Free Down by Law by Ni-Ni Simone Page A

just saying you need to lay back and observe before you make a move. I don’t want anything happen to you.”
    He smiled. “I’m good, lil sis. And don’t tell me you growing up and turning into a mushy lil chick on me.”
    I whipped around and faced him completely. “What you talking about? Don’t play me.” My eyes drifted as K-Rock walked by with his ho.
    Face laughed. “You still got a crush on him?”
    I couldn’t believe he said that. “What? Me? Ill? Ain’t noooooooobody thinking about him but his lil ugly broad. I couldn’t care less.”
    â€œI bet.”
    â€œAnywho, let’s get back to you. Chill. Just for a minute.”
    â€œTrust me, lil sis.” He leaned off the wall and his eyes burned through a chubby Yvette as she carried a plate of food and sat down in a chair. “Ain’t nothing gon’ happen to me. I’ma always be here.” And then he walked away and left me standing there.

12
    Makes me wonder
    I dreamed I was covered in blood and drowning.
    Something was pulling me under.
    I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t wake up.
    I was held hostage in my bed, paralyzed.
    By the time I’d snatched myself out of my sleep, I was on edge.
    And that’s exactly how I felt all day.
    Which is why I’d snapped on er’body.
    Anybody who came in my path caught it.
    And the first sucker I served was Face. He bolted into my room early this morning, asking me to cuss out some stalkin’ hoochie he couldn’t shake.
    Then I had to slay Schooly for once again drapin’ himself in every piece of gold that he owned.
    And by the time I got to school I had to give it to my crew.
    Yvette got it ’cause she complained alllllllll through homeroom about her back and stomach hurting.
    Munch caught it because she complained alllllllll through history class about Yvette’s back and stomach hurting too much.
    And Cali got handled ’cause she cornered me, in-between classes, to drop the science that the last time her stomach hurt like Yvette’s she was pregnant.
    â€œYou need to go to the doctor,” I said to Yvette, after school, as we walked down the hall to my apartment. “’Cause I’m sick of you complaining. All day. Every day.” We walked into my room and she huffed as she sat down on my bed.
    â€œI don’t need to see no doctor,” she said like I had lost my mind.
    â€œOh yes, you do.” I pulled a bag of weed from my nightstand drawer and dumped the contents on the back of an album cover.
    â€œI just need something to calm my nerves that’s all.” She opened the pack of EZ Wider, rolled a joint, and sparked it up. “Nana’s been buggin’ a lot lately.” She took a pull and then passed me the joint.
    I lay back against the wall, closed my eyes, and took the longest pull that I could. And just as I let the smooth herb soak into my lungs, I heard Yvette gagging. “Yvette!” I screamed. She was bent over the side of my bed, dry heaving. “What the . . . !” I mashed the joint in the ashtray. “Do I need to call Nana? Nine-one-one?”
    She sucked her teeth. “No. I think it’s the flu or something.” She managed to stand up. “I’m going downstairs to get in my bed. I don’t feel too good.” She took a step and stumbled.
    â€œWhat is wrong with you?” I helped her sit down.
    â€œJust my stomach.”
    â€œYou constipated?” I said, taking a wild guess.
    â€œMaybe.” She shrugged.
    â€œOkay. Well, just lay down on my bed and I’ma send Schooly to the store to get a ginger ale for your stomach.” I took fifty cents from my drawer and hurried out of my room. “Schools! Schooly!” I ran to his room and opened the door. “School—” I hesitated.
    He wasn’t there.
    Bed still was made from this morning.
    And