Me & My Boyfriend (5 page)

Walking towards the door Meesa stated, “You're leaving your shit.”

“No I'm not, I'll be back.” And he left with those words lingering in the air.

September 19, 2002 and Meesa sat alone in her bed reading, when the phone started to ring.

“Hello?”

“What's up hoe?” Asked the person on the other end.

“Hey Gwen, what's up?

“Guess who else is on the phone?”

Meesa asked, “Who?”

“Nikki and Tamara.”

“Hey girls.”

“What's up Mee Mee?” Tamara asked.

“Shit, bored as hell.”

“Have any of ya'll talked to Dee?” Meesa asked, needing to know.

“No, she hasn't called any of us.” Replied Gwen.

“I don't know what's up with old girl.” Nikki said.

“Well, I hope she's doing okay.” Meesa stated worried.

“I don't even care anymore Mee Mee. She left us for that old trifling ass nigga, so fuck her.” Gwen retorted hurt.

“Don't be like that, Gwen.” Tamara said, being the sensitive one of the group.

“Look, I didn't call ya'll to talk about Destiny, okay. I called you all to ask ya'll if you wanted to get out?”

“Go out where? It's getting late Gwen.” Asked Nikki. “Shit, I don't know where, I just want to go out somewhere.”

“If we put our heads together we can think of something.” Tamara said reassuringly. Silence filled the air as four minds wondered.

“Ooh, let's go skating.” Meesa asked excitedly.

“Okay Meesa, how old are you? Skating, girl is you crazy?” Gwen asked mockingly.

“You right we are too old.” Replied Meesa.

“Well, let's go out to a club, but not The Spotlight.” Meesa said, fearing she would see Black.

“Well, what club would we go to?” Asked Nikki.

“Let's go to Sprull's, tonight it's twenty-five and older, so the crowd should be cool.” Gwen announced.

“Cool, then let's all get dressed and go.” Nikki said.

“Meesa I'll come and pick you up, but you have to get dressed over my house.” Tamara requested.

“Cool T, I'll be ready in twenty minutes.” As they got off the phone, a bad feeling came across Meesa. Something bad was going to happen tonight, but what.

While getting dressed, Meesa confided in Tamara. She had to get her feelings off her chest. Tamara listened, carefully devouring every word Meesa uttered. When all was said and done, Meesa was suffering from a broken heart. Tamara tried to tell her that things would get better in time, but Meesa knew that things wouldn't. She wanted Black in her life. And nobody would ever understand that, not even Tamara. She wished Destiny was around. She always understood Meesa better than the other girls. They always confided in each other, knowing exactly how each other felt. Meesa felt if she didn't have Black, then she had nothing. He was the one for her even if she wasn't the one for him. Nobody knew how much she missed, and needed him.

Weeks had passed and he never once called, still she was wondering what he meant by I'll be back. Meesa cried herself to sleep each night hoping and praying he would come back. When will this end she thought. Never being in love before, she felt like everyday was her last day on earth.

Sprull's was flooded with baller's, but none appealed to Meesa. She tried with everything in her to have fun, but felt nothing. Joy didn't live in her anymore. Being able to bounce back was a trait that Meesa cherished. But it seemed like it went out the door when Black did. Her friends tried everything to make her happy, but nothing worked. Meesa was still healing and needed time. Still ashamed of herself for drowning her sorrows with liquor, Meesa vowed to never drink again, and she meant it.

Sitting at the bar, while her friends partied on the dance floor, Meesa drank a Sprite, trying to see if she saw anybody else she knew. There, in plain sight, was Destiny and Daryl. Destiny looked better than ever on the outside. Her hair was parted down the middle with long sixteen-inch weave extentions. She looked like Pocahontas herself.

Diamond platinum jewelry dawned her ears, neck, and hand. She sported a Dolce and Gabbana blue jean corset top and matching mini skirt. On her feet were D&G sling back heels. “If the girl don't look like a million bucks” Meesa thought to herself. For a moment, she thought their eyes had locked. But Destiny turned her head, so Meesa wasn't quite sure.

Meesa was right, her and Destiny did connect eyes. Destiny had already spotted her, but tried not to make any eye contact. She knew that Daryl would knock the taste out of her mouth. Getting slapped around was nothing new to her. Daryl hit her whenever and wherever, but it was a price she was willing to pay for the life she was living.

