My name is Hurt Michele Moore. As you can see, there is a certain irony in my name. Though unique, I understood why my mother chose that name. That’s how she felt, hurt. Her no good excuse for a sperm donor left her high and dry when she had me after all that ‘I’ll never leave you’ talk he was claiming while she was pregnant with me. My mother believed everything that he said about them having a life together until she had to push me out then that disrespectful Negro was gone. I heard he still might be out there but I don’t give a fuck. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t want anything to do with him. He left us. That’s the end of that chapter.
So as you can guess that bitterness I have towards my father and the fact I have to bear the name of the emotion my mother had to deal with, I have a real hatred for those of the opposite sex. All men are users in my book and my book is the only literature that holds true.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a full blown lesbian or anything. I mean I do like my wetness getting licked every now and again and sometimes it doesn’t matter the gender. But I do love men…tall, dark, sexy, men. I just don’t trust those motherfuckers, not as far as my petite arms can throw them.
However, despite my name, I am blessed, blessed with unremarkable beauty. I know that sounds conceited and well it is but I can’t help but be honest. I’m 5’7, thin waist, long legs, Double Dees that fit in a bra ever so nice, light skin with the cutest toes ever. Men, and women alike, would die at the pleasure to suck on my toes. But what I love is my long hair. It’s dark brown with auburn highlights now but it’s lengthy and strong and I have so much fun switching up hairstyles. That was at last one good thing that no good bastard of a father gave me. He was supposedly mixed with a couple of races so I could have understood why my mother went for him so hard.
When I was young, people used to make fun of name and even asked my mother how could she name her daughter that? She always replied ‘if you don’t know what I’ve been though, you don’t have the right to ask me or judge me. And if you do know what I’ve been through, then you would know why. My daughter will forever know what that emotion means and I will raise her so she never has to deal with it like I did.’
And my mother did. She busted her ass working and providing for me. She went to school and became a registered nurse. She never had any other children and even though she dated from time to time, no man ever was good enough to keep. My mother figured they would all end up doing what her original first heart breaker did and she wasn’t going to have another Hurt. However, despite my name and my hard upbringing, it wasn’t hard for me to be popular. Shit, I was gorgeous and soon I even started liking my name. I mean it branded me but it made strong because it showed how severe a woman’s pain can be and I loved my mother for her strength. Because of me, she will hurt no more.
“Come on, heifer, you done looking yourself in the mirror yet?” my best friend, or should I say bestie, Lyric, asked, teasing me again.
I really love my girl Lyric. She’s the coolest downiest bitch you will ever know. I mean she had a hard knock life too. I mean a real orphan Annie story and like me, she was blessed with a body of a goddess. Together along with my other girlfriend, Laurel, we were a bad combination. We were called the Three Sexeteers. Now don’t start shaking your head, we weren’t a bunch of hoes running around trying to fuck every dude in sight and we definitely weren’t some broke ass bitches waiting to get a nigga to get a nut off on us. We were just sexy. I mean we weren’t virgins but we weren’t sex fiends either. Christ, I’m only nineteen, what do you take me for?
“So where are we meeting Miss PITA at today?” Lyric was referring to our other friend, Laurel, alias Pain in the Ass, because she always was complaining about something.
All three of us had nicknames we call ourselves. Lyric was Miss Know It All, or KIA, because she acted like she knew damn know everything. Me, mines was Truth Hurts, funny, right? Well I got that alias because I always tell it like it is, no filter. I don’t have time to be filtered. If you coming at me incorrect, I’m going to check you plain and simple and I have no problem doing it even to members of my own crew.
“Where else? The Mall,” I simply replied. “You know she like to look like she shopping around so some dude can walk up to her and try to run game.”
Laurel was good for that stunt. She put on her cutest outfit and walked around the mall like she was lost or really looking for something but didn’t know what it is. She played that typical damsel in distress role to a tee and it usually worked. She meet a couple of suckers, I mean, brothers that fell for it. I had to admit her craft was getting better. She had all of the latest fashions and stayed with money in her pocket but she was a whiner. If a dude stop tricking on her or told her ‘no’ one time, she would complain and complain and eventually dump him to find another ‘yes’ man.
