"Yo Mike"

Michael's whole entire mood had changed just by seeing that same sinister smile. Keith could sense that his friend was tense, which made him straighten up his stance. Keith was the true definition of a real friend and he wouldn't hesitate to have his friend's back.

"What's up Slim" Michael called out to the man walking up to them.

Slim's muscular built frame came closer into Michael's view. His pecan colored skin was covered in tattoos like graffiti, except for his face. His piercing brown eyes stared straight into Michael's eyes. Those the same eyes he would never forget as he was thrown in the back of the police car years ago.

It was 13 years ago when Michael was just 16. Slim, John, Carter, and Michael was in the car but unbeknownst to Michael, his former best friend Slim had a firearm in the car and at least 5 pounds of cocaine and marijuana. Slim had convinced him to take the fall for drugs that were discovered in Slim's car. Michael was the youngest and the one without a record so it made sense to frame him because he wouldn't get that much time. But they tried to pin the gun on him as well, which came with another charge of murder because the bullets in the gun matched the bullets that were found at a crime scene earlier that week.

Michael ended up spending almost 10 years of his life behind bars for Slim. But he is thankful that his prints weren't found on the gun and nobody could place him at the scene of the crime.

Spending so much time behind bars, he had promised himself and to his mother Katherine to make a change so he never has to end up back there again. While in prison, he earned his GED, learned a trade while in there, and even earned a degree in business management. He read many books and truly educated himself. Once he was out, he managed to work at one of his father's many auto body shops. Michael in a short time proved himself to his father that he was trustworthy and hardworking. Thus, his father made him the owner of this shop and the few others he had spread throughout the city.

One would look at Michael and would never tell what he has gone through, but Slim knew about all the issues he had caused and he could care less. In his eyes Michael owed him.

"Damn boy, I ain't seen yo ass in years. How you been?" Slim smiled.

Michael cut his eyes at Slim, looking him up and down. He knew he wanted something, it had been years since he had seen him. He knew news in the neighborhood spread fast so Slim knew about Michael's release but he chose now to link with him.

Why? Is all Michael thought.

"I've been good man, blessed. I can't complain" Mike commented.

"I can tell" Slim looked around the massive lot. "I heard your ol' boy gave you ownership, congrats bruh"

"He gave me nothing, I worked" Michael spit.

Mike and Slim seemed to be eyeing each other up and down. There was so much tension and unresolved shit but the two spoke no words. Michael was waiting on Slim's next move, he was ready to face him. He spent years thinking about what he would say to Slim and now was his moment.

The two had been staring at each other so hard, they completely forgot Keith was standing there. Keith stood right by Michael's side, giving this Slim character a look of disapproval.

"Look man, cut the shit. I know you want something just tell me what you came here for?" Michael crossed his arms.

Slim chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Damn Mike, I thought we was homies. Can't a nigga just check on his boy?" Slim grinned.

"A homie can, but you? Nahh. I been out here for the longest and you just now coming round here. Whatchu want Slim?"

Slim put his hands up in defense. "Ight man, I need to talk with chu in private" Slim looked at Keith.

Michael and Keith stood there, giving Slim the once over. Keith knew nothing of Slim and Michael's past history but he didn't like Slim. Not one bit.

"You good Mike?" Keith asked.

"Damn, you his bodyguard or something cuz?" Slim laughed.

"Mike, you good man?" Keith ignored Slim.

"I'm good bruh, I'll hit you up later" Michael clapped Keith up.

As Keith left, he gave Slim one final look. He pulled off in his car, leaving Slim and Michael in the parking lot with the hustle and bustle of his business ringing in the background. Michael begin tapping on his phone, being uninterested.

"Ight man, make it quick. I have to get back to work" Michael said impatiently.

"Damn nigga, you act like you don't know nobody no more. You a businessman now so you think you better than me" Slim stepped up.

Not one to back down, Michael stepped up to him too. Slim being the taller one looked down at Michael as he looked up at his friend turned enemy.

Slim broke eye contact by laughing. Michael rolled his eyes, Slim couldn't be serious if it saved his life. He took everything for a joke, including Michael's life.

"I'm playing man, you still my boy" Slim commented.

"Slim man, what did you come here for?" Michael was growing more impatient.

Slim sucked his teeth. "Alright man, I need to run some money through your business"

Michael held a look of disgust and adamantly shook his head. "No man, that's not going to happen"

"Mike man please help me out, the feds is about to come down on a nigga and I need somewhere to clean this money"

"Man you got heat coming down on you and you thought the bright idea was to come here? Hell no Slim! I'm not getting sucked back in" Michael protested.

"Ohhh, so you do think you better than everyone else"

"I don't think I'm better than anyone man, but I'm better than this shit! I spent what was supposed to be the best years of my life behind bars off some shit I didn't even do" Michael grew angry.

"I'm not doing that shit no more man, I'm out. That's not my bag anymore" Michael finished.

