Page 36 of The Ninth

The bar was jumping. Kenzie nor Devyn peeped the shit that just went down. And good. I don’t want Devyn nowhere near them two mothafuckas. Kenzie and Tati know what’s up.

I shook that off, stepping between two seemingly rich niggas at the bar.

“Niggas don’t buy drinks no more?!” I put one of my arms on each of their shoulders. They both looked my body up and down and then at each other. Got em.

“Get shorty whatever the hell she want!” the nigga with the curly fro said.

“Tequila!” I winked to Kenzie.

I stood between them, holding conversations with the both of them. Kenzie was giving me shot after shot after shot. Of course they were all water. That didn’t stop me from grabbing onto their arms and shirts as if I couldn’t stand. These niggas were actually taking shots of liquor. I could tell they thought they was going to come up off me.

“Damn, how many was that?” I slurred.

“Girl, you took thirteen to the head!” Kenzie laughed.

“I’m done. Y’all wanna get a section?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” the one with short locs slurred. “How much for her tequila shots?”

Kenzie typed on the register, “That’ll be seven thousand, four hundred and seventy five.”

“DAMN!” they both laughed.

“Yeah!” Kenzie chuckled. “They’re Classe Azul, premium. She’s expensive.”

Curly fro looked nervous. Short dreads pulled a stack out of his pocket. Peeling it. We get to keep every single dime since the water is free.

“Might as well make it ten to tip my girl good,” I said in locs’ ear. Curly fro ain’t getting another word from me. Locs did as he was told.

I sent them niggas up to the section. Ran the same play on them with Tatianna, Came back down, running the same play with Kenzie four more times.

Huhhhh! I love these hoes. Meanwhile, Devyn looked like SpongeBob, happy to be working and in the moment.

“You done, Champ?” Kenzie asked, handing me an actual shot.

“Fuck yeah! I’m ready for the throwbacks!”

On cue, I’m From Chicago by DJ PJ came on. Kenzie handed me my done-for-the-night t-shirt from behind the bar. I slid it on, immediately hopping up there. Devyn was hyping me up, thinking I was gonna bend over and shake my ass. Nah, shorty! I held my hair in one hand before hitting the nastiest footwork.

“HEYYYYYYY! I’M FROM THE GOOOO!” Tati yelled, running up with a jacket and shorts on. Me and my bitch didn’t have to work all night. We hit the nastiest licks and now having a ball for Throwback Night.

I pulled my sista up on the bar with me. We tore that mothafucka up! DJ PJ transitioned to the Chicago Juke Slide. Every single move was hit while I held the cup in my right hand and not a drop was spilled! Niggas was acting out; the strippers was juking instead of stripping. A ball was being had!

Out West Freak by YdotGtot came on. As two out west princesses, me and Tatianna abandoned the footwork altogether. Our heads hit the counter as we tossed our asses in the air in circles. Money started showering all over the bar, majority landing behind it. I stuck my hand back, smacking my bitch shit as it swung in circles like it was gone fall off her damn body.

“DAMNNNNN!” A nigga yelled to the top of his lungs.

Move by Mellow Buckz, Bounce and Break Yo Back by DJ Spin, Freak Hoe by Speaker Knockerz, Eenie Meenie Juke by King Juwan, Fiesta by Sicko Mode, DLOW Shuffle, plus Live and Die in Chicago by King Louie had us on the FLOOOO. Niggas took they jeans off and just danced and sang in shorts and beaters. When Lit by GMAC came on, Tati cracked up laughing. She know this my shit!

I smiled, yelling, “WHAT HE SAYYYYYYY! LIL BITCH YOU LIT HUH?!”

Once Phone Boomin by Chief Keef came on, I promised Tati this was the last song we dancing to. Looking out over the club, watching every single person but Liv and Devyn hit the dance we all knew too well... I seen flashes of myself at block parties. Just drinking, vibing, and having fun to cover up the death of my parents.

The song ended. We hopped down, exhausted. Acapella by Young Pappy came on. Tati and I went bar for bar as niggas got drug out the club for getting too turnt and acting goofy. We were snatching up our money and snatching it quick, stuffing it into the bag. Once I felt how heavy it was, I looked up at the three of them from my squatted position and smiled.

I set a mission for tonight, and it was overly accomplished. No niggas, no problem. Just The Ninth with my bitches. We love The Ninth!

Chapter 8: Ben-d, Don’t Break