Page 17 of Cove City: Vol. I

The girl had turned around and smiled. “Welcome to Dapper In Blk. How can we help you?”

He glanced down at her, then at me. “Um, Hi, I’m Tuesday. I work for Cove City Press. I wanted to—”

He hurried from the back, “Nope, nope, fuck no. Get yo ass out of here,” he gritted.

“Bishop!” she called out to him.

She came around him holding her hand out, “Hi, I’m Indigo. This meany right here is the owner and my boyfriend. What is it that you’re looking for?”

I accepted her handshake. “I’m writing an article on the difference between Lake Hill and Parkside Cove. I was wondering if I could interview you guys.”

I could not add the word "war" in there because the way Bishop snarled at me scared me.

“It’s a huge fucking difference I’m sure you can see that. We shouldn’t have to tell you. Lake Hill is overly funded while the Cove is being drained,” he spat.

I began jotting down my notes.Lake Hill is rich. Parkside Cove is poor. Got it.I raised my eyes. “And!” he paused. “Some new niggas are buying up all the property making it hard for niggas like me to help my people.”

“But how do you know the nig, I mean the gentlemen who are buying up the property are not giving job opportunities to those in Parkside Cove or Lake Hill.”

He didn’t say anything. My phone vibrated before I could ask another question. I held my finger up to Indigo and Bishop as they stared at me awkwardly.

When I pulled it out, it was a text from Pierre.

Pierre was a piece of work. How was he mad at me for trying to do my job? He spoke of this date, and he shot me; I should be the one upset. When I glanced at the time, I noticed I had only forty-five minutes to get ready. I didn’t bother to say anything more to the two. I hurried out of the store and rushed over tomy car. When I glanced up, I noticed three guys on a motorcycle. They’d looked like the guys that were out there the day I had gotten shot. As my eyes landed on one of them, he nodded.

I turned to look back and saw Bishop standing outside, watching them. Something was truly brewing that I didn’t know about, but I was going to get to the bottom of it.

I got in my car and sped off. I chose to meet Pierre because I was staying at a mediocre hotel and didn’t want him to feel sorry for me. Once my regular pay started to come in, I could search for an apartment; in the meantime, the hotel would have to do. It took me twenty minutes to get back to my room. I scanned through my bags looking for something decent to wear and I couldn’t find shit. At least, not anything I deemed date-worthy.

I pulled out a pair of jeans, a blue silk dress, and a pair of everyday clear heels.Silk blue dress it is.I shrugged. I took a quick shower, flat-ironed my hair, and put on light makeup. When I grabbed my keys and phone, it was seven fifty. “Shit!” I hurried outside in my heels, and my ankle snapped from left to right, almost causing me to fall. I was nervous as hell. I hadn’t been on a date since meeting my ex two years ago. “Tuesday, this is an interview, not a date,” I said as I tried to start my car, but it wouldn’t start.

“Come on,” I said as I tried turning the key over and over. “Fuck!” I said as I slammed my hand on the steering wheel.

I knew this date wouldn’t happen. I picked up my phone to text Pierre as he was calling me. I sat straight up running my fingers through my hair. “Hello?”

“Where you at? If you're not early, you're late. If you’re late why the fuck would you try to show up?”

“Pierre, please!”

“Please my ass. Where are you at?” he asked again.

I glanced around the hotel parking lot. “I’m—”

“Shoot me your address, I’m coming to get you.” He finished and hung up.

I sat there feeling foolish. How bad did I want this story? I opened the text message and dropped my location.

Seeing another female’s hand on Zeus sent rage in me. It made me feel like he was moving this way because he was upset about what I shared about Pierre. It took a lot for me to allow myself to even open that wound with him. I knew Zeus and something like this probably had his head all over the place, but another bitch. No.

I’d only come here because, as I was making my way to the other side of the Cove, I spotted him and Chevy getting out of the car. When he saw me standing there, he didn’t look guilty, but moreof let me explain. As he made his way toward me, I held my hand up. Before he could say another word Chevy walked over, “You know I’m not the type of nigga to get in y’all business—”

My eyes crept his way, “Then don’t!” I snapped.

Chevy cracked his neck as he took another step in front of me. “Sasha, chill. My nigga wasn’t doing anything. He was defending me. So, before you go on a fucking tantrum ease up on my nigga,” he paused as he pinched his lips together. “For real. Don’t show yo ass in this place. Whatever you and this nigga going through go home and work that shit out.”

Chevy killed me. The nigga stayed trying to give somebody advice when his life was barely hanging the fuck on. “Nigga, go home to your wife!” I snapped looking at the woman who had her hand on my nigga.

“Freckles. Chill the fuck out,” Zeus gritted.

---