Limelight

People Make The World Go Round

Monday

" This is RadioRic wishing all the soul brothers, sistas, and other people a good afternoon. Right now I present to you some slow tunes from The Stylistics. Stop the violence. We are the people and people make the world go 'round."

Delilah grabbed her lunch in the cafeteria. Valentina cheated on her test about the country Liberia.

Alyssa grabbed her curling irons at Barbra's. Junior and Damon dodged the guards while skipping Ms. Palmer's.

Raheem sat in the back of the lunchroom reading a book. Michael and his brothers collapsed on the couch after practicing their seventh hook.

Devin avoided Troy as he approached his locker. While Troy was too busy flaunting the gold on his collar.

Uncle Curtis smoked a blunt to get in the zone. In the nearby bank, Mr.Smith spoke to a customer about a loan.

Mrs. Smith smiled as she printed the newborn baby's feet. And Aunt Dorthy stared blankly out the window watching the busy street.

Inside the dark basement of Napoleon, a liquor store in the Valley, a young man screamed out in pain as a blade sliced his skin. " Elijah Rock shout shout." Curtis sang obnoxiously in the screaming boy's ear. A deep cut splitting his cheek open.

" Ima ask your ass one more time. What the fuck did you say to the pigs?"

" I didn't say anything I swear, word to my mother-"

" Fuck yo momma bitch! " Curtis snapped, chuckling to himself after a long pause. He then turned to his three men. " Damn that was a bit disrespectful wasn't it?" He questioned as his men stood there not knowing whether to nod or not.

Curtis shook his head as he stared back into Elijah's pleading eyes. " I'm sorry young buck. I actually like your old bird. She knows how to make a nigga feel realll good." He chuckled once again, bringing the blade back to the young man's neck. " But let me cut the bullshit. We saw you get out that damn police car... We saw your black ass lean down and tell them something through the window. Now I liked you...I really did. You had potential, but running your mouth to the pigs."
Curtis clicked his tongue.
" You fucked up."

" Wait Ghost I promise you I ain't say shit about you to them man. They kept asking me about what happened at LimeLight. I wasn't even there when Troy went to drop off the money...your money. He was there with these bitches."

" What money? And what bitches?" He questioned, applying pressure to the blade on the young man's cut.

He screamed in agony as he struggled to speak. " I- H-He said he went to–drop some money off to one of Bobby's workers!"
T-To give to him. Paying him so he can let Troy sell product in his spot at night." Elijah spat out, causing Curtis to remove the blade.

"Hm...So He can make money off my shit?"

The boy nodded. " Yeah...he claimed he wanted to make real money. That's the only reason he joined the Three Sixty... to finesse."

Curtis nodded as he sparked another roll to ease his nerves. He then blew the smoke in Elijah's face. " What about these bitches... Who are they?"