Page 14 of Cove City: Volume II
Flex tossed her hand on her hip. “It’s time for you to go. It’s something about you that’s not right.”
I began to panic. I wasn’t trying to fuck up this little shit we had. I ran my hand over my head. “My bad.”
“No, you need to leave. I think two days is long enough.”
I sucked my teeth and walked back over to her couch. “Let me call a ride,” I lied.
I wasn’t going no fucking where. I was going to give Flex some space and I knew after a few more blunts she would have cooled down. She walked to the back and slammed her bedroom door as I began to roll another blunt. I began scrolling through my phone, checking my social media, watching everyone live their lives while I was in hiding. My eyes began to get heavy because I was high as fuck. I slid the phone into my pocket, scooted down to get more comfortable and dozed off.
***
My eyes shot open to me being tossed across the room. “Ah!” I grumbled as the wind got knocked out of me.
I tried getting up, but a steel boot connected with my ribs, sending spit flying out of my mouth. “I knew you looked familiar, fuck nigga!” a baritone voice barked at me.
When I finally caught a glimpse of who it was, I realized Flex had called some niggas to get me out of her crib. It was Beast from the club. I stumbled to try to catch my balance and rushed his ass. Sending his big back ass into her pole. We began tussling in Flex’s small ass living room.Hit to the face. Hit to the abs.Beast and I were rumbling in this muhfucka. “Fuck nigga you thought I was some bitch. Trying to snuff me,” I gritted as I hit his ass again.
Beast gripped my neck and lifted me. I tried swinging but kept missing his face. “I would handle you and snap your fucking neck, but I heard there’s a hit out on you. The call has been made.” He smiled evilly.
My mind started racing because I knew I had to get out of his grasp before Pierre arrived. I became frantic as my feet and arms, dangling in the air, began flailing wildly.“Fuck! Fuck you!” I shouted.
He continued to grin as my eyes began to bulge. I knew death was knocking, and a nigga just couldn’t go out like this. I took one last good swing, hitting Beast in the jaw, causing him to let go. My body hit the floor, and I scrambled to the door running out like a madman. I hauled ass down the street, letting the wind smack my face. I needed to try my best to stay out of fucking dodge. I didn’t want to surrender. I didn’t want to meet my fate, but something in me told me that my time was running out and God was done giving me chances, so much so that he didn’t have anything left to give.
BEST
I woke up bright and early to be at TSU before dawn. The HBCU had become a memory for me. Although Paige was a current student, dropping her off in her freshman year was the last time I had been there. My eyes scanned the campus, noticing how much had changed. What really caught my attention was the names on the campus apartments and dorms. When I got out of the car, I headed toward the Dean’s Office. A few students were wandering around, mostly athletes heading to an early practice. Some I recognized from the Cove because they either went to school with Paige, or I knew their parents. “Yo, Ms. Best, what are you doing here?” I heard someone call out.
I turned to look and greeted him with a bright smile. I remembered when his mother passed away. He and his brothers were left with their father, who didn’t know what life was like outside of his wife. He found himself lost in a bottle of course feelings. He walked over to me, hugging me tightly with one arm while a basketball sat in the crook of the other. Since I’ve known Xavier, he’s been holding a basketball in his hand. I knew it was his way of finding happiness for himself and his brothers. I continued until I reached the Dean’s Office. I walked through the cold hall, greeting the staff who had just started their shift. I knew the best thing to do was to get here early to beat his secretary, who would try stopping me before I had gotten to his door.
I didn’t even bother to knock as I walked into the office to see Clark sitting there looking over paperwork. “Cecily didn’t I tell—” he paused when he saw me standing there.
“Best Harmon. The woman who never gives up.”
Normally, I would smile, but a man like Clark Mercier didn’t deserve a single grin. I moved closer toward his desk. “I see you have changed a lot around here.”
“What do you mean. Toussaint State University, where there is an excellence of being black.”
“No, the excellence of being conniving,” I retorted.
A loud chuckle rumbled from his belly as his hand pointed toward the chair, directing me to sit. “What do I owe the pleasure of this visit on this beautiful Mercier morning?”
I rolled my eyes because of the audacity of this man. He hadn’t changed at all. He was the same snake in the garden that he’d always been. Clark and James were both evil; it was just that James had gotten caught up while Clark had been able to mask it. “I need a favor,” I told him.
The evil in him began to emerge as he narrowed in on me. He had been waiting for this moment, a moment when he could use me. If it weren’t for Pierre, this wouldn’t be happening, but my child came first.
Clark placed his elbows on the beautiful woodgrain desk as he intertwined his fingers. He fiddled with his gold pinky ring. “This favor is what, because you know Best, you have a way of finding yourself in shit you’re not supposed to be in. So, what does this favor entail? Huh?”
I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “I need information on a student who used to go here.”
He sat back as wrinkles formed in his forehead. “Now you know that is information we cannot give—”
I slammed my hand on the table. “Avery’s Hall? Laureaux’s Hall? The King’s apartments? How about the Quad being named after the Prince family? Don’t think that doesn’t go unnoticed. I wonder why they are named after corrupted families?”
He cleared his throat. “Who is the person Best?”
Now I could smile. “Tuesday Morning.”
He raised a brow. “Ah, summa cum laude Tuesday?”
