90s love in atlanta, p.1
90's Love In Atlanta, page 1
90’s Love In Atlanta
Na’Kia
Copyright © 2024 by Na’Kia
Published in the United States of America.
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Published by S. Yvonne Presents
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Contents
Subscribe
Playlist
Synopsis
Introduction
1. Spring ‘95
2. Coco
3. NuNu
4. Coco
5. Nunu
6. Coco
7. NuNu
8. Coco
9. NuNu
10. Coco
11. NuNu
12. Summer ’97
13. Coco
14. Nunu
15. Coco
16. NuNu
Epilogue
Subscribe
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Playlist
Enjoy our 90’s playlist
Apple: https://apple.co/4gEamkK
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4eyLTLC
YouTube: https://bit.ly/4eA79ke
Synopsis
In the golden era of the ‘90’s, Freaknik in Atlanta was more than just a festival; it was a cultural phenomenon. Picture the streets alive with energy, gold teeth glistening in the southern sun, and everyone flaunting the latest fashions and hairstyles. It was a time when music blared from tricked-out rides, and the air was thick with the scent of barbecues and the sounds of joy.
I remember my first time stepping into the heart of Freaknik. The thrill of the buzzing crowds, the roaring bass from the car stereos, and the camaraderie that seemed to fill the entire city. Atlanta was alive, so was I, caught up in the magic of it all.
Get ready to dive into a nostalgic journey of love, music, and unforgettable memories. This is the story of two couples: NuNu and Gipp, and Coco and Trigg, a love story amid the chaos and beauty of Freaknik. Connections that survived the highs and lows, turbulence and trends serving a moment when everything felt possible. Buckle up and take a ride through a chapter of Atlanta’s history when friendship mattered, and love stories were ignited.
Introduction
It's the year of 1995 in Atlanta, and Freaknik isn't just a festival; it's the city's heartbeat. Peachtree Street is shut down with people dancing on a variety of old-school cars, clubs are packed to the brim, and the streets are a sea of airbrushed shirts and gold chains. The air is thick with barbecue smoke and joy, while music seems to pulse from every corner. The sun reflects off gold teeth, courtesy of McCory’s gold grills, and vibrant styles. Every moment felt electric, every memory is unforgettable. Let me take you on a trip down memory lane!
Chapter 1
Spring ‘95
NuNu
*Brandy- I Wanna Be Down
I could feel the bass in my chest as we rolled down Peachtree Street, windows down with the music blasting. The streets were packed with people dancing, shouting, and swaying to the rhythm of every car that passed by. We crept along the way in Fee’s Honda Excel, barely moving amid other cars. Rides were polished to perfection, candy paint glistening courtesy of the sun. Everyone was outside, dudes were hanging out their car windows, girls perched on hoods dancing and singing along with whatever song they could relate to. Different groups of people were posted on the sidewalk just vibing.
To the right of us was a girl wearing a tiny ass skirt that left little to no imagination straddling who I assumed was her man, completely caught up in their own world. Her head was thrown back while he kissed the front of her neck, her moans creating a mixed symphony within the loud music. They weren’t just kissing; they were putting on a show that had everybody intrigued. The scene was too intimate to watch, yet too wild look away.
“That’s one nasty trick!” I blurted with my nose scrunched in disgust.
“Cleo, turn that up!” Daisy shouted from the back seat snapping us back to reality with her head leaning out the window as her head bounced. Three Coca-Cola cans were rolled around her hair as if they were rollers with some of her hair hanging in the back. “That’s my jam!” She grinned with a wide smile and swayed her head snapping her fingers as 2 Live Crew’s, Hoochie Mama blared through the speakers.
Twisting the knob, I turned up the volume and leaned out the passenger window throwing my hands up feeling the energy.
“Yo, NuNu, you see this?” Daisy asked, pointing to a group of dudes leaning against a candy painted T-top red Cutlass.
I nodded, taking in their appearances. Closing my eyes I inhaled the air while the heat clung to my skin. One hand was in the air while the other rubbed against the thick herringbone necklace my daddy had given me before he went to jail.
It was hot and sticky, yet it felt refreshing.
“I know right. I never seen anything like it.” I smiled waving my arms in the air feeling free. There was a group of girls dancing on the hood of their cars while parked in the middle of the street, yet no one was complaining. No one cared that they were holding up traffic, everyone was living. The air was thick with weed smoke and car exhaust from the ol’ schools revving the engines creating their own melody of music.
Fee chuckled from the back seat while watching the road as Cleo made her way through the massive crowd making sure Cleo didn’t wreck her car.
“Welcome to Freaknik y’all!” She smiled excitedly as me and Daisy leaned back in the car.
