Chapter 3
“Don’t get it twisted, it’s hard to remember shit from so long ago, but you can never forget your first day in Juvy hall or forget the first day out of Juvy hall. I can’t forget my first time I got head and pussy, them things a nigga can never forget but my 13th birthday I’ll never forget, but I’m doing my best to remember my past and give it to you true life. After me shooting old boy, me, Kre and Wine just grind downtown off the rest of them vials. I done got mad new outfits, Champs, Tommy, Ice Berg and mad clothes. But the day of my birthday, August 5th, 98, I’ll never forget it, see why…”
Slap! Slap! “Yo, what the fuck son! Why you just slap me?” I said as I jumped out of my bed.
“Yo, Happy Birthday Lil Cuzo.” Kre stated.
“Yo, what time is it? I’m still fucked up from last night.”
“Yo, it’s like 11:00 a.m. John John. Get up so we can hit downtown up and ball for your b-day.” I got up, walked to the bathroom in the hall, and jumped in the shower. Five minutes later, I walked to me and Kre room to find something to wear. I put on my light blue Ice Berg shorts with my white and red Air Jordan’s with a white and red Ice Berg shirt with Bugs Bunny, my favorite shirt, and put on my red head band. I went to my shoe box, grabbed the .38, put that on my waist and grabbed like $300 and put that in my pocket. I walked down stairs and the first thing I smell is weed.
“Happy Birthday Lil Bro!” My sister Pooch said as she hugged me. I saw Ant, my sister boyfriend, playing the game with Wine. “Yo, Happy Birthday bad ass!” Ant said. I sat down next to Wine and gave him some dap while he passed me the blunt. I hit that shit three good times and tried to pass it to Ant but he say he good.
“Yo Wine where Kre at cause he about to get dealt with for slapping me.”
“That nigga went to get the dent puller from Al Weedy next door.” Wine told me.
“Yo John John I heard about you shot up Tori’s boyfriend Tim,” Ant said, while playing the game.
“Yo, fuck that nigga, he popped off on me son.”
“Yo, it is what it is but son a straight hard head, he got bodies out here so watch yours son, cause he got out the hospital today. His kidneys collapsed but I heard he good.”
“Lil Bro you need to fall back out there cause it ain’t nothing good in them streets.” Pooch said.
“I ain’t stressing over no nigga sis. Where Mom dukes at anyway? It’s my b-day and she can’t at least tell me Happy B-Day.”
“John John Mom’s been acting brand new since she met some new dude. She be with old head 24/7 and she talking wreckless about moving down south to Atlanta.”
“I ain’t going down south milking no cows. I’m good right in the hood,” as I put the blunt out on the table. Kre walked in and said, “Let’s be out.” I gave Ant some dap and hugged my sister. Then me, Kre and Wine walked out the front door.
“So what’s the move fam?” I asked Kre.
“We about to hit the parking lot of Pathmark and find a car to peel then ride downtown and hit the Arcade.” While we were walking down Hunterdon Street I was in deep thought about me never to hesitate about any beef. I need to get at him before he get at me, but fuck it. It’s my B-Day. I’ll holla at him in the a.m.
“Yo fam, what’s on ya mind?” Kre asked me.
“Shit. Just building.” Five minutes later we was walking in the parking lot of Pathmark. It took us ten minutes to find a ride. It was a dark green Jeep Grand Cherokee. Kre hit the window with the club, pushed the driver side window in, got in, and popped the doors open. I jumped in the passenger side while Wine still watched out for 5-0. Kre put the dent puller in the ignition pulled the ignition out and started the Jeep with the flat head. Then Wine jumped in the back and we pulled off like nothing happened.
“Yo, Wine what’s in the back?” I opened the arm rest up and first I saw a lot tapes, grabbed them, rolled the window down and threw them out and then I saw some type of bank bag. I started smiling as I opened it an saw a stack of clean 20’s.
“Bingo mothafucka,” I screamed as I started counting.
“Hell yeah,” Kre screamed all amped up.
“What you got?” said Wine.
“I got money baby, I got money!” After counting the money it was only a $1000. I kept $400, gave Wine $300, and gave Kre $300. They let me keep $400 since it was my b-day. So all together I got $700 on me riding down South Orange Ave towards downtown. Wine say all he see is a suitcase. I told him to go through that shit. Minutes later I hear Wine say, “Oh shit!” I turned around in my seat and see Wine holding what look like 2 pounds of gangsta weed. Damn we hit hard today. We pulled up by Branch Brook park and started searching the Jeep. As soon as I put my hand under the seat, I feel cold steel. I grab it and pull it out and it’s a chrome and black 380, a 7 shot. I threw it to Kre and he placed it on his waist. Since the park was downtown it only took us 10 minutes to walk to the Arcade off Maket Steet across from Penn Station. The Arcade was stupid packed. At the beeper stand in front of the Arcade, me, Kre and Wine bought beepers. I got a red one. We went in the Arcade and I got $20 worth of coins and just went crazy playing all types of games. Kre was trying to mack the shorty that worked there. The whole time, while looking at Kre in the front, I see some fine ass shorty walk in the front door with one other girl. Shorty is a slim red bone, but a nice lil ass and she showing them sexy toes. I got this mad stupid toe fetish. Don’t know why but I just love toes. Never sucked one yet but shorty can get it. The females walked towards the basketball shooting game. I jumped up to go mack to shorty.
