Trife Life To Lavish (A King Production Presents...) (13 page)

When Nichelle pulled up in front of the
projects that she grew up in, the whole block seemed
to pause. All you saw was mouths dropping, and
ooh's and aah's coming from corner watchers.

At first, Tierra thought everybody was sweating
how her jeans were gripping her spectacular signature
ass. But then as she looked forward and peeped the
custom ice-blue CLS550 pulling up, she too dropped
her mouth. "What the fuck! Carmelo letting you hold
his whips now?" Tierra cracked, walking up on the
driver's side where Nichelle was.

"Nope, this was a birthday present. Peep the
tags."

Tierra strutted to the back of the car with an
attitude in her switch. They damn sure were some
vanity plates, with "NICHELLE" written on them. All
she could do was shake her head before stepping
in the passenger side.

Tierra was used to all eyes being on her
because of her pretty face and small waist, but
won't nobody on the block thinking about her at
that moment. The only thing the males and females
were lusting after was the official ride she was
getting into.

"Yo, this shit is fire," Tierra admitted, not able
to contain how fierce the whip was.

"I know, I couldn't believe when Carmelo
surprised me with it. I had no idea he was gonna
come at me so hard."

"And damn, Nichelle, I feel bad."

"Why?" she asked driving off.

"What type of best friend am I, that I didn't
even remember your birthday?"

"Don't worry about it. I know you've had a
lot of shit on your mind."

"You have no idea. It's been hell being back
home at my mom's crib. She be tryna regulate and
preach to me at the same time. She be pressing
me to enroll in community college... saying I need
to learn a skill. I tried to explain to her that I do
have a skill. It's just not the kind you can learn in a
schoolbook," Tierra joked.

"You are ridiculous. But you never know you
might enjoy taking some classes. I mean, I never
thought I would love writing, but I do."

"So now you love writing?"

"Yep. I don't know if I'll ever be good enough
to get published, or however it works, but when I'm
doing it, I get this sense of peace that I don't get from
anything else. That's why I say, maybe you should
follow your mother's advice and enroll in school.
What they always say... `A mind is a terrible thing to
waste'?" Both girls burst out laughing, and for the first
time in awhile, it felt like old times again.

"So where we eating?"

"It's up to you."

"Girl, you know I want to check out our soul
food spot up in the cut. I'm dying for some of that
macaroni and cheese."

"Hell yeah, and some collard greens. That's
exactly where we going," Nichelle said, making a
left on Jamaica Avenue.

After a ten minute ride, the girls pulled up to
their favorite spot, ready to get their grub on. When
they got to the door, walking up right behind them
was a group of girls.

"If it ain't Nichelle Martin's stuck-up ass!"
Tierra and Nichelle heard one of them snarl.

At first, Nichelle ignored whoever was
popping shit behind her back, because she knew
with any type of `hood shine came hating. But the chick kept running her mouth.

"I bet she think she cute, `cause she pushing
some niggas' car. I wonder how much dick she had
to swallow to make that happen." Her whole crew
laughed extra hard, pumping her up.

"Ho, who the fuck you think you talking too?"
Tierra turned around, walking up on the chicks.

"Tierra, don't even pay them birds no mind."

"Bitch, who you calling a bird?"

Nichelle looked up to see who wanted to bring
it, and instantly recognized her enemy. "Lerrick, we
ain't at school, and this isn't no playground. You and
your crew can carry that drama somewhere else."

"You Lerrick Duncan, Kay Kay little sister?"
Tierra asked, folding her arms.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because when we was in high school, I
used to beat her ass on a regular `cause she had a
foul mouth just like you. And if you keep fuckin'
around wit' my girl, Nichelle, I'ma spank yo' ass
like I did your sister."

Lerrick and her crew went silent, sizing up
both Tierra and Nichelle. There were four of them,
but besides Lerrick, none of them was really the
fighting type. They were all semi-looking chicks
who thought they were certifiable dimes, and none
of them were trying to exchange blows on Lerrick's
account.

"You poppin' mad shit." Lerrick finally said something, not wanting to appear like she was
backing down or afraid in front of her crew.

"That's because I'm always ready for whatever,
but clearly you're not," Tierra spewed, turning to
Nichelle with a smirk on her face.

Lerrick used that as an opportunity to sneak
a hard shove on Tierra, which caused her to lose
her balance and fall back against the entrance door
to the restaurant. "I see you ain't got shit to say
now!" Lerrick boasted.

"Tierra, you a'ight?" Nichelle ran over to help
her friend up, but there was no need.

Tierra got up, charging like a raging bull. She
clawed her nails into Lerrick's mug, gripping it so
tightly you would've thought she was going to rip it
off. "You wanna fuck wit' me? Is you fuckin' crazy?
I'ma show you crazy, motherfucker! I got your
crazy!" Tierra slammed Lerrick's body down to the
concrete, and kept pounding her head back.

Lerrick's crew stood around in shock and
amazement at how a seemingly non-threatening
looking chick was putting a beat down on Lerrick
like she was a straight up dude.

Tierra then clenched Lerrick's ponytail around
her hand and gave her a closed-fist pounding,
putting major damage on the right side of her face.
As the blood began gushing out Lerrick's mouth,
Nichelle became worried that Tierra was going to
have her hospital-bound.

"Tierra, that's enough!" Nichelle screamed
out, but Tierra wouldn't let up. "Come on, Tierra,
that's enough!" Nichelle caught Tierra's fist midair,
and held it as tight as she could.

Tierra jerked her body away and gave Lerrick
one final slam on the ground. "Heffa, if you ever
even think of breathing in my direction again, I will
demolish yo' ass! You young ass heffas gon' learn
to respect yo' elders... trick ass bitch!"

