a recap from last chapter since it's been a while. again 🙂

• brielle's best friend is ded. dassall that happened.

Earlier that day

Hakeem stood alongside his sister, Grace, watching her show him her transaction history.

She was asking him for money again, after he gave her some 2 days ago, claiming she needed to buy stuff for homecoming.

"I'm just tryna see how you blow through $300 like
you just got it like that."

"I bought some hair." She replied, still scrolling, "And that wasn't even enough. I had to ask mama for the rest."

"So we gotta suffer cause you baldheaded?"

"Your mama baldhead."

"Shid I know. But at least she buy the cheap 29 piece from the hair store. You be wanna be extra and shit."

Grace snorted out a laugh and looked at her brother, "Did this dumb ass nigga just say 29 piece?"

"Ion see nothin' funny. You keep on and you gon' be wearing it too."

"It's a 27 piece." She told him, still laughing, "Man I'm crying."

Hakeem shook his head, "I'm not giving you shit. Let them lil niggas at school see the real you."

Grace had gotten on Instagram to record him, "What piece it is Keem? A 30?"

"Call mama to come getchu' before I body slam your ass."

The door opened, and in came a few of Hakeem's friends, laughing loudly at something.

"Bro listen to this shit." One of them began, "Nigga just got took by a crackhead."

Hakeem ignored them, looking towards Grace who hadn't made any effort to leave the room after seeing them come in, "Why you still standing right here?"

"I mean this is my brother house. Y'all better go outside."

"Nah, you better go in the back somewhere. And put on some longer shorts."

"These not even short." She argued, "What you want me to wear some basketball shorts?"

"If that's what you wanna do, I got some in my room." He waved, "Bye."

Grace hated how Hakeem could switch from acting like her brother to acting like her dad in mere seconds.

She wouldn't even dream of talking to any of his friends because most of them were ugly. The only one worth entertaining was Josiah, and he was basically her brother as well.

Sighing loudly, she walked towards the back while calling her mama to come get her.

"Anyway," The guy continued pointing to Mario, "He got robbed by a crackhead."

Hakeem shook his head in mock disappointment, "I raised you better than that."

"In there paying for some pussy and got walked. This the funniest shit ever."

Mario was growing visibly upset at them laughing at him, "I'm just waiting to catch her."

The laughter grew louder, all of them knowing he wasn't going to do anything, "Nigga we don't believe that. What you gon' give her a hug? Getcho scary ass on."

"If the pussy was good you can just let it go, charge it to the game."

"Nah the one he fucked ain't take it. It was her friend."

"Awwww man. They set you up bruh."

"Leave 'em alone." Hakeem laughed, "He finna cry."

Mario wasn't scary per se, he was just... okay maybe he was scary.

He often went out of his way to attempt to fit in with the people around him, but it didn't work out. It didn't help that people talked, and after hearing how he handled certain situations, no one respected him.

That would change when he found the girl who'd stolen from him.

Hakeem reached for his phone, "Who the girl was anyway?"

"Them two girls from the store."

He knew immediately who they meant, and for some reason wanted to know, "So which one stole from you?"

That his way of asking which one Mario had sex with.

"The dark one."

"Ain't they both dark?" Josiah asked, turning to let his legs hang off the side of the chair, "One of 'em had the had the lil afro thing."

Mario shook his head, "It was the other one. Like I said, I'm just waiting to catch that bitch."

Hakeem was no longer listening to the conversation, beginning to wonder why the girl was out here selling pussy.

She couldn't have been that much older than Grace, and she done said fuck it already. Ain't tried to work at McDonalds or none.

Around 20 minutes later, Mario stood up from his spot on the floor, "I'ma be back."

No one cared to ask where he was going.

• • •

Later that evening, Hakeem was at his mama's house, watching her make him a plate.

"Mama that's a grown man." Grace pointed out, "Why you still make his plates?"

"It be ya' own family hating on you. I love you, mama."

"He just called you baldhead earlier today."

Hakeem gestured to his mother's hair that was almost nonexistent, "Am I lying though? She the one always telling me to tell the truth and shame the devil."

Monica shook her head at the both of them, "I had two clowns for kids."

Silence went through the room as they began eating, which aided them in hearing the news from the living room.

"So sad." Monica stated, "That poor young girl."

"What happened?" Hakeem asked while shaking hot sauce on his greens.

"Somebody got shot in a Dollar Tree parking lot. Can't even go looking for deals anymore."

"Mama you sound like you more worried about the fact that it was Dollar Tree than the girl getting shot."

Monica laughed a little, "I'm just saying. They killed her in broad daylight. I know her family is taking it hard." Her gaze focused on Grace, "That's why I tell you to come home at a certain time, even though you still don't."

She knew what she was doing by bringing this conversation up in front of Hakeem, knowing Grace was more likely to listen to him over her.

Grace knew her brother wouldn't actually do anything to her, but at the same time, she didn't wanna try it and be wrong.

"Youn be coming home on time?" He asked, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"That happened way last week. Why she just now saying some?"

"Whatchu' mean? This her house, she can say whatever she want."

Grace stood up from the table, "I'm not even hungry anymore. Y'all be doing too much man."

Not caring that she was mad, Hakeem reached to get her food off the plate, "Mama you put your foot in this chicken."

Once they were done eating, Hakeem was lying on the couch trying to make himself get up and go home when the news ran the story about the girl being shot again.

This time they released a name and picture, to which Hakeem spoke aloud, "I know this nigga ain't kill that damn girl."

____

yikes wtf why am I acting like a deadbeat wattpad writer w/ this book? we're def doing regular updates from this point forward. imagine taking that long to post, then asking y'all to vote.

that's what i'm doing.

and? what ab it?