SUGAR

One

"Get that fucking baby Sugar!" My best friends boyfriend Ant yelled as I cradled her four month daughter while she screamed waking up suddenly from them arguing.

I had already knew Kyra got caught up with a dude in here. I done told her about being on point if she was gone sell her own weed on the sly too. I hate this shit. I wish my mama would've chose me over the dope or I wouldn't even have to deal none of this. Now here I am having to take care of Kyras damn baby when I ain't even got my own. Never had sex a day in my life but here I am — playing mama. Luckily I took care of my little brother OJ long enough before CPS took him, I knew what the hell I was doing even though that ain't mean I wanted to do it.

"You got niggas all in my shit when I'm taking care of you and that bitch you got staying with us? That's why yo hoe ass got a fucking kid now. You lucky I even let that bastard ass baby breathe. Always trying to be in the next niggas face when you know how the fuck I'm moving in the streets." Ants voice boomed through the thin walls of the home.

Kyra got pregnant on Ant and he didn't even find out until she was six months, she hid the hell out of it. They had been together 3 years already and Kyra knew too much about the weight he moved so he just whooped on her real good barely killing her babygirl. Then told her she couldn't leave or she would die- he owned her ass now. As for me, I just needed a home. We grew up in the same hood, went through all the same struggles, and after my brother got took by CPS they let me go since I was of legal age and Kyra  helped prove I had a stable living environment. At least they thought.

"Fuck you! My baby breathing cause I'm a good mama! That nigga came to pick up a bag from you that's it with yo dumb ass!" Kyra yelled and that's when I heard a loud smack then a thud. Couldn't of been nobody but Kyra. She be too quick at the tongue knowing Ant wasn't gone go for none of that disrespect. Kyras daughter Mira began to holler louder as her high yellow face turned a bright red.

"Shh, shh it's okay mamas it'll be over one day." I clenched her closer to my chest shaking my head pissed cause I wish I could just kill this nigga and just run away for good. But I was technically property of his just like Kyra, we was stuck and now poor Mira was now too.

"Get the fuck off of me Ant!" Kyra shrieked. I put Mira in her swing to take a peek to make sure it ain't get too serious. Last time he put his gun to her head when she tried to leave. I had to be sure Ant ain't see me or he would come for me too. He'd hit me once for stepping up and unlike Kyra I wasn't no fool. You only got to tell me once and I couldn't end up in prison over somebody I wasn't fucking.

I gently tip toed into the hall my felt sinking into the burgundy carpet that coated most of the house and peeked around the corner to living room where all the commotion was coming from and there he was. Standing at 6'2 with caramel coated skin that was decorated with tattoos he stood over Kyra with clenched teeth as his dark eyes stared into her soul.

"You think I'm stupid bitch?" He said through clenched teeth like a stern parent.  "I ain't even know that nigga so how the fuck would he know where I stay? Huh?!" His vain appeared in the middle of his head as he pushed her down forcefully by the throat causing her head to bang against the floor. Kyra tried to claw at his face but he hovered too high above her. "If another nigga step into my shit I ain't send that's yo ass. I keep giving yo ass chances cause I feel for you sorry ass but I'll show you who to fuck with." He spat finally letting go of her neck as Kyra stared back at him with her babydoll eyes holding onto her now bruised neck gasping for air.

I watched Ant grab his pack of blacks of the table along with his gun before walking out slamming the door. I hurried and tucked my body around the corner so Kyra wouldn't see me but I guess I was too late because she all of sudden got super man strength and ran around the corner straight to me.

"Bitch!" She charged at me throwing a punch right at my face, grabbing my high pony I wore she pulled me down onto the ground as I swung upward hitting the side of her face as she uppercutted me. I grabbed ahold of her small frame using all my strength and rushed her against the wall shattering the glass mirror that rested against the wall at the end of the wall. She let me go after the impact of the push and held the back of her head after removing her hand she looked to it seeing blood and it was like she was back to reality.

My chest heaved up and down from the adrenaline that rushed threw my body. "You wasn't trying swing on Ant bitch so don't come for me! This yo second time but it ain't got be too much more!" I yelled pushing her back into the wall as she pushed me right back.

"I saw you watching me! I looked from the corner of eye and seen you watch him choke me out! He could've killed me! I'm helping you have a place to lay yo fucking head and you can't even help me out! What type of fucking friend is that?" She yelled getting in my face.

"I was too busy making sure your daughter good! Look at yo ass, trying to fight meanwhile you got Mira still fucking crying but nawh you want to fight me knowing if I stepped up it would've been over for us both!" I yelled back.

"What you trynna say huh? You think I'm a fucked up mamma too? Huh? You on Ant side now!? You just like everyone else! I ain't go nobody bitch! Nobody!" She yelled as she began to beat and shove my chest then all of suddenly her yelling turned into hysterical crying. Her crying only trigged my own emotions. How could she say she ain't got nobody like I just had it made.

"What about me Kyra?! I ain't living it the fuck up either! You got Mira! I thought we had each other." And as much I tried to control them the tears came away.

"I'm sorry Sugar, I jus — I just can't keep doing this anymore." She hiccuped. "You pose to be my friend Shug, my family." She weeped allowing her head to fall against my shoulder drenching my striped half shirt. I sighed deeply wrapping my arms around her waist. We was all we got. And no matter if we fought out or not we had to make it out. We was gone come up. One day.

"We are family. I'm sorry too, we gone get out one day girl." I spoke softly. I was gone make sure of it. We just needed a plan.