Lyric on the other hand was more sophisticated and didn’t stoop to this level to get a well to do man. They practically came in droves to her being that she worked as an intern at a music magazine. Every day she was getting hit on by a new and upcoming star that came in for an interview with one of the writers. Lyric was practically raised around music. Her father played for a band and her mother was a very popular singer. They died during a car crash on the way to perform a show when she was 8. From there, she moved in with her aunt, Miss Mable, who lived two doors from me. Her aunt also to be used to be in the music business so it was just natural for her life to be involved with music and she even wanted to be a singer herself like her mother was. Every producer, A&R, or rap star all promised her one way or another that they would get her signed if she agreed to be theirs at least for the night. Lyric was not about that life. Lyric loved music and wanted nothing more than to be a part of that world but not by being some video vixen or some entertainer’s side piece.
My cell phone rung on my dresser and the ringtone crooned the song ‘Crazy in Love’ by Beyoncé and Jay-z. That ringtone could only mean one thing. My baby, Keron, was calling his boo which is me. I know I told you before I despised men because they are liars and that still holds true but every time I talk to Keron, it’s like he almost make me forget my own rules when it comes to dealing with the male species. He is educated as well even though he is, as my besties would say, hood. Keron Jordan was the epitome of what you would call an Executive Thug. He had the swagger of a corner boy with the smarts of an entrepreneur businessman. Combined with his body, he was a total package.
“Hey, boo,” I practically sung on the phone when I answered it on the second ring.
“Hey, gorgeous,” Keron’s baritone voice seemed to echo through the whole house making my panties moist. “You’re still coming tonight? And you’re bringing your girls, right?”
Keron was what you called a pillar of the community. Even at a young age, he was doing stuff for the future kids coming up on the same blocks as he did. He sponsored a children’s basketball league called Dreams on the Rebound. He had children from age 6 up to 13 playing in real live tournaments with referees and a scoreboard. Mothers from all over the neighborhood had their kids in his events and were begging him to start a tournament for the older teens. Besides being a role model, he was a hell of a dresser and a looker and every woman wanted him. At any event he conducted, he was swarmed with women that wanted his attention and practically threw themselves at him. Keron was always respectful but he always let them know nicely he wasn’t interested. That usually didn’t deter those bitches but he still let it be known. The only female he ever showed interest in was me and I flourished it. I was the envy of all those hoes and I loved it. Even my own crew hated the fact I snagged him first. Laurel, especially, was on full hate mode but I paid that heifer no mind and continued being the name on everybody’s lips.
“Yeah, but why you care?” I asked playfully. “You know you ain’t going to be able to give me no time with all the bitches you have around you.”
He laughed at the remark.
“Only one I’m checking for is you,” Keron replied smoothly.
“Good answer because you just saved yourself a tongue lashing,” I joked.
“Okay, cool, see you later,” Keron ended the phone conversation.
“That was Styles?” Lyric asked using Keron’s street moniker.
Keron only went by that name when it came to street business or activities or just people that hung around him. If he invited you to his real world, you had permission to use his real name like I did.
“Yeah, that was Keron,” I replied. “We better get going if we want to catch up with Laurel and find an outfit for tonight.”
“You got that right,” Lyric co-signed. “Because even though it’s about the kids, we going to be the star of the show.”
I had to laugh at my crazy friend because she was right.
Keron hung up the phone and looked around the room at the other two people in the room. One was his boy, Tyrek, alias T-Large, who was sitting on the same couch as him just on the opposite side. The other was his supplier, slash conspirator, slash lover, Envy, who choose to stand and look over him as he made the call to Hurt.
“She’s coming,” Keron sighed like he had a lot on his mind.
“Good, she’s bringing her bitch ass friends?” Envy said blowing smoke from the cigarette she was holding.
“Yes,” Keron sighed again.
“Good,” Envy repeated.
Keron just looked at the floor for a minute. He hated himself for what he was about to do to such a lovely girl. But he had to, his hands were tied. Envy wouldn’t let this shit go and she was the Boss. All he had, he owed to her so he could never say no to her. Besides she knew his real secret because she was it.
“Yo, dawg, you acting like you catching feeling for this chick?” Tyrek laughed and hit Keron on the shoulder.
“He better not if he knows what’s good for him,” Envy half warned.
“I mean come on, don’t you think we going to take this too far?” Keron asked but it was on deaf ears.
Envy had already made her mind up and Tyrek, well, Tyrek was just happy to be a part of anything. Envy practically owned Tyrek even though Tyrek tries to poke out his chest when she’s not around. But despite all the men that Envy had to worship her, she chose Keron. Keron was her ultimate protégé and even though she used him from time to time, especially for purposes like this, he was all hers.
