Changez

•16•

"I missed you, Left." I smiled and hugged my best friend.

"I missed you too, girl! This rehab is jocking my fresh, chile.... I'm glad to see you, though." Lisa spoke, adjusting her little ponytail.

"Who told you to burn that fool crib down ?!?" I laughed.

".... He tried to play me, Mo. I ain't monopoly, you hear me? I'm a bit too popular to be shitted on by some funky ass football player. Whooped his ass and the bitch he was creeping with and uhhh... between you and I-" she leaned in.

"You don't regret a damn thang..?" I raised a eyebrow, knowing her already.

"Hell to the no!" She cackled, giving me a five.

"You a trip, Left. You need to get up outta here so you can make more music with the girls."

"They mad at me. I 'embarrassed' them." Lisa held her fingers up and did air quotes.

"It'll blow over, baby girl... you been working on some rhymes?" I asked.

"Shit, fasho!! I only have another week in here. How's Amaru?"

I hesitated to tell her the truth about how we've been arguing nonstop due to all the groupies and him barely being home.

"Mo... I know, trust me- I do. You need to know that boy in love with you. These broads are like buses. They don't ever stay. Think of yourself as the bus stop- you see the buses come and go but you yourself, don't go no damn where." She looked into my eyes.

"Left, I don't wanna see no other buses." I pouted.

"It's either that or Pac gives up his lifestyle. That won't change until he's a nobody. We both know that ain't what he destined to be, Mo. It's a bumpy road but you have to secure yourself."

Left was right. I guess it was just something that I had to work on.

"You need to clear your head a bit, me and a couple of my girls are taking a trip to Honduras next month. You wanna come?" Her eyes lit up. She seemed excited about the trip.

"I would love to but I'm going on tour with Pac." I frowned.

"Girl, no worries! I'll take videos and pictures and bring you something back. " Lisa beamed.
I hugged her.

"I love you, Left."

"I love you more, you the sister I always wanted, Mo."

***

"It's definitely different ...." I cocked my head at Tupac's new tattoo.

"Thug Life... so you gon act like you ain't in pain from that?" I scratched my head.

"What's pain to a gangsta, Mo? You like it?" He asked as he flexed his muscles, causing me to laugh.

"I love it, Pac. You think you can do me a Nefertiti like his? Right here on my arm .." I asked Lee, Tupac's tattoo artist.

"No doubt! I wish my woman would get a tattoo I got." He smirked.

"Ain't a lot of women like mines, ya feel me?" Pac boasted.

"True that, true that- how's Jada's tattoo looking? She been taking care of it?" Lee asked.

Pac cleared his throat and Lee looked as if he had just put his foot in his mouth.

"Who?" I asked, looking at Pac.

"She wanted a tattoo so I brought her here, no big deal, Mo."

I held my tongue and thought of what Left said.

"Lee, as a matter of fact... I'll take a rain check on that Nefertiti." I smiled, picking up my purse and sunglasses.

"Look what you did..." Tupac sucked his teeth.

"My bad, man!"

***

Life was moving fast... Pac was on tour and shooting another movie. Poetic Justice.

Lisa was enjoying herself in Honduras. We would speak on the phone whenever she got back to her hotel. She'd tell me about her adventures and how much she wished I was there with her... quite frankly, I was just happy that she took the vacation so she could woosah.
Lisa was my homegirl and honestly, her happiness was mine.

Pac and I were doing much better as a couple ever since I started trusting him and nagging less.

Everything was going well but in the back of my mind, something felt off ... I just couldn't quite put my finger on it.