Read Online That's What's Up! by Paula Chase - Free Book Online Page B

updateme if you want. I swear I won’t screen your calls.”
    He and Brian laughed good at that one.
    Mina turned front again, letting it go. She wasn’t going to win this one.
    â€œThe turn right here, son?” Brian asked, looking in his rearview at Michael’s nodding head.
    â€œYeah, just on your left where that big marquee is.” Michael pointed. “I appreciate you dropping me off, kid.”
    â€œNo problem.” Brian glanced over at the silent Mina. He poked her side, pushed her knee and plucked at her to tease her out of her mood. “Man, you know the drama I would have caught if I’d said no.”
    â€œYou could have said no. It wouldn’t have mattered to me,” Mina huffed. Hearing the bratty tone of her own voice, she peeked back over the seat, in time to see a flash of hurt on Michael’s face. She smiled sheepishly. “Alright, so I’m acting like Jessica, right?” she said, referencing Jess instead of using the word “bitch.” To her they were often one and the same. She got the chuckle she wanted from Michael. “My bad.” She tapped his knee lightly with her fist. “I just wanted you there. But I know it’s a big deal that you’re gonna be working on costumes for The Players.”
    â€œWell, I let you slide this time with that ’tude. I don’t want to embarrass you in front of Brian,” Michael said.
    But it wasn’t his usual acid-tongued response. They’d been friends long enough to read one another’s thoughts. Mina suspected Michael felt more and more like the fifth wheel now that she and Brian were together so often. If it weren’t the whole clique hanging out, and even sometimes when it was, Michael made himself busy with Bay Dra-Da or spending time with Rob, a dancer with The Players.
    She hadn’t meant to make Michael feel bad about not going. She made up for it with gossip. “Ooh, speaking of Jessica, you won’t believethis,” Mina said. She regaled Michael and Brian with the story of Jessica temporarily squashing their beef, sharing both her skepticismand weary relief.
    â€œI wouldn’t trust that.” Michael shook his head. “You know how she is.”
    â€œI think y’all being hard on ol’ girl,” Brian said. “She seems alrightto me.”
    â€œPssh.” Mina rolled her eyes. “Okay, new boy. You have no idea.” She struggled to put her pool of thoughts on Jess into a simple sentence,but only came back with, “Jessica wouldn’t know friendly if it smacked her in the face.”
    â€œAlright, yeah she’s definitely a diva. And I can see she’s mad bossy. But ...” Brian shrugged. “Twins are tight. So I can see her doing this for her sister.You sound a little paranoid.” He snickered. “You act like she out to get you.”
    â€œShe is,” Mina said. She looked to Michael, her eyes prompting him to agree.A twinge of disappointment pinched her when Michael’s face remained neutral and he shrugged. She slid slowly back into her seat, facing front once more.
    She’d wanted, needed really, Michael to set her mind at ease. If not agree with her, maybe give some advice on how to steer through this truce without getting burned. But his silence spoke volumes. She’d hurt his feelings by snapping on him in front of Brian. They could do that when it was just the two of them—or if it was a true joking diss session with everyone around—but Mina had been genuinelysnotty about it.
    It wasn’t cool and she knew it.
    â€œWell, I don’t know about out to get me, but there’s always been bad blood between us,” she muttered finally.
    Michael’s continued silence spoke louder than Brian’s, “You’re paranoid, toughie. Just chill and ride with it.” But Mina tried to take stock in his words, just the same. What else could she do?
    See what my