Girls from da Hood 16

by Racquel Williams, Na'Cole, T. Friday

Genres: African American Urban

Synopsis

Three of Urban Book’s most exciting novelists team up to tell the tales of the streets and the women who run them.

Summer Fling in New York (Racquel Williams): It’s something about them island boys that have the American girls going crazy!
Good girl Naomi is intrigued by this stranger, who makes his intentions clear from the moment he lays eyes on her, and will stop at nothing to get her attention. However, her heart and her mind are in turmoil as she’s tempted to give him a chance. There's only one problem: another man holds the key to her heart. Trini is a boss in the streets of New York. Snatching up Naomi seems easy at first, but he soon realizes that she's not your average female, and he will have to work twice as hard if he wants to get her. Nothing goes as planned, and the idea of scooping up the woman he desperately wants might be in jeopardy when an unexpected situation arises.
Will Naomi give in to Trini's demands, or will she find out that all this boss has to offer is good sex and lots of headaches?

Thot Girl Summer in Chicago (Na’cole): Sex, lies, money, and deceit are the laws a true thot lives by. Tisha Santana is no exception to the rules. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, she lived a tough life. Coming from a broken home, she saw her future being just as hopeless. That is, until she met Marcel, the man who stole her heart. After two years of being together, Marcel became property of the Feds. Coming to grips with his twenty-year sentence, Santana decides it is time to move on with life. However, this time around, she isn’t looking for a man or love.

Thot Girl Summer in Detroit (T. Friday): Best friends Trina McKnight and Eve Santana were young and beautiful with banging bodies. Thinking that sleeping with men to pay for their lifestyle would be a piece of cake, things slowly start falling apart for them. Meeting Candy is a dream come true until the friends realize they no longer have any control over their own bodies or lives. After a tragic event, Trina fights hard to get her future back on track. Can she leave the lifestyle that she’s so familiar with and start all over with a new love interest?

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 288

Sample

“Naomi Coleman,” the commentator yelled out my name, and everyone started clapping.

I stood up, grabbed the tail of my gown, and sashayed my way up the stairs to receive my BS in nursing.

“Thank you,” I said as I accepted my diploma. I turned and smiled as I made my way off the stage. As I looked up, I saw my boyfriend of three years standing there beside my daddy. It was a great feeling, not because I was graduating, but more so that my two favorite guys in my life were here cheering me on.

“I’m so proud of you, baby. You did it.” Jerome kissed me on the cheek when I met up with him.

“Thank you, my love. I couldn’t have done it without your support and all those late-night study groups.”

“Yeah, that’s true, but you did, and you deserve all the praise. C’mon, let’s get out of here. You know Mr. Coleman is eagerly waiting for you.”

“You’re right.” We held hands and made our way out of the crowded room and into the hallway. I could see Daddy standing there holding a bouquet of roses in his hand. I let Jerome’s hand go, and I ran into my daddy’s arms. As old as I was, I was still Daddy’s little girl, and I didn’t care how anyone felt about it.

“Darling Naomi, congratulation; you did it. You make yo’ old man proud.” He wrapped his arms around me tightly.

“Thank you, Daddy, for being there and for paying this hefty nursing school tuition. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t just eat my money, but you made good use of it. Now, if I could only convince you to go to medical school, you could be the very first doctor in the family. I’m sure Jerome would love that. Ain’t it, Jerome?”

“Ha, oh, I’m sorry, sir. I was busy checking some emails.”

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Jerome is always on the grind. Imagine both of you being doctors …”

“Daddy, stop, please. Let’s get out of here. These heels are killing my feet.” I took Daddy’s hand and started walking toward the exit.

Once I reached the car, I quickly slipped into a pair of Gucci slides, which felt much better. I wasn’t sure what the plans for the evening were, as Daddy told me it was a surprise. I got into the car with Jerome, and he pulled out behind Daddy’s SUV.

“Hey, babes, do you know what Daddy has planned?”

“Are you trying to get me give up the surprise, darling?”

“Who me? Noooo … I was just hoping you would give me a little hint.” I flashed him a flirtatious smile.

“Well, my love, you know Mr. Coleman is a man of many surprises. Let’s just wait and see what he manages to pull off.”

“I guess so …” I pouted.

