Gutta Baby

Chapter Four: Riding For Him

"Ima ride for you,
You ride for me.
You jump and I'll jump,
That's my loyalty.
And it'll never change,
I'll always be the same."
-Bonnie and Clyde x Tink

------- BREE ------

I accepted the call only to be told by an automated machine that I didn't have enough funds to accept his call. My heart sunk. I didn't want him to think that I didn't care about him or want to talk to him. I texted his phone hoping that the woman who answered the first time would respond.

Bree: Hey, um Anthony keeps calling and it's telling me to create an account and put funds in it, but I don't know how.

Anthony's phone: Okay I'll put money on it. Just go online and set up the account. Use his address and other information. Let me know what secret code you use.

I set up the account quickly and let her know the code.

The next day while at work I received another call, but this time I was able to answer it.

"Hey Anthony."

"Wassup?"

"You tell me. What happened?"

"It's a long story."

"Well shorten it. All I know is that I called you during my lunch break and you didn't answer. Then I don't hear from you or even see you in class for over a week. I called your phone to tell you that you missed our test and retest but some girl answered the phone."

"You missed me like that?"

"Whatever. No. Tell me what you did. What happened?"

"I'm not finna incriminate myself on this recorded phone call."

I blew out. "Alright well when I googled you it said you lead the police on a high speed chase, shot an officer, had weed all in your car with intent to sell, and you lied about who you are. I think it was some more stuff but I can't remember right now."

He started chuckling. "My nigga' you really googled me?"

I blew out again. "Yeah. I had to know where you were and what happened."

His chuckling died down a little. "Alright but forreal ma. Only believe half of what you hear and even less of the bullshit you read. They cops. They make shit up as they go along."

I started feeling real warm when I heard him call me ma. "Okay. Well are you okay in there? You need anything?"

"You got a pen and paper?"

I started scrambling to find some. "Yeah I got it. Wassup?"

"Write this down. Jahmir. My cousin, Tasha, has my phone. Text her the name and she'll tell you what to do. Can you do that ma?"

Again with the warm feelings. "Yeah. I just texted her."

"YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT"

"You riding for me ma?"

"Yes. Til the wheels fall off. Then ima be running for you because it's all about you Ant."

"Aight sweets. I'll hit you in a few days."

"Be safe."

"You too."

"THE CALLER HAS HUNG UP. GOODBYE."

I sat there trying to figure out why I'd need to be safe too. Did he just mean be safe in every day life or was there more to it? It seems like all of his words are loaded with double meanings and he is the type of person to choose their words very carefully.