CHAPTER 8
A few days had passed since Apple’s run-in with Supreme. She’d been keeping a low profile, knowing he had some issues and wanted to exploit her in so many ways. With Supreme, it wasn’t about the debt, but the control he wanted to have over her. She knew he had his way with many women because of the money they owed him. For them, it was easier to f-uck him a few times than to pay up their outstanding debt.
Apple felt trapped. She was embarrassed about borrowing money from a local loan shark to buy an outfit for Summer Jam and having to pay him back with pu-ssy. She didn’t want the hood to know about her dealings with Supreme, and she especially didn’t want word to reach Kola.
Apple devised a scheme that was sure to keep Supreme and his goons off her ass. Every day, she would look out her window and keep an eye out for him. When she thought he wasn’t around, she would break out, making sure she didn’t have any interference on her way to wherever.
One evening, she ran into Guy Tony at the corner bodega. When he pressured her about the money she owed, she lied, knowing he wasn’t the brightest star in the galaxy. She said she had the money at home and promised, if he hung around, she would run to her place and get it. He believed her, and she ran off, leaving him waiting for her return.
Apple knew her constant lying and ducking Supreme wouldn’t work forever. So she picked the lock to Kola’s room while she wasn’t home and went rummaging through her closet looking for clothes that she hardly wore anymore. She removed a few short skirts, some really short coochie-cutting shorts, and a few tops. Apple and Kola were exactly the same size, so she knew it would work. When she was satisfied with the stuff she snatched from Kola’s closet, she put everything else back the way she found it and returned to her bedroom.
Apple felt Kola had so many clothes that she wouldn’t realize a few pieces were missing. She laid out Kola’s clothing on the bed and tried to figure out how she would work everything out.
Just then Nichols walked into the bedroom. “What you doin’ wit’ Kola’s clothes all laying out on the bed?” she asked.
“Nothin’, Nichols. It ain’t your business.”
“Kola’s goin’ to kill you when she sees her stuff out like that.”
“She ain’t gonna kill nobody, ’cause she ain’t gonna know they missing. A’ight, Nichols?”
Nichols sucked her teeth. She knew it was best to stay out her sister’s business, not wanting to get caught up in any sibling rivalry. “It’s your funeral,” she responded before exiting the bedroom.
Apple shut the door behind her sister and then quickly picked up the clothes and stashed them in the bottom of her closet. It was her only choice, since Supreme and his people were on her ass every day. She just needed time to get his money together without the continuous harassment.
“It’s gonna work,” she said to herself with a sure smile.
*****
Two days later, Apple was walking out the apartment clad in some skimpy white coochie-cutting shorts and a shirt so tight, it pinched her nipples. Though it was a hot June afternoon, the wardrobe was out of character for her, but it was something she needed to do.
Apple hadn’t seen Kola all morning and thought she was probably shacked up with some nigga. It was perfect. When she stepped out of the elevator, the first faces she saw were those of Supreme and Guy Tony.
Supreme glared at Apple and marched up to her with the quickness. He grabbed her by her arm the minute she stepped off the elevator and shouted, “Bitch, you tryin’ to fuckin’ duck me!”
Apple quickly went into character. “Nigga, get the f-uck off me!” she screamed, yanking her arm free from Supreme.
Supreme and Guy Tony were shocked.
Apple glared at them and continued her verbal onslaught. “Don’t you ever put your grimy hands on me!”
“Bitch, who the f-uck you talkin’ to?” Supreme yelled back.
“Nigga, you better fuckin’ recognize! I ain’t that bitch to f-uck wit’, ya heard? You better chill with the bitch remarks ’fore I sick my goons on you!”
A startled Supreme glanced at Guy Tony, who could only shrug. Supreme was confused. “Apple, right?” he asked incredulously.
“Nigga, I ain’t my sister. I’m Kola. Get it right!” she barked.
Supreme looked at Apple, trying to figure out if he had the right sister, but Apple looked completely like her twin sister. He then studied her wardrobe. It was tight, provocative, and revealing, something he rarely saw Apple wearing. He took a step back and knew something was wrong.
Apple was relieved that her plan to fool Supreme was working. She wanted to laugh, but kept her gangster attitude up. “What the f-uck you want wit’ my sister anyway?”
“Nah, it was just a misunderstanding, that’s all, Kola,” Supreme said.
“It better be. That’s my fuckin’ sister. You know my fuckin’ crowd, nigga. Now back the f-uck up!”
“Yeah, I know. Ain’t no beef wit’ you, Kola.”
Though Supreme was a rough-and-tumble dude who’d made a name for himself, he knew not to f-uck with Kola and her vicious crew of hustlers and killers, including Cross, Mike-Mike, and Johnny Mack. He was aware of their reputation, and the last thing he needed was a war to start in Harlem.
Apple loved it. She smiled inwardly and wanted to push the scheme further, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She already had them believing she was her sister, and for once, she thanked God that she was a twin. “Move!” she exclaimed.
Supreme, his face twisted with upset and wonder, quickly moved out of Apple’s way and allowed her to pass. He had his doubts, but he didn’t want to chance pressing Kola, if it was actually her, because Kola had a fierce reputation in the hood. Hustlers knew her and respected her, while Apple was just her twin sister.
Apple quickly exited the lobby with such a cool stride and serious attitude that she actually started to believe she was her sister. She exhaled with relief, leaving Supreme looking stupid in the lobby.
When she was gone, Guy Tony looked at his boss. “Yo, I think somebody tryin’ to play you.”
“Yeah, I’ma be on it, Guy. If the bitch thinks her sister is gonna be her fuckin’ messiah, she got another fuckin’ thang comin’.”
Apple quickly headed to the 135th Street train station. She just wanted to spend the day out of Harlem. She met up with Ayesha and Mesha in the city, where she went to change her clothes in a public bathroom, and the girls spent the day out and about in the city. They had lunch in Times Square, where Mesha picked up the bill, and then they met a couple of cute guys, who tricked on them for the day.
By late evening, Apple was on the subway back to Harlem with Ayesha and Mesha. Fearing she would run into Supreme on her way home, she lied to her friends, telling them she had to get off a stop early and meet someone. When Mesha pressured Apple about who it was, she told them it was a boy. Mesha was ecstatic and started bombarding her with questions. Apple promised that they would talk later and then rushed out of the subway car to change clothes in the nearest bathroom.
She moved through the projects with a watchful eye on everything. Again, she was looking like Kola in her tight, revealing shorts, and with her sassy attitude. Once Apple reached her building and entered the apartment, she quickly stripped out of Kola’s clothing, wanting to enjoy the comfort of her bedroom. Nichols was already sleeping in her own bed, and Apple wanted to do the same.
Apple sat by the window and wondered how long she would be able to keep up the charade of being Kola, especially with Kola always being in Harlem. She felt that one day her cover might be blown and Kola would catch her in the act, or Supreme would finally pull her card. Still, she knew it was the only way she could duck Supreme.