Page 47 of The Perfect Verse
Chaney’s hands were shaky as she took Kaleela’s cell out of her hand. As soon as she did, it was the infamous site, The Shade Room. There was Chaney, popping her ass in the strip club, Take One, with the Miami-based female rap group, City Girls. Kaleela loved the City Girls, but that wasn’t what had her attention. It was Chaney booed up with Liberty City-based rapper, Lil’ Dread or Dread Man as they liked to call him over the years. They were in the VIP section, bottles and food everywhere as they danced to his latest song.
He’d been on the scene since he was a young teen. He, like Kaleela, was known in the Miami streets, but he had one thing she didn’t. That was a dick.
“Bitch, you fucking on real dicks now like I ain’t gave you the shakes for days off my tongue? You must not want your life, Chaney.”
Chaney’s brother, Four Shorty, hit the front door, swiftly walking their way. He liked Kaleela, but he would never choose her over his own sister. Strapped, he approached the truck, ready to air it out if she didn’t lower her shit from his sister’s head.
“Fuck you want, Four?” Kaleela asked him, her gun still trained on Chaney’s head.
“Fuck you mean, K Smooth?”
She smiled, but he knew better. She’d be cool as shit before she smoked a nigga for fucking her over, sometimes right after they fucked a bitch together.
“Lower your shit, or get laid down,” she barked, causing him to jump.
Kaleela laughed a hearty laugh, covering her mouth. She couldn’t believe he had the balls to step to her in her hood when she was talking to her bitch.
“Whatchu laughing for? This is my sister, yo.” He mean-mugged her, raising his tool up higher as he cocked his head to the side.
“Bitch nigga, if you don’t learn how to hold that shit right, I’ll get out and fuck your kneecaps up. Hold that shit right!” she screamed, hands shaking. Chaney jumped, tears starting to fall down her face.
“Aye, K, man. I’m saying, though. Why you tripping?”
“Me, tripping? Naw, ask yo’ sister why the fuck she tripping. She’s fucking on niggas now, acting like we ain’t got a situation.”
Looking from side to side, Four Shorty watched how he moved, not wanting to look like a fucking lame in his hood.
“I’m saying, though. You know that shit don’t mean nothing. Chaney just goes to work and chill. She out here?—”
“She out here fucking with my got damn heart! That’s what she’s doing!” she barked, pushing the barrel even harder in her head. She took a deep breath, almost lowering it.
“She fucking with my heart.” The second time, it was a whisper, but a confession she thought would never be released out loud.
Kaleela sniffled. She remembered that day, feeling the heaviness in her chest. That day, Chaney had power over her, and when she violated her with Donovan, he had power over her too. Although they made amends, he couldn’t be trusted, and the main reason was his woman, who made her way back to her house in tears. Also, a woman she didn’t want and had no plans to touch again.
“Go home, Chaney. I ain’t fucking with you.” She looked up when her door opened and sighed. “I have to get them settled in.”
“Can I come?” she quickly asked.
She wanted to ask her who they were, but she didn’t. All she knew was that she didn’t want to be alone. She also didn’t trust her family. Like they were once in Kaleela’s pocket, she’d caught her mother trying to get into Donovan’s as if she didn’t give her mother a monthly allowance already.
Kaleela’s eyes grew into slits, wondering if Chaney was trying to set her up.
“I-I’m hurting, wondering if what happened is my karma.” She shrugged, then smiled, catching a glimpse of the cutest little boys staring out the door.
“I can help,” she offered. Kaleela didn’t need any help. She’d been taking care of herself since she was a little girl, short ofShonasia, who naturally wanted to be the boss of the both of them. “Not that you need… I mean, we were once friends. I kind of miss that part of us.”
She was right, they were, and it would help with Step Nine. No matter how they ended, she had, for many years, flaunted other women in Chaney’s face. Back then, it really wasn’t to punish Chaney. It was to protect her from the demons who told her she wasn’t lovable. She thought more bitches equated to more love. They didn’t. Neither did the girl in front of her as she felt her trigger finger itching. She quickly shook it off as she reasoned with herself. Maybe it wasn’t just a test but the final test to finally set Chaney and herself free.
“I don’t need help, but if you want to come in and meet them, you can.” She gripped both wheels and rolled past her, then stopped, lifting one finger. “But no questions. Don’t ask them shit.”
“I can do that.”
She secured her vehicle and followed Kaleela inside. When she eased inside, old memories, mostly the good ones, flooded her mind, despite the change in the decor. She’d changed not only the furniture but the color scheme. Where she once had dark colors, like black and dark gray, softer colors in various shades of blue and beige greeted her.
As soon as she closed the door, two sets of wide eyes landed on her, and then Kaleela, silently waiting for an explanation. If it were a man, Travis would’ve easily taken on the uninvited guests, but it was a woman, and a pretty one.
“What are you supposed to say when you first meet someone?” Chaney noticed her usual bite in her tone was absent. Instead, her voice carried a softness that wrapped itself around her heart.