After about twenty-five minutes of driving, we ended up in Snellville, down a long stretch of road. The houses were huge with neatly kept lawns. I could tell it wasn’t your average neighborhood, and I couldn’t help but wonder what we were doing in this area. I knew there was no use questioning it, so I kept calm and enjoyed the scenery.

Daddy pulled into the driveway, and Jerome followed and parked. I noticed about five to six other cars parked on the property.

Daddy hurriedly walked inside the house, which was strange to me, but I remained quiet. I got out of the car, straightened my clothes, and followed Jerome to the door. The only thing was that he stopped and knocked.

“Come in,” a voice hollered.

Jerome stepped in, and I followed him closely behind.

“Surprise!” everyone yelled in harmony.

Bright lights flickered, and balloons were everywhere. I put my hands to my face as I tried to hide my excitement. The room was filled with family and friends rushing up to me, giving me hugs and congrats. My heart was full of happiness to see that the people that I loved were here to celebrate my special day with me.

After all the excitement died down, we all sat down to eat dinner. Daddy went all out—shrimp, lobster, steak, alligator meat, just to name a few that were on the menu. I ate so much that I felt like I was going to burst out of my tightly fit Angel Brinks dress. I also drank two glasses of red wine, which made my head feel heavy. This was what you called a party, and I was grateful to my daddy.

“Can I get y’all attention? I know y’all full and probably ready to hit the road, but I got something to say.” Daddy clicked a fork against a glass to get all our attention. Everyone got quiet and stared at him, trying to see what he was about to say.

“First, I want to say a big thanks to all you guys who came out to celebrate this day with my daughter. I appreciate y’all. Most of you should be getting bonuses this year.” Everyone started clapping loudly. Most of these people were his employees who had become family.

“Quiet down, I ain’t done yet. Come up here, sugar.” He waved for me.

Oh God, this man must not see that I was barely keeping my eyes open. I knew it was an order, so I got up and slowly walked over to him. He placed his arm around me.

“Baby, I know I said it a million times, and I’ma say it again. You make yo’ old man very proud, and if I could give you the world, I would. So, while I figure out that part, here are the keys to yo’ brand-new house.”

“What? House? Me?” I looked at him for confirmation.

“Yes, this is all yours, honey, and oh, that’s not all. Here is a paid vacation for you and your girlfriend for a week in New York. I know how much you talk about visiting, so here is your chance.” He handed me an envelope.

“Oh my God, Daddy, thank you. Thank youuu.” I wrapped my arms around him as the tears fell from my eyes.

“Bitch, I wish you would hurry the fuck up before we miss our flights.” I turned to my bestie, Yash, and yelled as I made my way through the cluttered airport. We were already late checking in for our Delta flight, which was leaving from Atlanta Hartsfield Airport to JFK in New York.

“Girl, I’m trying, but these damn heels are holding me back,” she yelled while she struggled to keep up.

I took a quick second glance back at her feet and almost burst out laughing. It wasn’t funny, but I couldn’t believe this bitch really slid into some six-inch stilettos to get on a flight. She must know how long the walk was to some of these gates, but she’d learn today. I shook my head as I headed down the stairs where the trains were located.

“Girl, I need a fucking drink. Why the hell this place got to be so big?” Yashira complained as she caught her breath.

“Hmm, it wouldn’t be so hard if you had worn some flip-flops like the rest of us regular bitches do. But, nah, you got to be the bad and boujee bitch. Now, look at you, feet hurting and shit.”

“Fuck off. I ain’t never been yo’ average bitch, and I damn sure ain’t goin’ start acting like one now,” she shot back.

I looked at her and rolled my eyes. This bitch was extra as fuck, but I loved her, and this behavior wasn’t new. “Uh-huh, now picture, Miss Boujee walking around with those big old bunions all over her toes.”

“Go to hell, bitch. You sound like a hater.” She burst out laughing, and I joined in the laughter.

A few seconds later, the train pulled up, and we climbed aboard. We were getting off at E gate, so I glanced up to see where we were. We had a few more stops before it was time to disembark.

We got to our stop, got off the train, and then had to walk up another set of long stairs. Even though I had on a pair of Tory Burch flat sandals, my feet started to get tired. All this damn walking was also beginning to get to me. I was hoping that our gate was the closest one, but soon realized it was almost at the end. We finally made it and were able to relax a few minutes before it was time for us to board our flight.

Yash sat beside me and was still behaving as if she were dying. I shot her a look. “Bitch, you are extra as hell.”

