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

and instead hopped two steps at a time. After I unlocked our apartment door, I slung it open and rushed to Schooly and Face’s room.
    Face’s bed was empty.
    Schooly looked at me and smiled. He was sitting at the head of his bed, back against the wall and proudly draped in hot gold, smacking on a Squirrel Nut candy. He stuck his finger in his mouth and pulled out the hard caramel stuck between his teeth. “What’s wrong witchu?”
    I shrugged. “Face home?”
    â€œNope,” he said like nothing else mattered but the sticky caramel on his fingertip. “Queenie told Pops that Face had some warrants. And Pops said Face gon’ have to sit down for a while.”
    I felt like somebody had just kicked me in the gut.
    â€œLil sis, you still mad at me?” Schooly popped another candy in his mouth.
    â€œYup.”
    â€œI thought so. That’s why I traded one of those gold necklaces for a box of Chick-O-Sticks. So you wouldn’t be mad anymore.” He smiled and I promise you I wanted to slam him in his mouth, but I couldn’t. So I pushed away the urge and flopped down on the bed next to him.
    An ABC Afterschool Special was on TV and usually I loved to watch ’em. But the unwanted and unneeded tears that filled the brims of my eyes was in my way. And just when I thought that maybe I could hold them back, they tipped over the edge and fell down my cheeks.
    Schooly stretched an arm over my shoulders and pulled my head along the side of his neck. “I’m sorry I told you to eat it. And check it, if you want, and if it means that much to you, I’ll take everything off. ’Cept the watch. ’Cause I really like it.”
    I wiped these dumb tears from my eyes and said, “A’ight, I’ll let you rock wit’ the watch.”

11
    Express yourself . . .
    Six months later
    Â 
    A lot had changed.
    The year was now 1986.
    Spring.
    I was thirteen.
    And I was no longer checkin’ for Doug E. Fresh like that. I had a new love, Eric B., and he wanted to be president.
    Daddy no longer came home. And on the nights he wasn’t drunk and laid out in the streets, he stayed with Ms. Brenda, her three kids, and the two babies they had together. Daddy tried to come back to Queenie once . . . scratch that. He tried to come back twice. But, both times Queenie cussed him out, in the middle of the courtyard, and told er’body she’d had enough.
    The Down South boys had the juice. They took advantage of Face being gone and was now runnin’ Newark streets like they owned them.
    My boobs went from a lightweight A-cup to a championship D.
    My booty had lifted up where it belonged and was now full. Round. Bounce worthy.
    My hair. I switched it up, and no longer let my sun-dyed curls dance everywhere. Now I wore my hair bone straight and let it drape over my shoulders.
    Some things was still the same though.
    Schooly still rocked that watch. Er’day. All day.
    My crew was still my crew. Yvette acted a little funny and had gotten kinda fat. But so what, she was still my homie.
    Munch still lived with her country and out-of-date Cousin Shake.
    And no matter how she spoke, how she acted, how well she could jump double Dutch, or how many frizzy cornrows she tried to rock, Cali was still white. Period.
    My crush was still the same: K-Rock. And I prayed to sweet baby Jesus that since Face was coming home today that K-Rock was on his way over here sooooooon. Real soon.
    â€œIsis!” Queenie called my name and pushed my room door open at the same time. Me and my crew was all gathered on my bed, drooling over the pictures in a Word Up magazine.
    We looked over at Queenie as she slapped a thigh and said, “Y’all come on out here and help me finish laying this food out in the living room. K-Rock just called and said he and Face is on they way. And folks is already arriving, so come on. I need y’all help.” She turned on her heels and rushed