Play Your Cardz Right by Sydia Smith (reading like a writer TXT) 📖

“We are a family inside and outside of this clique. This isn’t some clique that can sell drugs, or a way to get quick money. There are no drugs, and a way to get quick money. You will earn every penny that you make and the respect from these people called your leaders. If you have a problem with that then there’s the door. We are Players Cardz and you will earn your spot in this clique.”

Players Cardz is one out of twenty-five cliques. There are only five big name cliques which are Players Cardz, Grinderz, Bossy Chics, Flashy and Fly, and Swaggtastic. In every clique their can only be three commanders and four assistants. The cliques can sell illegal substances, but it’s a choice. A leader is chosen by the previous leader.

“My name is Destiny Carter, but people call me Desi. I will be observing the ladies’ behavior and work habits most of the time. So all of the drama you have squash it. This clique has been here ever since this organization has started, and I am not going to let anyone tear that a part. Your main leaders are Trisha and Taylor and Tabby. If you have any questions ask one of them.”

“My name is Tyrone Simmons, but people call me Ty. Now I will be observing all of the guys. I will not be observing the ladies at all. All you really need to know about me is that when it comes to business, I will come prepare so I expect that from every last one of you. Your leaders will be Tony and Devin. Respect them as you want to be treated. As for all of the drama I don’t want to hear about it. Fighting people in this clique is an absolutely no. If you do fight you will be either out of this clique or on probation.”

"The last commander is Samantha. She is out on business trips. She will be back in two days. So with all of that said do you have any questions.”

Players Cardz has been the number one clique for the last three years. They’ve took the title from Bossy Chics, which makes them enemies. Player Cardz has three allies and six enemies. This is Destiny second year as a leader, but she has been an assistant for three years.  The whole clique association is run by three higher being called HOC. The HOC get a percentage from every clique. Their percentage given to the clique is based on their ranking. The higher the ranking the less you pay the HOC, and the more money you get from the HOC.

Four weeks later….

“There are too many people that don’t know what they are doing. This isn’t tryouts. We have a deadline to reach and we are not even half way done. Change better start happening or things won’t be looking good.” Desi said to the assistants annoyed at the progress they had made. As soon as she was about to continue speaking, Jerome interrupts her. “Kelly ……… is…….. in ……a ….fight …with .. one ….of the …….girls ……from Bossy Chics.” Driving to the fight Desi saw that it was more than one fight. She asks her assistants to help her break them up.

“What the hell is wrong with you.” Desi said pulling Kelly off of the girl. “Long time no see.” Brianna said walking towards the crowd. Rolling her eyes Desi turn around to face her. “So how long has it been since you had that anklet on.” Brianna said with a smirk on her face. “I don’t know how’s your jar is it feeling ok.” Desi said annoyed. “Ok I see where this is going. Chics lets go.” Walking away Desi turned to her clique. “I want every last one of you to go to the office now!” Moving as quickly away from Desi the clique vanished.

“Desi what the hell was all that about.” Taylor said confused on what just happened. “Nothing.” Desi said. “That didn’t look like it was nothing.” Taylor said digging deeper. “Can you just drop it. It was nothing just two people talking.” Desi said walking towards her car.  Getting in the car Taylor didn’t drop the conversation. “Back when I was a freshman I heard about a fight that lead to criminal actions. Even though the people who witness the fight couldn’t say who was fighting who, people kinda figured it out. I know you and Brianna was the one who was fighting, but what I didn’t know was the reason. There were some rumors saying that you fought her because of Jason, but I never thought it was true, but now seeing you two together again I saw something that made me wonder. I know this isn’t my business but Desi you are my best friend and I don’t want you to end up like that again.” Tay said pointing to her ankle.

“We were best friends for three years. When I was in the eighth grade I didn’t know anybody at that school. I had just moved from New York. Brianna was my friend in this state. She introduced me to all her friends and we just started to hanging out. I was loyal to her because if it wasn’t for her I would have been lost. When I joined the basketball team my reputation started. I wasn’t just Brianna’s friend anymore I was a star.