“You call this extra; you just wait until I get to New York. Shit, I’m going to be talking just like them niggas. You goin’ think I was born up there,” she said in her best New York accent that she could muster up.

Before I could respond, the lady announced our boarding over the intercom. I jumped up and gathered my things. I was very excited about this trip and grateful that Daddy booked it for us. Once he disclosed it was for me and a girlfriend, the choice wasn’t hard to make. Yashira had been my best friend since middle school, and we always talked about going to New York together.

Our relationship had taken a rocky turn over the past few months when another friend of ours told me that Yashira shouldn’t be trusted, and I should just watch her. I tried to inquire why that friend said that, but she was hushed about it. Me, being the friend that I was, went to Yashira and asked her why Tameka would feel the need to tell me that. Yashira made a big deal out of it and told me to fuck myself. We didn’t speak for a while until the party, the day of my graduation. I wasn’t going to lie. I felt happy when I saw her in the crowd. After things calmed down, we spoke, and she apologized to me. We both accepted that we handled the situation wrong and decided to put it behind us. Now, here we were, going on the trip that we always wanted to take. I was hoping we could get our relationship back on track, even though at the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder what Tameka was referring to when she made that statement.

I must’ve dozed off, but I woke up when the pilot made an announcement over the intercom that we should get ready for landing. I sat up and peeped out the window. Excitement rushed all over me as I couldn’t wait to see what the hype about this city was all about. I had heard about niggas with big dicks and lots of money. Not saying those were bad, I was just curious to find out what else the great Big Apple had to offer.

“Girl, you’re finally up. All that damn snoring.” I looked over at Yashira.

“You a damn lie. I don’t snore. I was tired, though. I had to get a little rest up, so I can get my party on tonight.”

“I hear that. I can’t wait to hit the bar either. I’ma be getting back-to-back shots. I ain’t goin’ be no good to myself tomorrow morning.”

A few minutes later, the plane landed. I gathered my things and waited for the people in front of me to exit the flight. We followed and got off. Again, Miss Boujee couldn’t keep up ’cause her feet were hurting. I stopped and stood there, shaking my head at my dear friend. She was still struggling. “Why don’t you take off the shoes?”

“And go barefoot? Yuck, this floor is filthy.”

“Yeah, but we are never going to make it out of here at the rate you’re going.” I walked off.

“Bitch, I’m trying. Let me hold on to you.”

I looked at her and could tell she was in some serious pain. I took her arm and supported her down the ramp. Thank God the walk wasn’t long, so we got our bags and walked outside. I wanted to get a rental, but I heard it was easier to move around in New York using Uber or Lyft, so we decided to do that instead.

Outside was busy, and vehicles were everywhere. It took awhile to get a taxi. Every one of them seemed to be packed. I finally spotted an empty cab and waved to the driver. He drove up, and we loaded our baggage into the trunk, then got into the car. I pulled up the address on my phone and read it off to him. He didn’t speak English too well, so he had difficulty understanding us. As much as I wanted to snap at him, I used the little bit of Spanish that I learned in college to read off the address to him. Finally, we were able to leave the congested airport.

Daddy booked us into the Hilton in Midtown Manhattan. As soon as we pulled up, the bellboys helped us unload our luggage into the lobby. Everyone seemed so friendly and made us feel welcome. After we checked in, we headed to the elevator and walked to our room.

My eyes lit up like stars on a dark night when I entered the room. Daddy really outdid himself with this one. The room was a massive suite with a living room area, two large beds, and a couch. I placed the suitcases down, threw my purse on the bed, and headed to the balcony. It was a sight to see up from the twelfth floor. People and cars were everywhere. Tall buildings surrounded us. This was what the hype was about. This city was lit, and I was ready to explore every bit of it for the next five days.

“Bitch, this is dope as fuck. I can’t wait to hit the party scenes,” Yash yelled out as she joined me on the balcony.

“You and me both, but listen, bitch, we’re in an unfamiliar place, so we need to be aware of everything around us. No matter what, we got to look out for each other.”

“I got you, boo, but you know I’m the one that always gets drunk first, so that means you have to look out for me, bitch.”

“See, that’s exactly what I’m talking ’bout. You can’t be the only one enjoying yourself. We are here together, so we have to look out for each other. Comprende, chica?”

