Page 9 of Still Yours

“But it’s not about what you want. It’s what I like, so if you don’t trim my face next time, I’m going to go find me a male barber that listens.” He smirked as he reached in his pocket for the fifteen dollars he owed her.

“You’ll never find a barber better than me, homeboy.” She snatched the money from his hand.

At that moment, Rhonda came walking into the kitchen. She was approaching fifty, and she still went to clubs and bars at night. She had a house full of foster kids but left them unattended once the clock struck nine in the evening. Pretti kept sweeping as they watched Rhonda walk to the refrigerator to grab a beer.

“You in my kitchen cutting hair again. I hope you got my money,” Rhonda said as she stood near the kitchen, eyeing Dexz and Pretti. They were now the oldest kids in her home, so she charged them for everything, even though she collected money from the state for them. Dexz and Pretti hated it. They had a few more months until they could leave her house, and they couldn’t wait.

“I only cut Dexz’s hair in here, and he only gave me fifteen dollars. I needed to buy hygiene stuff with the rest of the money I made, so I don’t have anything to give you.” Pretti swept the hair in the dustpan and tossed it in the trash.

“Well, give me the fifteen he just gave you. I need some money to get in the club tonight.”

“Rhonda, didn’t you just get seven grand from the state? Why you want to take her fifteen dollars?” Dexz chimed in. He hated her greedy ways and had no problem calling her out.

“Nigga, don’t get me started on how much you owe me. That little twenty grand your mama gave me to watch your ass been gone, and I know you be sellin’ dope! So, watch who you talkin’ to before your ass be on the streets or in jail,” she threatened.

“Well, I’m not giving you my fifteen dollars. I need it.” Pretti rolled her eyes.

Dexz could feel the tension in the room. For the last two weeks, Rhonda had been on their backs about small amounts of money. They started thinking she was on drugs because her behavior was off. She always collected money from them, usually once a month, but it was becoming daily.

“Bitch, you’re going to give me that money. You ain’t entitled to shit in this house.” Rhonda grabbed her by the shirt and tried to go through her pockets, but she pushed her away.

“Bitch!” Rhonda snapped. She raised her hand and slapped Pretti across the face. Rhonda hadn’t laid hands on Pretti in so many years that it shocked her.

Dexz acted quickly and pushed Rhonda to the floor.

“What the fuck did you slap her for, you stupid bitch?” Dexz shouted as he helped Pretti to her feet.

Rhonda stood up and rushed Dexz and Pretti. The three of them fought like cats and dogs in the kitchen. Rhonda had Pretti by the hair as she pounded her in the face. Pretti was only 5’1 and weighed one hundred and twenty pounds, while Rhonda was 5’9 and weighed almost two hundred pounds. Dexz was her height, and he had had enough of the fighting. He grabbed Rhonda from behind and body-slammed her to the tile floor. Rhonda shouted from the pain she felt in her back.

“Get the fuck out my house, and don’t come back! Y’all ain’t shit and won’t ever be shit! Fucking bastard kids!” she shouted, sending all the kids out of their rooms.

Pretti and Dexz wasted no time packing what they needed the most and leaving everything else behind. The two of them left the house with rolling luggage and backpacks on their backs.

As they walked down the main street, neither of them said a word to each other as the wind brushed across their faces. The weather was cold, but the fire inside them from what had happened kept them warm. After two miles of walking, they finally sat at a bus stop and watched the cars go by. Dexz knew he had to come up with a plan because he wasn’t going to let Pretti find her own way. He knew the streets were dangerous and didn’t want anything to happen to her.

Looking over at Pretti, he saw that she had finally broken down. Tears flowed from her eyes as she shivered in the cold air.

“Don’t trip, best friend,” Dexz said softly. He took off his hoodie and gave it to her. Cold weather didn’t bother him, and it was colder in New York.

“We’re homeless, Dexten! What the hell are we going to do?” She cried out.

“I’m going to call one of my boys to see if he can rent us a room. I was going to wait and tell you when our birthday came, but I’ve been saving to get that barbershop you wanted. I figured I'd spend my last dime investing in you. You are a smart-ass girl, even if you don’t think so. I know you can run a business at a young age, but shit is about to be tight, so I’m going to use the twenty grand I saved so far to take care of us. We ain’t about to be homeless. I got us. I promise.” Dexz used his index finger and raised her chin.

Pretti looked him in the eyes, and Dexz returned the stare.

“You were really going to buy me a shop?” she asked in her usual soft tone.

“Yes, you deserve it. I don’t see why not. I’d invest in your dream and make sure you succeed.”

“Why do you care so much about me if you don’t want to be with me?” she asked, in a moment that she thought was right.

“I do like you, but I got too much shit going on in my life to make a commitment to you. You are my best friend, and you know that. Plus, now isn’t the time to talk about this. Just know I got us, and I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She sighed. “Okay, Dexz. Don’t be mad when I’m taken. Call your friend and get the room. It’s that time of the month for me, so I need a bathroom that’s clean.”

She wasn’t happy with his answer, but she decided to let it go. That was going to be her last time shooting her shot at him. She was moving on and pushing him into the friend zone. Just like he looked at her as a sister, she was now looking at him like a brother.

An hour later, Burner Man pulled up in a black Audi in front of the bus stop. She had seen him around before but thought he was an older thug who was probably mean. She had never said two words to him, but the way he started talking to her when they got in made it clear he knew a helluva lot about her.