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Authors: Treasure Hernandez

BOOK: Choosing Sides
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Chapter Fifteen
M
anolo sexed Halleigh crazy for a week in celebration of her eighteenth birthday, breaking her in, teaching her how to drive a nigga crazy with her body. He showed her how to do the Kegel exercises, sticking his finger inside of her and having her tighten up a hundred times, to keep her vaginal muscles taut. He taught her how to suck dick, how to take it from the back, and how to be seductive without being trashy.
She didn't know she was being groomed for every other man in the world. She just thought she was being groomed for Manolo. After all, he had expressed his anger at just the thought of her being with another man. So why would she think he would be training her to do just that?
During that first week, Manolo showed all the concern of a loving man. He sent Halleigh to Planned Parenthood to make sure she hadn't caught a disease from the train the two men pulled on her. Even when the clinic said she didn't have any infections or anything, Manolo gave her some of Mimi's STD antibiotics to take for a week. Next, he gave her the morning-after pills until her period came.
After she had her menstrual cycle, Manolo sat her on the side of the bath tub and showed her how to take a douche. “That's just to clean out all the toxins,” he told her.
He also showed her how to properly wash her body after having sex with him. “Front to the back,” he would say, pointing to her vaginal area. “I like clean women.”
As a precaution, he also put Halleigh on birth control pills. Manolo became like the mother she sorely missed, providing her with the things a mother would, to usher her into young womanhood; right down to teaching her how to use a tampon properly. Before she only used Maxi pads.
But even while on her period she had to make money, so he had to show her how to plug it up and take care of business without a trick knowing she was on the rag. Some niggas didn't care. They were grimy like that. But some were disgusted by just the thought of a woman having the curse.
All along, Halleigh thought that he was teaching her how he wanted his woman to be. She didn't think twice about the freaky things he did to her. She couldn't tell him no. Even though she knew that she wasn't his only girl, she felt like they had a connection.
As the days passed, she became aware that Manolo was somewhat of a pimp. That all the girls weren't just for his selfish pleasures, even though he didn't mind helping himself if the price was right. She noticed how the other women sashayed around naked, or wearing only boa feathers around their necks, but at dinner time, whenever everyone was present, they sat down and ate like one big, happy family.
In return for offering his place to his girls, they worked for him out of the Best Western, trading sexual favors for cash. He also was part-owner of a strip club called Wild Thangs, where some of his girls worked for extra ducats.
His profession and what he did with the other girls didn't bother Halleigh though, as long as he kept his promise to her. She was too far-gone on Manolo's loving to care.
She was so enthralled with Manolo, she figured that she was just as important to him as Tasha appeared to be. They were the only two girls in the house that he never put to work, and she loved the attention. She had no idea that pretty soon, she would be old news and would have to pay later for all of the things he was doing for her now.
Halleigh stared at herself in the mirror as Tasha stood behind her and flat-ironed her shoulder-length hair. She wore light denim Deron shorts. Her white and gold halter top revealed her newly pierced navel. The MAC cosmetics that Tasha applied to her face gave her a mature look instead of the schoolgirl look.
Halleigh liked the change in appearance. She had never been more secure in herself in her entire life; the sexier style giving her a boost in confidence.
“Y'all ready?” Manolo asked. He stepped into the room. He examined Mimi, Halleigh, and Tasha from head to toe. His eyes lingered on Halleigh. Her denim shorts were so short, you could see where her ass cheeks darkened. Manolo licked his lips at the voluptuous sight.
This bitch gon' make me some money.
This would be the first time Manolo put Halleigh to work. He knew that the Berston Park annual game was the perfect place for her to make her debut. Niggas from all over Flint, and even major players from Detroit, would be in attendance, all looking for pussy. Dollars would flow like wine from a vineyard, and Manolo made sure that his bitches would be there to drink it up.
“Yeah, we almost ready, Nolo.” Tasha watched through the mirror as he approached Halleigh.
I hope she ready
. She was aware of Halleigh's illusions that Manolo loved her and didn't even want her looking at another man.
Wait until she finds out that not only don't he give a damn if another man looks at her, but that he wants her to fuck them.
She chuckled to herself as she tossed on more makeup.
