Page 49 of Stay Dangerous

“After that bitch give you whatever she finna give you, come to the Corolla on the corner. Don’t make me come get you.”

He didn’t even stop, just kept walking like he hadn't said anything.

A minute later, Porscha stomped toward me, holding my bag. She threw it on the ground in front of me and cracked her knuckles.

“There’s your stuff.Youleave. You know, you think you’re so special, but my cousin told me you’re probably beingpassed aroundby their whole lil’ crew. You know they’re known for pimping girls out. I shouldn’t be hanging with your ass anyway, fuckingtroater.”

I snatched my bag off the ground and smiled evilly at Porscha.How quick they forget.

“You’re the same girl who sucked up half the freshman basketball team last year. The same girl who begs Turkey to tell her what Auty has that you don’t–what? You think because he doesn’t clown you publicly, that no one knows? That lil’ hot pocket got hella miles on it, Porscha, and I know it eats you upinside that I’m cool with the same niggas you on your back for, and I not only didn’t have to do shit, but I couldn’t care less.”

“Bitch, fuck you! And you better hope I don’t pull up on you and that weird ass sister of yours before school’s back in!”

I laughed at her back, before it dried up and made my way to the Corolla to await my fate with someone who I actually was scared of.

Seeing Rico was in the passenger seat, I got in the back, and Tyree, who was driving, sped off as soon as I closed the door.

“You sure you want me to wait?” he asked Rico as we zoomed toward the looming towers in the distance.

“Yup. Nan went back to Belize yesterday, so she’ll be straight there until we get back,” Rico replied, drumming his fingers on his lap.

“What you tell Nutty?”

“He know Turkey would kill that nigga if anything happened to Autumn’s sister, so he chilling.”

“That nigga do too much over her ass. You know we got down in the locker rooms over her once? All ‘cause we was paired up in class.”

“You deserved it, prolly.”

“Yeah, well, he ain’t the only one doing too much over a female.”

I hung onto their every word, but Rico didn’t reply. Tyree just laughed, and pulled into a drive that took us to one of the Towers of the Birch.

I’d never been here before, and I was scared shitless. I shouldn’t have poured out my drink before getting in the car, because liquid courage was definitely needed.

It was people milling about, even at the late hour. People of all ages, even kids kicking a deflated kickball.

“Why are we here?” I asked, but no one said anything. Rico got out of the car, and opened mine.

Without even asking, he grabbed my arm and hauled me out of the car, slamming the door and walking us inside.

“Rico–”

He swung me around in front of him, and the rest of my words died on my lips.

Rico waspissed.

The last time I saw him like that was after we hung out at the mansion, when I said I’d hang out with another guy.

Did he hear what Porscha said? Did he think I thought the same things she did? Did he think I told her the things he told me?

He let go of my upper arm for my wrist and I let him pull me into the belly of the beast. We went up a few flights of pissy stairs, then down a hallway, before stopping abruptly at a door across from one with caution tape.

He banged his fist on the door twice, two times. The locks disengaged, and a short boy with braces grinned at Rico before gasping at me.

“Damn, baby,” he mouthed, biting his fist.

Rico mushed his head so hard he stumbled back into the house. He gestured for me to follow, and I was too bewildered not to obey.