Page 27 of The Ninth

Micah: Hold on, here she is.

“K3 said take this phone and talk to him since you cut your phones off. And if you don’t, he told me to take her,” he pointed behind me.

All three of them gasped. “TAKE WHO?!” they yelled in unison.

I looked back, dying laughing. Kenzie thought the shit was funny. Devyn was scared, realizing how looney this nigga was. Tatianna was scared because she knew he meant her.

“Chill! On my granny, I’m not talking to that fuck nigga and you ain’t taking shit in here.”

Not a smile nor giggle came on Micah’s face. He tilted his head to the side, signaling that he’s going to do what he have to. I snatched the phone, going to shut the door when he put his foot in to stop it.

“I gotta do a sweep.”

“Fuck you, Micah! Wait until I tell Piper what he got yo ass doing!”

He pushed in anyways, checking the house for niggas.

I sighed, unmuting the FaceTime call as the door shut. All the humor and shock left me just hearing the noise of the jail behind him. My chest clenched tightly.

K3: Turn the camera on, Cassandra.

After standing motionless for a moment, I clicked on the app, turning it on.

It’s been a few days since I’ve seen his face. I have a phone just for his FaceTime’s. A flip phone for when he calls me from jail. And then his flip phone calls go to my main number. But since his phone died, I haven’t seen him. The moment we made “eye contact” I fell to the ground, crying my heart out.

Me: Fuck you, Kenzo! Why the fuck you do that to me? You got me out here lookin like a fucking goofy while this bop ass bitch going around the city speaking on my nigga!

K3: Cassandra, baby. I can’t see you cry like this. I’m sorry that shits being spread around about me. The last thing I want is to make a girl so beautiful look stupid. Please allow me to get out and speak to you. Don’t be out there listening to that shit and letting it affect you. Niggas was just running around saying I was broke a couple of weeks ago. Look at my baby. Do she look like I’m broke? Micah. MICAH!

Micah rounded the corner

Micah: What’s the word.

K3: Pick my baby up off that floor, folks.

Against my fucking will, this nigga picked me up with one hand. My scarf slid off. My eyelashes were wet and in clumps. The blonde hair stuck to my face. I looked at him.

This high yella mothafucka. Full beard. Rust brown locs down his back that matched the color of his facial hair. Hazel eyes that showed sympathy and regret. A beautiful ass face that was interrupted by one thing...the name Cassie tatted above his left eyebrow. God took his time with Kenzo. Looking at his ass just made me even more sick thinking about a bitch with her hands on him.

Me: You don’t lie to me, Kenzo. You’ve never lied. I asked you to merch it, and you didn’t answer me. Because you’re not a liar.

K3: I’ve never lied to you and I’m never going to. You snapped so easily because this has already been sitting on your heart and you didn’t tell me. Just please allow me to come home. Allow me to speak to you face to face, whether the shit true or not. Because no matter what I say, Crybaby, I’m not in your possession right now. So I can merch and put it on my brother but none of that matter. You’re still going to drive yourself crazy over it. I’ve promised you my life, Crybaby. Please just trust me. I want to speak to you and then show you who I belong to. There’s nothing more I can do right now. I can guarantee you any female guards in here running they dick suckas will be transferred up out this hoe. You have my word, Cassandra.

It happened. Deep inside, I know it did. Because if it didn’t, he would’ve told me no. But what the fuck am I supposed to do? He’s in jail. He’s not in my possession like he said. He could tell me until he’s blue in the face he didn’t and a piece of me still would be upset, believing he did. I can’t even fact check my sources.

In the midst of all of this....I felt like a hypocrite. And you know what...I don’t give a fuck. I can acknowledge my wrong while still being hurt by his. But for my sanity and his...I’m dropping it until he’s home.

K3: Tell me what’s on your mind....

I realized he was watching me compute all of this shit. I sighed.

Me: I’m happy to see your face, Papa. You look better every time I see you. For me...I just need space for right now. I gotta get this sadness off of me. I gotta shake back personally before I can talk to you for hours, professing my love and shit.

K3: I’ll give you space, Cassie. You know Daddy’s heart is with you.

Me: I know.

K3: Tell me you love me, Cassandra.