Chapter 6- Christmas Time

Zayn

(2001, Christmas Eve Age 10)

"Leave me alone man, I ain't doing this with you!" I screamed as I attempted to flea down the stairs but he pulled me by the back neck bag and dragged me back to him.

"You gon do what I want you to boy!" He shouted and shoved me into the wall, I looked into his cold eyes and begin to shiver from the fear I was enduring.

"No! It's not right, God wouldn't want this." I said with tears racing down my cheeks. I breathed hard and prayed in my head, that he would just let me be. I didn't like the things he did to me every night.

He yanked me by my collar and threw me around the small hall way. "Stop being a little bitch boy and get yo' ass in that room."

"Nah!" I strived to run away but I failed, he pushed me inside my room and closed the door. I stood up and grabbed my silver steel baseball bat, I aimed to hit him in head but missed hitting his shoulder.

He groaned in pain. "Boy!" The bat was snacthed out of my hand and tossed across the room. He grabbed me and forced me onto the bed, pinning me on my stomaching pressed my head againts the comforters, I could barely breathe.

He began his process by pulling down my black basketball shorts. "Stop! Stop! Mama!" I tried to yell but my words were being muffled. He stripped me out of my undergarments and I felt him go inside of me anally, I yelled in pain and continued to scream from my mother; but she never came to my rescue.

****

Next Morning

"It's Christmas boy,wake up." He hovered over me, I fully awoke from slumber and dragged my feet into the living, where my mother was holding my baby sister in her lap helping her open a present.

"Good morning little boy." She grinned at me and pat the empty seat next her, I took the seat and laid my head on her shoulder, looking for comfort.

"Stop it Zay." She squirmed gettinng my head off of her. "Open that big present up.....over there on the right."

****

"Mama where Shane go?" I ask referring to her husband. She was at the kitchen stripping the fat off of a whole chicken. She looked over her shoulder.

"He went to go get some yams, why?"

"Mama....he keep on touching me."

She froze in place and turned to look at me. "Touching you how?"

I stayed silent, because I did not know how to tell her that I was hurting, I sat down at the kitchen table and ran my fingers through my wooly hair, she kept her attention on me waiting for an answer. "He just keeps putting his hands on me and stuff."

"Well if he beating your ass you probably deserve it, all you gotta do is be respectful." She tells me, then turn off the water and dry her hands off with a cloth and quick vanishes out of the kitchen.

Present Day

I drove down the highway with some old school gangsta shit bumping through my stereos, Today was Christmas, so I had people hitting my line ready for their daily dos. Tate was one of them who wanted some of the good stuff that Bishop just had ship in, I pulled into his drive way, and shut my engine off then climbed out of the car.

As I was walking to his door step a elderly black woman mugged me as she watered her grass, as if my presence upset, I shrugged it off and knocked on the door waiting for an answer. After a few moments he finally opened the door, with a worn out look on his face. "What's up fam." His hand rised asking for a brotherly hug.

I gave him one and followed him into his home, that seemed unsanitary; dirty clothes a long with broken dishes was every where as I followed him down stairs, the strong scent of majarauna reached my nose as I strolled down.

"Damn nigga, you need to hire a nanny?" I question in a jokeful, but was more than serious.

"Nah man." He stood in front of his table of guns and yawned. "This is officialy the trap." He says with his arms spreaded out wide. "Me and Resha got a new place down town man, it's bigger than this piece of shit that mama left us,"

"Y'all got a new place or she does?" I raised my eyebrow, as I walked over to him and pulled out the ounces of weed.

"We got a new place nigga, damn," He snaps not even really paying attention to what I just, he takes one of the ounces and smell it. "This smell good, it smell good." He chuckles.

"Yeah, this the shit he wanted you to have. He been grabbing from this one dude he said."

"Alright. You know me and Resha having a lil Christmas party tonight, you should come through."

I nod my head and sniff "It's is gon' be formal?"

"Nah nigga, I'm inviting some hoes, they gon' be in costumes and shit bruh, niggas gon be there with hella bud and drinks...we gon' get it poppin. Tayresha having a lil costume party all the hoes gon wear a sexy red suit, while the niggas where silk pajamas...I ain't participating in the shit but you can probably get you a lil freak for the night if you be down."

