Things you adore

I had been counting the same 6 bands I made a few days ago. The only thing I spent money on was a new phone. I didn't buy any gear and I didn't cop no new feet.

The only person I had saved in my phone was Bre. She was the only one I had been keeping in contact with.

I thought of going by Trons to check on him. He had been wit that bitch nigga Doe and I had a funny feeling about him from jump.

I knew I couldn't sit around and wait for Bre and Alayah to cop from me. I wasn't in no rush but 6 bands wasn't a fraction of what I'm supposed to make.

I had my phone and I had the means now I need the feinds. Anutes was still a hot spot for bites. It sat right at the edge of the 4way and was known for its traffic.

When we was younger we would walk there and play on Nutes arcade games. There was always someone in there getting off.

"Where you going"? Gino asked.

I didn't hear him come in. Gino was like that though. Real quiet and quick. Dudes a monster running that rock too.

"Just to Anutes. Maybe to Paula's I don't know yet" I said. I knew the word Paula's would get his attention.

"Gone get ya boy that wing special from Paula's and a lemonade from Nutes."

"Nigga what you think this is. Wait on Gino day."

"Naw but it could be tell momma you been selling weed day. Or you got a gun day. Or you-

"Alright shut up Gino damn" I said covering his mouth. This nigga was really blackmailing me for some food.

"What the fuck you doing spying on me?"

I asked shutting my door.

"Boy this room stinks I'd never spy on you for fun. You just careless but I got you I was just playing too I'm not no snitch. And plus momma sell pills"

I ain't never been shocked by what my little brother had said to me. This by far took the cake. I couldn't even argue with him. He's too smart.

"And how do you feel about that?" I asked.

Gino shrugged his shoulders.

"Dads been gone. Moms ain't been working. I'm 10 I'm not stupid. Plus she be having money for everything I need for football and that shit expensive.

I didn't even get mad. My lil dude knew too much and I couldn't blame him. He was the one here with moms for 4 years. He was the one going thru this shit with her. He wasn't a little boy no more.

"I can't lie or sugar coat nothing. You know what I do and what momma do so listen to me carefully. You don't mention this to nobody. Soon we gone be out of this place. We gone get out the hood. Might even get out of Abilene. I don't wanna do this but I got a plan and ima need ya to have our backs untill then."

"I got you bro. Don't trip I do need a new mouth piece and I want these gloves I saw online. Oh and a phone. But I mean I can wait til you rich I guess" he said with a smile.

That boy really got grown on me. I never realized how smart he was. He never failed anything. Never been in trouble. Never been late. Never had a bad game. Dude was legit all the way around and I was proud of him.

"I promise bro ima get you right. You gone have it all. We gone have it all"

The walk to Nutes store took all of 15 minutes. It was midday and from what I remember it was busy around this time.

My plan was to hang around the store. See what I can see and network. Once I had enough numbers I would cross the tracks and see how Paula's was jumping.

When you open Nutes door it made the same flute noise it did years ago. The isles were all the same with the same type of products. He still had his kitchen in the back and his two arcade games.

The one thing I noticed different was the glass cage that seperated Anute from his customers but mainly potential threats.

He was helping a customer when he noticed me come in. Nute has always been nice to me and I him.

"Little G. Or should I say Big G now. How's it feel. Your brother always updates me and romelle on how you were doing." He said.

"Just Gianni now. How's business been"?

"Business is ok. Robbers and thieves made there way in a few years ago. But not to worry this thing protects me and Romelle. So we're safe for now"

Damn why would someone want to rob Nutes spot. It's been here for years. He would give you what he had if he had it.

I couldn't judge because I did the same things ,but Anute was the kind of store owner you protected not preyed on.

"I bet it set you back a pretty penny." I said.

It was made of this thick glass with a side door for them to come in and out. A swipe key pad and a drawer that slides in and out for the transactions.

"it did but we need our store it's all we have. Sometimes you have to take extreme measures to protect those you love and the things you adore." Anute explained.

I took what he said in but I wasn't here for that. There was people in and out. All I had to do was procrastinate for a few, talk to a few people then bounce.

"I feel that nute let me get a pack of honey backwoods." I said.

Once we were done talking I moved to the side. There were a few people in line and I knew atleast one of them smoked.

I exited the store and found me a spot on the wall. When people come out they had to pass by me to get to their cars.

I saw my first victim.

"My boy my boy good smoke if you looking. Flavors too" I said.

"Naw I'm good fam I got a plug already" he replied.

"Respect. You stay safe out here."

After 3 more niggas said the same thing i came up with a idea. Give away free weed just for taking my number. What could I lose besides 10 bucks. And I'm damn near thinking of doing it for 5.

I tested my theory on this young lady coming out with a pack of swishers in her hand. I started to bust a backwood down and proceed to roll up.

I made sure she passed me before I said.

"You not tasting the weed that way"

She turned around but kept walking.

"You talking to me"?

Mommas was tall. Slim red bone and pretty as hell. It's something about a pretty bitch that just make my confidence boil.

"I mean I don't see nobody else out here worth talking to" I stayed on the wall but she stopped and kind of stood there waiting for more.

"And yes you can't taste the weed using grape swishers. Need them regular sweets."

"Well I just started smoking like 3 weeks ago and these are what my sister had."

Boom so the sister smoke. I had to hook her. That meant she knew other females who smoked.

"Oh you a rookie ok. Well there ya go ditch them grapes for regular swishers. What you smoking on anyway" I asked.

