Free Real As It Gets by Reshonda Tate Billingsley

shocked to see a Porsche. That car looked familiar, but I couldn’t remember from where. My dad had gotten Travis a car—a 2010 Camaro, which was parked right next to the Porsche. I pulled up behind Travis’s car, then made my way inside.
    â€œTravis,” I called out as I walked into the living room. “Whose car ... ?”
    I stopped in my tracks when him and Angel jumped apart.
    â€œYou have got to be kidding me,” I muttered. My eyes went from him, to her, and back to him. She quickly started buttoning her shirt back up. What was this skank doing on my sofa?
    â€œReally, Travis?” I said.
    â€œHey, Maya. It isn’t even like that.”
    â€œWhat is it like, then, Travis?” My mind immediately went to Sheridan and how just minutes ago, she had been gushing about him and how he was the best thing since sliced bread. This was exactly why I hadn’t wanted them to hook up. A playa never changed his spots.
    â€œHey, Maya,” Angel said.
    I didn’t bother speaking to her. “Travis, can I talk to you?” I said.
    â€œMaya ...”
    â€œTravis . . .”
    He groaned, then turned to Angel and said, “I’ll be right back.”
    I stomped in the kitchen and waited on him. As soon as he walked in, I started in. “Really, Travis?”
    He frowned at me, acting irritated like I was the one who’d just gotten busted. “Why are you trippin’? Dang. You worse than my moms.”
    â€œWhy are you sitting up in the living room getting it on with Angel?” I jabbed my hand toward the living room. “Got her in there infecting up our furniture. You know she’s the biggest tramp at school.”
    â€œMe and Angel are just friends.”
    â€œI can’t tell.”
    â€œDang, stop trippin’ so much.” He headed back toward the door.
    â€œWhat about Sheridan, Travis? Did you forget about her?”
    That made him stop and he spun back toward me. “What about her?”
    â€œI thought you guys were supposed to be together.”
    â€œWe are.” He actually said that with a straight face. Dog.
    I pointed to the living room again. “Obviously not if you’re sitting up making out with this skank.”
    â€œI told you me and Angel are just hanging out.”
    â€œDoes Sheridan know?”
    He glared at me, and that answered my question.
    â€œSee, this is that mess I was talking about. This is the drama I didn’t want to find myself in the middle of.”
    â€œThen don’t get in the middle of it,” he said. “Mind your business.”
    I didn’t back down. “When a dude gets to messing over my best friend, it is my business.”
    â€œEven if that dude is family?”
    â€œYeah, even if that dude is family.”
    We stood facing off for a few seconds. Then finally, he relaxed and said, “Maya, it’s like you said—you got your life and I got mine. So just stay out of it. Me and Sheridan are just kickin’ it. She knows what’s up.” With that, he turned and walked out of the kitchen.
    Ugh, he made me sick. I stomped into the bathroom. My first thought was to call Sheridan and tell her to get her behind over here. But that would lead to more drama. Nah, I was just gonna leave it alone. For now.

Chapter 14
    â€œ S o, when do I get to meet this new man?” Kennedi stretched out across my bed and examined her sandstone-painted nails. Ming, my nail technician, and her crew had just left and, as usual, had done a fabulous job on our nails and feet.
    â€œYou will. I wish you could meet him tonight, but he’s out of town,” I replied as I held up my fifth outfit, trying to decide what to wear to the party tonight.
    It was All-Star weekend and Shaquille O’Neal was throwing a big bash. At first, I hadn’t been feeling going to some old dude’s party, but Sammy had sworn that Shaq threw some bomb parties, so he’d gotten me