Upcoming series 2022

The Godfreys (repost)

Summer of 1993 in Atlanta

The banging on the front door startled me as Janice Brown stood up to look out the window of her mama’s bedroom.

“I know you in there Janice! Open the fucking door!”

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

She could hear the rage coming from Frank as she looked back at her young daughter who sat on the edge of the bed, dark brown eyes and thick head of hair sprawled about. Sammy looked every bit like her teenage mother and thankfully, nothing like her irate father.

“YOU FINNA MAKE ME RUN UP IN HERE! I TOLD YOU NOT TO FUCK WITH ME!” Frank screamed. “I TOLD YOU! I WARNED YOU!”

“Mommy?” Sammy whimpered. Janice quickly put her hand over Samantha’s mouth before gathering her up in her arms and rushing to the closet stuffed with shoes, dresses and pants suits her mother wore for church every Sunday.

“Don’t open this door, don’t make a sound, don’t open your eyes until I say it's okay, you hear me?” Janice warned as her daughter nodded. She could see the tears budding in the lower part of her eyes as Janice closed the door shut. “Not a word Sammy.”

“Mmmkay,” her daughter quipped.

Just then, the sound of glass breaking from the back kitchen caused Janice to run out of the bedroom and directly into the massive chest of Lucas Godfrey. High yellow pale skin with dark brown hair. Brown eyes that were shot to shit and a grip on her arm that made her holler out in protest.

This was her baby’s father's brother. Frank and Lucas Godfrey. The most notorious, most violent men known to this neighborhood, maybe even the country and somehow, she found herself caught in love with one of them. They were the pretty boys every girl in school wanted to be with, and every nigga wanted to collect money with. No matter where they went, you knew they meant business, and they meant trouble.

Frank stormed through the busted back door, knocking plates and glasses down on the floor as Lucas shoved Janice to the floor. He stood over her while she kicked and screamed, keeping the hallway blocked because she knew what Frank was after. Their daughter. He was going to kill her. Their daughter was the painful evidence that he slept with Janice who was a few years too young for him. One look towards the bedroom in a desperate attempt to make sure her daughter didn’t come out, and he knew. He stepped over her as she began to kick and scream at Lucas. She clawed her away across the carpet, screaming for Frank to leave their daughter alone just as the bedroom door cracked open. There stood the little toddler peeking through the door with tears as Frank clicked the safety off his gun.

Everything happened in a split second from the sound of someone screaming her name from outside, asking if I needed help to, Lucas shouting out to his brother. Janice managed to get up and charge Frank who aimed the gun towards their daughter as her body jerked forward. Hot pain from the burner pierced through her chest and out of her back as the very last thing she saw was her daughter’s eyes. She had her small hands covering her ears, horrified as she looked up at her father with the gun aimed directly at her mother.

The carpet beneath Janice’s face slowly began to fade as their footsteps brushed past her, almost knocking into her body in panic before they ran out the back door of the house.

Long story less long, the two brothers were never charged. Neighbors in the area kept hush, fearing the same fate, even the one that knocked on the door who suddenly screamed at the sound of a gunshot. Police weren’t called until the mother, Cynthia Brown showed up with her only child laying in a pool of her own blood, forever staining the carpet.

The daughter was the only witness to her mother’s death and she remembered nothing. She didn’t remember the man who aimed the gun at her mother nor that he was her father.

The Grandmother of course knew. Cynthia made it known that she knew it was Frank Godfrey that killed her daughter but the more she talked, the more she put her only granddaughter in danger until a second and third attempt was made on the child’s life. Enough fear was put into Cynthia to make her decide it was time to get up out the hoods of Southwest Atlanta, and into the suburbs of Alpharetta. Trust no one, not even the sorry ass police that did nothing. There was never any evidence of the Godfrey brothers ever being in the house, not that police searched anyway. More than likely, they were on payroll with the Godfreys.

Trust no one and watch everybody, Samantha Brown,” Cynthia would say to her granddaughter.

It was an unspoken rule to never speak of Janice again and when asked how she died, the daughter was told and believed it to be a fatal car accident. Who would want to remember something so heinous?

