You Had Me at Hello

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  Dedication

  Anthony L. Johnson

  January 8th, 1985 – January 13th, 2015

  I love you cuz! May she continue to Rest Peacefully! I hope I make you proud.

  Chapter One

  “Love At First Sight” Mary J Blige

  Breionna

  “Four twenty-three is your change,” I said as I placed the coins in the customer’s hand and turned to gather his final bag.

  I was glad that this shift was almost over. I was tired and had been on my feet for the last six hours. I wanted nothing more than to just lie across my bed and allow sleep to find me rather quickly. Looking at the clock, I noticed I had only twenty more minutes until the end of my shift at Stop & Shop supermarket. The store was slow, and I hoped that I didn’t get a rush right before it was time for me to leave.

  I leaned against the register and began picking at my nails, waiting for the time to go by. I looked towards the end of my belt, and that’s when I spotted him. Standing at about five foot seven, cocoa colored skin, with a low cut Caesar fade and tattooed filled arms, he placed his chips and drink on the belt as it moved towards the scanner. I was stuck; I couldn’t remove my eyes from him. As his eyes met mine, I seen he had light brown eyes, maybe two shades darker than hazel. He was gorgeous.

  “You good,” he asked, breaking me from my stare.

  I closed my mouth, which probably had me looking crazy as it hung open.

  “Yeah, I’m sorry.”

  I quickly rang up his two items. Just as I was giving him the total, he reached over and added a Snickers bar. I could tell from his low and slightly red eyes that he was probably high and had the munchies. I laughed to myself as I rang up the Snickers and gave him his total. He looked at me, and it instantly made me blush. I quickly grabbed the five-dollar bill from his hand, retrieved his change and receipt and handed it to him.

  “What time are you off,” he asked me.

  I looked up at him and became captivated in those eyes. It was something about them.

  “In about fifteen minutes.”

  “I’ll be outside on this end in a black Max waiting for you,” he said as he grabbed his things and walked off before I could even respond.

  What makes him think I will go outside and see him, I thought to myself. Who am I kidding? I’ll be checking for him.

  I smirked as a customer came up with a full cart. Upon seeing her carriage, I cut my light off, indicating that she would be my final customer for the night. I hated when people did this shit, but I sucked it up and quickly rang her up so she could leave, and I could do the same.

  “Ninety two oh two,” I told her, placing the last of her items in the bag.

  She swiped her card. We both pressed the necessary buttons.

  “Ma’am, your card was declined,” I informed her.

  “That can’t be right,” she said as she swiped again.

  This time it went through.

  “Have a good night,” I told her as she pushed her carriage towards the exit.

  Glancing up at the clock in front of me, it read eight fifty-five. Close enough, I thought to myself. I removed the apron that I was forced to wear, printed out the proper receipts, grabbed my drawer and headed to the room to count it and lock it up. Fifteen minutes later, I clocked out, grabbed my jacket and damn near raced out of my job. Just like he said, he was standing outside of a black Nissan Maxima, waiting as he puffed on a Black & Mild.

  “I thought you were gonna pull a Cinderella move and take off on a nigga,” he joked. “What’s your name, pretty girl?”

  “Breionna.” I blushed and looked down at my feet.

  “Look at me,” he spoke. The light in the parking lot bounced off his eye color. I became lost in them. His chuckle broke me from my trance. “You good?”

  “I’m sorry. You have very nice eyes.”

  “Thank you. I’m Ziyon, by the way.”

  Oh shit, I thought. All this time I’m staring at this nigga’s face and never asked his name.

  “Nice to meet you,” I spoke softly.

  “Likewise. Look, I done stood out here for damn near a half hour. I’m sure security is tired of looking at me, and quite frankly, I’m tired of them looking at me. Take my number down and call me as soon as you get home,” he said.

  I pulled my iPhone 5 out of my pocket and passed it to him. He dialed his number from my phone then handed it back.

