then scrolled past again and decided to call. No answer. I tried two more times before I finally left a voicemail. “Hey, it’s me, Ashanti. I wanted to know if you could come get me. I really need you right now.” I couldn’t help but get super emotional having never said those words before. My choices were so few. Either go home, where I was without a doubt going to be labeled a killer or go out and spend the day with a possible killer. If he didn’t answer his phone or call me back, I was going to walk home.
Chapter Nine Kenyon I had been running behind all day because of Tae. I don’t know what that nigga has been on lately, but if he didn’t get his shit together he was going to get his ass beat. The only reason I hadn't capped his punk ass was because he was my top money-maker. He told me that he was on his way to re-up and that he’d be there in a few hours. I filled most of my client’s needs while I was on that side of town and waited for exactly three hours before my phone died and I bounced. I made sure to send Ashanti a text and ask her to let me pick her up for our date tonight, but she didn’t answer. She had hung up on me earlier because she heard me arguing with Tae about him being on the same side of town, yet he had niggas hitting me up asking for nickels and dimes. I don’t know what the fuck they thought. I really lost it when some dirty ass Slim Shady looking nigga walked up to my car window. I loaded the clip and pointed it at him through the window while I rolled it down real smooth. You would’ve thought ‘ol boy had seen a ghost. “What the fuck do you want?” My gun was still pointed at the center of his forehead. “I-I-I was coming to see if you had some blow, man. T-T-Tae told me I could find you here. Please don’t kill me.” Tae? That nigga had to be out his mothafuckin’ body, sending niggas up to my car. If he had the shit, and he swears he’s selling it but if he has niggas asking me for it, who the hell was he selling it to? My number one rule was no new customers. When I put the gun down I looked homeboy dead in his scary ass eyes. “Get the fuck out my got damn window! I don’t know a nigga name Tae.” I had shit to do and he was in my way. Riding down West 10 th street, I didn’t know if it was fate or if the drop I needed to make was just in the right place at the right time, but I could’ve sworn I had just seen Ashanti walking down the street looking messed up. I made a wide illegal U-turn in the middle of the empty street. It was definitely her. She was still fine as hell, but I knew she was having a bad day. I pulled up on her real slow to mess with her. Her mean ass kept walking, but I guess she couldn’t see me through the tints. *** Ashanti I walked nearly half a mile before an all-white 2015 dodge charger pulled up beside me. The windows were tinted so I kept walking. I hated when niggas did that lame shit. Especially when they rolled the windows down and are busted as fuck. “Excuse me Shorty. What are you doing in my neck of the woods? Shouldn’t you be at home getting ready for our date tonight?” I turned my head around so hard I thought I was going to snap my neck. “Who the fu--” I realized I didn’t recognize the voice when I saw Kenyon smiling from the driver’s seat. “Are you going to get in or get me a ticket for driving too slow?” He parked the car beside me and waited until I made up my mind. I walked around the car and got in. It was nice and plush on the inside. The red velvet material gave it a modern, yet vintage look. I was feeling it and I wanted him to press on the gas so that I could feel the horses under the hood. Having a fascination with fast cars, something told me the one I was sitting in could do some damage on an empty freeway. “New car?” I asked, looking at the tag on his keys. “Naw, I just had to get a paint job. Smell new?” I wondered what he needed a paint job for and if it had anything to