Read Online Down by Law by Ni-Ni Simone - Free Book Online

’cause I ain’t goin’ nowhere. Not today I ain’t.”
    â€œIf you do not leave, I will be calling security!”
    â€œCall ’em.”
    â€œAnd I will be calling your mother.”
    â€œDo it. So she can cuss you out, again.”
    The class was all the way live now, and er’body, with the exception of a few kids in the front and the dude sitting next to me, laughed loudly and egged me on.
    I could feel angry tears building in the back of my throat. Dang! I swear, I hated this bird. She worked er’one of my nerves. Every day she went outta her way to say something nasty or call on me for nothing.
    Whatever. I couldn’t keep sweatin’ that, ’cause if I did, this day would be endin’ with me hoppin’ outta my chair and draggin’ this blond-haired ho by her black roots.
    Before I could see if this heifer was gon’ push me to take it there, the bell rang and everyone jumped out of their seats. Ms. Jamison yelled something about being suspended, as me and er’body else rushed out of the classroom.
    On my way down the hallway, most of my classmates gave me props, but I didn’t care. School was over and I just wanted to be up and outta here.
    Yvette waited for me at my locker. I tossed my backpack inside of it and we jetted out the door.
    â€œYou a’ight?” Yvette asked as we met up with the rest of our crew. They was outside and leaning against a stop sign.
    â€œI’m good. Just hate that the cops took Face.”
    â€œMe too.”
    â€œI hope he’s home when I get there.”
    â€œHe will be,” she said with no sincerity, like she was just talking to be talking.
    â€œYou good, homie?” Cali asked as we walked up the block toward Da Bricks. “You was real quiet at lunch.”
    â€œI’m straight . . .” I said, as my voice drifted and I found myself stopping dead in my tracks and stuck in my spot. Munch ran into my back and stepped on the heels of my sneakers, as I watched a silver Audi 5000, the same exact car that me and Face had licked off, bust a U-turn in the street and creep along the sidewalk. I didn’t recognize the driver or the passenger.
    The passenger hung out the window, and yelled, “’Ey, yo.”
    I looked over and I knew freakin’ well this one-blue-eyed and one-brown-eyed creep wasn’t talkin’ to me.
    Munch curled her top lip. “Eww. Oh no, you didn’t.” She shoved both hands up on her hips. “And who is you?”
    â€œAnd what is you doin’?” Yvette sucked her teeth. “We don’t need no samples and we got our own smoke. Now move along.”
    The dudes ignored them, pointed to me, and said, “Yo, you Isis?”
    I swallowed and hoped the nerves in my stomach didn’t tickle my throat and cause my voice to tremble. “Why?” I rocked my neck.
    The dudes smiled and light snickers slipped outta their mouths. “Yeah, umm hmm,” they said, as if I’d just confirmed what they wanted to know. “Goddamn, girl, I heard about you.”
    I looked them up and down and hit ’em with death stare. “What? You better get outta my face! I don’t care whatchu heard.”
    The passenger continued, “It’s cool though. But hear me on this: let your brother know that we’ll be back. Tick. Tick.”
    I spazzed and flared my arms in the air. “Yo, my man, what you say?! Is that supposed to be a threat?! Do you know who my brother is? Do you know what he’ll do to you? Don’t get put to sleep, homie.”
    The passenger answered with a smile and a soft wink while the driver did a U-ey and broke off down the street.
    â€œWhat the heck was that about?” That was either Munch or Cali, ’cause they both had raspy voices. I couldn’t tell which one because I’d taken off running and zooming back to Da Bricks.
    Once I broke into my building, I skipped the elevator