Youngin' Blues: The Story of Reed and RaKeem (2 page)

One

Prior…

The screeching of twelve different soles could be heard amongst the rowdy basketball fans. The New York Knicks were up by seven with only thirty seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The crowd was going wild, hoping they’d pull off the win. Home court advantage had been their only ounce of fate to lean on, being that the team had been traveling poorly.

“Wrong move. Stay low, and you’ll have an advantage. Don’t move or compromise yourself for these cats. It’s exactly what they want. They want to catch you outside of your comfort zone, and penetrate.” Keem expressed to his client. A hard head made for a soft ass, and Fad would soon figure it out. The most Keem could do is advise him on strategic and well calculated moves. It was up to him to follow suit.

“You don’t understand. I can’t just…”

“Have you been keeping up with the Knicks?” Reed interrupted, leaned over RaKeem, and asked Fad.

With a smug look on his face, as if Reed had asked the absurd, he nodded. “Of course.”

“Good. What Keem is explaining to you is simple… It’s much like this game here. When the Knicks are home, they own the court. They dominate. It’s their comfort zone. The minute that they travel, it’s all down hill. They are lucky to even score. Other teams have studied, and they know this. They thrive off of the realization, and leave with the W every time. Don’t be the Knicks.” Reed returned to her prior position and stared straight ahead.

BUZZ.

The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game. Reed grabbed her designer clutch and stood to her feet. To hell with Fad. He was rebellious by nature. His rebellious nature had landed him back in a messy situation, and begging for help out. In Reed’s opinion, it was completely pointless to call for help but not accept it.

Her Red Bottoms tapped the wooden floor as she made her way towards the end of the row that she and Keem were seated. The dark denim and plain black shirt fitted her with precision. Hugging every curve, her attire exposed her lovely lumps. Throughout the years, Reed had filled out nicely.

“Hey you!” She tapped the shoulder of SaeKu, the younger sister of her best friend and college roommate, KinZu. 

“Hey love. How are you?”

“I’m good. You’re looking nice.”

“Child please. You’re the catch!” SaeKu complimented.

“How’s New York?” Reed asked.

“New York is New York. It’s only my first year here, and I’m ready to blow the damn place.” She rolled her passionate green eyes. Just like her sister, she had the prettiest tinted skin. Whereas KinZu possessed honey brown eyes, her sister’s were green. They were deep, and alluring. You’d think that she was wearing contacts, but nothing was forged on the young tender.

“Hang in there, you’ve got it!” Reed smiled. “I’ll have to tell Kin I saw you.”

“Okay. I need to call her.” SaeKu seemed to get lost in thought for a quick second.

“Because you know that she’ll be calling you if you don’t.” Reed confirmed.

“I already know.”

“Well, I’m going to get going. I need to get my studies in, and we still have the jet fired up.”

“You two are too much for me. It’s barely a two-hour drive.” SaeKu rolled her eyes into the top of her head, as in disbelief.

“You know how Keem is.” Reed waved as she disappeared. “Come to Philly and visit. You haven’t been back. Let’s have a girl’s weekend.”

“Okay. Let’s set something up.” SaeKu yelled back –with no intentions to return to Philly in the near future. The dark city harbored too many dark emotions. New York was her fresh start, and she didn’t want to go back down memory lane any time soon.

The two parted ways, and Reed ended back in the graces of Keem. He was wrapping up his conversation with Fad, causing Reed to sigh. She didn’t understand why they called on his help, only to fuck up in the end. Keem was superb at everything that he did, so if they’d take heed, they’d prevail –each time.

“The pilot won’t wait all night.” Reed hissed.

“He’ll wait as long as I make him wait.” Keem snapped, already mad with the words spewing from Fad’s mouth. He didn’t need the extra tension.

“Keem.” Reed started, ready to tear him a brand new ass.

“Reed, not right now, love.” He tried softening, realizing that he was not being the nicest, and she’d yet to do anything harmful to him.

“Listen, Fad, we have to be out. If there is anything further that you’d like to discuss, then you have my number. For now, we’re out.” Reed snatched Keem’s hand.

The entire time, she had a mug that would cause the toughest man to whimper. The fire in her eyes warned both Keem and Fad to keep it simple. She wasn’t in the friendliest of moods, and she’d be damned if she played nice. In just a few hours, she’d be taking one of the most important exams in her college career. Sitting in an empty arena discussing business that had already been touched on before wasn’t going to get any studying done.

“Where you going? We’re supposed to be headed downstairs.” Keem was trying to go holler at the players. Reed wasn’t having it.

“Keem, you’ve wasted all damn night with Fad. I told you that I had studying to do, and you insisted on dragging me along. I don’t have much more time. I’m hungry, and my period is on.” Reed’s face was flustered as she thought about the disadvantages of mother nature. She could be a bitch at times.

“That’s why you straight tripping on a nigga. Chill. I’m going to see to it that you can study. You ain’t bring your books with you?”

“No, because you said I’d be back in time.” Reed blew out in frustration. They were nearly out of the arena.

The minute the doors open, the wind smacked them both in the face. “Shit.” Keem hissed. Running up towards Reed, he wrapped her in his arms and shielded her from the cold. Her thin jacket was of no use. Keem couldn’t afford her getting sick on him. Just like any other vital organ in his body, he needed his Reed. She was just as important to his operation as he was. That was one of the reasons he dragged her around the country, and out, while he handled his business.

“Thanks Keem.” Reed smiled, because the New York climate was being anything but fair.

“We have to make sure that you stay warm. Can’t go getting sick on me and shit.” Keem laughed, pressing his hard dick onto Reed’s back.

