Free Black & Ugly as Ever by T. Styles Page B

now.
    Trust me, she’s not the same person we use to know.” “I don’t want to believe that.” I told her getting into the
passenger seat of Dayshawn’s black Acura. Dayshawn parked
and let me talk to her knowing when I was done, I’d be right back
out there looking for my friend. “All she needs is love. If you
were sick wouldn’t you want somebody to be there for you?” Silence.
“You care about her more than me!”
“What?” I asked not sure if I heard her correctly. “I said you care about her more than me!”
“That’s not fair!”
“Well that’s how it seems!” she cried. “I’m getting married and you not even here for me. You steady runnin’ around town tryin’ to find Daffany’s-fuckin’-fiend ass! What about me?
Huh?”
“Parade, please,” I shook my head and looked up. “That
girl is alone out here!”
“Oh so now I’m Parade!” she sobbed. “I ain’t got nobody
either! Remember that while you outside at night chasin’ zombies!”
When she ended the call I fell back in my car seat. I can’t
believe this chile is doing this to me right now. Mentally I can’t
deal! She know I love her more than anything but I love Miss
Daffany too. I think she’s taking her problems out on me because
although she’s getting married, she’s not happy. I was so pissed I
almost didn’t even feel like looking for Miss Daffany anymore. I
was done.
“Excuse me? Ya’ll lookin’ for Daffany the Dopehead?” a
little boy said approaching my car window.
I looked at Dayshawn and back at him. Did God answer
my prayers so soon? It hurt to hear the name he gave her but I
was relieved he knew who she was.
“Yes, honey?” I looked him over. He had to be about
twelve years old. “You know where she is?”
“Yeah…she be at the Smokehouse. It’s around da corner.
I can take you dere for some money.”
“Uh…sure, honey.” I reached into my purse. “Take it!
Just get in and show us the way.”
“You sure about this?” Dayshawn asked unlocking the
door for the kid to get in.
“What you think?” I responded.
He sighed and pulled off. After a few minutes of driving
we arrived at a large group of houses. They looked run down and
dilapidated.
“Dere the house right there?” He pointed to the worst looking one of all. It was green and most of the windows were
shattered. “Ya’ll can let me out here.”
“Hey, you don’t want to wait for us to take you home?” I
asked, realizing it was too late to have somebody’s child out on
the street looking for dope heads.
“I ain’t got no home.” He said, as he jumped out of the
car and ran down the street.
We watched him disappear into the night and felt pity.
Had I had more time, I would’ve grabbed his little ass and
demanded that he let us take him somewhere. But I had neither
the time nor the patience.
“Wait right here.” I told Dayshawn preparing to exit the
car.
“I don’t like this, baby.” He said grabbing my arm. “Can’t
we come back during daytime?”
“No! I might lose her if we wait.” I snatched away from
him.
“Please be careful. And if she don’t want to come, don’t
force her.” He yelled.
“I’m not leaving out of there without her.” I told him as I
unbuckled my seat belt and moved toward the run down house. When I got behind the old green house I saw a bordered
up door. It didn’t appear as if anybody could come in and out of
it so, I figured there had to be another way. When I looked down
I saw a dark hole with steps leading within it. That’s must be how
they got inside.
The smell hit me the moment I took the first step. But my
love for Miss Daffany pushed me forward. If Miss Parade was
gonna give up on her she’d have to live with it but I wasn’t. The
moment my foot hit the last step water splashed inside my tennis
shoes causing it to make a squishy noise when I walked. It was
disgusting and I hated being wet. I could only pray it was musty
old water and not piss. The moment I entered the house somebody