With the past forgotten, Frank Godfrey went on to have two other daughters and became one of the most well-known businessmen in the entertainment and music industry. The record label Mood Music Mafia was the biggest label in the south and the Godfrey brothers became one of the wealthiest men in the country. They were considered Atlanta’s royalty. It was easy with murder swept underneath the streets and corners of the hoods. Your only witness having no memory, and an endless amount of money and bribery to feed the greedy cops.

As far as that said daughter that was tucked away in the closet with a blocked memory, she grew up to be something serious. More like dope as hell…

This is the story of how I, Samantha Brown, first born to Frank Joseph Godfrey, and the only witness to my mother’s murder, eventually became the daughter of Atlanta. Unknowingly taking the city over by storm, and turning it completely upside down.

It all started when I accidentally found out who my father was. It happened on a night where one of the biggest parties was going down, and just by chance, I met my youngest sister, Lyric Godfrey.

Chapter 1. Alice in Wonderland.

“Are you sure this is going to work Taina?” I whispered from the side. Tugging at my off the shoulder red dress and heels, I gripped a clump of my thick afro to push up to get myself together. I was forced not to wear my glasses but lost my only set of contacts so every step I took felt like a challenge for the blind and helpless.

“It works like a charm, every time,” Taina said with a pop of her gum. Now Taina Morales was built for this.

She and I, been best friends since high school, and although she wasn’t much to look at back then, with her newly reconstructed body, jet black Mayan roots hair, her Spanish flare and thick pouty lips, she knew she could get her foot into any door with a simple look and a papi.

“I’m telling yall, they won’t let me in because I’m a man, simple as that,” Nori said as he closed the car door behind him. He stood towering over the small Nissan, adjusting his dress shirt and flexing his wrist with the watch as I nodded in approval. Nori Hillston was an ex-college pro athlete, top of his class, epitome of a fine black, well-kept man. The trimmed beard that hugged his face, perfect brown complexion, sitting between dark and light and a row of pretty teeth that made women smile. He was just incredibility gay as well, but he knew how to switch when needed. Most men knew not to step to him because of his size but as soon as he opened his mouth, it was all fluff and full sweetness which was the best part of his personality.

“You look fine. They’ll let you in if you’re with a couple of girls, just watch,” Taina assured us as we stood on the edge of the busy street. Downtown Atlanta was buzzing tonight with the music from the club just across the way, we could see the row of fancy cars, flashes from the camera and crowds standing around for one of the biggest parties of the summer, and the summer was just beginning!

“I’m just too old to be sneaking into some damn club, but this is what you wanted. Your birthday,” I sighed. All priorities just went out the window. I was on the verge of losing my job and could barely pay my bills on time to keep my apartment. Last thing I wanted to do was to sneak into a club full of Atlanta’s supposed finest to support and feed their egos.

“We won’t be sneaking in, just watch and follow me,” she said. Taina gripped her long hair and pulled it down her chest as she began to cross the intersection. I tipped in my heels, following behind her, trying not to wince at the pain.

God, I hated heels even at my big age of 29 but here I am, click clacking across the busy street in a too tight dress, and sucking in my stomach so it didn’t stick out further than my backside.

“Mamacita in the front!” someone yelled. “You know you working that dress, baby! You beautiful, Queen!” The headlights began to flash for Taina who secretly thrived off black attention despite not being black as she waved and swayed her hips even further.

“I’m telling you guys, I can feel it tonight. We're going to have a life changing night,” she said before hollering, “that was our sign! This is it!”

“Yeah, I bet,” I murmured, looking back at Nori with a roll of my eyes. He covered his mouth in hushed laughter as we crossed over to the sidewalk and made our way down to the packed parking lot.

“My friend said she made it in just before the big security came out so we may still have a chance,” Taina said. She hurried down the hilly parking lot as Nori immediately took my hand to help me down until we were surrounded by the social influencers of our time. Girls who had hair glued to their scalps, not a single baby hair out of place to suspect Hermes bags of all size shapes and colors. Bodysuits, jewelry, heels and even the men had phones in their face as they showed off their diamond pieces and grills. Taina was already turning heads as she surveyed the crowd, looking down at everyone like this was her party but I could see the line that wrapped around the brick building. I could see the hopefuls and men standing against the wall anxiously waiting.

