Memphis Streets 2 (Urban)

Chapter 21- Jaleesa

Niggas are talking. In fact, for the last two days there's been more bullshit shoveled around than anyone knows what to do with. Topics jump around the Snake and Fat Ace showdown, the captain of police's dead daughter and his missing grandson, the botched hit on Fat Ace's lil brother, and the fact that Le'Shelle sanctioned her own sister's rape into the Queen Gs, which landed the girl in a mental hospital.

It all sounds like a soap opera on crack. The tension on the streets has never been thicker. Muthafuckas keep reminding each other to constantly watch they back. Retaliation is coming; we all know that much-it's the when and how that has us all staring at our own shadows sideways. Even in FabDivas Hair Salon, bitches have their faces all twisted while they toss in their two cents.

"Shit. I think the fat bastard is dead," my sister Stacy says as she lowers her head back over the sink.

Ms. Anna, the shop's owner, starts attacking her scalp like there's three years' worth of dirt caked on her head.

"Shit. That would be a blessing and a curse," Pit Bull says, shaking her head.

She is finally getting that tacky-ass silky-straight weave out of her head.

"A blessing because the ruthless bastard has been put down and a curse because those Cartel Lords will be coming at us with everything they got, especially that evil bitch Lucifer. Word on the street is she's worse than that one-eyed monster in charge now."

"Shit. She can't be any worse than Le;Shelle's medieval ass." Kookie laughs.

"Hell, if y'all knew half the shit this bitch has sanctioned, y'all be running up in somebody's church tryna get saved." Ms. Anna surprises everyone and pipes in, "Both those bitches have bigger balls than most niggas I know."

Pit Bull grabs her crotch. "Speak for yourself. My shit sags real low."

Everyone chuckles uncomfortably because it's been rumored that the butch bitch is either a transvestite or one of those weird muthafuckas who have both man and woman private parts. But who the hell knows. As much as she talks about her balls, she flips the script and talks about her pussy just as much. I don't know what the hell she got going on down there, and I sure as fuck don't give a damn.

"Somebody gotta know something," Kookie says.

I flip through the pages of one of these old-ass magazines, but then I get this weird sense that everyone is looking at me. I freeze and wait, but the hairs on my arms and on the back of my neck start rising, and I decide to sneak a quick peek over the magazine. Sure enough, Kookie and Pit Bull are looking dead in my face. Oh, shit. They know. A lump suddenly materializes in my throat, and all the swallowing in the world isn't getting that muthafucka to budge.

"Well?" Kookie asks.

"Well what?" My gaze shifts around.

Slowly, everyone else picks up on the growing tension.

"Surely you heard something. Isn't Brielle like your main girl?"

I frown. "Whoa. We don't get down like that."

"Ain't nobody saying that y'all bump uglies or nothing-just that you two hang and shit," Pit Bull says.

The music is turned down, and heads start coming out from under the dryers. Ms. Anna needs to change the name of this salon to Nosy R Us. I keep trying to swallow this huge lump, but I think this muthafucka is getting bigger not smaller. Same goes for my eyes.

"Damn, small fry. Whatchu looking all scared for? We asked your ass a simple question. Are you friends with Le'Shelle's sister or not?"

"Y-yeah." I shrug. "We're cool."