“Listen, little nigga, we haven’t even begun with little Miss Hurt and those hoes she hang with,” Envy stated then took another puff of cigarette. “And when the fuck you start questioning what I do or tell you to do. Don’t forget you’re only a fucking star because I’m holding the spotlight over your head. I’ll put your ass back on the corner if you want.”
“No, no,” Keron quickly straightened up. “I’m sorry I questioned you. It’s just that…that…she been through a lot.”
Envy shook her head and then nodded towards Tyrek. Tyrek in one swift mode grabbed Keron and put him in a headlock. Tyrek was way stronger than Keron because all Tyrek did when he wasn’t in the presence of Envy was work out in the gym. It was his all-time past time and that’s all he knew. Because of all the excess steroids he took, he couldn’t do anything else. His genitals were literately of no use but it wasn’t because of the medicine. Keron was muscular and athletic built but still not as powerful as Tyrek.
Keron tried to maneuver himself out of Tyrek’s sweaty armpits but couldn’t. Envy leaned in close holding the cigarette steady above Keron’s head.
“Don’t you forget who owns you, motherfucker,” Envy said, her voice sounded groggy and raspy. “I make the plays, bitch. You’re just the pretty ass quarterback and trust me, I can get another tight end to replace you so don’t push me, little boy. Do I make myself clear?”
Keron grunted under Tyrek’s arms and Envy took it as a sign of agreement.
“Good,” Envy smiled and leaned back up. “Let him go.”
Tyrek separated his arms to let Keron go. Tyrek leaned back in the sofa like nothing happened.
“Uggghhh, now you got Mama all winded up,” Envy said. “I’m going to need you to fix me and then get ready for your showcase. I’ll be in my room. Hurry the fuck up, puppet.”
Envy walked out the room towards another door. She looked back at Keron one last time before opening the door and entering the next room.
Keron looked at Tyrek who was still sitting there with a dumb look on his face. He hated Envy made this muscle bound idiot his crime partner but he knew she had her reasons even if he didn’t understand it. Matter of fact, Keron didn’t understand a lot of things when it came to Envy. He knew one thing a lot of brothers wanted to be in his place even if it meant doing what he had to do. He had power, respect and was admired by many but only the three people that were in that room that day knew the real truth. Envy ran everything and whatever Envy wanted, she got and what she wanted was to make Hurt feel pain. Keron only wished he really knew why.
Lyric was the only one in the female trio that had a vehicle so she mostly was the person designated to drive them or pick them up if one of the other two were stranded somewhere. One time Lyric had to pick up Laurel in the middle of the night because some asshole dumped her off on the side of the George Washington Bridge because she wouldn’t give him oral sex in the car.
Right now only Hurt was her passenger since they were on their way to get Laurel at the mall. Hurt was asking Lyric a million questions a minute about the latest gossip in the music industry. Hurt was fascinated by that sort of gossip for some reason and Lyric was her main source since Lyric worked at one of the best industry magazine and usually got the scoop first. Hurt loved already knowing stuff when people were just hearing about it.
“So who’s the new video vixen hoe of the month this time?” Hurt inquired adjusting her makeup in the overhead mirror. “I hope it isn’t the bitch Veronica Watts who was on your last cover issue. They said she be trying to be in all Wreck Havoc’s videos just to get a chance to suck his dick.”
“No, it’s not 100 Watts,” Lyric informed using Veronica’s alias. “100 Watts supposedly is supposed to be going out with the head of Stashed Bank Money records, Lawrence Banks. They took a couple of flicks together at some charity event. But I heard that the top boss at Street Value records, Kenod Street, had an eye out for her too. And he’s a real bad motherfucker. He is fine as hell too. He came to my job in a blue pin stripped suit that had me fanning myself.”
Hurt laughed. Lyric was always dramatic when she talked about the celebrities that came to her job but Hurt loved to hear it.
“So what’s up with this Keron guy?” Lyric switched topics.
“What do you mean?” Hurt said and started looking out the car window.
“Yeah, that’s what I mean,” Lyric said like she just illustrated a point. “You always get all shy and tongue tied when it comes to that dude. What’s up? Talk to your girl.”
“I don’t know he’s just different.”
“Word, Miss Niggas ain’t shit but dicks and paid rent actually liking a boy,” Lyric laughed. “A Paid Boy at that.”
