It's All Good Read Free

going through a pretty horrific punishment right now. A few weeks ago, she got caught shoplifting and her dad, LeRon, and Gwen took all her clothes! All of her Dolce, all of her Juicy Couture, all of her Baby Phat—gone!
    They left her with, like, five outfits that look like they came from Target. And that’s all she can wear until spring break. So she’s having the worst day ever, like every day.
    Not only did they take away her clothes, but she can’t participate in any Hi-Steppers events, except practice. She can’t step at the game or ride the school bus to Columbus, Ohio, which is two hours from our ’hood in Cleveland, where we’re spending the night after the championship game. She’s on complete and total lockdown.
    So let’s just say that she deserves something good.
    â€œNext practice,” Valerie says, “we’re going to start learning Gia and Candy’s step. Also, Ms. Vaughn says we need to pick roommates for our hotel rooms in Columbus. We have to be four to a room. Gia, Kelani, and Jewel, you’re with me.”
    â€œWhat if we don’t want to be with you?” Kelani asks.
    Jewel’s eyes get really big, like she’s about to leave her home girl hanging, and Jewel never leaves Kelani hanging.
    Jewel asks, “Why wouldn’t we want to room with Valerie?”
    â€œI don’t want to. She can room with the other seniors who don’t feel they have to come to the Hi-Steppers meetings.”
    Whispers ripple through the group. It’s true that the seniors don’t come to the team meetings. A couple of them play field hockey, though, and one of them runs cross-country. They do come to practice, though, and that’s the most important thing.
    With the Hi-Steppers, if you don’t come to practice, then you don’t get to step. That’s Ms. Vaughn’s rule, and nobody ever tries to overstep that.
    â€œKelani, do you have a problem with me?” Valerie asks.
    â€œWhy do you think that?” Kelani responds.
    Valerie gets right in Kelani’s face. “Because your attitude has been stank with me since the Homecoming game. What’s up with that?”
    Jewel looks at the floor. Obviously she knows what’s up. Somebody needs to tell the rest of us, so we can move on.
    Kelani doesn’t back down. “What’s up with you going to Homecoming with my dude?”
    Are you kidding me? Who knew Kelani was hollering at Chris, the drum major? He helped Valerie in her little scheme during the Homecoming game and she rewarded him with a date to the dance. Everyone thought it was funny—except Kelani, I guess.
    Valerie laughs out loud. “I’ve had enough drama over these lame high school boys! Chica, I do not want Chris. He’s served his purpose to me. Does anyone else have any real announcements?”
    Candy raises her hand. “Yes, I do. My stepmom and step-auntie are starting purity classes at our church. Everyone is invited to join us.”
    â€œPurity classes? What are those?” Jewel asks.
    I shake my head, because I know that now I have to answer this. Why did Candy open her big, fat mouth? That was soooo not a Hi-Steppers announcement.
    â€œPurity classes are for girls who plan to keep their virginity until marriage. I guess they’re gonna teach us about respecting ourselves and all that. I know it’s a little lame, but ...”
    â€œSign me up,” Valerie says.
    I blink three times before answering. “Umm ... you have to be a virgin to be in the class.”
    â€œI am a virgin. Don’t believe everything you hear.”
    I’m going to go with this for a moment. It will be a quick moment, because Valerie’s reputation is pretty darn bad. But, for the sake of argument, let’s say that Valerie is a virgin.
    If that’s the case, there are a lot of lying boys in this school, because I’ve heard that she’s done everything under the