ else to show you later.” I kicked the gear from neutral, to first and beyond.
And just like that we were gone. I knew he was impressed with the way I maneuvered on the roads and Baltimore Washington Parkway. I seemed fluid. Just seeing the beautiful trees and feeling the air against my body with someone I obviously still loved had me aroused. Love? I swallowed hard at the realization of my thoughts. If my heart belonged to him, what was to become of me and Smokes?
Damn!

Where am I? I lie on the floor of an apartment with nothing but a mattress in the corner. How did I get here? As I try to stand, I noticed I felt a little off balance so I lean up against the wall for support. Nothing about this place seemed familiar. I was just about to twist the doorknob when I heard voices. Placing my ear against the wooden door, I listened as best I could.

“How much you gonna pay me for her?” one voice asked. “I don’t know. She’s kinda busted and I might not be able to get a lot for her now. So if you really want to get paid, you might as well let me take her off your hands.”

“Take her off my hands? She’s pregnant! You know niggas pay extra for that kinda pussy. Give me a thousand or I’m taking her back.”

They’re talking about me? My heart beat rapidly in my chest as I wondered how I got here. My bare feet pressed against the wooden floor and the only thing I was wearing was a white t-shirt and some filthy pink panties. God please help me. Please help me.

“You’ve lost your fuckin’ mind! I’m not payin’ you more than six hundred for that doped out bitch! You lucky I’ma give you that!”

There was silence. Was my life being auctioned out there? Were they actually talking about me? Tears ran down my face and I wiped them off with my hand. And when I rubbed them together, they felt gritty. Like they needed to be washed. “Aight…give me seven hundred and you can keep her.” “I told you my price. Six hundred or get her funky ass

outta here.”
“Fuck it! I’ll fuck her myself before I let you get me like
that,” he said angrily. “All that fuckin’ trouble I went through to
get her back! I even had to bust that faggy ass nigga in the head
for her a while back. She finally came back and I be damn if I’m
lettin’ her go for that amount.”
I knew exactly who he was now. I’d deal with him from
time to time to get some money to feed my habit. He was always
mean but he always paid. Most of the time he paid me with dope. I heard his feet scurrying in my direction and I lay down
on the mattress. I was scared. Nervous! Is this how the slaves felt
when their lives were exchanged without their consent? I didn’t
even have enough strength to bolt out the doors and fight for my
life. The door opened and a little bit of light snuck through. Just before they entered the room, the other said, “Let’s
talk.” And the door closed. What was to become of me now?

Tyson’s Corner in Virginia, was busy as usual. Some window shopped while the rich ignored price tags on their pursuit of glamour. I was calm as I placed the three Louis Vuitton purses retailed at over $8,000 dollars on the counter. I had done this so many times it was natural.

“How are you going to pay for these, sir?” she asked looking at me like I was stealing. Which I was. “Cash, check or charge?”

“I’ll be charging these.” I slid the card Visa card towards her.
I had five orders to place and the purses were the last ones on the list. Once I got these, I’d be done for a few months. The woman placed the designer purses in the bags and swiped the credit card. I waited patiently thinking about what I was going to cook for dinner. The card being declined was never even an option. I only used a card the day I received it and never,
ever
beyond 24 hours. So this card was brand new and ready to be used repeatedly.
“Excuse me, sir,” she smiled. “There appears to be something wrong with the card. Let me make a phone call.”
“Try it again,” I advised, not trying to get others involved.
“It’ll only be a second, sir,” she assured me. “We like to make sure there’s no fraud when we get this particular code. Don’t worry, it’s probably because of the amount.”
“I don’t know what the problem could be,” I slid over my fake ID, which she failed to ask for initially, as proof. “My limit is over $50,000.”
“One moment please,” she said flinging one finger in the air ignoring my suggestion.
The way I saw it I had two choices. Wait for her to tell me that everything was fine only to have the cops waiting outside or run like hell. Sweat formed on my forehead for the first time ever. I was becoming nervous and something told me this would be it for me. So while she talked on the phone with her back faced my direction, I jetted. And trust me, when I ran, nobody could catch me, baby. I pushed over a few people and mushed one man in the forehead in a struggle to exit.
And then I heard, “Sir! Sir!”
I turned around to see who was calling me. It was the sales clerk and she was holding the bag in the air while waving my credit card.
“You forgot your bag.”
What? I forgot my bag? I looked at the few people I pushed to get away, trying to determine if this was a set up. And then I thought about it. With those bags I’d get at least four grand tonight. Plus she still had my card which was good for the rest of the day. Slowly I eased over to the counter apologizing to my victims along the way.
“You seemed as if you were in a hurry,” she smiled handing me the bag and my identification. “Turns out there was a technical error with the system, but everything’s okay now.”
I snatched the bag and my cards and said, “No problem. I was just on my way to the restroom. But I can hold it.”
Once I got my shit I left. I knew I was going to have to find a new profession. This credit card shit had my nerves on edge. Between this and Miss Daffany not coming back home despite Miss Parade going to look for her, I was becoming an old hag. The one thing I needed, I knew I wouldn’t be able to get. A stiff dick. Even that was gone with Keith outta the picture. Lawd please help me before I lose my mind.