Free Powder Blu by Brandi Johnson Page A

what it is.”
    Budz expression became serious. “Where you gon’ go?” he asked, concerned.
    I shook my head, unsure. “I don’t got nowhere to go. I guess to the shelter,” I replied.
    â€œNaw, sis, you ain’t goin’ to no shelter. You can come stay wit’ me ’til you find someplace to go. I’ll be damned if I let my nigga’s little sista go stay at a muthafuckin’ shelter,” Budz protested. “You know how nasty them places are?”
    I was so happy Budz wanted me to come live with him I could barely contain myself. I didn’t want to show it in front of him so I kept my happiness under wraps. I shook my head no. I had never been to one. Unlike Budz, when he was younger him and his mother stayed in and out of them.
    â€œLook, go take yo’ bags to my car and wait for me. I’m ’bouta run up here and handle some business with Miguel and I’ll be back,” Budz said, handing me the keys to his car.
    â€œOkay,” I said, while taking the keys from his hand. I waited on him to get on the elevator before breaking out into the running man with one of the biggest smiles on my face. I was finally about to get my chance to be with the man of my dreams and I wasn’t about to let anyone get in the way of that.
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    Moving into Budz’s house wasn’t all what I thought it was gon’ be. I slept in his guest room while he was fucking every thot he could across the hall in his bedroom. If I would have known it was gon’ be like this, I would have gone on to the shelter. I tried everything I could to try to get Budz to notice me. I would walk around the house in nothing but my boy shorts and a wife beater. I even walked around in just a towel after getting out of the shower and he still wouldn’t make an advance at me. I started feeling like something was wrong with me, but the more I looked at the hoes he brought home from the clubs, I knew better.
    One night I lay in the bed in a pair of thongs and cutoff halter watching TV when I heard Budz come in to the house. I didn’t hear any bitch giggling so I knew he was alone. He gently knocked on my bedroom door. I gapped my legs slightly before telling him to come in.
    â€œYou ’sleep?’ he asked, walking in.
    I could tell his eyes were glued to my pouch. He smiled and quickly looked me in my face.
    â€œNaw, wassup?” I asked, sitting up.
    Budz walked over to the bed and sat down next to me. “We need to talk.”
    Finally, I thought. He must have realized that I was all the woman he needed. “About what?” I asked, hoping I was right.
    â€œLook, they not gon’ keep postponin’ my court date. Eventually I’m gon’ have to go to court and they gon’ sentence me to about six months, maybe nine, at the most.”
    I sat quietly and took in Budz’s every word.
    â€œAnd I’m gon’ need somebody I can trust to help run my business while I’m locked down.”
    â€œWhy me? How come you don’t ask none of them thots you be fuckin’ to help run yo’ business? How come Frenchie can’t help you?” I said sounding like a jealous child.
    Budz laughed, sensing my jealousy. “Because, I don’t trust none of them hoes, that’s why I didn’t ask them. And plus, I know you can handle it. I’ve had my eyes and ears on you since I been home and I can tell you got this dope game down packed. Yo’ momma taught you well.”
    Just hearing him mention my no-good momma made my skin crawl. “Well if you don’t trust this Frenchie chick, then why you got her name all tattooed all on yo’ neck and shit?”
    â€œLook, Frenchie is a part of my past that I don’t wanna talk about. We talkin’ about me trustin’ you, not Frenchie,” Budz said.
    â€œYeah, well why you trust me so much? I did rob my own momma,” I wondered.
    â€œTrue, but see