In the middle of eighth grade I had met a guy named Jason. We started out as friends, but things quickly changed. At Brianna’s birthday party, we shared a kiss and till that day we were a couple. Everything was going good. Ninth grade hit and things was still great. My sophomore year was a downer. That’s when everything changed for me. I was the star of the varsity team. I was number one of our class for the GPA. I was everywhere. Brianna and I were the most popular kids in the school as sophomores.

Then the break-up happened. As my popularity grew, basketball practices, homework, and my duties at home became my priority, Jason and I grew apart. We both didn’t want to break it off. I even offered that I quit the basketball team, but he knew I wouldn’t be able to deal with that. Even though we both loved each other we decided to break up. The news spread all over the school and when the championship game came I played the worst game I had ever played. I thought things couldn’t get any worst until something happened at home that I couldn’t believe. When I needed my so called best friend she wasn’t there. She was getting too close with Jason. I confronted her but that made things worst. A month after we broke up they started to go out. The messed up part about it was that I heard it from two other girls gossiping. When I went to confront her she act as if we weren’t best friends, like I wasn’t anybody.

The things that came out of her mouth didn’t really matter until she told all of my family business to half of the school body. Then that’s when I decked her. I couldn’t care less of how she back stabbed me. Yeah it hurt like hell but me hitting her was not because of Jason it was because of the things I told her that was between us not the damn school body. After that I was on probation for three months. Even though it happen when I was a sophomore it messed up my chances to go pro and to go to college.

After that my mom and I had never been close again. She call me names and told me that I would never amount to anything in this world. I moved in with my aunt and had to start all over again. My reputation was destroyed and the only thing that kept me sane was completely gone.” Driving in silence Taylor couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Not only was the people’s rumors were so far from the truth Desi had a hard three years.

As a junior Desi met Taylor in detention. They have been friend ever since. Even though they were a year apart Tay had every class that Desi had well except for two. They  joined the clique together. Then Desi met Tyler. Tyler was Tay’s older brother. He was a senior. Not approving on what was happening Taylor tried so hard to convince Desi not to do what she knew was going to happen, but she also knew that it wasn’t going to stop them.

Desi and Tyler was a couple and that drew Taylor and Desi closer. They became best friends and they were inseparable. As soon as thing went good dark clouds surrounded Desi’s corner. Desi’s aunt died and she had a choice, to move back in with her mother or move back to New York. She was torn between leaving behind her boyfriend and her best friend or to stay and faced her mother.

She chose to move away until Taylor’s mother agreed that Desi could stay at her house, since she was already like family to them. Now things were going good minus the fact that Desi sister joined a clique and was flunking school. Reaching out to her, she straightened her up in school but Desi couldn’t get her out of the clique.  As soon as Desi turned eighteen she move out and settled in an apartment. Paid all the dues she owed Tay’s mom and graduated from high school with a 4.0 GPA. Knowing that college wasn’t an option she was more dedicated to the clique which paid off because she is now the commander and getting more money than the WNBA would give her.

Walking inside of the building she look at her clique. “It took you four weeks to start messing up. It took you four weeks to be behind in your work. It took you four weeks for all of you to be on probation. You won’t be getting benefits until you prove to me that you want to be here and that the foolishness is over. This clique has been here for too damn long for it to go out like this. You fight, you are out from now on. No more playing nice. You mess up you are out.” Desi said sitting down and gave Tay a signal to tell them what’s up.

“Aces twos and threes you will be passing out these cards to everybody on this list and collecting the payments of these people on this list as well. Fours, fives, and sixes you will be getting all the groceries for the party next week and also promoting it to people. Sevens, eights, and nines you will be hosting the carnival and the street fair. Tens and jacks you will be going out of the state and picking up these things that are on the list.  All of you will sell all your boxes of goodies that you are required to.

For the announcements, daily reports are mandatory and we expect you to turn them in at the end of the week. That means seven reports not five or six. Destiny’s sister Desire’s seventeenth birthday is in a month and you all are invited. That is it you all are dismissed.

In her office calculating her expenses and still reminiscing about the fight Desi phone rings. “Hello.” Destiny said answering the phone. “Hey baby how’s your day.” Tyler said. “Hectic.” Destiny replied. “Are we still on for tonight.” Tyler asked. “Yeah.” Destiny said looking at the time. “Ok baby I am going to let you finish up. I’ll see you later.” “All right. I love you.” Destiny said trying to hurry. “I