Page 24 of Dope Boys: Most Wanted
She took her phone and the rest of her trash. While Reign was drawn to something in Nia that felt safe, she wouldn’t risk it. Especially not after hearing Javier’s voice. That alone was sure to wreck her throughout the day if she didn’t keep herself busy. Nia would pry her open, position herself as a friend and then offer her up as a sacrifice. Reign had gone through that before. Friends turned trick when Javier snapped his fingers.
Reign left Nia and her rude friend in the café and hurried down the block to the hair store she spotted with the help wanted sign earlier. She roamed in over the worn tile floor in search of a manager or even the owner.
There was a woman no older than her in the far corner hidden by the rows of hair products, packs of weave, wigs and accessories. Hanging from the ceiling were headless mannequins wearing cheap outfits making the hair shop a true staple of the block. The name on the door: One Stop Hair Shop.
The woman barely lifted her eyes from her phone and popped her gum, “you need somethin’?”
Reign blew a dry coil out of her face and looked up at the woman. “The sign on the window says help wanted. Is there an application or something I can fill out?”
The woman took her long braids and flipped them over her shoulder. “Ain’t no application. If you fit the vibe.”
Reign slightly frowned, unsure of what that meant. “If I fit the vibe?”
“That’s what I said. Look around,” the woman motioned, her long nails serving as the pointer. Reign barely looked around at the people shopping; some stealing edge control a few aisles over and a group of girls giggling as they tried on wigs and JoyChatted it.
“I see someone stealing edge control three aisles over, those girls with the wigs are about to run out in a minute and three people walked in and out behind me. Is that the vibe you’re going for? Loss?”
The woman rolled her eyes and popped her gum. “Nah, sorry, we ain’t hirin’. Either get something or get lost.”
“I know you little bitches ain’t trying to steal my shit!” Nia’s voice bellowed through the crowded, yet neatly stocked hair store. Everything was laid out in an order that made sense, there was just so much stuff. They could’ve used a better system. And they clearly needed help. “Uh uh, bring your ass back here!”
“We were just playing, Nia,” one of the girls said. “It’s a trend on JoyChat.”
“Don’t let that trend remind my damn belt what ass feels like!” Nia shouted back, holding on to one girl firmly. “I already told your momma if I caught your ass stealing again I was tearin’ yo’ ass up. Give me a reason why you and your dumbass friend shouldn’t be playing thirty-two pick up.”
One of the girls frowned in confusion. “What’s thirty-two pick up?”
“It’s when I knock your muhfuckin’ teeth out your mouth and watch you pick them bitches up. All thirty-two of them,” Nia informed, letting the girl go and snatching the wigs from their heads. “Bring your asses back in here on some bullshit and your momma is gonna have to come drag your ass down the block because I’m knocking you dumbasses out. Get the fuck out my face.”
The trio scurried out of the shop and the woman Reign had been in exchange with straightened up.
“Fawn! What you got going on that niggas is cool with stealing from me?” Nia’s voice carried throughout the aisles before she came fully into view.
“We need help, Nia. I can’t watch the whole damn store all day,” Fawn replied, making Reign twist her face.
“That’s literally why I walked in here,” Reign grumbled. “The sign on the door says help wanted, apply inside.”
Nia looked at Reign and then at Fawn. “She came in here to apply?”
Fawn shrugged. “I mean, yeah…she just don’t fit the vibe, though.”
Nia’s eyes narrowed in irritation. “What’s the vibe, Fawn?”
“She ain’t a baddie. She look like she’s on the run. What you want more of? Little girls stealing or some Blair Point niggas running through here looking for her hiding ass?” Fawn pushed back, making Nia’s eyes twitch.
“Fawn, go home.”
“I just got here.”
“And you’re just leaving,” Nia shared. “The only vibe here is money. I thought your ass was stealing out the register but you letting my shit run out the door for some vibes. Vibe your ass home.”
Fawn frowned, popped her gum and curled her lip. “I don’t need this shit anyway. Have fun with little Annie.”
Reign offered her a deadpan expression and a middle finger to accompany it. Fawn had a horrible attitude and had this been another place or time, Reign would have gladly cussed her out. However, being that she was in desperate need of a job she refrained. Plus the cuss out the was building up in Reign didn’t need to be directed at Fawn. She hadn’t truly done any harm to her. Insults weren’t anything compared what she was running from.
Both Nia and Reign watched as Fawn collected her knockoff designer bag, knocked a few displays of lip gloss, derma blades, and edge brushes to the floor as she walked out. She got to thedoor, spun around with her braids spinning around her, flipped Nia a birdie. “Fuck this place.”
“Bitch, fuck you too,” Nia shot back. “Talkin’ shit from over there like I won’t touch you.”
