Try Me

Chapter nine

KHALAN

"I haven't seen your ass in six years; you look just like yo mama with her fine ass." James licked his lips, looking at me. Now if I didn't know any better, I would have thought that he done been turned out because the way he looking at me is how I look at people I want to fuck. And I am neither dirty nor down bad enough to even think about doing it with this nigga.

"Tyra told me you be fucking niggas, when you turned gay?"

Why she out here telling my business?

"I ain't gay."

"What you is then?"

"I'm not here to talk about what I'm doing what my dick. I'm here to see what you on before I let you where I lay my head at."

"Where ya mama? I haven't seen her ass in some time; she forgot a nigga after he got locked up?" James asked, switching the subject once again. I sucked my teeth, thinking he tryna be funny. I was about to walk off and say fuck it, but then I  remembered that the nigga was locked up when everything happened with our mom. She used to visit, but obviously the unfortunate happened.

Me and Taija hadn't seen this man, and I didn't really care if Tyra ever explained what happened.

"She died three years ago."

James mouth dropped. He rubbed his hands down his face before he chuckled to himself a bit. "You playing with me Khalan?"

"Nah, she got suicidal then overdosed on them pills you put her on."

"Why I ain't know bout this?" He ignored Khalan's petty comment.

"Tyra ain't tell you? She been living with me."

"I knew that, but I thought Sherrice was just laying low or something—I don't know." Sherrice is our mothers name. "Well she died. Ion know what to tell you." I shrugged. I'm not in the mood for him to start acting like he cared.

James shook his head in deep thought. I hope he knows I blame him for everything. Everyone else points fingers at me while I point my finger at him. If we wanted to get logical, if our mother had never met James, she wouldn't have been introduced to drugs—or at least not in an abusive way.

After she met James, she was on every drug in the book, so addicted that she couldn't even stop while pregnant with Tyra. She had a three-year-old and a six-year-old wondering why they mama hadn't blinked in hours. It was a fucked-up sight as kids.

My dad had tried to take me, but my mom wasn't having it. She played sober whenever CPS came, and since I was so young, I couldn't really give any information that they would consider reliable.

Taija's dad would take her on some days, and he tried to take me sometimes too, but he himself wasn't stable financially. I was left alone with James and my mother a lot. I had much respect for Taija's dad, Kevin. He wasn't my biological father, but he did try to provide for me when he could. Taija's dad and mine were somewhat close. One thing they had in common was that they couldn't stand James.

They actually both attempted to talk my mom into leaving James.

Kevin did his best to make me feel included, and that's why I was so hurt when I heard about his death. Especially when I found out who pulled the trigger. The most shocking part to me was when Taija took Chris' side. Yeah, I know that's her baby father and all, but he was her father.

"Damn, I ain't know that at all. Y'all good?"

"I'm great; I'm just waiting for your daughter to get the fuck outta my house." I spoke. I'm already tired of being here.

"What happened, ain't y'all close?"

"We living." I kept it short. I know Tyra come up in here talking up a storm, so I don't even know why he trying to act like he don't know the two of us don't get along anyway. "She told me y'all be fighting and shit, but y'all always had each other."

"Only when she was trying to hide while you beat on our mama." I shrugged my shoulders. James sighed, and his face dropped all emotion. "Look Khalan, I know I put y'all through some shit but I served my time. I'm clean now."

"Okay...?" I mugged. I looked to the left then I looked to the right confused. He think an apology gonna have me smiling and hugging his ass or something?

"I apologized! You can't forgive me?" He got louder. A guard gave a warning look before going back to minding his business. "No, nigga. I'm not forgiving you, so if that's what you want I suggest you dead that shit right now."

"Aight Khalan, I don't have time to be arguing with you. I just found out the love of my life died and you trying to start shit with a nigga who took care of you."

"The love of your life?" I raised my eyebrow in confusion. Since when was it normal to beat on someone you love. "Took care of me?" I repeated even more confused. Jail must've gave him short term memory lost.

"Yeah, she the only one I cared for. I mean I put a baby in her and everything. Tyra my only child biologically but Sherrice blessed me with two more-"

"I'm not your child." I mugged him. What the fuck is he talking about? I'm ready to walk outta here for real. Every time this man opened his mouth, something crazier come out. If he's under the same roof as me, he's gonna have to have a damn muzzle. "But, aye, let's stop talking bout that before I leave you in here to rot. Tyra told me you could get out soon."

"Gave my ass a deal. They said three years early if I have a reliable place to stay and follow my probation. If I fuck up I'll go back in the pin."

I nodded my head, thinking of the next words I was planning to say. I feel like the words are stuck in my throat. I really don't want to offer this man a place to stay. "Look—I got an extra room. Tyra has been begging me to let you stay there." I started off. The extra room was originally for Taija. I was trying to get her to move in with CJ, but she refused, so it's just open.

James started to smile big, making me roll my eyes. I don't want to be the cause of this man's happiness. "Outta sight, outta mind. You can stay there, but don't talk to me, don't look at me, don't touch none of my shit; just act like we not living together." I explained harshly, making sure he got the memo.

"You talking to me like I'm your kid, but I hear you. Outta sight outta mind. You won't even know I'm there fasho."

"You only staying until your probation is over. Nothing more, maybe less, and James, I promise you, if you do drugs or cook them in my house, I'll have your ass on the porch with your ankle beeping."

"I wasn't gonna bring it up, but you a hypocrite. You high your damn self. You been smoking weed since you were a kid, and Ian never seen your eyes like this, so what you on?"

I had popped two before coming here. I didn't want to have nothing in my system while sitting in front of this man and I knew weed wasn't going to be enough.

"And another thing, stay outta my fucking business."

"TIMES UP!"