Free Fast Forward by Celeste O. Norfleet Page B

good.”
    “Yeah, that’s it. I heard y’all dance with Gayle Harmon and her steppers sometimes. Do you know Tyrece Grant?”
    “We danced with them once. It was tight. We had fun, but it is so hard. They never get tired, and their moves are perfect.” I said, deliberately not answering the question about knowing Ty or hanging out with him.
    “For real, that is so tight. So you just moved here to D.C.?”
    “I’m staying with my grandmother. I used to live in Virginia and go to school there.”
    “What school? My cousin lives in northern Virginia.”
    “I went to Hazelhurst.”
    She shook her head that she’d never heard of it. “This is my house,” she said. We stopped walking. “I usually walk to school. The school buses take too long. So, I’ll see you tomorrow. Oh, I think I’m in your English and French class. If you need any help catching up, let me know.”
    “Thanks. See you tomorrow,” I said and kept walking. My grandmother lived on the next block. As soon as I saw the house I felt relieved. Then I heard my name called. I knew that voice, I turned around. Li’l T came running up behind me.
    “Hey, you heard me calling you girl. You ain’t stop.”
    “Hello, I stopped, duh. I’m standing here aren’t I.”
    “I saw you at school today, girl. You go to the penitentiary? Since when?”
    “Since today,” I said, walking.
    Li’l T followed. “Girl, you look good. Why don’t you hook a brotha up with those digits.” I started laughing. “I’m serious. You and me can do this thing now that Lurch is out of the way.”
    “Lurch? Who’s that?” I asked, then it hit me. He was talking about LaVon. I laughed harder. LaVon was tall and thin. He was six-foot-three, and I guess maybe he did do the Lurch thing, particularly since Li’l T was so short.
    “Ah, but what about Terrence?” I asked.
    “You ain’t seeing Terrence I know.”
    “Why not, what’s wrong with Terrence?”
    “Nah, nah, chill. He aright, I guess. He’s too old for you. You need some young blood. Check, I know how to treat a girl.”
    “Li’l T, Terrence is seventeen. I’m sixteen. We’re a year apart age-wise. Besides, you need to find somebody your age.”
    “Nah, bump that. Them young girls too silly. I want a mature babe on my arm.”
    “I don’t think my grandmother’s seeing anybody,” I joked.
    “See, you wrong, messing with a brother like that. You wrong.”
    “I’m sorry,” I said and wrapped my arm around his shoulder, “I was just playing. You know you my homeboy.”
    “Yeah, yeah, I got your homeboy. So, like, you in eleventh?” I nodded. “That’s tight. So why don’t you hook a brotha up with your girl’s number.”
    “Li’l T, Chili is not my girl. We don’t even talk.”
    “Nah, man. I ain’t talking about that hoochie. She played out like the eighties.”
    “What do you know about the eighties. You weren’t even born then.”
    “I hear things. I’m up on my old school.”
    “You don’t even know what old school is,” I said.
    “I know old school, and I know Chili is past it.”
    “I bet,” I said as we approached my grandmother’s house. I stared up the path. “So wait, who were you talking about? Jalisa or Diamond?”
    “Diamond.”
    “Diamond? Oh, please. Stop dreaming,” I said. “She would make you cry and you know it.” I started laughing. Li’l T was a trip. He was always into something. I walked up the path just as my cell rang. It was a text message from Terrence. - Sup, how was sk00l? -
    “Yo, yo, hook me up. Think about it.”
    “Bye,” I said, and waved without looking back. I got to the front door and reached for my key. My dad opened the door. Crap, I didn’t even notice his car parked out front. “Hey, Dad.”
    “Get in here. We need to talk.”
    I walked into the living room and dropped my heavy book bag. My little brothers were there talking to my grandmother. As soon as I walked in, they looked up and ran to me. “Kenisha,” Jr. yelled.