Free Black & Ugly by T. Styles Page A

were, neither one of them answered their phones so I don't know what's goin' on."
    "You see all that blood over Sky's pants?" I ask, trying to figure out if he is thinking the same thing - that Sky possibly had something to do with it.
    "Yes," he says in a real low voice. "I hate thinking
    'bout it, too. It is a little too weird for me. You know what I'm sayin'? I mean, a girl gets stabbed, and Miss Sky got blood all on her pants. For what? Either she had something to do with it, or that was the worst case of menstrual cycling I've ever seen in my life." I burst out laughing.
    "What? What's so funny?" he says.
    He's always even funnier when he ain't trying to be.
    "Lada for them hoes," he responds. "Let me come over, girl. You've seemed out of it lately, and I'm starting to worry about you. They together, so it's only right that we shoot the shit, too."
    "I'm fine, Miss Wayne, but I really do want to be left alone today. I have a lot on my mind."
    "I won't bother you," he responds. "I'll bring over my homemade spaghetti," he teases. "And you'll never know I'm there."
    Although Miss Wayne is a man, he out-cooks all of us any day of the week. But still, I really want to be by myself. Besides, the smell of Melvin is still all over me and I'm fucked up about it. I appreciate what Miss Wayne is doin', but I'm not feelin' up to talking or any company.
    T. Styles
    75

    Triple Crown Publications presents . . .
    Since Ed built me up and broke me back down in a matter of hours, I'm in a bad mood. Why is it that when you wanna change, other people won't let you?
    I'm on the phone for three more minutes with Miss Wayne trying to convince him to leave me be then I end the call and go fast asleep.
    ~~~~
    The banging on my door sounds like it could be the police for real until I hear Miss Wayne yelling, "Get up, bitch!"
    BANG, BANG, BANG.
    "The mothafuckin' pep squad is here." BANG, BANG, BANG.
    "Open this got-damn door."
    BANG, BANG, BANG.
    I walk to the door wanting to cuss all of them out
    'cuz when he says pep squad, I'm sure Parade and Sky are with him, too. But if you know my friends, you'll know that cussing them out won't work.
    "Yes," I say as I open the door.
    "Hey, girl. You okay?" Parade asks as she hugs me with her hair still in place and lookin' cute.
    This is different because Parade is hard on hairstyles. She doesn't know how to keep them for too long.
    They don't last on me, either. That's why I always rock ponytails.
    "Damn, bitch. Turn some lights on in here," Sky says as she opens up all my blinds.
    I close the door and tie my robe.
    "Damn," they all say when the light reveals my 76
    T. Styles

    Black and Ugly
    filthy apartment. I'm a little ashamed.
    "Do you ever clean up, girl?" Sky asks. "You ain't pregnant, are you? I ain't ready to be no god mommy."
    "And just what makes you think you would be the god mommy, bitch?" Miss Wayne says as he jumps in her face with his plum-smuggling jeans on.
    "And what makes either of you think you would be the god mommy?" Parade proclaims as she pushes both of them. "'Cuz Daffany knows I'm the only one with good enough sense to take care of the baby. Tell
    'em, Daffany," Parade says as she looks at me. "Tell them who'd be the god mommy. It's only right they should know now anyway."
    "Well luckily for my unborn child, I'm not pregnant." I smile at my friends who were going back and forth in front of me. "Now I'm feelin' what you guys are doin', but I really want to be left alone. Please."
    "How did things go with that guy last night?" Sky asks. "He came over to see you? That's why you tired?"
    "No," I respond as I start to cry.
    "What's wrong?" Parade inquires as she runs over to me. "What happened?"
    "Let's just say it's true, you can't make a whore your housewife." My own words make me sick to my stomach.
    "Fuck that mothafucka. He betta recognize that most housewives are whores anyway, chile. They fuck, suck and do anything else they can so these mens will take care of 'em," he