They’re so happy that they suggest we go out to dinner for a precelebration, their treat. Nothing’s guaranteed, but I’m pretty sure they just wanna get my mom’s mind off all the other stuff.
I’m usually good with free food, but free food with my mom and her friends? I shake my head. “No thank you. I cannot go out to eat with you three.”
Sonny busts out laughing, ’cause he knows why. Malik doesn’t smirk or even look at me.
Jay sets her hand on her hip. “What’s wrong with going out with us?”
“What’s not wrong?” I say. “Y’all are the worst at restaurants.” First off, anything I order, Jay has to have some of it, too, and before I know it most of my food is gone. Secondly, Aunt Gina loves to send stuff back to the kitchen until it’s “right,” and I wouldn’t be surprised if they spit in our food. Third, my mom and my godmothers don’t know how to leave. Their butts will be sitting there laughing and talking until the restaurant closes. Especially if it’s one of those “bottomless drinks and appetizers” places.
“She’s right,” Sonny says. “Unless we have a table to ourselves, it’s a no from me, too.”
“Y’all hear this?” Jay asks the other two. “We carried these jokers, birthed them, and now they got the nerve to be ashamed of us.”
Aunt Gina kisses her teeth. “Mm-hmm. Bet they won’t be ashamed when we pay the bill.”
Sonny grins. “Now that’s a fact.”
Aunt ’Chelle laughs. “Whatever. You three can have your li’l table to yourselves.”
“Nah,” says Malik. “Count me out.”
He looks at me as he says it.
Malik kisses his mom’s cheek, says something about hanging out with Shana, and walks away from us.
But it feels like he’s walking away from me.
Twenty-Five
Ten days after I sent my text, Aunt Pooh finally responds to me.
Meet me at the Maple after school
I almost walk out of Long Fiction class when I see it. After that, I swear the day seems to drag. The moment the last bell rings at the end of the day, I head straight for the school bus. When Mr. Watson pulls up at Maple Grove to drop off Curtis, I get off, too.
We cross the parking lot together. I can almost feel every single rock I step on. These fake Timbs are wearing out. Jay was up and about when I left this morning, and I have yet to talk to her about Supreme, so I couldn’t wear the real ones. Hell, I still gotta break the news to Aunt Pooh.
“What you doing in the Maple?” Curtis asks. “You stalking me now, Princess?”
You know, there was a time his little jokes would’ve made me roll my eyes. They still do, but now I smirk. “Boy, nobody’s stalking you. I’m here to see my aunt.”
We dodge some shirtless guy who runs to catch a football sailing in the air. He’s gotta be freezing.
Curtis stuffs his hands in his pockets. “I’ve been meaning to tell you, I went to see my mom this weekend.”
“For real? How’d it go?”
“She was so happy she cried. I hadn’t really thought of how much it hurt her when I was staying away. I thought I was helping. Kinda messed up that I was hurting her more than any of that prison shit.”
“You didn’t know,” I say. “Besides, I’m sure she understood why it was hard for you.”
“She actually did. I told her you convinced me to go. She said that you sound like a smart girl. She ain’t lying about that.”
“Wow, all of these compliments lately, from the same person who said my head was big enough. Why are you trying to make it bigger?”
“Whatever, Princess. For real though. Thank you,” Curtis says.
“You’re welcome.” I punch his arm. “But that’s for calling my head big.”
“Was I lying?”
A gang of little kids bound toward us. Jojo pedals behind them on his bike. Curtis goes, “Whoa!” and jumps out of their way just before they swarm me.
“Bri, can I get your autograph?” a little girl with a ponytail asks.
“Your song is my favorite!” a boy in a puffy coat adds.
They all want me to sign something or pose for a selfie.
“Y’all, stop being thirsty,” Jojo says. “One at a time, people.”
Curtis laughs as he walks away. “You hood famous, Princess.”
Damn, I guess I am. I have to come up with an autograph on the spot. I’ve never signed anything other than school forms, and that’s different. These kids are cool with my little scribbles.