Read Online The Corner II by Alex Richardson - Free Book Online Page A

friend was letting her know to get with the program and flirt with Carlos.
    LaTanza said, “It looks like you’re doing more than alright. Most guys around here are still riding bikes.”
    “Or walking.”  Echoed from the rear.
    LaTanza asked, “So Carlos, you seem like you got it going on. You sure you don’t have a woman?”
    “I got friends but no one special.”  He was turning into the lot of the corner store. His left shoulder leaned on the door and he worked the wheel with his right hand. He looked so cool to the girls. Low wavy hair, copper skin tone and jet-black goatee that was just filling out on his young face. “You think you could be that special someone?”
    “I don’t know,” was all LaTanza could think to say. She had been caught off guard but made up for it by asking, “So are you going in with me or what? Maybe you can get to know more about me?” She walked off switching.
    Jasmine was so excited that she almost peed in her Capris when she heard her girl step her game up. She also wanted to stay in the truck to bump music and front and was happy when Carlos tossed the remote to the six-disc changer to her.
    Carlos and LaTanza came out of the store laughing and he was so close to her that he might as well had put his arm around her. They got in the truck and Carlos headed back to the street where he had met the girls. He let them out. He drove a little further and one of the boys who Carlos had given a package to was still on the corner—still patting his braids. The other was sitting in a car with a female.
    Carlos asked the braided boy, “He get the shit?”
    “We all good,” the young thug answered.
    “My nigga.” Carlos drove off, turning into the Chicago rush hour traffic.
    LaTanza giggled to her friend,” I got his number.”
    “Let me see, you lying!” Jasmine said excitedly.
    LaTanza showed her the piece of paper with the phone number on it then showed her where Carlos had written the number on the palm of her hand telling her that way she’d have it if she lost the paper. She also showed her one hundred dollars and gave Jasmine fifty. Carlos had given her a c-note and told her to buy herself a new outfit, that they were going to the movies on the weekend. A hundred dollars was more than enough to get a summer outfit so she shared the cash with her friend. That’s the way they were—two peas in a pod. They walked back to LaTanza’s house eating Lemon Heads, Chico sticks and Jay’s barbecue potato chips. For the first time she didn’t mind running an errand for Jack for she and Carlos have been seeing each other ever since and it has been a year.
    There was a forceful knock on the bedroom door and it broke LaTanza from her dreaming. “You eating or what?” LaDonna asked as she entered the room.
    The girls caught an attitude thinking it was Jack, but when they heard LaDonna’s voice as she entered the room, they were relieved.
    “Jasmine, are you staying?” LaDonna asked nicely as she leaned inside of her sister’s room.
    Jasmine rose from the bed and collected her things. She would stay sometimes just to keep LaTanza company, but since her sister was there she decided to use the time to go see her boyfriend for awhile before going home. Seeing as how her mother thought she was going to be at LaTanza’s most of the night. LaTanza told her sister that she’d be down after she helped Jasmine collect her things.
    Jasmine packed her magazines and books in her backpack. She called her boyfriend and told him that she was on her way. She hung up the phone then slung the pack over her shoulder. They headed for the bedroom door when Jasmine stopped.
    “Hey, I almost forgot. You got any condoms?” she asked her friend.
    “You know I don’t keep none here. What, for him to find them when he’s rambling through my stuff?”
    “Oh, yeah, I forgot. I hate that you gotta put up with his shit! He ain’t even your real daddy!”
    Nervously, LaTanza told her, “Don’t say