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  CHAPTER ONE

  “Come on, Eddie, I need some fucking money. Dylan and Rosco are outside.”

  “Karen, I’m not giving you any money, so you can go ‘head on with that shit. Rent is due, remember? We need food, and all you thinking about is getting high. You need to leave that shit alone for real.”

  “Eddie, I’m not tryin’ to hear about no rent or food right now!”

  Choice lay in bed staring up at the ceiling and listening to her parents arguing. Choice was so sick of this shit, them always fussing and fighting. She looked over at her little sister, Kyree, to make sure she was still asleep. Kyree was knocked out. She was used to it. Choice couldn’t sleep due to having gone to bed hungry. She gave her little sister her jelly sandwich because Kyree always complained about not having enough to eat.

  Choice could hear pans being thrown around. The apartment would be fucked up in the morning. Choice wondered if her father would give her mother the money. She didn’t have to wonder for long.

  “Fuck you, Eddie, you bitch! I bet if yo dumb ass wanted to get high, it would be all good.”

  KNOCK, KNOCK

  “Get the door and shut up before you wake up the kids,” Eddie yelled.

  “It’s Rosco! You ain’t goin’ to give me no money?”

  “HELL NO!” her father yelled so loud that Choice jumped in her bed. She heard the apartment door open and her mother speaking to the late night visitor.

  “I’ll be right out, Rosco.”

  Rosco was a young hustler around the hood. He was twenty-one. She pushed the sheet that was hanging up as a curtain away from the window to watch her mom talk to Rosco.

  “Aye, let me get somethin’ on credit,” her mom begged.

  “I can’t do it,” Rosco said.”

  “Where Petey at? He’ll do it.”

  At the mention of Petey’s name, Choice’s ears perked up because she told him over and over not to deal to her mom.

  “He’s in the truck.” Rosco pointed to a black Avalanche with black tint sitting on sixes.

  Choice watched Rosco jog across the street to tell Petey that her mom wanted him. A couple of seconds later, Petey stepped out and Rosco jumped in the back seat.

  Petey was Choice’s best friend. He was also a hustler. He was 5’11” with smooth dark brown skin and long dreads that stopped in the middle of his back. He had dark piercing eyes and a lean muscular build. People would always tease them, saying they liked each other or were fucking, which was far from the truth.

  She was surprised to see that he was riding shotgun because he wasn’t that type of nigga. He owned at least three rides. Choice knew because, at one time or another, she’d been a passenger in all of them. She knew that whoever was driving had to be important to Petey. She kept staring out the window as Petey looked both ways before jogging across the street. She dared him to give her mother some dope.

  “Wassup, Mrs. Karen?”

  “Look at you! You look handsome as always.”

  “Awww come on, Mrs. Karen,” Petey blushed.

  “Petey, I need some shit on credit.”

  Petey hesitated, and then rubbed the side of his face. The first thing that went through his mind was his best friend, Choice. He quickly glanced up at Choice’s darkened bedroom window and back at her mother. He shook his head.

  “Mrs. Karen, I can’t.”

  “Petey, how long have I known you? Since you were a youngin’?”

  He nodded. “Sounds about right.”

  “Well, you know I’m good for it then.”

  “Look, I’ll get Dylan to deal to you, but I can’t. I promised Choice. Yo Dy!” Petey yelled across the street.

  Dylan came running across the street to see what Petey wanted.

  “Yo wassup, Pete?”

  “You got a few of those thangs on you?”

  “You know I do.”

  “Hook Mrs. Karen up so we can go.”

  Dylan went into his sock and pulled out a bag of Miami’s finest.

  “Yo fam!” the dude driving the truck yelled. “We gotta go!”

  He got out the truck and stood under a streetlight with his phone to his ear. Choice’s heart quickened at the sight of him. He was just that fine.

  He looked to be about 6’2” with skin the color of butterscotch and a stocky, muscular build. He looked up and saw Choice looking down at them. He had the coldest stare she had ever seen. Then he smiled. Choice couldn’t help but smile back. She moved away from the window and laid back down in the bed she shared with her sister.