"That's not your bag? Was it your bag when you got my brother killed?" Slim brought up.

Michael immediately felt guilty as he thought about one of his best friend's in the world, Rodney.

"Exactly nigga you owe me" Slim noticed the look on his face.

"I don't owe you nothing" Michael said through his teeth.

"Says who? Nigga, that was my brother!" Slim gestured.

"And he was my friend! I was more of a brother than you were! If it wasn't for you, he wouldn't have been there!" Michael yelled.

"Whatcha say nigga?" Slim stepped up.

Michael stood his ground. "You heard me" Michael replied.

Slim was outnumbered, everyone that worked for Michael was now eyeing him and standing to the side, waiting on their boss' command. Slim chuckled and brushed Michael's shirt off.

"My fault bruh, no issue" he beamed.

'Scary ass' Michael thought.

Mike shook his head, he was done with Slim.

"I'm saying Mike help me out" Slim pleaded.

"I did, I did my time! I took the rap and lost time I'll never see again!" Michael got closer to Slim.

"You got my brother killed" Slim said through gritted teeth.

"Nigga you got him killed! He was trying to protect me!" Michael reasoned.

"Exactly, you owe me that much, for Rodney"

"Bruh I'm out of that life, now getcho' ass on man. For real" Michael stared at his face.

Slim eyed Michael again before smirking.

"Alright man" Slim begin to back up. "Don't forget nigga, I won't be sparing you anymore" Slim said.

He got into his all black 2020 Mercedes G wagon.

"WATCH YO BACK MIKE!" Slim yelled out the window.

Michael watched as he sped down the street.

He shook his head. He knew Slim came here for a reason, but he didn't think he would have the audacity to ask him for that shit. Especially after everything Michael had done for him.

He knew this wouldn't be the last time he saw Slim, he never forgot shit. But what Slim didn't know was that Michael was ready.

~

Later that night

Tayler was cooking and tidying up her apartment.

"Love will be right here, be right here. Right here" she sang to the SWV classic.

She swayed her hips and bobbed her head as she stirred the home-made gumbo. She tasted it and immediately thought about Big Daddy's recipe. He truly taught her everything, including how to cook. Peaches couldn't cook for shit. She laughed at her mom's many attempts at making food which ended up being burned or undercooked, which she was subjected to eat when Big Daddy wasn't around.

She shook her head laughing. She thought about how Peaches have been calling her the past few days. She made a mental note to call her soon. She just didn't feel like being bothered with her parents, sometimes she truly wanted to be left alone to have a clear mind. Sometimes family could be a constant reminder of what you need to be doing and make you feel bad about where you are in life.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She looked at the door's direction puzzled.

She knew Natalie was working and she always called before she stopped by. Santana had another date, which is typical. Besides them she fucked with no one else. Her thoughts immediately went to Michael, she didn't know why but it did. She smiled to herself, but it quickly disappeared.

"What the hell is wrong with me?"

The knock came again, but more aggressive.

"Oh hell no" she fast walked to the door. "HOLD ON" she yelled.

She peeked through the peephole and saw nothing but flowers.

Michael she thought.

She ran her hands through her hair and straightened up her clothes. She opened the door and saw no one other than her ex, Slim.

"Damn shorty, what took you so long?" He smiled.

Her gaze shifted to drank in his features. The former love of her life sat in front of her. His smile was still bright and was complimented by his deep dimples. In contrast to his smile, his smooth skin was still hershey kissed. His large hands clutched the flowers, the same hands that used to stroke her skin so lovingly. She looked over his body, he added more tattoos to the plethora he already had. His hair was still well-groomed and waves were on swim.

He still looked good.

"Corey, what are you doing here?" She leaned on the door with her arms crossed.

"You not happy to see me?" He leaned in for a hug.

The young girl in her was pleased to see him. After all these years, he still made her heart beat fast.

"UH UH!" She raised her hand up and pushed his face. "Whatcha doing here? And who told you where I lived?" She questioned.

"Damn ain't shit changed" He chuckled.

"I can say the same for you. You still think you can just run me"

"Nahh baby girl, you know I wouldn't do the love of my life like that"

"Love of your life?" She laughed.

"Yeah man, stop playing with me. I brought you some flowers" He handed them to her.

He remembered her favorite, white roses.

"Nahh I don't want them" She challenged.

"Oh you must got a nigga. That's why you acting like that"

"And if I did" she rolled her eyes.

"Bruh stop playing with me" he laughed.

"You always gone be mine and you know that. I don't care who you with" He licked his lips.

She sucked her teeth.

"You look good Boujie" He commented.

"Real good. Got them little ass shorts on, you bet not have no nigga"

He tried to walk up in her house and she grabbed him.

"Uh uh, you don't pay no bills up in there. Get back" she protested.

"Oh so you do? You got it smelling all good in here and you looking good, got the music playing"

"Corey, what you doing here? For real cause I'm about to slam the door in your face"

"Damn yo ass still mean" He smiled.

