Page 126 of Lyric Squared

“Damn, I be forgetting y’all be so close,” Laike winced as he shook his head.

Once the dust cleared and the smoke settled, the four of us stood against the brick wall just outside of the emergency room exit with our backs against the wall. There was silence amongst us as everyone adjusted to our new reality.

“Well, welcome to the family,” Liam chuckled.

“He’s been that,” Luca reminded Liam.

“Ummm. Hmmm. So, not too much will change.”

More silence, everyone lost in their thoughts, and the new dynamic amongst us. Then, again, Liam spoke.

“Before you put another one in her, you’d better put a ring on that finger of hers or you and I will have our first disagreement. Ask your brothers here, I’m the last nigga you want to rumble with. I don’t play fair,” he warned.

“No need for threats, old man. I’ve had the ring for over a month now. Your daughter is just so stubborn. And, I refused to slide that ring on her finger until everyone knew and I’d asked for her hand in marriage. But, I guess that’s my blessing?”

“That’s your blessing,” Liam agreed.

“I’d rather it be you,” Luca added with a nod, “I’d much rather it be you. Not only because I know your heart, but because I know that you won’t play with hers. With you, I won’t have to worry as I do. I know you’ll take care of my sister. That’s all I ever wanted for her. Lyric is sometimes lost and can’t always find her own way. That’s why we look out for her the way we do. But with you in her life, I know you’ll light the path for her and give meand this psychotic nigga a break. I don’t have to worry about you messing over her or doing her dirty because you out of all niggas know we get our lick back in blood.”

“You niggas know you can’t take me, right?” I asked, looking from Luca to Laike.

“Yeah, aight. Believe that if you want to,” Laike sniggered.

“I’m really from the trenches, my nigga. You high yella niggas from the burbs. I’ve rumbled in the jungle. You’ve been in The Hills since the day your mother gave birth. Please don’t poke the beast.”

“This nigga swear,” Luca said as he sucked the skin of his teeth.

“Yeah, aight.”

Laike stepped forward, scratching his head as he glared at me through squinted eyes. He was thinking and he was thinking hard.

“Bentley truck? Valentine’s Day? Nigga, that’s what you couldn’t lay up with me? You were laying up with my sister?”

Tossing my hands in the air, I admitted my guilt. “Guilty as charged. She was there. That was also the day that I called myself ending things with her because she wouldn’t let me tell you or Luca what was going on with us. She’s never driven it. In fact, she instructed me to return it. I was trying to see if it was crack she was smoking or what?”

“Sounds like Lyric,” Liam stated.

“Aw. She got this nigga’s nose wide open,” Laike joked, “This nigga got her a Bentley truck. Y’all gone stay broke as long as y’all got women. See me, I get in and get out before they can even start to ask for anything. Before they open their mouths, I’m out the way. Bye!” he emphasized, dramatic as his sister.

“Ain’t this the same gentleman that just laced Baisleigh with a watch worth two bricks?” I asked Luca, wondering if I was confused or if he was shitting us both.

“This the one,” Luca confirmed.

“Thought so.”

“Okay, She different,” he yelled, defending himself.

“Lyric is different.” I boasted.

“Ever, she damn sure is different.” Luca bragged.

“Y’all act like y’all got the coldest things in Channing. Get the fu–,” he paused, looking toward his father and whispering as he continued so that Liam didn’t hear him.

“Get the fuck out of here.”

“We kinda do, though. Na, we definitely do.” I nodded, unable to deny the fact.

“Whatever. Lyric is a brat and you know it. Ever, she looks like she whisper to spirits and be stuffing your pubic hairs in voodoo dolls.”