“You look good, Sunshine,” Manolo whispered to Halleigh.
Halleigh blushed. She loved when Manolo called her Sunshine. It literally brightened her mood. She lowered her head and replied in a low tone, “Thanks.”
“You know it's gon' be a lot of niggas there trying to step to you—”
Halleigh interrupted him. “You don't have to worry 'bout that. I'm with you.”
“Nah, baby girl. Niggas gon' be tryin'-a see you. Put your game down and do you. It's time for you to make Daddy proud.”
A look of confusion flashed across Halleigh's face.
He could see the reluctance in her eyes as she realized what he was trying to say. “You with me? You down for Daddy, right?”
She nodded.
“Then it's time for you to make me a proud poppa.” He turned her toward him by her shoulders. “Look, I done showed you how a nigga like to be treated. Now I need you to use what I taught you and make it work for you. Bring Daddy that paper,” he said, kissing her on the neck.
Halleigh just stood there like a frozen popsicle. Was she really hearing what she was hearing? He kissed her on the cheek and then stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, sending sensual chills through her body.
He leaned into her ear. “You're not Daddy's little girl anymore,” he whispered, his lips lightly brushing up against her ear. “It's time to grow up and earn your keep; earn your spot in this house and in my life.”
The last thing Halleigh wanted was to lose her place in Manolo's heart, not to mention a bed to sleep in at night. She thought about how alone, cold, and afraid she was the night of the rape. Then Mimi took her out of the rain and home to Manolo. They were all her family now, and she never wanted to be out on the streets alone and cold again. With that thought, Halleigh nodded her head in agreement. She was so lost, she didn't even second-guess what Manolo was asking her to do. How could she tell him no after all that he had done for her? She didn't see that she was being used. She only saw that Manolo wanted her, which was more than she could say about anyone else in her life.
Manolo, Tasha, and Mimi left the room, Halleigh trailing slowly behind them. They all got into an old-school Monte Carlo. It was sitting on “grown man's” and had a fresh money-green paint job. Manolo got into the car.
Before the girls entered, Tasha turned around and whispered to Mimi and Halleigh, “Sweets gon' be there, so make sure y'all are about that paper today. If a nigga ain't talking money, keep it pushing.”
Mimi didn't respond. She already knew what was up. Although Manolo took care of them, and he was the one they were indebted to, he reported to Sweets.
Sweets had the South Side of Flint on smash and had a notorious reputation in the hood. With Sweets behind him, Manolo was able to keep the sex game on lock, recruiting the baddest bitches in town. And as long as he split his profits with Sweets, he had the muscle he needed to run his business however he pleased. Sweets respected Manolo's hustle so much, he even went in on a strip joint with him.
Mimi knew that whenever Sweets was around, she had to be about her money if she didn't want his foot in her ass.
Halleigh nodded her head, and Tasha got on into the car. Before Halleigh got in, she grabbed Mimi's arm and quietly asked, “Who's Sweets?”
With a matter-of-fact look on her face, Mimi replied, “You don't want to know.”
Chapter Sixteen
B
erston Park was packed for the first day of the big game. The sun was shining brightly, and the sky was a clear blue with no signs of clouds anywhere on the horizon. Both young and old were present. Flint families were happy to bring their children out to a decent outing, and they all eagerly anticipated a good game. They'd heard that Malek, the number one high school prospect, would be playing. Some of the top gamblers in town had a lot riding on the game. The odds were 2-1 in favor of Sweets' team, since he'd won the past few years.
The excited onlookers in the bleachers kept cheering, “Malek! Malek! Malek!”
Malek warmed up for the game by dribbling the ball on the court, his eyes all the while scanning the crowd in search of Halleigh. He had desperately searched for her in spite of his mother telling him that she had showed up on their doorstep confessing that she had ruined his life and had decided to break up with him.
“I told you that little tramp only wanted you for your money,” Mrs. Johnson told Malek. “Now that the chips are down and she thinks you don't have a chance in the world at the NBA, she's left you hanging.”
That statement was only confirmed after Malek realized and thought about the fact that Halleigh hadn't bothered to show up for his court date.