“Yo excuse me boo, you too sexy. What’s ya name?” I asked her when I walked up. She started smiling and said, “Chelle” “Well look Chelle, it’s my birthday and best believe you are my official b-day gift.” I told her. “But they call me John John.”
“Happy Birthday. How old are you?” “I’m 13 but on my grown man, ya dig.”
“Oh is that right? I’m 15 but since you on ya grown man, then how about you take me and my friends across the street to Penn Station to buy us something to eat, and just maybe I’ll look out for your b-day tonight at my moms spot.”
“Yo, ya Mom’s ain’t gone trip about me being all up in her spot?”
“No, John John. She be too drunk to trip anyway but she cool.”
“Yo let me get my peoples then we out.” I ran over to Kre to tell him about the jump off. When I ran up on him he was in deep convo with the shorty that work there.
“Yo, Kre what’s good.” “Yo, step outside John John. Once Kre and I stepped outside, he stated that old girl live off 20th Ave. and she say Tori’s boyfriend got out the hospital this
morning and he crazy talking out the side of his neck. Kre said, “We need to handle that nigga first cause he hold weight out here.”.
“Fam I’m with it, let me go get Wine.” I ran back in the Arcade and walked up to Chelle. “Yo Chelle something just popped up. This my beeper number. Hit me when I can come through.” I pulled out my big knot and gave her $20 for her and her friends to get something to eat. Chelle gave me a kiss and said Happy Birthday again. Then I went to look for Wine but him and Kre was at the door waiting on me. We ran back to the park, hopped in the jeep and pulled off.
“Yo, we gone pull up on the corner of 20th Ave. and wait til I see this nigga and then I’m wetting him up, straight like that.”
“Stop by the store to get some 15-15 bags and a box of blunts.” We made a right off Market Street onto Broad Street and took it to Springfield Ave then went to 18th Ave. and pulled up at the green store. Kre hopped out to go get what we needed. I see Big Boo and a couple of nigga’s from the hood clocking in front of the green store, so I hopped out. “Yo Big Boo what’s hood homie?”
“Shit lil bad ass. Ya'll still peeling rides?”
“You know this.”
“Yo, my man wanted to holla at ya'll about some whips he need. He say he got a stack for each ride.”
“That sound official. I’m gone holla at my fam. This my beeper number.”
“Oh shit. You a baller now.” Boo said laughing.
“Nah. Just a young crack pusher.”
“I hear ya lil homie. I hear ya. I’m gone make sure my man hit you, bad Ass.” Boo said, while I jumped back in the jeep. Kre pulled off and gave me the blunts to twist up. I look in the back and see Wine sacking up the weed in the 15-15 bags. Five minutes later we pulling up at the corner of 20th Ave. We park and I look across the street and see Tori braiding Tim’s hair on TeeTee’s front stoop and I see some other nigga sitting next to Tim. Never seen dude before. “Yo, as soon as dude slip up we on his ass.” We smoked and passed the blunt back and forth until it was gone. “Yo, how many baggies you bagged up Wine?” I said while bagging some weed up too.
“Shit, 50.”
It got dark and this nigga still sitting down getting his head braided. Right when I was ready to give up I see Tim get up to walk across the street to the corner store. I jump in the back seat behind Kre. “Yo Kre, when he come out, pull up on him and I’m gone catch his ass before he cross the street. But pull up so he can be on our side and give me your 380.” Kre handed me the 380. I rolled my window down and leaned back to wait. No lie my blood was pumping but I was ready. This gonna get me mad respect. Minutes later I see Tim coming out of the store. Slowly Kre pulled off. I braced myself. Tim was in the middle of the street. He was trying to be so cool that he ain’t even know it’s about to pop off. When we pulled up behind him while he was still crossing the street, I leaned out of the window with both guns aimed at his back. I heard Tori scream but I started popping off. Boom! Pow! Boom! Pow! Boom! Pow! I straight rocked him to sleep as Tim fell and started to shake. Kre pulled off quickly. In my head I just knew Tim was dead. I saw his neck open up.
“Yo John John you crazy as fuck. I love you son.” Kre stated just as my beeper was going off.
