My Besties: The Come Up (4 page)

Who run the world; girls!

Who run this mother? Girls!”

Chapter 6

JuJu

It’s time to get flyer than that thing. Today’s my friend’s auntie’s barbeque. The block is going to be packed. Food’s going to be good and niggas gonna be flocking. I’m geeked just thinking about it. Everybody and their mammie is going to be out there so you know my besties and I are going to show up and show out. It’s mandatory!

Today, I’mma live up to my nickname, Ms.
I’m That Bitch
, because when I make my way through, I demand attention. Why? Because, I’M THAT BITCH!

Today I’m rocking my sheer dark grey maxi dress. It’s sexy, but classy. I’ll keep it simple with my hair. A bun at the top of my head should do. It’s hot, plus I want the attention on my blemish-free face. My light brown slanted eyes do damage if you look into them.

“Where my girls at? Damn, my phone ringing.”

I felt around my bed and grabbed it before it stops.

“Hey skank! We at the door.”

“Come up then.”

“Yo ghetto ass auntie on that bullshit.”

I hung up in Tiki’s face and stomped down the stairs with a full-blown attitude.

“Lil girl, you better stop stomping down my stairs before I stomp yo ass! And where you think you going in that tight ass dress?”

I let my friends in and I turn around to answer her question. “I’m going to Boo’s barbeque.”

“Did you ask me?”

“No, I didn’t think I had to since Lil Mama gon be there.”

“I don’t give a fuck about no damn Lil Mama! Fuck her! I raised you! I feed and clothe you! That bitch thinks she’s all that! That’s why she did eight years in prison! Stupid ass bank robbing bitch!”

I couldn’t believe this ol’ ungrateful-ass hoe. My Auntie Lil Mama did hit a few banks awhile back. She got caught because my Auntie Tae was out there stunting as if she was the one getting money.

She got drunk one night and said too much around the wrong motha fucker. That person turned my auntie in for the reward money. She left my greedy ass Auntie Tae everything! House, car, and some money. Tae did her wrong. She barely sent her anything. She did her time like a G though. When she came home, she felt back as if it was nothing. I know my auntie. She was just waiting on the right time. When she’s ready, she’s going to fuck Tae’s ass up.

To be honest with you, I don’t think she gave Tae everything. She’s too relaxed about the situation. Then again, after eight years, wouldn’t you be a little calmer too?

“How you gon talk about her like that when this is her house? That truck you driving, hers too.”

“Who you talking to like that? Don’t get embarrassed!”

I guess E had enough. My auntie always had a soft spot for her anyway. “Damn Tae, chill. You looking sexy as usual today.”

I rolled my eyes. This ol’ thirsty-ass hoe had the nerve to smile. “Thank you baby. Tell Irene to call me.” She rolled her eyes at me and walked off.

“She wanna fuck you E.”

“Fuck you Ju!”

I stepped back to admire my besties outfits. Okay I was impressed. ReRe had on this Baby Phat cotton romper. Her hips and ass were on full display. “Damn ReRe, you trying to catch you one, huh?”

With us she’s so silly. She walked in the middle of our little circle and made her ass thunderclap saying, “Shawty gotta big ol butt, ohh yeah.”

We all fell out laughing. E was in this hoe looking mighty sexy with her Chicago Bulls jersey on. The back had my number one player on it. D Rose, of course! She killed it with the all-white Roca Wear shorts and buried the game with some red, black, and white Jordans. Her waves were making me seasick!

“Damn E, what bitch you trying to make chase you today?”

“Ju don’t be J. I’m on one shawty.”

“Whatever!”

Tiki looked like a true diva. My bestie had on this all-white cotton maxi dress like mine except her whole back was out. She had on some cute beige wedges.

“Tiki over here looking like a glass of whole milk and shit.”

She smiled at me on the way out the door and said, “Well you know milk does a body good! Let’s roll!”

We stepped out of my door looking like a thousand bucks. We weren’t anywhere near millionaire status, but you sure couldn’t tell us shit! The barbeque must have been juking because we heard the music all the way down here. We walked from 88
^th
and Marquette. As we crossed 87
^th
street, I heard all the ‘ooh’s’ and ‘ahh’s’ from the block boys.

