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  If that bitch went crazy when she saw that bracelet wait till this weekend, he thought.

  He had the florist on speed dial as he headed to the jeweler. After that it was a stop at the market so he could grab everything he needed for a weekend of makeup sex and romance. Once he popped by his crib and packed a bag the plan would be set. Cheron already mentioned that she wanted to spend the night with him so they could talk, but this was even better.

  Chapter 9 – The Thirst Is Real

  It was a perfect day to take Gucci for a walk. The sun was warm on Sonnet’s skin as she strolled around the block trying to clear her mind. The gentle breeze that flowed through her tresses was a reminder of how she had played The Duchess. Well that and her knee that was now swollen and bruised.

  Fuck it, she’ll get paid like everybody else, when I get a chance.

  She didn’t plan on things working out the way they did but at the end of the day she had to look out for number one. If there was nothing that she could use a person for, they were rendered useless in her life. Some would say that she was a lowly rat bitch for the way she chose to use and manipulate the people closest to her for her own selfish gain. She chose to call it survival.

  “Cheron has her shit together, it’s time we get ours together too Gucci,” she announced to the pooch bouncing at her feet.

  Sonnet hated being dependent on another bitch, even if it was her friend. She had come to the conclusion that she couldn’t use the lie about needing money for a security deposit to get clothes. That would mean she would have to actually move out, and she wasn’t done sponging off of Cheron just yet.

  She would have to hold out for as long as she could till she schemed up on some loot to make her move.

  When she made it back to the house and walked in the front door, she was met by a sea of flowers, 24 dozens in total, everything from roses to lilies. Judging by the gleam in Cheron’s eyes as she admired them, they had to be from Kenterris.

  That bastard never sent me flowers, Sonnet thought as she made her way over to one of the bouquets to inspect the tag. Yep, just as she suspected they were from Kenterris. Fuck it, time to throw some shade.

  “Who died? It looks like a funeral home up in here,” Sonnet sneered.

  Cheron let her remark slide off like melted butter. Sonnet was as predictable as the day was long. She remembered how she reacted when she showed her the bracelet Kenterris bought her, so this was no surprise. There was no getting around the fact that misery loves company and she wasn’t taking the bait. Besides there was nothing that could put a damper in the weekend Kenterris had planned for them.

  “My baby got all of these for me. Aren’t they beautiful?” Cheron crooned as she arranged the vases around the house.

  “I guess... if you into that kind of stuff. Seems like a waste of money to me. I mean they gon’ die anyway.”

  Cheron maintained her composure. Sonnet was clearly jealous and trying to get a rise out of her. Once again her negative remark didn’t warrant a response. Instead she smiled and changed the subject.

  “Oh yeah... just giving you the heads up Kenterris will be over tonight, he’s spending the weekend here.”

  “Whatever... that’s cool with me,” Sonnet hissed before going in her room to vent.

  “Since when does he wanna lay his ass up over here? That asshole is just trying to make me jealous,” Sonnet seethed. “I’m not letting him get to me. Don’t nobody give a shit about they little funky ass weekend plans.”

  The more Sonnet listened to herself talk, the more she realized she still wasn’t over Kenterris. She partially blamed him for the situation she was in. If he wouldn’t have dropped her the way that he did, she would have never gotten mixed up with Tyler.

  Seeing as it was still early, she decided to borrow the Festiva and go for a drive to try and clear her mind. Besides she could use some toiletries anyway. This would be a good time to make a target run. Cheron had given her a few bucks to tide her over and as to be expected she wasn’t appreciative.

  As far as she was concerned $100.00 here and $50.00 there felt more like she was a kid getting an allowance instead of helping her get on her feet.

  “Shit I blow that much in a week on Latte’s. If she really wants to help my cause she needs to come up off some real cash so I can get some clothes and pay up my rent on an apartment till my own shit starts poppin’.”