“Yo pull up at the green store on 18th so I can get us the pay phone to call shorty.” Ten minutes later I jump out the Jeep in front of the green store, got some change, and called Chelle.
“Hello.”
“Yo Chelle, this John John. What’s hood?”
“My moms and I owe you a birthday gift so please come over.”
“Where you stay shorty?”
“In Lil Brick Projects in East Orange.”
“Ok. Say no more.”
“Wait, John John, the 5th floor apartment 5J. I’ll buzz you in.”
“Yo John John hurry up! This Jeep hot!” Kre said. “We just gone dump this Jeep in the hood.” Kre pulled off from the store and headed towards East Orange. I pulled the 380 out my pocket, and placed it under the seat and kept the .38 on my waist..
“John John don’t you think you need to bury them bangers.” Wine said. “Since old boy might be sleep forever.”
“Yo fuck that. We just violated the whole 20th Ave. You think I’m gone get caught slippin without mine? Fuck no son. I’m gone keep this .38 on my hip like it’s a part of me.” I told Wine.
“Word life. I’m smelling that so pass me that 380.” Kre said turning off Seymour Ave. I reached under my seat, grabbed the 380, popped the clip out and seen it only had 3 in the clip and one in the chamber.
“Yo Kre we need more bullets son.” I told him.
“I’m gone holla at Al Weedy.” He said. I popped the clip in and gave the 380 to Kre. He took it and put it on his hip and said, “Can’t leave home without it.” As he patted his waist where the gun was. “Yo, what’s good with shorty? I hope she got a friend over at her spot.”
“Yeah. Her friend was official but we need to lay low out of the city anyway and she say her old bird ain’t gone trip.” I told him.
“I hope shorty got something to eat over that bitch cause I’m hungry as hell.” Wine said from the back seat.
“That’s real son cause my ribs touching.” I said. Ten minutes later we were pulling up in Lil Brick Projects. We park the Jeep in the back of the building. Kre got out and grabbed his backpack with the dent puller. He told Wine to give him the rest of the weed and put it in his backpack. “Now let’s whip this whole Jeep down.” After five minutes of whip down shit was good. We walk around the building and saw like 6 nigga’s rolling down c-low on the front stoop, as soon as we walk up the stairs to the building. I guess one nigga was ready to kick some fake tough shit. “Yo, what’s good son. Where ya’ll nigga’s from?” Old boy asked us.
“Yo son fall back. We just here to go smash a jumpoff. Nothing more. Nothing less. But we from New Community.” Kre said. I stood there quiet with my hand on my banger. “We good fam or what?”
“Yo ya’ll good. Nigga’s just be on some bullshit lately.” We walk to the front door but the shit was already open so we ain’t have to get buzzed in. We hit the stairs since her apartment was on the 5th floor. We walked in front of 5J and I knocked on the door. Shortly Chelle opened the door in just an all white tank top showing her sexy ass thighs with some cartoon socks. My dick already was beefin up.
“Damn John John you said 20 minutes not 50.” She said while stepping to the side to let us in.
“Yo shorty, I know you ain’t clocking my time. At least I made it so fall back.” I said while eyeing her sexy ass friend on the couch. But Kre already peeped the move and sat next to her friend on the couch. “Yo Chelle this my big cousin Kre and this my mans Wine.”
“Well ya’ll I’m Chelle and this my best friend Pooh.” But Pooh and Kre were already macking.
“Yo Chelle ya’ll got something to eat?” Asked Wine.
“Yo Chelle just give him a phone and address and we gone order some pizza.” I said. She gave Wine the address, a phone, and a phonebook and then she grabbed my hand and walked me to her room. Her room was small but shorty keep her shit right. Winnie the Pooh covers, pictures of Biggie Smalls everywhere. I sat on her bed and pulled my .38 and put it on her dresser, took my shoes off and grabbed Chelle by her waist and pulled her to me. I started kissing her stomach as I lifted up her tank top. Her red thong had me tweeking.
“John John you really be on ya grown man shit,” Chelle said. “They ain’t playing with them guns John John.”
“Chelle, I’d rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.” I said in between kissing her stomach. Chelle pulled off her tank top looking stupid sexy in her thong. Her breasts were just right. I pulled her to lay her on her bed and I started taking off my clothes. While I was taking my boxers off, Chelle was taking off her thong with one hand and playing with her pussy with the other hand. I sat at the end of the bed stroking my dick while eyeing Chelle. “Come here John John I need you bad as fuck” Chelle said. I never ate pussy before but I always thought it was easy. I grabbed her feet, took her socks off, and started sucking each toe while I played with her pussy. Chelle was moaning mad hard. I started licking up Chelle leg until I got to her inside thigh. I kissed each thigh and then stuck my mouth on her pussy and just started sucking and licking. Chelle moaned until she said she can’t take it no more. I started kissing up her body until I got at her mouth. She took my beef and placed it in her wet pussy. Yo you know I went for broke in that pussy. I just did what I seen on flicks and Chelle was ripping my back up. I banged her back until I busted a nut or dog water but I know I bust something in her. When I bust I just fell right next to her on the bed. “Chelle can you pass me my shorts off the floor?” After she handed me my shorts I pulled out a 15-15 dime bag of weed. I had about 20, 15-15 bags from what I bagged up off the weed we found in the Jeep. I took a Dutch out my pocket and started to twist up.
