A Losing Game

"Moody's Mood for Love" - Part 2

            Roderick first met JD, Nard, and Trek not long after he'd broken away from Don Don's crew. It was the summer before his tenth-grade year and he was in the beginning stages of building his own crew. He'd always seen JD around the neighborhood and knew he was a corner boy, so he approached him first and asked if he wanted to work with him on moving their own package. From there, JD brought in his homeboy Squeak and Squeak brought in his two homeboys at the time, Nard and Trek. After they had their operation already going, they later brought in Polo and Lil' Redd, two boys from the projects who were already growing and selling their own weed.

            When Roderick got locked up during the second half of his tenth-grade year, he told his crew that they were free to work for anybody except Don Don. So, when he was released and learned that Squeak, Polo, and Lil' Redd were working for Don Don, he knew it was JD, Nard, and Trek who were the most loyal to him. Now, on the day of his senior prom, the young men who remained loyal to him needed him. There was a part of him that felt the need to help his homeboys. However, there was a feeling in the pit of his stomach that gave him a bad vibe. He didn't know what it was but he knew it meant something bad.

            "Y'all are my niggas," he said to them. "We've been through it all, man. And I got pain in my heart for Trek and his peoples, believe that. But I can't go with y'all. I'm sorry but that shit just ain't me no more, man."

            JD shrugged his shoulders and said, "We figured. We've been tryin' to call you since last night but your phone kept goin' to voicemail so we knew you blocked us, dawg."

            "We rode by here and seen the sign for the prom," said Nard. "So, we knew you'd show up and we had to at least let you know what went down and see if you'd roll with us. But we get it. You look like you're doin' good, bruh."

            Roderick looked back at Jacory and affirmed, "I am. I'm doin' real good."

            "We ain't mean no disrespect to you, Jacory or your friends," offered JD. "It's all good, bruh." He extended his hand for Roderick to shake. They shook hands and then shared a brief hug.

            "One love, bro," Nard said before shaking Roderick's hand and giving him a quick hug.

            "Y'all be easy," Roderick said to them as they began walking away. He turned back around to see Jacory, Montrell, and Kelvin smiling at him. "What y'all lookin' at me like that for? I told you, I'm out the game for good."

            "Mmm," said Jacory while grabbing his hand and pulling him closer. "I can't wait to give you some ass tonight."

            "Oh, for real? Shit, we can go to that Airbnb right now."

            "Let's get inside before we miss everything," Montrell said while locking arms with Kelvin.

            As they were heading into the gym, Roderick looked back to see Nard's car driving away from the school parking lot.

            Meanwhile, Angelique finished painting her toenails and put separators on her feet to keep her toes apart while the polish dried. As she was carefully hobbling into her kitchen to find something to eat, her phone began ringing on the coffee table. She hurried over to it and picked it up to see Marcus was calling her. She smiled and decided to answer the call.

            "Hello, Marcus," she said while sitting down on her sofa.

            "Wassup, baby girl," he said on the other end. "What you up to?"

            "Nothing."

            "On a Saturday night?"

            "All my girls are busy so I'm just staying in. I'm just gonna chill at home tonight."