Hustla (BOOK ONE)

Chapter 23

Once Aaliyah got home, Dre came 1 hour later. He knocked on the door and Aaliyah opened it.

Dre looked her up and down. "That's shit you wear you in the house", he said.

Aaliyah walked away from the door.

"Then your ass out and shit", he said as he walked in and shut the door.

"I brought my clothes to wear them", she said.

"Yea but out to the hood? hell nah. While you with me? Hell nah", Dre said.

"I'm done talking about this. Where you been today?", she asked.

"I went to see a family member iight", Dre said.

"Family member?", she asked. "I don't believe that shit. Cause if that's the case, how is that something you couldn't just tell me"

"Aaliyah I don't wanna talk about it", he said.

Aaliyah walks to him. "Dre, you have 24 hours to tell me where you been. You know what I'm sorry 24 seconds to tell me"

"Or what?", Aaliyah asked.

"Or I'm better hope whatever you got going on is there to comfort you when I break up with yo ass", she said.

"You know what.. if arguing is all we gonna do this so be it. Break up with me", he said.

Aaliyah was silent as she stared at him. She didn't expect him to say that.

"Aaliyah I like you iight. I would not be dating you if I didn't", Dre said. "I get you know how guys move when it comes to girls but I don't mind letting you know it I cheat, but I won't, but I'm saying if that ever happened. I don't wanna waste your time, nor mine.", Dre said.

Aaliyah looks down.

Dre sits down. "Remember when I told you I wouldn't tell anybody i have a kid with you? To protect them?", Dre said.

"Yea", she said.

"Well... the truth is.. I have a child with another girl...he's 2", he said.

Aaliyah was quiet. She heard what he said but it didn't process.

"I promised my baby mama the same", he said.

Aaliyah nods. "I guess I understand now", she said,

"I had to talk to her first about it", he said.

Aaliyah walks to Dre and sits next to him. "I'm sorry... I just... ive gotten my heart broken by people I thought were going to be there for me so much that I began to become scared to open up anybody else. I'm scared for them to hurt me, for them to judge me, or leave me... I can't even enjoy the time I spend with my dad or siblings because the word family is so rare to me... the streets raised me and it taught me to trust none and now it's to the point where it's hard to trust anyone. Even them..but I know I can but it's hard"

"I get it", Dre said. "I don't trust many people either", he said. "But since I told you about my son.. against my babymama's wishes? That means I trust you.. so baby you gotta start trusting me one day"

"Why do you even like me. I was a stripper, i had sex with you and barely knew you, I was even a..prostitute before", she said as her voice cracked. "How wants somebody like that?"

"That last thing you didn't do by choice alright", he said.

"But it happened", she said.

"You didn't have control over that Aaliyah", he said.

"Okay so what about the other stuff?", he said.

"Aaliyah I knew you stripped before I met you. You dance for me for private before I hired you", he said. "How do you think I found out your address?"

"I don't remember that?", she said. " I was a little drunk and nervous"

"Aaliyah nervous??", Dre asked.

"I did a lot of things but dance before. I didn't even know if I could. I just wanted the money", she said.

"Well you was good", he said. "Every time I came through there, I had to watch you for a little bit"

Aaliyah smiles. "Yea.. the girls always used to get nervous when you came. I thought it was because you was just cute and had a lot of money. I ain't know it was because you owned the place", she said.

Dre nods. "...the reason I like you is because you about business. You're determined and that's attractive to me", he said.

Aaliyah looks at Dre. "You say the word attracted but... Dre what are actual feelings toward me? Is attraction or do you actually like me?"

Dre was quiet for a moment. "I actually like you", he said.

"You had to think, because you don't know", she said.

"No, I had to think because I wanted to say something else", he said.

Aaliyah made a face.

Suddenly, the glass of the window bursts through and bullets came after. Aaliyah quickly get on the floor and Dre gets on time of her to cover her up.

Once the bullets stops, Dre get up holding his side but he doesn't act like he's in pain. He takes his gun out and goes outside and sees a car driving away.

Aaliyah sits up slowly. Not seeing the front of Dre. "Who was that?", she asked.

"....you need to move with me?", he said.

"Why?", she walked.

Dre walks back in and shut the door. He had blood on his hand as he held his side. "That was them", he said.

"Dre are you okay?", she asked.

Dre ignores her "I told you to stay low, yet you go out getting all the attention. Now they know where you leave. Now the shit can't die off", he said.

"I'll just find another place", she said.

"Aaliyah you coming to my house and that's final", he said as he was kinda outta breath because he was loosing blood.

Aaliyah stood up and walked to him slowly. She never had somebody care about her enough to take a bullet for her.

Dre looks at her hand then in the place he got shot. "I'm going to the hospital", he said.

"I'll take you", she said.

"No. You get your clothes and shit and go to my house", he said. "Make sure that nobody is following you"

"I don't understand what makes a difference if I'm at your house or my own", she said.

Dre hit the closer thing to him with his hand. "Do what the fuck I told you to do! Stop having an answer for everything!", he said in anger. She could tell he was starting to feel the pain.

"Okay", she said.

Dre quickly walked out the house.

Aaliyah went into her room and started packing.

TO BE CONTINUED...