ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛʜᴇɴ

MBN-8

The Streets 🍃

*Qui's POV*

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Qui stepped out of Naliah's house, the night air crisp as it hit his face. He took a deep breath, letting the cold settle in his lungs, shaking off the weight of the last hour. Naliah was cool, but something about her vibe made it easy to forget the storm waiting for him outside. She wasn't part of this world—his world—and he liked it that way.

But the streets? They always called, like an itch he couldn't scratch.

He walked to the car, keys already in his hand, scanning the quiet street. Everything seemed too still—too perfect. Instinct kicked in. Something wasn't right. He unlocked the car, slid into the driver's seat, and rested his hands on the wheel, taking a second to center himself. The tension in the air wasn't something you could point to, but you could feel it.

Before he could pull off, his phone lit up, vibrating hard in the cupholder. He glanced at the screen—K3. He knew what that meant. If K3 was calling this late, it was serious.

"What's good?" Qui answered, his voice low, calm, already bracing himself.

"Aye, nigga, where you at?" K3's voice came fast, sharp. "Shit movin', twin. We got a situation. Whole gang pullin' up to the trap. You need to get here now."

The words hit Qui like a punch to the gut. The trap wasn't a place you went unless things were about to get real. Real fast. The fact that the whole crew was coming out there meant something had gone sideways.

His mind raced, but he kept his composure, a practiced calm that came with the territory. "Aight, I'm coming. What the fuck happened?"

"Don't ask no questions. Just pull up. You'll see when you get here," K3's voice was tight before the line went dead.

Qui tossed the phone back into the cupholder, muttering under his breath. His thoughts ran wild—what could be so big to pull everyone in like this? A deal gone wrong? Someone crossed the line? Or maybe heat from the other side?

He shifted into drive and slammed the pedal to the floor, tires screeching as he sped down the street. The calm he'd felt earlier at Naliah's house vanished, replaced by the familiar adrenaline of danger. His hands gripped the wheel harder as he thought about Naliah—her laid-back smile, the way she tried to keep things cool.

She didn't belong in this world, and part of him liked that. It gave him space to breathe. But tonight? It was different.

As the city lights blurred past, he dialed back his speed, just below reckless. He wasn't about to get caught up in some random heat right now. The trap was in a rough part of town, though, and the cops didn't show up unless they had to. And when they did, it was never good news.

He turned down a few blocks, his phone buzzing again with a text from K3: **"Hurry the fuck up. Don't park out front."**

His jaw clenched. That wasn't a good sign. Shit was hot.

Qui made a sharp left, cutting the engine when he reached a side alley, parked a couple of streets away, and locked the car. Silence swallowed him as he stepped out, his body already moving instinctively, his mind calculating the next steps. This game wasn't about half-assing it. You were either in or out. Loyalty was everything.

He slipped into the shadows and started making his way to the trap, feeling the cold air bite at his skin. His senses were on high alert—eyes darting, ears straining for any hint of movement. He didn't know what was waiting for him inside, but one thing was certain: it wasn't going to be good.