URBAN: In Love with A Boss Nigga (14 page)

They walked in the building and into the apartment. Laura looked in the fridge and through the pantries. It was almost bare but luckily she found three packs of pasta, some tomato paste, and some cheese. She started to get dinner ready with Giselle’s help. The kids would be home from school soon and they didn’t want them starving. Laura was sad but remembered that it was almost time for an appointment. She would somehow have to find a way to steal some of the money just for groceries and food.

The kids came in and before they ate dinner, Giselle and Laura helped them with their homework. While Ms. Rita was still missing, Giselle tidied up the place and got the garbage ready to be thrown out.

“Ok, so we don’t need anything else to go out in the trash?” She asked as she dragged the two heavy bags.

“I’m going to pick up the laundry as soon as you come back and we’re all going to be going to sleep.” Laura told them all and Giselle nodded. She dragged the bags down the hall to the trash chute.

“Damn, Ms. Rita has you doing manual labor already?” Lionel teased as he was throwing out his trash. “She didn’t even wait a week before giving you chores.”

“Everyone has to pitch in.” Giselle dusted off her hands.

“That’s not true. Ms. Rita puts no work in if it has nothing to do with drugs.”

“Dang, does everyone know about her drug problem?”

“Yeah, they do.”

“And nobody called the police on her?”

“You’ll see that people in this building tend to keep to themselves. They’d talk about you behind your back but don’t expect them to help you out.”

She smiled and laughed. Lionel made her feel nervous. She was struck by how handsome he was. His smile was magnetic and he was charming. She kept avoiding eye contact with him because it made her want to giggle. She could hate herself right now. She had a crush. She hadn’t had a crush since the second grade and that was on Andy. She looked at Lionel’s tall but muscular body. This was definitely not the second grade.

“So how have you been?” He asked her. She looked at him puzzled. “What is it? Am I not suppose to ask you?’

“No, that’s not it at all. I guess I just don’t know how to answer that question.” She told him truthfully. “There’s been so much going on that I don’t even know where to start.

“Well, how about you tell me your story?”

“Eh…” Just then the door creaked open.

“Can you guys go pick up the laundry?” She smirked at Lionel and then back to Giselle. “Since you’re just out here yapping anyway.”

“Um, cool. Do you have the money?”

“Just tell them that it’s for Ms. Rita. The owner is cool and will understand.”

On the way to the laundromat, Giselle found herself telling Lionel her life story. She told him about life in North Carolina, the car accident, and her begging to live in New York City. He told her that it was crazy and sad, but then he started to tell his life story. He opened up about his Uncle Maxwell and his death. He’d never really told anyone except Antwon how he felt. He didn’t realize how much a burden it was until he said the words out loud. Suddenly after spilling it all, he felt lighter.

They picked up the laundry and like Laura said, the owner waived the fees. They were close to the building when they saw Ms. Rita stagger up the entry stairs. Giselle stopped in her tracks.

“What is it?” He saw her refuse to move. “Why’d you stop?”

“Because of her.” She pointed out Ms. Rita who now turned the corner into the lobby. “That women is a menace.”

“She’s a crackhead.”

“It doesn’t matter, she shouldn’t be allowed to watch kids.”

“A lot of people shouldn’t.”

“But she’s abusive. She’s hit me.” She touched the spot where Ms. Rita slapped earlier.

“You gotta fight back.”

“I hate violence.”

“Do you like getting your ass whipped?”

“No but…”

“Then you do what you have to do. You need to learn how to fight.”

“But I’ve never fought before.”

“No, you never had to fight before. “ He corrected her. “There’s a difference. It’s either you fight or get your ass kicked.” He stared at her and she felt nervous as he looked into her eyes.

“She has to be home by now.”

Lionel and Giselle got into the building and as soon as they got off the elevator, Ms. Rita was there.

“Bitch where have you been?” She cursed at her.

“Calm down.” Lionel stepped in. He helped Giselle bring the clothes to the apartment. “She just needed help for the laundry.”

“It’s okay.” Giselle whispered. “Thank you for bringing up the laundry.”

“Learn to speak when motherfucking spoken to.” Ms. Rita punched her in the back of the head.

