CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

MYSTRO

 

After getting carried by her girl for the fiftieth time in a row, Bruiser decided to let off steam in the rec room on the basketball court.

She was just about to get her blood going with her comrade but when she tossed the ball in her direction, Mystro trotted in and grabbed it instead.

“Fuck is you doing?” Bruiser asked, turning up her nose like she smelled something foul.

With the ball in one hand and the other raised, Mystro said, “So what, you can’t handle a little one on one?”

“Oh, please stop playing with my life! This ain’t no stove, you can’t fuck with me on this court! I’ll stomp you into this pine.” Bruiser boasted.

“Oh, yeah? Well, let’s see, check.” Mystro bounced the ball towards Bruiser's direction.

Bruiser caught the bounced pass.

“So what we playing to?” Bruiser asked Mystro seriously.

“Five, by ones.” Mystro replied.

“What's the stakes? I mean what do I get when I win all this shit?” Bruiser asked sarcastically.

“If I win you leave me and Baby Dom alone completely.”

Bruiser sucked her teeth. “And when I win, what I get?” She asked again.

“You just leave her alone.” Mystro replied.

“Fuck is up with you and shawty?” She frowned.

Mystro ignored her inquiry. “You in or not?”

“I asked you a fucking question?” Bruiser insisted. “She eating your box or something?”

Mystro was heated. “At the end of the day, you got flunkies already.” Mystro cut her eyes towards Cinnamon.

“Yeah, well I want another one.” Bruiser smirked and dribbled the ball between her legs.

“Like I said, you got flunkies, she done being one of ‘em.” Mystro informed.

“She gonna keep being whatever the fuck I want her to be.” Bruiser replied. Her nostrils flared.

Mystro stepped closer.

Bruiser did the same.

At that moment Mystro could hear Native in her ear. Blaming her for the state of her circumstances.

She knew she had two options. She could knock Bruiser the fuck out and they could keep going back and forth with Baby Dom caught in the middle or she could try one last time to appeal to her softer side.

If this bitch had one.

Mystro decided to bite her tongue.

“I know her from back in the day.”

Bruiser smiled.

She liked where this was going. “I know.”

“Well, if you know, then you understand why I don’t want her fucked with. So, are we gonna settle this like two respectable niggas from DC? Or are we gonna let this prison shit take over?” Mystro asked, ready for whatever Bruiser decided.

Bruiser contemplated her options. Although she’d never seen Mystro play, she knew she herself was good with the rock. However, given the seriousness of the stakes she had a feeling she may not come out on the winning end right now.

On the other hand, she was very competitive, especially where she knew she could shine. So, she chest passed the ball to Mystro hard and said, “let’s go.”

But before the game ensued, Mystro wanted clarification.

“Aight, so if I win, all is dead. And if you win, you choose.” She confirmed and passed the ball back.

Bruiser smiled.

“Yep, check.” She bounced passed the ball toward Mystro.

Mystro received the ball and yelled, “Check.” She bounced the ball back.

Bruiser dribbled the ball toward the right and pulled up for a jump shot.

It went in.

“One nothing.” Bruiser shouted, with a grin across her face.

Mystro grabbed the rebound and bounced it back toward Bruiser.

“Bruiser didn’t check the ball again, instead she drove the lane and elbowed Mystro before she laid it up and into the basket.

“Two nothing.” Bruiser chuckled.

Cinnamon looked on with a smile in the background. At that moment her boss was getting the best of Mystro.

Mystro took a deep breath and locked in.

“You not gonna get a shot, Northeast, you might as well let me hit this three and call it game.” Bruiser laughed.

Mystro said nothing. She rolled her scrub pants leg up and got into a defensive stance.

“Check,” Bruiser yelled.

Mystro passed her the ball.

Bruiser pump faked, then went up to shoot.

Mystro blocked her shot and grabbed the ball.

She dribbled to the top of the key. Then drove the lane for a quick layup.

Cinnamon yelled out, “One to two.”

Bruiser shot her the death glare.

Cinnamon covered her mouth and closed her eyes.

Mystro bounced the ball to Bruiser, and she reluctantly returned it.

“Kobe!” Mystro yelled as she pulled up for a jump shot.

It went in.

After she checked the ball, Mystro dribbled and pulled up for a ten-foot jump shot off the backboard.

Bruiser was visibly heated.

Mystro got the ball back and drove the lane for a left-hand layup. And just like that, she was well in the lead.

“Four two.” Mystro reminded Bruiser.

Bruiser stared at her with disdain. She couldn’t guard her.

Mystro dribbled the ball and yelled, “Point.”

She passed the ball to Bruiser to check it, but it bounced off Bruiser’s chest and rolled back toward Mystro.

Bruiser smacked the ground and got into a deep defensive stance to try and guard Mystro tight.

Mystro bounced passed the ball to herself through Bruiser’s legs then pulled up for the game winning jump shot.

It went in.

“Game.” Mystro said.

Bruiser stood in disbelief and anger.

Cinnamon dropped her head down and threw her hands up in disappointment.

Bruiser wiped down her face with her hand and let out a deep breath.

“So, we good right?” Mystro asked for confirmation while she palmed the ball in one hand.

Bruiser, with a scowl on her face, smirked and said, “Yep, we good. All is dead.”