Finding an empty spot, Cleo pulled over and shut down the engine before handing Fee her keys. Fee was Cleo’s nineteen-year-old cousin, and she was the oldest out of all of us being that we were only seventeen.
“NuNu look!” Fee pointed as we emerged from the car while a group of dudes rode past us in a ‘93 Impala with their shirts off, golds chains and gold teeth beaming as the one in the back seat nodded his head.
To the left was the same group of dudes from the red Cutlass we had passed carrying the whole look. Each of them wore baggy jeans with crisp white tees. One of them was tall and dark with a fade instantly catching my eye. Licking his lips he looked away giving his attention back to the rest of his crew while we continued walking.
“I hope yo’ eyes get stuck!” Cleo laughed and elbowed me before linking her arm in mine. Cleo was my best friend and had been since we were ten years old. Daisy was our other best friend, but she was the quiet one out the bunch.
“Whatever, did you see him?” I beamed looking around us. The aura, the music, everything was therapeutic. “I can’t believe we really out here!” I beamed with excitement.
Before I could stop myself, my classic Reeboks were beating down the pavement as if I had somewhere to be. The daisy duke shorts I wore began to rise and I stopped instantly pulling them down as they rose up my thighs. Pulling down the tank top so that the airbrushed words The Don could be seen, I bent down and adjusted my slouch socks as Cleo caught up with me.
“You must be ready to dance?” Cleo questioned as we stopped at the sidewalk, and I shook my head without taking my eyes off the scene.
Cleo and Daisy were already two shots deep and I wasn’t far behind. Cleo’s bob braids bounced as she hopped on the hood of some dude’s Impala SS, her body moving like she had been waiting for this moment her whole life. Daisy was right next to her, laughing and grinding on the roof, her long legs catching every set of eyes that walked by. The guys leaned against the car, licking their lips and tossing compliments like candy but we didn’t care.
I stood back for a moment, watching them have their fun while watching everything as it unfolded around me.
“NuNu!” Cleo shouted over the music causing me to look up. “Get yo’ ass up here!”
I waved her off.
“Nah, y’all got it. I’m chillin’.”
Looking at Daisy as she threw her hands on her small hips, Cleo put the blunt to her lips and continued to sway side to side.
“Nah, you ain’t!” Daisy fussed. “Ain’t no way you sittin’ this one out, bring ya ass.”
Rolling my eyes I chuckle
“That’s right NuNu, let it out!” Daisy beamed as she twirled around with one hand in the air while multiple cars rode pass, hanging out the windows shouting and hyping us up.
“Aye shawty.” A brown skin dude with dreads walked over, his hand tapping the bottom of my leg. “Come down here and do all dat.” I glanced down, rolling my eyes as a cloud of smoke escaped my lips.
“Back up we not here for that.” Cleo yelled, her voice drowned out by the music as she pushed his hand down and he mugged us both. He reeked of alcohol and cheap cologne causing me to turn up my nose. His eyes were blood shot, and his grin was all but friendly.
Hopping down from the car, I attempted to walk away, yet he blocked my path.
“Damn baby,” he stumbled catching his fall. “Come take a ride wit’ Spotey!”
His eyes roamed my body so uncomfortably that my skin began to crawl, and my lips curled as I pushed him back.
“Don’t touch me!” I jerked away once he reached out, my heart pounding in my chest. I had heard quite a few horror stories about what went down during Freaknik, so I was horrified thinking of the worst.
“You too good to talk to me?” Spotey spat, anger flashing in his eyes before he stepped forward aggressively grabbing my arm pulling my body toward his while breathing his hot breath down on me. He towered over me, and I felt fear trickling up my spine. “Bring yo’ ass here!” He snarled, his eyes slicing through me like the sharpest knife. I was scared, terrified not knowing how far this could go. Cleo’s hands were on his arms as she pulled hoping for him to release me.
“Let me go!” I punched at his arm, a corrupt smile sitting on his face like he enjoyed the idea of hurting me.
“Get yo’ hands off her!” Daisy pleaded looking for anyone that could help.
Now, we had drawn attention, the crowd around us began to tense up.
“Nigga didn’t she say back up!” A voice cut through the noise, smooth yet it was firm. Looking in its direction, I calmed as the dark skin dude from earlier swaggered toward us holding the front of his pants, his presence causing a ripple effect through the crowd. One of the dudes following behind him looked like a younger version as he wore a similar scowl on his face. The guy’s eyes widened as he finally released me.
“This ain’t got shit to do wit’ you kid-”
“I said let her go!” He cut him off. “Step!” He glared down while Spotey looked up at him.
