Me Before You

O N E

A T H E N A

" That's 40 bucks right there," I explain to this dumbass for the 12th time." No less I don't care."

" Jc only ever charged me 20, i ain't over paying your childish ass for this shit," i roll my eyes " either take the 20 or i'll take my business somewhere else." he said.

I started packing up my shit. I don't care how long Jc been in the game. I know how much my shits worth and ain't no way this man bout to tell me how much it coast.

After he saw me bout to walk away he stopped me, " here man, and next time lemme talk to Jc. Imma get my money back." he said throwing the money at me.

I watched as the crumpled up fives and ones hit the ground and laughed, this man ain't bout to get away with that disrespect shit. " Alright, you can either pick this shit up and hand it to me the right way. Orrr i can bust a cap on you right now. I don't give a fuck who's territory i'm on. Your ass can go down right here."

I knew that I wasn't bout to kill him but i'm not letting this disrespect slide. I knew he saw the glimmer in my eye saying i'd do it if it came to that.

He locked eyes with me and slowly bent down to pick it up. " You lucky you a girl or id swing on your ass." he said.

I laughed again. I'm not letting his twig ass think that I won't blow his brains out. I put the money in my pocket. When I got closer to him I fealt his nose breathing on me. I could tell his heart was racing.

One more look in the eye and I knew i had him. The devilish smirk on my face. " Swing,"I said.

" What? You tryna get knocked out lil girl?" He asked stepping up to me. Homeboy was 5'8 around 120. His ass ain't doin shit.

" You think your all big and bad. Either take your shit and go, or you can swing and see how fast my ass can have you on you knees begging not to kill you." I said dangling the small bag of meth over his head.

" Your just a kid. How the fuck do you even sell." he said.

" And your just a 20 something year old buying off of a kid because you have a pathetic life. If my prices were so high then you could have left. But you didn't, your desperate. So think, who really has the power here."

He looked me in my eye one more time. He was scared and I knew that.

He quickly grabbed the bag before mumbling and leaving.

Pussy. I laughed making my way home.

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" Jc, stop selling our shit for less then we pay. Why'd you dude come up to me tryna pay $20 for a $40 bag worth of meth." I said getting frozen pizza from my fridge.

Jc is my older brother. We've been through thick and thin. Our one half of a sperm donor left us when we were younger. He did hella damage along the way. As for my Ma. Shit I don't even know what happened to her. She's just gone.

Jc said she was a good mom, til she left him at 10. He's been taking care of me ever since. He knew that I had his back and he had mine. That's how it's been and will always be.

I started describing the dude to Jc. " Oh chill Thena, That was just Celvin. He harmless. He's tryna ease his way out of drugs." He said while his loud ass was munchin on some cereal.

" He ain't doin a very good job," i said. " I told him i'd shoot him." I casually said.

He stopped eating his food and looked at me and clinched his teeth. " Man you can't be doing that kinda Shit Athena . Your gonna get your ass shot and do you even know how many people want Viper dead."

Viper. A name i'd known since I was a kid. It's what my name was on the street. No one knew who I was. To them I was just some hood girl selling some stuff here and there.

But to my brother and everyone else. I had power. I knew that I would never admit to being Viper til the day I died. No one will know and I'll go down before I let anyone find out.

" Chill the fuck out JC. I left princess at home." Okay that was a lie. I always came everywhere with a stamp and a knife on me at all times. You don't know what kinda shit will break out.

Jc gave me the face telling me he knew I was full of shit. I rolled my eyes and went to my room.