Brown Sugar

HELL BEFORE PARADISE

"Do you like this skirt baby? This is going to look good in Jamaica." Ari said doing a little spin in her tight ass skirt. "You know I love that shit but them
Island boys better keep they eyes low." I said making her laugh and walk up to me sitting in my lap.

"It's only me and you Lijah, I'm not worried about no nigga but you. You've been there for me since we were kids, I always knew it was going to be you." She said warming my heart making me smile. "C'mer girl, you know I love you?" I said wrapping my arms around her pulling her back onto me making her laugh out loud. "I love you too Lijah now stop." She giggled making me chill.

"The skirt fye, what shirt you gone put with it? And if you need help you know I graduated from fashion." I said looking down at my fit, even casual I looked my best. Ari did too and I loved that shit. "Boy I do not need any help, now when I'm on my emo girl shit I'll talk to you." She said making me laugh. "Oh so you got jokes? My style is not emo, that's just one of many baby." I said making her smirk showing them cute ass dimples.

"Okay. Well let's get this skirt and go, I've spent enough time in here." She said making me stand up and sigh, "finally!" I said making her playfully push my head to the side.

She placed all her clothes on top of the counter as the lady started to ring them up. "Tomorrow we have to stop by my mom's to pick Jr. up so don't be on your late night runs with Foo and forget." She said making me smack my lips and laugh. "Man ain't nobody gone forget, have I ever forgot about little man?" I asked making her giggle. "No." She said making me nod and smirk.

The lady finished bagging the clothes making me grab the bag and hand them to Ari. "Baby I need to get some more oils and candles, you're welcome to come with." She said making me laugh and shake my head. "Nah, you know that store give me a headache. Just meet me in the food court when you done." I told her making her kiss my lips. "Okay, it won't be long." She said before walking off.

I turned around walking towards the food court, I wasn't going to do shit but get a few free samples and probably a slice of cheesecake. The mall was really Ari's thing cause everything in here I already had, seem like.

"Elijah Brown." I heard my name before stepping onto the escalator making me look back. "Shit!" I said to myself smacking my lips. "Man what the fuck you want?" I asked looking over at the detective that questioned me a few weeks ago. "I'm not here to cause any trouble, just wanted to ask you a question I didn't get to last time." He said with a cocky grin on his face. "Do that question come with a warrant? Rent a cop ass nigga." I said stepping off the escalator still feeling his ass behind me.

"I don't need a warrant to ask you a question, I just want to look you in the eye for a reaction." He said speed walking in front of me and turning around making me step back and look him up and down since we were face to face. "A week ago a file lands on my desk saying to close all investigation on you. Now how could that be?" He asked making me laugh in his face. "Ain't that a question for your boss nigga? The fuck you asking me for?" I asked about to walk off but he still wasn't budging really making me wish he wasn't twelve so I could beat his ass.

"I know why smart ass, I looked into it. Your boy Reggie saved you and I'm pretty sure he saved you that night too hmm?" He asked rhetorically as if he knew. For a brief second flashbacks came to my head of that night. "You done asked like two questions bruh, you done?" I asked making him chuckle to keep from losing his shit making me smile. "Actually no, I just find it interesting that Reggie just purchased a barbershop downtown. Mr. Moorehouse was a wealthy man and a building downtown easily runs what? Pffh, $439K? How is Reggie making that legitimately?" He questioned.

"Look, like I told you at the station I'm not in the streets. I sold a little weed in my past to get by and if you wanna lock a nigga up for that then do it or get the fuck off my back. As far as Reggie goes, my bro legit and if you had anything you wouldn't be here in my face on Saturday working yourself up." I said making him try to gain his composure to seem like he wasn't. "Like you said earlier, you was told to stay off my case right? I should report your crooked ass." I said pointing at him making him back up and chuckle.

"You can lie to me all you want Elijah, the truth will always be revealed. That guy Manni that you had a fight with? Yeah, turns out that he's dead and it's kind of hard asking a dead man what happened, now isn't it?" He asked making me look around uninterested.

"It's sad what drugs and guns do to our communities isn't it?" I asked sarcastically.

"Everything okay baby?" I looked over seeing Ari walk up with her eyebrow heightened. Every time she made that face I knew she was about to ask a million questions afterwards. "Yeah, detective Woo was just leaving." I said making him chuckle weakly, "I'll be seeing you around." He said before walking off.

"What was that about?!" She asked looking at him walk away then back at me. I shook my head scratching it, "let's sit down." I said walking over to the tables making her follow. "What's up?" She asked. "Man he just came out of nowhere asking all type of questions about that night I got shot. He was told to drop my case but this motherfucka feeling too invested in it now." I said shaking my head. "What did he ask you exactly?" She asked.

"About how I got off, Reggie's barbershop, the robbery, and he know Manni is dead so my story can't be verified on us fighting." I said. "This is too much going on, we need to talk to Marlicia and Reggie about this shit. If the case was closed he's not allowed to harass you like this, you need to report him." Ari said. "I told his ass I was, he got quiet then so he know what's up. And you right about talking to them. I'm chop it up with him tomorrow at my mom's house. You know we still gotta go to this dinner." I said, just thinking about it a nigga was getting a headache.

"I forgot all about that, I'm honestly excited to meet your sister and get to know your mom." She said making me weakly smile. "Yeah, I just hope she don't be on that other shit. I got enough on my plate and the last thing I need was family drama. I mean, she seem like she changed but I don't know." I said looking over at her shrugging my shoulders.

"Lijah, some people grow over time and realize their mistakes. Your mom is going through something hard right now and it seems like she wants her children near. Just give it a try." She said making me nod my head feeling better about going.

"I wouldn't know what to do without you girl." I said making her blush and laugh. "I'm just happy I can help baby." She said leaning over the table pecking my lips making me smile.

Detective Woo was the last person on my list I expected to see today but I held my own. I knew I had to talk to Reggie as soon as possible because this shit can be bad real quick. The last thing I needed was to be locked up or Reggie locked up behind my mistake. He was having a baby with my sister so I knew I had to make sure I beat this shit. Killing a detective was out of the question so I needed a plan and fast.

Detective Woo ain't letting up at all and he's putting 2 & 2 together. FAST💨! I hope Reggie's books are together and air tight. Do y'all think Detective Woo will get far? Because it's looking 50/50 right now😰