“I hear you, boo boo. I’m about to lie down for a few. Get my energy up for later on. I heard this city doesn’t sleep, so I plan to be up all night.”

She walked back into the room and left me standing, taking in this beautiful scenery. I shook my head and smiled. She was the wild one, and being in this fast city wasn’t going to help. I just prayed that we could enjoy ourselves and head back home in one piece. I promised Daddy I would be careful. …

We had dinner at a nearby Friday’s. It took about an hour just to get a table. By then, I was famished. We ate, drank red wine, and chopped it up. We were equally excited to see what the nightlife was all about. After dinner, we headed out to stroll the place and see what they had going on. We saw a few bars, but the lines were stupidly long, and after that long wait for dinner, I didn’t have it in me to wait any longer. We continued walking until we came upon one that had no line, so we stepped inside. Looks could be deceiving ’cause it was full of people inside. There was barely any room to stand, much less breathe comfortably. We made our way through the crowd and headed up the stairs. I was hoping it wasn’t as packed as the downstairs. Luckily, there weren’t that many people, and there was a balcony that overlooked the city. I took a quick glance at the scenery. The music was blasting, and I saw a few dudes standing around while chicks were all over the floor, showing off their grinding skills.

We found a comfortable spot to stand up without anyone bouncing into us. After a few minutes, we headed for the bar. There was a long line, so we joined and waited. I was eager to get some alcohol in my system and eager to get my dance on.

“Look, bitch, ever since we walked in, that nigga been eyeing you,” Yashira whispered in my ear.

I shot her a weird look. I was shocked ’cause if a nigga was looking at me, I didn’t see him.

“Girl, what you talking ’bout?” I inquired.

“Don’t look right away, but it’s that nigga standing at the bar with the Gucci glasses on with the red Psycho Bunny shirt.”

I waited a few seconds, then slightly turned my head. I didn’t want to be obvious, so I slowly looked around the bar. My eyes made it to the bar, and there was a dark-skinned nigga standing there, looking in my direction. He was the only one in a red shirt, so I assumed that was who she was talking about.

I couldn’t see clearly from where I was, but the little that I could see let me know that he was cute, but nothing else about him seemed interesting.

“Girl, that boy ain’t worried about me. He probably in here with his bitch, plus I’m in a committed relationship and ain’t checking for no other man.”

“Ha-ha, bitch. Please don’t tell me you think that Jerome is really committed to you.”

“Oh my God, Yash, are we going to do that in here? I understand he ain’t yo’ cup of tea, but please respect our relationship.”

“Bitch, whatever. I only tolerate that motherfucking boy ’cause you my friend. All the times I just wanted to run up on his ass. He is lucky I love you and don’t want no drama between us. But the day that he violate you, I’ma be on that ass.”

“Well, thank you, friend. Now, drop it. We are here to enjoy our vacation and spend up Daddy’s money.”

“Yeaaah, you’re right. That’s the vibe right there.”

By then, the line had moved up, and we were up next to order our drinks. I tried my best not to glance over to where this mysterious man was standing.

“What can I get you?” the bartender quizzed.

“Let me get a shot of Grey Goose with pineapple juice.” Then I turned to Yash. “What you getting?”

“Umm, let me get Henny on the rocks.”

I opened my Gucci purse and took out a crisp one-hundred-dollar bill to pay the tab, but before I could do that, I felt someone grab my hand.

“Drinks is on me, beautiful,” this stranger said while he stared me down.

I snatched my arm away quickly. “I appreciate it, but I got my own money.” I still managed not to make eye contact with him.

“What she really mean is we appreciate it.” Yashira stepped in and snatched the money out of my hand.

I opened my mouth to say something, but no words came out. I looked at her, then turned my attention to this short, athletic-looking stranger. “Thank you,” was all I managed to squeeze out.

I grabbed my drink and walked away from the bar. I didn’t look back to see what was taking place behind me. We found an empty table and decided to hang out there. I made sure my back was toward the bar and this stranger.

“Bitch, are you crazy? That nigga is fine as fuck,” she exclaimed as she took a sip of her drink.

“I don’t care about him being fine. For all I know, he can be a serial killer or something. I know you heard all the stories about chicks getting kidnapped by strangers.”

“You watch too much damn ID channel, chick. Hello, this is the real world, and we are in New York City, where dreams are made. You better listen to Jay-Z and Alicia. Bitch, you are making us look bad. Shit, he might even have a friend that I can scoop up for myself.”

