Miego smiled at his sister, knowing exactly what she meant. “Why you worried about that shit? I’m good, and I ain't hurting for shit. You need something?” He was curious about why she wanted to know if he was putting in work again.
“I want a lot of shit, but I don't need anything. I’m asking because I know you. You can't go from running things to doing nothing. It's all you’ve ever done, and I know you hate being here. I love you and everything, but your ass be using up all the hot water.”
“Man, fuck you, Yanna. That’s you with them damn playlists and shit you listen to for hours at a time while you in the got damn shower.”
Yanna burst out laughing. It was partially true, she had a playlist just for her shower routine, and it was kinda long. Not hours long, but long enough. “Shut up. I like my music, but for real, though. Just don't tell her your moves. I don't trust her, and she don't need to know what you’re up to, whenever you decide to be up to it again.” Yanna gave her brother a stern look before she focused on the TV again.
“I’m out, I’ll see y’all in a minute,” Miego said just as he looked up at his mother, who was coming his way again.
“Don’t forget, Tron is expecting you to be there tonight,” she reminded him again like he hadn't heard her the first ten times she’d mentioned it.
“I’ll be there, Ma, I promise.” He kissed his mother on the cheek one last time before he moved to the door.
Miego jogged down the stairs instead of taking the pissy ass elevator that had him praying for his life every time the doors closed. He passed two junkies and a corner boy who were making a deal before he pushed through the broken metal door to exit the back of the building.
After he hollered at a few of the neighborhood regulars, he made it to Kia’s building. Again, he opted for the stairs, and when he reached the fifth floor, he made his way to the end of the hall and knocked on Kia’s apartment door.
“Damn, what took you so long?” she asked after she pulled the door open, barely laid eyes on him, and then strutted down the hall wearing only a pair of yoga shorts and a sports bra.
Miego closed and locked the door, then looked around her apartment, which was full of shit that he had paid for at some point. Not much had changed, and it wasn’t going to change. Nakia had no motivation to work for anything. Her whole mindset was centered around the ‘what can you do for me?’ point of view. Miego found it funny how that never really mattered to him before because he always gave so freely as long as Kia was always down for him. But now that had changed, which had basically changed his whole perspective on everything, Nakia included. He was slowly starting to realize that she had never really been down with him, and instead had been down for what he could do for her. He would be sure to never make that mistake again, with her or anyone else.
“Damn, Kia, you just called me like an hour ago. That ain't shit. Why you stressing me, shorty?”
Once he reached Kia’s bedroom, he found her sitting Indian style in the center of her bed rolling up. Whatever she had was strong as hell because he could smell it from the hallway before he even entered her room.
“Hell, Miego, you should have had your ass here the second after I hung up. It ain't like you got shit else to do.” Kia rolled her eyes before he pulled his hoodie over his head and tossed it on the dresser.
He stepped out of his Timbs and sat on the corner of the bed. Looking around, he tried to ignore the dumb shit she was saying. All he wanted was a quick nut, and her mouth wasn't helping him stay motivated to be there long enough for that to happen.
“You can chill with that funky ass attitude. Don't worry about what the fuck I do, I still ain't on your dime, so don’t be clocking my fucking moves.”
Miego laid back on her bed and inhaled the scent of the kush Kia was rolling. He wanted to puff bad as hell, but he knew that he had to take a piss test in a few days with his parole officer. The last thing he needed was some bullshit to jump off because of testing positive.
Kia laughed sarcastically before she fired up. “I clock what the fuck I want to, Miego. You’re mine, and it's always gon’ be that way. Hell, you need to be glad that I’m even fucking with your broke ass. Shit, it's plenty of niggas out there that will pay good money for what I have to offer. Trust me.”
“You know don't you, hoe ass?” he mumbled under his breath.
Miego lifted his forearm from his face and looked up at Kia. He chuckled at the fact that she thought he was broke. He had money, he just wasn't about to give it to her trifling ass. She wasn't paying him any attention as she inhaled deeply and released a cloud of smoke. She had a serious look on her face like she was irritated about something. In that moment, he couldn't figure out why he was even there. Besides the fact that she was familiar to him, there wasn't shit there and he knew it.