Free Slick by Brenda Hampton

you can think about is skipping school and hanging out with a knuckleheaded fool.”
    She rolled her eyes and placed her hand on the side of her face. “I’m beginning to hate school, Sylvia. Darron and me always skip, but I never thought he would hit me over something so stupid.”
    I balled my fist and put it on display. “That’s just the beginning. And if you ever skip school again, I’m going to hurt you myself.”
    Britney laughed. When her cell phone vibrated, she looked at it. “This is him calling me now.”
    I held out my hand. “Give it to me.”
    â€œNo, Sylvia.”
    â€œI said, give me the phone!”
    Britney gave the phone to me. “Hello,” I said, sharply.
    â€œBritney?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œLet me speak to Britney.”
    â€œI don’t think so. But let me warn you before you even think about putting your hands on her again. I will mess you up, Darron. If you don’t believe me, hit her again. If you put your hands on her again, the last time anyone will see you will be on the news.”
    He hung up, and Britney reached over to hug me. She laughed again. “You are so crazy. Thank you, but you don’t have to worry about me seeing him again. Nobody ever put their hands on me before, not even my daddy.”
    â€œWell, he should have. I’m not going to make excuses for you, Britney, but you need to get your act together. You don’t need that cell phone, you need to stop walking around with those low-cut jeans on that show your thong, and must you get your nails and hair done every week? I work hard and I can’t even afford to do that.”
    â€œEvery teenager I know got a cell phone, Sylvia, and the things I wear, everybody wears them. I guess you haven’t seen my tattoo yet, have you?” She turned around and showed me BABY-B tattooed right above the crack of her ass with a rose next to it.
    I shook my head. “That is ridiculous. Y’all need to stop trying to compete with each other and just be yourself. If attention is what you’re looking for, because that’s all it is, you won’t get it if you’re looking like everyone else around you. Be different, original. Then you’ll see how much attention you get.”
    â€œNone,” she said, standing up and tucking her DKNY purse underneath her arm. She put her cell phone in her pocket and pulled her skimpy T-shirt down that showed her midriff. When I noticed her navel pierced, I stood up and looked at her.
    â€œLet’s go. You need some serious guidance, and some ice for that eye before it swells even more.”
    Britney and I got in the car and left. Before heading to my house, we stopped at Dairy Queen and got two strawberry shortcakes with extra whipped cream topping and nuts. As we came through the door, we laughed because she dropped hers on the ground.
    â€œDamn,” she yelled, then covered her mouth.
    I gave her a hard stare, and then tossed my keys on the table. “Watch it, girl. You ain’t that grown yet.”
    â€œI’m sorry, but I really wanted that.” She plopped down on the couch.
    I turned on the TV and called my neighbor, Steven, to ask if he wouldn’t mind helping me with my flowers. Shortly after, he came over to get the keys to my car. Britney and I sat on the couch eating my strawberry shortcake and watched him bring the flowers in.
    â€œMy daddy must really love you. I have never seen so many flowers.”
    â€œNeither have I. And the only people your daddy loves are you, his parents, and Dana.”
    â€œI can’t stand that bitch,” Britney said, covering her mouth again.
    â€œBritney, that’s my last time warning you. Young girls ain’t supposed to curse like that. You are too much of a classy young lady to be using such foul language.”
    Britney rolled her eyes, slid down on the couch, and continued to eat the strawberry shortcake. After