“Do you hear yourself right now? Thirsty much?” I took a sip of my drink while trying to bring my anxiety down a little.

“Bitch, fuck being thirsty. I’m ready to be fucked. Shit, the right nigga ain’t even got to touch me. I’ll be busting all over his ass just by him breathing on me.”

“Oh my. Why do you have to be like this? What happened to my nice, quiet friend?” I took a quick glance around, trying to see if anyone was listening to our conversation.

“Girl, that’s when I was young. I’m a grown-ass woman now who knows what she wants and won’t waste a minute getting it. You can keep acting like the Queen of England, boring as fuck, and you will leave this earth never experiencing what a good fuck is like. That pastor son you’re with isn’t fucking you the right way, or else you wouldn’t be uptight. Hmm. God gave you some sweet pussy between your legs, and I promise you, it deserves some good ole fucking.”

She caught me off guard with that statement. I spat my juice out all over my shirt. I grabbed a napkin quickly and tried to wipe off my clothes. I was too embarrassed to look around, hoping no one saw that. “Bitch, please, shut the fuck up.”

“I’m sorry, boo boo, but you need to hear the truth. You are too uptight. You need to live a little.”

Even if I wanted to go back and forth with her crazy ass, I couldn’t. I was still trying to catch my breath from laughing so hard. A few seconds later, a waitress walked over to our table with a few more drinks on the tray.

“We didn’t order that,” I looked at her and blurted out.

“The gentleman at the bar ordered them for you guys.” She placed the cups of liquor on the table.

I looked over to the bar, and the same dude waved at me while smiling. I reluctantly waved back. I had to give it to this dude. He was very persistent.

“See, bitch, I told you that nigga has eyes on you.”

“Uh-huh, whatever,” I acted nonchalantly.

“Tell him thank you,” Yash chimed in.

I sat there, looking and thinking if I should even take a sip of this drink. What if he spiked it? I wasn’t naïve to believe that it couldn’t happen to us. Before my thoughts were complete, Yashira picked up her glass and started drinking. Oh well, I decided to follow suit, hoping I wouldn’t regret it. I took the first sip with precaution, then waited a few seconds to see if there would be a side effect, but nothing happened. I guessed I was being paranoid.

After the second round of drinks, my muscles were relaxed, and I wasn’t feeling as uptight as I was earlier. The DJ was playing some dope music, which made it hard to sit still. I was feeling myself, or should I say the liquor—whatever it was—and it boosted my confidence. I jumped up and started dancing slowly at first. I didn’t want to bring too much attention to myself, so I stayed close to the table. I wasn’t the best dancer in the house ’cause these New York chicks were showing off their best skills. But I didn’t let that deter me. I knew how to shake the round, phat ass that I inherited from my mother, so I leaned on the table and did just that. I was so into myself that I didn’t notice that someone had walked up to me. “Can I join you?” I heard the voice echo in my ear, causing me to jump and pause instantly.

I turned around quickly to face Mr. Persistent. We were so close to each other’s face that I could smell the alcohol reeking off his breath, but it wasn’t a turnoff. It was appealing, and something about him was pulling me closer. Without notice, he moved his mouth closer and placed his lips on mine. He kissed me, and instead of me slapping his face off for assaulting me, I leaned forward, grabbed his head, and kissed this man that I just met in front of everybody. It took a second for my brain to catch on to this erratic behavior, and then I pulled away.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.” I started looking around. Everyone was still minding their own business except Yashira. She was laughing and clapping. I could strangle this bitch right now for not helping me out of this situation that I’d gotten myself into.

“Ain’t no need to be sorry, love. I should be the one apologizing, but truthfully, I’m glad I did that. You felt what I felt. You can’t deny it. I’m Trini. What’s your name, love?”

“Naomi, and Trini, is this normal for you to walk up on a strange female and push your tongue down her throat?” I squeezed out, still blushing from embarrassment.

“Nice to meet you, Naomi. I can tell you’re not from here. Where are you from?” He skipped over my statement.

“Atlanta. I am so sorry. I never did anything like this before. Oh my God.” My face was flushed, and I wanted to run away, but my feet felt like they were glued in that one spot.

“You need to relax, ma; we’re both grown here. Plus, your lips tasted like sweet honey from my country, and damn, they softer than a baby’s ass.” He licked his fine set of lips.

