"Ima need the money first, boss man." My younger cousin, Jontaevious, smiles widely as he hands me the cd of the camera footage from my bar.

"Be glad I'm even paying you, nigga. I really shouldn't be giving yo worrisome ass nothing." I smile as I pull out $1,000 and give it to him as we get into my car.

"Drummer, what the hell is so important on this footage that I had to sneak in and get it. I mean I know you think I'm a ninja and shit, but nigga, I almost shitted on myself when I was sneaking past all them fat ass cops. You know I be having that zaza on me."

Laughing at his crazy ass, I take the exit that leads towards his house and pull into the yard. As soon as I'm about to turn my music down, my aunt bursts out her front door, "Drummer, turn that stupid ass shit down before I come whoop yo ass with my high heel and don't y'all dumbasses be out there smoking that devil's lettuce."

"My bad, auntie and you know ion smoke!" I say as I light a blunt and start smoking it when she goes back into the house. "Ion know what's on it, I'm damn sure gone find out tho. Me and Brandon gone watch it later. So what I hear bout you skipping school?"

Jontaevious accepts the blunt from me and smokes it before talking, "Man, fuck school! That shit so damn boring. Ian got time to spend eight hours a day around pissy pussy, loud, ass bitches who eat hot Cheetos at 8am." He laughs, passing the blunt back.

"Tae, you in the 10th grade. You know yo mama want you to pass and so do I. I know school shitty as fuck, but gone get through it. If you actually start going, you can get back on the basketball team. You might even find you a lil cheerleader."

"Yeah, I hear ya."

"Aite na, lil nigga. Yo mama wanted me to talk to you so that's what I did. Next time, ima take shit into my own hands and whoop yo ass,Tae."

Jontaevious shakes his head as he daps me up then gets out of the car, "Ima do better. Be safe in these streets, Brodie."

Cranking up my car, I drive towards Brandon's house and knock on the door; holding the CD in my hand. Minutes after I start to get more impatient, so I beat hardly on the door.

"Damn, nigga. You knocking like the fucking police and shit! Why the fuck you didn't call?...oh right, cause yo stupid ass ain't got a new phone yet." He groans, rubbing his eyes.

Ignoring him, I walk into the house and to his computer; putting the CD inside and waiting for it to load up. Once it finally does, Brandon joins me on the couch with a sandwich and a cup of red Koolaid.

"Brandonnnn, come back to bed. It's late." Chanel says as she walks downstairs in only a big t-shirt, making my eyes buck.

"Oh shit! What do we have here? I know damn well y'all ain't fucking? Chanel, how the hell yo ass get over here without Jarell on your ass?"

"No, Drummer, we're not fucking. We just enjoy each other's company and Jarell dropped me off at Milani's then Brandon picked me up. Jarell has been too busy in the streets to focus on me and what I'm doing. Plus, his other bitches he having his attention." She says, folding her arms.

"Didn't ask for a life story, Chanel." I laugh. "So how is Milani doing?"

"Ask her yourself and I'm sure I know your intentions for her so just fuck her already and stay out of her life. You and her are on the same page about hitting and quitting it so get on with it already. If I was her, I wouldn't even talk to your ugly ass after you blew her off. Lani has a good man wanting her, but niggas like you always interfering with shit. For some reason, she really wants to fuck you."

Chanel rolls her eyes and before I can reply, my mind starts wondering about Milani. Shid like Chanel said, we might as well get it over with. I doubt Milani is the type to hit it and quit it tho. Can't nobody quit this dick.

"Don't give me that look, Drummer. Me and Chanel ain't got shit going on. Yeah, she cool, but it ain't like that. At least she warming up to me, yo dumbass blew Milani off and fucked yourself up. You ain't gone never get in her pants like that."

"Wanna bet?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Hell yeah. If you can fuck her and keep her attention afterwards, ima give you $500. If you fuck her and can't keep her attention afterwards, you owe me $500. You see, either way I think you gone fuck cause you my brotha and we always get the pussy but a woman like Milani, ain't gone put up with yo shit for long. I actually believe she gone hit it and quit it and yo ass gone be whipped." Brandon shrugs and presses the play button on the laptop.

"B, ain't no woman ever had me whipped but it's a bet."

