Vicious Is The Name That They Gave Me: A Philly Story by Ive Rogers

I see a distraught individual that I created. So I can’t even be mad at her. I did this.
    “What,” I said softly but she could still hear the ignorance in my voice. I was in no way trying to hide it. I am just tired of yelling at her.
    “I am sorry Ceyanna. I let you down again. But it’s not how you think. This was my last move before I quit. I swear to God,” She tried to convince me, but my stubbornness would not allow me to believe her. I didn’t take her words into consideration.  Her words went in one ear and out the other. You know, like what she does to me when I try to talk to her. All it takes is one more time, and you’re either killed or booked. She got booked. I rather plan a visit to prison than to plan a funeral.
    “Okay, Nelly,” I told her.
    “You always told me not to do things with people I don’t know. I know, I fucked up big time. I know of Kassidy from what you told me. But you never really had me around her,” She tried to explain.
    “How did you even get mixed up with Tonya?” I asked her. All along, I am rambling on about how she messed up and I forgot to ask her how she even got involved with Tonya. Everyone knows not to trust her.
    “Honestly, I was just being careless. I ran out of the money you gave me. And I needed some money,” She stated. She started shaking her head. “I don’t know where it went wrong. I thought she would sit me and Kassidy down and explain everything but she didn’t. And I should have taken that as a sign but I ignored it. So once I got there Kassidy and I came up with a plan, but shit just got out of hand. I remember taking the money from out of both of the closets. I had one and she had one. I guess she was finish with hers because when I looked up she was gone. There were noises in the background downstairs from a party that was going on. So I really couldn’t hear if she was trying to talk to me,” She paused.
    “Where were you?” I asked her.
    “It was somebody’s house. Tonya never told me who we were robbing. She just told me where they kept the money. In the midst of all that shit, I heard gun shots so I started to run.  Next thing I know, I tripped over something and fell. Just as I was about to get up, the cops were right there. They said I have a right to remain silent and if I wish to have an attorney present, you know that shit they say on TV. I am being told I’m getting charged for attempted murder. How, I never pulled the gun out,” Nelly continued to explain.
    “It’s going around that it was a set up,” I told her.
    “Honestly, that’s what it sounds like? How would the cops even know to show up there? I don’t know if she set me up or Tonya did. I don’t know who called the cops. I don’t even know who got hit,” she said. I wasn’t sure what to believe. “Ceyanna, you don’t have to help me if you don’t want to,” she stated. Regardless of what she did, I was going to help her. I am all she has. She’s my family.
    “Shut up, you know I am here for you,” I told her. We gave each other hugs. She explained everything that happened that night. I knew the judge that she would be standing in front of. I told Nelly I would take care of it.
                  After I spoke with Nelly a little more, it was time for her to go back. She gave a hug to everyone and we got in the car. I was not sure what to believe. Was Tonya was behind it or was it Kassidy? On my way home I was in deep thought. Once Kareema pulled up in front of my house, I thank her. I had to get in touch with Tonya and figure this shit out. I dialed her number.
    “Hello,” she answered.
    “Tonya, its Ceyanna. We need to meet up,” I told her.
    “For what?” she asked.
    “Look, just meet me at the spot in an hour,” I ordered and hung up. Tonya and I kept it mutual. We never really did any business with each other. It was more so if we saw each other at an event, we would speak. We’d occasionally smoke and have a drink at this