The Stick Up Kid

Bad News

The next day around noon, I was hanging outside of Raquan’s place, with Jaliesha, Pam, and Raquan. We were all smoking except for my girl. She didn’t want to do anything to hurt the baby, so she stood across the yard while we got high.

            I was sitting on the trunk of Raquan’s grandparent’s car with smoke leaking out of my mouth. “Aye dog, I told you I had to get it,” I bragged, referring to the robbery I committed last night. “Man that bitch was stacked. I got her credit card and everything. Me and Li-Li went to the mall and started ballin’.”

            “Why ya’ll aint get me nothing’?” Pam joked.

            “You’ll be Aight. Plus, the card don’t work no more,” I told her. “I was trynna cop these dope ass jeans when that shit got declined. So I’m guessin’ that lady got it shut off.”

            I hit the blunt one more time and passed it to Raquan. “Aye well you aint the only who got off last night,” Raquan added. “I got a buck-fifty from this one nigga downtown.” He pulled a gold chain from his pocket, showing it to us. “Joka had some bling on em too. It’s fake, but still, I might be able to get it off for a lil somethin’.”

            “Word, but you aint did it like me though,” I taunted. “Bruh let me tell you how I got this bitch. Shit is hilarious.” Raquan and Pam leaned closer, waiting for me to get on with the story. “So me and Li been at Zaxby’s right, was gon get some food and shit. That’s when I saw this lady come in with her kids, I could tell she had money. So when she went to the bathroom, I knew it was on.” I took hold of the can of beer that sat next to me and got a quick swig. “So… I ran into the bathroom, ya know what I’m sayin’, and buss in on that bitch. Man that lady had her pants down dog, I think she was takin’ a shit or somethin’.”

            “That don’t mean she was taking a shit,” Pam interrupted. “Girls sit down when they pee K.T” she added, pointing out the obvious.

            “Anyway…” I said, getting back to my story. “She started sreacmin’ so I was like ‘Shut Up’. I took her pocketbook, watch, ring, everything. Imma try and hit the pawn shop lata today and see what I can get for it.”

            “Damn nigga,” Raquan smirked, hitting the blunt again. “How she look?”

            I cracked a smile at his question. “She was ‘Aight’.” I chuckled.

            “Imma come with ya’ll next time,” Pam stated. “I want me some money too.”

            Raquan and I sucked our teeth. “Yea right,” Raquan doubted. “You too scared.”

            “No I aint!” she exclaimed. “Imma hop in there guns blazin’ like ‘Kill Bill’. Imma be like ‘Bitch gimmie yo motha fuckin’ money!’” Pam made her hands look like guns and pointed them at Raquan and me.

            “Shut up,” Raquan teased. “Man them people would take one look at you and beat yo ass.”

            “Aye that shit would be funny though,” I added, hearing Raquan’s phone go off.

            “So ya’ll don’t think I could do it?” Pam asked, folding her arms.

            “Hell naw…”

            “What!” Raquan shouted over the phone. He was so loud that Pam, me, and Jaliesha turned our heads. “When the fuck this happen?” I heard him say. I caught eyes with Pam, both of us wondering what all the commotion was about. Jaliesha came over to me and leaned on the car between my legs.

            “What’s goin’ on?” Jaliesha asked me in a whisper. Not knowing the answer, I simply shrugged my shoulders.

            “Got damn bruh,” Raquan continued, sounding shocked. “Yea dog, you know I got you… word.”

            When Raquan hung up the phone all eyes were on him. “What’s good man?” I said, breaking the silence.

            “Man the Five shot up Tymark place,” he retorted, referring to the Three-Five gang. “His lil girl got hit man. He said she in the hospital!”

            I thought about Tymark’s five-year-old daughter, Misha, and shook my head. “Aint no doubt’ Amp and Tae had somethin’ to do it.” I said.

            “Why you say it was them? You know the Five and the Ave beefin’. It could have been any one of them boys,” Jaliesha commented.

            “Naw K.T right, it had to be them,” Raquan implied, agreeing with me. “Tymark think they did it too.”

            “But why?” Jaliesha asked. “They still mad bout that bike?”

            Raquan and I kind of stayed quiet after Jaliesha’s question. We know what the real answer was. “Naw…” I paused and looked at Raquan. “See we had robbed Tae like a month ago, and, them niggas found out it was us.”

            Raquan nodded his head. “Yea,”

            “They was probably just layin’ low, waitin’ to catch one of us slippin’.” I explained.

            “So What’s that mean?” Jaliesha asked in furry. She was mad because she knew what we had to do.

            “I mean we can’t let that shit slide,” I told her.

            “Hell naw,” Raquan added.

            Jaliesha looked me in the eyes, showing me her anger and disappointment. “Look babe, Tymark would do the same for us.” I said, failing to persuade her. Jaliesha still stared at me. When we broke eye contact, she simply shook her head and walked away.