Me and Brandon shake hands then focus our eyes on the laptop, watching closely. We watch as a man walks into the club, shooting and everybody starts running; trampling over each other as bullets connect to random people. The man faces the camera and shoots a finger gun as someone quickly runs past him, making his face a blur.

"Rewind a lil bit cause I know damn well that ain't who I think it is." I scoff, leaning in to make sure my eyes ain't playing tricks on me.

Brandon rewinds the video to the part where the man is and pauses on his face. His golden colored eyes staring back at us as his fingers point at the camera.

"I'm gone fucking kill his stupid ass!" Brandon yells loudly.

"Nah, I got an even better plan. Chanel!!! Get yo ass down here!" I yell out as I look at Jarell's face on the screen one last time.

After telling Brandon my plan, he finally convinces Chanel to get in on it and we talk about how everything will go down. By the time we finish talking, Ariyah has called Brandon's phone multiple times looking for me so I answer it.

"Wassup baby?"

"When are you coming home? I have a surprise for you."

"I have to make a stop then I'm coming to you. I'll see you soon." I say as I hang up before she starts questioning me.

Once I'm back in my car, I drive straight to Milani's house and knock on the door. I know it's crazy for me to pop up, but oh well, I'm determined to get some pussy and my money from the bet.

"What are you doing here?" Milani asks me, looking over her shoulder and closing the door a bit.

"I came to see you. I would've called, but I broke my phone. That's why I blew you off. I was pissed about sum shit and I didn't wanna come over here and take it out on you." I smile, trying to move her aside and walk into the house.

"Thanks for letting me know. Text me when you get a new phone. Bye."

"Wassup with you, Lani? You acting funny right now."

A deep voice interrupts our conversation as a familiar face pops up behind Milani, wrapping his arms around her waist. "What you doing here, nephew?" Uncle Tony asks me as I refrain from whooping his ass.

"Nothing, Unc. Just came to see a friend.. when you get in town? Pops know you here?" I ask as I glare at Milani as she looks embarrassed.

"I didn't know you knew my baby, Lani. I got here yesterday and nah, not yet. Don't tell him because I just wanna pop up. You know me and yo daddy ain't never on good terms, I plan to change that. We gone hash everything out tomorrow at dinner. We'll use one of my houses that I have here."

I just laugh to keep myself from looking like a jealous fool. For some reason, ian feeling the way he all up on Milani, but Ian gone say shit cause Uncle Tony hasn't always been the proper nigga that he is now. Back in the day he was a real street nigga, but he changed his life after he stole drugs from some niggas and lied, saying my pops did it. That got my old man shot 5 times over 2 bags of weed and 4 bags of Xanax's. We thought he wasn't gone make it, but he did. He's confined to a wheelchair now.

"I thought I knew her Unc, but I see she been keeping sum thangs from me. I'll see you tomorrow though." I shrug as I'm about to walk away.

"Tony, I need a minute alone with Drummer. I gotta talk to him about Chanel and his friend, Brandon." She says quickly but I know it's a lie.

"Aite baby, hurry up and bring yo sexy ass in the bedroom so I can eat that sweet pussy."

Tony smacks and grips Milani's ass before kissing her neck and walking away. Me and Milani just stare at each other until I start walking away again.

"Wait, you know I didn't know he was your uncle right?"

"You a real hoe, Milani. I mean I was getting hoeish vibes from you but damn, Ian know you was a family hoe. You got my uncle kissing yo neck in the same place I be kissing. You need to be careful. I can guarantee you wouldn't even be able to look at that nigga the same if you really knew who he was." I scoff, shaking my head.

"Nigga, fuck you! I'm single and so are you, you can't get mad at what I do. I knew Tony years before I knew you so don't even come at me like that. You just mad because your feelings hurt! I told yo ass to stop tryna form a connection. Hell, I just wanted to fuck and don't worry, I am careful. I'm well taken care of." She rolls her eyes.

"Well you fucked that up cause I came over here to give you this dick, but I see my uncle got that covered. I'll hit you up later, hoe."

Milani walks up to me and shoves me backwards, I grab her wrist and look into her eyes, watching her inhale hardly as our bodies heat up from the contact. "Drummer, get yo stupid ass away from my house before I show you a hoe."