  “Alright pretty girl, get home safe and call me.”

  I nodded and walked over to my silver 2003 Toyota Camry. I climbed in and pulled off.

  Let me start over. My name is Breionna Richards. I’m twenty-years old. I’ll be twenty-one in November. I am a full-time college student at the Community College of Rhode Island, and I work part time at Stop & Shop supermarket. I live with both of my parents and my little brother, Brandon. I have an older sister, Brittanie, but she moved out. I had always been taught to be independent, so ever since I had reached the age where I could work, I wanted to. There was nothing like making and spending your own money. I tried instilling the same thing into Brandon, but all he cared about was sports.

  As I drove my ten-minute ride home, my mind drifted over to Ziyon. Something about him drew me to him. I hadn’t been in a serious relationship in over three years, but I wasn’t tripping. I had a dude or two that I had dealt with, but none of them were ever mature enough for me to take serious. All I cared about was school and working. I very rarely hung out. I had my fair share of issues due to speaking my mind freely. Those days were over. I remained to myself and stayed drama free.

  I pulled into my parents’ driveway behind my dad’s truck. I swear, my shower was calling my name. I was glad tomorrow was Friday. I had no class and was off of work until Sunday afternoon. I entered the house and found my brother rummaging through the fridge. His ass was always eating but never gained any weight.

  “What you eating now, greedy?” I asked, as I closed the door behind me.

  “Anything! I’m hungry. You didn’t bring anything home?”

  “Here,” I said, as I tossed him the bag of Doritos I had in my hand.

  He smiled and caught the bag.

  “Thanks Bre. Goodnight.”

  “Night.”

  Just as I locked the door, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I smiled upon seeing Ziyon’s name.

  “I was just about to call you,” I answered, as I walked into my bedroom.

  I loved having the only bedroom on the first floor.

  “I was gonna ask, what you live in Guam,” he joked.

  I laughed, “I literally just walked in the door. I’m about to jump in the shower. I’ll give you a call when I get out.”

  “A’ight pretty girl, don’t forget about a nigga.”

  I blushed as if he could see me.

  “I won’t,” I told him.

  We hung up, and I went into the bathroom. I smiled at the thought of him. Something about him made me want to get to know the real him.

  Chapter Two

  “Yo: Excuse Me Miss” Chris Brown

  Ziyon

  I dropped my phone in the cup holder after hanging up with shortie. The moment I spotted her when I walked into the market, I knew had I had to get her name and number. Physically, I was attracted to her. I wanted to know her. I wasn’t looking for a relationship, seeing as how I just got out of one with Miranda.

  I spent four years with her. I did love her; I just grew tired of her mouth and constant nagging. She knew I was a street nigga, so it meant me being out a lot. Yet, she always found a reason to bitch about it. I met her when I first started making real money. I never tried to pul
l her into my lifestyle. I did all I could to keep her away and keep her as green as possible. If cops ever came around asking questions, she couldn’t answer because she wouldn’t know anything. I spoiled her ass rotten. She never had to come out of pocket for anything. Although I spent a lot of time in the streets, Miranda could never say I didn’t come home to her. Every night, no matter the time, I made my way home. I took her out and spent time with her to show her that I loved and cared about her; but it wasn’t enough to her. No matter what I did, she nagged. She recently moved to Charlotte, NC. We had discussed me moving there as well, but now that we were no longer a couple, I was keeping my ass right here in Rhode Island.

  “Nigga,” my boy Daymeon called to get my attention. “You good?”

  I had zoned out as I cruised down the highway.

  “Yeah man.”

  I saw him smirk out of the corner of my eye.

  “Speak nigga,” I said, jumping off the exit entering the south side.

  “You feeling Lil Mama already huh,” he asked.

  I laughed, “Yeah, something about shortie has me digging her. But obviously it’s too soon to tell. I mean, I just learned her name and shit, but she seem like she’s cool as shit.”

