She Used to Be the Sweetest Girl(7)

“Whatever. Them thug niggas be the ones to turn yo ass out. You need a thug in ya life,” Carissa rapped, imitating Tupac.

“Girl, gone. I’m perfectly fine by myself,” Brix said. It was somewhat the truth. After Drew up and left her, she had honestly given up on relationships and the whole love thing. She figured if she met someone, cool, she’d give it a try. Until then, she was going to remain focused on her.

Later on that evening, pulling into the driveway, Brix sat in her car a few minutes before going inside. She looked toward the night sky and spoke to her daddy.

“Hey, old man. How’s it going up there?” she asked, smiling. “I miss you so much daddy. Things aren’t the same without you here. Mommy is not the same, and the house just feels empty,” she said before taking a deep breath. The last thing she wanted to do was start crying. “That’s the main reason why I haven’t dated. No man can compare to you. I wish you had stayed around for a little while longer. You know, to give these men an example of how your baby girl should be treated. I know you’re in a better place though, so I can’t complain. I love you and I pray you continue to watch over me and Mommy,” she finished, then turned off the car and headed inside.

Mrs. Carla was taking her seat back on the couch when Brix opened the door. She knew what her daughter was outside doing; she didn’t even need to ask. Both of their worlds had changed dramatically over the last two years, but they kept their faith and stayed strong.

“Hey ma,” Brix spoke.

“Hey baby. How was lunch with Carissa?”

“Interesting as always. Did you know that Shemel guy is a rapper or whatever?”

“Tamika has mentioned it to me. I didn’t know for sure though. Why you ask that?”

“Rissa said he’s well known. Just wondering why I've never heard of him,” Brix said, really thinking. Sure, she listened to some rap music, but she didn’t think she was that out of the loop to not know who he was.

“You're asking the wrong person. I'm about to head on to bed though. I have to be up early for church tomorrow," she said, standing up.

"Can you wake me up to go with you?" Brix asked.

"I will, but don’t get all grumpy cause you don’t feel like getting up," Mrs. Carla said, laughing.

"I won’t, I promise. Goodnight, see you in the morning."

The duo parted ways and called it a night. Well, Mrs. Carla did anyway. Brix was up on YouTube and SoundCloud, listening to "Young Mel" as they called him. Nodding her head to the beat as she chilled in bed, she said aloud, "Maybe I should step out of my comfort zone. What's the worst that could happen?"



* * * * *



“Aye, run that back for me real quick,” Mel told the producer.

It was Sunday morning, 11 am to be exact, and he was in his zone. After leaving his niece’s birthday party, he came straight to the studio to prepare for a show he had coming up. He was laying the last verse down of a collaboration he was working on, and was ready to call it a night, well morning in his case. After being up for forty-eight hours straight, he was dead tired, and knew he needed to get some rest. That’s what comes with this lifestyle, sleepless nights. The producer ran the track back and he started going in.

“Cause I been grinding just to make a way, praying for them better days

Niggas don’t wanna hustle, but they always want a second plate

Got my mama up off uh section 8, man y’all shoulda seen her face

I hustle for this money shit, and you niggas always come in second place

Rest in peace to my hittas in the dirt and shout out to my niggas doing time

Wish I could bring my folks home cause they why I’m on my grind

We ain’t looking for no handouts, homie you’ll get clapped out

Sleeping on my team uh make a nigga really sleep his thoughts out

Bitch you see the Rolly on my wrist watch, them diamonds going tick tock

Hell a freeze over if I ever let my wrist flop

Stacking money in my spare time, ya bitch be on my main line

But I don’t even fuck her though, unless she at least uh 9

I woulda said a 10, but these bitches be fake as hell

Want a nigga to wife ‘em up, but the only thing I trust is my scale

Moving quiet through the back streets gripping on this fat heat

I only roll with killas and they posted in the backseat

Never gotta say much, I let my money speak for me

Most you niggas hate me, but y’all baby mamas adooore me”





He said that and all his people broke out in laughter. It was the truth though. The ladies loved them some Shemel Wright. Standing at 6’4, with smooth brown skin the color of a Reese’s cup, and long dreads that hung to the middle of his back, he wasn’t hurting at all in the looks department. What really won women over was his charm and ambition. No matter where he went or what he was doing, people flocked to him. At first, he thought it was because of who his family is, but when he started rapping and promoting his music, his fan base quickly grew. He figured with the way things were looking, he might as well branch off and take this rap shit seriously. A hustle is one thing, but when you are downright talented, you can’t help but to accept your gift.