I chortle a bit and nod my head. "Well see, give the address and I may come through, You trynna light a blunt though?" I asked.

"Yeah."

****

I decided to take Tate's offer to go to the party since I had nothing better to do. After taking a nice steamy shower, I put on a pair of white trues and a simple bright red polo shirt along with three of my gold chains, and my rolex. I put on my coat and was ready to go.

After twenty minutes the gps guided me to a nice sized house, that had cars parked down the crub, a group of people were scatted across the lawn just chilling, I can hear the latest rap hits playing from outside, I parked my vehicle with every one elses, then grabbed my weed from out of the glove department;tucking it deep down in my pockets. I put a ciggarate behind my ear and climbed out.

"Hey." A white chick said as I was walking inside, the way she was smiling at me told me she wanted some attention but I wasn't for it, I ignored her and entered the house; seeing unfamilliar faces left to right.

I leaned back againts the wall and pulled my phone out of my pocket so I can Tate before I could a pair of light brown arms wraps around my neck from behind, I then turn around to see Tayresha, I checked out her attire; she was rocking a short red santa dress with white fur and a black belt, she wore long black stockings with angel white Gucci boots, that rised up to her knee and her hair was braided back in Goddess braids.

"I see we're matching," She smirks. "Why you ain't been calling me?"

I rub my hands together and lick my lips, "I've been busy girl."

"So you've been to busy for your girl friend, really?"

I corner my eyes side to side in confusion, because I did not recall her and I having a relationship, I twist my lips and shake my head. "You ain't my girl baby."

"You need to stop playing."

"Trust me, I ain't playing." I say truthfully and she smiles as if she still did not get it.

"Resha!" A voice screamed over the music, I seen a familiar face sauntering her way over to us, I then realized she was ol' girls friend from the other day that asked me for my number so she can give it to her,

"Hey Ty!:" Resha says with a bubbly smile and hugs her, Ty then looks behind her and frowns. "Girl would you hurry your ass up!"

She rolls her eyes and smirks "I bought my home girl and she kinda shy."

The fine girl I once saw a one or two times popped up behind her with her arm folded, Tysis and Resha said a few words to each other while me and ol girl locked eyes. She was beautiful as hell, she wasn't like the rest of these hoes at this party she wore a simple caramel brown Ralph Lauren sweater with a pair of white jeans that brought out the best of her round behind, her curly hair was pinned up in a bun with two braids in the front. Her make up looked professionaly done.

"This is my best friend Makiela." She introduces her to Tayresha, I don't think she even notice I was there.

"Hey Makiela. " Tayresha smiles the cuddled next to me with her head on my chest "Um Ty. This is my man Zayn"

"Oh we know each other, remember him Makiela?" She turns to her friend.

"Yeah I do.:

I frown and slighty push her head off of my chest. "Why you lying to people man, you know damn well I'm not your man."

She jerks her head back and frowns"Don't act brand new nigga, you know damn well I don't play that shit."

I switch my mouth to the side and rolled my eyes. "Yeah okay man, where your brother at?" I questioned.

"In the basement." She tells me as she points to a specific direction. "Its right down the hall."

I take that guidance and walk away, I then make it down to the basement where music was blasting and loud weed can be smell.

"What's up fam." a nigga greeted me a head nod and I did the same, I made to a table where I saw Tate and Bishop playing poker with a few other guys, they both had females in they lap while doing so.

"What's yall niggas up to?" I say while standing behind Bishop, I took the blunt that his hoe had and put it in my mouth.

"Shit nothin, I see you made it out."

"It ain't not I could really do at the crib, so I decided to turn up I guess." I take a seat and look at Tate as he concerate on the poker chips.

"Wassup Zaa--- nigga don't be tryna cheat me!" He say to one of his oppenents with out even finishing his greeting.

Bishop inhales the smoke from his blunt and gesture for the girl on his lap to get up. Once she does so he looks at me and nods his head to the corner of the room, I guess he wanred to talk alone as we make it to the corner he begins to speak. "Did I tell you that I got a kid on a way."

"Word? By who nigga?"

His voice gets weary from the smoke, as he inhale the smoke. "You know its with Jaymee, we got back together a couple weeks ago and she just told me this morning that ima be a pops."

