Read Online What We Learned Along the Way by Nadirah Angail - Free Book Online

some runway in Paris or Milan, she felt like she had
nothing to wear. As she stood there searching, her phone rang. It
was Langston.
    “Hey, Langston. I was just trying to find
something to wear for tonight,” she said sweetly.
    “As many clothes as you have, you could
really just close your eyes and grab something,” he joked.
    “It would help if I knew where we were going.
Is it dressy, casual, black-tie?
    “You know you’re going to look great either
way, so it really doesn’t matter. Just get dressed and I’ll see you
in an hour.”
    She settled on a black, knee-length dress
with some zebra-print heels and a red clutch. She figured that
outfit should be appropriate for most places. She only hoped he
wasn’t taking her hiking, or horseback riding. She pulled her hair
back into a neat bun and kept her makeup pretty natural, except for
the bright red lipstick. She had heard that red lipstick was okay
for black girls now, and that it looked very sophisticated.
Langston was seven years older than she was, so sophisticated
sounded perfect.
    She still had another thirty minutes to wait
on Langston. She was really anxious, so she decided to call Malikah
and Jaime on three-way to pass the time.
    “Hey girls, what’s going on?” she said in a
happy voice.
    “Just studying for an economics test,”
Malikah said.
    “And I’m still looking for apartments,” said
Jaime. “I’m serious about moving out.”
    “Jaime, I’m surprised you answered your
phone. You’ve been MIA ever since you stood up to your parents,”
said Aliya.
    “I’ve just been busy. Lots of work to do.”
Aliya wondered what work she was talking about since Jaime was out
of school and didn’t have a job, but she was too excited to think
about that.
    “I have a date with Langston tonight. I don’t
know where we’re going. It’s a surprise. I’m so excited.”
    “This guy’s been taking you out a lot. He
must have money,” Malikah said.
    “He’s doing alright. He owns a bookstore,”
Aliya said nonchalantly.
    “So, he’s one of those,” Jaime said like she
had just figured something out.
    “One of what?” Malikah and Aliya said
together.
    “You know the type. Locs? Owns a bookstore?
One of those wannabe revolutionary, fight-the-power brothers. His
bookstore is probably in some rundown building downtown, next door
to a bean pie shop.” Jaime had a way of ruining people’s fun. Aliya
didn’t like the comment, but she wasn’t going to let Jaime get to
her. She thrived on that attention and Aliya was not about to give
it to her.
    “Okay, if you consider Chapter a rundown
building downtown,” Aliya retorted. Jaime was quiet.
    “Did you say Chapter?” Malikah said in
disbelief. “He owns Chapter? They’re about to put Brothers Books
out of business!” Brothers Books was one of the biggest and
longest-standing bookstores in Houston. Three years ago, Chapter
had come out of nowhere and it was really giving Brothers some
serious competition. Malikah loved the way Aliya so easily shut
Jaime up.
    “You guys have to promise you won’t tell. He
barely told me. He’s really modest and doesn’t like people to know
who he is. You gotta promise me,” she begged.
    “Rich and humble? Does he have a brother?”
Malikah asked.
    “Yea he does, but I don’t think you’d be
interested.”
    “Yes I would. I’m not picky,” Malikah said
quickly, not realizing how desperate she sounded until it was too
late.
    “Okay, but he’s only 15.” The three of them
laughed at the idea of Malikah and a 15-year-old on a date. Then
Langston rang the doorbell. The sound scared Aliya. She was still
used to guys just staying in the car and honking the horn. “He’s
here. Gotta go, bye,” she said as fast as she could. She hung up
the phone before the other two were able to figure out what she
said.
    She opened the door and there he was, looking
like he’d stepped right off a GQ cover. His dark grey sweater and
black slacks looked great on