Page 9 of Cove City: Vol. I

“Wait, what?” Pierre laughed. “Tuesday Morning? Like I said, corny ass.”

I drew my leg back, kicking him under the table.Fuck you.I mouthed.

“Fuck is wrong with you!”

“Pierre, boy don’t piss me off!” Best yelled.

The girl pointed as she sat down, her expression one of intrigue. “I know you from TSU. You ran the university news site and gossip column.”

“And she likes to talk. Man, you got a little snitch in your house.”

I shot him a cold stare before focusing back on the girl. “Yes, that’s me. You are—”

She took her coat off. “I’m Paige, a Junior. I’m the co-host of From the Hood to The Mic.”

I nodded slowly. “That’s cool. Serving the campus with vocal news. I like that.”

“I love your work. How did you end up at my family’s house, of all places? Pierre, what did you do? Or does she know Leek?”

I was confused. “Leek?”

Best smile turned into a frown. “My older son. He’s,” she paused. “He’s away.”

I knew it was something she didn’t want to talk about, and I wouldn’t force her, but I was going to ask Pierre. I directed myattention back to Paige. She was much different than Pierre and Best, sitting there watching her kids, allowing them to be who they were, which made me a bit envious. My family they were the opposite. There was no freedom to be yourself. It was what they wanted, and there was no other way.

Best cleared her throat before speaking. “She works with me. She’s doing a story on the Cove and Lake Hill. I figure what better way to get a feel of the two than to talk to you about it, Pierre.”

His head shot her way. “Nah, you’re basically asking me to snitch. Not happening.”

“Pierre, do some good with your life. You never know, this may be therapeutic for you. Besides, you’re going to help this girl because I said so. Don’t make me show my ass.”

This wasn’t the Best I had met hours ago. It was pretty funny. Pierre looked at me and shook his head. I guess the feeling had become mutual because just as he didn’t want to work with me, I didn’t want to work with him. Biting the bullet was something we would both have to do.

Knowing my moms put me in a position to be the spokesman for the Cove pissed me off. I knew her intentions were pure, but I wasn’t in the business of telling street tales to Tuesday. Exposing the shit that went on in the Cove and Lake Hill would be me telling on myself, my niggas and my brother.

Although, in my mother’s home I had some sense, the true nigga in me was wild. The nigga I was in here wasn’t the same nigga I was out there. I spared my mother those late-night worries because Leek never did. I had been cautious with the way I moved because breaking my mother’s heart would kill me. If she truly knew her son, she would be disappointed, and Leek had done that also. I was a dog and a hungry one at that. However, I loved my mom and if she wanted me to do this then the shit would be done.

When I pulled my phone out of my pocket to look at it, it vibrated. It was Quinton calling, so I answered. “Waddup, cuzzo,” I called out.

I sat across from Tuesday, staring at her while my cousin began talking. “What’s good my nigga. What you up to?”

“Dinner with the family.”

Tuesday was uncomfortable, I could tell because she couldn’t stop fiddling with her hair. Her eyes bounced all over the table, then on me.Damn her eyes are pretty as fuck.They were big but innocent.

“Tell my auntie I said what’s up and ask her to save me a plate because I know she threw down.”

“I will. Talk to me nigga.”

Eyes on me. Hair stroke. Eyes on the table.

“Nigga! There is a race tonight, pull up. Sash will be there.”

Eyes on me. Hair stroke. Eyes on the table.

Hearing Sasha’s name made me sit up and pull my eyes away from Tuesday. I glanced at my plate, then at my mother. “Where at?”

The traffic noise in the background and Paige running her mouth made it hard to hear Quinton. I stood from the table and walked toward the hall. I could see Tuesday’s curious eyes following me. Once in the hallway, Quinton’s voice came in clear, “We’ll be near the shop on the backside. Ayo, make sure you're strapped. Those Zoo Boyz will be there, and they stay ready.”

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