  “You ready to jump into another relationship?” Daymeon asked, as I pulled into the parking lot of where we both lived.

  I stayed in Lockwood Plaza with my mom and brother. I hated it here, but I was dealing with what we had. It wouldn’t be long though before my moms would be up outta here. I had just found the perfect house for her and my brother and was closing on it in a few weeks. She worked hard, and she deserved something handed to her.

  I thought about what Daymeon had asked me.

  “Nah, Miranda was enough to keep me out of a relationship for a minute. But I’m willing to kick it with shortie, at least see where her head is at. Who knows?” I pulled into my designated parking spot and killed the engine. “I’m about to go up here and kick back, hit my line tomorrow,” I told Daymeon as I dapped him up.

  “Cool.”

  We went our separate ways and headed towards our apartments.

  “What up, Ziy,” I heard a local bird call.

  I had fucked with her a time or two, but it wasn’t ever anything serious. She sucked a mean dick though, for real.

  “What’s good, Kendra,” I said, leaning against the railing.

  I hoped she would keep this conversation short. I really wasn’t tryna stand outside and talk to her.

  “How come you be ignoring me and shit? I thought we had a connection.”

  I scoffed, “Girl, all we did was fuck. I ain’t never told you that I wanted to be with you or nothing. Don’t go and start thinking shit is what it ain’t. You already know the deal, so go on with that shit, Kendra,” I told her, as I turned to walk away.

  “Damn, just like that?”

  “Yeah Ken, just like that. I told you this shit from the jump when we started fucking around, that we weren’t and probably wouldn’t be a couple,” I stopped mid stride and turned to look at her again.

  “Oh so I’m good enough to fuck?”

  “Kendra, get the fuck away from me with that shit, man. You’re beginning to piss me clean the fuck off.”

  I turned and walked away, leaving her standing there by herself. I hadn’t fucked with Kendra in a few months. This very reason was why I had to leave her ass alone. She always had to do the most. I shook my head as I let myself into the apartment. My little brother, Kyle, was sitting on the couch watching TV.

  “What you doing up, Ky,” I asked him, locking the door behind me.

  “Watching TV.”

  “Bed time. You have school tomorrow.”

  I grabbed the remote and turned the TV off.

  “I’m not tired,” he whined.

  “I don’t care. Bed.”

  He slid off the couch and pouted all the way to his bedroom. Just as I was turning off the living room light, my mother was walking out of her room.

  “Hey, when did you get home,” my mother, Theresa, asked.

  “Few minutes ago. Just sent Kyle to bed though,” I told her.

  “Why? He was fine.”

  I sighed deeply, “He has school tomorrow, Ma.”

  “He’s fine.”

  I threw my hands up in defense.

  “Well, I have stuff to do tomorrow, so make sure he goes then,” I told her before walking away.

  I didn’t have time to sit there and argue with my mother. She had a bad habit of babying Kyle. I never understood why she did it, but in her eyes, he did no wrong. When she wasn’t around, he was a little bad ass, but try telling her that and she would think you were just picking on her baby. I shook my head as I closed my bedroom door behind me.

  Pulling out my phone, I noticed a missed call from Breionna. I hadn’t even felt my phone vibrate. I made a mental note to call her back. I quickly stripped down to my boxers, slipped my feet into my sandals and grabbed my towel to take a quick shower. I was contemplating stepping out to a club tonight. I sometimes frequented club Encore on the weekends. It turned out to be one of the hottest clubs that Providence had ever seen.

  Thirty minutes later, I climbed out of the shower and directly into the steam filled bathroom. I quickly dried off and threw on basketball shorts and a wife beater. Looking at the time, I noticed it was a little after ten. I scooped up my phone to call Breionna back. I hoped she wasn’t sleeping because she definitely looked tired when she got off of work. As I waited for her to answer, I unwrapped a Black & Mild and rolled it between my hands.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “Hey, what’s up, pretty girl? What are you up to?”

