CHAPTER 9
A week had passed, and as far as Apple could tell, her gimmick of pretending to be Kola was still holding up. Most of the time, though, she remained home, enduring her mother’s rants and malicious ways, only going out if she couldn’t help it. But she was growing tired of ducking Supreme and his goons, and whenever she ran into him, she would always pretend to be her sister. Apple noticed the frustration on Supreme’s face when he couldn’t tell the difference between the two.
Supreme, fearing that striking the wrong sister would cause a serious beef with Cross and Mike-Mike, played it cool, knowing his time would come. He had Guy Tony stake out the building. He wanted to know which sister exited the building first. He made it be known to Guy Tony that he was to confront both sisters and call him when he did.
Guy Tony, now parked outside of the twins’ building in a black Escalade, was watching the doorway with a keen eye. It was late afternoon, and he’d been staking out the building for three hours.
Around five o’clock that afternoon, one of the sisters exited the lobby. He got on the cell phone and dialed Supreme’s number.
“Yeah. What you got?” Supreme asked.
“I got one comin’ out the building now, but I don’t know which one,” Guy Tony informed him.
“Watch her.”
“A’ight.”
Kola strutted out the building in her tight-fitting mini-skirt and cut-off T-shirt that exposed her pierced belly button. She was so sexy and walked with such confidence, it made Guy Tony hard. He licked his lips and thought about doing the nasty with her, but he knew fucking a woman like Kola was only possible in his dreams. He kept his eyes stuck on her lustrous legs and slim waist, loving the way her skirt rode up her ass while she walked.
“Damn! You’s a sexy lady, ma. I know that pu-ssy is good,” Guy Tony said to himself, watching her from head to toe. He slowly massaged his crotch and felt the need to masturbate as he watched Kola from a distance. He was also aware it could have been Apple pretending to be her sister.
Just then Guy Tony observed the silver Lexus IS come to a stop in front of Kola, and he watched the long-legged twin in six-inch stilettos get into the passenger side of the car. He got a quick glimpse of the driver and confirmed it was Mike-Mike behind the wheel. He smiled and nodded, knowing it was Kola who had exited the building first. After watching the Lexus drive off, he dialed up Supreme again.
“What up?” Supreme asked.
“I got you, ’Preme. Yeah, it was Kola that left out the building first. She just got into a Lexus with Mike-Mike.”
“You my muthafucka, Guy! Apple wanna play fuckin’ games wit’ me? A’ight. I’ll be that way in twenty minutes. If she comes out before then, you follow her, a’ight?”
“I got you.”
Guy Tony continued to wait, parked outside the building. After about fifteen minutes, he noticed Apple coming out dressed like her sister. She was in a tight, short jean skirt, a skimpy halter top, a pair of pumps, and carrying a bag.
Guy glared at Apple nearing the street and uttered to himself, “It ain’t gonna work this time.” He made another call to Supreme, who instructed him to follow her. Guy Tony was on it. He followed Apple down the street, where she quickly became the center of attention in her whorish outfit.
Unaware she was being followed, Apple strutted to the nearest fast-food restaurant on the corner of Lenox Avenue, where she went into the restroom to change her clothes. She spent fifteen minutes in the stall, making sure she looked right from top to bottom, and then stuffed Kola’s clothes into the bottom of her bag. While customers entered and exited, she stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, making sure she looked OK.
When she was satisfied, she exhaled and walked out the bathroom into a crowded McDonald’s. She clutched her bag and made sure she wasn’t being gawked at, because it was obvious she went into the bathroom dressed completely different. Now she had on a pair of tight Capri pants, a pair of white Nike, and a T-shirt. Apple felt much more comfortable and wondered how Kola could be so at ease looking like a whore every day. Since no one seemed to notice her change of attire, Apple felt relieved. She walked out the McDonald’s and headed south toward 125th Street.
Guy Tony smiled at himself, catching Apple red-handed in her act. “You sneaky fuckin’ bitch!” He followed her in the truck, slowly creeping with traffic, the tinted windows low, and a keen eye on his mark, as he tried to avoid being spotted.
Apple walked a few blocks and then dipped into another project building off Seventh Avenue. Guy knew he couldn’t follow her into the building without arousing suspicion, so he fell back and waited, but she never came back out.
Guy’s phone rang, and it was Supreme.
“Where you at?” Supreme inquired.
“I’m on Seventh Avenue. She dipped into a building and never came back out. I been waiting on her for a fuckin’ hour.”
“A’ight. You remember what she had on, right?”
“Yeah, she came out the building in a tight jean skirt and halter top but now she got on some short pants and white Nikes. Also, I noticed Kola got her belly button pierced, but Apple don’t.”
“Good lookin’ out, Guy. Just meet me. We’ll catch up wit’ Apple on the rebound. She gotta come home some time.”