“Chile, what happened to laying in the bed, watching Netflix with a bottle and some wings?” Nori whispered as I quietly shoved him in the arm with a laugh.

“This is her birthday, let her choose how she wants to spend it. Either way, I’m getting drunk as planned.”

“Ya feel me?” he said as we tickled our fingers together in agreement.

“Everybody move out the way! Move out the fucking way!”

I never understood the black hip hop fame in Atlanta until that night when I watched one of the biggest rap stars step out of the car. Young Royal had dreads halfway down his back with silver and gold rings on each finger. A large chain in the shape of a crown, and was covering his face with double Styrofoam cups in his hand. He reached back to take the hand of a pretty light skinned girl with hazel eyes, wearing next to nothing. She had jet black hair slicked back with gel swirls for edges, processed lips and body, she smiled as the cameras were immediately stuck in her face for exposure.

She was Krystal Godfrey. I remember Taina putting me on to her page recently and following her rich lifestyle. She’s been born privileged from the start, her and her sister, Lyric. To see the couple walking, I even found myself pulling out my phone to record.

“I can’t believe I’m actually falling for this!” I laughed over the loud crowd as everyone clamored to get a good shot of the celebrities. It was almost to the point where I was being shoved and my phone almost slipped out of my hand until Nori held on to my arm for balance.

The entire musical family was known and it was apparent when their father, Frank Godfrey stepped out with his people, cool as can be and aging like fine wine. He had his shades on, fresh cut with dark curls low to his scalp. He could easily pass for a brother to his own daughters. He took the hand of his long-time wife Nina Godfrey, mother of their two daughters. Identical to her daughters in every way from the complexion, the light brown eyes, to the sculpted bodies and face. He, and the rest of his people pushed past the crowds with everyone fighting to get a glimpse at the music royals. Only one missing was the youngest, Lyric Godfrey.

“Yall make sure yall go download that album and stream it tonight! Mood Music Mafia for Life! Issa a movie out’chea!” Frank yelled out before being ushered into the building.

“We gotta go in, now!” Taina yelled. “Now! Come on before they close the door!”

“Wait, what?!”

The sudden crowd began to squeeze at the entrance of the door as Taina made her way to the front with her hand gripping my arm to keep me close. Nori was able to push his way through with no problem but just as we felt the heat of the packed club blowing back at us from weed to alcohol, we were blocked by bodies all fighting at once to the point where it was becoming aggressive.

“I’m too old for this!” I screamed, elbowing someone who had a grip of my dress while I felt another press down on my foot. Taina managed to slip through, almost dragging me through the doorway until a big bodied man stood in front of us, blocking the entrance with his chest alone.

“Aye! Everybody get the fuck back! We’re already filled to capacity! If you ain’t in here, you just ain’t in here!” he yelled before looking down at me and my arm connected to Taina. “I said move!”

“You don’t have to yell! I’m right here!” I bucked, standing toe to toe with him. I couldn’t see how he looked behind the shades, but the grizzly beard and stench of alcohol on his breath combined with the typical Macy's fragrance was more than enough for me to curl my nose.

“My friend is already inside! She’s literally trying to pull me inside with her! She was invited!”

“I don’t give a fuc–––”

“She’s right there!” I argued, hoping to cause a big enough scene to just to be let in.

“I said I don’t care! MOVE!”

“What you’re not gonna do is disrespect me!” I hollered. “You’re nothing but some wanna be bodyguard, lemme guess? Just got out of prison? You were just on the streets? Somebody gave you this job? Hmmm?” I pestered, peering my eyes at him. “Your sole purpose in life is to protect another man, look at you!” I spat angrily as I looked him up and down. I could tell he was triggered by the way his mouth tightened, but I didn’t care. I had a rough week, a rough life, and the one time I want to drink and dance my worries away, this man felt the need to stand in my way. “How sad! How sad and lonely you must be to wake up and your life is centered around another grown ass man!”

I felt Taina’s hand let me go as I looked over his shoulder in panic, screaming out for her.

“Taina?! Are you serious!? Are you for real?!”