You could tell she wasn't used to no nigga just stopping her. She was all smiles showing me the weed inside the sealed pack.

"Smells good. How it smoke?" I asked

"I've had better but it's all I had enough for."

"If you looking for a new weed man I got a deal going on. Take my number I'll give a gram to try." I said.

"What's the catch. Niggas not just giving away weed around here. And why you standing at the store." She asked.

Interest? I'm only interested in this paper. I had to keep my level of P at a all time high.

"If I wasn't standing here you wouldn't be"

Bingo. Got her cheesing now.

She handed me her phone and I put my number in it. I gave her the gram and watched as she walked to her car. She was fine but I had my eyes on Bre.

I had had enough of this wall and was getting ready to make it over the tracks to little Certa so I could network at Paula's when Bre called me.

"Wait wait calm down you not making sense What you mean he missing"

Bre was sounding crazy. I couldn't make out half of what she was saying. So I told her to just pull up on me at Anutes.

The orange SRT came around the way about 15 minutes later.

"The fuck is you talking about Tron missing?" I said getting in the car.

Bre was calm but you can tell she was scared.

"I don't know stick called me asking if I've talked to Tron. And I asked him why would I be talking to Tron. He said he hasn't seen him since the night he went and did that dirt wit Doe." Bre said.

"That was 4 days ago. Why they just now saying something about it. Are they sure he's missing?"

I knew Tron. That nigga don't go missing. He don't ever leave that house unless it's some money. My radar was going off. I try not to think about things in a negative light but I know these streets and I know how niggas get down.

Bre phone was going off and she wouldn't answer. I felt that kind of odd. Then it rung again and this time she picked up.

"We around the corner stick we coming over right now" she said into the phone.

This shit was crazy but what reason did we have to panic. We didn't know what was really going on but I was gone get to the bottom of it.

When we got to Trons Stick and Cash were outside on the porch.

"Still nothing from Tron?" She asked stick.

"Na his phone off. Like turned off. I can't get thru and i don't know where the nigga went that night. He sent us to the other spot." Said Stick.

"Fuck. We gotta find Doe. That nigga know something. Where can we find them niggas" I asked.

"Man them niggas from Tre Angles. Them the most slickest niggas around there. You gone be looking forever"

Stick added his input but I was feeling too much heat coming from Cash and how he was looking at Bre and she must have felt it too.

"Damn nigga did you lose something over here" she spit.

"That's where I know you from. Bitch you know that nigga" he said.

Me and Stick shot our eyes to Bre. I wasn't sure what was going on but Cash was dead set on it.

"The fuck this nigga talking about Bre?" I asked.

She looked nervous. I've never seen her like this.

"Man i don't know what the hell this nigga talking about"

"Bitch stop lying" Cash hopped off the porch.

"This the same charger I seen that nigga get in one night at candy land. You that same bitch that was wit him. You know that nigga" he finished.

Bre looked sick. She looked defeated. That's how I knew he was telling the truth.

"It makes sense. That's how you knew so much of the nigga business. Then you knew all about what that Dot nigga too"

I was putting 2 and 2 together and I still wasn't done.

"That nigga got a brother. That crip nigga that killed Certa. What's that nigga name" Cash was asking.

"Them niggas brothers Bre?"

"Look Gianni I was gone tell you then this shit all happened and-

She was cut short by the sight of Cash gun pointed at her. He had upped on Bre. I went for my shit.

"Nigga have you lost yo mind"

I said aiming at his head.

He was supposed to pop Bre and I was supposed to pop his ass. They say if you pull it you use it and I ain't never killed nobody but I knew I wasn't gone let him blow Bre like that.

"Naw nigga I think I got my mind in check. This bitch know more than she saying and I'll spark this hoe right now". Cash yelled.

"He right. And no disrespect but I don't know you nigga. You might be in on it too. Seeing as he broke you off and what not. How many he give you nigga" Stick said.

I saw the glare of his chrome .45 at his side. I've seen this a million times in movies. Nigga think he got one up on you but these niggas wasn't no killas.

"Shid go wit yo move nigga. Spark that hoe. Just know ya boy going too." I explained.

Stick looked at cash who still had his gun on Bre. I still had mine on him.

"Cash" Stick said.

"Bitch you lucky yo boyfriend was here to save you. This time."

Cash lowered his gun and him and Stick slowly walked to they cars and drove away. I'm not sure if it was the fact we really didn't know what was going on with Tron or if they just wasn't killers but me and Bre had our lives and we could find out what was up with Tron.

"Gianni"

"Don't say shit to me right now untill we find out more about where Tron at."

I said.

He kept a spare key under a broken floor board.

I found the key and made my way into the house. It looked as though nobody had been here in days. I cleared the house making sure he wasn't in here dead.

"No sign of him. His car even in the back where he park it. It's money and work in his room so I doubt he would leave that." I said trying to understand the situation.

Bre was swaying back and forth. You could tell she was in her head. I couldn't be mad at her for who she choose to deal with. She wasn't my bitch and I wasn't her nigga.

"Look fuck what just happened. We need to find out what happened to Tron. We need to call around we need to do something"

"Gianni tell me what to do and we can do it. All this shit is fucking with me too. Tron was my friend too" she cried.

I sat down next to her and took her head and cupped it with my hands. The soft side I had for Bre had me ready to kill for her.

"Bre I need to know everything you know about them niggas"