"I'm not being mean. How the hell you show up 5 years later at my doorstep like you just went to work this morning and came back today. I ain't seen you since you left and now you here"

"You know what?" She added. "Let me hush cause right about now it sounds like I care, and I truly don't"

"Come on now Boujie, you know you still love me" He smiled.

"I did Corey, but you left me"

"But Tay you know I had the heat coming down on me, I couldn't stay here"

"Yeah but you don't just leave Corey! You literally just up and left. No call, no text, no warning, no nothing! You really sent your bum ass homeboys to check on me. You left me like I meant nothing to you"

"You know that ain't true, I left to protect you!"

"Protect me? I didn't need any protection! I've been protected damn near my whole life" she said referring to Big Daddy.

"I didn't need protection, I just needed you"

Her voice begin to crack. Slim was the constant reminder of nothing good last forever and the ones who say they love you, they just leave.

She folded her arms and shifted her gaze down to avoid his eyes. She wasn't in love with Slim anymore, in fact she had gotten past him. But he still managed to have this hold on her. It didn't help that he was her first. Slim was a breath of fresh air. She was so used to the wanna be gangster ass niggas that her father tried to set her up with. Slim was on everything these boys wanted to be on, he was a boss, he was a man's man. He commanded respect everywhere he went, and she loved that. He protected her just like Big Daddy did for Peaches, even though she didn't need it. Nobody messed with Slim's girl.

It's true when they say girls end up with their fathers because Slim was exactly what Big Daddy was for Peaches. A sanctuary, he seen her for who she was, he loved her.

Tayler did everything for Corey, of course she wasn't involved in that life because her father would kill her and Corey would never put her in harm's way. She gave him something he never had, she gave him stability. She could relate to him like no other chick, she was accustomed to the lifestyle so she was used to living on edge and she knew what came with the territory. Unlike the other chicks, that lifestyle excited them. They wanted the ballers, and the thugs, but they didn't know what came with that. But she never had to pretend, and he liked that.

He cupped her face in his large hand, and with the other he stroked her cheek.

"No Corey" she protested.

"Shhh" he whispered in her ear.

She closed her eyes and relaxed in his embraced, it had been so long since she had been held. Slim's familiarity calmed her down and took her to a place of nostalgia that relaxed her soul. His energy was unmatched, and she couldn't deny that they still had chemistry because her body still reacted to his touch.

"Now you know I don't want to see you cry girl. You know this life, you know I had to leave. I couldn't risk them finding you and taking you in. I would never jeopardize you"

"I can handle myself, you know that" she looked in his almond eyes.

"I know you can but you were my woman, I didn't  want to put you in that situation. It's my job as a man to protect you. Besides, you was off in school and doing your thing. You didn't need me around fucking that up for you Bou. I knew what you had been through and I ain't want to be another fucked up memory for you" He stared in her eyes.

"Too late for that" she commented.

"I know and I want to make it up to you. How about we start over and I take you out"

She pursed her lips. "I'm good"

"Look I ain't trying to get at chu, I know you probably got a man. But for real let's just link up, not on some funny but on some friendship shit. You can have friends right?" He suggested.

She tried hard to fight off the smile that was forming, but he always had a way of making her laugh. She giggled and nodded.

"I can't stand you. Yeah we can do something this week possibly. I'll let you know"

"Say less" he hugged her one more time.

"I'm finna get out of here shorty, but I just wanted to bring you these and let you know your man is back in town so tell these other lame niggas to fall back"

She laughed at his silliness. He embraced her one more time and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. It's been a long time since she had any intimacy with any man, so she gladly accepted the affection and the attention from Slim. She couldn't wait to see him again, she missed having that in her life and at this point it had been so long she doesn't care who the love came from, not even Slim.

"Hey, you don't want to come inside for some food. It's some of your favorite, my gumbo" she suggested.

"Oh you trying to keep a nigga" He chuckled.

"Please" She poked her lip out.

He threw his head back in a fit of laughter, he knew he could never resist her charm.

"Alright, alright. Just for a little bit and that's it"

"Stop acting like you don't want to eat my cooking"

"I can name something else I want to eat, and it damn sure ain't got shit to do with your cooking" He said as he walked into her apartment.

She slapped his arm. "Stop being so damn nasty!" She joked.

She closed the door behind them as they both stepped into her place.

As she closed the door, Michael's heart sunk into his chest. Right now he was really confused on who this girl was and how the hell does somebody like her, know somebody like Slim. He didn't mean to ease drop but once he saw Slim approach her door, he had to listen to this shit. He wanted to stay one step ahead, especially after the warning Slim gave him earlier.

Now he didn't want to apologize to her, but now he wanted to warn her about the type of man she was dealing with.

Now he was concerned for her.

But just like Tayler, he didn't know why.

"Damn, why she invited that nigga inside?" He asked out loud.

~
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Y'all eat some good food and enjoy yourself s.

COMMENT & VOTE!