  Little to Sonnet’s knowledge the only reason Cheron wasn’t offering more help financially was because she realized that she wasn’t actually looking for work and didn’t have any plans to.

  This didn’t come as a surprise to Cheron, seeing as Sonnet never had to work and pay any of her own bills for a long as she had known her. Every lead she offered Sonnet was shot down with an excuse. She was even against receiving help from the church. They offered housing to low income families and helped with food and furniture vouchers.

  Cheron realized that this was not what Sonnet had in mind in terms of help. She knew that the offer of modest living wouldn’t set well with what she was accustomed to. However, she felt like it was time that Sonnet put her big girl panties on and sucked that shit up. Plus she needed to humble herself and see what it felt like to actually work for a living.

  Not only was she letting her stay there rent free, she was also feeding her and her dog, putting gas in her old car for her to drive as well as giving her a few bucks here and there for personal needs. What else was she supposed to do? She didn’t mind helping out a friend in need, but she had to draw the line somewhere, especially when the person didn’t want to help themselves.

  “That will be $48.87,” the cashier announced as she placed Sonnet’s bags in the buggy.

  Shit...., Sonnet thought. This was a damn repeat of the salon. She was so accustomed to buying whatever she pleased without looking at price tags that budgeting wasn’t a word in her vocabulary.

  She counted and recounted the $27.00 she had in her purse hoping it would somehow magically increase. This broke shit was for the birds, and quite frankly embarrassing. She felt her palms start to sweat as the cashier asked her how she would be paying. It was obvious she was stalling and holding up the line.

  “I’m sorry... I need to put something back,” Sonnet mumbled.

  “I’m sorry could you repeat that ma’am? I couldn’t hear you over the overhead music.”

  “I said I need to put some things back!” Sonnet yelled in frustration as she proceeded to pull items out of her bags.

  “Sonnet?” a man’s voice called from behind.

  Damn! I’ve been discovered! That was the whole point of driving all the way across town to this run down muthafucka instead of shopping at the one in Cheron’s hood.

  She rarely came to the hood except when she was visiting her family, and she never shopped there. What were the odds of her running into someone that knew her? Her best bet was to play it off and pretend that she didn’t hear the person calling her name. Maybe if she didn’t turn around they would think that they had made a mistake.

  “Sonnet,” the voice called out again, this time she felt a hand on her shoulder.

  “What?” she snarled as she turned to see who it was.

  “Hey, I thought that was you. It’s me Darius.”

  “Ma’am, I’m sorry but you are holding up my line,” the cashier chimed in.

  “I got it,” Darius replied handing over a $50.00 bill.

  Well I’ll be damned if it isn’t Lexi’s old junkyard dog.

  “Hey Darius, I almost didn’t recognize you. That’s really not necessary. I can take care of it.”

  Damn I almost didn’t recognize you either, Darius thought.

  Lexi said Sonnet had fallen on hard times, but he never expected to see the chick that was once considered hood royalty not being able to pay her bill.

  “Thanks so much Darius, I left my card at home.”

  “No problem, glad I could help out. So, what brings you on this side of town?”

  Damn n
igga you can cut the small talk?

  Sonnet pushed her buggy out of the line and forced a smile as Darius was being rung up. The last thing she needed was for him chat all the way to the parking lot. She couldn’t let anyone else see her getting in that damn Festiva.

  “I was visiting my family and decided to run in and grab a few things. I really have to run though. I’m in a bit of a hurry.”

  “Hang on a minute, I’m almost done. I keep telling Lexi to call you. Wait till I tell her I saw you.”

  Ugh! Just let it go nigga. Don’t you have a corner you need to be standing on? And fuck Lexi, she turned her back on a bitch when I needed her the most.

  Sonnet thanked him again for paying for her items and promised to pay him back but it wasn’t quick enough. He was done paying for his items and headed towards the exit with her.