  A couple of minutes later, their dad came in to check on his daughters. Choice pretended to be asleep. She knew that she had to get at least two hours of sleep if she was going to be any good for school. The last thing Choice remembered thinking about before falling asleep was the dude driving the Avalanche. Damn, he was fine!

  CHAPTER TWO

  Choice took a deep sigh as she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. Choice was 5’2”, the color of cocoa with big doe shaped eyes and a dimple in her chin that only added to her beauty. She lived in Miami, Florida in Liberty Square.

  Choice had long natural curly hair that hung a little past the middle of her back. She was shaped nicely, with a plump ass, thick thighs, and flat stomach. Choice wore her size nine well. She could give any video chick a run for her money.

  After Choice was done in the bathroom, she went back in her room to get dressed. She went in her closet and pulled out a suitcase that her best friend, Ashley, had given her to hide some of her clothes so her mom wouldn’t sell them. She decided to wear a cream, off the shoulder mustache shirt, black skinny jeans, and black booties on her feet. She put her hair up in a bun, and then woke up her little sister. They had to hurry because she had less than twenty minutes to get her down to their neighbor, Granny, or she was going to be late for school.

  “Come on, Kyree, hurry up! Let me put your shoes on. You don’t want sissy to be late, do you?”

  “Nooo,” Kyree sang as she shook her head, moving her ponytail left to right.

  “Good,” Choice said as she kissed Kyree’s chubby cheeks.

  She dropped Kyree off downstairs, and then went back up to grab a library book she forgot.

  “Oh yeah, baby, do that shit. Hmm.”

  Choice stood in the doorway watching her mom suck the shit out of Rosco’s dick.

  “Ma! Get your ass up!”

  “Oh shit!” Karen said as she tried to look back at Choice.

  Rosco pulled Karen’s head back into his lap and stuffed his dick back into her mouth.

  “Shhh, I’m about to cum.”

  Rosco fucked her face as he stared at Choice with lust in his eyes.

  “Fuck, I’m cumming! Make sure you don’t spill none. Swallow all that shit.”

  She’d seen enough. Choice grabbed her library book and was out the door. She couldn’t have been her dad. The bitch didn’t have any respect.

  Choice had to walk to school, which was thirty minutes away since she had missed her bus. She was hungry and still sleepy.

  “Yo Choice! Hold up.”

  Choice turned around to see Rosco running after her. Once she saw it was him, she turned back around and kept walking.

  “Yo, hold the fuck up, girl, damn.” He grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

  “What the fuck you want?” Choice didn’t have time for this. She was already late for school.

  Choice looked up at Rosco. He looked good. He was 5’11” with light brown eyes, brown skin with a curly mini afro taper. Rosco’s mom was Mexican an
d his dad was black. But everything that looked good isn’t always good for you, and Rosco was one of those things. He was grimy, foul and Choice didn’t want anything to do with him. Rosco smirked.

  “What you smirking ‘bout?” Choice asked as she hugged her books in front of her.

  “When you gon’ let me taste that? Shit, a nigga don’t eat pussy, but for you, I’m willing to try.”

  Choice looked around. It was seven thirty and still a little dark out. If this nigga tried anything, nobody would witness it. Even if they did, they probably wouldn’t say anything. Around these parts, snitches get stitches and in up in ditches. That’s just how it was.

  “Rosco, I’m good. And you were just with my mom.”

  “Man, fuck that! That was business.”

  “So you just go around fucking crackheads?”

  She regretted it before it left her mouth. Rosco was known for beating up girls. Choice checked under her tongue to make sure she still had her blade because she wouldn’t think twice about slicing Rosco’s ass.

  “Choice!”

  Choice heard a familiar voice call her name. She looked to her left. Petey was sitting in his 1984 cherry red Monte Carlo SS.

  “Rosco, where the fuck is your car, my nigga?”

