They do the deal - 4 grams, and Marcus smells money, so, you know, no family rate here." Jamal said, laughing. I just step back and lean on the building, watching them. Anyway, Marcus signals to him, and he comes over, all nervous. "Well, he was this tall, skinny white dude. Jamal looked at his watch There was time before he needed to clock in. "Yeah? Go on." Terrell said, and they began to walk again. I was just hanging with Marcus, keeping him company while he was dealin', and he come up. Jamal looked around, then turned to Terrell. You know you can trust me." Terrell said. Whatever you got to say, it stays right here and that's it. Terrell was taken aback by his friend's serious tone. "You gotta keep this totally the fuck to yourself, you hear me?" Jamal said. Jamal stopped and gave Terrell a searching look. "And this 'trading' business? What's the dope on that?" "I told him he could stay with me for a little while. "It's just some guy I ran into over on 8th. "Well, I figured that out all by myself." Terrell said. At the same time he knew that Terrell was working him. Jamal felt a pang of guilt at not being open with his friend. "I heard someone moving around in there and I KNOW you was down at the Y. "Man, you GOT to come clean." Terrell said. Jamal gave Terrell a shove, and he stumbled laughing towards the curb. "What you got to be trading on?" Terrell asked. "I got a busy life! A man needs help with shit like that. "Cleaning? What? You paying someone to clean that raggedy ass broom closet of yours?" Terrell said, smirking incredulously. "Will you shut up, T? All right, someone offered to help me do some cleaning round the place.
"You take in a roommate? I don't know how you can do that, place as small as your's. It was mid-summer, and heat radiated from the old buildings and off the sidewalk. The two walked down the street, skirting the hop-scotching girls. "Shit." Jamal said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Who's spying? I can't walk past your window anymore? Maybe you should rope it off with some of that yellow police tape." "What the fuck you doing spying on me anyway, dog?" Told you to stay off of that PCP shit." Jamal said, bending over to retie his shoe. "I know you got somebody in there, Jamal." Terrell said, buttonholing his friend on the steps of the building.