Free #3 Turn Up for Real by Stephanie Perry Moore

later today.”
    â€œI don’t know about today. I always have to check with my parents to see what they have for me.”
    â€œAlright, let me know,” Charlotte said.
    â€œWill do.” I was tickled pink, realizing I had just formed a group.
    We finished our food. As I was about to head to class, I got another text. When I looked down, I knew it was from Taylor.
    â€œIf you don’t mind, could you meet me in the bathroom? I really need to talk to you.”
    â€œNo,” I quickly texted back. “I’m not meeting you in anybody’s bathroom.”
    The only thing I could think about is that she wanted to have her girls beat me up, corner me or something. I wasn’t falling for that. Absolutely not.
    Taylor texted, “Okay, okay, can you just stay right there? I really do need to talk to you.”
    â€œAbout what?” I texted back.
    â€œIt’s important.”
    So I waited. Pretty much everybody was leaving lunch. I sat still, waiting on Taylor’s tail.
    When I was about to forget her and get going, Dr. Garner came over and said, “Ms. Sharp, aren’t you supposed to be heading back to class?”
    â€œI’m walking right now, sir. I was waiting on Taylor Dale. There she is,” I explained as Taylor walked up. “She had to put away her tray.”
    â€œOh, alright. You girls get on to class,” Dr. Garner told us.
    â€œThanks for waiting,” Taylor said, trying to ease the irritation on my brow.
    â€œYou’re about to get me in trouble. What’s this about? Or is that the intention?” I said, truly not trusting her.
    â€œNo, no … first of all, I owe you an apology.”
    â€œOh, you’re going to apologize to me?” I said sarcastically. “You kick me out of your group after assuming I knew Avery was your man.”
    I really didn’t want to go down that road with her because, now, I did know that was her ex, and I wanted him for myself. I mean I wanted her man before, but I just didn’t know it was her man. Yeah, that’s a place I didn’t want to go.
    â€œForget that. You were right. He wasn’t into me. I needed to let him go,” Taylor admitted, surprising me with her response.
    â€œI’m not coming back to the group. I’m doing my own thing,” I said to her, not sure what she was up to, but sure I needed to set her straight right away.
    I didn’t even have my group with Charlotte solidified, but I wasn’t trying to be back with those tricks anymore. They weren’t going to sit me in the fool’s chair and have me recline. Besides, I wasn’t gonna let them get my hopes up just to dash them away.
    â€œNo, this isn’t about the group,” Taylor uttered loud and clear. “My mom, she’s got this thing after school for kids who are in a low socioeconomic group, and I need to bring somebody to help me mentor them. She told me a long time ago. I mentioned it to Dayna and Caylen, but…”
    â€œBut your friends don’t want to give back to the community. I’m not surprised.”
    Not wanting to admit her friends were trifling, she explained, “They’ve got something else to do.”
    â€œYeah, okay.”
    â€œSo, I just wonder …”
    â€œWhat? You want to use me?”
    â€œYou seemed really into the class when we were there last time. My mom doesn’t know we fell out, and she actually requested you. If you say no, I understand,” she said as she started walking away. “I’ll figure something out.”
    â€œWait, wait, it’s just an hour after school?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œFor your mom and the kids, I’ll do it,” I told her, even though she had hurt me bad.
    Still skeptical, I followed her over to her mom’s elementary music class. It was like I was in a whole different world. Those little kids were adorable. They didn’t have the best clothes, and their