Page 28 of Stay Dangerous

“Rian had her baby, so I’m helping Renelle babysit next door,” Auty replied. I glanced at her, noting the crinkled individuals Renelle put in her hair after she cut most of it off. It was still hot outside, but she had on a grimy oversized hoodie and skinnies that had her and Turkey’s doodles all over the legs.

“I’m going to the science museum.”

“The science museum?” Mom parrotted. She mostly stayed out of my way, besides a few more clothes added to my closet the first week of school.

Auty scoffed.

“Got something to say?” I asked her, my food no longer appealing.

“Nope. Nothing at all, Wynter.”

I narrowed my eyes at my sister. Eighth grade made her meaner, and more biting. Almost a month into the year, Autumn got into her first fight on campus, and got ISS. She’d blast rock music in her room, but once when I went to turn it off, I went in her room to find it empty, with her window cracked.

Mom, as usual, didn’t say anything. And Dad’s version of caring were these Saturday morning breakfasts.

“Who are you going to the science museum with, Wynnie?”

Auty slid her chair hard across the floor and left. Mom didn’t even flinch; just kept her creepy, toothless smile on me. Dad sighed, and began to collect the dishes for the dishwasher.

I stood and grabbed my glass of orange juice. “Some friends from school.”

Mom stood, too. “We haven’t had one of our mother-daughter dates in a while Maybe–”

“Amani,” Dad started. “I had a whole day planned for us.”

I smiled at my mother. “Yeah, Mom. Go work on your marriage with Dad.”

I noted her hand twitch by her side, and arched my brow.

I knew that docile act was just that, an act.

“Wynter,” Dad sighed, and I deflated instantly.

For all his faults, he was home more. He was trying, even if it was too late.

“Please be home by seven. There’s something I want to speak with you and your sister about.”

He kissed me on my temple after I nodded. It was a fleeting thought to hope for us going down South after all, but even my brain knew that wasn’t going to happen.

I didn’t let the unknown mess with me, though.

I grabbed my new Coach purse, and my new iPhone, and bounced out my house, walking the opposite way of Turkey’s house. It wasn’t like anyone was looking out the windows, but I still didn’t want anyone to look too hard into the car that was picking me up.

The impala that was idling on the curb. I could see two heads in the front, so I opened the back door and slid in.

Holding my phone like a gun, I held it to the driver’s head. “Break yo’ self,” I whispered.

They turned and kissed their teeth. “On baby, you need to back up.”

I rolled my eyes, but did what he said. “Rico doesn’t even talk to me like that, but even if he did, I know you’re Fredo.”

Rico grinned from the front seat and handed me the CD case full of mixes he made. “I told you, nigga. Snow gon’ know who the realest is, every time.”

I beamed, jutting my chin out. The last few times I hung with Rico and Fredo, they’d both have two cornrows, in an effort to look as identical as they could, and have me guess who is who.

And don’t get me wrong, they did lookjustalike. Same height, same build. They even had the same birth mark under their chin.

But Fredo didn’t look at me the way Rico did. Fredo didn’t make me feel the way Rico did.