Read Down by Law for Free Online

asked.
    â€œYup,” I added, watching Flip and Face give each other a loaded fist bump. “He be over there coppin’ all the time.”
    â€œYou don’ know if he coppin’ or not,” Yvette snapped. “He might just be saying hi to Face.”
    â€œAnd what you taking up for Flip for?” I asked. “I knooooow you not checkin’ for him.”
    â€œNo. I’m not. I’m just saying y’all need to stop doggin’ him.”
    Me and Munch jerked our necks back and looked at Yvette like she stank; then we each flicked our wrists and waved our hands. “He’s a fiend,” we said simultaneously.
    â€œWhatever,” Yvette snapped. “Let’s get back to planning our double wedding.”
    â€œI’m marrying Ralph Tresvant.” Cali snapped her fingers. “Yes! What! Don’t play me.”
    We all fell out laughing, and just as I was about to confess my love for Ke’Ron Green, Face stepped over to us, winked his eye at my friends, then looked at me. “I need to holler at you for a minute, lil sis.”
    I frowned. “Can’t you wait until I get home later? You see I’m kickin’ it with my friends. You see this.”
    Face chuckled, but not a funny chuckle, an edgy one that let me know he was serious. “I said I need to holler atchu real quick.”
    I sucked my teeth as I raised up off the park bench and jumped to the ground. I looked back at my girls and said, “Give me a minute.”
    Me and Face walked for two blocks before I finally said, “Ummm . . . helloooooo . . . I know you didn’t stop me and my friends from kickin’ it to come and take a stroll with you. You could’ve called one of your skeezers for this.”
    Face frowned as we made a left turn into Eighteenth Avenue School’s playground. We hopped up on the short brick wall and sat down. “What’s up with you?” I pressed. “’Cause I don’t have much time. I got a wedding to plan.”
    â€œA weddin’?” He flicked his wrist, like what I said was ridiculous. “Look, ever since you told me about them dudes trying to move in on me I’ve been trying to decide if you were a big enough girl to chill with me or not. Move up to the major leagues.”
    I looked up at him out the corner of my eyes. “Major leagues?”
    â€œYeah, major leagues.”
    â€œAnd what you want me do? Cuss out another chick for you? What? Go to her house this time? Face, did you beat up another broad? Didn’t Queenie tell you about your hands?”
    â€œSee, it ain’t even nothin’ like that.”
    â€œThen what is it? Don’t tell me somebody else is pregnant? Why is you exploding in everybody? You nasty. And Queenie and Daddy both told you to use condoms.”
    â€œYo, would you chill?”
    â€œI’m chilled.” I paused. “What, you want me to hold your stash for you?”
    â€œAre you gon’ let me talk?”
    â€œI wish you would, ’cause I’m tired of sitting here wondering what you want. Talk.”
    â€œI want you to come ride out with me and assist me on this drop.”
    A drop? My eyes scanned his face. He was serious. I did all I could to not grin. But I couldn’t help it. My smile was lit from ear to ear. No matter how many times I begged him, Face never let me ride out with him before. The most he would let me do was handle his irrelevant chicks by cussing them out. Or take me out to the vacant lot and teach me how to squeeze off a round or two. But that was it. No drops. No licks. And no hits. Until now.
    I wanted to scream out, “Yes!” Then jump up and moonwalk across the brick ledge. But I didn’t. I played it cool. After all he was checkin’ for me. I didn’t come looking for him. “I don’t know if I need to do that,” I said, leaning back, reaching in my side jeans pocket and taking out a candy