“You’re trippin!” Lionel got in between them again. Laura opened the door and grabbed the laundry. She stepped out to help but Giselle shook her head.

“The kids.” She mouthed to Laura. Laura shook her head that she understood and she went back inside.

“This little bitch needs to learn a lesson.” Ms. Rita lunged for Giselle again.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Lionel asked. He looked in her eyes and he could tell. “You want to get high?”

The question made Ms. Rita’s eyes opened wide. They weren’t so enraged, they were a little bit soft. She immediately went to Lionel.

“What do you got?” She reached out to him.

“Get your crackhead ass off of me.” He reached into his pockets and pulled out two small containers of crack. Her hands almost snatched it out of his hands. “You want this don’t you?” Her eyes followed his hands. “How about you go smoke it in that empty apartment on the fourth floor? That’s the only way, I’ll give it to you. Do we have a deal?” She nodded quickly and he handed them to her. She ran off happily up the stairs.

Giselle watched him and started going to the apartment. Her hand was on the doorknob and she shook her head. She didn’t want to be in there, not that night, not any night. She needed to go someplace else.

“You okay?” He was right behind her. She inhaled his scent in. There goes those butterflies.

“I’ll be fine. I just don’t know where to sleep tonight.”

“You can crash at my apartment.” He offered. She looked in his eyes and shook her head.

“I don’t think that’s wise.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not an animal or a lunatic.” He started laughing.

“Oh, you mean like Ms. Rita.” She joined in on the laughter. “Okay, that’s cool. I’ll sleep over at your place.”

After calling his mother to inform of their impromptu house guest, Lionel gave Giselle a tour of the apartment. He offered his bed so that she could sleep the night. He gave her a towel and spare clothes for the morning.

“I don’t even know what I’m going to do tomorrow.”

“You’re talking about school?” He was munching on dry Honey Nut Cheerios.

“No, my stuff at that place.”

“Your home?”

“That place is just temporary. As soon as I turn 18, I’m out on my own.”

“Oh yeah. What are you plans?”

“You know, I never really thought about that. I guess, I can go to college and study business. It’s what my father did. Before all of this, I never took my future seriously. My father was always there to take care of me. I’m on my own.” She peered at him. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“Where did you get the drugs from?”

Lionel made a face. He was hoping that she wouldn’t bring it up. He was now working with Antwon. He was making money and he loved it. Antwon and Lionel took to the drug game like fish to water. They took over the block and the customers flocked to them. When other competitors came out and caused them trouble, they had each other’s back. It was the perfect match. Lionel was skeptical at first, but then when he saw all the money he was making, he just went with the flow. He thought he sold all the drugs, but later that night when he went through his pockets, he found some. Who knew that it would come in handy later?

“It’s just something that I found.” He lied. “I saw it on the floor and just picked it up.”

“You saw drugs on the ground and picked it up?” She shot him a look. “I may be a newbie to New York City, but I’m not stupid. You’re either taking drugs or selling it. So which one is it?” She asked him. He was taken back by her honesty.

“I might be selling it.” He tried to sound cool but he was a little bit anxious. “Is that a bad thing?”

“It’s an illegal thing.” She reminded him. “I don’t get it.”

“What?”

“How can you think so poorly about Ms. Rita, yet sell drugs to others? That doesn’t make sense.”

“Money is money. I don’t care where it comes from.”

“Whatever.” Giselle shook her head and sat on the couch.

Lionel watched her. She was almost graceful in her movements. Even just to fix up a place to sleep, she moved like a ballerina. He’d never seen a woman move like that before. He couldn’t help but stare at her. She was only 17, but she was shaped like a woman and moved like one as well. He had to keep reminding himself of her age, because he knew a part of him didn’t care.

“So, can I ask you another question?” Giselle sat with her knees against her chest.

“What’s up?”

“Can I get something to eat? I’m starving.” She smiled.

“My bad, I didn’t offer you anything?”

“Nope, you’re an awful host.”

“What are you in the mood for?”

“I’ll take some of those Honey Nut Cheerios you were munching on earlier.’

“I’m sorry Ma, I don’t share those. We got plenty of other choices.”

