Coffee Will Make You Black Read Free Page B

thought to myself.
    â€œJust rubbed it against you?” Denise continued.
    â€œI’m too embarrassed to talk about it,” I said, swallowing.
    â€œI understand, we ain’t mean to get all up in your business,” Gail cut in. “But ain’t no sense in me lying, I was surprised when Michael told me about you. All this time I had you figured for a L7,” Gail drew a square in the air.
    I shook my head and tried to look surprised. Me an L7? No way.
    â€œWell, we just wanted to check you out, see what your story was.” Denise said.
    â€œHey, any girl my cousin talk to, I make it my business to check out. ’Cause don’t nobody get next to Michael without coming through me,” Gail pointed to her chest.
    â€œWe’ll be in touch,” Denise said, getting up.
    Gail stood up too.
    â€œWell, thanks for stopping by, it’s been really boss. I mean, feel free to drop by the crib anytime.” I tried to sound hip.
    Monday was cool, damp, and gray, but I was walking home with guess who? Gail and Denise. I had been surprised to see them waiting for me when our class let out. Me and Michael hadn’t crossed paths all day long. I still didn’t know what he thought. But I wasn’t about to say anything to him, so I’d just have to wait. Michael must be interested or Gail and Denise wouldn’t be giving me the time of day, I figured.
    I usually walked home with Linda and Melody. They were nice but square. So, when I saw Denise and Gail waving to me, I told Linda and Melody to go ahead on.
    Denise and Gail were all the way cool, and if I was walking home with them, people would figure I had to at least be halfway cool. I hoped that my ponytail and pleated skirt fit in okay with their French rolls and tight, straight skirts. At least all three of us were wearing pullover sweaters.
    The three of us walked through our neighborhood, past the rows of two-flat brick buildings and occasional bungalows, cracking our gum as loud as we could.
    â€œNiece, you got any more of that red-orange fingernail polish, girl?”
    Denise shook her head and cracked her gum.
    â€œWhere’d you get it from anyways?” Gail asked.
    â€œI copped it from Walgreen’s that time, remember?”
    â€œOh, yeah, that’s right.”
    I almost swallowed my gum. I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying, “You mean you stole it?” Gail didn’t bat an eye.
    I decided to try and change the subject. We weren’t that far from Walgreen’s now; I didn’t want them to get any ideas.
    â€œMrs. Butler asked me if I was gonna write a poem for the school paper again this year.”
    Gail and Denise just went on cracking their gum.
    â€œHave either of you ever thought about writing anything for the paper?”
    â€œHumph, that’s the last thing I would wanta do, write something,” Denise groaned.
    â€œYeah,” Gail agreed. “Why you bringing up school stuff? It’s bad enough we got to sit up and look at the teacher all day long, now we gotta listen to your ass.”
    I stared down at the new blades of grass and the tulips about to bloom in front of a house.
    â€œMrs. Butler mentioned it to me on the way out, so it was kind of fresh on my mind, that’s all. But I think I’ll let it go this year. It ain’t no biggie.”
    â€œSho ain’t,” Gail agreed.
    â€œNot unlessen you a square.” Denise laughed.
    â€œThank you,” Gail stretched her hand out and Denise gave her five.
    I cracked my gum and shook my head to let them know that I was at least halfway cool.
    â€œOooh!” I shouted, feeling a hand grabbing my behind, through my skirt. I slapped the hand away and turned around and saw Michael standing there grinning. This other boy, Calvin, was feeling on Gail.
    â€œLeave me alone!” I shouted, backing away from Michael. “Don’t touch me like that again!”
    For some reason,