Wickman •Nardo Wick•

7•

Nardo's lips press against my forehead and something cold touches my temple. I flinch at the feeling.

"I'm so sorry, baby girl," Nardo whispers. I watch him take the gun off of safety and place it back to my head. "But you know too much."

"Nardo please," I whine, fear overcoming my body.

"I'm sorry. I love you."

"No you-"

My body jolts up. I feel my head for a whole and look around. I'm alive. There's no whole in my head. I wasn't shot. It was just a dream.

I look down at the bed for Nardo, but he's nowhere to be found. Good. I gotta get outta here and away from him. If I stay my dream will come true- I mean my nightmare. And Nardo is Freddy Krueger.

I grab my phone off the charger and look at the screen to see text messages from Nardo.

Nardo‼️
⬇️

Went handle some business.

Food is downstairs.

Call me when you wake up.

I don't want a repeat from yesterday, but I don't even want to hear his voice. I get up and walk to his bathroom, a new tube toothpaste and a new toothbrush is sitting on the counter. I guess it's for me, so I brush my teeth. I grab a washcloth and wipe my eyes, and the rest of my face. I grab my bag and grab pick out my clothes.

I have work today, not until 2 though and its currently 9 am, so I have plenty of time. I work at a library. It's really good money to be honest, 20 dollars per hour. It's just a lot of work. I love it so much, reading is just my thing. Call me a nerd, but that's just me.

"Hey Siri, okay Lauryn Hill on Apple Music," I say and then turn on the shower. Time for my concert. 'Doo Wop' starts playing first and I vibe as I clean my body. "That thing, that thing, that thi-i-ing. That thing, that thing, that thi-i-ing."

I sing along with her as I wash my hair. I gotta make use of this shower. After shampooing and conditioning, I put in my deep conditioner and hop out the shower, grabbing a towel.

"Hey Siri, text Nardo 'okay'" I say, applying my mascara.

"Your message to Nardo is 'okay'. Are you ready to send," she asks as I finish my eyes.

"Yes."

"Message sent."

I rinse out my deep conditioner and add my leave in and hold gel. Letting it sit, I finish my makeup, which really is just me using concealer under my eye bags, lining my lips with a brown pencil and then applying lipgloss.

"Damn, I don't have a blow dryer," I cuss to myself. How the hell is my hair gon be dry in time for work? I'll just have to ask somebody where it is after I check here first.

I move stuff around and look in cabinets, but it's no where to be found. I roll my eyes and slap myself mentally. I should have checked before I did my hair. I grab my phone and head down stairs. I'm hungry.

"Yes ma'am, I was a witness to a murder," I hear a voice say as I enter the kitchen. I stop walking and stand still, trying to listen. "It happened at Marriville apartment complex."

That's my apartment complex. What the hell is going on? I thought Chris handled the body? So who is calling this in? Maybe this is just how yhu operate in this gang- mob- whatever the hell this is.

"Yes, I did see the shooter. In fact I know him personally. His name is Horace- Horace Walls."

He's naming people now. I thought that was against the hood rule book? Maybe they're penning it on the other gang. I don't know the other members but Nardo never mentioned a Horace at all. At least he's not saying it was Nardo.

"No I cannot come in, I do not want to get killed myself. M-my name is Christian Combs, but please keep this anonymous."

Chris? Is this what Nardo meant by Chris will take care of it? At least he's doing what he's supposed to. I just wonder why Tony and Reggie hate him so much.

I decide to just walk into the kitchen now that I know it's safe. Chris looks at me and quickly hangs up the phone.

"H-hey," her nervously responds. He has no reason to be nervous. He's just doing his job, and I'm not saying anything to Nardo anyway.

"Hi," I respond. "Uh, Nardo said the food was down here."

"In the oven," he responds, pulling out plates. He opens the oven, grabbing two IHOP bags and places the food on the plate. "Ian know what you wanted, I just got everything.

My fat ass was gon eat everything anyway. He just won me over. Tony and Reggie are real life tripping, they needa chill. Having trust issues for nothing.

I dig into the food, enjoying every bit off it. I notice Chris's phone is right in front of me. He just nervously stands there as I eat.

"How much of that call did you hear?"

"Nothing, I just got down here," I lie. Nightmare Nardo said that I knew too much and then he killed me, he not finna know I know anything for now on. Yes, it wasn't reality. But dreams come true. And so do nightmares.

"Oh okay," he says, and smirks at me. "So how did you sleep?"

"Good," I say after I chew my food. I hate when people talk to me while I'm eating. But he did get me food so I have to be nice.

"You from here?"

"No," I reply. These pancakes are so good. That syrup is so sweet. God, thank you.

"Where you from?"

"Louisiana."

"For real? What part?"

"Baton Rouge."

"You knew youngboy?" Why does everybody ask me that? Yea, I did know him personally. But me and Ken fell off when he blew up. He didn't want people thinking I was his girlfriend and mess up the relationship he was already in. So I deny knowing him.

"Everybody know everybody down there," I bluntly respond.

Before he could respond his phone goes off.

I look down and the caller is 'Horace🔫🥷🏼🪦'.

He answers and I look down at my plate, paying close attention to what he was saying.

"Yeah she good, she eating right now." Me and Chris make eye contact. Why is he telling Horace about me? He's responding the same way everybody responds to Nardo. Bruh, now I'm curious. Who is Horace?