“Aye, yall come on, we need a few more girls in here,” the guard suddenly said as he stepped aside. As if it was done on purpose to match the sneery gaze he gave me. I started to walk through when his arm side swiped me against the wall and pinned me back. Even Nori was allowed in as I watched the entire line of women enter the club until I was left standing alone in the parking lot by myself with cars and stragglers asking for change. As soon as I heard the crowd scream, I knew it was a concert going on with someone on the stage but the petty guard continued his stance as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared me down.

“That’s why your lips are blistering,” I snapped. Of course, I couldn’t think of anything better to say besides insulting a man’s lips. Why am I looking at that in the first place? “Chapped and cracked as fuck. Who you been sucking off, huh? Huh? Must be nobody important if you only worked your way up to guarding a club door.”

He didn’t budge. The dark shades hid his eyes so I couldn’t read him for filth like in the movies but I had time. He started chewing on his gum, chomping down in front of me like a woman with an attitude as I groaned with a stomp of my heel.

“Damn it! Why won’t you let me in? It’s not safe for me to be out here by myself,” I suddenly pleaded.

He continued to casually chew on his gum. I backed up and looked up at the building, wondering if there were any windows, briefly imagining myself scaling the wall like Spiderman in heels.

“You won’t ever be allowed inside as long as I’m here,” he stated through his chewing, “so forget about it.”

“And nobody asked you,” I retorted only to realize I just asked this man why he wouldn’t let me in. Nice one Sam. Even the look on his face through the shades knew that my retort was stupid. “Look, I apologize for what I said earlier. It's been a long week,” sighing, deciding to take a different approach, “I’ve been stressed at work. This night was supposed to celebrate my friend’s birthday and be an outlet for me since I don’t get out much, and…”

My words trailed off as he pulled out his phone to text, not once listening or paying any attention to me. His demeanor told me he couldn’t careless and he was only out here to irritate me since his ego was hurt. Well mission accomplished.

“Shouldn’t you be picking up behind another grown man? Following his every move?” I snapped suddenly.

“Nah, I’m too busy checking for birds at the door,” he clapped back as my mouth dropped.

“Birds?! Excuse me?!”

“Cah-cawh,” he let out with a dry tone before laughing. I ran up on him, thinking I could push my way through by shoving him but he just used his arm to side wipe me again against the wall, this time with my back hitting the corner of the door with a thud. “FOR THE LAST TIME, I SAID NO! Don’t get hurt fucking with me baby girl.”

“I’m not your baby girl, I’m a grown ass woman–––”

“And you acting like this,” he huffed as he shifted his weight, letting me go as he stared me down again in the shades, “take yo ass home.”

My phone suddenly went off as I dug into my clutch to glance at the screen. Nori was telling me he was going to find a backdoor to let me through and to hold off. I smiled before shoving the phone back in my purse and began to pace in front of officer petty.

“I got all night,” he said.

“Me too,” I challenged with a shrug.

“Birds don’t sleep huh?”

“Not when bitch ass men are wide awake, they don’t,” I countered back as he laughed. “Your boss don’t need you?”

“I am the boss.”

“And you,” I cackled, pinching my nostrils like something was stank, “Believe that? Whew, the confidence. Picking up behind another grown man, but calling yourself a boss. I mean, I guess,” I popped with a playful tone as I continued to pace back and forth in front of him. I knew he was watching my every move, I could just feel his eyes dragging from side to side while he worked on his gum.

“I tell you what,” he suggested, southern accent suddenly peeked through his words, “I can get you inside for an apology and something else.”

I stopped pacing as I stared at him, waiting for a further explanation. I could tell he was about to run the same tired lines he’s said to countless amount of women.

“I can get you up close with family, all the label heads, the rappers, the singers...everyone you can think of is inside and under my watch...I grew up with Frank Godfrey. He’s like a father figure to me. Whatever I say I want to happen, he’ll make it happen. He can make it happen. I can get you in with our section if you do something for me. This is how girls get put on. You got a talent? You can sing or dance? You model?”

“I work at Macys,” I replied dryly. “That’s my talent.”

“So you ain’t about shit, even better. You can make twice as much if you sign to the label, just do a lil something for me and I can get you in.”

“Aye, J?!” someone called out as he turned his head to look inside the club, “Frank needs you, now. They’re about to do a walk through.”

“Aight.”

“J?” I questioned as he glanced at his phone for the last time.

