KingPin

The Pilot Chapter

     "Hear this shit, bruh," A grin etched into his skin as he pushed the volume higher, the brand new subwoofers implanted into his car beginning to rattle the entire car from the outside. FM radio playing the top billboard hit as they paid attention to the bass hitting on beat.

     Christian could feel the sound, the sound waves sending vibrations all through out the passenger seat as if he'd been in one of those expensive chairs at the mall. "Aye that shit fye. How much?"

     Pierre didn't answer at first, busy accepting the blunt Ant passed him before he took his own pull from it. "More than ya' momma' rent, nigga." He inhaled before fully blowing out smoke from the wood, the harsh tobacco taste kicking up phlegm that makes him cough. "Easy $1200, I'mma take it to Fatboi for the tint next Sunday."

     Ant himself didn't see why Pierre would invest so much, but reworking 20 year old cars was his thing since they were in high school. Ant watched Pierre take salvaged, forgotten old hoopties from the town's auction yard and turn them back into shells of the speed demons they were in their prime.

     Pierre had been upkeeping this Lexus for a minute, being obsessed practically since they day he drove up to get it from his Aunt Dawn's place. It was a 2006 Lexus 300, gold paint that had been chipped and worn on the exterior while the interior was peanut butter colored leather. It wasn't anything special that would make Ant himself want to dump a weeks worth of checks into, but he admired that Pierre knew what his thing was and was proud of taking the nothing of a bucket the Lexus used to be to give it a chance to be something again. 

     Outside of the music, they could all hear the sound of flip flops pitter pattering along the pavement. Summer was around the corner, meaning on almost every block the girls were walking around in sundresses and shorts, sporting name chains and belly piercings for all the guys to see.

     "Aye, y'all tryna' ride real quick, test these new woofers?" Out of the three of them, girls were easiest for Pierre, he had a natural charisma that made him immune to rejection. 

     And rejection were the girls' response. They both shared a look with each other that communicated they would never in a million years accept Pierre's offer, then walking past them as if there'd been no interaction at all.

     Pierre wasn't hurt at being turned down, knowing other men would have hurled off insults or flodged like the girls were mid to mask their own insecurities. Instead he waved them both off, turning his music back up as he passed the wood on to Christian again.

     But if you'd asked Ant what he'd have done? He would've taken every penny invested into this junk and handed it over to a dealerman for something brand new. Something he knew the two girls walking by them would want to hop in to without any hesitation like a Benz or a Double R like the rappers rent for music videos.

      "Yo Pierre!" The bar door slammed shut twice, the metal not aligned right anymore after so many years. It's the third time the door slammed, 'Mani shutting it so hard that it gets all of their attention. 

     "Shit," Christian cursed beneath his breath, dusting the ashes off his pants before Pierre ashed the blunt into his cup holder. Within seconds their 20-minute smoke break that was supposed to be 10 minutes was cut short.

     They all rushed to get their uniforms fixed, Pierre tying his Apron while Ant fitted his cap back over his dreads. They approached Jaz who'd been coming from the freezer with more trays of frozen food, while you could hear 'Mani up front holding the fort down with a customer.

     "Fuck going on in here?" Pierre trailed closely behind Jazz, not caring that he wasn't on good terms with her, or that he was just getting at two other girls 5 seconds ago outside. With his charisma came being unashamed, and Jazz knew all that he was good for. She cut her eyes at him, pushing the heavy trays she carried into his hands instead.