Destiny knew that she was the shit. She loved all the attention she got from niggas and hoes. Everything she rocked was cold and everybody knew it. Hoes couldn't fuck with her.

If at first she was a dime, she was now a twenty. Daryl's money was really gassing her head up.

Mee Mee looked good though. Her hair was different. She dyed her tips a honey blonde color that accentuated her already
honey colored skin. Over the months, Meesa had let her hair grow out to match Halle's latest style. She now wore it flipped up in the back with soft curls surrounding her face. On her body, she sported a pink lace slip dress that she made herself. It matched a Prada dress she had seen in a boutique Destiny thought. The matching pink Manolo Blahnik's heels made the look. She must be using her savings to buy that gear, Destiny thought. She was always a simple dresser. But with a body like Meesa had, she didn't have to do a lot to get attention.

Even though she played it like she didn't miss her friends, she did. Most of all she missed her and Meesa's closeness. She missed being able to share her secrets with her. Daryl made sure she didn't have any friends. He kept her locked up like a prisoner in his penthouse apartment. The only place she was allowed to go was to the beauty shop, nail parlor, and the mall. Even then, she had to be escorted by one of his workers.

Most of the time, Daryl was either gone or ignoring her. And the only time he spent with Destiny was when he wanted some ass or to show her off. Other than that, she spent her time alone cooped up in the house. Daryl was keeping a watchful eye on Destiny, making sure she didn't make eye contact with anyone. He would whoop her ass in public if he had too. Daryl didn't give a fuck. Hearing that Black might be at the club made Daryl decide to make an appearance. He still hadn't forgotten what that nigga did. Fronting on him in public was a no-no. And payback was a muthafucker for Black.

Two-waying Lil Howard, Daryl said, “Tell them niggas to get ready. I don't want any fuck ups tonight, especially not from you!” Two-waying the other fellas, Lil Howard tried to calm himself down. Lil Howard wiped the sweat from his forehead. He didn't know what he had gotten himself into.

Three years before, he was just a normal teenage boy living in Compton. He had met Daryl one day playing basketball. His tall frame and lanky body stood out in the sea of men. Lil Howard was fourteen and six feet three. Daryl thought that he could use the little dude on the block. And Lil Howard needed
the extra dough. He was the oldest of his six other siblings. His mother tried her best to hold them down but money was sparse. They lived in a two-bedroom house on one of the toughest blocks in Compton.

It didn't help much that Lil Howard was tall, frail, and funny looking, with a stuttering problem. He constantly got joned on about his looks and speech problem. His clothes were always too small and short, so when approached with the opportunity to make money, he took it. Daryl tried him out on the block, but quickly took him off, because his first time out he got robbed by a crackhead. After that spectacle, he became Daryl's man servant.

Now sixteen and a little smarter, Lil Howard wanted more for his life. Somehow Daryl had made himself Lil Howard's sick father figure, a crazy and demented father figure he was at that. Lil Howard was in and there was no way out. If he told Daryl he wanted out, Lil Howard would pay for his life one way or another.

Black was walking through security, one of Daryl's workers informed. Black, Rick, Kat, and his partna, Perry, strolled through the club. All eyes were on them and that's what they expected. Black and his partnas always came clean. Black had on a black leather Sean John jacket, a white wife beater, and matching leather SJ pants, and with a pair of black and gray Air Force Ones. He had his dreads pulled up in a ponytail with the rest hanging. On his chest, lay his diamond platinum necklace, with a charm that said “Black” in diamonds.

His name alone on the chain was the size of a dollar. The diamonds in his ears would make any nigga cry. The nigga looked good, damn good.

Black and his boys made it to the back, while Rick went to the bar. Spotting Rick, Meesa quickly turned around on the barstool. She knew that if Rick was there, nine times out of ten, Black was too.

Turning around didn't help because Rick spotted the Chinese
symbol for love on the back of her neck. Sneaking up on her he said, “Boo.”

“What's up, Rick,” She said flakily?

“Shit ma, I know you here with your girls, so hook a nigga up.”

“Which one?”

“Um, that chick Tamara.”

“Well, I hope you ain't for no hit it and quit it type shit.” Meesa stated demandingly.

“Nah, nah I kind of dig shorty.”

“Well, I'll tell her.”

“Cool, I'll check you later ma.” He said as he walked away with his drink in hand. Making his way through the club, Rick spotted one of the young cats that worked for Daryl. Knowing he was somewhere around, he quickly made it to the back to warn his boy.