  Sonnet’s focus shifted to how different Darius looked. He was in what appeared to be a work uniform, and it fit his biceps to perfection. She purposely fell back a little to catch a glimpse of his broad shoulders and muscular back.

  Damn this nigga lookin’ fine as hell, Sonnet thought.

  There was once a time when she despised a man in a blue uniform even looking in her direction, but these were desperate times. Maybe he could help her get a place to live.

  As they exited the store, Sonnet was in such a daze she hadn’t been listening to a word Darius had been saying. She was too busy watching his lips as he spoke. And how sexy and rugged the five o’clock he sported made him look.

  “Foreman huh, I see you been working and staying out of trouble,” she cooed as she played with the work badge clipped to his shirt.

  Darius immediately became agitated and pushed her hand away and continued to head for his car.

  “Chill with all that.”

  Sonnet winked and licked her lips while glancing at his crotch.

  “What are doing?” Darius replied with boldness to his voice.

  He had heard rumors about how parched this bitch was but he didn’t think she would stoop as low as flirting with him, knowing he was with Lexi. All he was doing was trying to help her broke ass out. He didn’t think her crazy ass would try to make something out of it.

  “What I’m trying to do is thank you for catching that bill back there for me.”

  Before he knew it Sonnet had stepped in front of him and grabbed his dick. She normally wouldn’t make a move this bold on a man, but there wasn’t much time, and she needed to get his attention. Plus Lexi always said this nigga was packin’, and she wanted to see for herself.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you?” Darius raged as he pushed her away from him.

  Before Sonnet could respond she looked up to see Lexi staring at her from the passenger seat of his car. In the midst of her zoning out while Darius was talking she missed the part about him telling her that Lexi was in the car waiting for him.

  Lexi had witnessed the whole conversation and she was beyond livid. It was bad enough Sonnet fucked Cheron’s man, now she was trying to do the same with hers. Her suspicions led her right for not letting her move in. This bitch had no respect for anyone. Just when she was starting to feel bad about not talking to Sonnet, she pulled some shit like this.

  When Lexi stepped out of the car her eyes were bloodshot.

  “Lexi!” Sonnet stammered out of surprise. “I was just asking Darius about you....”

  CRACK!

  Lexi slapped Sonnet so hard that her ears rung.

  “Fuck you Sonnet! You keep your hands off of my man you hear me you trifling bitch!”

  Lexi sobbed and lunged at Sonnet again, but this time she was met with a bear hug from Darius.

  “Come on baby, she ain’t worth it.”

  He dragged Lexi back to the car kicking and screaming obscenities as Sonnet stood there holding her face in shock and disbelief. When she finally snapped back into reality, she started yelling back.

  “Go to hell Lexi, that sorry ass nigga of yours came on to me! I told you he wasn’t shit!”

  “Bitch juggle these nuts in yo’ throat! Stank ass hoe!” Darius yelled out. He had half a mind to let Lexi free to beat the shit out of this rat.

  After Darius drove off, Sonnet made her way to the car shaking and sobbing. Her face was on fire. She never thought she would see the day when her childhood friend would try to jump on her over some bum ass nigga.

  And to make matters worse she had to go home to Cheron and Kenterris laid up for the entire weekend.

  During the long drive, she decided that she was going in her room and not saying shit to either one of them. This had been another fucked up day, and all she needed was Cheron’s nosey ass asking her about why she was upset.

  Once Sonnet arrived at home and unlocked the door, she noticed that the house was dark and the blinds were still open.

  I wonder where they asses at? She thought as she turned on a few lamps and closed the blinds before heading to her room.

  She was met in the hallway by a whimpering noise.

  “What is that?”

  She stood quietly and listened, it was Cheron. She and Kenterris were having sex and from the sound of it, he was laying it down. She went in her room and slammed the door, only to realize that they were getting louder.

  Sonnet fell across the sofa and put her head under the pillows and wept. Her head was pounding and she felt like she was going to be sick. She always knew that he and Cheron were fucking but to actually hear it was a different story.

