Page 68 of Feeling Blue

“And related to a fucking rapper!” Wale shook his head as if he really couldn’t understand Blue’s luck. “I need to get locked up in Atlanta.”

Laughter took over the area before they all settled down and got to the business they’d congregated for.

If you want to be here, then you’ll be here

“I’m not finna keep telling your ass to stop this stupid shit, Zurena!” Rico’s loud voice echoed in her ear as she sped towardthe location that had just pinged to her phone. “You the only person I love.”

“Nah, you want to keep playing, then so will I. I told you good before you left, to just leave me alone, but you refuse, so it is what it is.”

She’d made up in her mind that she was done with Rico after their last fight, but just like she always did, she reneged on her word and was right back into their toxic cycle of what they dressed up as love. They’d been good for a few days, but like it always did, it got sour again, and they were right back to their same old habits.

When she’d awakened that morning and he’d left his second phone over there, she should have just left well enough alone, but that would have been too much like right. And Zurena had a thing about being wrong. Especially when it came to her lying ass man. Seeing him entertain his baby mama was one thing, but seeing him entertain fifty million others was just gut wrenching.

“Rena, please, not now. I’m with my niggas.”

“You’re always with them, so what?” She shrugged her shoulders as if he could see her while turning into Pat’s neighborhood.

She’d followed his current location all the way to Pat’s home and was about to drop his things off and keep rocking out. After seeing all the women he’d obviously had sex with in his phone, she tossed all of his things into a trash bag, onto her backseat, and began her drive to where he was. She hadn’t realized it was Pat’s house until she was almost there.

Being that she never really intertwined her life with any of the gang members, her interaction with them was minimal, but she’d known Pat the longest, so he didn’t really count. Eventhough she didn’t too much know him either, she knew enough from all the time he spent with Blue and Jugg. On top of that, he was the only one who was allowed to really be around her and her Aunt Maryann. He’d looked out for them the whole time Blue was locked up, so surely popping up at his house would be safe.

“Rena, chill. I’ll come by there when I leave here. The whole gang here. You want them to see you?”

“Maybe they need to. Hell, I been with their friend for years. They should have been seen me.”

“Here we fucking go,” Rico drug out as if he was in some sort of serious distress.

Even with her being somewhat mad and not in the mood to really find anything funny, Zurena had to laugh at him. Rico was such a drama queen and didn’t mind acting an ass whenever he felt it would benefit him. Clearly, right then was one of those times.

“You need to stop your shit, Rico.” Her laughter eased as her stomach began to tremble from nervousness.

She’d just turned onto Pat’s street and could see all the cars lining his driveway. Talking about it and being about it was two different things, because she’d fooled herself into believing she was cool enough to clown on him during her entire drive, and now that she was there, she was second guessing herself. Although her relationship with Rico had been kept a secret since it began, all of his friends still knew she was Blue’s sister.

The moment she got spotted and he or Jugg found out, it was going to be hell to pay. They’d both made it very clear to her that she wasn’t to date any of the gang members, but Zurena was grown, so she’d done what she wanted to do. Now, her grown ass was seated outside of Pat’s house, scared to park.

“See, this why we can’t be together now. You don’t listen.”

Zurena’s entire body got hot when she allowed his words to digest.

“You know what, I’m outside. Come get this shit before it be in the middle of the street.” She hung up the phone without waiting for him to respond.

In a fit of rage once again, Zurena pulled up right next to his car and got out. She was at her trunk and snatching the bags out of her backseat when she saw him coming out of the backyard. Apparently, on a mission, he marched to her with a vengeance. Unsure of whether he’d hit her in public or not, she planted her feet and turned to face him, so he wouldn’t catch her slipping.

His face was frowned in a scowl as he looked at her, then over his shoulder, back toward the gate of Pat’s backyard. Maybe if he worried about her as much as he worried about that damn gang they’d be in a better position, but since he didn’t, there were in the middle of the street of a nice neighborhood about to act ghetto.

“The fuck you got your ass out here for?” he gritted through his teeth while snatching the collar of her shirt.

“Because I’m done. Get your shit and just let me go.”

“Oh, now you wanna act peaceful?”

“I don’t want to fight with you, Rico. I just want you to get your things and go,” she half lied.

The truth was, she did want him to get his things and decided to pull up and drop them off to him, because deep down, she knew if he came to her house, she’d probably end up back in the same circle again. Making up just to be lied to over and over again.

“Your stupid ass. If that’s what you really wanted, then we could have done this shit later, but nah. You wanna be a crybaby ass bitch like always and want a nigga to kiss your ass.” Rico snatched the bag from her hand so hard that he ended up scratching her.

The stinging on her skin warranted her attention just long enough for him to push past her roughly, knocking her into her car. Zurena’s nostrils flared as she stared at him, refusing to give him what he wanted. She was done fighting. Should have never started to begin with. At some point, she needed to stand up for herself, and he was the perfect place to start.

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