"I pray to God you ain't burning up my eggs, boy!" Leon shouted as I smiled as Zeke, my brother flipped out and put the pan into the sink as Leon came out from his bedroom, "You ain't got but one responsibility in this house, not fucking up my breakfast. And you, you're supposed to make sure he don't fuck up my breakfast."
Leon looked at me and I rolled my eyes, "He isn't my pet. He's my brother, I shouldn't have to watch him. He's capable of making breakfast." I replied before standing up off my cot on the floor, I grabbed my two knapsacks and brushed myself off as Leon grabbed Zeke's book out of his hand and started reading what he was writing. My aunt Wanda came out from the back and grabbed the book out Leon's hand. "Leave him alone, Leon."
She handed Zeke his book back, and Leon started going in about how him and Zeke needed to talk. I rolled my eyes again and started to leave, "I'm going guys, see you later!" Zeke told Leon to take a shower as he followed me out of the small apartment. "Man, I can't wait to get away from them. Get my own place. He is mad crazy and such a waste man." I muttered to Zeke shaking my head, he mumbled a 'yeah' before we parted ways. I walked down to the corner of Reap Street and dapped with Markie. Markie was a regular.
"Wassup girl?" He said nodding at me. I fixed the knapsack on my shoulder then slid the other knapsack into my hands and leaned my weight on my left leg. "Not shit, school in about 30. What you need?"
"2 ounces of Honey Sweet." I handed him the knapsack that was in my hands, he handed me the 650. I charge a lot for my green, it is exotic and some of the best. Markie tends to sell it within 3 to 7 days depending on the demand. We dapped elbows before I walked off in the direction of my school. I made a shortcut running into Zeke, Ra-Ra and Boo-Boo, Zeke was talking about bible bitch Mylene again. "She's dead set on going to Les Inferno tonight"
"Les Inferno?" Ra-Ra asked looking surprised before Zeke replied with a 'Yeah'. "That's an epic turn of events, bro. You gotta get in with a lady." Zeke and Ra-Ra looked at me, "No, hell no. I'm not going anywhere near that place with you young children."
Ra-Ra snorted before he kept talking, "So, in order to meet with Malibu, Mylene's gonna have to dance in a contest at Les Inferno? All the hustlers go up there. She gonna fuck around and get turned out." I laughed as Zeke defended her, "Not Mylene, she ain't like that. Is she?"
"Zeke, that girl will probably get turned out faster than an actual whore just to get a record deal." I added in as Dizz came running by us, "Clan of the Dragon Fist! Over on Charlotte Street! Clan of the Dragon Fist" He was panting as Zeke said, "Your brother's a fucking weirdo."
"You have no idea" Boo replied shaking his head before Dizz looked at us with all seriousness, "I'm talking about Shao 007."
"A new piece by Shaolin Fantastic? Let's go!" I replied realizing what Dizz was saying. "That's Savage Warlords territory!" Ra exclaimed, I rolled my eyes at him and added, "Who cares? I ain't scared of no little niggas." Me and Diz started walking towards Charlotte street as Boo, Ra-Ra and Zeke followed us. When we got to the spot, we saw the piece. It was beautiful, "He is so talented, I'm never gonna be as good at that." I said staring at it in awe as Diz put his arm around my shoulder, "You are as talented as that, Kari. That's why you're the great Street Queen."
"Diz, it's a master blaster. Yo, tonight, we go to the yards. You gotta let your hero know you exist." Boo said before Ra shushed him and told him 'Not so loud'. "I feel like we're being watched, y'all." Diz started to go on about Shaolin to Zeke and Ra. I listened to them as I studied the piece, his hands are like two sharp samurai swords. It's magnificent. I was thrown out of my thought process by a Warlord shouting, "Fuck y'all doing on our turf, punks?" All these Warlords started coming out from behind the wreckage.
"We writers little man, not gangsters." Diz tried to explain before the main one cut him off, "All we find, we keep." I crossed my arms over my chest and raised my eyebrow at the main one talking as one of them yelled "Y'all got any money?"
"Little nigga, let me talk to you." Boo said going over to one of them and grabbing him, "Boo-Boo, stop man." They all started fighting, "Yo! Stop man!" I shouted at them before a bigger Warlord came out and grabbed the one that was yelling, "Napoleon! We told you to fucking look out and you taking these fools off for their lunch money? Yo, bounce!" He pulled out a gun and started shooting the ground, I went to go grab my pistol from my waistband before Zeke grabbed my arm and yelled a 'Let's go' at me.
We all learned when we were younger when there's shots fired, you run. I could have taken him, I got a .45 from Markie when I first started running Reap Street. We headed towards school, it was the last day and I'm thrilled to be done finally. I graduate in a week. I'm ready to be done and out of my Aunt's place, I just hope Zeke doesn't hate me for leaving him.
"Kari, you have a gun?!" Zeke yelled as we continued towards school, I looked at him as we slowed our pace to a walk.
"Where'd you get a gun from? I want one." Boo said trying to get me to show it to him. Shaking my head, I looked at Zeke. "Out here in the Bronx, Zeke? I learned to protect myself and mine in any way. I'm a female on the streets, you think a young nigga thinking he a thug is gonna walk right past me? No, he's got three choices. Try and get with me and if I say no, rape me. Try and rob me, if I ain't got no money, then he's gonna beat my ass. And three, he'll kill me after trying to get with me, I'll fight back and I'll be dead cause of that. I don't take no shit, not from Leon, Aunt Wanda, not you and especially not some young thug thinking he's tough."
Zeke glared at me before walking off, he hates guns, drug dealers, drugs. I could never bring myself to tell him what I do for a living. It would destroy him.