"Man, those bottle girls from last night were fine as hell," Kareem said as we walked out of a restaurant.

"I wasn't paying attention to them."

"Man, you never pay attention," Kareem said.

I shrugged, "club hoes ain't my type."

"You know what? You real judgmental for a ex-drug dealer. You've done some crazy shit, but here you are judging women based off their occupation. How would you feel if a woman said she didn't like ex-drug dealers/murderers?" Kareem asked.

"I wouldn't give a fuck."

Kareem laughed then shook his head.

Kareem is my first cousin on my dad's side. His dad and my dad are half brothers. We've been tight since diapers. I never needed friends because I've always had Kareem. He's the only nigga that I trust other than Zander. I keep both of them close because real niggas are rare these days.

"I gotta stop by my parents' crib real quick. I ain't seen them in a minute."

"Cool, I'll ride over there with you. I know auntie Yasmine is cooking today" Kareem said.

"Nigga you just ate."

"So? I'll always have room for auntie Yasmine's cooking," Kareem said.

I shook my head then hopped into the driver's seat of my car. My parents' crib was only about 15 minutes away from the restaurant. I'm a speeder though, so I got us there in under 10.

"MAMA" I called out as I walked into my parents house.

"Jeremiah? Is that you?" My mother asked as she walked around the corner.

"Yeah it's me."

"How are you baby? I haven't seen you in weeks," my mother said as she hugged and kissed me.

"And you brought Kareem," she said as she walked over to Kareem to hug him.

"I'm good. Where's pops at?"

"In the gym like always" my mother said as she rolled her eyes.

I chuckled, "I figured."

My father is a gym rat. When it come to staying in shape, he doesn't play about it. I like to stay in shape too, but I'm not as strict about it as he is.

"I made dinner. Come eat," my mother said as she led the way to the kitchen.

My mother is half Caribbean and half Italiancreole. She's always cooking some fire ass Italian or Caribbean style food. I know I'm gonna eat good or take a good meal home whenever I stop by.

"We just ate, but you know ima take a plate to-go."

My mother smiled, "okay, I'll put some up for you. Would you like some too Kareem?"

Kareem nodded, "I'll take mine right now though."

I laughed, "you mad greedy."

"He's been like that since childhood. I never used to have to get on Kareem about finishing his food," my mother said as she handed Kareem a plate.

Kareem laughed, "I remember when I used to lick the plates clean."

She held her stomach from laughter, "oh gosh! I remember those days."

"That's why you were such a fat kid."

"Shut up nigga," Kareem said as he nudged my shoulder.

"Oh, I've been meaning to ask you if you've talked to Yesenia lately," my mother said.

"I talked to her last week. Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to make sure you've been keeping in contact with her," my mother said.

"I check on her often. Especially now that she's pregnant."

"That makes me happy. Now I just need you to come visit your parents more. You've officially moved to LA, so there's no excuse now," my mother said.

"I know mama. I've been busy with life lately, but I got you."

"Always make time for your family," she said as I nodded.

My parents have always been very family oriented. That's why they convinced me to move back to LA. This is where my parents originally met. My mother is from here, but my father is from New York. That's where I was born, and that's where I spent most of my childhood. I'll always be a New York nigga at heart, but LA is home.

"Is that food ready yet woman? I'm starving," my father said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Oh hush! You are not that hungry," my mother said as she started making my father's plate.

He waved her off then turned his attention to Kareem and I.

"Wassup youngsters," he said.

"Wassup old man," I replied.

"Aye, I ain't that old now," he said.

"Shit," Kareem mumbled.

"Shut yo ass up," my father replied.

Kareem and I laughed then sat down at the table.

"So when are you going to bring that girlfriend of yours over here? Lola is it?" My mother asked as she joined us at the kitchen table.

I knitted my eyebrows, "who told you about Lola?"

"Nobody, she followed me on Instagram. I seen all the pictures of you two. When were you going to tell me about her?" My mother asked.

"Never, that's not my girlfriend. She's just a friend."

"Well, I want to meet her," she said.

"The man said she's just a friend. Why do you want to meet her?" My pops asked.

"Hush Jonathan! I've never met any of his female friends or any of his girlfriends," my mother said.

I chuckled, "I'll let you know when I find a woman worth bringing around you."

"You're almost thirty babe. You need to settle down, get married, and have some kids," my mother said.

Little does she know, that won't be happening anytime soon. Marriage and a family is not something that I want right now. I'm living life.

"Aye East, you still fuck with that Colombian connect?" Zander asked.

"We're still cool. Why wassup?"

"One of my homeboys needs a new connect," Zander said.

"Who's your homeboy? My connects don't work with just anybody."

My past life is no secret. When I was fifteen, my parents decided to move back to LA. We lived in the hood for awhile, and I ended up getting involved with the wrong people. Most people spend their teenage years going on dates, playing sports, going to prom and etc, but I spent my teenage years gang-banging, dealing drugs, and doing other unspeakable things. I put my parents through hell for nearly ten years. I fell in love with the fast money and ended up getting in way too deep with the streets.

At the age of twenty-four I finally decided to leave the streets alone. I moved back home to New York then started investing my money into businesses and opening a few of my own. The streets changed me a lot though. I see it, and my parents see it too. It's like I'm still their son, but I'm not at the same time. My mental is damaged, and now I'm just tryna heal that shit.

"Maino is the top dog right now. He moves serious weight unlike these fake drug dealers out here," Zander said.

"I heard about him. I'll see what I can do."

"Cool, 'preciate that bro. You a real one," Zander said.

I met Zander when I first moved to LA. He was heavily involved with the 30's crips, and he put me on with them. That's where it all started. I earned my respect with them and other sets as well. Eventually Zander and I got real close. He's like a brother to me now.

"You still throwing that pool party this weekend?" Zander asked.

"Yeah, that shit gone be a movie."

"On crip, I already know all the bad bitches gone be in that bitch" Zander said.

"Fasho, what can I say? Women love me and anything that has my name attached to it."

"I can't even disagree with you on that one," Zander said as we both laughed.

I chilled with Zander for a few before heading back to my crib to shower and get some rest.

"Hey baby," Lola said as I walked into my penthouse.

I hit her with a head nod then headed to my bedroom.

"How was your day?" Lola asked as she followed me to my room.

"It was cool."

Lola is a close friend/fuck buddy. We're not in a relationship, but I fuck with Lola though. She been down for me for years. At one point I was crazy about her, but she changed when the money started rolling in. She didn't necessarily switch up on me, but she did switch up as a person. One thing that always remained was the loyalty. She's lied to the cops for me, set my opps up for me, and a lot more.

"I heard you're having a pool party this weekend," Lola said.

"Yeah, you coming?" I asked as I stripped out of my clothes.

"Do you want me there?" Lola asked

I shrugged, "not if you gone be acting messy and shit."

Lola smacked her lips, "I'm never messy."

"Tuh, yeah okay."

"Just don't talk to any bitches while I'm there, simple," Lola said.

"I'm single. I can talk to whoever I wanna talk to. You buggin' Lo."

"Um, I reject niggas for you. It's only right that you return that same energy," she said.

"I don't ask you to do that baby girl. You can talk to whoever you wanna talk to because ima do me regardless."

Sometimes I regret continuing this toxic ass sexual relationship with Lola. There's always some type of argument between us, and I feel like Lola has gotten too comfortable. In her mind, she thinks that we're more than what we actually are. She's in too deep, and I know that I should stop fucking her. I just can't leave her ass alone though.

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