Is It Worth It? (Sequel to 12th Avenue)

13

LAUREN

My phone rings with a call from Normani and I contemplate on if I should answer or not, with the way she's been over dramatic about everything.

"Hi babe."

I hear silence and I pull the phone back to make sure she's still on.

"Normani?"

"Lauren..."

"Yeah? Why are you acting strange?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

"But I-I do-"

"Where are you?"

I sigh and roll my eyes while taking a sip from the cup. Here she go now.

"Where I've been all day, don't start that bull-"

"I'll start whatever shit I WANT when mothafuckas you're associated with come around me and my fucking DAUGHTER!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Some Drex ass nigga showed up while me and Amaiyah were at the mall. Said something about wanting to see some of your little family up close."

"Of course, of fucking course he would say that. I'm sorry Mani, okay? I'm gonna talk to him."

"Lauren if-"

"Baby, I'm gonna do it. Just stay in the house once you get all of them."

"Yo Lo, I ca-...Okay. Bye."

"Bye, I love you."

"...I love you."

She disconnects the call and I run my hands down my face. Just what I needed, more stress.

I look out the window to see the sun setting and down the rest of my drink before getting ready to do the hit.

I put my pullover on and nod towards Luke, "I'm out."

He raises his hand in acknowledgment and I head out the house. Once I'm in the car I pull my trap phone out and pull up the location. By the time I get there it's dark out.

I kill time in the car, thinking about what Normani told me. I clench my fist repeatedly and tap my foot, how the fuck do I approach this without getting my ass killed. I call him but of course he doesn't answer. If anything happens to any of them I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

I spot the person leaving out the store and I throw my hood on, quietly exiting the car. I stalk up behind her and take the phone from her ear, throwing it across the street. I cover her mouth and pull her behind the building, I place her neck and head between my arms and lock on tight. Her screams are muffled by my hand and she tries prying it off.

"Don't make this difficult," I mumble.

She jerks away but I snatch her back in and snap her neck. I let the body fall and head back to the car. I send Luke a quick text that it's done and once again call Drexel, he takes forever and a day to answer.

"LJ, to what do I owe this call?"

"Meet me on the corner of sin city NOW, we have to talk."