Courtin' Jayd Read Online Free Page A

right behind Mickey’s car, blocking us in. This trip isn’t going to be as quick as I anticipated.
    â€œAh damn,” Mickey says, turning off the engine and opening the car door. “I was supposed to call him after school and forgot.” She didn’t forget as much as she was distracted by her other man ballin’. Mickey better tighten her game or she’s going to be in more trouble than she can handle.
    â€œHow long are you going to keep this juggling act going, Mickey? You know you’re playing with fire,” I say. I don’t mean to sound like her mama, but damn. I’m being put in an uncomfortable situation no matter how it goes and personally, I’m sick of it.
    â€œI know you’re not talking,” Mickey says, looking at me through the rearview mirror before getting out. And she’s right. I’m slightly torn between Jeremy and Rah still. But at least I’m not playing anyone. The way she’s working the game, it can only end up bad for everyone involved.
    â€œMickey, where you been? I told you to call me when you got out of class,” her man says, getting out of his car without even turning it off. Mickey’s man is hotter than hot and that ain’t good. Nellie and I watch it all go down as her family members ignore the dramatic scene. I guess this happens on a daily basis around here. Mickey’s man takes a large step toward her and snatches her by the arm, making her drop the new cell phone in her hand. I wonder if he knows it was a gift from Nigel.
    â€œDamn boo, chill,” she says, pulling away from him and going for her phone on the ground. But it’s no use. He grabs her arm again, this time tighter, and pulls her in closer so she can’t get away.
    â€œWho you messing with, Mickey, huh?” he says, smelling her hair like a dog. What the hell? If a dude ever tried that shit with me, his days would be numbered. “What’s his name?”
    â€œDamn, nigga, calm down. It ain’t even like that,” Mickey says, trying to save face. How she keeps her lies straight I’ll never know. “We just got here and I have to run inside and get something for Nellie before I take my girls home.” He looks inside the car and sees Nellie and me looking dead at him. I wish I had Esmeralda’s eyes right about now. I’d like to give him a headache from hell like only she can.
    â€œWhatever, Mickey. I know you been screwing somebody else and I’m going to find out who it is, one way or another. Get your ass in the house and get whatever it is you need to get. We’ll take your girls home together,” he says, pushing her toward the front door. He sounds more like her daddy than her man. But I guess since her dad’s too busy working two jobs to support his extra-large family, her man’s the only regular father figure she’s got.
    â€œI don’t want to ride in the car with him,” Nellie says, looking at me with a panicked expression. “And I don’t want him knowing where I live. What do we do?” she says, turning around in her seat and digging in her purse for her phone again.
    â€œI don’t know what you’re going to do, but I’m taking the bus home like I should’ve done in the first place,” I say, taking my bus pass out of my purse and putting it in my jacket pocket. “Now, let me out so I can get my stroll on.”
    â€œJayd, are you serious? You’re going to walk around here by yourself and in that red top? Are you crazy?”
    â€œWe’re in blood territory,” I say, zipping up my jacket so as not to attract too much attention to myself. The last thing I need is more drama in my life. “Besides, no one’s going to mess with me anyway.” Between my notorious grandmother and my infamous uncles, everyone in this city knows my family’s not to be messed with. The only people that don’t care are my