True To The Game

Let It Go

Khaza (POV)

We all stood around watching the security cameras.

Cars passed by.

Neighbors walked their dogs.

Children rode bikes.

We've been trying to lay low since Conan had been sniffing around.

Then—

Munchie interrupted the silence.

"Ayo check this. The same car sits across the street, pulls up but no one ever gets out. They sat there for a good thirty minutes then pulled off."

We watched the previous surveillance footage of the same car sitting across the street throughout the past week.

The windows stayed tinted and rolled up. They would drive off, circle back, and park again, but nobody ever stepped out.

We switched to the live camera watching the street.

The car was gone.

"If that car come back, we go see what the fuck up. Until then, we stick to our regular shit. We don't handle business here. We don't talk about business here. Them muthafuckas could've planted something while they was in my shit," I said.

A little while later, Javoc called saying he had some money for me. I told him to meet us at the park. I wanted everybody to loosen up and forget about the bullshit for a while.

I looked around at everyone drinking, laughing, playing cards, smoking blunts, and yelling across the table at each other.

I couldn't help but think about Rah.

I wished he was here.

I wished all my niggas were here.

The adults sat around a bench while Kay and the other kids played nearby. Javoc walked over and casually slid a money bag beneath the table toward my side.

"Wassup y'all," Javoc said.

Killa, Munchie, Jada, and Ron all greeted him back.

"Nigga where yo girl at?" Munchie asked.

"You know that nigga was fucking her mama. They ain't together no more," Ron chimed in.

Javoc sighed and sank deeper into his seat while everybody clowned him.

"Man, fuck y'all," he muttered.

The day had been going smooth until Desiree's name flashed across my phone.

I stood up and walked away from the table.

"What you want, Des?" I answered.

"Khaza... is Munchie there?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I haven't seen him lately and I need to talk to him."

"Why you tryna get my boy?"

"Khaz, I don't have time for this. Please put Munch on the phone."

Her voice cracked like she was trying hard not to cry. I decided not to press her and handed the phone off instead.

I looked toward the table and motioned Munchie over.

"For you," I said before walking off.

__________________________________

Munchie (POV)

"Hello? Who this?"

"Munchie? It's Desiree. Where have you been?"