This one little cutie named Woodie said, “Damn Juju, you make me wanna leave home!”

I shot back, “You can’t hug the block and this coochie at the same time.”

“I ain’t going nowhere. I’mma get you girl.”

“Boy bye!”

(LJ)

“Man Auntie Boo, this little block party is cracking. It’s some cute little broads out here.” My auntie’s friend Lil Mama looked at me and smiled, “You ain’t seen cute yet. Wait until my niece and her little crew get here and shuts this motha fucker down.”

I looked at Lil Mama’ sexy ass and said, “Since I know I’m too young for you, please tell me that your niece is as fine as you.”

Lil Mama chuckled and had the nerve to blush, boosting a nigga’s ego. “Today is your lucky day because she looks just like me. Speaking of the devil, here they come walking up the street now.”

I stood up and looked in the direction that she was pointing. Before I could say anything, Poohman’s hotheaded ass jumped up off the porch and said, “There go that little hoe that cut me.”

(JuJu)

“JuJu, if you switch any harder, you gon break yo hips.”

“Don’t hate! Don’t hate bitch! Learn to appreciate!”

We too damn goofy. I love my besties. As we crossed the street, I looked up and I almost fainted. “Re, ain’t this a bitch? Tell me that ain’t the ol’ boy you cut standing up in Boo’s yard!”

ReRe’s hand shot to her purse. “Hell yeah, that’s him. Let him turn up and I’mma turn his ass down real quick!”

(LJ)

“Damn auntie that’s shawty and her little crew that I told you about.” Boo stood up. “I’ll be damned. I shoulda known. Ja`ziya bring yo ass here right now.”

(JuJu)

“Damn y’all, Boo’s ol’ ignorant ass just called my government like that.” There was few people in the yard when we walked up. Shit, my besties and I were ready for whatever! I got ready to hit the stairs when the passenger dude jumped in my way. I looked at him and smiled. I had to be on my best behavior since my auntie Lil Mama was watching.

“Excuse me; I’m trying to get past.”

This clown was unaware of what hood he was in, said, “Bitch you got a pass, you won’t get another one.”

WHAAAATTTT? Before I could say anything, my auntie came walking down the stairs. “Poohman, out of respect for Jaw, I’mma let you get that pass, but if you call her another bitch, I’mma show you what eight years of frustration look like.” She paused for a minute to let that threat sink in. “Do I make myself clear, baby?”

He looked at Jaw for some help. Shit, that nigga put his head down.

“I got you, little Mama.”

I walked up the stairs and sat in the seat that my auntie was in. LJ watched me the whole time, but didn’t say a word. He had this, “Hell Naw” look on his face. Boo watched the whole exchange. “Damn Jaw, close your mouth, or speak.”

(Jaw)

This is a small world, I swear. I’ve been thinking about this chick for a minute. Come to find out, she’s my auntie’s Goddaughter. Crazy! I look at my man’s and this nigga’s mugging the fuck out of the ol’ girl that cut his ass. Shit, she mugging his ass right back like, “Nigga what.”

“Poohman let me holla at you.” I see it all in my boy’s eyes. He want’s to say something. As soon as we hit the kitchen, I go in. “What up, Poohman? Let that shit go, my nigga.”

He shook his head and what he said next confirmed what I always thought. This nigga is crazy. “A, you think shawty gon give me her number?”

(ReRe)

I see the way this nigga’s mugging. I swear he’s not about that life! I came prepared for anybody’s dumb shit. I already planned it out. I’mma mace the crowd first, and then I’mma start slicing motha fuckers. What? I don’t play games when it comes to my besties safety and me. I look at JuJu on the porch talking to her auntie and Boo and we lock eyes.

I feel like we can communicate with our eyes. It’s as if I heard her say in my mind, “You okay?” I winked my eye and shook my head yes. She smiled and continued her conversation. My stomach started growling, reminding me that I haven’t eaten all day.

