Free Lying to Live by Darrien Lee Page A

he’s really nice,” she insisted. “What has he done? Killed somebody?”
    Julius’s heart skipped a beat because he knew for a fact that Viper had killed someone, and that was only the victim he knew about.
    Dré walked over to Denim, clearly frustrated. “Denim, he’s tied to drugs, gangs, murder. You name it, he’s done it. If your parents knew what we know, they would go ballistic.”
    Denim looked at Julius and asked, “You know about him too?”
    â€œYeah, I know of him. Dré is right. He’s bad news.”
    Denim sat down and finally noticed the flowers in Julius’s hands. She smiled and asked, “Are those for me?”
    Julius snapped himself out of a trance and handed her the flowers. “Yes, they’re for you. I hope I didn’t ruin them by squeezing the stems to death. Seeing Viper at your house kind of messed me up.”
    â€œI didn’t know,” she said as she sank down on the sofa, stunned by all the information.
    â€œWell, now you do,” Dré replied. “And if he comes around again, let me know and I’ll handle it. He needs to know that he’s not wanted or needed around here.”
    â€œDré’s right about that,” Julius added. “There are people who want him dead. You can’t afford to get caught in the cross fire. Somebody took a shot at him in a crowded restaurant yesterday.”
    â€œYesterday?” Dré asked. “What time?”
    â€œI’m not sure. It was sometime yesterday afternoon. My friend Domingo and his sister were there when it happened.”
    â€œMaybe that’s where he was coming from when they T-boned you,” Dré stated.
    â€œOkay, you two,” Denim said. “Calm down. It’s in the past now.”
    Dré sat down and put his arm around the love of his life and said, “Yes, it is because I don’t want you nowhere near that man.”
    â€œI’m, talking crazy,” she said as she waved Dré off. “No, we’re going together.”
    â€œJulius, you sure are quiet,” Dré asked. “Are you okay?”
    Julius rubbed his eyes and sat down in a nearby chair and then said, “Not really.”
    Concerned, Denim asked, “What’s wrong?”
    â€œYeah, li’l bro, what’s up? You know you can talk to us.”
    With tears in his eyes, Julius said, “Not on this one. It’s too deep.”
    â€œWait a minute,” Denim said, as if a lightbulb had gone off in her head. “Has Tybo been bullying you again?”
    â€œNah, it has nothing to do with him,” he replied. “Look, just forget I said anything.”
    â€œA look like that is hard to forget,” Denim answered as she put her flowers in a vase filled with water. “I don’t want to pressure you into talking, but if someone’s bothering you or you’re in some kind of trouble, you need to tell someone.”
    Julius smiled to try to break the tension in the room. “I’ll keep that in mind, Professor.”
    â€œSince you have jokes, don’t you have a test coming up?” she asked.
    â€œYes. Day after tomorrow,” he revealed as he stood.
    â€œYou’d better be studying for it.”
    Julius smiled and said, “I am. Dré, I’d better be getting home. I hope you feel better soon, Denim.”
    She hugged his neck and said, “I will. Thanks again for the flowers. Now, go home and study.”
    Dré gave Denim a kiss and said, “I’ll be back shortly. I have to run Julius home.”
    Denim settled in on the sofa with her laptop and said, “Take your time.”
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    When Dré returned to Denim’s house thirty minutes later, he found Denim in the family room, still surfing the Web.
    He sat down next to her and asked, “What are you doing?”
    Without making eye contact, she said, “Googling information on