"Girl, let's go!" Nichelle rushed to her car,
pulling Tierra's arm. She knew Tierra's temper, and
once she got started, she would be ready to go all
twelve rounds.

Lerrick was finally able to regain her
composure, and watched in fury as Nichelle and
Tierra drove away. She was in pain, angry and
embarrassed all at the same time. "Yeah, g'on `head
and drive off. You got this first round, but them
bitches is mine!" she promised.

When Radric and Renny pulled into the private
driveway of the Murano high rise condominium by
Center City, they at once noticed a Hershey honey,
wearing a floor-length chinchilla fur coat and wide
rimmed black sunglasses going into the building.

"Damn, that bitch is the business!" Radric commented, about to catch a hard-on.

"Yo, I think that's fuckin' Chanel. She must
be here to see Arnez. Her and her sister some cold
motherfuckers."

"Them the twins you was talking `bout?"

"No doubt. Them some of the baddest bitches
in Atlanta."

"What the fuck is you talking bout'? That
bitch right there is one of the baddest in Atlanta,
New York, Philly... fuck it, worldwide! Do she fuck
wit' yo' cousin? `Cause I need that in my life."

"Last I knew, he was hung up on this broad
named Talisa. But shit, that don't mean nothing. He
might be tappin' that. But focus, man. First money,
then pussy."

"I got you. Let's do this."

The two men strolled into the 42-story glass
edifice, with a curved facade and blue-tinted floorto-ceiling windows, heading straight for the elevator.
The chocolate-brown bombshell Radric was lusting
over was nowhere in sight as they made their way
to the top floor.

"If it isn't my favorite cousin," Arnez said,
greeting Renny with a hug.

Radric could easily see the resemblance, as
both were Cuban and black.

"Man, it's been too long. Ain't nothing like
seeing family."

"Well, come in. I don't need you standing in the hallway."

"This is my partner, Radric I told you about."

"It's good to meet you."

"Likewise. Your crib is the business," Radric
said, taking in all 2,400 square feet of pure luxury.

"Shit, I wouldn't expect nothin' less," Renny
said, nudging Arnez. Renny didn't expect anything
less from his older cousin. He knew what both were
accustomed to. They had balled hard together over
the many years, and played hard. Living a lavish
lifestyle wasn't even an option, it was mandatory.

They were from the "Big Meech" generation,
where their attitude was, if you want to live regular,
then get a job. But they ain't out there hustling,
taking penitentiary chances everyday to live regular.
They was going to ball until they fallout, go to
sleep and get up and start all over again.

"Can I get either one of you something to
drink?"

"I'll take some water." Radric's mouth was
dry from smoking blunts the entire ride.

"I'm good," Renny said, ready to handle his
business and break out. He had a situation in New York
to deal with, and only limited time for small talk.

"Chanel, bring me some bottle water," Arnez
said, to her. Renny eyed Radric, acknowledging
that the woman they saw must in fact be one half
of the twin set.

"Let's have a seat outside," Arnez suggested, leading them to the balcony.

It was brick outside, and neither man wanted
to be bothered with the cold air, but ever since
Renny could remember, Arnez never liked to
discuss business indoors. It could be the middle
of a snowstorm, but if you wanted to chat about
drugs and money, then you would have to brave
the weather and confer with Arnez on his terms.
He never trusted closed in confinements, because
he felt it was too easy for the feds or police to hear
and fully understand his conversation.

"Can I use your restroom?" Radric didn't like
to use other people's bathrooms, but he could no
longer hold his piss and wanted to release himself
before drinking some water.

"No problem, there is one right there by the
kitchen."

"Thanks." On his way to the bathroom, Radric
was able to get a much better and closer look at
the woman he had fallen in lust with. She was even
sexier up-close, but something about her aura made
him nervous. It was like she was created from steel,
and he felt no woman should be that hard.

"Here you go." Chanel placed the bottle down
on the table outside. "Long time no see, Renny."

"I know, but you still fine as ever. How is
your sister holding up?"

"The best she can under the circumstances. I'm
actually supposed to pay her a visit this weekend."

"I'm surprised that they didn't lock you up
too. But that's good. At least with you out, she got
somebody to handle the business and money on
the outside. What's her legal representation looking
like?'

"I'm working on that now. But you know,
only the best for CoCo."

Renny nodded his head, thinking she needed
to hurry the fuck up. Doesn't nobody want to be
caged up like an animal, especially when you used
to living a lavish lifestyle like CoCo.

"It was good seeing you, Renny."

"Yeah, likewise."

"I'll be inside, Arnez."

Renny watched as Chanel walked off,
admiring every curve on her statuesque body.

"So, what's up wit' you and homegirl? I know
it's been a minute, but last I remembered, you was
going strong with that girl, Talisa."

"So much has changed in such a small amount
of time."

"Is any of those reasons why you seem to be
settling into Philly instead going back to Atlanta?"

"You can say that. I have some unresolved
issues with Talisa and her new boyfriend, Genesis.
I won't be leaving Philly until they're dealt with."

"It sounds personal."

"It is."

"If I'm not mistaken, one of your rules is, `never personal, always business'."

"Rules are made to be broken, and this is one
of those times."

"This nigga, Genesis must've really gotten under
your skin, or do you just have it bad for Talisa?"

"A little of both. Let's leave it at that. . .your
partner is coming."

"I hope ya'll ain't started discussing business
without me," Radric smiled, grabbing the bottle
water and taking a seat across from Arnez.

"Nope, we were waiting for you, and now that
we're all here, let's get down to business." Arnez sat
back and got comfortable. Negotiating new business
prospects was one of his biggest thrills. New clients
meant new money, which equaled a bigger payday if
everything worked out as planned.