BANDIT

•4•

Truth is everybody is going to hurt you: you just gotta find the ones worth suffering for. - Bob Marley

A Week Later...

Zee...

I sit up holding my throbbing head, shielding my eyes from the beaming sun. Last night I went out with Ryan and Piper, and I have to say I needed it. I worked all last week and even put in some extra hours. So last night was really needed.

I climb out of bed, making my way to the bathroom. After I freshen up, I enter my bedroom rolling my eyes. I really need to clean my room but for right now I'm hungry.

I jog down the steps to see Ryan and Piper stretched out on the couch snoring. They really got turnt last night had me laughing all night. I gotta take them home when they're ready though.

I look in the fridge to see what I could whip up. It's 8:30 in the morning my usual time of eating and the food is always good when it's hot. I take out some sausages, bacon and eggs. I then stand on my tippy toes grabbing the grits off top of the fridge. I put the grits on first, about to put some sugar in it but I realized I don't have none.

I smack my lips turning off the pot. Walking up the steps to my room, I put on some shorts and a tank top slipping my feet into my Jordan slides. While jogging down the steps, I grab my keys off the counter making sure Ryan and Piper are still sleep. I leave out, locking up afterwards.

I knock on the door, waiting patiently for him to answer. I check to make sure Ryan and Piper aren't behind me. I hear the latches unlock, smiling once the door opens. He chuckles shaking his head as he wipes the sleep out of his eyes.

"What you need some sugar?" Tay laughs. I nod innocently pouting and he laughs. Of course he answers the door shirtless with his sweats on. Usually he has a shirt on, but I guess after knocking on his door for the past week, he's gotten use to it. I can't lie though he looks good as hell. His body is definitely a ten.

"Come on." He sighs turning on his heel. I enter his one floor apartment, following him into the kitchen. This became a normal thing for the past week. The first time I really didn't have butter for the pan so my eggs wouldn't stick, I was scared to ask him but he's such a gentleman he didn't mind. Then I needed some salt, pepper and cheese some days later. I just kept coming back because of his hospitality.

"You haven't gone shopping yet?" I shake my head no, leaning against his counter top. In fact I'm doing this on purpose. I ain't planning on going to the store either. Why do that when I have a fine ass neighbor, who is willing to give me shit for free. Well not really. Only thing I have to pay with is food. Whatever I cook, he wants in return for using anything of his.

"So what are you making?" He smirks handing me the sugar he put in a bowl. I open my mouth to speak, but there's a knock at the door. Tay looks confused so I'm guessing he wasn't looking for company this early.

"Who is that?" I question.

"I don't know hold up." I follow behind him to the door as he asks who is it but no one answers. He grabs his bat from behind the door, taking off the locks and when he opens the door, I hold the bridge of my nose in embarrassment.

"Oh bitch he was about hit me with his sexy ass!" Ryan high pitches. Tay chuckles.

"Nah, it just caught me off guard, because I wasn't expecting anyone." He clarifies.

"Oh. Well it ain't nobody but me boo. I just wanted to make sure my bitch was ok. She was in here way too long." I smack my lips.

"I'm fine moe. Go back upstairs I'll be up." I mumble in irritation. 

"Well actually Piper and I are ready to go." I sigh walking to the door thanking Tay for the sugar. Leaving out his apartment, I roll my eyes at Ryan as she smirks, following me up the steps.

"Don't forget my plate now." Tay calls after me. I smile.

"I won't."

"You forgot to say Zaddy." Ryan announces. I stretch my eyes wide, squinting them in the process. She always does way too much. I see why Lia is always catching attitudes. Tay laughs shaking his head as he closes his door. I enter my apartment seeing Piper slowly sit up and yawn.

"Oh but you and Piper are ready to leave right?" I snap at Ryan. She flops down on the couch shrugging.

"You just mad because I fucked up your mack game. You can get mad all you want forreal, you know I gives no fucks. You were in there for way too long, I thought something happened to you. So as a friend, I went to check on you."

"I understand that but do you have to be so damn ratchet about every situation?" I question annoyed.

"Look you known me for three years, you know how I get young! I don't know why you acting brand new." I scoff, shaking my head. A protective best friend ok I understand that, but making inappropriate comments embarrassing me because you think it's funny, is not cool. And she knows that.

After putting breakfast on the stove, I make my way upstairs to my room to get my phone. I snatch it off the bed to see two text from Bricks which instantly makes me smile and changes my whole mood.

Bricks👅💦: I miss you 😘 ~9:00am

Bricks👅💦: I made dinner reservations at The Cheesecake Factory around 8, I know how much you like their desert. 😏 ~9:05am

Me: I would love to have dinner with you. But I gotta work tonight 😔 sorry can we reschedule? ~ 9:07am

I can't lie, Bricks and I fight like a married couple. We're mad at each other for a couple days, but end up back under each other in a week or two. We've been attached to the hip for so long, that it's hard to just stray away. At least that's how I see it.

°°₩°°

Later that night...

I pull up to Envy, parking in my permitted spot hopping out. As I grab my bag out the back seat, I stand straight seeing a strange figure stand by the back door. They're discreetly dressed in all black with a hoodie, looking for someone in particular. I've never seen this type of activities before around here, so I know something ain't right. I quickly retrieve my mace, closing my door as I walk to the club entrance.

Not acknowledging the strange person, I lock my car up putting my hand on the knob about to twist it. Until...

"Zee Banks?" The person questions.

"Who wants to know?" I question rudely. The guy scoffs in laughter, licking his lips. He reaches in his back pocket handing me a heavy vanilla envelope. I furrow my eyebrows shaking my head as I shove it in his chest.

"Oh fuck no! You keep that!" He shoves it back in mine, making me stumble back just a tad.

"It's from your brother X. He asked me to drop this by for you here since you don't live at your old spot. He said don't open it until you get home and to put it in your car." I smack my lips, walking back to my car. I swear X is always in some shit. I wonder what he wants me to do this time.