CHAPTER FIFTEEN

MYSTRO

 

Mystro and Native sat across from one another in the visiting hall. It was semi-crowded as visitation had just opened back up and everyone wanted to see their loved ones.

For some reason Mystro was focused on a kid who was eating the vending machine wings and she wondered why they didn’t just buy him McDonalds.

“Son, is you listening?” Native said, jogging her out of her thoughts.

“Oh, yeah…”

“And so, I’m sitting there after my third shot of Casamigos and I’m jive contemplating a fourth.” Native was recanting her evening at the bar for Mystro.

Mystro, who was physically present, was slumped down in her chair and seemed distant and uninterested.

“The broad who was slinging the tequila was fire, too. I was about to, yeah, you feel me?” Native continued.

“Mm hmm,” Mystro replied dryly. She crossed her arms over her chest.

“But then my fucking phone got to ringing. So, I looked at it or whatever and it was Bri, blowing my shit up!” Native sat back in her seat dramatically as she recanted the events of the other night.

“Next thing I know, she walked her ass into the damn bar! On some lunatic shit! Yoouunnggg, I was heated.” For the first time since Native started the story, Mystro looked at her.

She didn’t say anything but Native had her attention.

“Aye, son, what the fuck is your issue?” Native asked.

“What?” Mystro said.

“I’m here, I’m telling you how twisted up my shit is and you sitting there like I ate your lunch or something. The fuck!” Native asked, slapping the table once.

“Why you in here running off about your love life? I told you I had some serious shit I’m going through. I feel like I’m about to kirk out.”

“Aight, that’s why I came. So we can talk this shit out, but you don’t gotta carry me while I’m telling you what I’m going through either, slim.” Native shot back.

Mystro took a deep breath and sat up straighter.

She ran her hand down her face.

“That’s fair. My bad, son. This whole situation has my mind warped, but you right. What happened when she came through?” Mystro asked.

“Nigga, she came straight to the bar and for my throat.” Native threw her hands up and explained. “Got to going, talking about why you ain’t picked up your phone and who you in here with. It was non-stop.”

“But that’s your brand, you know you like ‘em a little crazy.” Mystro reminded her.

“I’m hip, that was my move back in the day. But I ain’t sign up for that with shawty. She wasn’t giving off none of those vibes before we signed that lease.”

Mystro chuckled.

“Yeah, but I bet you strapped the shit outta her that night though, right?” Mystro questioned.

Native was quiet. She lifted up the black skull cap she wore and scratched her head.

She looked down at the snacks on the table and picked up a cold hot wing and took a bite. Just like the kid.

“I’m right, ain’t I?” Mystro persisted as she waited for her answer.

“Don’t act like you know me, nigga!” Native smirked. “So what got you so fired up?” She dropped the chicken bones onto the napkin.

Mystro sat up and scooted closer to Native to shield what she wanted to say from others.

“That bamma ass broad over there is gunning for me, young. And the shit has gotten out of control.” Mystro cut her eyes across the room to where Bruiser and her girlfriend sat.

Native wanted to look too but didn’t wanna be hot. After all, the last time the four of them were in a room together, visitations were cut. So she picked up a paper towel and wiped her fingers instead.

“She tried to have me jumped, slim.” Mystro informed barely moving her lips.

Native put the paper towel down and scooted her chair closer to the table. She couldn’t believe her ears. She cut her eyes across to the corner of the room while her head remained down.

“That’s where you got that cut on your lip from?” Native asked just above a whisper.

“Yeah,” Mystro scanned the room before she continued. “They snatched me into the chapel and tried to work me.”

Native chuckled. “But I bet they ain’t know they was squaring up with “The Natural” did they?” Native said referring to Mystro’s former boxing nickname.

“Nah, they found out real quick though.”

Native grabbed her bottled water and sat back. “How many?”

“At first it was slim and two others, but before blows were thrown, slim dipped.” Mystro said explaining how Bruiser left before the fight started. Only to miss her folks getting their asses whooped.

“Alibi?” Native insinuated.

“Exactly. But shit ain’t play in her favor though.” Mystro continued.

“Of course it didn’t. So now what?” Native asked. She took a sip of her water.

“What you mean? I gotta get this bamma back.” Mystro stated with raised eyebrows.

“Wrong!” Native said as she shook her head from left to right and closed her eyes.

Mystro glared.

“You gotta come home, fam. Look, she not gonna try nothing else. More than likely she gonna stay on guard thinking you gonna come back at her.” Native shrugged her shoulders and explained.

“I don’t know, Nae. This bamma different. She get an idea in her head and start lunching.” Mystro replied.

“Nah, trust me, I know bitches like her.” Native advised.

“I keep telling you prison is different.”

“Hear me out.” Native leaned closer. “She took her shot and she missed badly. She not gonna do shit else unless you kick it back up. Let that shit ride and stay out the heat.” Native warned.

Mystro took a deep breath and her nostrils flared.

“What you huffing and puffing about?” Native asked.

“I got into this bullshit in the first place looking out for Baby Dom. Which you told me I had to do by the way, but you not trying to even see what I’m dealing with or give me sound advice on what to do now.” Mystro explained.

“I am telling you what to do!” Native said back in a harsh tone just above a whisper. “Keeping this beef going at this point is dumb.” Native continued.

Mystro snatched her grape soda off the table and sat back.

“You don’t get it. It ain’t like that in here man. This ain’t out in the streets.”

“If you ask me it sounds just like ‘em.” Native said. “But since you feel like you gotta do something else, what you thinking ‘bout doing?”

“I don’t know, that’s my problem. But I gotta strike back. I’m just not sure how.” Mystro admitted. She took a gulp of her soda.

“Well, since you say I put you in this shit, let me help you out.” Native said with an attitude.

She put her water bottle down on the table and got up from her seat.

Mystro’s eyes widened. “What you doing?”

Native brushed her jeans off and cut her eyes towards Mystro before she walked away from her.

“Where you going, slim?” Mystro repeated, puzzled.

Native didn’t reply. Just kept walking.

As Mystro watched closely, she saw Native head over toward Bruiser and her girlfriend’s table.

Mystro raised her eyebrows as she looked on intensely to see what played out. She felt dizzy and she was so confused. After all, this could’ve went a million different ways.

As if she were watching a movie, she saw Native bend down and whisper into The Girlfriend’s ear. All while Bruiser looked on in confusion.

“What the fuck is you doing?” Bruiser shot up and yelled.

The girlfriend smiled and then immediately turned her smile into a forced scowl.

Native stood straight up and sauntered back toward her and Mystro’s table to gather her things.

The room erupted in chatter and laughs.

“Mason!” C.O. Michael yelled out. “Your visit is over! Line up!”

“The fuck was that?” Mystro stood up with her arms and hands open and said.

“Now, you got her back, happy?” Native asked sarcastically.

While the laughter in the hall continued, Native adjusted her hat and walked to the door.

Mystro and Bruiser on the other hand just glared at each other from across the room.