A Pimp In Pumps (5 page)

             
It was finally the day that I’d been waiting for. My pops had been sentenced to five years in prison the week before and I had finally gotten my acceptance letter to go to Tennessee State with my man. I was going to make the best of my situation and regardless of what I’d been through I was determined to enjoy the milestone of graduation.

              “You ready for this?” Kamal asked as I zipped my gown before getting in line.

              “Hell yeah. Ain’t you proud of me?” I winked at him.

              “You know I am.” He leaned over to kiss me just as our friends approached.

              “Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye,” they all sang.

It was the oldie, but goodie that the

basketball team would sing when they won a

game. I guess it was appropriate for the situation. It was time to say goodbye to that chapter of life.

Kamal seemed really happy. I knew that graduating was an accomplishment, but his huge grin was over the top. He was really smart, so he was the valedictorian of our class. That meant that he’d beat the odds being a young black man who’d been raised in the hood. I couldn’t wait to hear his speech, because I knew that he’d blow everyone away.

              “I’m proud of you too Mr. Valedictorian,” I grinned at him.

              “Well, I’m hopin’ I can give you the dick…later,” he whispered in my ear.

              My body melted with desire. Making love to the man who was going to rescue me from all of the madness was all that was on my mind. We had to make it through the ceremony first. It was just too bad that my father wasn’t going to be there to see me walk across that stage. He was a pimp and he lived by the code of the streets, but he wanted me to be somebody totally different. Although I was a hot head, I wasn’t a dummy. Without even trying, I had a high B average. If I had worked to my full potential, I probably would’ve been the valedictorian.

              Pomp and Circumstance started playing and everybody got into their designated spots in line. My heart skipped a beat because I was so excited about finally accomplishing something. I knew that my mother was smiling down on me and my father was beaming with pride. Once we were all seated the commencement began. For the most part I drifted off, because I didn’t want to hear anybody speak but Kamal. All I could think about was the fact that my parents couldn’t be there.

              Finally, after all of the fillers and the keynote speaker finished, it was time for my love to give his speech. He had my undivided attention as the crowd cheered him on as if he was on the basketball court. It was like he was a hood star and I was proud to call him mine. My girls looked at me with smiles as he was announced as our class’s number one student. Kamal stepped to the podium and looked out at the crowd with the confidence of Barack Obama.

              At the end of his speech he said, “I’ve only been part of this class for two years, but it feels like I’ve known you all my life. I’ve formed the closest bonds and I’ve also found the love of my life.”

              The crowd whistled and all eyes were on me. I couldn’t help but blush.

              “Well, since I helped us win the championship this year…”

              The crowd cheered even louder as he continued.

              “I figured I could have this moment to say this. Sasha, I love you so much baby. Will you come up here please.”

              The hush that came over the crowd freaked me out. It was just too damn quiet.

              “Get up and go up there,” Jordan whispered behind me.

              I stood up and walked toward the stage. My heart pounded as I walked up the steps to get to Kamal. When I was standing in front of him he took my hand and got down on one knee.

              “You’re all that I’ve ever wanted and as we embark on our futures, I want us to do it together. I love you Sasha. Will you marry me?”

              A barrage of whistles and awes came from the crowd. So that was why he had been smiling all hard? His plan was to propose and as the beautiful, princess cut, diamond engagement ring sparkled in front of me, my heart fell. Was I really ready for that? Shit, I couldn’t make him look stupid in front of everybody, so I smiled all big.

              “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you!”

              He slid the ring on my finger.

              The crowd roared as if it we’d just won the playoffs. Although we hadn’t, I still felt like a winner. Brielle, or nobody else could keep true love from taking its course. Fate was on our side and we were destined to be together. Kamal stared up at me and his own eyes were filled with tears as he stood up and held me in his arms. We walked off the stage hand in hand and then went to our designated seats. On the way we were both congratulated on our engagement. After that it was time to give out the diplomas. All I could think about was how I was going to tell Kamal that I didn’t want to get married until my father got out of prison. He wasn’t at my graduation, but I wanted him to be at my wedding. Kamal would have to wait, because I wanted my daddy to give me away.

*  *  *

              Later that night there was a party at Cherie’s crib. Her parents owned a laid out mini mansion in Atlanta that they let her use while they were in Cancun. They’d left right after graduation. They were rolling in the dough and we all knew how. Her pops, Steel, ran the drug game with a dude named Mendosa. Cherie drove a bright red Mercedes and had every brand name bag and shoe you could name. I was a close second to her, but I didn’t have shit on her status. My pops made a lot of money selling pussy, but not as much as her father did moving dope.

              The party was popping and when I made my grand entrance everybody immediately started congratulating me again.

              “Thank you,” I continuously said to random people who were either from our class or who went to school with us.

              “Damn bitch, you went all out.” I told Cherie as she passed me a clear cup full of something brown and strong.

              When I lifted the cup to my mouth to take a sip it made my eyes burn, so I gave it back to her with a frown.

              “It’s a graduation/engagement party boo. Congratulations.” She hugged me tightly and then I felt someone nudge me from behind.

              It was Jordan and she had a lit blunt in her hand as she hugged me next. “My bestie’s gettin’ married. Awww.”

              As we separated she blew the smoke out, then passed the blunt to me.

              “Thank you loves, but we ain’t gettin’ married no time soon.” I took a much needed pull from the blunt. Oh, that was just what the hell it took to make me feel like partying. Accepting my father’s situation had been hard, but I knew that he wanted me to move on. He would want me to live my life. There was a DJ and all and most of the partiers were outside by the pool.