It was hard for Malek to believe that Halleigh had left him hanging. He had even gone to her mother's home looking for her, just so that he could hear it coming straight from her mouth that she didn't want to be with him anymore. But he arrived only to find drug junkies scattered throughout the living room, and no sign of Halleigh.
“Miss Walters, have you seen Halleigh?” he asked Sharina.
“No. I don't know where that heifer is,” her mother said, scratching her pus-cratered arms. “I thought she was with you.”
“You mean she hasn't been home?”
“No. But if you see that li'l bitch, tell her to get her ass home. I got things for her to do.”
He smirked
. Yeah, right. Like being your little trick?
Malek really was beginning to get worried as the days passed. Where could she have gone off to if she didn't go back home? She didn't have anybody else. And Nikki hadn't seen her since the night of the championship game.
Malek shook his thoughts about Halleigh and tried to focus on the game that was about to take place. As both teams filled the court and the game was about to start, all eyes were on him. Malek's sports agent had begged him not to play in the game, but Malek believed that he owed Joe this one favor. So being very big on loyalty, he kept his word to Joe and played in the game.
Jamaica Joe stood in the middle of his team wearing a white Sean Jean polo shirt and a crisp pair of Air Force Ones. Sweets emerged from the limo with a Sean John wife-beater, crisp jeans, and new Timberlands, his tattooed body on display and his ripped body shining.
Looking at Sweets, one would never know he was homosexual. Actually, he was bisexual. He slept with both men and women. The ladies lusted after him, but he had no desire to have a relationship with them unless they were moving dope for him. Sweets was a bonafide hustler and ran the South Side single-handedly.
Everyone, from pro athletes to rappers to street legends, was in attendance at the park. Every year the same two teams made it to the championship game: Joe's versus Sweets', north versus south. Every year it was an all-out battle, and the entire city was there to see who would come out victorious.
Sweets took his place on the bench as his players scurried over next to him. He then took a quick glance over at Jamaica Joe, who now waited with his team under a tent across the park. He hated Joe with a passion, and even though they had an unspoken pact not to war at Berston, he still took every precaution.
His young hit squad was scattered throughout the park, each one carrying twin pistols. They called themselves the Shottah Boyz. The Shottah Boyz were four young killers who Sweets had practically raised, since their mothers were on crack. They all were between the ages of sixteen and twenty-two. Although young, they had a notorious reputation. It was rumored that between the four of them, they had fifty murders under their belt. Rah-Rah was reported to be the craziest. They said at seventeen, he was a stone-cold killer.
The announcer announced that the game was about to start, and the two teams filed back onto the court.
Joe's team huddled around him as he gave them a pep talk. “Let's bring the trophy back to the north. Fuck them niggas! Show 'em how we get down. Bring the title back to the hood.”
Joe stuck his fist out, and the whole team put their fist on top of his and yelled, “North Side,” in unison.
The game started, and immediately Malek began to take over the game. He had the whole crowd in awe as he played like a man among boys. Even the NBA players on Sweets' team had a problem stopping Malek. They may have been professionals, but Malek was at home, playing on that very same court practically all his life.
Joe sat on the bench watching his team blowout Sweet's. He couldn't believe how Malek took over the game and single-handedly made Sweet's team look bad. “Yeah, baby!” He clapped loudly, grinning and looking over at Sweets, who was obviously irritated.
Today is a good day, baby. It's gon' be easy taking that faggoty mu'fucka's money,
Joe thought as he re-focused his attention on the game.
Meanwhile, Manolo's focus was on how much money his bitches was gon' clock today.
“Damn, look at all this money,” Mimi said as the car pulled up to the park. She peeped the massive crowd that had occupied Berston Field House. “It's packed.”
Tasha and Manolo stepped out first, and Mimi and Halleigh trailed behind them. Dudes with iced-out neck pieces, and chicks with ass and titties hanging out were all that could be seen. The fact that north and south were in the same place at one time had everyone on edge, so everybody was clicked up.
Mimi and Halleigh went their own way as they split up from Tasha and Manolo. It was so crowded in the small space that Halleigh and Mimi couldn't even see the players on the court.
“Yo, ma, where you going?” a dude asked Halleigh as she walked by him. He was standing with his arms folded across his chest; a white bath towel draped over his head to shield his face from the hot sun. The guy and all of his friends watched her backside; the natural sway of her hips commanding their attention.
