“Of course. Be my guest,” Mr. Moore stepped out the office and closed the door behind him.

“What’s going on, shawty?” Trent asked.

“Would you knock that shawty shit out, Trent?” Kendra angrily spat.

“C’mon, baby. What’s with the attitude?” Trent asked, not understand where her anger was coming from.

“Let me make a couple of things clear to you. I don’t know what kind of bullshit-ass game you think you got going on-”

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Watch your tone! What the fuck are you talking about?” Trent asked.

Kendra was trying her best not to slap Trent, but her patience was wearing thin. Somehow, she managed to ask, “Where’s your fucking phone?”

“Why you asking me for my phone, Ken?” Trent asked, getting angry.

“Look, Trent. If I call your phone one more time and a bitch answers, I’mma beat your ass and hers.”

“Ain’t no fuckin’ bitch answer my phone. I’ve been here with my mom and dad all day. It could’ve been my mom or my sister that answered it.”

“Trent, do you honestly think I’m Boo Boo the Fool? If you was with your mother or sister, why would they just hang up in my face? So, like I said before, let another bitch answer your phone and watch you get fucked up,” Kendra said calmly, controlling her anger.

“Who the fuck you think you’re threatening, Ken?” Trent asked. He was heated.

“It’s not a threat, Trent. It’s a muthafuckin’ promise, yah dig?” Kendra said, storming out the office.

Kendra’s heart was beating rapidly and tears were pouring out of her eyes.

Trent stepped out of his father’s office and said, “C’mon, Ken baby. It’s not that serious. You’re overreacting, ma.”

Kendra snatched herself away from Trent’s hold and stormed away from him, but he was right on her heels. They didn’t want to make a scene in his parents’ home. Mr. Moore asked if was everything alright once Kendra was outside.

“Yeah, Pops. She alright,” Trent said as he closed the door behind him.

Outside, Kendra slapped Trent’s face.

“Don’t bother bringing your ass home,” Kendra said furiously.

“Bitch, I’mma let that shit go ‘cuz you’re feeling yourself. You forget whose name’s on that house you’re sleeping in.”

Kendra slapped Trent once more.

“Nigga, who the fuck you calling a bitch? Like I said, don’t bring your ass home tonight. I pay bills up in that bitch, too,” Kendra screamed.

Then, she stormed off. She got in her car and drove off, leaving Trent in the driveway.

“Fuck!” Trent yelled.

He went back into the house to grab his cell phone and the keys to his truck. Trent knew Kendra was pissed off at him, so he opted to let her have her space. On the other hand, Trent was fuming. He had never let his phone out of his sight, and he had been at his parents’ house all day. He knew like hell his sister hadn’t answered his phone. Trent sat in his truck, took out his peach, and, after filling it with up with kush, blazed it up. He had no idea who could have answered his phone. Trent was known to lie, but, that day, he was being very honest. He’d been at his parents’ house all day, chilling in the back with his pops. The only time he had let his phone out of his sight was when he had left it in the kitchen to charge. Damn, Trent thought.


*****

“If this nigga don’t give a fuck about me, then I don’t give a fuck about him. Fuck it.”

Kendra was distraught, but she didn’t want to bother anyone else with her problems, and her head hurt from all the crying and screaming, so she thought it would be best just to go home. Kendra called her sister to let her know that she was going to take a few days off from work and clear her head.

“Sis, what’s wrong? I’ve never heard you sounding so depressed,” Nia said, full of concern.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just need a break from work,” Kendra quickly answered, trying to keep from breaking down.

“Ken, do I have to call Trent and curse his ass out?” Nia snapped.

“No, boo. I’m fine. I just need to relax and chill a bit, you know?” Kendra said with a forced smile.

“Fo’ real, Ken. You know I will cuss a nigga out and beat a bitch’s ass for you, sis?” Nia reassured her sister.

From the time she was born, Nia had always been the rowdy one of the duo. She would whoop ass and take names later when it came to protecting herself and her younger sister. That was how they had grown up, and, in the mean streets of LA, it was all about survival. On the other hand, Kendra had always thought she was too pretty to fight, but she was very outspoken. Because of this, she always got into fights, but don’t get it twisted. Although she didn’t like to fight, that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t whoop ass. Besides, that was what she liked for people to do- underestimate her capabilities.

