The Frequency Of Compulsion/GXG/ Grip The Series: Book One

NINETEEN

K E E Y A

The various sounds of the supermarket danced in the air as I lifted a box of coco puffs from the shelf, tossing it in the trolly with a yawn falling from my lips that I lifted my other hand to block.

"Still tired?" Jerome asked with a push of his phone back into his pocket, and I nodded as Dantae approached us, tossing his own box of cereal into the cart.

"D, did you set up the whole camera thing on the girls' phone?" I asked him as I began slowly pushing the cart once again.

"Yeah, that one shorty helped me get all the phones uhm—the one with the long black braids," He said with a gesture to his head with his hand.

"Compulsion," Jerome filled in before I could and Dantae nodded in acceptance.

"Yeah her, and she fine too,"

"That's all Keys," Jerome told him before I could even react to what Dantae said.

"Forreal?"

"We just cool," I announced, making Jerome laugh as he tapped Dantae's shoulder in a silent ask for his attention, and Dantae looked over, meeting his gaze.

"She out her sharing blunts with shorty," Jerome revealed, making me laugh at not only his statement but Dantae's reaction.

"Yeah, that's all you," Dantae said as exhaustion continued to hold me tight in its grasp.

"Look, Imma head to the car and take a quick nap, y'all can finish up in here," I told them, feeling like I was gon pass out fucking with this whole shopping shit.

"Oh you in your feelings?" Jerome joked and I snickered, hitting his chest with the back of my hand.

"I'm tired, just handle this and meet me in the car," I told them before turning and heading out of the store to my car. The minute I was in the vehicle, I sent my seat back, turning on the cool air and leaning back.

It had been a draining last couple days, fixing shit, adding shit, teaching shit, explaining security tactics, working, working out—just a bunch a shit that took away from me sleeping. I still ain't had time to get my haircut, and I needed one of those right now.

-

After weeks of being here, I had finally gotten a haircut, sending my hair back to its usual low taper fade with cornrows. Thankfully, Loyal's babymoms was as good as he said and so was the barber so my first haircut didn't have to be a fuck up. That shit would've made this move harder than it already was since I left a good barber and hairstylist back home.

Jerome had dropped Dantae home after we got our groceries, so I could get myself sorted out before my shift that was quickly rolling up on me. Which was why I sat here now at this food spot, Gloria's, which was all the way in the hood on the same stretch as the barber shop and hair salon. To be honest, the hood didn't really feel like it, shit ain't really triggered my PTSD. The sounds of the hood was still present yeah, but everything was peaceful like, you ain't feel you was in danger but down south...shit.

Guess Loyal and Rome was right about the Don up these parts running shit different, cause it sure felt different. I was sitting in the middle of a hood I ain't know, eating food and I was peaceful as shit, and I was happy I could do this because I knew if I was supposed to go home and make sumn to eat, I wouldn't even have time to eat that shit with work.

Lowkey, I was still kinda tired even after my nap in the car, I mean the whole last few days was spent practically training the security at the club. Thankfully I had Dantae with me to lift that load and Rome, but Dantae especially, me and him worked side-by-side for a minute. From the army to security at different spots, he knew how to maneuver. It was a—