Guy Tony nodded and drove off.
*****
Hours had passed, and it was late in the evening. The sun was drifting from the clear sky, making night gradually ascend over the bustling Harlem neighborhood. The streets were full of traffic. Some folks were going in and out of the projects looking like they were in a steady rush, while other locals just lingered around. The night owls of the town were emerging from their places of rest and ready to take in the city’s nightlife.
Guy Tony and Supreme sat parked in front of Apple’s building. Supreme wanted to confront Apple and beat the shit out of her. He hated to be played and disrespected, and Apple’s disrespect to him was like a slap and spit in his face. Supreme sat in the passenger seat, seething with anger, his .45 on his lap. He had a strong urge to just blow her brains out. He had killed people for less, and the way Apple lied when he challenged her about pretending to be Kola made him almost become a raging lunatic.
“This bitch better hurry the f-uck up and give me my money! She thinks this is a fuckin’ game wit’ me,” Supreme said, anger pouring from his voice.
Guy Tony, aware of Supreme’s deadly temper, sat quietly. He knew there was no calming him, so he just sat listening to him rant about the violence he would do to her. And the things he heard made him almost feel sorry for her.
It was nearing nine o’clock, and the two had sat for almost two hours waiting impatiently, knowing that Apple would arrive soon. They scanned the area, making sure they weren’t so easily seen and also keeping an eye out for her.
*****
Apple strutted to her building looking like Kola again. The hood was blaring with rap music, and blinged-out guys with their pants low were lingering about on the balmy Thursday night. She had just come from Ayesha’s place, where the two just chilled, reminisced, and talked about a variety of things, from men to friends, as she braided her friend’s hair. Apple was ready to confess to Ayesha about her problem with Supreme, but the embarrassment of anyone knowing about her borrowing money from the vile loan shark stopped her from saying a mumbling word.
She walked into the lobby, thinking it was clear of any danger, and believing she once again had deceived Supreme, if he was watching her from a distance. She smiled as she approached the elevator. She just wanted to strip away her clothing and take a nice, soothing shower, with the summer heat sticking to her skin.
“Hurry the f-uck up!” Apple exclaimed, looking up at the display and seeing that the elevator had been stuck on the sixth floor for the longest. She didn’t want to take the pissy stairway, especially with the shoes she had on.
Apple looked around; it was quiet, and no thugs were around. She liked it that way. She continued to look up at the illuminated display, which changed from six to five. Finally, she thought.
The quietness of the lobby was suddenly disrupted by a booming voice that startled her.
“Yo, Apple!” Supreme shouted.
It was like he appeared out of thin air, his size and height towering over Apple like a skyscraper. He looked fiercely at her and approached her with his quick step.
Apple threw her game face on and said, “Didn’t I fuckin’ tell you—”
Before Apple could say another word, Supreme quickly grabbed the petite twin by her throat and forced her into the stairway.
Apple struggled with him, fighting, kicking, and trying to shout, “Get the f-uck off me!” But Supreme’s strength was so overwhelming, it felt like she had a pair of large vise grips wrapped around her neck. Apple struggled to breathe. She tried to kick him in his genitalia, but Supreme didn’t budge.
“You tryin’ to play me, bitch!” he screamed. He thrust her against the solid wall, keeping his strong grip around her. The two tussled, but Supreme was winning the battle.
Guy Tony suddenly appeared in the stairway and looked at Apple. He had a deadpan gaze as he stood behind his boss. He didn’t dare interfere with Supreme’s business.
“Get the f-uck off me, muthafucka!” Apple shouted, still trying to fight back.
“You playin’ me, bitch!”
“You wanna f-uck wit’—”
“Bitch, cut the fuckin’ charades!” he said, cutting her off. “I know you ain’t her. We seen your tramp sister ride off with Mike-Mike earlier.”
The light and fire in Apple’s eyes slowly began to diminish when she heard that. The jig was up.
“Now, where’s my fuckin’ money? Or do I gotta rape you in this stairway to get what’s mine?”
Supreme was so close to Apple, her b-reasts were pressed into his chest, and she could smell every bit of his breath.
Supreme forced her legs open and moved his hand up her smooth light-brown thigh, resting it near her pu-ssy and feeling the warmth between her legs. “I want what’s owed to me, you fuckin’ bitch! You think you can take from me and play me? Huh, bitch?” he shouted.
“Fuck you!” Apple spat back.
“Oh, you got balls now, huh. Let’s see then.” Supreme grabbed himself a handful of her pu-ssy and molested her with a fiendish smile.
Apple squirmed in his tight hold, but she couldn’t break free. She felt his long, thin fingers pry into her panties and try to penetrate her. She cringed and cried out as Supreme violated her. “Stop it!”
