"My mans," Quay smiled as he dapped me up. It'd been a minute since I saw him. We used to kick it back when I was in high school and selling drugs heavy my freshman year of college.  He was still in the game deep and I could tell it was most definitely treating him well.

I smiled. "I see you doing good, living better." I stated as I nodded my head towards his whip. He swatted the air, "man that's nothing. I see you still out living nice too," he replied as he rubbed his hands looking at my cocaine white Audi. I shook my head, "that's old money." And it was, I used some of the money I saved up from when I sold heavy to purchase it. I had a lot of money saved up from selling drugs I was never one that felt the need to impress others by getting extravagant things.

"Old or new it's nice." He smiled, "appreciate it. What's up though?" I questioned. He'd hit my line saying he needed to talk to me, we hadn't really talked in years. Caught up in passing but never tried to purposely get up with one another.

"I know you out the game and shit."

"Nahh Quay," I shook my head. I felt like I already knew where he was going with this.

"Listen, bossman said you were one of his best men. These new niggas on some crazy shit on the other side he just want you to scare them."

"Scare them how? And why he ain't reach out?"

"He felt like as soon as his name came up you would've ignored it, regardless of the fact that he let you make runs when you want. And I honestly don't know exactly what he want you to do."

I shook my head as I ran a hand down my face. I got out of this shit for a reason, it was all I grew up around and decided I would be better. It was damn good money, but not worth risking my life and freedom for. But I wasn't completely out it, which is why it was so easy for these niggas to reach me. Whenever I needed some extra money I would make a drop which easily brought me a couple thousand. But it was whenever I wanted cause boss fucked with me like that but he was right if he came calling I was dodging that shit because I felt like he was just trying to pull me back in more and more.

"He said you can name your price and everything." I looked at him. Shaking my head again as we stood in the school parking lot by the commons area, I stayed silent as I thought, people watching in the process as I caught Kira coming my way, smile on her face. "Damn," I heard Quay say as I turned looking at him watching as his eyes scanned Kira causing me to smile. She came up stopping in front of me as she spoke, her eyes looking towards Quay before she introduced herself to him. "This you?" He asked. I nodded my head as he smiled. "I ain't mad. But aye, imma let y'all do your thing. Just hit my line when you decide."

He dapped me up again before leaving as I assured him I would let him know. "Who was that?" Kira questioned.

"One of my niggas from back in the day." I unlocked my car as I opened my door, "you hungry? Cause a nigga hungry." She smiled as she walked around to the passenger side getting in. "Hell yeah."

—

Kira and I had just finished eating when we saw Landon and Aria walk in. They ordered their food and then came over to our table taking a seat beside each on of us.

"What a small world." Aria smiled.

"We right down the street from Campus." I responded, we were bound to run into someone we knew every time we came here.

She rolled her eyes before hitting me, "so, all these restaurants and we end up at the same one."

"This the only good one," Landon added in causing me to chuckle. She rolled her eyes again before looking towards Kira and speaking, "just wanted to say hey, Kennedy and Mink are on there way up here." She stated towards me after Kira and her finished their short exchange.

I looked at Landon, "you having lunch with those three motor mouths?" He looked at me like I was crazy. "Hell nahh, mine is to-go. I have to go get Ava from my moms."

"We aren't motor mouths," Aria chimed in.

"Speaking of," I stated as I watched Mink and Kennedy walk in. Aria turned looking at them as she got up making her way towards them. Landon shook his head as he dapped me up when his number was called. "I'll holla at cha."

I looked over towards Aria as I saw Kennedy heading towards us as Mink sat down with Aria putting her head on her hand. She looked over at me catching eyes as I smiled. Kira turned around trying to see what I was smiling at as she saw Kennedy. She smiled as well, out of all the girls she liked Kennedy the most, she said they clicked or some shit.

Kennedy spoke to me before sitting down and talking to Kira. I took it as my opportunity to get up and speak to Mink, knowing she wouldn't come to the table with Kira or attempt to talk to me with all the shit that happened recently. I wanted to squash all the beef between us, all of it was stupid as hell.

I slid in beside her as I put my arm behind her. Aria held a slight smirk on her face. I simply ignored her as I focused my attention on Mink. "So you weren't going to speak."

"Hey," she said dryly.

"Mink stop acting like that!" Aria stated, "you were just cool with him at my house."

She moved her hand from head. "Oh you mean when I was the one really trying to stop him from beating my date's ass? Completely missed how that was us being cool."

I ran a hand down my face, licking my lips before responding. "I'm sorry Mink, seriously." I said sincerely.