              “Hey ma.” Kamal hugged me when he spotted me. I felt so loved.

              “Hey handsome.” I smiled up at him as he kissed my lips.

              “I know shit’s crazy right now, but I want you to try to have fun.” His eyes were glued to mine, waiting for a reaction.

              “I am.” I nodded and turned to see that bitch Brielle standing right there beside us.

              She didn’t say a word, but the look on her face spoke volumes. Instead of feeding into it, I ignored that hoe, grabbed Kamal’s hand and pulled him away.

              “She’s really fuckin’ wit’ me right now. I’m tryin’ so hard not to whoop her ass again.”

              Kamal cupped my chin in his hand and gave me a kiss that tasted like beer. “Don’t pay her no mind. She’s irrelevant.”

              My girls were all having a good time and hadn’t really noticed the tense moment with my number one nemesis. It wasn’t worth it to get into any more fights with her. At that point all I wanted to do was go off to college with Kamal and start a new life. My high school days and behaviors were all behind me. It was time to grow up and I wasn’t interested in fighting Brielle’s delusional ass over
my
man.

              “You good?” Jordan turned to me and asked.

              Her eyes drifted over to Brielle and Amika.

              “Oh, did she…?”

              “Nah,” I cut her off. “She just keeps starin’ at me and shit. I’m tryna ignore her, but she’s really tryin’ it right now.”

              Shaking her head in annoyance, Jordan said, “She ain’t gon’ do shit. She ain’t tryna get her face stumped in again.”

              Cherie shook her head. “It’s too many guns up in here for her to try it.”

              Bells laughed. “Dayum, you gangsta as fuck.”

              Nadia rolled her eyes. “She’s always threatenin’ to pull the guns out.”

              I couldn’t help but laugh at my friends. They were all so different and their personalities were what made me love them. There couldn’t be a better group of chicas for me to hang out with, because they were all crazy as hell just like me.

              “Ya’ll behave,” Deshaun said with a sly grin on his face. “Although I’d love to see some titties pop out durin’ a girl fight.”

              Travis, Tremaine, Chris and Kamal slapped each other five as they fell out with laughter.

              We all just looked at them as if we were mad, although we weren’t.

              “Such pervs.” I shook my head.

              “What’s up young’uns,” I heard behind us.

              When I turned around I spotted Cherie’s older brother Sergio. Everybody called him Serg. He was a twenty-year-old, hot headed ass street nigga. He was feared by most though because of his father, so of course a condition of Cherie having the party was him being there. His crew of goons were armed and served as free security.

              Everybody spoke, but I just stared up into his slanted, light, brown eyes and felt my heart stir. I’d always had the biggest crush on Serg, but there was no way I’d ever admit it to anyone. I respected my friend Cherie, so I kept my feelings to myself. That didn’t take away from how fine he was though. He was even darker than Kamal and I loved dark skinned men. He was about 6’2 and was built as hell. His big arms alone were enough to make a woman weak with desire. When I felt Kamal’s hand on the small of my back, I looked away from Serg.

              “Yo’ Mal and Sasha, congrats on your engagement. That’s some real shit. Ya’ll young as fuck though,” he said with a grin.

              “Thanks man.” Kamal glanced at me.

              “Yeah, thank you.”

              “We ain’t in no rush though. We’re young, but we both know what we want,” Kamal added.

              Serg nodded and then took a sip of his Corona. “Let me holla at you for a minute Mal.”

              Kamal walked off with him and Nadia pulled my arm so that I could dance with her. “Yeah,” by Usher was playing and I loved that song. As we all gathered around and shook our asses to the beat I felt somebody all up on me.

              At first I thought it was Kamal, but when I looked up he was still talking to Serg. When I turned around to see who was invading my personal space I noticed that it was that bitch Brielle. My girls hadn’t seen her because they were facing the same direction that I was.

              “What bitch? You wanna fuck
me
now?” I asked as I pushed her away from me. “Shit. I should’ve known you liked pussy, how you be all up on me and shit.”

              “Oh bitch. I’m ‘bout to fuck yo’ ass!” She screamed. “Just like I fucked yo’ man.”

              I didn’t even see the blade in her hand as she swung at me. In the nick of time I moved so that she cut my arm. At first I thought she had just hit me, but the sight of blood told me otherwise.

              “That hoe cut me!” I screamed out.

              My girls were on her like white on rice. They were making it hard for me to get to her ass. Then it was on to Amika who was getting stumped out by Cherie and Nadia. Bells and Jordan were helping me handle that hoe Brielle. I picked up the blade and put it to her neck.

              “What’s stoppin’ me from killin’ you bitch!” I hissed as I pressed that shit into her skin.

              The sight of her blood didn’t deter me, but one person’s voice did.

              “Me, I’m stoppin’ you. Don’t do it baby.”

              Of course Kamal was going to stop me and Serg and his boys had pulled my girls off of Brielle and Amika.

              “Fuck you hoe!” I pulled the blade from her neck, but I punched her in the face hard as hell one last time.

              Kamal picked me up and carried me away because I was so ready to go into that heifer again. He grabbed the blade from my hand. I looked on as they put Brielle and Amika out of the party. Damn, all I could think about was drowning that bitch in that damn pool. What the fuck was her beef with me? My eyes met Kamal’s.