"Damn congratulations man." I say as we both participate in a brotherly hug.

"You need to be trying to get you a kid, get you a good girl."

"Yeaa...I don't know how that's gonna work out, things changed since I've been locked hoes got they head too far up they ass and I ain't got time for that shit." I shake my head from side to side while rubbing my hair.

"True dat, true dat...I see you cut all of your hair off." He say referring to my fresh new cut.

"Couldn't find nobody to braid it man." I chuckle.

Bam! A gun shot then make everyone in the room freeze in place, as Tate stands over a niggas body with his heat aimed at him, he breathed hard and frowned. "You gon' cheat me out of my money, nigga you can die!" He shouts.

"Yo Tate? Wassup man?" Bishiop ask with open arms, he walks over to Tate and tries to calm him down.

"Nah fuck that B! This nigga tryna steal from me."

I ditch the chatoic scene and guide myself back upstairs. I go into the kitchen and see Makilea about to get a cup of juice "No no, don't drink that." I rush up to her and grab the jug.

She knits her eyebrows together in confusion. "Why not?"

"You don't know what this shit lace with lil mama." I chuckle and set it down. And she nods her head in agreement.

"Why you don't have on the lil red costume like everyone else?" I ask.

"Oh I'm a Shedeer!" She says excited while tugging at the waist band of her sweater.

"A who deer?" I laugh.

"A shedeer...I was going for reigndeer colors." She sums it up and shake my head a widen my eyes.

"You should've just said that the first time. I like your style...I see you equipped with game when it comes to dressing."

"Yeah...I want to be a designer and stylist one." She inclines.

"Shit for real, you should help me shop sometimes you know, help me fit in with today trends. I'm tryna be on fleek too!" I lighten my voice like a females, causing her to giggle.

"Sure, um....I want to appologize for a couple of weeks ago.,you deserve a better thank you."

I scrunched up my face and shrugged it off. "Nah you good, don't worry about it. Where's ya girl at?"

"Tysis..is in the living room watching some guys strip out of thier silk." She shakes her head and grins. "I couldn't watch."

"Your a good girl huh?" I question her.

"I guess...man I'm thristy all they got is liquor on top of liquor."

I rub my head and stare down at her short figure. "You wanna run up to the corner store real quick and grab you something, I;m in need of some rellos anyway.'

"I don't know...I gotta stick with the buddy system. I can't leave my girl alone."

"She can go too if she want, I ain't one of them niggas who's gon lace your shit or try do something off of the wall...Ima take you the store and bring you right back." I say truthfully.

She pokes out her lip and lightly shrugs. "I guess we can go."

"Alright." I grin.

We both make our way out of the crowded house, and she follows me to my car, I use the automatic remote to unlock the door and she opens it in climbs in. I do the same then close my door and put the key in the ignition starting the car up.

"So how have you been?"

She raises her eyebrow and look over at me with a weird expression. "I've been cool." She simply states.

"You can turn the radio on your favorite station if you like." I offer as I pull off, she lowly giggles and lean over then begin tuning through the stations. She turns on 105.9 and Sweet Lady by Tyrese comes on.

"I caught it as soon as it started." She chitters and turns the volume up a knotch.

I gaze at her from the corner of my eye, watching as she rocks in her seat and snap her fingers to the beat, I must say that her beauty caught me in a daze.

"So you a old head huh?" I ask.

"I guess....well I'm not an old head. I just have a old soul."

I turn the radio up and sing a long.

"Late night phone calls on the telephone
About your fantasies and now to get it on
When you need me I will be
There for you my sweet lady"

"You have a nice voice Zayn." She compliments.

"Thanks." I lick my bottom lip.

"I see you remembered my name."

"Yeah....I did." She playfully rolls her eyes.

After five minutes we make it to the liquor store, I hold the door open for her and allow her to go in first. I bite my lips at the sight of her perky behind, it wasn't the fattest but it was something to stare at.

We go to the chip aisle and she picks up a bag of Hot Flamin Funyuns, along with some original cheetos.

"Can I get something to drink too?"

"Get anything you want ma." I say and she sligtly smiles and continue to shop. I go to the freezers and get a large bud light; I'm surprised to see Makiela next to me, she grabs one for her self and walks away. I then I go to the counter where she and the cashier is waiting on me.