"I'm sorry, What was that? I didn't hear you?" She asked as she brought a hand to her ear as if that would make her hear me louder. I chuckled before I repeated myself as a small smile appeared on her face. "Thank you Jodie, I'm happy you realized I deserved that because I went through hell because of the stupidity you wanted to do."

I brought my eyebrows in, "what you mean?"

Just as I asked the question Kennedy and Kira were approaching the table, Mink no longer paying me any mind as she had her eyes on them. I turned, looking at how Kira looked at her, then me, then my arm that was behind her. I shook my head, hoping she wasn't about to trip. She surprised me as she smiled, "hey Minnie, is it?"

Mink returned the same fake smile, "Mink, you tried it Keisha."

Aria let out a laugh she tried to recover with a cough. I shook my head as I moved my arm and stood up. "Alright, you ready?" I asked looking towards Kira who was rolling her eyes at Mink.

She looked at me as she nodded before putting her attention on the girls as Kennedy sat beside Aria. "Well I look forward to girls night with you ladies on Friday, thanks for inviting me Ken."

Confusion hit me, Aria and Mink's face before we all looked at Kennedy who smiled. I shook my head as Mink looked at her like she was stupid, I couldn't even be mad at her. "Bye!" Kira waved as I followed out behind her saying my goodbyes too.

—

It'd been three days since Quay had asked me that favor, I was still unsure on if I wanted to do it but I told him to swing my way anyways.

We stood outside talking, not even on the topic of what we really needed to be on as he just caught me up on a lot of shit that had been going on. As he was talking a message came through from Mink.

Landon said you have his SOC book. I need to use it for some research. You still have it?

I replied speedily. Yeah.

You home now? She questioned

Yeah.

K. Otw.

I didn't respond back as I put my attention back on Quay while also trying to think of where his book was. It had to be on my bookshelf. A nigga was actually into books and shit.

She showed up quickly as Quay's attention was no longer on the story but the two girls walking towards us. "Damn," he stated causing me to laugh. "You know them?" He asked not even giving me time to reply as he started again, "wait, I know that dark skin one. She cute as hell."

I quickly looked at him, "how you know her?" He didn't have time to answer as they approached. Aria was all smiles as Mink held a slight look of surprise on her face. "Hey!" She said with her eyes on Quay, he smiled. "Wassup mama?"

I looked between the two of them before introducing Aria who looked just as confused as I was. "Aria this is Quay, Quay, Aria. And it seems you and Mink have already met." I stuffed my hands in my pockets as I watched the exchange.

Aria spoke as he did the same, looking her up and down. "Where's the book?" Mink asked as she looked over at me. "On my bookshelf in my room." I easily replied as Mink nodded then her and Aria made their way inside.

"How you know her?" I questioned.  He smiled, "man I fucked the shut out of her."

"Fuck outta here. Say that's your word." I held a slight scowl to my face unbeknownst to me. I lowkey felt a way about it.

He started laughing hard, "nahh, tryna gauge how much you like shawty."

I kissed my teeth as I took my eyes off of him, "you full of shit." He laughed again, "but nahh, I was headed to this shawty house one night and her and some nigga was on the side of the road, I saw her get pushed to the ground and pulled over. You know  how I feel about niggas putting hands on females. I was checking to make sure she was good and the nigga she was with dipped out. I took her home."

This shit was news to me. "When the fuck was this?" My blood was boiling.  "Like last week. I think like Saturday." I easily put two and two together.

"Hold on man," I paused the conversation as I quickly made my way towards my apartment. They were coming out as I was walking up. "Mink can I talk to you real quick?" She looked me suspiciously then look towards Aria who shrugged and continued walking, leaving Mink and I there alone.

"What's up?" She questioned as she stood there with the book in her hand. I opened my apartment door walking in as she followed. "So you weren't going to tell me what happened after you left Saturday?"
I questioned with my eyes burning into her. She rolled her eyes, "it's not a big deal Jodie. I can handle myself."

"You would've been fucking stranded if Quay hadn't pulled up, and that nigga put his hands on you?"

She rolled her eyes again. "I could have called an Uber or Lyft. He pushed me, its not that deep. You just don't like him so you're making it worst than what it is."

"Are you kidding me right now? He ain't got no fucking business pushing you." I neared her.

"Why the fuck do you care?" She yelled out as her eyes burned into mine. I chuckled before nodding my head, "you right. If you want to get your ass beat who am I to care about it."

"Fuck you."

"No fuck you. Your attitude trash as fuck." I growled.

"So is yours," she bite back. "It was your attitude that put me in that situation that night."

"So it's my fault?" I dropped my arms as I walked even closer to her. "Say what the fuck it is you got to say."

She placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Jodie I'm over this conversation." She looked up at me as our eyes locked. We were a touch away from each other. I looked her up and down. Part of me wanting to lay her over this sofa and fuck the shit out of her and her smart ass mouth.

Attitude was written all over her face, "anything else you want to say? Because I'm done talking about it with you." The other part of me reminded of how annoyed by her I was.

"Man fuck it," I shook my head, turning around as I felt my dick slightly jump to attention. I wasn't easily turned on by the sight of a person, so I didn't understand my body or minds sudden attraction to her. All we did was argue; and it wasn't like I was sexually frustrated. I could fuck whenever I wanted it.

I walked back to the door opening it, not at all pleased with how the conversation went, but I had to figure out what caused him to do what he did. "Just tell me why the fuck he pushed you and left you on the side of the road." I let out not being able to drop it as easily as I would have like.

"He was mad," she started, deciding to explain with an attitude "mad about the way I was on you and by your side instead of his. He failed to realize I just trying to stop fight from continuing any longer."

I shook my head, knowing she had every right to blame me. He was pussy made what type of bitch ass shit was that? I probably would have been mad too but I would never make a girl get out on the side of the road. "He a bitch. Makes me want to beat his ass all over again."

"Don't." She started walking past me to leave. I stopped her, pulling her hand which pulled her towards me more as I let the door close. "You sure you don't want me to beat his ass again?"

It got a smile out of her. "Positive. It wasn't that big of a deal. If I felt like it was I would have definitely had niggas coming for him."

I trusted her as I let her hand go and she opened the door, "thanks for the book pussy boy." She held it up as she tried lightening the mood as I followed behind her. We were always at a zero or one hundred. Hardly an in between with us. We were good or cussing each other the fuck out.

I laughed, "oh Mink I can show you a pussy."

She turned looking at me. "What you tryna say?"

I licked my lips as I looked her up and down, deciding to fuck with her. My eyes landing on hers before looking back up at her. "I can show you two, cause you'd be one too in the process."

Her mouth dropped to an O. "Jodie please, if I'm catching your drift you'd be screaming my name before I was ever screaming yours."

I was surprised that she played into it. I laughed, "it sound good. Imma hold you to it. I'll be waiting for you to prove it."

She looked at me rolling her eyes with a slight smile on her face as she shook her head. "In your dreams."

"Come on now Mink you know I can make my dreams come true." She laughed as I did as we got closer to Quay and Aria, able to hear their conversation.

"I have a boyfriend," Aria laughed, "and a baby."

"What that mean?" Quay questioned, "the baby that is. I respect relationships."Aria crossed her arms, all smiles. It was clear Quay had her smiling ear to ear. "So you wouldn't care that I have a baby."

"Hell nahh, I love kids. She can call me step daddy Quay. But forreal how serious are you and dude?"

"We live together!" Aria stressed.

"So! Is he faithful though?"Aria laughed, "oh my gosh." She looked over at me as she saw me walking up. "Your friend just won't give it up." She looked back at him, "yes."

"Do you know that for sure? Cause baby I won't cheat on you and I'll love your child like it's my own." He smirked. Aria laughed, "okay its time to go. Mink you ready?"

Mink nodded as they started walking off, both waving. Quay grabbed Aria's hand, "wait, you ain't going to let me get your number."

She looked at him. "If I was your girl would you want me giving my number out?" She raised one eyebrow.

"Baby, every nigga would know you was mine and wouldn't be stupid enough to try." Aria laughed again as she started walking catching up with Mink,
"nice meeting you!" Aria yelled out. "He's funny as hell," we heard her say as they walked away.

I shook my head, "that's Landon girl." He scrunched his eyebrows, "that little pretty ass boy?"

I chuckled, "Don't do my mans. But yeah."

"Man that nigga ain't loyal. I'm bout to snatch her up since you clearly tryna snatch Mink up."

I looked at him like he was stupid as I kissed my teeth. "what you talking bout?"

He looked at me, "Jodie I ain't these new niggas. You feeling her. You was lowkey defensive as hell over me just knowing her and you should've saw your face when I said I smashed." He started laughing thinking about it as I kept a straight face.

I shook my head. "You trippin'. I'm just cool with her."

He laughed, "oh so it's like that. It's one of those things that everybody can see but y'all act like it's not there? I got it."

"Man shut the fuck up. You've met the girl I'm dealing with."

He nodded. "Yeah, shit they both bad. I ain't mad at cha, but your ass definitely act as if you have some kind of claim on Mink. But aye you make a decision?" He asked changing the topic.

I scratched my head as I thought, sighing. "Depending on what he wants me to do. I'll do it."