College Boy : A Novel (9781416586500) Read Free Page B

immediately, or it won’t get done.”
    Troy looked around at all the chaos created by Simon’s things inside their small, shared room. “Who you tellin’? You got shit all over the place. This place looks like a damn flea market in here,” he said. “You might be unpacking until tomorrow.”
    They shared another laugh as Simon agreed. “Yeah, I know, right.”
    â€œAw’ight, Sime, I’m ’bout to take a shower and go to this party, then,” Troy informed him. He took off his clothing, partially, while keeping his underwear on. He rubbed plenty of thick yellowish shampoo into his hair and grabbed his slippers, soap, washcloth, and drying towel. After cleansing and grooming himself, he got dressed and returned to the freshman dormitory lobby to catch up to his friends, succeeding only in finding James Clayton.
    â€œYou going to that party?” James asked him. He spoke with the smooth voice that he had been speaking with all day. To Troy, it seemed a bit fabricated. He suspected that it might sound sexy to some women, though.
    â€œYeah, man, but where’s everybody else?”
    James hunched his shoulders. “I’on know, homes. I thought they was with you.”
    Troy, thinking about his new friend’s voice, began to grin.
    â€œWhat’s so funny, homes?” James asked curiously.
    â€œNothin’, cuz. Nothing at all,” Troy insisted, still smiling.
    â€œDid you meet your roommate yet?” James asked. He frowned as though he were expecting bad news.
    â€œYeah, he’s cool as hell, too. He got his own car, a nineteen-inch color TV, and clothing up the ass,” Troy answered.
    James sucked his teeth. “Homes, I got this fat-ass White boy, man. This dude is goofy as hell. But oh, he got a computer with games and shit on it. And he got a printer hooked up to it, homes. So you know I’m gon’ be right there using it,” he said, cracking a smile.
    â€œYou got any sisters, Jay?” Troy asked, leaning up against a video game.
    â€œYeah. How you know?”
    â€œOh, I was just askin’.”
    James shrugged and looked around. “It’s a whole lot of White girls up this college, homes. I know I’m gon’ be gettin’ me some,” he said, as if he had planned it all.
    Troy looked bewildered. “You had some White girls before?” he queried.
    â€œHell yeah, homes!” James exclaimed. “This White girl lives right next door to me at home. I used to knock her every day.”
    Troy smiled in amazement. “You live right next to a White girl, hunh?” he asked. “I ’on know, man. These White girls look like virgins to me.”
    They both looked around at the flirtatious damsels who seemed to be everywhere in packs of five.
    â€œNaw, homes, some of these White girls are dying to talk to a brother,” James assured him.
    Troy stood firm. He was in need of proof.
    â€œWatch this, homes,” James said.
    They gave their attention to a slender, dark-brown-haired, olive-toned girl.
    â€œExcuse me, pretty, what’s your name?” James asked her.
    The olive-toned girl glared, responding as if James had said something nasty to her. She leaned away to avoid him.
    James rubbed his goatee. He seemed to treasure it, as though he had waited awhile for it to grow and was in love with it. “Oh, you ain’t got to act all scared of me,” he commented, smiling at the olive-toned girl.
    Three other girls appeared from nowhere and rudely inserted themselves into the conversation. “Well, h-i-i-i. Who are you guys?” one asked. The first girl then decided it was safe to talk to James, since the cavalry had arrived. Her feathery white hand reached out toward his chest.
    James was intrigued. “My name is James, but just call me Jay,” he responded.
    Troy backed away to avoid being so close to them. They were already invading his buffer space. He