“Nia, I said I’m good. I just wanted to let you know how I was feeling, so, if you happen to call me and I don’t answer, you will understand why, okay?” Kendra said.

Just as Kendra was about to power her phone off, Trent called. She pressed the END button and sent him straight to voicemail.

“Now, he can see how that shit feels,” she stated.

Instead of powering off her phone, she put it on silent. Then, Kendra threw on a Ginuwine CD; something about that man always sent chills up her spine. Because Kendra was feeling herself, she did something she had never done before. She went into Trent’s blunt box, took a couple already rolled blunts out, lit one, and started to smoke. Kendra puffed real hard on the blunt, holding the smoke in her lungs as she had seen Trent do many times before. Once she exhaled, she started to choke and gasp for air. Kendra flicked the ashes on the floor. She took another long drag and caught a head rush. Damn! I can’t smoke this shit, Kendra thought as she smashed the blunt in the ashtray.


*****

Trent was still in his truck, parked in his parent’s driveway. Kendra had pissed him off. First, she had acted a damn fool. Then, she’d had Nia to call him and tell him off.

When he answered his phone, Nia started going in, “Trent, yeah, you my bro. Bro, I love you dearly, but, if the reason my sister is stressing is because of you, I’mma fuck you up personally. Feel me?”

“Calm the fuck down, Nia. Ain’t gone be none of that. You heard? And secondly, yo’ sister’s a big girl now. She can handle herself,” Trent stated.

Then, he released the call. Trent was still flabbergasted about what had taken place at his parent’s house. Trent called Kendra, but she didn’t answer. He knew that she was pissed, so he didn’t press the issue. While he was trying to talk to Kendra, Mrs. Moore drove up and had a car full of bags, so Trent hopped out the truck to help his mother with the groceries.

“Wipe that look off your face, boy, and tell Mama why you and Kendra were out here acting like fools,” Mrs. Moore demanded.

Trent was shocked to hear how quickly news had traveled. It was probably one of his mom’s nosey-ass neighbors.

Trent stated, “Ma, it was nothing that I can’t handle.”

“Boy, if it’s something you can handle, Kendra wouldn’t have stormed off, and you wouldn’t be over here looking like you lost your best friend!” Mrs. Moore said, continuing to lecture her son on his wrongdoings. “Now, I don’t know what you two are going through, but you better hurry up and fix the situation, Trenton. Kendra is a lovely lady. Her type doesn’t come around that often. Now, I know you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity and be left with coulda, woulda, shoulda. You hear me talking to you, boy?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Trent replied.

“And I know Nicole’s been around for years, but that girl is trouble. She rubs me the wrong way.”

Trent raised a brow. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Then and there, he realized that he couldn’t get nothing passed his mom. She even knew Trent was selling drugs. She just had a few rules of her own. She had told him, “If this is the life you plan on leading, then you need to make sure you are the best at what you do. Now, keep in mind. I don’t do jail cells, grave sites, or hospital rooms, and please don’t bring the law to my doorstep.” Trent was eager to know just how much his mother knew about him and Nicole.

“What does Nicole have to do with this, ma?” Trent asked, a little aggravated.

“Mommy knows best, and I heard how she kept asking about you earlier when she was over here. You better watch that young girl. She’s nothing but trouble.”

“Nicole was over here today?” Trent asked with a surprised look on his face.

Now, it was all starting to make sense to him. The woman that had hung up in Kendra’s face was Nicole. Trent kissed his mom on the cheek, put the groceries on the ground, and said, “Thanks, Ma. I gotta go.”

Trent got in his truck and smashed through the city streets, eager to snatch Nicole up. As he drove, a lot of thoughts ran through his mind. She had violated him one too many times, and, now, she had to pay for her actions.

“This is why I shouldn’t be fucking young bitches,” Trent said, as he ran a red light.

Trent was so deep in thought that he didn’t notice the flashing red lights behind him until he heard the loud speaker coming from the squad car.

“Pull over right now!” the officer commanded.

Trent looked in his rearview. “Shit,” he exclaimed as he pulled over to the right.

“Put your right hand out the window, and turn your ignition off with your left hand and drop the keys on the pavement,” the officer said. Trent did as he was told, still cursing under his breath.

The officer approached the truck with caution. “Do you have registration and proof of insurance for this vehicle?” the officer asked.

“In the glove compartment,” Trent said with the officer still watching him. He reached in and grabbed the paperwork.