“But I want Honey Nut.” She pouted.

“That’s good Ma, you can want it all you want, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to get it.” He joked.

“Come on.” She reached up and grabbed the box.

“Oh, you for real?” When she opened the box, reached in, and started eating the cereal. He snatched it back. “You’re crazy.”

A playful fight broke out. Honey Nut Cheerios went flying everywhere. She ran around the apartment eating handfuls with Lionel right behind her. He tried to catch her but she was quick. She made her way back to the living room and sat on the couch.

“This so good.” She chomped down some more. “Would you like some?”

“How you gonna offer me my own cereal Ma?”

“I ain’t your Mama.” She took another handful. “That’s what I get for trying to be nice.” She moved past him and put the cereal box on top of the fridge.

Out of nowhere Lionel scooped her up.

“Let me down.” She kicked and screamed while giggling.

“Nah, not until you apologize.” He swung her around in a circle.

“No! You’re going to make me dizzy.’ She warned.

“I don’t hear you saying I’m sorry.”

“I’m going to puke.” She sounded sick so he let her down. She sat on the bed and grabbed her stomach. “Damn, are you okay?” He got close to her and she punched his arm.

“Got you.”

“Damn, what you got in those hands? I’d never thought you could fight the way you was letting Ms. Rita gun for your ass.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m not cool with people telling me to shut up.”

“I’m not just people, I’m the houseguest. And you know the saying, whatever the houseguest wants goes.”

“Whatever.”

They stared at one another. Lionel moved back and started to walk away.

“Going to sleep?” She laid across the sofa. He nodded his head slowly. “Can you crash here tonight? I hate sleeping in a room alone.”

“You’re really needy.”

“Is that a no?” One look in those eyes and Lionel left to get some sheets so he could sleep on the floor. “Thank you.” She smiled as he set up a place for him to sleep.

Lionel and Giselle spent most of the night just talking. It was weird to Lionel to be talking to a female. He was so used to talking to them and sleeping with them afterwards. He kept looking in her eyes, and then his eyes would wander to the rest of her body. When she bent over to fix the sofa for sleep, he felt himself get erect. He tried to ignore it, but her full pouty lips weren’t helping.

“What’s with you?”

“What do you mean?” He asked back.

“You’re just looking at me.” He moved away. “It’s okay, but I’m not used to it.”

“It’s okay?”

“Yes, you can look.”

“Just look?”

He got up and softly kissed her lips. It surprised them both, but it was as if he couldn’t help himself. Her eyes opened wide, but then closed as she slipped her tongue in between his lips. He sat next to her on the couch and his hands roamed all over her body. He picked her up and she straddled his lap. She started moving her hips. She was a virgin so this all felt new to her, but it also felt right. She wasn’t sure if it was her crush or just the effects of a crazy night, but she let his hands go up her shirt. He was fumbling with her bra strap.

“I got it.” She smiled at him. He kissed her again but then he pulled away.

“I can’t.” He placed her on the sofa and went to the bathroom.

She sat on the couch still not sure what happened. She thought that he wanted her and it was pretty clear that she had a crush on him. She didn’t understand what went wrong. When she thought he was coming back to talk about it, she heard the television turn on in the other room.

“Hey.” She knocked softly on the door. “I thought you were going to sleep in the living room.”

“Ma…”

“ I already told you, I ain’t your Mama.” She teased but this time he wasn’t laughing.

“You’re 17.”

“So?”

“So?” He was shocked.

“Yes, I’m 17, so what? The age of consent in most states is 17. What? You’re afraid that you’re going to get arrested?”

“Nah, it ain’t that. I just don’t mess with no chicks that are under the age of 18. I’m not R. Kelly.”

“Good because I don’t want to be pissed on.” She laughed but once again, he wasn’t joining in on the laughter. “I’m just saying, that it’s okay.”

“Just not my style shorty.”

“Oh.” She turned to walk away but she stopped. “You remember what you said about me fighting?”

“What about it?”

“Can you teach me?”

“What?”

“You’re right. I need to learn how to fight.”

“And I’m supposed to teach you?”

“Would you?”

With her giving her best puppy eyes, he just smiled.