"You already have. " I say before letting her go and walking back to my car.

The drive back to my house is completely silent and I slam my hands on the steering wheel, wishing I could call Brandon. Pulling up into the yard, I walk into the house and plop down on the couch with my bottle of Henny, weed, and backwoods. I chug the Henny, only taking breaks to roll my shit up and start smoking it.

"Finally, you're home... wait, baby, what's wrong?" Ariyah asks me, trying to sit on my lap, but I push her off.

"I'm good, but I'm not in the mood."

I finish the bottle of Hennessy within 30 minutes and crack open a bottle of Crown Royal, only reaching half of it before Ariyah takes it from me and places a box in front of me.

"Ariyah, what is this?" I ask as I light up another wood then open the box when she doesn't say anything. "Thanks for the phone. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Now talk to me. We have to communicate, Drummer."

"Nah, we don't. I told you I'm good."

"You need to talk...." She trails until I slam my hands on the table. "I don't wanna fucking talk about it."

Ariyah storms off upstairs as I finish the bottle of crown and open a bottle of Vodka. I'm so drunk that I can't even bring it up to my mouth because the room is spinning and my hand is shaking. After struggling to put my backwoods out, I lay back on the couch and close my eyes; Uncle Tony's face filling my thoughts, making me think about the past.

Beads of sweat roll down my face as I try to stand up, falling back down and nodding off. My head moves side to side and my arms thrash around as I feel hands on me, shaking me. Forcing myself awake, I push the person with full force before fully opening my eyes and seeing Ariyah on the floor.

"W-why me!? Why am I like t-this!?" I yell as I try to help her, but crash onto the couch; falling into a deep sleep that I can't wake up from.

******

"Wake up, son. I need to talk to you." I hear my pop's voice as I open my eyes and see that I'm in a hospital bed.

"What's going on, man?"

"Ariyah called us. You drank too much too fast and had to get your stomach pumped. She thought you died when you passed out on the couch. What's going on with you?" He asks as he rolls his wheelchair next to my bed, grabbing my hand.

"Pops, I'm good. I just had a moment because someone from the past came back into my life." I shrug as I sit up.

"Dallas, I'm gone need a lil more information than that. I'm trying to let you explain yourself before yo mama comes back here and you know how she is."

"I went to visit a female friend and Uncle Tony was there. He got in town yesterday and gone invite us to a family dinner tomorrow."

"Tony? What the fuck that nigga doing here? If I could walk I'll beat his ass. That nigga ain't got no business inviting us to dinner!!" My dad yells as my mama walks in. "We ain't fucking going! I can't be in the same room with that snake ass nigga."

"Deandre, calm down, baby. You gone give yourself another heart attack. I had just got to the door and heard you yelling about Tony. We're going to the dinner. You, him, and Drummer need to settle that shit. That's the only way we can move forward as a family." My mama says as she rubs my head.

"Fuck family! You know how I feel about him, Serena!" My pops says before rolling out of the room, Ariyah walking inside.

"If you don't mind, Ariyah. I need to talk to my boy, alone please. I'm gonna say what I gotta say and he'll be all yours."

Ariyah nods her head and leaves the room. My mama slaps me in the back of the head as soon as it's just us two. "Mama, I don't want no speech about drinking and smoking. Yeah, I know better. Won't happen again. I don't even know why Ariyah called y'all."

"Boy, shut yo ass up. This ain't about that or the shit with Tony and your Father. This is about Ariyah. Son, let that sweet girl go!! Everyone knows your heart isn't with her! Hell, even she knows, but she doesn't want to believe it. You're just wasting her time and yours. I know she helped you after Niyah's death, but you don't owe her marriage because of that. She chose to stay and fix you, you didn't force her to. I know you have love for her, but you don't love her. That's all I'll say for now, just think about that and get some rest. We'll talk more tomorrow at Tony's dinner and you better be there or I'll drag your ass outta your house. Bring your little toy if that'll make it better. I'll talk to your father..I love you, son."

"I hear ya mama and she's not a toy. I love you too."

My mama kisses my forehead before letting Ariyah back into the room. Both of us remain silent the whole time we're at the hospital and don't even talk on the way home or in the bed. I guess she's giving me the silent treatment.