Can't Stop the Shine Read Online Free Page A

Kalia, Elaine and Ronald—hugged up together under a big Happy Birthday banner. Flashes were popping and the summer was ending. There was a good vibe in the air, and everyone was having fun. It would be a long time before all of the Jeffersons were this happy again.

Chapter
2
    Mari walked into Greenbriar Mall in her normal gear—a denim miniskirt, white sneakers and a too-tight white baby T that screamed It’s All About Me! in red across the front. Bopping down the mall, she slathered on lip gloss and pulled her ponytail tight. She was supposed to be meeting Colby for some back-to-school shopping, but her heart wasn’t really in it. Peering at the latest styles in the store windows while navigating the massive number of black teenagers kicking it at the mall, Mari realized she wasn’t ready to go back to school, especially since she’d just passed her driver’s test. She wanted a little more time to get her skills up before she had to get back in the grind. Even though Shauntae had acted a fool at her birthday party, she’d really enjoyed her summer, hanging out with her girls.
    In the beginning of the summer her mom had her in a local leadership development program for a few weeks with a bunch of nerds, and she also went to a cool summer camp for track-and-field athletes for about ten days. She’d been to like five or six hot parties with kids from public school in the past two and a half months.
    Mari wished she went to Williams High with her friends. She’d hung out with the Crunk High crowd all summer, and now she was going to have to go back to boring, stuffy, mostly white East Moreland. Even Kalia got to go to the livest high school in the city, Mari thought as she spotted Colby standing in front of their favorite shoe store.
    â€œWhat’s with the grumpy face?” said Colby as Mari walked up.
    â€œHey,” said Mari. “I am so not ready to roll back to the most uppity school in the city.”
    â€œWell, at least you get to do cool stuff at your school,” said Colby. “I wish we got to go to plays and the symphony and go out of town like y’all do.”
    â€œWell, that’s what rich people do,” said Mari, walking into the shoe store. “But y’all ain’t just sitting around over there at Williams. You’ve got the best football and basketball teams. Our games are so boring, and we lose every time. Your parties and talent shows are tight, and everybody says your proms are off the chain. I don’t know why Kalia didn’t go to her junior prom, but you’ll get to go this year.”
    â€œYeah, if somebody asks me,” said Colby, twisting her long braid extensions into a messy bun.
    â€œSomebody will and you’ll get to go. You’ll probably end up being the queen of the hypest prom in the city. I don’t know why my parents put me at East Boredom anyway.”
    â€œUh…’cause you’re smart. Smart enough to get that full scholarship to go to that private school,” said Colby.
    â€œEverybody knows that Mari’s got some big brains,” said Shauntae, walking up behind Colby. “You don’t need to remind us.”
    Mari opened her mouth to say something, but was stunned into silence when she saw who was with Shauntae.
    â€œHey, look who I found,” said Shauntae, grabbing Qwon’s hand.
    â€œWhat’s happening, ladies? What are y’all doing up in here?” said Qwon, slipping his hand from Shauntae’s grasp.
    Seeing that Mari still wasn’t able to find her voice, Colby stepped in. “You know, trying to get some new gear for school. Catch some of these sales.”
    â€œMe, too. Check out my new kicks,” said Qwon, stepping one foot forward.
    â€œThose are hot, baby,” cooed Shauntae, tightening the belt on her hot pink Apple Bottoms jeans, which accentuated her Coca-Cola bottle shape. “You should get me the ladies’