“Or what?” Spotey threatened and dude ran his hand down his face.
Grabbing the guy by the collar of his shirt, he pulled Spotey away from me, forcing him to release his grip. Once Spotey caught his fall, he threw up his fists with his bottle still in his hand as if he wanted to keep going. He was pissy drunk but even that didn’t calm him down, he wanted war.
The dark skin dude’s jaw tightened while he stared at him with cold, dark eyes. Suddenly, the guy swung missing, and the dude grabbed him by both arms from behind as he struggled to break free. Releasing him, he pushed him away from him and Spotey looked back turning the bottle upside down, liquor sloppily wasting on his shirt.
Chuckling he arrogantly stroked his chin looking at us both and the people we were with before stepping back.
“Hoe you wasn’t all that anyway.”
He chuckled and stared at us for a minute, then threw the bottle at the ground, glass shattering, before he stomped off muttering something under his breath. The tension eased, and the crowd slowly filtered back in. The moment of danger passed just as quick as it came.
Shaking his head the dark skin dude looked back at me.
“You good?” His voice was softer, yet his eyes were still intense.
I nodded still a little shaken.
“Yeah, I’m good, thanks.”
He slightly nodded licking his lips, his dark eyes never departing from mine. He had distinct facial features, smooth dark skin free of any blemishes, thick lashes housing eyes that held hints of trouble, and a scar running across his right eyebrow. Across his chest were the words Thug Life with a set of dice underneath which told me that he was heavy in the streets.
“I’m Gipp!” He ran his tongue across his gold teeth and extended his hand for mine and I looked at it before looking at my girls as they conversed.
“NuNu!” I shook his hand as he gently squeezed it.
“NuNu huh?” He repeated allowing my name to roll off his tongue like it was something he enjoyed tasting. “How old-”
“NuNu, we gotta go.” Cleo grabbed me, pulling me as the crowd began to move.
Looking back at him I turned to leave wishing I could say more because I was intrigued to hear his story.
“Thanks again!” I yelled over my shoulder, my feet dragging along with my mood.
“You good, take care lil’ mama!” He nodded releasing the faintest hint of a smile before placing a blunt to his lips.
Without another word I followed behind the girls as Fee linked up with her crew and we all made our way down Peachtree sidewalk. The sounds of the city buzzed around us, but my mind was stuck on him. From his raspy voice and swagger to the way he looked like he saw right through me my heart was racing. Glancing back, I caught one last glimpse of him blowing a cloud of smoke with his eyes steadily focused on me. Part of me wanted to run back to that smile yet I knew better. He was trouble, the kind that held you down and never let go but somehow, I was interested in being caught up in his web.
Gipp
*2Pac- I Get Around
The sun was starting to settle but Freaknik was still live. The sky was lit up like the fourth of July with pink and purple streaks stretching across the sky like a backdrop for the madness happening on every block while music blared so loud it caused my insides to vibrate.
Leaning against my Cutlass I couldn’t shake the way my heart raced thinking about what had just happened with ol’ boy and shawty. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and every time it replayed my fists clenched to react. I could feel the heat radiating off the back of my neck, fire burning inside me ready to let loose, but I knew the consequences of what would come with it, and I didn’t want to scare her off.
“Aye Gipp!” Paco nudged me with a smirk on his face. “You ain’t blinked since you laid eyes on ol’ girl.”
I glared at him, kicking off my car while flicking the ashes from the blunt as my thoughts went back to her.
“Man, ain’t nobody stuntin’ shawty!” I responded staring down at my pager, as Tasha sent yet another code through.
I didn’t know NuNu from a can of paint, but it was something about her that had me stuck. She was a petite yellow bone that walked with confidence. The long ponytail she wore swung as she swayed through the streets like she owned them, capturing the attention of anyone she passed.
“Yeah aight!” He leaned back against my car while Blac took a pull from his blunt. “You better call Tasha naggin’ ass back before she pop up. I’m not gettin’ in the middle of y’all shit today.” Blac added moments before I waved him off.
I took a long drag from the blunt allowing the smoke to settle in my lungs blowing it out slowly.
“Leave Tasha where the fuck she at, we vibin’.”
Paco and E chuckled knowing Blac had hit a nerve because he knew Tasha was nothing but drama. She was always on bullshit blowing up my pager and popping up wherever she could to cause a scene.
For a moment I wanted to follow NuNu and get in her head, but I knew it would make me look thirsty, so instead I continued smoking, and continued watching.
“Now it’s leave Tasha where she at ‘cause you lustin’ over ol’ girl. Keep watchin’ her like that and Tasha gon’ beat yo’ ass.”