  “Down the block,” Rosco answered.

  “Yo Choice, let me give you a ride. Nigga, you want a ride to your whip?” Petey said to Rosco.

  “Yeah,” Rosco said, walking behind Choice while checking out her ass.

  “Let me drop off Choice first.”

  “Why you leaving the house so late?” Petey asked her.

  “I’ll tell you about it later.”

  Petey nodded his head, then made a U-turn and drove in the direction of Choice’s school. Drake’s latest CD was blasting throughout his expensive sound system, despite the fact that the sun was barely up.

  When Choice walked into the school, she went straight for her locker to get her gym bag for her first period class. Choice sat in her homeroom class listening to her teacher, Mrs. Wilson, talk about the summer vacation she had planned with her family. She heard someone whispering her name. She knew it was Reggie.

  “Choice,’’ Reggie whispered once more.

  “What?” Choice snapped.

  “It’s the last day of school. You ain’t gone give me yo number?”

  Reggie was corny, young acting, and dumb. Choice did not intend to give him her number. She shook her head from side to side.

  “I’m listening to Mrs. Wilson, and I suggest you do the same thing.” Choice said as she took one glimpse at his dusty shoes, before turning her attention back to the teacher.

  A few minutes later, the bell rang.

  “For those who are graduating, I’ll see you tomorrow for graduation rehearsal,” Mrs. Wilson called to the children who were quickly exiting her classroom.

  Choice got up slowly. She was ecstatic she was going to receive her diploma, but she had no plans on going to graduation. There would be no one there to support her, so she would just wait for her diploma to be delivered in the mail. She said goodbye to Mrs. Wilson before walking out of class.

  Unlike most kids, Choice really liked school. It was an outlet for her to get away from all the drama she had going on at home. If it wasn’t for Kyree being there, she would never go back home.

  Choice hurried to gym class, which was going to be pretty much a drag. When shewas done getting dressed, she walked out the locker room and took a seat on the bleachers as the gym teacher picked teams for the kickball game they were about to play. After gym, the day flew by.

  When Choice walked out of school, it was obvious that it was the last day of school. The parking lot was jumping. Some people were in a rush to get home and some were standing around making plans. Others were just waiting to see what was going to go down and who was going to fight. Choice spotted her best friend, Ashley, talking to Mimi. Mimi was cool as hell. She and Choice had a couple of classes together.

  “What y’all talking ‘bout?” Choice asked as she walked up to them.

  “Girl, Mimi was telling me about her party she’s throwing tonight,” Ashley replied.

  “Yeah Choice, y’all should come through and check it out. The shit is going to be hot.”

  Ashley and Choice looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

  “We’re going to stop through then.”

  Ashley and Choice stood in the grass talking to Mimi for a minute. The same truck that was in front of her apartment last night pulled up playing Jay Z’s Paradise. She knew it had to be the same truck because they didn’t have too many trucks like that one around.

  Petey got out the driver’s side. He had his dreads pulled back with a black NY hat on his head. He walked up to Ashley and wrapped his arms around her.

  “Petey, I know it’s gotta be your ass.”

  “How you know? I could’ve been one of these little niggas,” he said while pointing around.

  “Nah, because Choice would have been hollered on yo ass when you walked up on me.”

  Choice smiled because she knew that they both liked each other. However, Ashley was playing hard to get.

  “Petey, you got a new truck?” Choice asked.

  “Nah, that’s my cousin’s whip.”

  “That shit hot,” Mimi said. “But aye y’all, I gotta go. I’ll see y’all at the party.”

  “What she talking ‘bout?” Petey asked Ashley.

  “She’s having a house party tonight and we going. You want to come?”

  “Yeah, I might stop by and check y’all out. I’m going to bring my people with me though.”

  “Who?” Ashley demanded. “I know it ain’t no bitch?”

  “Nah, why would I do that when I’m trying to wife you?”

  Choice pulled out her phone to check Twitter, but wasn’t shit popping on there.

