When we reached the trap where all the madness started, Mazi looked at me crazy.
"What we doing here?" He asked.
"I came to get the car and go home." I said.
"Just when I thought you were built for this life." Mazi took a deep breath and held his head down. "How you gonna drive a dead girl's car home?" He questioned me.
I hadn't even thought about that.
"Take my car and drive yourself home. We'll figure the rest out tomorrow. But you need some rest."
"Tomorrow??? Good God, when will it be over?" I said to myself.
"It won't be." Mazi said, interrupting my convo with myself. "This is your life now, so just deal with it. Take my car and go home."
"Fine. But I'm not taking this car. Gimme a different one." I instructed.
"What makes you think I got lots of cars and shit?"
"Don't you?" I asked. He just smiled at me. "Exactly." I said. "Go get me another one please, I got a long drive and I'm ready to head out."
Mazi invited me back into the house to help him and get the keys. Upon arriving, I saw Tee's body just laid out exactly where we left it. My heart broke into a million pieces but I continued to do what I was told.
I took Mazi into the bathroom. "What you doing?" He asked me.
"You just got shot two times in case your forgot. You need to be cleaned up before you become infected or something." I said. I had no idea what I was talking about or even how to fix it but I looked in the medicine cabinet and nothing but alcohol and peroxide resided there. I ain't have no nursing degree so that was enough for me to clean some gunshot wounds up I guess.
I cleaned the holes and dressed his wounds to the best of my abilities after bathing him, and got him in the bed.
"You ain't have to do all that." He said.
"You such a thug you don't even know how to say thank you." I wanted to laugh but my soul was empty and broken. I'd seen too much shit and learned even more shit. "See you tomorrow." I said, walking out of the room.
"Thank you." Mazi said as I turned my back to leave.
When I was leaving, I decided to pass by Tee's body one more time. I kneeled down next to him and placed my head on his, kissing his forehead.
"I guess this life just ain't meant for ppl like us." I whispered to his shell.
Throughout the whole experience, I learned a lot: about life and about myself. I wouldn't advise anyone to learn this way but we all gotta learn.
The most valuable of the lessons was to protect myself and my energy at all costs. The other lessons were things I probably would have learned had my life not been a cake walk.
On the drive home, my phone rang twice with an unidentified number both times. The second time I decided to answer, a familiar voice greeted me.
"First rule of dealing with Kilo, don't make me call you twice." The voice said.
"I'm driving." I responded.
"I just wanted you to have my number. When you see this number, whether text or call, respond. You'll do a job for me and you will be compensated. Nicely, might I add."
"This is all really nice of you, I guess, but I don't want this life. I've seen what it does to ppl I'm just not up for it." I demanded.
"You see what happened to your friend and you still choose to decline my offer? Bold. I knew I liked you." He hung up and left me riding the whole way hoping no one would pull up beside me and blow my head off.
I reached my home, safe, sound, and ultimately not gunned down by a gangster. Sitting in the car, an object in the backseat caught my eye in the rear view mirror. The duffle bags. The dirty, disgusting, tainted money I just "earned."
In my heart, I knew the road I was heading down wasn't the right one. A fear of being like Gianna or Mazi danced around my mind effortlessly. The waltz, the tango and the Macarena banged on my head on and on and on.
KNOCK!!! KNOCK!!!
I jumped out my black ass skin. "FUCK! Mom, what the hell?!" I yelled. I felt my heart beating in my throat and banging against my stomach all at once.
My mama shot me the death stare and I let the window down.
"Watch it, girl. Where the hell you been? Who's car is this??" She interrogated me.
"Mama.." I started and put my head down.
"Fuck all that, who is this Chico in my damn living room claiming to be here for you??" She interrupted.
My ears shot up like a cocker spaniel.
"What Chico?" I asked, eyes wide shut.
"I don't damn know, girl, I'm asking you!! Get in here. And what I tell you bout parking on my fucking grass?!"
My mama went on and on and I followed behind her into the house only to see Kilo sitting on my couch. A bottle of water next to his Ferragamo loafers, his legs crossed and an evil smirk on his face.
"How you doing this evening, Miss Adira?" His smooth voice slipped between his lips.
I stood, in awe, of him being in my home and him knowing my fucking name. No one knows my name.