“John John you got a girlfriend?” Chelle asked me.
“Nah boo. I’m too deep in them streets for a shorty right now.” I said while twisting up my blunt.
“You’re only 13 John John. You can’t be too deep in them streets.”
“Chelle look, shorty my mom does nothing for me. Don’t buy me food, don’t even see how I’m living. All she care about is self. My two older sisters just do them. They play nigga’s for money. So that only leave me and my cousin Kre. He stay with us cause his moms in prison and his pops would sell him for a slab of crack, so me and Kre had to step up for ourselves to make sure we eat. The only love we getting is street love, and on the real Chelle I’m good with that, cause no matter how my family act, I’ll never give up on myself. Today is my birthday and I ain’t even heard from my mom, so if she is going to do her, then it’s a must I do me.” I explained to Chelle.
“ John John that’s real, but give me a chance to be by your side. I know I’m only 15, but I’m a lady too. My mom stays drunk all day and talk shit but she showed me how to be a lady. Chelle said.
“Ok boo enough with the emotional shit. Take the blunt to the stove and fire up.” I said giving Chelle the blunt. She put her tank top on and left the room. When she left, I was still in deep thinking about my life and loyalty. Loyalty is Everything and I’m gone make sure I stick to that code even when I’m 50 years old, if I make it to 21. Chelle came back in fucking my thoughts up with the blunt hanging from her lips. Damn, Chelle do look like a gangsta ass bitch.
“John John, when I went to the kitchen, I saw Kre banging Pooh back out on the couch.” Chelle said smiling.
“Yo, what the fuck was Wine doing at the time?” Taking the blunt and hittin it like two times.
“Just on the couch looking sad.”
“That’s some bullshit boo.” I said, while passing her the blunt. That blunt had me to wavey. That gangsta weed was official. Can’t wait to hit the block with them 15-15 Dime bags, this shit official.
“John John, are you pushing this weed?” Chelle asked me jumping back in the bed.
“You know it” I said smiling. Chelle started rubbing my leg and then grabbed my dick and started stroking it. I closed my eyes and felt like a young man. Chelle started sucking the head of my dick, the weed had her head game to the max. Then I hear my beeper go off on the floor, ain’t but two people had my number, Chelle and Big Boo, so it got to be Big Boo, so its about money.
“Yo Chelle chill, let me see ya phone?” I said while grabbing my beeper. Chelle started smacking her lips but getting the phone at the same time. I put the blunt out on the dresser. Chelle passed me the phone and I dial the number on my beeper. After 5 rings;
“Yo what’s good?”
“Yo, dis John John somebody beeped me?”
“Yo dis Big Boo lil bad ass but check it, I heard about what happened on 20th Ave. by my homies from 19th Ave. but you need to lay low cuz the police got 20th and 19th Ave. on lock, your name and Wine’s name popped up some how but just lay low lil Homie.”
“Yo, good looking Big Boo”
“And John John, the nigga Tim ain’t dead. I heard he might be paralyzed from the neck down.”
“FUCK”, I yelled. “Yo, I’ll holla later Big Boo but I’m good. Just tell ya man we ready with some cars when he need them.”
“Yo, Tone got his own car body shop so dude be busy, but I’m gone holla at him son.”
“Alright. One.” I hung up, put my boxers and shorts on, and went to tell Kre and Wine what Big Boo just told me.
“Yo, how is this nigga still living, who he work for, Jesus or some shit?” Kre said heated. I just sat in deep thought.
“Man fuck all that. Why my name pop up and I didn’t even do shit.” Wine said looking scared. First, I shot him the cool killer look, but place it in my mind to watch that nigga. We sent Chelle and Pooh to Chelle’s room so we could talk. Five minutes later some older lady came through the front door. As soon as she seen us in the living room, she spazzed out.
“Who the fuck are ya’ll and where the fuck is my daughter?” At the same time Chelle came in there to holla at her mom. Mom Dukes fell back after she seen Chelle was good. I explained to mom’s that we need to lay low for a couple of days. I gave her $200 and Kre gave her $200 to use her car to go get us some clothes. For the next week we kick it at Chelles’ spot, and me and Chelle grew mad close and her mom’s (Moma Dee) was mad cool and she smoke. Me and Kre set up shop in Chelle front building, the 15-15 dime bags were selling like crack.