“Damn, you couldn’t think of something more appropriate to describe my lips?” I burst out laughing.

“I could have, but you got the picture. From the moment you walked in, I was drawn to you. Your looks is flawless, and your spirit is fearless. How long are you going to be in the city?”

“A few days, and sorry, Trini, thanks for the compliments, but I have a man.”

“Listen, love, I have no interest in yo’ man and …” He grabbed my left hand, stared at my fingers, then let it go. “I don’t see no ring on yo’ finger, so that mean whoever he is, he not too serious ’bout making you ’is wife.”

“You know nothing about my man, and not every woman is interested in being married either. So, before you go assuming shit, you can ask me,” I snapped a little more than I wanted to.

“Chill out, love. I’m speaking on my observation. Anyways, kill all that. Let me get yo’ number. I would love to take you out, show you my city.”

My head was screaming “Hell nah,” but something inside of me was going in the opposite direction.

I looked over at Yashira. She was eavesdropping the entire time and was nodding her head yes. I knew I shouldn’t be doing this, but he was cute, he was appealing, and I was curious. I read off my number to him and watched as he stored it on his phone. He wasted no time ’cause my phone started ringing. I was pretty sure it was him. I saw the strange number, so I pressed ignore right away.

“That’s mi number. Mek sure you locked it in.” He spoke in broken English.

I could tell that he wasn’t American. I concluded that he was either Jamaican, Barbadian, or Trinidadian. Whichever one it was, his accent sounded sexy as fuck.

“Okay.”

“A’ight, love, be safe out here,” he warned, then turned to walk away.

Once he left, I could breathe normally again. I watched as he made his way back to the bar, where a group of niggas started greeting him. I let out a long sigh of relief. But my relief was short-lived because seconds later, chaos broke out in the bar.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

We dropped to the ground as gunshots rang out. People started running and screaming over the loud music.

“Oh my God, what’s going on?” Yashira yelled as she huddled beside me under the table.

“I don’t know.” I started crying. I reached over and grabbed her, hoping that we wouldn’t end up dead. I was trying to think, but my brain froze. Next to us were some other girls, and they were screaming for help. I could tell another one was on her phone, talking to a 911 operator.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

Another round of gunshots rang out. This time, the music was off, so it was loud and clear. I heard niggas yelling and bitches screaming. I kept my head down ’cause I was too afraid to lift it and look out.

It was a nightmare all around us. My heart was racing, and all kinds of crazy thoughts were running through my mind. The place got quiet again, and people started running. I jumped up, grabbed Yash’s hand, and dashed for the stairs. People were everywhere, so it wasn’t as easy to move quickly. When we reached the stairs, we saw a dead body. I tried not to look, but I could tell it was the DJ lying there in a pool of blood. I glanced around and saw a door that read exit, so I dashed that way, hoping to get out. We got to the door, but couldn’t move because people had stampeded and blocked it. I flung off my heels while trying to figure out a way not to die up in this place.

Someone grabbed me by the hip. I swung around and looked. It was Trini. I tried to wrestle out of his grip, but his firm hold on me made it impossible. “Let me the fuck go.”

I was confused. Here this nigga was, snatching me up. Was he trying to kidnap me? Was this his doing?

“C’mon, B. I can get you outta the private entrance. Either that or you can stay here and die,” he yelled.

I heard his words, but I didn’t know if I could trust him. Why was he doing this?

“C’mon, bitch, let’s go,” Yashira yelled at me.

He quickly shoved us in front of him while he tried to open a side door behind the bar.

The door was locked, so we watched as he knocked.

“Who that is?” a voice echoed.

“Yo, it’s Trini. Open the door, dawg,” he commanded.

The door popped open, and we ran inside with him. We headed down the stairs and outside the building. No one was back there, which was weird ’cause all those people were trapped inside.

“I ain’t going farther until you tell me what the fuck is going on.” I stopped and forcefully pulled my hand away from his.

“What the fuck, yo? You see the bomboclaat bwoy them shooting up the place? You want stay here, or you want to get the fuck outta here? Choice is yours, but I’m getting the fuck outta here.”

It was only then that I saw that he had a gun in his right hand. I was conflicted, and my thoughts were all over the place.

“We going with you,” Yash concluded.

He ran over to a black Audi that was parked and instructed us to get in. Reluctantly, I got in t. . .