Playing The Game

P L A Y I N G T H E G A M E - C H A P T E R 1

Chapter 1

Creanna kept her head low as she walked through the crowded hallway of her project building, past all the local hustlers with her sister Strawberry. The strong stench of weed filled the women's noses as they maneuvered through the throng of men. Creanna hated when they stood around the hallway talking about nothing and polluting the air with that nastiness.

"Aye girl with the red hair, I'll fuck the shit outta you! Give yo' ass all my babies!"

"Mamacita lemme get ya number!"

"Fuck a chair! Wit' an ass like that you could sit on my face!"

Creanna ignored the vulgar comments and she and Strawberry kept walking. Strawberry was biting on her bottom lip, trying her hardest not to burst out into laughter while Creanna was the one who didn't find it too funny. Once the women made it out of earshot, Creanna let out an exasperated sigh she didn't even know she was holding.

"Can't stand them...they're so annoying." She mumbled.

Strawberry chuckled lazily, shrugging her shoulders. She thought Creanna took things way too seriously sometimes, it was not that deep. She ran her red rhinestone decorated french tips through her silk straight red human hair. "Nah I don't think so, chill out Cre. They just fuckin' around. I think they're pretty funny."

Creanna knew Strawberry loved the attention men gave her. It was the same reason she always ended up in some man's bed, then on her doorstep the next day with a tear-shrieked face after she was told she was nothing but a 'quick nut.'

Creanna turned the key in her doorknob and walked inside. Her boyfriend Santana was coming from the back of the house at the same time. His jeans were on but not his shirt. His eyes were bloodshot and he a blank look on his face. He looked at the door for a split second but said nothing to the two girls that just entered.

"Well hello to you too Santana. Don't be rude." Creanna said.

Strawberry screwed her face up and looked at Santana with a stink face as he plopped down on the couch. "You ain't tell me he was here."

Creanna turned to her and laughed. "He lives here, where else is he suppose to be?"

Strawberry and Santana use to date all throughout high school. From what Creanna knew they decided to end it on a friendly note and still be friends. So Creanna didn't get the slight hostility in Strawberry's voice, because she thought they were friends.

"Baby don't mind her, she's just crazy." Creanna pointed out to Santana.

Santana patted himself down and pulled a nickel bag out his front pocket.

"Well? Whassup ugly, ain'tchu gon' say hi?" Strawberry asked putting a hand on her hip.

Santana kept his attention focused on the blunt he started rolling, careful not to rip the rolling paper.

"Santana she's talking to you." Creanna said with furrowed eyebrows.

His bloodshot eyes met hers but he didn't say anything. He cut his eyes at her and retrieved the lighter from his pocket. He lit his blunt silently while his eyes darted everywhere in the apartment except on the two of them.

Creanna looked at Strawberry and Strawberry shrugged in return. None of them knew what his problem was. "Girl don't worry. He use to do this shit to me all the time when he was mad about something. He acts like a three year old instead of just saying what's on his mind." She said a little louder on the last sentence. She thought it was so childish and annoying.

Creanna waited a moment more for him to acknowledge them but he never did. She waved him off and shook her head from side to side, embarrassed. "Look, I don't have time for this. Let's go find somewhere else to go Berry." Creanna said rolling her eyes.