Page 120 of Stay Dangerous

And even though I told him not to tell his bros, niggas never listened. So there was another plus; getting under that nigga’s skin.

“He probably won’t even care,” I concluded aloud.

Rico had been done with me. He probably never even started.

It was time for me to move on.

One Last Secret

Rico

“Domino,bitch!”

Turk slammed down the piece on the rickety table so hard the other pieces shifted.

Set and Haze groaned, but I wasn’t tripping. I was still in second place.

“Yo ass cheating, Dub.”

“On my mama he cheating, that’s why I ain’t playing,” Nut bellowed before taking a pull of his blunt.

All of Turk’s nieces and nephews were in daycare and school, since we decided to have my going away party on a weekday. Sean and Shad were cutting school to chill with us, and promised they would do their homework on the backend.

“Do I be cheating, Auty?”

“You don’t be letting me win, so you cheating,” she pouted. I smirked, earning me a wink, before she began to wash the bones again.

“Don’t be playing Dominoes with them other niggas at camp, Dub. This for the home team only.”

“Don’t make no friends period or I’ma have to show my natural ass,” Peanut chimed in.

“I’m safe, since he can’t make no more cousins,” Ty-Ty boasted, dapping me up. “Ain’t no play-cousins ‘round this bitch, on Foe. In fact, just keep ya head down until you discharged.”

“Y’all lame as fuck,” Reem grumbled, making Set chuckle.

“Now y’all know Rico barely fuck with y’all, so why would he make friends with his fellow Marines?” Fredo cheesed. He placed the barbecue he made on G-Pops’ grill on the other table, and we all forgot about the game.

“I’m not included in that shit, Fredo. He can’t stand the young niggas, but he fuck with us the long way. Tell ‘em, Ricky Ricardo.”

“Nut you swear you somebody,” Ty-Ty spat playfully.

They ribbed on each other more as we ate, but my appetite slowed to a stop, as a lump formed in my chest.

I placed my half-eaten hot dog on my styrofoam plate and looked out into the small yard, at my niggas. That night, Fredo was driving me to Daygo, and the next morning, I’d report for basic training.

This was it. My last day as my own man. My last day as Luney, from Foe Dub, from the Birch.

I served crack. Now, I was serving my country.

“Damn nigga, the shit not good?”

I shook my head and chuckled. “Nah, it’s just… I’ma miss y’all dumb asses.” I turned to Peanut. “Reem and Ty-Ty are Beavis and Butthead foreal. You gotta watch them, Ty more than Reem. He’ll listen to you, because Set does.”

Next, I turned to Set. “I swear if we wasn’t locked in we’d be sworn enemies, Dub. Watch over Sean. He’s a knucklehead, but he means well. Keep him and Shad in the studio and out thestreets. And keep my brother out of the bullshit. He’ll follow you gladly into it, because he’s loyal to a fault, but that’s exactly why you keep him out the way, because there’s nothing like a nigga like Fredo in your corner.”

Set nodded, and dapped up Fredo, while I turned to Haze. Her eyes were glassy, and she placed her plate on the table to give me her full attention.

“You don’t know how much you mean to me, Haze. I need you to still be here when I’m done with this shit. Even if you barely holding on, hold on for me, and I’ll make everything right after. Aight?”