Pawn

Chapter 28

The plan to get Bakari and Drennon back in good graces was in effect. Drennon had left already so this gives me and Lee the perfect time to call up Bakari.

I'm not going to lie, I am a little doubtful about this working out. It's obvious that both of them are very pigheaded but with Bakari, I'm hoping I can get through to him a little bit.

They can't just throw away a friendship they've had since they were little. Disagreements are going to happen in friendships or relationships, just because one person don't agree on something doesn't make it negative. Those two need to learn how to take in constructive criticism.

"Alright Lee, you ready." Lee was out on the patio eating a tray of fruit.

"Yeah." She replied stuffing her face with some grapes.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. I should've known it can never be a smooth operation with Lee. She's more worried about eating than making this plan go right.

"Lee, how is Bakari going to think this is serious if you got grapes stuffed in your mouth?"

"It's not like I'm going to FaceTime him. He ain't even going to-." Lee was cut off by her choking. That fool put too many in her mouth. What she expect?

She started turning red in the face, that's when I rushed behind her and started performing the Heimlich Maneuver. After a few pumps, a grape had popped out on the ground.

"Gotdamn I almost lost my life fucking with them grapes. That was quick thinking Riley with that pump shit. It would've been fucked up if my tombstone said died trying to eat a grape."

Lee was bent over trying to catch her breath. I just stood there and shook my head. She soon rose up and caught her breath. "Okay, I'll take that as a sign to stop fucking around. I heard you say you want to call B first?"

"Yeah and Lee please sound believable. I mean act like you're trying to get a Oscar at the Grammy's, really sell it."

"I gotcha. I'll sound so believable, you'll think I'm Viola Davis out this bitch."

I watched her dial up Bakari's number. The anticipation was killing me with every ring that went by. Lee glanced at me and shook her head letting me now Bakari wasn't picking up.

"I know he see me calling his ass. I bet if I was some hoe he was fucking, nigga would break his back trying to answer the phone."

I rolled my eyes as I went over to the patio. A bunch of things were rushing through my head all at once. Was he okay? Did something happen? Is he hurt? Sometimes, my overthinking gets the best of me and that's when I start to panic more.

"Try him again Lee." I nodded to her. Once again, I watched her dial up his number. I began to bounce my leg uncontrollably waiting for some kind of response.

"Bakari why the fuck you didn't answer your phone man? Something done happened to Riley, she bleeding and shit. I think she got shot, I don't know man. It looks real fucked up."

"Aight man hurry up."

"Told you I would sell that shit just like Viola Davis. That nigga on the way now." Lee said smiling. I was still in shock over what she said to get him over here.

"Okay, I'm just speechless right now but we don't have the time for that. Call up Drennon now. Since you said I got shot, I can use this ketchup to put on to look like blood." I took the ketchup bottle and squeezed some on my side smearing it.

"Dre, man shit done went down over here at the house man. Riley got shot and she bleeding. I don't know what to do."

"Please hurry Dre dawg."

"Drennon on his way." My heart began to beat faster and faster. I didn't know how all this was going to turn out. Having them two in the same room with the tension in the air, anything is bound to happen.

"Lee, put some bullets around to make it look like some shots were fired." I laid down on the ground while Lee took some bullets out from her gun and placed them on the outline of my body.

We heard two car doors slam. They arrived at the same time? Lee started putting some ketchup on herself too so it could look like she had been holding me.

"I hear them coming up Riley. Pretend like you unconscious." Right on cue, Drennon and Bakari came bursting through the house together. Both of them was carrying two guns in their hands.

I could feel my head being lifted up as if someone was holding it. "Riley please wake up, please, please wake up."

By the tone of voice, I could tell this was Bakari. He was holding and rocking me back and forth. I felt something wet fall on my cheek followed by little whimpers.

I had to stay like this so I couldn't touch or console him. I also couldn't see how Drennon was reacting neither.

"What the fuck happened Lee? Who the fuck did this?" Bakari cried out. I was feeling worse and worse by the minute. The plan was to get them back to talking again but instead, this is going way off course.

"Stop, I can't do this anymore." I said coming out of Bakari's arms. "This was all a plan to get both of you here to talk and patch things up. Unfortunately, it's not going as planned."

I looked at Drennon who had tears streaming from his eyes. I looked down at the ground in shame. "I know you both are probably mad-."

"You mean to tell me ain't nothing wrong with you, I'm here thinking that you really hurt and you go pull some shit like this?" I was cut off by Bakari. His nose flared with every word he spoke.

"And you too Lee? What the fuck wrong with y'all? You of all people Lee should know what could've happened if we really wanted to pop shit off."

I couldn't do anything but hang my head low. Drennon wasn't even saying anything, he didn't have to. The look on his face alone was enough.

"Don't blame Lee. It wasn't her idea, she was just trying to help." I said defending her.

"Yeah don't blame me." Lee replied.

I looked back at her as she threw her hands up. I turned back to Bakari.

"I just felt like it was senseless how you and Drennon were acting. I didn't mean to hurt anyone or anything."

"Riley I don't wanna hear that shit right now. Yeah your intentions may have been good but this wasn't the way to go about it. Drennon is forever my nigga whether he right or wrong. It wouldn't be us if we didn't disagree like that."

Bakari walked over to Drennon to dap him up. At first, Drennon acted like he didn't want to but a smile grew across his face as they both embraced each other.

I know my part of this plan was messed up but at least they're back cool again. Even if this does mean they may be mad at me.

"One big happy family again." Lee yelled putting her arm across my shoulder.

"Nawl Lee, this shit gonna take some time for me to get over." Bakari said looking at me. "Shit just wasn't cool."

He walked off inside leaving my fate with Drennon. He had been silent the whole time. Usually, he's the one going in on me.

"I didn't mean for it to go like this, I thought I was doing the right thing."

Drennon finally spoke up. "You can't control everything, sometimes you have to let things work themselves out."

That was all he said before he trailed off behind Bakari. That was probably the most nicest thing he's said to me since I've been here with him. I was expecting some yelling and screaming from him.

Lee dropped her arm from my shoulder and stood in front of me. "Do me a favor Riley, next time you have a plan or idea, leave me the fuck out of it."