The minute their bodies touched one another, it would always react that way. Since teens they’d been going steady, but Reed just hadn’t built up enough courage to go all of the way. She and Keem had discussed her past circumstances, and understood that she simply wasn’t ready. Reed was practicing celibacy, and wouldn’t budge until marriage. Being that Keem had declared himself as her man, he understood the risks that he was taking. Time and time again, they’d conversed about the waiting game that they were playing, and both parties seemed consenting.

“Stop.” Reed moaned, loving the way that she was able to bring such a joyous feel to Keem’s body. His frequent arousals let her know that she was appealing to him, in more ways than one.

“You don’t really want me to stop, do you?” he asked, slapping the side of her thigh as they continued to move through the cold.

“Ummmm hmmmm.” Reed cooed, not knowing what the hell she wanted.

“Keep walking,” Keem laughed. Reed hadn’t realized that she’d slowed down so much.

Snapping from her trance, she opened her hooded eyes a bit more, and stood up straight. Speed walking, she pushed through, looking around to see exactly where their jet was parked. The private pad was filled with over twenty jets, all parked crazily. Most of them looked similar, but a few stood out. Unfortunately, theirs was one of the ones that resembled many others.

“We’re over here, love.” RaKeem kissed the top of Reed’s right ear, and turned her towards the way that they’d just came from.

“We passed it? How didn’t we see it?”

“You didn’t see it,” he smiled, smoothly. “You were too busy copping a feel.”

“Quiet.” Reed pinched RaKeem’s arm, mad that she’d gotten called out.

“Ouch.” He laughed. “The hell was that for.”

“Just because.” She pouted, removing herself from his space and running off to the jet. The lone flight attendant was standing out in the cold, waiting for them. Reed had taken off, running straight up the slim flight of stairs, out of Keem’s reach.

Just as smooth as he could be, Keem never picked up his steps as he made his way to the jet. He couldn’t wait to get inside. Reed was going to pay. She thought that she’d gotten away, but she had a rude awakening coming.

“Mr. Jones.” The attendant nodded.

“Carrie.” Keem nodded in return. “Tell John we’re ready for take off, immediately. Reed has studying.”

“No problem.” Carrie nodded her head up and down, quickly.

Behind Keem, she scrambled to get up the stairs. As he walked through the dimly lit cabin, Carrie hurried to secure the door. When Keem spoke, the crew listened. If not, there was hell to pay. Keem was a very easy going guy, but he was a force.

“Reed?” Keem questioned, “Don’t run now, girl.” He joked. The two were the silliest when together. Their relationship was filled with love and laughter.

“I’m in the restroom, Keem. I’ll be out in a minute, but don’t play. Mother nature is here.” Reed sighed. She hated her period, mainly because she was in a funk the entire four days. She rarely even felt like getting out of the bed. It was always too much of a hassle to do anything but sulk.

“You’d better be glad she saved you, aight. Clean up and come on out. Lay with me before we land.”

He knew how Reed got when it was that time of the month, so he tried his best to treat her extra special. While other guys seemed to gross out about the entire ordeal, Keem never shied. Shit, Reed was woman, and he knew what they went through. There was nothing to be afraid or uptight about.

“Okay.” She yelled back.

By now, Keem had made it to the door of the restroom. He stood outside of it with his head tilted on the cabin wall. Pulling his cell out, he checked the time. Figuring he could still get her to her dorm at a respectable time, he cheered up a bit. If not, that would be something else that she would have to complain about.

As the possible valedictorian, she was serious about her studies. Unlike RaKeem, who’d discovered that college wasn’t for him. As well-educated as he was, he knew that a degree wouldn’t qualify him any more or less for the career he’d chosen. His smarts had come from his stints in the streets as a child, and his natural knowledge. School hadn’t gotten him to where he was, his wisdom had. Sophomore year, he completely cut out, and everyone around him completely understood.

While RaKeem had dropped out of college, Reed was still going strong. She was in her very last semester, and couldn’t wait to complete her very first undergrad years with a bang. The support that she was receiving from family and friends kept her grounded. Roc, he was the biggest supporter of them all. Each day, he would call to check in on her and her studies.

Initially, Roc wasn’t fond of the relationship that RaKeem and Reed had embarked on. However, after being brutally honest with himself, he had to come to terms with the fact that he couldn’t dictate her life. Besides, Keem was a good dude, and Roc was just happy that Reed hadn’t chosen a fucking lame. RaKeem was actually making moves, and teaching Reed to do the same.

After approval of their union, Roc no longer supplied Reed with her necessities. Keem was solely responsible for her financially, and he handled her well. Designer this and that, Reed was always dressed to kill. The new ambiance that surrounded her was strictly due to the arrogance that Keem had pumped into her over the years. Month by month, he’d injected her with confidence and savviness. Reed was now hell in heels. His clients hated to see her coming.

“You good?” RaKeem looked up from his phone as Reed opened the door to the bathroom.

“Yeah.” She answered.

“Come on.” Keem placed his arms under hers and scooped her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Like the big baby that she was, Reed tucked her head into his neck and held on for the ride.

Keem placed her on the bed, and laid beside her. Pulling her backwards, into him, the couple spooned on the short flight back to the city. Not many words were exchanged as they laid. It was moments as such that caused Reed to continue to fall deeper into the trance that RaKeem had lead her into. He was forever showing her that she was worth more than she could’ve ever thought that she was. He’d built her self-esteem, and taught her more about herself than she could’ve taught herself. For it all, she was thankful.

“Reed.” She felt him jerking her body back and forth. She’d dozed off, soon after lift off. The flight was only a few minutes, so she hadn’t gotten too deep.

“I’m up.” She rubbed her eyes. The linen that she laid on was so comfortable, pulling her deeper into the plush mattress. If studying wasn’t a case at hand, she would’ve gladly slept the night away.