ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛʜᴇɴ

MBN-8

The streets 🍃

Qui 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 last hour. Naliah was cool, but he couldn't stop his mind from wandering. 

He wasn't supposed to be out here wasting time on schoolwork, but Naliah's vibe had a way of making him forget the shitstorm waiting for him outside. Still, he could feel the pull of the streets, always there, reminding him he had a different life to deal with.

He made his way to the car, scanning the quiet street as he pulled his keys from his pocket. Something about the night felt off—too still, too quiet. Instinct kicked in.

 He unlocked the car, slid into the driver's seat, and rested his hands on the wheel, taking a moment to center himself. The tension in the air wasn't something you could put your finger on, but you learned to feel it, to read 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 wasn't about some casual shit.

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

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

That hit Qui hard, like the night had suddenly dropped ten degrees colder. He sat up straight, eyes narrowing as his focus snapped into place. The trap wasn't where you went unless business was going sideways or something serious was about to pop off. If the whole gang was pulling up, it wasn't good news.

He ran his hand over his face, glancing around out of habit, checking the rearview mirrors, making sure no one was tailing him. "Aight, I'm comin'. What the fuck happened?"

"Don't ask no questions, just pull up. You'll see when you get here," K3 replied, his tone sharp before hanging up.

Qui tossed the phone back into the cupholder, muttering under his breath. His mind started racing, running through the possible reasons they were all being called in like this. It could've been a deal gone bad, someone crossing the wrong line, or worse—heat from the other side. He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling this was bigger than the usual bullshit.

He hit the gas, pulling out of Naliah's driveway, the tires screeching a little as he picked up speed down the dark street. The city lights blurred past, the shadows of the night stretching out around him. The calm he felt earlier in Naliah's house was gone now, replaced with the adrenaline that always came when he knew something was about to go down.

Naliah flashed through his mind for a second—her laid-back attitude, how she had smiled at him, trying to keep it chill even though he could tell she was peeping the way he moved. 

She didn't belong anywhere near this side of his life, and part of him liked that. It gave him space to breathe. But this? This was different.

His grip on the wheel tightened as he weaved through the streets, making sure to keep his speed just below reckless. Getting caught up wasn't part of the plan tonight. He had enough on his plate without having to dodge cops.