"Nothing." I shrugged. "What was I supposed to say? I like Rah and all, but..."
"But you ain't in love with his ass," Yah-Yah finished for me, nodding knowingly. "That nigga is looking for a wifey, and you just want a good time."
"It ain't even that. It's just..." I searched for the right words. "I got plans, you feel me, I wanna finish school, get my vet tech license, save up for my own spot."
"And Rah don't fit in those plans?"
I sighed, scratching behind Bonnie's ears as she purred. "He's tryna get into business with Yatta. So even if I did love him, which I ain't saying I do, mixing business and personal is messy as fuck." "Tell me about it," Yah-Yah muttered.
Bonnie suddenly stood up on my lap, stretching her bougie ass before stepping carefully onto the coffee table, knocking over my mug in the process.
"See, this why I told you not to get no damn cats," Yah-Yah laughed as I hopped up off the couch to try and get up the spilled coffee with some paper towels. "You live in the hood but want fancy ass cats. You shoulda got a regular stray from the alley like normal black people."
"Leave my babies alone," I defended. "They royalty just like their mama."
"Girl royalty my ass," she said, still laughing. "That cat look like it pay taxes and got better credit than all of us."
I was about to clap back when the doorbell rang. We both froze, exchanging looks.
"You expecting somebody?”
"Shit," I muttered, jumping up. "Rah said he was bringing me breakfast, but I thought he was coming later."
Yah-Yah smirked. "Yatta just left and this nigga already pulling up. He got radar or some shit?"
"Shut up," I hissed, adjusting my bonnet and checking my reflection in the hallway mirror. I looked a mess but fuck it.
I pulled open the front door, ready to give Rah shit for coming so early, but my words died in my throat. 'Cause yeah, Rah was standing there with a bag from Peach's Restaurant in Hyde Park in his hand, but behind him, leaning against a glossy black Charger, was the same light-skinned nigga who had been watching me at the trap house.
Up close, he was even finer than I remembered. Tall, the nigga was at least 6'2", with a rich vanilla skin tone, a sharp jawline, and eyes that seemed to see right through me. He had a neat beard that framed his mouth just right, and when he caught me staring, the corner of his lips turned up in a knowing smirk.
"Damn, Mya, you gonna let a nigga in or what?" Rah asked, snapping me out of my trance.
"Yeah, my bad." I stepped back, letting him in, trying my hardest not to look back at dude by the car. "I didn't know you was bringing company."
Rah leaned in, giving me a quick kiss. "That’s my homie Trigg. He was dropping me off. I had to take my whip to the shop," He held up the Peach's bag. "I got them salmon croquettes you like."
Before I could respond, I heard footsteps behind Rah and looked up to see the dude, Trigg approaching the door.
"Ay yo, Rah," he called, his voice deep and smooth like aged whiskey. "Let me use the bathroom real quick before I bounce."
Rah turned to me, raising his eyebrows in question. I hesitated, not loving the idea of some stranger in our house, but also not wanting to seem uptight.
"This ain't no public bathroom, nigga," I said, but my tone was playful enough to let him know I wasn't really tripping.
Trigg stepped closer, and I caught a whiff of his cologne, this nigga smelled good as fuck, it was something expensive for sure, and that made my stomach do a little flip.
"My bad, Shawty," he said, looking me dead in the eyes with confidence that bordered on arrogance. "I can go piss on your front lawn instead if that's more convenient for you."
I felt my eyebrows shoot up at his boldness. Nobody talked to me like that, most niggas knew better than to try me, especially knowing Yatta was my brother.
"Do that shit and watch me and my sister beat yo’ ass in this house.”
“Yo’ chill out Ma,” Rah laughed.
“The bathroom is at the end of the hall," I said flatly, stepping aside. "And don't touch shit. And my name is Ya’Mya, not Shawty."
"I know yo’ name ma," he replied with a slight smile that made my pulse quicken.