Gianna's Grit | ✓

XXIII: Guess Who's Back

GIANNA

The three I'd immediately recognized turned into a new fourth member. He wore a black bandana that covered half of his face, but I didn't think anything of it. Most of the little brothers I'd seen at King's house hid their identities behind the black cotton.

I narrowed my eyes and anger coursed through my veins when I finally recognized him. I forced my way passed the other three and successfully ripped the bandana off of the fourth's face.

I scoffed, "Kamari."

The boy stared back at me in shock, his usual passive smile now completely gone.

"You're staying here while King goes and fights your battle for you?" I crossed my arms. "Explain yourself."

"You have no idea what's going on, Gi," he shook his head. "There's more time this than just a drug cut—"

I shoved him to the pavement and stole the gun from his jeans. I aimed it right at his head and scowled, "Explain. Yourself."

He rushed to raise his hands in surrender and push away from me on the sidewalk, "Alright, alright!"

I lowered the weapon.

"Red tried to find you again," Kamari looked away. "First at the funeral, and then the night King went and brought you to the house."

My eyes widened, "He came to the fucking funeral?"

Kamari eyed the gun, "he went to the burial grounds and we saw him waiting there—"

"Hold up," I laughed in absolute fury, "y'all saw him at the Kingsley burial ground and didn't warn us?"

Kamari shook his head, "We didn't want you to get involved—"

"Well that fucking worked," I clicked my tongue. "Did King know he was waiting there for me?"

Kamari's eyes didn't leave the gun.

"Of course he did, that's why he left early," I muttered sourly, "Was Red trying to make a move? That's why King left early, right?"

Kamari nodded hesitantly, "We wanted to tell you—"

"But you didn't," I yelled. "You let me believe everything was fine and goddamn dandy—wait.. King was already hurt when he got to the funeral."

Kamari sighed, "Dammit, King."

"He said something about 'killing a bug'," I remembered. "Did he get one of those guys who'd framed you?"

"I told him not to make any moves," Kamari shrugged, "but he knew you were next—"

"Next?" I searched his body for wounds, "How'd they get to you?"

He decided to play dumb, "what?"

I out my hand on my hip, "I taught you that damn scheme when we were seven. Answer me, Kamari."

He stood slowly and turned his back to me before pulling his shirt up to reveal his entire back.

I gasped at the sight of the long jagged scar that made an "R" across the span of his back, "What the fuck did they do to you?"

Kamari's voice was low and broken as he spoke, "They.. took a knife and heated it in the fire.. they held me down and carved the letter into my back.."

I yanked his shirt down and came to his front, embracing him as he cried, "I'm so sorry, I—"

Kamari shook his head, "You didn't know."

"I aimed a gun at you, I blamed you—"

"I made sure that you didn't know," he argued, wiping away my tears. "I told King to keep it quiet."

"When did they get to you?" I asked.

"The night before the funeral," he held me close. "They came and got me from downtown, where King had me run, but he came and got me."

"They could've killed you!" I broke away, "They would've killed you, Kamari!"

He removed his arms and shoved his hands into his pockets, "I know, but I still wanna help."

"You know where King went?" I wiped away the last of my tears. "You know Red's there, don't you?"

His eyes darted me mine, "I got a change of clothes in my backseat if you're in."

"I'm sure as hell not leaving him to die," I held out the gun to him. "Which car is yours?"

He smiled, retrieved both the gun and his bandana, and led me to one of the black vehicles. He handed me the all black outfit and I changed behind the tinted windows of the car.

I knocked on the passenger window when I was done and slid into the seat. By the time I was comfortable, Kamari was starting the car. I noticed the other Tags had climbed into the first car and were pulling out of the Cove in front of us.

Kamari turned to me as he began pulling away from the curb, "Are you sure about this?"

I glowed at him, "You know I hate when people ask me that question. Of course I'm sure about this."

Kamari nodded and the car went silent. I thought we'd ride in complete silence for the remainder of the ride, but he squashed that idea.

"Did he ask you if you were pregnant?"

I whipped my head to the side and met his eyes, "Red? Yeah, he came into the bar and was talking crazy though, probably just trying to get a rise out of me—"

"Are you?" Kamari cut in.

I shook my head, "Excuse you?"

"Are you pregnant, Gianna?" He asked, glancing at the road as he continued following the Tags.

"No," I scoffed, "I'm not pregnant."

"Are you sure?" He pressed.

"What are you trying to say?" I shot back.

"Have you taken the test recently?" He shrugged.

I turned to him fully, though I knew I was lying through my teeth, "King and I use condoms."

"You're smart enough to know that condoms don't always work," Kamari smacked his lips. "So you haven't taken a pregnancy test—"

"No, Doctor Kamari, I haven't taken a pregnant test lately. Yes, I know that condoms, as well as every other birth control have a probability of failing."

He nodded, "What happens if you are?"

I groaned and slumped back in my seat, "I'm not."

"But what if you are and you get hurt during a shoot out tonight," he insisted.

"You think that's going to happen?" I swallowed harshly, the very idea suddenly making me queasy.

Kamari glanced at me and his emotionless face turned stern, "Just stay close, Gi."

Well that's comforting.