"You got everything you wanted?" I ask.

"Yeah I got it." She replies.

I look above the cashier's head and search for the rellos I may want. I lick my lips. "Aye, lemme get the tropical fusion, how that taste?"

"It's good man." He says with a thick accent.

"Lemme get two of them." He hands me them and tells me my total and I give him a twenty dollar bill.

"Go and keep the change." I tell him, Makiela and I then exit the door and go back to my car.

After a few minutes I decide to spark up a conversation as we drive back to the house. "I thought you wasnt a liquor type of girl."

"Tonight ima have a little fun." She shrugs.

"How's your little girl?" I asked.

"Oh she's fine! She's with my mom and dad, and all her cousins. Me and all my siblings dropped are kids over there because my parents spoil them all with presents."

"That reminds me of my grand parents, they use to keep all the kids on holidays." I chuckle at the memory.

"Don't drink that shit now though....You don't wanna get to fucked up."

"Oh I'm not." She shakes her head and rubs the top of her wavy hair. "Ima drink it when me and Tysis get back to my place....ima only drink a little anyway." She chuckles.

"How old are you?" I question her, as I turn my head her way.

"Twenty. You?"

"Twenty six youngin'." I joke.

"Damn...." She laughs as she opens up her chips, she tilts the bag over to me. "You want some?"

"Nah...them bitches look hot." I chuckle.

"You never had these before?" I ask.

I've been in jail for seven years amd didn't even know that exist. "Nah."

"Taste one it's good. It's no different from hot cheetos."

We stop in front of stop sign, and I take a deep breat and decide to take her offer. I take one of the circular shaped chips in bite into it, it was a little spicy but pretty good.

"Hm. It's not as hot as I thought."

"See I told you."

After an hour we decided to just sit in my car and chat, because the party was too live for the both of us to handle. I got to learn a lot about her, she's very goofy but shy at the same time.

We talked about her job and her kid. She told me this was first time going to a party, she said she didn't have the time to go out as a teen cause she had her daughter. And it hit me that she had her daughter at only fifteen.

I didnt bring it up, because I felt it wasn't my place.

"You ready to go back in?"

"Yah." She pops her jaw and opens the car door and exit out, and I do the same, we enter the house. It seem like a one hundred people arrived since we've been gone. Makiela looked at me, I guess making sure that I was still behind and all of a sudden Tysis and Tayresha come running up to us.

"Really nigga?! Really?!" Tayresha comes up to me looking heated.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked puzzled.

I hear Tysis ask Makiela where was she as she stands close to her.

"Was you really hugged up with this bitch!" Tayresha comes into my personal bubble, intruding my space and yelling at me. Her breath smelled like loud and beer.

"Man chill out a'ight you ain't even my girl!" I shouted.

"Who the hell are you calling a bitch first off all?!" Makiela folds her arms, staring Tayresha down with a mean mug.

"Chill Kiela it ai--"

Slap!

Interupted my sentence and Makiela moaned as she held on to her face.

"Bitch you got me fucked up don't talk to me like that hoe or will get your ass beat! And im not playing!" Tayresha yells.

Before I can defend Makiela, she pushes Tayresha and starts throwing punches at her, she was winning this brawl, a few of Tay's friends came and jumped in, but I attempted to stop them,they weren't getting Makiela anyway because she was eating those hits and serving some of her own at the same time.

A glass shatters and Tayresha hold on to her head, than looks at her hand that's covered in blood. I looked over at Tysis who holding a broking glass bottle.

To my surprise the lights flickers on and off, the house party then becomes a house fight. The music even gets louder.

"Zayn! Zayn!" I hear Makiela's voice as she calls out for me, as the lights flicker on and off, i get a glampse at her and pull her arm and hold her close to me. A gun then fires, going off at least twenty.

I hear everyone screaming out of fear, the lights come on and I pick up Makiela and grab Tysis hand and try my hardest to get them out of there.

We make it out to my car safely.

****

"Oh my God, what the hell happen?" I look over at Makiela and she had no scars on her. I was suprised.

"Resha was on her hood rat shit tonight."

"Where im taking yall?" I