Two years later.
Today was my birthday, and all I wanted was some space. So I didn't have a party, and I wasn't going to the one the guys went to. I needed space from the guys, as they had been smothering me lately. A lot of weird shit had been happening lately. I had narrowly missed being hit by a car a week ago. The day before that, someone had pushed me onto the train tracks at the Hanley Station and Last night I had seen someone scoping out the house from a few doors down. Because of the weird occurrences, the boys were sticking to me like glue.
I refused to believe that someone was trying to hurt me. I didn't have any enemies that were currently breathing. So I figured it was just bad luck or death herself was after me. I told them I would be staying in tonight and getting some sleep. Christian was helping his mom move. While I would have liked to have his company, I was happy to be on my own. However, I would not be in the house. You don't turn eighteen every day. I was going to kick it. I would be home by the time the boys and Christian got in. Then I was going to give my virginity to Christian. He deserved it. He had been patient and well behaved this past year. I was positive he had kept his dick clean.
The home girl, Stacy, around the corner, had been planning a blowout party for like a month now. She was my birthday twin and the only person who knew I was going to crash her party. Moms was at work like always, and I had dropped my baby brother off to a sitter down the block. I did not know where Charlie was. He was fifteen now, and he had bitches galore. He was with a hoe or he had gone to the party with the guys.
Stacy's party was being held in her basement, and it started at nine o'clock. We were both eighteen today, and it was Friday. I gave a silent thanks to God that my plan was actually working. There shouldn't be any fights tonight, which always started with either Christian, Dale, or Joey. I wanted to have fun and let loose. I dressed in a grey and black sweater dress with black tights. I paired the dress with thigh high black boots. My braids were fresh, and I had hoops in my ear that could double as bracelets. I didn't ask if I looked good. I knew I did. No validation needed.
I stood outside of Stacey's house amazed by the amount of people that had showed up. People were on the porch, sitting cars and just loitering on the street. I looked through the basement window, seeing arms moving in between the steady thump of the strobe lights. Colors flashed in succession, while bodies moved to the beat that I could hear from my house across the street. I was late, the party was already jumping.
I walked in unnoticed. Back that azz up by Juvenile was playing and people were getting their freak on. Girls were twerking while guys stood behind them with their shirts over their heads. Some guys had friends holding them up while the girls pushed back with their asses. It was dark, and I was only catching glimpses of everyone. Everyone was enjoying themselves, though. There were couches lining one side of the basement and a long table with snacks and a few chairs here and there. The DJ was all setup on the washer and dryer and he was jamming. I spotted Stacey in the back of the basement, sitting on a couch she had on a tiara, looking like a princess. The dress she had on was sparkly. I could see it from where I stood. She looked beautiful.
I walked up to her, and we said happy birthday to each other. She signaled the dj and right on cure he yelled through the mic, "Happy Birthday to Stacey and Anna." Everyone yelled happy birthday and I got a thrill of excitement. I didn't know anybody here, not really. They didn't know me. They didn't know I had a crazy boyfriend and a herd of brothers. I was just the birthday girl, and I was eighteen.
I let all of my worries go as some guy pulled me towards the dance floor. Stacey waved at me as I went with him. We danced four songs straight. I pulled away when he got too touchy freely for me. I told him I had a boyfriend and I couldn't offer anything but a few dances and a conversation. He looked disappointed and stopped his touchy feely behavior. He didn't walk away, though.
He smiled, and it was then when I realized he was really cute in a pretty boy type of way. His box curl was fresh to death and his eyelashes were long and thick. Not a hair out of place and no sweat to be seen. He was fine on a superhuman level. He took out his phone and turned on the flashlight. I guess he wanted to look at me to.
He stuck out his hand after looking at me carefully. "I'm Terrance. You want to get some air?" He asked, still smiling.
I thought for a moment, about all the near-death experiences I had been having. He looked harmless, but so did Todo. After careful consideration, I nodded and followed him to the porch. Once outside, I told him my name.
"I think your loyalty is the shit, real talk. Hope your mans know what he got in you. I got a gal, but she be spazzing out all the time." Terrance said.
I noticed he had an accent, maybe Cali or maybe New York, but it definitely wasn't the Midwest, so I asked, "Where you from?"
He looked at me again, his eyes burning through me as he smirked. "How did you know I'm not from here?"
"I'm from St. Louis," I said, pointing to myself, "I know how people that live here talk. I been here all my life."
"I'm from New York." He said, lighting up a cigarette.
"Then why the hell are you here? I would love to go to New York." I said, instantly dreaming about being there.
"It's not all that it's cracked up to be. I hate it there." He was serious, sounded like he was running from something.
"Well, I hope you find what you are looking for here. It's not much, but I love my city, "I said.
"I would say I did, but she got a boyfriend and shit," he said, flicking his cigarette. "The real question is what type of whack nigga gone let his gal go to a party like this without him?"
"One that knows he got a good one," I said, standing up straight. "You bout done with your cancer stick. I'm going back in."
He threw the cigarette into the grass and held his arm before me like he was being a gentleman. I looked at his hand then and saw a tat. I knew that symbol. He was no gentleman, he's a Vice Lord, which was just about the only gang in Saint Louis that didn't get along with the Gangster Disciples or GDS, which were the gang most of my boys belonged to. I saw the VL but all I really saw was Danger. I wanted to get away from him as soon as possible.
I tried acting nonchalant and walked on through the door and down to the basement. He was right behind me, though. Back in the basement, somebody was arguing, and a crowd had surrounded them. I couldn't see shit, but Terrance surprised my picking me up and sitting me down on an unoccupied shelf before sitting next to me. Inside I was freaking out, but I couldn't help but feel comfortable around him. We vibe to the music as the fight thinned out. Every once in a while, he whispered something in my ear. Most cracking jokes about some people there. He was funny. There were people everywhere and our shelf was right by a couch that had three couples all over each other.
"I need something to drink," I said, trying to jump down. Terrance stopped me and hopped down first to help me down. Once on the ground, the leg of one of my boots was falling down, so I bent down to fix it. Terrance, determined to prove he had manners, shined his flashlight down so I could see. I fixed my boot and was about to stand up when something caught my eye and my heart dropped. C and A were etched into a yellow shoestring with a permanent marker. I remember buying that pair of shoes and the shoelaces for him, and I remember him putting those letters there. Funny how history always repeats itself. That bastard.
I was vaguely aware of Terrance asking me if I was ok. I reached up and grabbed his phone and shined it on the face I knew would be sitting there. Christian sat on a couch. He squinted as the light hit his eyes. Then they widened as he looked into my face. He started to get up, apparently forgetting the hoe on his lap. I pushed him back and looked at her. Yep DaVita. It would seem that he really did like the girl, or maybe she was putting out and I wasn't. I smiled at her.
"You win," I told her. Christian tried to stand, and I turned the light back to him. "Don't bother. Whatever game you're playing, I won't be a part of it."
I gave Terrance back his phone and went to get that drink. Hopefully, the punch was spiked.