Halleigh smiled as she continued to maneuver her way past them.
Mimi stopped in mid-step, causing Halleigh to bump into her. Mimi looked at her like she was crazy.
“What?” Halleigh asked.
“Girl, you better go back over there and make that money.” Mimi glanced back at the group of dudes. “I'm trying to get down too. Them niggas is crazy paid. So go on and hook it up.” Mimi gave her a light shove.
Halleigh strutted back over to the group of dudes. She stammered to the guy that had called out to her, “Y-y-you, uhh, checking for me?” She tried to look confident, placing her hand on her hip and tilting her head to the side.
He grabbed her hand and held it above her head, commanding her to walk in a full circle while he peeped her up and down. Her juicy ass cheeks shifted from side to side as she turned around. “What's your name, ma?” he asked.
Before Halleigh could respond, Mimi cut in, “What's your government? You all into my girl's shit. How about you let her know who you are and what you're about, then she'll decide if you worth fucking with.”
Mimi was arrogant and smart-mouthed, but her looks allowed her to be. The dude smiled and rubbed his goatee as he looked at the two young girls that stood in front of him. He figured they had to be only seventeen or eighteen. He was twenty-six and loved young pussy. “Chill, shorty. I'm Mitch,” he said.
Mimi arched her eyebrows. “Well, what's up? What
you
working with?”
“Damn! What are you, her pimp or something? Can I kick it to your girl for a minute?” he asked politely, but obviously irritated.
“Do you, baby. All I'm saying is, time is money, ya feel me?” Mimi rubbed her fingers together as if she was flipping through bills.
“For real? Y'all getting down like that? You mean all I got to do is pay for this pussy?” He stared at Halleigh in disbelief.
Mimi nudged her.
Meantime, Halleigh's heart was beating out of her chest. “That's all it takes,” she said in an embarrassed whisper.
“Shit. Take a walk with me then, shorty.” He grabbed Halleigh's hand.
Before she walked away Mimi grabbed her hand and whispered, “Get the money first. Make sure he uses a condom too.”
Halleigh nodded, and then she followed him to an '07 Cadillac DeVille.
He opened the door for her. “Get in,” he stated.
“You got the cash?” she asked nervously. She looked over her shoulder and looked around. Somehow Mimi's aggressiveness made her feel better. She wished Mimi had followed behind them or something.
“How much you taxing?” he asked. He couldn't believe that the gorgeous young girl in front of him was tricking. She really looked innocent and clean-cut.
How much am I supposed to charge this nigga?
she thought. That was one the one thing she hadn't been schooled on.
“Two fifty,” she said, hoping that she wasn't short-changing herself.
He pulled out three hundred-dollar bills and handed it to her.
As she nestled into the back seat of the car, she felt her chest heave up and down as the small space became hot. Her hands began to sweat when she felt Mitch put his tongue on her neck.
“Come here, ma. Why you all over there?” he asked, pulling out his manhood.
Halleigh psyched herself up.
Just do it. Close your eyes and do what you got to do.
She unbuttoned her shorts and eased out of them.
I'm doing this for Manolo. I'm going to make Daddy proud
. She straddled him and grinded her hips as he touched her breasts, squeezing them a little bit too hard. He slid her thong to the side, pulled out a condom, and slid it on to his throbbing dick.
Halleigh looked down at it. He was a decent size. In fact, he wasn't any bigger than Manolo, and she was grateful because she didn't want it to hurt. She felt as if she was selling her soul to the devil when he put himself inside of her.
When he felt her tight walls, he said, “Shit! Ma, you a virgin?”
She gripped him. From the way he moaned she could tell that he loved the way the inside of her felt. At the same time, a tear fell from her eyes as she stared out of the rear windshield and rode his dick.
“Damn, ma, you working it. Umm . . .” he stated as she performed her new job.
She couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her eyes.
I can't believe I'm doing this,
she thought.
He finally came and she got off of him. Feeling disgraced, she wiped her eyes, put her shorts back on, and quickly exited the vehicle. Even though she'd used the feminine wipes Mimi told her to use, she still never felt dirtier in her life.

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