  “Nothing, just watching TV. You?”

  “Just got out of the shower, laid back right now. I’m contemplating hitting the club or not.”

  “Oh okay. That’s cool.”

  “You wanna join,” I asked her, as I sparked the Black.

  “I’m probably not old enough to get in.”

  “Please tell me you’re at least eighteen,” I asked with a slight chuckle but meant every word.

  I didn’t have time to deal with jailbait.

  She laughed, “Yes! I’ll be twenty-one in November.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. Truthfully, I wouldn’t have entertained the conversation past tonight if she were a minor.

  “Good! But if you go with me, you don’t have to worry about an ID. Anybody with me is good money. Plus, it’s a club that I frequent.”

  “Hmm, I don’t know,” she said shyly.

  I laughed. Her shyness was actually cute to me.

  “You don’t have to. The choice is yours. If you want to go, you’re welcomed, if you don’t, you don’t have too,” I told her. “I was just extending the invite.” She became silent on the other end of the phone. “Hello,” I called out.

  “Yeah I’m here. I’m gonna pass tonight. I’m way too tired.”

  “It’s cool, pretty girl. Am I holding you up?” I asked her as I inhaled the smoke from the Black.

  “No, you’re fine.”

  “So tell me about yourself.”

  I figured if we would be on the phone, we might as well get to know each other more. For the next hour, we went back and forth filling each other in about ourselves. At the end of the night, I had a level of respect for baby girl. For her age, she had a lot going for herself. Listening to her actually made me want better for myself. I was twenty-one and hustling. I had a high school diploma, but I had no legal work experience. Luckily, I also didn’t have a criminal record. I kept telling myself that I wanted more and wanted to be legal, but I never could shake this drug game or the fast money.

  “Alright pretty girl, I know you’re tired so I’ll let you get some rest. Give me a call tomorrow. If you’re up for it, we can get up, and I’ll take you out to lunch.”

  “That sounds good,” I heard her yawn. “Goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, Ma.”

  Once we hung up, I chan
ged the channel to watch sports. I couldn’t focus on the television. I thought about the things she told me that she had going on in her life, and I thought about where I was. I had money, but I didn’t flash it. That’s why I stayed in an apartment and not some over the top house like most niggas. I did all I could to keep the boys away from me. I leaned back against my headboard and thought about how I got to where I am today.

  ***

  Nine Years Ago…

  I was running around the basketball court with Daymeon, Kyshawn and another neighborhood kid named Marvin. We were playing two on two when a group of bullies walked over and tried to punk us into leaving the courts.

  “Aye, Lil Niggas, y’all done spent enough time here. Time to go,” the biggest one named Calvin spoke up.

  They thought that because they were bigger than us that we were afraid. I may have only been twelve, but I had my fair share of fights, as did Daymeon and Kyshawn. I couldn’t speak for Marvin because I didn’t know him outside of the neighborhood.

  “This is a free country, and we don’t have to go anywhere. You don’t own this.” I said and stood my ground, even though I knew they could probably pound the shit out of me, but I wasn’t one to ever back down.

  “Oh yeah? You sound like a tough little punk. Let’s see if your bite can stand behind your bark.”

  I watched as he cocked his hand back. I was scared shitless, but I knew if I would have gone home and told my mother I ran from a fight, she would probably kick my ass herself. I stood my ground. Before he could swing his arm, a hand gripped his wrist. My eyes darted to the man standing behind him. My eyes instantly lit up. Dolla, South Side’s biggest drug dealer brought down the bully’s hand.

  “Now tell me,” Dolla spoke. “Why are you over here bullying these little kids while they are minding their business?”

  “N-nah, I-I was just messing with them,” the big kid stuttered.

  “Go mess with somebody else,” Dolla said tossing his arm.

  The kid and his crew backed away without breaking his eye from Dolla. Once they were out of the court fence, Dolla turned his attention back to me.