“So what?” Hurt got a little defensive. “I mean I know he’s a Paid Boy and that’s like the worse kind but I don’t know... he does so much and he so sweet and…”
“You know if Laurel heard you talking like that…”
“Fuck Laurel. She doesn’t know shit. She won’t even get a chance to know a nigga’s name before his dick is slapping her across the face so fuck her.”
“Damn, Truth Hurts, easy. Pump those brakes, girl.”
“Listen, I know I’m the first to say ‘fuck those negroes’. I mean if I didn’t hear it from my mother enough. Niggas ain’t shit. Niggas are never going to be shit. Damn no wonder I haven’t turn full lezbo yet. She made dick seem like a crime against Mother Nature.”
Lyric laughed and Hurt gave her a straight face.
“I mean it, Lyric,” Hurt said. “I mean dammit. Can I meet a decent guy just once?”
“Your moms think that will never happen,” Lyric informed. “I remember talking to her when I was younger and I kept saying a man did her real dirty.”
“Yeah,” Hurt confirmed sadly.
“Well, don’t worry, babygirl,” Lyric smiled. “That won’t happen to us. You or me. We going to have each other’s back. No matter what.”
Hurt smiled. She was lucky to have a friend like Lyric. Lyric winked at Hurt like she just read Hurt’s mind and that made Hurt smile more.
Lyric’s cell phone rang. She pressed a button on her dash board because her phone was connected to the car via Bluetooth. A voice boomed throughout the whole car. It was her friend Janice.
“Yo, I know this nigga Tyrel is fucking around on me again,” the voice boomed through the speakers. “He acting like he doesn’t know what the fuck I’m talking about but I saw the fucking receipt of the restaurant and the movie he went to in his jeans’ pocket. I mean damn the nigga can’t even be sneaky about it.”
Hurt almost laughed. Lyric just shook her head.
“Um, well first of all, hello, Janice,” Lyric said and Hurt cracked a smirk. “Well, hello, Lyric. How you are doing, Lyric? I’m doing fine, Janice. How about you? I’m not doing so good, Lyric, let me tell you about my bitch ass excuse for a boyfriend Tyrel now. And continue.”
Now Hurt couldn’t help but laugh. Lyric could be so cynical when she wanted to be.
“Sorry, Ly…wait what was that laugh?” the voice boomed then paused for a second. “Wait…you in your car? You got me on speaker. Who else is in the car with you?”
“It’s Tyrel,” Hurt said trying her best to imitate a deep male voice. “What I told you about calling my other hoes while I’m in the car with them. I was just getting some slow neck when you called. You are so disrespectful.”
Then Hurt busted out laughing and so did Lyric.
“Fuck you,” Janice’s voice said cracking then she laughed too. “I know that’s that bitch Hurt in the car with you. I can’t stand y’all bitches. I’m going through a real crisis.”
“I been told you what you had to do with that nigga,” Hurt said returning to her regular voice.
“I’m not cutting his nuts off,” Janice’s voice echoed throughout the car.
“Then you need to just leave him alone,” Lyric suggested. “I mean how long this been going on and you know how dude get down.”
“But every time I try to leave him, he gets violent,” Janice’s voice seemed low and muffled with that statement.
“Then refer back to Option number one,” Hurt replied. “I mean trust me, he is going to want to stay as far away from you as possible with his nuts clipped.”
Janice laughed. “Listen, I will talk to you alone, when you don’t have Crazy next to you. Bye.”
“Hey, where’s my chica Chardae at? That bitch supposed to be hooking me up with her fine ass brother,” Hurt joked.
Janice laughed again.
“I’ll pass along the message. Bye, hoes.”
There was a loud click then the music on the radio came back on blasting through the speakers.
“That chick got some real issues,” Lyric said after lowering down the volume of the radio. “I mean that dude is a real asshole. He even tried to hit on me as if. I mean he’s cute but he isn’t that cute and I don’t do slimy.”
Hurt laughed.
“Yeah, I feel you,” Hurt added. “That’s too much drama for me. You know I am not about that life.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I mean I don’t know about Keron,” Hurt finally admitted. “He seems genuine but you know they’re all like that in the beginning before they get the pussy. Then their true colors show like a damn rainbow bright sticker.”
“You are so damn right.”
“I just hope I’m not making a mistake with Keron because I really like him. I hope he doesn’t hurt me.”
Lyric just looked at her friend for a hard second then turned her attention back to the road. Lyric hoped her friend never had to live her namesake. That would be life’s ultimate irony.