Smoking a blunt laced with the best, Black and his partnas sat in the corner of the club.

“Let me holla at you cuz.” Rick requested.

“What's up?” Black asked, already high.

“Look dude, I saw one of that nigga Daryl's youngsters in here.” Glad he bought the heat inside instead of leaving it Black nodded assuring Rick he knew what was up. He informed the rest of the fellas to be on lookout. After a blunt and a half, Black had had enough.

Upstairs seated at a table, sat Meesa, Tamara, and Nikki. Kelly was sick so she didn't come.

“Yo T, that nigga Rick want to holla at you.” Meesa informed.

“Word, where he at.”

“He's somewhere downstairs.”

“Well, excuse me ladies, I got to go and get my mack on.” Tamara said gleefully.

Glad at least one of her friends was happy, Meesa just sat and pouted. Knowing she would have to see Black, it was just a matter of time before she ran into him, she thought. They hadn't seen each other since that fateful morning. It had been weeks, and Meesa had feared the day that they would meet again.

Watching Tamara approaching, Rick remembered his talk with Meesa. The shit with Black and that punk ass nigga Daryl had Rick shook.

“Ay, I forgot to tell you I saw Meesa sitting at the bar.” Rick said, leaning over to Black's ear.

“Oh?” Was all Black said in return. He kept his feelings about everything close to his heart, especially the ones he had for Meesa. Cats would take that shit for a weakness and Black couldn't be considered weak in the game he was in. Over the weeks, Black replayed the morning they broke up in his mind over and over.

Realizing the minute he stepped out of the door he loved her, Black considered going back, but he never allowed it to happen. He wasn't ready for a commitment and wasn't willing to hurt Meesa anymore than he already had. He tried fucking with other women to get his mind off of her, but nothing worked. Meesa's face always appeared in his mind. At night he dreamt of her. Seeing her pretty face brought a smile to him each night. It was just like that Usher song, he had it bad. Recalling her crying made him feel torn up inside. He never meant to make her cry. It reminded him of his father and the way he treated his mother. He couldn't treat her that way again. So, he kept his distance. Black picked up the phone once or twice to give her a call, but would always chump out and hang up. Meesa deserved better and better for her he was not.

Rick and Tamara kicked back and conversated. Rick had completely forgotten about Daryl and his partnas, he was too into Tamara to remember. Black hadn't forgotten though. He stayed in the same spot the whole night. With a drink in one hand, Black surveyed his surroundings. His other hand lay underneath his shirt itching to pull the trigger.

Upstairs, Daryl had an infrared gloc pointed at Black's chest. He had other cats posted up around the room, waiting for the signal to strike. Destiny sat wondering what was about to go down. Scared out of her mind, and too afraid to ask, she sat and waited. Fearing for her friends, as well, she prayed they wouldn't get in the line of fire.

The next thing she knew bullets were flying. People started screaming and ducking for safety everywhere. Meesa and the girls ducked underneath the table for cover. With a shaky hand, Daryl missed and hit Tamara in the back, dropping her to the floor instantly. Black shot up as soon as he saw the red light on his chest and fired towards where the light began. Tamara had fallen on top of Rick, so he gently pushed her off of him and went up as well, shooting one of Daryl's workers in the leg. Black's other partnas fired too, killing one of Daryl's boys. All of a sudden, Rick felt a burning sensation coming from his chest, he was hit. With death staring him right in the face, Rick slumped down in the seat. Wreathing with pain, he tried to hold on but it was too late. As soon as it began it all ended. Daryl quickly grabbed Destiny and fled the scene. Tamara and Rick both lay dead. Black looked on in disbelief. Rick's eyes were still open, so he gently closed them. Praying that Meesa hadn't been hurt.

“Damn, Tamara too.” He said to himself.

“Damn cuz, Rick dead.” Kat spoke defeated. Feeling like his whole world was falling apart, Black asked God to take care of his friend. Standing up Meesa, Gwen, and Nikki hugged each other, happy they made it through alive. But, quickly remembering someone was missing, they called out for Tamara. After no answer, they ran down the steps to the lower level, hoping they
would find her safe and alive. Bumping into people scurrying to get out, they had to step over dead bodies of innocent bystanders. Holding on to each other, they feared the worse, they still couldn't find Tamara. But they did see Black approaching.