Free Gettin' Hooked by Nyomi Scott

just marinate some?”
    Can we hang, just marinate? Not entirely sure what he was asking me, I took a sec before I answered. Fa sheezy, though, that can’t be how dudes at Creekside ask a girl out. And I wasn’t ready for all that anyhow, if that’s what he was talking ’bout.
    â€œWe can get to know each, Darian. Is that what you want?”
    â€œYeah, girl. And this.” And before I knew what he meant, he was leaning close and his lips touched mine. Softly, at first, he just nipped my bottom lips where I’d had my teeth earlier. Then he kissed me a little fuller, opening his mouth on mine.
    Closing my eyes, I tried to absorb the feeling, the smooth sweep of his tongue. He shifted closer, his body keeping me against the wall, but not close enough that we were pressed together, thanks to the latte I was holding.
    And then he backed off the kiss just when I was diggin’ it, dropping a few quick pecks before he pulled completely away, and turned his head toward Starbucks’ door. It didn’t take long to see why he’d ended the kiss.
    A crowd was startin’ to gather at the front of the building, shouts increasing over the rain’s noise. As I scanned to see what was going on, my gaze stumbled over dark eyes glaring at me. Maurice’s. Even from the distance I was standing, I could see he was mad, by the set of his jaw and hands curled into fists at his side.
    It was pretty damn clear that he’d watched the entire kiss, but what did I care? And why should he? I was never his girl. We never did more than talk a few times, and last night he’d made it real obvious that he was cool playin’; but I guess when it comes to me, he was a hater.
    â€œThere’s a fight,” Darian said, stepping away, but taking my hand in his. I tried to pull it away. We weren’t like that. I wasn’t a bopper, and despite lettin’ him kiss me I wasn’t ready to be claimed by him.
    But his grip was insistent and he pulled me along as he started walking. At least by the time we’d gotten closer I was able to guide him to the other side of the gathering circle, the opposite way from where I’d seen Maurice. I wasn’t ’bout to play games with him, and I fo’ sho’ didn’t want him saying something to Darian.
    As we shoved closer into the crowd, I could see what was going down. Kayla’s friend Leza was getting her ass whupped by Jonathan’s girl. Michelle was no joke, straight going savage and dropping fists on point into Leza’s face.
    Tearing my eyes off the brawl, I glanced around the circle, and caught sight of Jonathan, looking hella smug with his arms folded across his chest as he watched the bootches fight over him.
    Wiggling my fingers, I loosed Darian’s hold and pulled my hand free, my gaze roaming away from Jonathan to look for Maurice, realizing that Darian and Maurice both went to Creekside, and if Maurice had real beef, there wouldn’t be shit I could do to squash it while they were at school.
    And pow—just like it occurred to me that Leza was gettin’ thumped on because of me, and GettinHooked.com. Aww, lawdy, I couldn’t let this go down. Shoving my shoulder between a couple of yelling people, I dropped my latte to the cement and jumped into the mess, grabbing Michelle’s arms and trying to hold her back.
    Seeing I was getting involved others started helping, too, taking Leza and dragging her from the ground. Michelle was fighting me hexa hard, and some dude I didn’t know helped hold her back.
    â€œStay away from my man, slut!” she screeched.
    â€œHe wanted me last night!”
    See now, the girl had been gettin’ beat down, why the hell didn’t she just shut up? Leza’s taunt caused Michelle to double her efforts at getting past me. “Bitch! You’re a sleaze, give it up, bitch!” Michelle’s arm snaked out toward Leza but caught me in the eye.
    There