Page 102 of The Ninth

“Nah. Neva that.”

She smiled softly as we all sat back down. Tatianna was acting awkward and I could tell MacKenzie noticed. I haven’t spoken to her pretty much at all and I don’t know if Cassie has been tapping in. I didn’t want to be here for the conversation. To relive it.

As Cassie talked to K3, I just took in everything. The big, spacious apartment. Pretty and pristine furniture. Three pretty ass girls I can call friends. In risk of sounding like a broken record, I’m just glad to be back here and safe. Me and Duke feel better now than we have before. Everything has worked out.

K3: Kenzie, I’m glad you back, folks. You the only one that’s not a liar.

Me: Uh....?

K3: Anyways, Cassandra had an alarm go off this morning on the phone. Never heard this woman use an alarm in my life; we talk every morning. I said she got an alarm set to sneak a nigga out. What nigga she sneaking out?!

Kenzie: Cassie?! Another nigga?! Nahhhh! That toilet hooch getting to you.

All of us including K3 laughed.

Cassie: I keep trying to explain but he won’t let me!

K3: Ain’t no explanations! And Kenzie, please don’t end up on the list with Daya and Tatianna.

Me: It’s Devyn.

Cassie: There is an explanation! It’s for my birth control, goofy! I ain’t sneaking no nigga out!

Cassie and I both laughed. I quickly stopped once Tatianna and Kenzie’s faces dropped. Kenzo also did not laugh.

The apartment fell silent as Cassie smiled, laughing and in love. Her dark skin glossy. Signature blonde hair falling perfectly around her face. She was gorgeous and never had a bad moment. That’s why it was shocking to see the horror on her face.

“Cass...” Tatianna whispered.

K3: Oh, for real? G, when you get on birth control? We been together for seven years and you’ve never mentioned that shit once. I know for a fact you wasn’t on any before I got buckled. What, you out there letting niggas raw my pussy? HUH, CASSANDRA?!

Cassie: Ken-Kenzo. Why are you yelling at me? That’s not true! Women are on birth control for a lot of reasons that aren’t pregnancy related.

She looked at us, desperately. Although her point was valid, the fear in her voice did little to help. And they were on FaceTime. Just looking at her, it was clear she was lying.

Me: I’m not sexually active, but I’m on birth control to lighten my periods.

Kenzie: Yeah, I’m on birth control to help with PCOS.

K3: Cassandra. How many niggas you fucking? How bad you done fucked off on me, huh? Them nights where you told me you couldn’t talk, you was in another nigga’s bed?

Cassie: Kenzo...

Tati: K3, SHUT THE FUCK UP! YOU MAKING ASSUMPTIONS! SHE AIN’T NEVA SAID NO SHIT LIKE THAT, GOOFY.

K3: NAH, FUCK THAT!

He barked through the phone. The four of us jumped.

K3: Y’all don’t know me and my shorty, so I’m not tryna hear none of that! This woman calls me every doctor’s appointment. Sends me every single test result. We sit and plan when her iron is low. I send my brotha to the crib with special groceries to make sure my baby is healthy. Cassandra tells me every time her period starts and when it ends. I don’t even ask shorty to, that’s just how we are. I can name off every single vitamin she takes daily. So if she does all that, what fucking reason would she have to leave out the birth control? Huh? You asked me to come home from jail and put my fucking seed in your stomach, so why the fuck wouldn’t you mention birth control? Yo goofy ass was going to stop taking the shit by the time I got out. You got me bent, shorty. On my dead peoples and yours. There’s never been one reason for you to not hold me down and you know I fucking love you. IF I FIND OUT YOU FUCKING OFF? IT’S GON BE A MOTHAFUCKING PROBLEM, ON MY DEAD BROTHER’S HEAD, FOE! I DON’T WANT TO SPEAK TO YO ASS AT ALL, SHORTY. I’LL SEE YOU FACE TO FACE IN A FEW DAYS. ON ME.

BOOP! BOOP! BOOP!

We watched as Cassie stood from the couch. If the situation wasn’t so crazy, I would mention how fire she looks!

Every time I see her, I remember I’m supposed to be working out. Her chest fell quickly as I looked at the gray Alo top. Stomach flat with abs, waist gone and everything below it thick. I knew she wasn’t in the mood, though. And there was nothing that could lighten this situation. Yeah K3 was assuming, but it’s the fact he was assuming correctly.

“What he mean he’ll see her face to face in a few days?! He gon kill a guard and switch outfits, ain’t he!” Kenzie whispered. It shocked me to see that she was dead serious.