“Last chance before I close this door,” he said with a smile, “you can apologize to me in the back of my car or at the nearest hotel and the world is yours. I’m your way in for a better life. Especially here in Atlanta. You can go far in this city if you know the right people. I’ll make it a night you won’t ever forget if you fuck with me.”

I smiled. Something in his statement told me he probably wasn’t lying but I didn’t care. I walked right up to him, looking directly into his eyes through the shades, seeing the marble balls staring right back at me.

“The bar must be set in hell if you think? I’m gonna stoop that low to sleep with you. I have standards, okay? I don’t care if you shit gold and piss winning lottery tickets, I’m not sleeping with the help just to get drunk for a night. I don’t even care about the people or being famous. I just wanted a night of forgetting my own problems.”

He shrugged coolly.

“Aight, well take you and your standards the fuck on home then. Better luck next time,” he let out before the red and gold embroidered door slammed shut in my face.

The police sirens going off in the distance reminded me of just how alone I was outside as I pulled out my phone to see if Nori texted back, and so far, nothing.

“Ughhh!” I groaned, looking up at the night sky. A single plane flew over with the blinking red and blue lights flashing on the wings. “Grandma, if you’re up there watching me make a fool of myself instead of getting my life together, you could throw me a lifeline or two…”

I continued to stare up as I slowly turned on my heels with my back facing the night life of the club. Closing my eyes, I tried to imagine what my grandmother would say. Only family I had left before she passed. She was all about spirits and connecting with your loved ones and ancestors.

You need to connect with your mother, Samantha Brown...She’s up there watching your every move and keeping a prayer over your head.

“If that’s the case, why am I literally the unluckiest woman in Atlanta?” I complained, opening one eye to peek at the sky, wishing my grandmother was here. “I’m on the verge of losing my job. I’m on the verge of losing my apartment. You had nobody but your daughter and she died, leaving just me and you...now you’re gone and,” smearing a stray tear away before it could fall, “I don’t know what to do anymore… I just need a damn sign that something is about to–––”

I heard the music from the club suddenly burst into the air with the door slamming shut as I looked back seeing the same guard standing there with two bottles in his hand.

“You talking to yourself now?” he retorted, walking past me as I glared at him, “so you’re a crazy bird.”

“I hear Massa calling you to come back to the field!” I hollered after him. “Jackass.” I snatched my phone out of my clutch to look at the dry screen.

Nothing.

I ignored the big bodied jerk walking past me after coming back from one of the many black trucks parked. He let out a ball of spit too close for comfort near my heels.

“I heard it might rain,” he added over his shoulder, “you should sit up against the door and wait until your friends get out. You know, complete the bum look.”

I could hear him laughing all the way back into the club before the door closed behind him.

The moisture in the air was obvious. I could smell the rain sitting heavy in the clouds as I looked up again, hearing my grandmother’s words.

Ya mama is always watching. You may not know who she is or remember, but you will always be her daughter the way she will always be mine. Talk to her, Sammy. Just like you, she was young, vibrant, full of life and never afraid of taking a risk for getting what she wants. I see her in you more and more every day. Just talk to her.

“Talk to her Samantha,” I mocked in a nasty tone before closing my eyes, “Janice...Brown? Mom?”

I nearly choked on the foreign word, feeling animosity towards her altogether for leaving me at such a young age, but I inhaled deeply and tried to relax my spirit as Cynthia would say.

“I just need one night to get myself together...one night to get away from my worries in life...Some type of sign...if you’re up there hanging with Jesus, tell him I need some good luck in my life...Something has to change...Send me a sign that you’re even up there watching over me...All I ask…”

The faded ambulance in the background was enough for me to sigh as I looked down at my phone for the last time. It was time to hang it up and go home. I dug around for my keys in my clutch, ready to text the two people I thought were my friends, that I was leaving after some jerk wad of a night shift security guard wouldn’t let me in.

“That’s it,” I settled. Prayer my ass. I was ready to take these heels off and finish a bottle of wine sitting on my counter. Grabbing my phone, I texted Nori and Taina that I wasn’t able to get in and I was done trying. Either find an Uber or be ready by the time I come back from the gas station. I wasn’t waiting on a response, just picked up my deflated ego and walked back towards my car, holding my arm out in a silent thank you as the cars stopped to let me cross the street.

