Page 32 of Chrome

“Did you ever get the food?” She shook her head no and I pulled into the McDonald’s parking lot at the light. “What you want? A ten piece.”

Nodding, I pulled up to the intercom and got her meal with a cone on the side and me something as well. Dipping her fries in ice cream calmed her down. I knew that because I was around enough to know my child. She yearned for that nigga but all he did was give her his ass to kiss. Houston broke her heart today and he’d never get the chance to do it again.

Chapter Eleven

CHROME

Idid a hunnid in a fuckin’ thirty-five to get to my woman when I got the call. Imagine my fuckin’ surprise when I get there to handle shit, she protecting another nigga. I damn near blew a fuckin’ fuse while she put that nigga before me. The way I saw it, Mel was a hop and a skip away from being legal. She could handle her bitch ass daddy on her own. Fade didn’t need to play the middleman.

If I was being honest, I knew doing her baby daddy in right then and there would create problems, but damn, hearing she begged him was fuckin’ me up. She had a nigga that was willing to love her openly and confidently but was begging the nigga who played her like a fool to come here. I didn’t see why the fuck I was even called in the first place.

Chasing her wasn’t for the fuckin’ thrill. I chased behind Fade’s pretty ass because I saw a future. She was different and I locked in on that shit. I liked the way she didn’t let certain shit get to her but now I was looking at her crazy. ‘Cause ain’t no way you switched up on me for him when I was just nuttin’ in that pussy. My head was still spinning on a fuckin’ swivel and that shit happened over a week ago.

Seven days passed and Fade had yet to contact a nigga or attempt to explain what the fuck all that bullshit was. I wasn’t gon’ listen to shit she had to say for real, but I guess me loving her didn’t mean shit to her. Lil’ baby damn sure didn’t put forth no efforts to put a fire out round this muthafucka.

“Happy birthday, nigga!” Zinc shouted stepping into my room already dressed.

“How many more times you gon’ tell me that? I heard you the first time when yo’ punk ass woke me up out my sleep.”

“Nigga you ain’t been to sleep since all that shit went down with, sis. Why you lying?” Z was always gon’ be the one to call me out on my shit.

He wasn’t doing shit but stating facts though. I lost more than a night’s rest thinking ‘bout that shit with Fade. My fuckin’ heart was in it, but I could see hers wasn’t. Regardless of the relationship she had with her bitch ass baby daddy, that shit should’ve never went down like that.

“What’s it to you though? The fuck my sleep got to do with you?”

“Not a bitch ass thang. I really don’t give a fuck if you catch another z ‘round this muthafucka to be honest. All I care about is whether or not you gon’ pour up tonight or if I got to get my money back for this party.” Zinc was the most frugal nigga I knew.

Shaking my head, I grabbed my towel off the back of my door and said, “You gon’ get yo’ money’s worth nigga. Chill out.”

He stepped to the side, and I entered the bathroom to our right. Tonight was bittersweet ‘cause having my baby on my side would’ve given me a hell of a high. However, I didn’t even want her anywhere around me or my folk. She embarrassed the fuck out of me, and I wasn’t quite over it. A nigga was twenty-five and was supposed to be loving on his woman right now. I guess OG cracked a joke and made me the butt of it.

Starting the shower, I put my phone on do not disturb, then played some music. I took my time getting right. After all, I was the center of attention tonight. The whole hood was probably out and ready to party. The twins were gon’ hold them back though. They were the unpredictable ones for a reason.

After washing my face, and brushing my teeth, I stripped and stepped underneath the lukewarm water. My eyes closed briefly as I searched for contentment. Nothing about today felt right but I was gon’ push my personal shit to the side and give the hood a reason to get their groove on. They always supported BMG so that was enough to make me shake shit and show face.

It took me a little over thirty minutes to wash my ass and hair before stepping out. I purposely washed my locs to keep cool. So much for it being spring with a cool breeze. It felt like a fuckin’ sauna out them doors and tonight wasn’t the night for all that sweating shit.

By the time I was dressed and ready to party, it was going on nine. The party started at eight so being fashionably late was cool. I could hear the hood outside the crib with the music jumping so I knew they was just waiting to celebrate with me. I gave myself a once over in the mirror and smirked. Steel and Neon made a hell of a nigga when they made me. I layered my necklaces around my neck, threw on a watch, a couple rings, and cologne after. I was good to go. I made sure to leave my phone in the crib. Everybody I wanted to kick it with was invited so if they showed, I was appreciative, if they didn’t, I would still understand.

“Baby boy, where you at?” my mama called for me.

“Give me a minute, Ma. I’m turning shit off back here.” Phone was on the charger, tv’s and shit was off, and I was heading to the front looking and smelling like the man of the hour.

My mother stood there in a brown two-piece set that showed off her assets. If she made it out the crib like that, then my father approved, and it wasn’t shit I could do or say to make her change. She truly didn’t give a fuck about anyone’s opinion but his.

“You look good, son,” she complimented.

“’Preciate it, Ma.”

“Hey, before you go out there, I wanted to ask you something.”

“Wassup?”

“That woman from the park last week, who was it?” My mother never asked me ‘bout any bitch I dealt with, so I was curious as to why the hell she was worried ‘bout Fade for.

“I ain’t got a for sure answer right now. Why?”

“I’ve never seen you get out of body like that behind no chick that’s why. Correct me if I’m wrong, but she looks as if she could be my age. Not saying that she isn’t a pretty broad because she is. I just know she’s nothing less than thirty-five.”

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