  The thought of him touching another woman the way he use to touch her drove her mad. With each moan and each whimper, she longed for that to be her he was on top of. And to know that he dropped her to stay with Cheron made matters worse. Between what happened with Lexi and coming home to this shit, she wanted to put her fist through the wall. She had to bite down on her pillow to keep from screaming.

  After finally getting herself together she took a hot shower and grabbed the fifth of Crown Royal from off the bar and took it in her room to nurse.

  “You know what they say? Three is a crowd. If Kenterris thinks he can throw this shit up in my face, being all disrespectful imma’ throw a monkey wrench in they plans,” she grumbled.

  She guzzled out the bottle like she was drinking water, letting the hot liquid flow down her throat till it burned her chest.

  “Kenterris is still my man bitch... whether you wanna believe it or not,” she slurred before taking another swig.

  “We could have had it all nigga....why you have to choose her over me?”

  Sonnet wept and mumbled to herself as she slid under the covers singing Beyonce till she passed out. “We be all night.... druuuunnnk in looove. We be all night. Kenterris I want you. Surfboard.....”

  Chapter 10 – Waiting To Exhale

  “Nigga you think I’m playing with yo’ bitch ass?”

  “I don’t know what the fuck you talking about!” The man on the ground moaned as he coughed up blood.

  “Maybe this will help refresh your memory.” The man above him glowered as he inflicted another strike to the ribs with his boot.

  Aviare winced as each blow was delivered. The last thing he expected to do that night was get caught in the crossfire of a beat down. He was hanging out front of the trap house waiting on word from Marcellus so he could make his next run.

  The next thing he knew, one of the men that normally hung out around the house was being bum rushed. He wasn’t sure if the man actually worked for Marcellus, but he couldn’t see any other reason why he would be there considering he didn’t look like a druggie.

  The thing that seemed strange to Aviare was the fact that no one helped the man as he got beat to the ground, despite there being a slew of onlookers. Was the attack actually orchestrated by Marcellus?

  Aviare’s heart raced as watched the man on the ground beg for mercy. Part of him wanted to intervene or at least say something to try and help, but his gut told a different story.

  Marcellus knew he was there waiting for him
so he couldn’t just run even though that was his first impulse. But he also had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that things were about to get worse, and he didn’t want to stick around and be a witness, or possibly a victim. Rule number one on the streets: you ain’t seen shit.

  For the first time since venturing out at night to make his runs, Aviare felt uneasy. He decided to follow his first mind and exit the scene, Marcellus would just have to understand. He would meet up with him tomorrow.

  Aviare’s heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest as he attempted step around the men who were now blocking the bottom step of the porch where he had been standing. Just as he was about to hop off the side of the steps gun fire rang out.

  POW! POW!

  In an instant everything was silent. It was like the world had stood still. Aviare stood trembling, unable to speak or move as he watched the gunman run off. The man who was on the ground was now lying face down with half of his brains hanging out. Blood soaked his dreads and pooled around his head.

  Aviare looked down at himself to see that he had been covered in a spray of blood along with brain and skull fragments. He fell to his knees and vomited violently. The more he tried to wipe his mouth the more he tasted the warm metallic taste of death.

  Once he was able to eventually get back on his feet again he stood staring at the corpse in front of him. This was the first time aside from a funeral or his granny in the hospital Aviare had seen a dead body in person.

  The fact that he could be the one lying in that very spot shook him to the core. The man only appeared to be around 22 or 23 years old. Was this his future if he stayed on this path? Maybe Ace was right. Maybe he wasn’t ready for the streets. At the end of the day, he didn’t even have a weapon if he needed to protect himself. Not that it would matter, he had never fired a gun in his life.

  Aviare was snapped out of his trance by a male figure that stood in the doorway.

  “Come on in here and get cleaned up,” the man bellowed out. It was Marcellus.