True Story Read Online Free Page A

arrogantly.
    Rewind. What did he just say to me?
    I whipped back around, looked at Josiah like he was crazy, and what did he do? He laughed in my face. And the single dimple in his left cheek lit up. Ugh, I hated that he was so fine all the time! I mean, Jesus, did this dude ever have a busted day? Everything about him reminded me of my weaknesses: Tall—six-four. Smooth skin the color of caramel.
    He’d gotten a little more buff since the last time I had seen him; and his hard, protruding pecs definitely had a presence as his deep purple Omega Psi Phi T-shirt, with Big Brothah Fly written in gold, lay nicely over them. His baggy jeans fit just right and his purple Nikes . . . oh, baby, this dude was doin’ it in the deliciously cute department.
    But. What. Ever.
    Because I knew that underneath all that fineness was a creep. Plain and simple.
    My eyes inched over Josiah from head to toe as I curled my upper lip and said, “I’m definitely not feeling any kind of way but happy. ’Cause from what I see, you did me a favor, boo.”
    â€œSo then tell me.” He took two steps toward me and boldly stroked the right side of my hair, tucking it behind my ear. “Why you mad?”
    Did he just touch me? “Boy, I don’t have time for you.”
    â€œYou need to learn to tell the truth.” He took two more steps toward me and we were chest to chest with my back pressed against the bar. My heart pounded like thunder and I wondered if he could feel it.
    â€œWhy’s your heart beating so fast?” he asked.
    Silence.
    â€œI know why, ’cause you and I both know you gon’ always have a place for me.”
    â€œOh word?” Zaire, my new boo, said, seemingly appearing from nowhere.
    Oh . . . my . . . God . . . is this abracadabra night and nobody told me?
    I felt like someone had drop-kicked me in the gut. Instantly I pushed Josiah back and away from me.
    Khya leaned over and whispered to me, “We may have to jump him.” She slyly pointed to Josiah. And all I could think was she was probably right.
    Josiah looked over to Zaire and then turned back to me. “Oh, I see you’re still rebounding with convicts.”
    Screeech . . . What the eff did he just say? “Excuse you!”
    Khya snapped her fingers and twisted her neck. “Slow down, Low Down. You might be cute and have a bright NBA future ahead of you, Josiah. But yo trill is all ill! How you gon’ say something like that? Zaire is re to the formed!”
    â€œYo—” Zaire said, but Josiah cut him off.
    â€œOh, my fault. I forgot that jail and the judge helped you turn your life around, bruh.”
    â€œExactly!” Khya agreed.
    â€œKhya!” I snapped. The last thing I needed was her agreeing with this fool.
    Judging by the way thumping veins created a winding road map that ran along the sides of Zaire’s neck and up into his throat, I knew he was milliseconds away from making Josiah a murder statistic.
    â€œPlease stop before he kills you,” I said to Josiah and then turned to Zaire and reached for his hand. “Come on, babe.” But Zaire snatched away and walked up on Josiah. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat.
    Jesus . . .
    I wedged myself between them and faced my man. “Zaire, babe, let’s just go. Please.”
    Zaire ignored me. Actually, it seemed as if I’d disappeared from his sight as he sandwiched me between himself and Josiah.
    I think the sky has fallen . . .
    I just knew the music would be coming to a shrieking halt at any minute. Big Country would be flying over here, and they would both be gunnin’ for my man. And, yeah, I knew he could take them one-on-one. But. I wasn’t so sure how things would go down if they jumped him. “Please, let’s just leave, Zaire,” I begged.
    Zaire stared at Josiah intensely. “Hear me on this, pot-nah. These lil frat boy clowns you got standing