In South Shaw, a neighborhood where brotherhood, sisterhood & loyalty is everything, Jodie finds herself leaning on her family when she gets tied into a mess with a love interest- that puts her and her family in danger-and a new member to the crew.
"Are you ever gonna stop with all the tattoos?" I ask my big brother as I watch him clench his jaw in pain.
"You ever gon' mind your business?" He sucks his teeth.
I say nothing and watch his "laugh now cry later" tat come together on his right forearm. He's working on finishing up his sleeve.
"Looks good." I say lowly.
"Real talk." Dace nods his head in approval as he watches the ugly tattoo guy finish everything up.
"I could never get one, though." I shudder. "You know my ass would jump outta that seat."
I have absolutely no tolerance for pain. The slightest pain I feel, I be ready to cry and call on Jesus. I know he knows this, so I don't know why he's trying it right now.
"Don't be a little chicken, Jodie." Dace sucks his teeth. "Go over there and look at they shit on the wall cuz ya ass is getting one today." He demands.
"Dace, you know I don't want one." I say back.
"I didn't ask that. I gotta have my baby sis looking fly. So, take your baby ass over there and pick sumn out."
"Ion got money on me." I say, hoping to make him drop the subject.
He sucks his teeth. "You know I got bread. I don't know why you would say some dumb shit like that." He chuckles. "Nice try tho. Now go pick sumn out."
I roll my eyes and look around for something cute. I've lowkey always wanted one, but I was honestly scared outta my mind to do it. My brother wasn't someone you can tell no, so ima just pick out a lil sumn.
"Hurry up, yo! I'm already done. Got this man here waiting on yo ass." Dace complains and walks up to me.
"This is going on my body permanently, so I want sumn good. Plus, I ain't ask for this so yo ass can wait." I snap and continue looking.
"You sumn else Jodie." He groans.
After another ten minutes, I finally find something. I show my big brother and he nods in approval.
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"Yeah, it looks like something you can rock. Where you gonna get it?"
I shrug. "I dunno, my chest I guess."
"Alright take your scared ass over there then." He pushes me and sits down on a small black couch.
"Come with me!" I whine and drag him into the other room. I sit down in the chair in front of the same ugly guy.
