A Slum Love Crime. (A$AP Rocky Story)

Part Trentasette

When I reached home, I went straight to sleep. No questions, no answers, no nothing. Sleep was the best way for me to avoid everything—crying, thoughts, and inquiries from Danny and Dom. They wouldn’t be satisfied with my answers if I had let them ask me questions; because, what could I really tell them? That everything I thought was the truth can now be a lie, and I don’t know who to trust?

My father is my blood, but he’s a schemer. And he hasn’t been in my life forever. If it weren’t for my first move, we wouldn’t have met for a long time, if ever. But the look in his eyes…it was hard not to believe him.

His voice, though, did not reek of any truth or lie. It was just flat and blank. I couldn’t necessarily take that as a sign of his story being a lie, but just as an indication that he’s a simple person. But the situation he was describing is far from simple. It creates a paradox.

And I couldn't give that story to Danny to use as evidence...so I "accidentally" destroyed the wire.

As I lie in bed with my eyes closed, just waking up from sleep and trying to fall back into it, I heard the loud rumbling of a truck outside of Nicole’s window. And then I heard her leap off of her bed, her heavy footsteps pelting toward the front of the house. Dom had called her. I sucked my teeth, annoyed with their loudness and inconsideration.

But then the truck suddenly stopped, and the loudness transferred from inside to outside of the house. Something was definitely going on. I was eager to open my eyes; sleep was becoming less and less inviting as I heard Dom’s muffled shouts.

Finally, I got up to open the window and peered out of it, seeing Dom, Danny and Nicole standing out front as the truck pulled away. I didn’t get to see what the label on the truck was, but it seemed to be a government vehicle.

“Tremaine!”

That was my cue. I headed out toward the front door. As soon as I reached the main area though, I was blasted with mixed emotions.

All eight of them stood there among Danny, Nicole and Dom. They all wore black attire and mean scowls. They looked absolutely different.

Especially Rocky. He didn’t look like the charming, convivial and mysterious Rakim I always knew. Actually, I did used to know the Rakim that stood before me. He was only charming and welcoming once we began hanging out. Before, he looked like this, like a thug who didn’t take any nonsense and wasn’t afraid of trouble.

As of now, I didn’t know who the hell anyone around me was.

“Danny, right now, your bullshit is not needed.” Rakim harshly stated. Danny had probably told him something he disagreed with.

The person who called my name was Dom, since he was the only one paying any attention to me. Everyone else, besides Nicole, looked angry as hell.

“It isn’t bullshit, it’s seriousness. You can’t be getting yourself into anymore got damn trouble, you hear? You’re lucky I got your ass off. I can’t keep helping you like this.” Danny argued.

“But isn’t that your job though? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to be doing?” Rakim said, his tone overpowering Danny’s. I mentally went back to what my father told me. Danny helped him do it. Danny is Rakim’s godfather. A godfather’s job is to take care of his godchildren. That part wasn’t hard to believe, knowing that Rocky’s father was dead anyway.

“I’m not obligated to anything.” Danny said.

“You know what? I’m done with you. Just don’t talk,” Rakim ordered. “My boys and I can take care of ourselves from now on.”

Danny shook his head, most likely too tired to quarrel with Rakim any longer. He brushed past me roughly with his niece following close behind. Then it was just us, the A$AP crew. Though for some reason, I didn’t feel related to the people in this room with me at all.

Rakim glanced at me ever-so-briefly, and then sat himself down on the couch. Even that he did roughly. He closed his eyes and massaged his own temples, leaving us all to watch him.

“I’ve had enough of this. Rules or no rules, it’s happening sooner than y’all think.” He said confidently. Ferg approached him hesitantly, but Rakim’s eyes were still closed.

“Listen, you’ll regret this after—”

“No, fuck that shit, Ferg!” Rakim interrupted Ferg, snapping his eyes open. “Don’t you dare talk to me! Don’t talk to me after you done banged my ex-girlfriend without my permission. You know that’s against our code, so don’t even talk to me.”

Apparently, Rakim found out about Ferg’s aborted baby while they were away.

Ferg looked at me, ashamed, and then walked to the kitchen. He was clearly sorry for what he had done. But it was too late for Rocky. He was at his boiling point.

The boys sat and rested, Dom catering to their every need. If they needed water, Dom would get it. If they had a question or concern, Dom would answer it. It was like he felt the need to help out after not enduring what they had endured, and the boys didn’t mind at all.

But nobody said a word to me.

It was kind of upsetting, but I kept remembering that there was nothing we could say to each other. I was at least expecting Yams to talk to me, to ask me how the whole “my turn” situation worked out for me. But even he was silent, cooped up in a corner sulking. They were all sulking like scared and helpless puppies. It was kind of like the apologetic expression of a child when their parent is stomping around the house, upset because of something the child did.

Rakim was the parent.

I was surprised by his attitude toward Danny. According to the story Danny told me, he had a lawyer helping out the guys, who won the case for them. All charges were dropped, and Mango’s men were imprisoned for attempted murder. The guys are off, but under very close watch of the court.

“It’s over there,” I said, pointing over to the Jeep keys that Rakim was looking for. He looked at me as if I had just spoken of an ungodly act, but picked up the keys anyway.

“What happened while I was gone?” He asked, focusing his eyes into mine as if I would crumble and break if he looked away. Had he just remembered my existence?

“Nothing, just the regular.” I lied. Nothing had been regular once Rakim left.

He was obviously suspicious of me. It was written all over his face. Did he know that I saw my father? “Okay, so why are you wearing a diamond ring?”

I looked down at my finger, startled. There was the shiny, breathtaking ring that Kevon gave me for my birthday, the only gift I got. When did I even have the time to put it on? I probably slipped it on one day when I was subconsciously missing Rakim and wishing someone was here to give me the love and affection I needed so badly.

“It was my mother’s,” I muttered. Honestly, lying to Rakim had no effect on me. I could kill him right now for being so cold. But what does he have to do with me? Who is he in the first place? I thought he was my Romeo, my savior without a cape. But if I trust what my father says, he’s nothing but a lying, low-down dirty dog.

Rakim scoffed and looked away from me. “I’m doing this soon, no matter what anyone says Tremaine. No matter who’s related to who. When I do it, you better not be mad. Remember I told you that.”

I stared at him for a long time, and then stormed away with a clenched throat and boiling blood. I just didn’t understand.

And I was wondering if the boys’ return was going to be a good thing after all.