​Chapter 9: Welcome to Niggadise my friend

The second Kiesha pulled on that pipe, I saw it in her eyes.

She was gone.

The high grabbed her, snatched her soul, and dragged her straight to Niggadise.

Keisha in Crack Heaven now!

She froze, eyes wide as hell, lips still wrapped around the glass, her whole body shiverin’ like she just got baptized in ice water.

Then she let out a deep "Mmmmmmm", tiltin’ her head back, hands clenchin’ and unclenchin’ like she was tryna grab somethin’ that wasn’t there.

"Niggaaaaaa, what the fuck is this?!" she gasped, voice light, almost dreamy.

She wasn’t even sittin’ in the Chevelle no more—she was floatin’.

I already knew where she went.

Kiesha threw her arms out like she was catchin’ the Holy Ghost, eyes rollin’ back, feet tappin’ on the floor like she was doin’ a crackhead two-step.

"OHHHHH SHIT, I SEE IT!" she cried. "The sky... THE SKY IS ROCK, JOE!"

She grabbed my arm, shakin’ me like she just unlocked the meaning of life.

"Joe... nigga... it’s EVERYWHERE."

Kirk was just starin’ at us, jaw clenched, shakin’ his head.

"Nah, bruh. Nope. Y’all niggas done lost it."

I was still ridin’ my own high when I heard Kirk’s voice cut through.

"Nigga, it’s already 5PM! Y’all gone be late to work! Snap outta that shit!"

I blinked.

Time?

What the fuck is time?

Kiesha was still gigglin’, touchin’ her own face like she ain’t recognize herself.

"Kiesha, nigga! We gotta go!" I shook her.

She jolted, shakin’ her head. "Huh? Oh shit—oh shit, work!"

We scrambled, wipin’ our faces, fixin’ our clothes, tryin’ to shake off the high.

Kirk watched us, still lookin’ pissed.

"Y’all niggas is wild, man," he muttered, shakin’ his head.

He started up the car, rubbin’ his temples.

"Hit me up when y’all off... and NO more rock, please. Sheesh."

We hopped out, stumbling toward the carnival entrance, still buzzin’ but tryna act normal.

Kirk peeled off, leavin’ us to our mess.

​

Kiesha walked beside me, quiet for the first time in forever.

She ain’t make no jokes. Ain’t tease me.

She just kept fiddlin’ with her fingers, lips pursed like she was tryin’ to process what she just did.

I felt it too.

Guilt.

I let her do that shit.

I put her on it.

And now... there was no goin’ back.

As we made our way toward the back, she suddenly grabbed my arm, pullin’ me to a stop.

"Joe."

I turned, blinkin’. "What?"

She licked her lips, eyes serious, almost desperate.

"Let me know when you doin’ that shit again."

I hesitated.

Then nodded.

"Bet."

She let me go.

I headed toward my changing tent, feelin’ more lost than ever.

I stepped into the tent, grabbin’ my costume off the rack.

Sat down in front of the mirror and started paintin’ my face.

White.

Blue.

Red.

But when I looked up at the finished product, I barely recognized the nigga starin’ back.

That wasn’t me.

Not no more.

I stepped out into the big tent, lights hittin’, the crowd already cheerin’.

I forced a smile, doin’ my usual strut onto the stage.

But then I saw him.

The nigga with the gold grill.

Sittin’ right in the front row.

And next to him?

A bad-ass Chinese lady.

I don’t know why, but my mind immediately locked onto her.

She looked rich, put together, the type of woman that ain’t belong in a place like this.

That’s when the idea hit me.

She was gonna be my way to get at him.

As soon as my set wrapped up, the lights dimmed, and Keisha took the stage.

She stepped up to the mic, straightened her shoulders, and let it rip.

Her voice hit the air like silk, like a blade—sharp, smooth, dangerous.

The crowd froze.

Even that grill-wearin’ motherfucker and his lady stopped talkin’, just starin’ at her.

By the time she finished, the whole tent was silent.

Then?

An explosion of cheers.

She had ‘em. All of ‘em.

After the show, we met up near the food stands, grabbin’ some funnel cake and cotton candy.

I was still thinkin’ about that Chinese lady.

Kiesha peeped my face, raisin’ an eyebrow. "What you plottin’?"

I licked powdered sugar off my fingers. "I’m gettin’ back at that nigga with the grill. His name Dante."

She frowned. "What you mean, ‘get back’?"

I smirked. "I’m gonna get that Chinese woman."

Her eyes narrowed. "What the fuck you mean, get her?"

I grinned. "Snatch her. Hold her for ransom."

I said it like a joke, laughin’ as I took another bite.

But Keisha?

She ain’t laugh.

She just shook her head.

"You play too much, boy."

I just kept smirkin’.

After we finished eatin’, I flipped open my StarTAC and hit up Kirk.

The phone rang twice before he picked up.

"Y’all good?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, leanin’ against the fence. "Come scoop us."

"Bet. Be there in ten."

I hung up, slid the phone back in my pocket.