Read Online You Don't Know Me Like That by Reshonda Tate Billingsley - Free Book Online

Jayla hadn’t mentioned that she was transferring before. But her being here wasn’t the only thing that had my mouth on the floor. It was what Jayla was wearing.
    â€œLike, ewww,” Chastity said, just now noticing her outfit. “Are you seriously wearing a T-shirt with Maya’s face on it?”
    â€œYeah.” Jayla looked down at her shirt, pulling it out for everyone to see. “I had them made. We give them away to Maya’s fans. Would you guys like one?”
    â€œAs if.” They burst out laughing.
    â€œYeah, I’m good,” Ava said.
    â€œUmmm, I’ll pass, too,” Chastity added.
    I wanted to laugh because they were like me. They wouldn’t be caught dead wearing a celebrity’s T-shirt, especially if that celebrity was someone you knew. That was lame with a capital L .
    â€œOkay, okay, just chill,” I said, jumping in before they started drawing attention. “So you transferred here,” I said turning back to Jayla. “That’s cool, but ummm, the shirt? So not feeling it.”
    She actually looked hurt. “You don’t like the shirt?”
    â€œWhat do you think, genius?” Ava snapped. I held out my hand to quiet her.
    â€œNo, I love the shirt,” I told her. “I really do. It’s just something about having you wear it around school. Let’s just not.”
    She hesitated. It was obvious she was disappointed. “Okay, I won’t wear it again,” she finally said. She pulled a jacket out of her bag. “I’ll just put my jacket on over it.”
    All of us stood and watched as Jayla put the jacket on and zipped it up.
    â€œMuch better,” I said.
    She stood there awkwardly for a minute, then finally said, “Well, I’m not trying to get in your way or anything. In fact, my best friend goes here; that’s the real reason I chose this school. So that’s where I was headed, to meet her.”
    â€œWho is your best friend?” Sheridan said, like she didn’t believe her.
    â€œMaggie Long.”
    â€œWho is that?” Ava asked.
    â€œIs that that scholarship girl, the freshman?” Chastity said.
    â€œYeah,” Jayla replied. “That’s her.”
    â€œYour best friend is a freshman?” Ava asked, not bothering to hide her disgust.
    Jayla nodded. “Yeah, and?”
    Chastity coughed and muttered, “Loser,” under her breath.
    â€œI’m gonna leave you guys alone,” Jayla said, sounding all sad. “Sorry, Maya, if I freaked you out. I thought you’d be cool with it.”
    I gave her a tight smile as she walked off.
    â€œAnd the freak of the week award goes to Maya’s new publicist,” Chastity said after Jayla rounded the corner.
    â€œShe’s not my publicist,” I protested. “She just does my social media stuff.”
    â€œShe’s your number one fan,” Ava sang.
    They laughed some more before Sheridan finally said, “Seriously, Maya, you don’t see anything creepy about this?”
    I shrugged. “She may be a little strange, but I can’t help it that she thinks I’m fabulous and you guys don’t recognize all this fabulosity.” I did a little twirl. I was trying to lighten the mood, but I was serious, too.
    â€œOh, my, God. What were we thinking,” Sheridan said in a high-pitched fake voice.
    Chastity pretended to clutch her pearls. “We are so sorry, Your Highness. I mean, can we pretty please get some T-shirts of you so that we can walk around with your face on our boobs? Pretty please?”
    Ava clasped her hands together excitedly. “And while we’re at it, we should get some sweatbands, headbands, and glasses that say Maya Morgan.”
    â€œOoooh, great idea,” Sheridan said. She pointed to her behind. “And I’m going to get ‘Maya’ on this butt cheek, then ‘Morgan’ on this butt cheek.”
    They cracked up