“Nah, I don’t feel any balls, but I feel somethin’ much nicer,” Supreme mocked. He pushed against her more vigorously and began pulling up her skirt, exposing her panties. He was ready to rip Apple’s panties off and bend her over for a forceful f-uck, but she fought back, biting him on the side of his neck and drawing blood.
After pushing him away, she dropped her skirt and prepared to fight back some more.
“You fuckin’ bitch!” he shouted.
“Fuck you!”
Supreme was ready to hurt Apple but stopped when the door flew open and Kola charged into the stairway, shouting, “What the f-uck you doin’ to my sister?”
Supreme glared at Kola and shouted, “Stay the f-uck out my business! This shit don’t concern you.”
“Muthafucka, like hell it don’t! That’s my sister you fuckin’ wit’! Nigga, you musta lost ya fuckin’ mind!”
“I ain’t got no beef wit’ you, Kola.”
“You do now. You think shit is sweet? Or do I gotta call my niggas to ride on ya bitch ass? You know my circle, nigga. Don’t f-uck wit’ me!”
Supreme looked at both sisters. He was furious and wanted to kill them both, but he knew his limits with Kola. She was both bark and bite.
Guy Tony had his boss’ back, but he wasn’t ready to war with Cross and Mike-Mike, so he stood in the background quietly, hoping Supreme would step off.
Apple was somewhat relieved that her sister came to her aid. It was the only time she felt happy to have her around.
Supreme smiled mockingly. “You a bad bitch, huh?”
“Try me, muthafucka!” Kola locked eyes with him.
“Nah, we cool. Y’all ladies have a good night,” Supreme replied casually. He then looked at Apple and said, “I’ll see you around, Apple.” He stepped out of the stairway, Guy Tony following closely behind.
Kola kept her eyes on him until he was out of the lobby. She then looked at her sister and barked, “What the f-uck business you got wit’ that nigga?”
Apple looked back at her sister with contempt. “It’s nothin’!”
“What you mean, nothin’? I hear you screaming from the lobby, and I walk in to see this nigga got his fuckin’ hands on you. Are you crazy or stupid?!”
“Kola, stay out my business. I can handle it.”
“You in trouble wit’ this nigga? You took money from him?”
“No, a’ight!”
“Apple, if you got some kinda beef wit’ Supreme let me know. I can get my peoples on it and handle him.”
Apple didn’t need her sister prying into her business and protecting her like she was some charity case. She didn’t need Kola holding her hand. Kola had more love and respect in the hood than Apple ever had, and Apple was also jealous of her sister.
“I’m fuckin’ OK. Just step off!” Apple screamed.
Kola looked at her sister up and down. “Yo, I don’t know what your fuckin’ game is or what really is your fuckin’ problem, but you lookin’ stupid wit’ my fuckin’ clothes on. Fo’ real, you need to take my shit off and wash it. Then check your fuckin’ self. What? You tryin’ to be me now, huh?”
“Fuck you, Kola!” Apple shouted then raced upstairs in her heels.
Kola followed behind her, and the two continued their argument inside the apartment. Nichols was on the couch watching TV when she heard the shouting and the door slam.
“Why you in my shit, Apple?”
“Kola, step the f-uck off!” Apple screamed, snatching off the shirt and unbuttoning the skirt.
“No. You tell me why that nigga was pressed up on you like that! Huh, Apple? What the f-uck business you got wit’ him? He a fuckin’ creep. You fuckin’ that nigga?”
Apple turned and exclaimed, “I ain’t a fuckin’ whore, like you, bitch!”
“‘Bitch’? Remember, I’m the one that saved your fuckin’ ass!”
Apple tossed Kola’s shirt at her and then kicked off the shoes.
Nichols was dumbfounded by her sisters’ argument and wanted them to stop. She stood up and watched her two sisters up in each other’s face like they were boxers in the ring.
“You’s a disrespectful bitch, Apple!”
“I’ll be disrespectful. Just get the f-uck out my face!”
“So, what you tryin’ to do? Fight me now? Huh, Apple? What’s good then, punk!”
Nichols was fed up with the nonsense between her sisters. Tears trickling down her face, she burst out, “Stop it! Stop it! Why y’all always gotta be fighting? I’m tired of this shit! Damn it!” She stormed out of the room and hurried into her mother’s bedroom, leaving the twins astounded by her outburst.
Kola took a step back from Apple, regaining her composure. “You know what? I don’t need this shit. You can keep my fuckin’ clothes. You seem to need them more than me. I’ll just buy some new shit.” She walked out the door and slammed it shut behind her.
Apple sucked her teeth. She stepped out of the skirt and left everything scattered about in the living room. Dressed in only her panties and bra, she went into the bathroom, turned on the water, and filled the dirty tub up until she was able to jump in and submerge herself from her reality.
She cried underwater, wishing she was able to drown herself. She needed a change in her life, wanted something different, but it felt like she was living through the same bullshit every day.