Page 41 of Welcome to the Heart Of A Maniac
“You mean Rhythm’s Blues?”
“Yeah…”
Gripping him by the wrist, I shot to my feet and tugged, but he didn’t budge. “Outside. Outside, now.”
Maniac lifted to his feet, and I dragged him out the door, shutting it behind us where no one can hear our conversation.
“What are you doing?” I waste no time asking him.
“I’m just tryna see what its like with yo’ book club. Is that a crime?”
“Go home.”
Licking his lips, he asked, “You sure you don’t want to go with me?”
“No. I’ll see you there later. Go home,” I told him one final time and went back into the loft.
Maniac
A FEW DAYS LATER
The launch of Maniac Noir was a success. We’d already started distribution for it. Roc coming in and climbing that I stole from him wasn’t on my bingo card for the year. Then he got the nerves to say that he gon’ prove I stole from him. That nigga ain’t got shit that I want to take. His liquor ain’t even made it to the top shelf. Most clubs in the city don’t even sell that shit, let alone anywhere outside the fact. He better know what the fuck he’s doing, trying to come for me.
I’d finished up work early at the distillery and everything was running smoothly on the illegal side of business. Since I didn’t have much to do today, I decided to head to the house and see what Wren was up to. She was still in her feelings after I popped up on her ass at book club. I just wanted to see what the shit was all about. Her love for reading was known, but I really wanted to see if they were actually discussing books and not on some bullshit.
When I walked in there and saw them really talking about books and how passionate they were about them, I knew thatthis was something that I couldn’t get in the way of. My shawty was a cute ass lil nerd.
Pulling up to Wren’s trailer, I saw a Kia parked outside. Getting out the car, I marched up to the front door. The only reason why I wasn’t doing the most right now is because that Kia K5 is some shit that only a bitch would drive.
I reached to knock on the door and it pulled open. For a second, I thought I was in a scene from the movie Avatar. Standing in front of me was a brown and blue Avatar. My head tilted to the side as I examined the blue one, already knowing that it was Wren. Everything on her was blue from her skin to her clothes.
She no longer wore her glasses but rocked some blueish green contacts. Her hair is done in tribal braids. Her shirt looked like she’d found a piece of fabric and crossed it over her breasts. The skirt left lil to no imagination. I’ve never wanted to fuck an avatar as much as I wanted fuck Wren right now.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going with that on?”
“We’re heading to a convention,” the brown avatar had the nerves to say.
“Who the fuck is this? I wasn’t talking to you.”
“Excuse me?” She stepped closer and Wren stuck her arm out, stopping her.
“It’s Aria.” I knew all about her. I’d done all my research on everyone close to her. I needed to make sure they weren’t a threat.
“Why you got my babe out here looking like a slut? She ain’t going nowhere dressed like that.” I gently shoved Wren back into the trailer.
“She doesn’t have me out here like nothing. The convention was my idea. I do this all the time. We’re going. Now get out our way.” She stepped toward me, but I wasn’t budging.
“You’re not leaving the house like this.”
“It’s cosplay, Maniac. Get over it. Women go out the house dressed worst than this every day.”
“No one asked you for yo’ two scents brown avatar. I ain’t got nothing to do with how you leave the house. You wanna dress like a slut, that shit’s on you. But mine ain’t—” Wren slipped past me and ran down the steps.
“I’m leaving, Maniac and you’re not stopping me.” She grabbed the doorhandle of the Kia.
“You wanna leave the house like that than fine. I’m going with you. Everyone that stares at you gon’ drop. They blood on yo’ fucking hands.” Stepping to my car, I opened the passenger door. “Get in the car.”
“See, this what you gon’ have to deal with,” Aria said. She keep on with her mouth and I’m gon’ shove my gun in it.