  “Damn, y’all. Will y’all stop already with the lovey dovey shit? I’m starting to feel like the third wheel.”

  Ashley smiled up at Petey. “Alright damn, we’ll stop.”

  Choice looked at Ashley and shook her head. Ashley and Choice met when they were in the third grade and Ashley had been Choice’s right hand ever since. Ashley was pretty. She was 5’3” light-skinned with shoulder length red and blond hair. She had a couple of brown freckles going across her nose, and was very petite with a curvaceous body.

  “Are you going to drop us off, Petey?” Choice asked.

  “You know I got y’all.”

  When Choice got home, she went to Granny’s to get Kyree before going upstairs. Granny opened the door with an attitude. The smell of mothballs was so strong that Choice was getting dizzy. She didn’t know how Kyree could stand it.

  “Choice, you’re like fifteen minutes late.”

  “Yeah I know. I’m sorry.”

  “Well, I’m not going to be able to wait ‘til Friday for that twenty you was going to give me. I need it today.”

  “I don’t have it.”

  “Why the hell not? You too busy giving it to these little ass nigga to lick your pussy? Shit, I can lick your pussy better than them niggas. Give me the money.”

  Choice was shocked at what she had just said to her. She knew Granny got down with women every now and then, but never expected her to tell her something like that. Choice was beyond pissed that she would even come at her like that while her six-year-old sister was sitting on the floor watching cartoons.

  “I’m going to need for you to respect me a little more if you going to be watching my sister. Come on Kyree.”

  Kyree ran over to Choice.

  “I’ll have your money by the end of the day,” Choice said as they walked out of the apartment.

  “Choice, what was Granny back there talking ‘bout licking?”

  Choice shook her head. At six, Kyree was always asking questions.

  “Granny is just crazy and old.”

  “She don’t look old.”

  “Believe me, Ky, she’s old.”
/>   When they got upstairs, Karen was cleaning up the mess she had made last night.

  “Ma, I’m glad you here. I’m going down to the bodega to work for a couple of hours.”

  “Good ‘cause I’m going to need a couple of dollars. You hear me, Choice?” her mom asked as she ran upstairs to change her clothes.

  “Yeah, Ma, dang!”

  Choice called the bodega to make sure Mr. Charlie was in. He gave her the okay to come in to work. She changed into a pair of ripped waist denim shorts, a white wifebeater, and some white wedge sneakers she had hidden in a hole in her wall behind her dresser. Choice had clothes stashed everywhere. She threw on some gold hoops and was out the door.

  A bunch of boys were standing in front of the bodega when Choice got there, some she knew from school and some she knew as hustlers. A couple of them said ‘wassup’ and were trying to holla.

  “Come here, Choice, with yo fine ass,” a dude they called Bug said.

  “What’s up, Bug?”

  “Out here trying to catch a few plays, that’s all.” He took a pull from his blunt. “You want to hit this?”

  “Nah, I’m good. I’m about to go in here and work a couple hours for Mr. Charlie.”

  “Shit, you missing out, baby.” He took another pull from the blunt. “I got this shit from one of my niggas from Lil Haiti. Straight fire. You about to take your fine ass in there and work for old mean ass Charlie? Shit, see if you were my girl, you wouldn’t work.”

  Choice smiled at Bug. He was cool, but he just wasn’t her type. The nickname the streets gave him fit perfectly. She looked at some dudes playing dice.

  “Well, I’m surprised Mr. Charlie ain’t come out threatening y’all to get from in front of his store.”

  Mr. Charlie was well respected in the hood. His brother, Michael, used to be one of the largest dope dealers in Miami. Thirty years ago, he was found hanging from a pole. As soon as she got finished with her sentence, Mr. Charlie came out yelling.

  “Y’all best to take ya’ll asses from in front my store. Can you niggas read the NO LOITERING sign?”

  “Damn Charlie,” one of the dudes said.

  “Don’t be damning me, boy! I’m trying to run a business. Y’all going to run all my customers away.”