Page 38 of Drill Session

“That’s the plan, because I remember at one point you didn’t.”

CHAPTER11

AHeart For Kids Homeless Shelter

“I really think we should get paid for this.” One of the kids I learned to be Deontae grunted with an eye roll.

I was so close to putting this nigga in a head lock because by the time I started planning this lil’ surprise for Akira he was complaining and shit about every fucking thing. The more I observed him, the more the thought lingered in the back of my head that he might have a thing for my girl. It seemed like every time I talked the lil’ nigga said some hating ass shit. Jalisa didn’t prepare me for this.

“Deontae,” a woman spoke up. She had to be related to him or a guardian of some sort because every time he said some shit out of line, she checked him for it and threatened to beat his bad ass. “You got one more time to say something disrespectful and I’m whopping your ass.”

Jalisa chuckled from behind me. “Deontae, you don’t need to get paid.”

“Yes, I do,” he argued. “Whenever Akira bring her little boyfriends by they never give us anything. The last nigga—” The woman slapped him upside the head before he could finish his sentence.

“Ow Auntie,” he yelped, causing the other kids to snicker.

“Stop it,” she mouthed. “Show some respect.”

“What was I saying wrong? All I was gonna say was the last dude,” he put emphasis on the word, dude, and looked back at his auntie before continuing to speak. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I shook my head and put it down to conceal my laughter.

“He’d promise us tickets to his basketball game and never did. One thing about me, I kind of speak for all of us when I say, we hate liars.” He looked at the long line of kids, turning his head right then left. In sync they all agreed.

“Right!”

“So, I speak for all of us when I say we deserve money, right? Some of us had to ditch homework and other things to be here, right? We have better things to do!”

“Right!”

“Period!” One girl uttered with a snap of her finger.

Having heard enough, I knew I wasn’t going to win this argument, and I needed their participation to pull this off. The things we do for love I swear. I reached in my pocket and pulled out a wad cash, and all the kids bum rushed me. Their shoes stomped on the concrete.. One at a time, I peeled off hundred dollars for each of them and shook my head at their satisfied smirks.

Looking back at Jalisa, she put her hands up in surrender, as I put my money back in the pocket of my Amiri jeans. “You ain’t tell me Akira had some no limit soldiers on her hands.”

“Now you see where they get it from,” she snickered.

“Did you get the bags?”

“I did,” she nodded and pointed back to her car with her thumb. “They’re in the car. You have to come out there and get them for me. I’m too clumsy for shit like that. I don’t want to drop them and get the bags wet from the sprinklers, but Drill, you’re supposed to give her the bags on Valentine’s Day, not today,” she giggled

“It’s cool, I got more shit coming in tonight, for tomorrow. This’ll just be a pre-Valentine’s Day gift,” I grinned feeling myself looking goofy ass shit in the face making her laugh. “But no for real, niggas don’t get they’re girl nothing for Valentine’s Day eve?”

“Valentine’s Day eve, nigga, be so fucking for real. Did Akira tell you to say that?”

I shrugged. “She rubbing off on me already huh?”

“Yes,” she continued to laugh, “In a good way though, just wait ‘till she starts sending you Tik-Toks then calls you to hear your reaction. That shit pisses me off.”

“Mane,” I grinned. “She done already started. I was getting out the shower when she sent me some shit one day, balls were shriveled up and shit when she FaceTimed me,” I chuckled. “That’s my baby though.” My tone grew serious, and the smile slowly faded. “I love the fuck outta that girl,” I sighed.

Today was the day and my heart was beating fast as fuck. Derrick was right when I ratted out the way I planned on asking Akira to be my Valentine. I could’ve done some simple shit, ordered some roses, and put some cute shit in a card, but that was too plain and Akira ain’t a simple bitch. Going all out for her is me doing my due diligence and making her brag about this day to her home girls in the group chat, brag about this shit to her sisters and always smile remembering this day, imprinting it in her mind. Fear cost me my life. Those days we spent apart did me dirty. It was moments, I’d catch myself about to text or call her, only to remember her petty ass blocked me. Though I sent most of text messages as SMS, she wasn’t responding. I’m too player to be sprung like this but Akira makes it worth it. There ain’t a bitch out there alive fucking with her on no level. She’s always on her boss shit, making major fucking moves, cashing out on herself without a fucking cosign. It’s shit like that makes my dick and she ain’t complaining about going 50/50 with a nigga or around here acting sad or depressed. I’ve always admired her go-getter lifestyle, and I’d watch from afar. Now, with a big dog stepping into her life, I get to take the load off, make dinner plans, pay for her oil changes, pay for new tires, pay her mortgage, and pay to get her nails and feet done and all the elite shit she likes to do. It’s funny all the buster ass niggas that clowned her, probably in her inbox begging for a second chance now. I haven’t been through her phone, but I’m a nigga with a dick and I know how niggas think. We’ll take a bitch through the mud and watch like a creep in a van, watching her go through different phases of the break up stage, then when she’s happy and has found herself we’ll send her the eye emoji, heart a few pictures here and there, send a lil’ sum to her cash app and hit her with the, ‘so damn you don’t fuck with a nigga no more?’ It’s just something about the way a woman glows after a breakup makes a nigga realize how good shit be until it’s gone. I didn’t want to be that poo butt ass nigga. Showing my love for her right here, right now, had me feeling good because she deserves everything good coming to her.

The set up at her homeless shelter was nice as fuck and I’d gone all out. This wasn’t the ordinary homeless shelter, it was a mini mansion, companied and cozy for the women and their families for comfort. It was lit as fuck and very creative. Access to the gated community was controlled by security personnel at the entrance booth, who enforced a strict policy regarding visitor registration. I had no reason to be on the visitor’s list yet, so I had Jalisa vouch for me as I trailed her in. When I approached Jalisa with the idea, I had her promise me she’d keep her fucking mouth shut, but besides Derrick telling me I was doing too much, she found the idea cute. What Akira’s hardheaded ass didn’t know was that I was planning this for a while, I just didn’t know the right way to ask her. I should’ve asked her on the beach in Lover’s Island, but I was nervous and I’m nervous as hell now, for no fucking reason. She got a player breaking up a sweat! Though the set up would’ve gone beautifully inside, the backyard suited the occasion better. She wouldn’t be Akira if she didn’t go all out so she had a huge backyard beautifully decorated on some landscape type shit. The favorite part about the set up was the inflatable projector I purchased. The walkway featured a decorative display of roses and candles housed in ribbed glass. Red heart shaped balloons were placed along the walkway too. I also hired a photographer to capture this moment, so we can embrace the beautiful memory to give our kids something to see. There ain’t no half stepping when it comes to her.

“How you think we should pull this shit off?”

“She’s already pissed off at me for having her run and get her shit for my mama. You know I like you if I lie for you.” Jalisa playfully hit me on the arm. “But don’t take advantage nigga, I’ll fill a pillowcase up with a bar of soap and beat your ass with it over my sister. It’s hell or jail over her, so you better tread lightly. Don’t get fucked up,” she warned me, pointing her dainty finger at me.

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