…

“AAAAAAGHHH!” I screamed out loud, gripping the steering wheel in frustration as I gently banged my head against the headrest. I closed my eyes for a moment before opening them and studied the bright flickering lights of the gas station above me. “Don’t you dare cry Sammy,” I muttered to myself as I shoved the jagged car door open.

Pause the story right here. At this point, I felt like I was at my lowest, right? The shitty security guard, which by the way? I ended up sleeping with him among a few other things, but that’s later on in my story. From that to my job, hating my bosses, questioning my friends and their decisions...just a bunch of shit. It was at this moment where I was sitting in the car, feeling sorry for myself, sulking in the driver seat that everything was about to change. I got up to stand outside my car, glancing at my phone in the front seat of the car through the window until I heard tires screech. The music was so loud, I could feel the bass bumping through my chest. I looked around for the source of commotion. I get it, Friday night, everyone is out having a good time but out of nowhere, this white Infiniti swerved into the parking lot of the gas station. You could hear the snap and clash of the back tire hitting the curb with a hard bump before the passenger door flung open before closing shut again.

“What the hell?” I muttered, tapping the nozzle before attaching it back to the pump. There was an obvious struggle as the passenger door opened again, letting out the loud music as this light skinned girl was shoved out of the car in heels.

“FUCK YOU TOO DEMARCUS! JUST GIVE ME MY DADDY’S CHAINS BACK!”

I didn’t realize I was standing there watching everything play out until a Louis Vuitton bag was tossed out at her with everything spilling out before the car attempted to speed off with the door still open.

“DEMARCUS?!” She screamed, trying to stand to her feet and grab the door.

“Hey?!” I called out, forgetting that none of this shit was any of my business. I just saw a girl about to risk her life being dragged all across this city. “Hey?! Wait a minute!”

“DEMARCUS?!” The girl cried out, watching her jump back into the car forcing him to stop until she was tossed back on her ass like a bag of potatoes. The passenger door slammed shut on its own with a whip of the car as he sped off into traffic. Before I knew it, I was already rushing towards her before any other man could pray on her vulnerability and tried to help gather her things.

“I have to go after him,” she let out with desperation, her eyes still on the car, “I have to–––”

“Hold on,” grabbing her arm to stop her, “just wait a minute–––”

“He has my daddy’s chains! He’s going to post it on Instagram and make a fool out of us! Out of me!”

“Wait, what? Daddy’s chains?” I let out, confused. First thing that came to mind was sugar baby. She was young enough for it. I openly stared this woman up and down. She looked like she just graduated high school but her smeared makeup around her eyes concealed her youth. She was light skinned with red marks along her neck and fingers, dark wavy hair and bright brown eyes wearing nothing but a bandeau and biker shorts with slides. She was a pretty girl but she seemed delusional and clearly crazy.

“I have to go after him!” she let out, forcing herself to stand up before attempting to take off on the main street.

“Hey?!” I called after her before looking around to see if anybody else was witnessing this, “is she crazy?! Is this girl crazy?! WAIT A MINUTE!”

“DEMARCUS I KNOW WHERE THE HELL YOU STAY AND I KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING!” she hollered out, not even paying attention to her surroundings, the light turned green and she was halfway in the street, directly in the way of oncoming traffic. “DEMARCUS!?”

“Oh my fucking God!” I gasped, looking at the bright headlights with my arms up, waving for them to stop as she continued to cross the lanes. She tugged at her bandeau top to keep it from slipping while reaching down to throw her shoe at his car speeding off.

“I KNOW WHERE YOU STAY NIGGA!”

The horns started blaring with people shouting out the window as I grabbed her arm. She suddenly turned to me with those big bright brown eyes in a silent plea.

“We have to go after him,” she declared.

“We?!” I blurted out, letting her go as I followed behind towards the gas station again, “We, who?! Not me! I don’t even know you!”

“We have to go after him! He stole something from me and my family and if he posts it, it's over. It’s done and I can’t be responsible for–––” she jerked at my jammed passenger door before barging her way into the seat, “hurry up!”

I gripped my fro on both sides and again looked around for anybody seeing this, witnessing this entire mess unfold at the gas pump. It was as if I fell down the hole and met the rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. This girl was the damn rabbit.

