Sage

Chapter Forty

"Marquise Johnson Junior!" A tall dark man with a white beard said approaching Junior who just walked into his office, "Spitting image of your father when he was your age. How you doing son?"

He put his hand out to Junior who looked at it then at him, "I ain't your son," he sneered.

"Just like your daddy," the man smiled then returned to his desk, "Join me," he motioned to the seat opposite him.

Junior reluctantly went and sat down, "What am I doing here?"

"Straight to business I see," the man sat back in his chair and undid a button to his dark suit jacket, "Let me introduce myself first. I am Sean Carter, you know me as Trina's father, what you don't know is your father and I were once friends," he spoke.

Junior sat lazily on the chair, his body language screamed uninterested, "Okay."

"And he owes me," Sean said.

"Shame," Junior said.

"That's where you come in," he pointed at Junior.

Junior shook his head, already hating where the conversation was headed. He refrained from speaking, just to hear what this man had to say.

"I want you to head up my business in your city," Sean said.

"I ain't interested," Junior simply said.

"You don't want to hear-"

"I don't push drugs, that ain't me," Junior said.

"Unfortunately this isn't a request anymore since you took it upon yourself to kill my main man," Sean told him sternly.

Junior sat up in his chair, "I didn't kill nobody, and I am not interested," he enunciated.

"Unfortunately it isn't an offer," Sean said.

Junior ran his fingers up and down the bridge of his nose, "If I don't want to?"

"You know the whole kill your kin business, my daughter already gave us a head start," Sean smirked.

Junior shot up from his chair and charged towards Sean. Two bodyguards that seemed invisible all along came closer with guns drawn.

Sean signaled for them to hold off, "What do you want to do son?"

Junior held the collars to his shirt with a mug on his face, "Kill you, I don't owe you shit and I won't allow you to control my life," he spoke through gritted teeth.

"What if I told you that your father is alive?" Sean mused.

Junior looked into his dark eyes, his face relaxing into a disbelief look, "Impossible!"

His father died in a fire at one of his trap houses, nobody survived. Junior was 15 when this happened and when he mourned his last parent after his mother died in crossfire years before.

He changed from a straight-A student with a bright future to a thug. He didn't have anyone to make proud, no will to carry on so he lived for the sake of it.

As much as he was raised by his grandmother, his dad was still present. The living situation was that way due to the life his father was in.

Junior let go of Sean's shirt and watched him fix himself whilst sitting back down, "My old friend is still alive and as well as can be," Sean said.

Junior sat back down, "Prove it."

Sean signaled to one of the big guys standing by the doorway. He walked up with an iPad and handed it to Sean. After a few taps, he turned it over to Junior.

Junior stretched out his hand and grabbed the sleek gadget, he watched the screen and couldn't believe his eyes. He saw his father walk into a spacious kitchen with a fitted suit on. He passed what seemed to be employees who cowered at his presence and reached an older woman.

He spoke to her then left shortly.

Junior studied his father walk up a flight of stairs to appear in a bedroom, a slim woman with a protruding stomach met him there.

He failed to understand why he hadn't contacted him for the past seven years. The house he walked in screamed success, his clothes and the fact that he exuded some power suggested he was well off.

Junior threw the iPad onto the desk, "That ain't him," he said with anger at the edge of his voice.

"We'll meet him tomorrow," Sean stated.

"No need, I'm leaving," Junior was outraged, "And whatever that man owes you, tell him, I ain't got time for this shit," he stood up and left the office.

Sean smiled behind him and grabbed his phone to make an overdue call.

...

"Your cousin is pretty," Sage commented as they sat down at their usual spot for break. Letoya and Trisha hadn't joined them.

"Yeah I know," Ashley responded, oblivious to her friend's feelings.

Sage sipped through the straw in a can of cool drink and sat looking out onto the students walking around. She couldn't keep anything down, the cold Coke in her hands soothed her restless stomach.

Sage then spotted Candice and Vanessa approaching them. She peered at Ashley who rolled her eyes and leaned back.

"Hey stepmommy," Vanessa greeted, "And JR's girl. Oh! Wait, y'all broke up," she snickered.

Sage didn't flinch but inwardly she was cursing at Vanessa.

"What do you want statistic?" Ashley sneered.

"Just came to say hi," she shifted her weight on one foot and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Well bye," Ashley said.

Letoya and Trisha walked down the steps then sat down behind Ashley and Sage.

"I'm surprised y'all are still friends," Candice started, looking at Sage.

Sage glanced at her, "What do you mean?"

"Candy, don't start," Trisha warned.

Vanessa smirked, "First of all, you need to excuse yourself from this," she said to Trisha before looking at Letoya, "She stole from you," she pointed at Letoya, "Yet y'all are a happy family."

"I could never," Candy commented.

"That's why you ain't me," Sage said nonchalantly. Her nerves were getting tested as she tried to remain unbothered.

"Sis, I'm glad I ain't you, surrounded by snakes," Candy snapped back.

"I- you know what, you ain't worth my energy," Sage said.

"Can y'all leave us, breathing out bad energy," Ashley said.

Vanessa glared at Ashley with a devious smile, "But I haven't told Sage the juicy part," she said.

Sage didn't understand, she wasn't interested either. Instead, she grew irritable.

"Nessa, that's enough," Trisha said.

"Shut the fuck up," Candy snapped.

Trisha looked at her as if she grew another head, "You better watch who you're talking to, you know you can't throw a punch for shit."

"And that's what you're good for Mayweather," Candy said.

Trisha chuckled and shook her head.

The bell rang and students started shuffling towards their classes.

"Saved by the bell, but you'll know soon," Vanessa sneered and left with Candice.

"What was that about?" Sage asked as she stood up.

Ashley shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know," she mumbled.