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“Bubbles, you almost got everybody killed the last time. I need some money, but I’m not trying to die for it.”

“Me either. That’s why I came up with a different plan. We can hit a gas station. One that be lit all day. You know they got some good coins in the safe.”

“Bitch, you went from robbing a trap to robbing somebody who sells hot dogs and scratch offs.”

“Girl, shut the fuck up.” We both laughed hard.

“I’m trying to avoid anybody putting a price on our heads. This is the smartest way to do it. So, what you thinking?”

“First, we need to figure out which one would benefit us the most. We don’t need to be out here on a robbing spree until we find the right place.”

“Exactly. Juanita always said, ‘Do it right, or do it twice.’” We started naming gas stations that could work. We narrowed it down to the two that got the most action, and then which one would leave us less exposed. We needed to be in and out. A clear drive off into the sunset.

“So, this the one?”

“Looks like it. So that we aren’t linked to the hot car, I’ll have Peanut go grab us one right before the lick. We can sit there and watch to make sure everything good, and he can meet us there. I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Leave your phone at home, Taffy. I’m leaving mine here too. We don’t need nothing putting us anywhere near that area.”

“Bitch, I know. See you tomorrow.” I hugged her and left out. This had to work. I got in the car, nervous but ready. This was what I did. So, now it was time for me to do what I did best.

Anton “Tax” Hodges

I was sitting in the passenger seat of Key’s car, wondering why the hell I hadn’t heard from Bubbles yet. I’m sure she received her notice, so I expected my plan to start taking effect. This girl was making this more difficult than it had to be, but I was persistent. We could do this all day every day, and I wouldn’t break a sweat. I had the money and resources to be as petty as I wanted, for as long as I wanted. Thinking of something else, I turned toward Key.

“I should have you drop her credit score. How is she going to get approved for an apartment if her shit a four hundred? Bet her ass stops being stubborn then.” Key ass didn’t respond, so I kept talking. “Matter of fact, make that shit three hundred. I don’t know if she needs good credit for section eight, and they might fuck around and let her ass slide in there.” I laughed, but noticed Key still didn’t react. Normally, this nigga would be talking shit and dragging me for filth. Instead, he kept his eyes on the road. “Key.” He barely glanced over.

“I heard you.”

“I know you heard me. I’m asking why the fuck you not saying shit? You good?”

“You tweaking,” he said with nothing further. Key been my nigga for years. I could read him just like he could read me. He wasn’t quiet because he didn’t have nothing to say. Key was trying to avoid saying something he might regret, and that’s what bothered me. In order for Key to not want to say it, it had to be big. I racked my brain trying to think of what it could be when I noticed we were in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I was under the impression he was taking me back to my truck.

“Where the fuck we going?” He made another turn without saying anything. This time, I turned all the way toward him. “Key, what’s up?”

“I know you thought you was being petty when you bought that building. Shit was funny because you thought you were forcing her back to you.” I was confused on how he was mad at what I did. He knew everything beforehand, and his ass was the reason I was able to pull it off.

“Okay. Sounds like a solid plan to me.” I shrugged, trying to see where he was going with this. It didn’t get lost on me either that he never answered when I asked where we were going. I continued to watch our surroundings as I waited for him to get to the point.

“Yeah, well, instead of pushing her to your house, you pushed her back to the streets. Now, she out here hustling for money, exactly where the police want her.” I was definitely confused. Key gave me shit about Bubbles at every turn. Now he was upset because my plan worked exactly how WE planned.

“Nigga, what the fuck are you talking about?” He pulled into a parking lot across from a building and backed into a space.

“You told me to find you a reason. So, I did.” Reaching in his backseat, Key grabbed his laptop and opened it up. He went to a file and hit play.

“What is this?”

“Just watch.” Peanut was sitting at a table when two officers walked in, handing him some food and a pop. I scoffed. Everybody knew what that meant.

“So, you’re going to cooperate, right?” one of the officers asked.

“I told yall I was. I just don’t want to get in trouble for her shit. I was there, but like I said, I didn’t know that’s what she was going to do.” This nigga!

“You still ain’t gave us shit we could use. We don’t give a fuck about the money stole from the trap. We know yall were running away from something when you hit the police car. Did yall kill Fats? Is that why you were running?”

“I don’t know shit about that.” He was telling the truth because that was me.

“Then you have nothing for us. Charge him.” The officer stood when Peanut stopped him.

“What if I could get her to admit to what happened? She was the one that handled that. I can even get her to do something else.” Peanut was a bitch ass nigga. He started telling them everything he knew, and the crazy part was he didn’t lie. This was the same story Bubbles had told me. What pissed me off was him not having common sense enough to know they couldn’t hold him on any of this shit. If he had stayed silent, his dumb ass would have walked.