“Hey?!” I panicked, rushing towards my driver side as I tapped the roof of my car to make any kind of noise, “nah uh! You gotta go! I don’t know who you are, what–––”

“I can pay you!”

She held out a few hundred-dollar bills that were crumbled up from her top as I jammed my tongue into my cheek.

“I swear I’m not crazy, nor am I on drugs...My name is Lyric Godfrey, and that was my crazy ass ex-boyfriend who is in his feelings because I dumped him,” she said.

I tried not to let the shock show on my face at the name but I could just imagine the reaction I would get from Taina when she realized one of her internet idols was in my car. Slowly, I sat in the driver seat and snatched the money up before glaring at her. Aside from the sweat and shifty lace wig, she didn’t look high. Just young and wild.

“I am not chasing after nobody,” I stated. “I just got a damn ticket–––”

“That’s fine, just drop me off at this address,” she said, showing me her phone, “I know where he’s going and I can handle myself from there.”

I looked down at the much-needed money knowing I barely had 30 dollars in my account with bills past due.

“I have more money if you need it but I need you to drop me off and then I can Cash App you,” she said quickly, swiping through the screen before showing me the green app on her phone, “just please… Help me.”

I yanked my seatbelt without another word, still pissed I was even about to do this but I watched her smile as she reached for her belt. She looked like she was about to say something before her eyes suddenly grew wide as she pointed across the way.

“THERE HE IS! LOOK! DID YOU SEE?!” she shrieked before gripping the wheel. “FOLLOW HIM!”

“WAIT WHAT?!” I screamed with my foot already on the gas, taking off just off of pure instincts.

“The Infiniti! He’s trying to circle back to find me!” frantically shaking my arm, “follow him! FOLLOW HIM!”

“Stop screaming!” I hollered, swerving on to the street as I smacked her hand away and stared at the bright headlights of the Infiniti up ahead. She rolled her window down with her body halfway out the door as she attempted to record. I was screaming for her to come back while still trying to keep up with the car as it turned onto the exit ramp for the interstate. It didn’t get serious until the same car purposely swerved in front of me, causing me to slam on brakes before he came to a stop altogether and almost hit the front of my car. It caused a series of horns and angry drivers to swerve in different lanes, but that was enough for me to get started.

“HOLD UP! HOLD THE HELL UP!” I screamed, ready to get out but the Infiniti took that chance to speed up with barely a scratch on his bumper while my car was already in shambles.

“FUCK HIS SHIT UP!” Lyric screamed, practically standing in the seat as I mashed my foot on the gas with my own agenda. “I told you he ain’t shit sis! I told you!”

“You got the right one!” I hollered. “The right one on the wrong damn night!”

You couldn’t tell me I wasn’t in Nascar when my eyes followed his car like a hawk, switching lanes just as much as him and ignoring my ringing phone. Lyric on the other hand seemed to be in her own world.

“We out here!” she said into the camera as she moved her hair from her face, letting it blow behind her from the window, “following this bum ass nigga who stole my daddy’s chains! Niggas don’t know I’m really about that Godfrey life! Niggas really don’t know! I am my father’s child! I will fuck you up out here if you think you wanna play me! All one, move as one! Let’s go!”

She held the camera up, trying to catch the angles before turning it towards me.

“What we out here doing sis?!” Lyric shouted. “We out here catching these bum niggas in Atlanta!”

“First it was that whack ass security guard that wouldn’t let me in the club!” I hollered before turning towards the camera for my shining moment, “fuck you!”

“FUCK HIM! YASSSS!” Lyric cheered before turning the camera on herself, “period!”

“Sorry ass cop that gave me a ticket last week!” I went out. “My manager trying to play me like a fucking fool! Don’t nobody wanna work at Macys for the rest of their lives, Jenniferrrr!” I hollered as Lyric pointed in the air with a pouty lip as she continued to record me. “FUCK ALL OF YALL AT MACYS! Corrupt ass management! Racist ass white people!”

I ended up in the middle of a crazy car chase, following the Infiniti back off the exit ramp, making the same right turn as them.

“I told yall niggas, don’t play with me!” Lyric sang with a loud laugh into the phone, “don’t fucking play with me! Baby girl is a killa! For real! I got my sis with me and we about to show yall how we really get down!”