“Auntie Lil Mama, where’s all the cooked food at?”

“It’s in the house, baby. Help yourself.”

She didn’t have to tell me twice. E and Tiki’s greedy asses already had their food. Their asses were sitting in some lawn chairs in the yard fucking up some ribs. “Y’all bogus! Where my plate at?”

E’s silly ass said, “We kept calling you when we hit the yard, but yo crazy was in cut a nigga mode so we left yo ass standing there.”

“Fuck y’all!”

Tiki looked up from her food and said, “No thank you, but I know somebody who looks like they wouldn’t mind rubbing ya fluffy.”

“Smart mouth hoe!”

“Girl, go eat!”

I walked in the house with one thing on my mind, food! As I approached the kitchen, I heard voices. “Why you tripping? Let that shit go, my nigga!”

I instantly pulled my blade out thinking that this nigga wants to act a fool. I’ll cut his ass up for real this time. Who the fuck does he think this is? I’m no punk. I’m about to come around the corner swinging. Just before I made my move, I hear the passenger dude say, “A, you think shawty gon give me her number?”

That shit almost made me bust up laughing. This motha fucker’s crazy. Quiet as kept, that shit made my little kitty twitch. I haven’t had the desire to become sexually active on my own, but this nigga’s style had me tweaking. Lost in my own thoughts, I didn’t even realize that they stopped talking and when I looked up, they were standing in front of me.

“Damn, you gon cut us both, little killa?” The nigga known as Poohman licked his lips and put his hands in his pockets. Seeing that he wasn’t on no bullshit, I put my blade back in my purse. I looked at him and smiled.

“So you want my number; huh?”

(JuJu)

I’m having a good time chilling with my besties and my old heads. I swear I want to be just like them. They’re some G’s for real. Boo a beast! Sitting here listening to her stories, I’m glad that I’m not on her bad side. Now my auntie Lil Mama’s been a beast. I used to love when she would come over to Auntie Tae’s house.

Tae hated how close we were. Lil Mama always made sure I had whatever I needed. I wish she would have let me live with her, but I knew she ran those streets. She made sure she saw me every day and she always told me that she loved me. She treated my besties the same way.

“Ju, go get me and Boo another drink.”

“Can I get one?”

“You can get this ass whooping!”

“Never mind, then. I’m going auntie.”

I got up and went into the house. No sooner than I hit the corner, I see LJ, Poohman, and ReRe standing around looking crazy. “What the fuck?” I went straight into beast mode. “Y’all trying to pull it with my girl on the low? I will tear this motha fucker up! ReRe, you ready?”

I’ll be damned if all three of their asses looked at me and started rolling.

“What the fuck I miss?

Re looked at me and said, “I’m cool. Poohman and I got some things to talk about. Jaw, take my bestie and give us a few minutes.”

I looked at ReRe as if she had three heads. This hoe doesn’t talk to strangers, especially niggas.

“Okay, you sure you cool?”

She smiled and said, “Jaw like you JuJu. Give the boy some play.”

And just like that, what started off as a tense situation quickly became a breakthrough moment for my bestie. I’m happy too. Jaw is a cutie! We kicked it hard for the rest of the day. E and Tiki even warmed up to them. I’m glad I got me boo thang. God is good!

Will he answer our prayers when we bite off more than we can chew?

“I be repping my city, I be

repping my city, err, err, err night!”

Chapter 7

Big Moe

“Everybody get the fuck on the ground, right fucking now! You, fill this bag up and bitch if you wanna go home tonight, don’t pass me no dye packs! Try me and I’mma murder yo whole family!”

This hoe snatched the bag and started throwing that money in there so fast you would have thought that she was robbing the bank with me! I’ve been robbing shit for years. I think I hit my first lick when I was seven. I robbed the candy lady that lived in my building.

My name is Ramon, but everybody calls me Big Moe. I got that name because I’ve got heart. I went from robbing the candy lady to sticking up doughboys that served out of the building I grew up in. Born and raised in one of the most dangerous housing projects called Cabrini Green, I had to do me to survive.