"Oh yeah." Lanesha headed into the kitchen to start a pot of water boiling for Serene's ends. Serene dug out the hundred-dollar bill from her back pocket to pay Lanesha for her work.
It was three in the afternoon when they piled into Sweetness' Chevrolet Impala, a boat of a car set low to the ground, Erica joining them at the last minute. Lanesha gave Sweetness a lingering kiss before he got behind the wheel and pulled out onto the sun-dappled street. They cruised along the palm tree-lined neighborhood. Kids rode their bikes, weaving on and off the sidewalk, a group of girls jumped rope and clusters of young men stood around talking, laughing, some looking tough. The languid slow tempo beat of “Me and My Bitch” washed over them, the bass vibrating so hard from the speakers that Serene could feel it between her legs and up into her chest. Erica sat next to her in the back seat and sighed.
"This music is derogatory toward women."
Serene laughed. "How do you know that word, derogatory?"
"I dunno." Erica glanced down at her hands in her lap, and Serene gave her shoulder a shove.
"Girl, you're something else."
Lanesha's little sister rewarded her with a huge smile and shoved Serene back with her shoulder. They slowed down so Sweetness could talk to a man loping up to them, shirtless and in a black do-rag. Sweetness turned down the music as the man leaned in.
"What up, dog?"
"What up, Marcus?"
His eyes roamed over the car. "Ooh, boy, that's a whole lotta cheddar. How many Benjamins this set you back?"
"Don't worry about it," Sweetness said out of the side of his mouth. Marcus straightened back up, his eye landing on Serene. His voice turned syrupy. "Hello, lovely lady."
Serene felt her face grow hot and she looked away, but not before catching his wink.
"It's dope," Marcus said of the car, stroking the hood. Sweetness made the car bounce a few times before they drove away.
"Brah, that's bad," Kanani gushed and turned to grin at Serene. "Fuck, I wish I lived out here." Her remark got a belly laugh from Sweetness.
"You'd trade in tropical paradise for this shit hole?"
"Hawaii isn't all that," Kanani retorted.
"No?" Sweetness laughed again and turned the music back up.
It wasn't a far drive to Culver City. They turned off of Rodeo, making a right on La Cienega, passing through the ugly industrial area that hugged that part of town. On Washington, they cruised past the old Helms Bakery, the building next to it tagged by graffiti. Sweetness turned down the music and pointed it out.
"Y'all got the fucking Mexican mafia up in here. You see that?"
"Eighteenth Street," Erica read the big black spray-painted numbers on the wall, pushing her glasses back up her nose.
"Eighteenth Street Gang," Sweetness said. There was more graffiti as they rolled along. "Yeah, these mother fuckers are infiltrating this whole area."
In downtown Culver, Sweetness turned the music back up and Kanani danced in her seat to “I Wish” by Skee-Lo.
Just as they passed the post office, Kanani pointed ahead. "Hey, it's that chick, Taylor."
Taylor was making her way toward Jackson. She wore high-waisted jean shorts, the half-moons of her butt cheeks exposed and winking invitingly with every step.
"Damn!" Sweetness said and slowed the car as they got closer to her. She turned to look over her shoulder, frowning slightly, not recognizing Serene and Kanani at first in the unfamiliar lowrider car.
A squawk of a police siren had Sweetness cursing under his breath.
Kanani glanced back. "Oh, shit, the Five-O."
Sweetness pulled over and Taylor took a step back as the cop spoke through his bullhorn, “Step out of the car.” Sweetness got out and slowly put his hands up in the air.
Drivers rubbernecked as they went by.
The cop walked over to them. "Put your hands up on the car, legs open."
Sweetness did as he was told.
"Was this man harassing you?" The cop asked Taylor.
She frowned. "What?"
Kanani leaned out of the window. "Taylor, it's us, Serene and me."
Taylor's expression cleared.
"Get back in the car," the cop roared.
Taylor flinched at the anger.
"Yo, Kanani, sit back, girl," Sweetness said. From where Serene sat, she could see the veins bulging in his arms as he held them straight out and taut, hands against the roof. The cop patted him down.
"I know them," Taylor said, moving toward the car.
"You can be on your way," the cop snapped. Taylor halted, hesitating.
"Hey, what did we do?" Kanani yelled through the window. Serene stiffened. She could hear the belligerence in Kanani's tone and knew she was about to lose it.
"Shit," Sweetness said under his breath. "Kanani, shut up."
But Kanani had had it. "What did we do?" She yelled out again.
The cop's face suddenly appeared through the open window of the driver's side, flushed with anger, and Erica jumped. "Everyone out of the car," he growled.
Serene took Erica's hand. They slid out together onto the sidewalk, Erica's chest now heaving as tears rolled out from under her glasses down her cheeks, but Kanani flew from the car, full of attitude as the officer called for backup.
"Fuck," Sweetness said, shaking his head.
"What did you say, boy?" The cop smacked him upside the head and Kanani went ballistic.
"What, you a bully now?! Why you pull us over? Why you hittin’ him? Fucking haole piece of shit! Five-O PIG!" Her arms were held out wide at her sides as if she was trying to make herself bigger. Sweetness' arms shook as he kept his hands up against the hood of the car and the cop came after Kanani. Serene felt as if she were watching everything at a great distance. Taylor was somehow by her side, trying to take Erica's hand. Erica clung to Serene while Kanani was wrestled to the ground and handcuffed. Another police car came speeding down the street, lights flashing, and, of all people, Steve's dad Ron was getting out of his car from across the street and walking toward them.
"What's going on?" Ron asked.
"Step away," the cop said to Ron.
"I