“That’s right!” I awkwardly yelled out as I pulled up behind the tinted car. I made sure to pull right up against their bumper, wanting to apply pressure as they moved up, inching their way closer and closer until the light turned green and they swerved into the turning lane beside us.

“OH!” Lyric shrieked. “GO! GO! GO!”

“I’m going!” I hollered, whipping the wheel to cut in front of another car blowing their horn at us. Traffic was beginning to pile up as the Infiniti tried to escape us. Lyric stuck half her body out the window as I managed to creep up beside the car.

“GIVE ME MY SHIT BACK!” she screamed, before yanking the car door open as I frantically looked at the green light with cars moving before us. She rushed out of the car with her heel already in hand, and began to bang against their door and window.

“Lyric?!” I yelled, putting my car in park as I yanked my seatbelt off and tried to climb out of the passenger side to stop her. The car was threatening to go, almost rolling over her foot while I began pounding on the back window.

“YOU ALMOST HIT MY DAMN CAR! GET OUT AND GIVE HER THE DAMN CHAIN BACK!” I screamed like an overbearing parent. I slapped and pounded my hand against their window until Lyric was able to yank the door open, ready barge her way inside before our mouths dropped. The cars were moving around us with someone screaming out their window,

“Yall take that ghetto shit somewhere else! Cops on the way! WORLD STAR BEEEEIIITCH!”

I covered my mouth with my hand in a silent gasp, seeing the elderly white couple scared out of their mind with the woman in the passenger seat near to tears. Her husband was trying to put on a brave front when he gripped the wheel and stepped out of the car.

“Oh my God, I thought you were…” Lyric stuttered, seeing his trembling wrinkled hand grab the top of the door.

“You girls have been following me, taunting me, stalking my wife and I–––”

“Harold, don’t say a word! Just call the cops! Let them deal with it and the damage done!” his wife yelled from the passenger seat, “just call the damn cops!”

“I’m handling it woman!” he fussed.

“I’m telling you to let the cops deal with them! Get their tags!”

Lyric looked at me as I slowly backed away from the car, beyond embarrassed as more cars began to maneuver around us. With matching expressions on our face, I suddenly bolted towards the driver door. Screaming for her to get in as she jumped into the passenger seat, almost falling over on me and closed the door as I sped off.

“HEY?! WAIT A DAMN MINUTE!” the man yelled.

“OH MY GOD!” she laughed wildly, “Oh my fucking god!”

“NOT OH MY GOD!” I shrieked, yanking her back down in the passenger seat as I turned down a road, ready to hit the next ramp for the highway.

“I swear I thought it was their car! I really did!” she laughed.

“Just stop talking!” I screamed as Lyric fell back into more laughter. I kept looking around in panic, hoping not to see a cop before pushing back onto the crowded highway, blending in with the rest of the brake lights. I nearly felt my heart drop at the sight of bright blue lights in the distance behind us as Lyric sat up and turned around, gripping the headrest of the seat.

“You think they’re coming for us?! How would they even know?!”

“Sit down!” I panicked, grabbing her arm, trying to force her back in the seat, “just sit down!”

“How could they even know it was us!?”

The lights drew closer and closer as the sirens became louder. You could see cars attempting to move out of the way before the cop car pulled onto the emergency lane and sped right past us. My car rocked side to side from the force and speed of the cop as another blew past us, trying to get to the nearest exit. Lyric was crouched down in her seat while I gripped both hands on the wheel and looked straight ahead, neither of us saying a word.

“This shit is crazy,” she muttered between laughter as she peeked her head over the door to look out the window.

“I can’t believe I did this,” I mumbled to myself, “I really chased a car with two old white people minding their damn business­­­––’’

“Girl, when that man got out that car?!” she laughed before clearing her throat as I glared at her, “I mean, its not funny but still…At least we didn’t get caught.”

“Not yet! I’m going home. My place isn’t far from here so you’re gonna have to figure out a way to get back yourself. An Uber or something because I’m getting off the road for the rest of the night.”

“That’s fine,” she pouted as she sat back in the seat and pulled her phone out. She still had a sleazy smile on her face as she began texting and scrolling through her screen.