“I think it’s 1600.”
Finally getting what I wanted, I sat in the chair next to her and put my arm around her shoulders.
“I’m glad you’re still a virgin and his bitch-ass didn’t steal your innocence. Thank God this didn’t end much worse. I’ll take care of him, but Mina, you gotta be smarter than this.”
“I know. He was being extra nice, giving me money and buying me stuff. I?—”
“And you thought he wanted nothing in return?” She shrugged. “Listen, no grown man with good intentions will fuck with a girl your age unless they want something. You don’t have shit to offer them but pussy. If you need or want something, let me know. Have I ever let you want for anything?”
“No. I’m sorry, Ro. I won’t do anything like this ever again. I’m safe now. Can you just forget?—”
“Hell no. That nigga gon’ pay for what he did to you and for what he tried to do to you. It’s not even up for discussion.”
“Please be careful.”
“Always.”
She nodded, and I kissed her forehead before leaving her in the kitchen. My mother did her best with both of us, but we were who we were. From the time I was able to get into shit, I was into shit. Luckily, the high school I attended had an automotive program, and it was there that I thrived. I graduated with a strong foundation in automotive repair and a few certifications.
Ramina was a good student, but her attitude needed some serious adjusting. Unfortunately, my mother wasn’t a strong disciplinarian, which was part of the reason I still lived at home at my big age. I didn’t have enough fingers or toes to count the number of fights Ramina had gotten into at school and in the neighborhood. If I weren’t here, Ramina would be running rampant.
Most of her friendships were short-lived, and I’d concluded years ago that it was her, not them. This past year, she was a loner, and that was definitely for the best because she got into a lot less trouble. Next year, she’d be a senior, and after that, off to college and a fresh start.
I entered my bedroom and gathered the things I needed after I showered. It was early in the evening, and before I went on the hunt for Denzelle, I’d planned to hit up this shorty I’d been dealing with for a minute.
Twenty minutes later, I was lying on my bed with only a towel wrapped around my waist. I picked up my phone, and before I could find Myra’s number, her name flashed across my screen.
“Wassup?” I answered.
“Nothing. You busy?” she asked.
“Nah. Just finished showering.”
“You wanna go get something to eat?”
“You paying?”
She laughed. “I wasn’t planning on it, but I can.”
“You invited me, so it’s only right.”
“I said I’d pay. You picking me up?”
“You know I’m just messing with you. Yeah, I’ll pick you up. Figure out where you wanna go before I get there. Gimme thirty minutes.”
I ended the call, sat up, and tossed my phone on the bed. Myra was very chill and not into fancy shit, so I was sure she wouldn’t pick anywhere to eat that required me to dress up. I threw on a pair of basketball shorts and a T-shirt, checked my duffel bag to ensure it had everything I needed for later tonight, and headed out.
“Mina, I’m about to meet up with Myra. You good?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Is Ma working late tonight at the hospital?”
“I think so. Maybe when you see her again, that bruise won’t look so bad, and you won’t have to explain to her what your dumb ass did.”
“Do you have to be so harsh?”
“You know I love you, but I’ll always keep it real. I really hope you learned your lesson.”
“I did. You can leave now.”
