King of Queens (a Nas Story)

FIVE

Gia | 4:55pm

"Ron is making his way to Queens. I thought I'd give you the courtesy call." Stacy said on the other end of the landline. Nasir was taking a shower after the mess we made and I had already cleaned myself up and changed leggings, knitted leg warmers and a basic white long sleeve shirt. 

I twirled the strands of loosely curled hair that rested on my forehead with the tip of my index finger and kissed my teeth. "The fuck you mean Ron is on his way to Queens? I don't want to see him!" I raised my voice angrily. Stacy of all people knows how things ended between us. 

"I tried to tell his dumbass it was over. He's not hearing that shit." Stacy popped her lips into the phone. She was known around the block for chewing spearmint gum and had a habit of popping it loudly and blowing bubbles of gum bigger than her whole face. 

She was like the little sister I always wanted. We were glued at the hip until I had to bury my Pops. She rode with us in the hearse that day, sat front row and even spoke at his viewing. He treated her like his long lost daughter. After the cost of his funeral and falling short on rent, My mom couldn't afford the rent in Harlem anymore. She packed us up and moved to Queensbridge and tried to sign me up for his benefits down at the office, which I was wrongfully denied. 

Stacy and I kept in touch over the phone and when I had the extra money to hang out, I'd catch the train to Harlem to chill at the old complex, where she still lives with her mom and pops. 

"Well, thanks for the heads up Stace. I'll stay low." I rolled my eyes as I continued twirling the loose strand of hair that I styled purposefully to fall in front of my face. Stacy and I caught up on the drama back home in Harlem. Apparently, Ron and Tionne were on the rocks after the birth of their son. 

Ron just got home from a marijuana charge and I just so happen to be the first person he wants to see. I sighed as she continued to babble on and on about dude. I could care less what he has going on. "Really? That's crazyyy." I exaggerated as if I gave a fuck. 

"But anyways, when you coming back to the block? Ma been asking about you. You know how she gets-" Stacy was rudely interrupted by Nasir's hoarse voice.

"Ayo, where you keep your lotion?" Nasir yelled out into the hallway. I snapped my neck instantly as I covered the microphone of the telephone with my palm. 

"Uh uhhh, who is that Gia?" Stacy popped her lips again. I stared at Nasir. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and nothing else. He was dripping water on the hardwood floor. I snapped out of my impure thoughts. 

"Check the closet. Should be something in there." I said nonchalantly, trying not to drool over his almost naked body. 

"Aight." He nodded at me and walked back into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Our sweatpants should be almost finished drying at this point. I could hear the faint rumbling of the spin cycle behind the wash room door. 

"Hello? Gia? Who is that?" I almost forgot that Stacy was still on the phone. I moved my hand from covering the microphone and picked back up on our conversation. 

"My neighbor." I said without getting too deep into who he was. 

"You fucking your neighbors now? Oh, Queens got you moving different!" Stacy laughed loudly, almost in a roar on the other end of the line. 

I whispered into the microphone so that Nasir wouldn't hear me. "I am not fucking him!"

"With a voice like his, your legs are going to be behind your head before you know it." Stacy popped her lips annoyingly into the phone. I shook my head in shame. She might be right about that, but I want to hold out as much as I can. Just as he wanted to tease me, I wanted to tease him back.