Black & Ugly (15 page)

Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

like. The media should be honest. If she donated to the Red Cross one day and gave head the next, tell the full story. No offense, Daffany."

"And none taken, bitch."

"When I die, tell the truth," I continue.

"Don't worry, honey. We'll make sure everybody knows what an evil bitch you were. That will definitely be taken care of," Miss Wayne adds.

"Good, just as long as it's the truth, I ain't got shit to say about it."

"You won't have shit to say about it anyway, baby,

'cuz you'll be dust," he says as he pokes his lips out.

"Everybody needs to calm down," Parade interrupts. "A lot of shit has happened, and we shouldn't let that ruin our friendship just because we were there. I feel bad about what happened to her, too, but we can't get into a fight fest with each other 'bout it either."

"Miss Parade is right. Guurrl, when you start telling us what to do? I kinda like that shit though. Command us, honey," he says as he reaches over and hits her on the leg.

Parade may have said that shit, but I ain't buying her little friendship comment. I'm just hopin' she can keep my secret. Still, I haven't gotten around to finding out if she's really into Jay. Honestly, I don't want to give her the satisfaction of thinking I really consider her an option. But if I find out she's fuckin' Jay, I'll be stabbing her ass next.

"I just hope that whoever that mothafucka is gets exactly what's coming to them. It's because of the bas-82

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tard that baby doesn't have a mother anymore. That's tragic," Miss Wayne says.

What the fuck is he talking about? As usual, he is making a scene and being overly dramatic. Her baby probably didn't even know her fuckin' ass.

"I agree, Miss Wayne. Whoever the bitch is who killed that girl deserves to fuckin' die," Daffany says as she looks at me again.

I know she's talking 'bout me. And since she wants it that way, I decide I don't need to be around them. I know one thing, I coulda been doin' something else today besides cleaning her funky-ass apartment.

"Well I'm outta here," I state as I stand and grab my purse.

"Why, Sky? We were having a nice time before all this happened," Parade asks. "Let's talk. Don't leave like this."

"Yeah, we were having a blast," Daffany says, all nonchalant and shit.

"Is that why you called me a bitch?" Everybody is silent.

"That's what I thought. It's obvious that I've irritated everybody just as much as y'all irritated me, so let me go somewhere where I'm wanted - home."

"Good night, Miss Thang," Miss Wayne chimes in.

"Good night, Wayne," I retort, deleting the Miss that I know he loves.

I'm on my way out the door and I get angrier. Since Parade is so concerned with friendship, I wonder if she knows what it means. I give that dirty black bitch
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Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

everything - clothes and money when we hang out -

but my man is off limits.

"Parade, can I use your cell phone? I want to call Jay real quick," I ask, looking for specifics to see if she has really been with him.

"Ummm, you can use my phone, Miss Sky. And Miss Daffany's phone is working, too," Miss Wayne jumps in.

"No, I want to use Parade's phone. Daffany doesn't like her number being given out and he might not recognize yours because I've never used it before, so hand me your cell phone, Parade," I demand.

"You know you can use my phone, Sky. Stop being a bitch," Daffany responds. "It's not a fuckin' problem.

You act so spoiled when you can't have your way."

"No thank you, honey. I'd rather walk up the block to the store on the corner than use your precious phone."

"Isn't that odd, since your apartment building is right behind mine? Somehow that corner comment makes you sound really stupid, doesn't it?" Daffany says.

"Fuck you, Daffany. I want to use Parade's phone because I've used it before, and he'll answer it if he recognizes the number."

"Well, the girl doesn't want you to use it so stop makin' a big deal and use mine instead," Miss Wayne says.

"Wayne, shut the fuck up and let Parade talk.

Parade, can I please use your phone?"
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"Uh ... my battery is dead, Sky. You really should use Miss Wayne's. I'm sure Jay'll answer it even if he don't recognize the number," she utters as she begins to sweat and stutter.

"So what? You tellin' me about my man now, Parade? How would you know any fuckin' thing about my man?"

"I don't, Sky. Where is this coming from? I didn't do anything to you," Parade replies.

"Look, say yes or no. All that other shit you talkin'

is bullshit."

"I'm sorry, Sky. Please don't be mad, but I'll have to say no."

"You a sneaky bitch! I'm not fuckin' with you no more, Parade. I better not find out that you fuckin' wit'

me either," I say as I run out the door, not wanting to alert anybody else that I am worried about her taking my man.

I walk to my building with my suspicions confirmed that something must be going on between Jay and Parade. What I didn't understand is how? He hates dark-skinned girls and Parade ain't even attractive. I never expected Miss Wayne to be in on it, too.

Suddenly, the cool air overtakes me and I realize I left my jacket, but I ain't going back into that apartment. My friends have stabbed me in the back, and I don't want anything else to do with them.

I try my hardest not to cry, but as I turn the corner I can't hold back my tears.

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Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

10

Smokes

"DON'T WORRY 'BOUT QUINCY MANOR. Everything's
cool," Silver says on the phone. "Just do you, and if
there's anything you need, I don't even give a fuck, I'm
down wit' it. You know I got your back. No problem."
Smokes is silent. He's pondering whether he can
count on Silver to handle the business around the way,
let alone anything pertaining to his wife. Thinking
more about it, he realizes that dealing with Silver, on
the level where things need to be done and done right,
is not a good idea.

"What I need can't nobody give me. And that's my
mothafuckin' wife back. Can you do that?"
Silence.

"Exactly. So what you sayin' right now, I'm not trying to hear."

"I can't bring Melony back, man, but I can give you
the bitches who had somethin' to do wit' it. That
should take care of a lot of the problems for you,
right?"

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"Not really," Smokes answers, being more difficult
than he originally intended when their conversation
first started.

"What you mean?" Silver asks.

"I mean somebody took my fuckin' wife away, so
killin' a mothafucka ain't gonna fix the bigger problem."

"I know, man," Silver says, sensing there is nothing
he can say that will help the situation.

"Naw, you don't know, youngin. Don't tell me you
know 'cuz you ain't got a kid, and you don't know
what the fuck it feels like to have his mother gone."

"I feel you, man."

"Oh, you do?" Smokes sarcastically responds. "Do
you know how fucked up shit is when a kid grows up
without his mother? I want 'em to suffer, Silver. I want
whoever did this brought to me and tortured. I don't
want no fuckin' mistakes." He pauses to allow the
severity of his desires sink into Silver's consciousness.

"Now what's the information you have for me?"

"Well, we found out that three bitches and a faggy
left the party real quick. My mans said they got the
fuck out of Dodge."

"Everybody was leavin' that mothafucka. How you
know they had somethin' to do wit' it?"

"My mans says Sky, Jay's bitch, had blood all over
her pants. I think at the very least she knows who did
it, if she ain't do it herself."
Smokes can't believe what he's hearing. He doesn't
know Sky personally, but he knows exactly who she is.

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