“A’ight,” the tall GD says. A bulletproof partition separates the customers from the cashier.

What if they know that it’s my fault that cop hasn’t been arrested? Bout to handle her ass. He pats Khalil down. Denasia feels its sting and looks right at Kenya. Seven’s hoodie and my Jordans disappear into a black trash bag, and I never see them again. He sends me and Seven to bed. “He was just a baby.”, Daddy shakes his head. I guess I can see why she says that. Kenya and I share an older brother, Seven. That means sit and wait till your number is called. “Well, I ain’t babysitting you all night, so you better do something,” Kenya says and scopes the room. The novel was originally published on February 28, 2017. ISBN-13: 9780062498533 And it would be eighty if they had icy soles.” Clear bottoms are a bitch to clean.

“I don’t need help from nobody, okay? He lifts up his shirt, flashing his piece. She clears her throat. It happened six years ago, but I still remember everything from that day. She refuses to get in the middle of that fight. I bury my face in Momma’s shoulder again. Publication Date: February 2017 We’re good over here. Seven knows, because he met Chris at school, and Momma figured it out when Chris would always visit me at Uncle Carlos’s house, claiming he was my friend. “But Kenya—”. Khalil leads me to a Chevy Impala parked under a dim street light. “I knew you looked familiar. It’s Daddy’s prized possession. T-H-U-G L-I-F-E.

On some business shit, I got a package coming, need somewhere to keep it. Daddy calls and says the store is all right. So folks get out the game, forget where they come from, forget that if it wasn’t for my money, they wouldn’t have their li’l store—”, “And if it wasn’t for me, you’d be locked up. She rubs my back and speaks in hushed tones that tell lies. And extra sauce for you, Starr baby?”.

I throw myself across the backseat and push the door open before the truck comes to a complete stop. There’s a picture of Dr. King and a much younger Mr. Reuben. Almost everybody in the neighborhood was there too. “Always some shit,” he mumbles. I’m lying in bed.

He cusses under his breath, turns Tupac down, and maneuvers the Impala to the side of the street. Daddy hums to Marvin, but he couldn’t carry a tune if it came in a box. “This Starr’s first party. Ain’t seen you in a minute.” He lets me go. Big D’s spring break party is one of those places.I squeeze through sweaty bodies and follow Kenya, her curls bouncing past her shoulders. He always has it on the Friday of spring break because you need Saturday to recover and Sunday to repent.

At first Garden Heights looks the same, but a couple of blocks away at least five police cars speed by.

"' alt='' title='LiveInternet' "+ Inside, the walls are covered with photographs of civil rights leaders, politicians, and celebrities who have eaten there, like James Brown and pre-heart-bypass Bill Clinton. Mr. Charles next door says that if the power goes out we can use his generator. “She got on my nerves with her crush on Seven.

“I wanna stay in bed.”, “I know, baby, but I don’t want you here by yourself.”. I got mine for a steal at one-fifty, but I wear kid sizes. Ms. Ofrah glances back at them. That’s fucked up.”, “Yeah. Just straight-up liquor. idk, 4/2/2019 2:21:10 PMMy review is good. I don’t know. “You don’t text nobody, nothing. That was like saying we had a free water park. Now get your lazy butt up so I can kill you on the court.”. Not all flashy like some guys’ cars.

Our house hasn’t lost its Nana-ness though, with its permanent odor of potpourri, flowered wallpaper, and hints of pink in almost every room. Daddy and Seven are talking before we get to the kitchen. “Ugh! Still, you don’t see me going around starting shit. It could also endanger her life. My stomach twists again. Please complete the following form to register: Find This And Other Titles Like It In The Following Collections…. He wraps his arm around me like a shield against curious eyes and guides me to his Tahoe down the street. It falls under the genre of Urban Fiction. Get it?”. Daddy parks in front of Carter’s Grocery, our family’s store. Lord knows, I’d get on the first plane outta here.”, Daddy laughs. Kenya follows me. He didn’t deserve to die.

Khalil is watching me. I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of them are conceived the night of Big D’s party. Sekani and Brickz start breathing deeply around the same time, fast asleep. “White kids love popping pills.”. I’ve lost my big appetite, but I can’t lose that nickname. “Can’t have a party without somebody getting shot.”. The younger King Lord slaps palms with Seven. Momma opens the fridge, the door crowded with takeout menus and fruit-shaped magnets. Nana still complains about those pictures hanging next to each other. Khalil, Natasha, and I used to take a shortcut through the park after school. Grandma’s been gone ten years—long enough that Daddy doesn’t cry every day, but such a short while ago that if someone brings her up, it brings him down. Kenya holds up her cup and dances her way through the crowd. . “Potato salad and fried okra,” I say. “You know what? He sets his narrowed eyes on Daddy. I’m always afraid one of them will call it “the ghetto.”. Suddenly I remember I’m in a hoodie, looking a straight-up mess . Blood splatters from his back. “Okay, Ms. Sneakerhead.” And thank Black Jesus, he dabs. You know how it is,” Daddy says. He wipes his nose like he always does before a lie. I comb my hair into a ponytail. But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. I knew there was a possibility I was short—everybody else was taller than I was—and I could call myself short if I wanted. “I love you, baby girl. screen.colorDepth:screen.pixelDepth))+";u"+escape(document.URL)+ We’d run up the slides, spin on the merry-go-round till we were dizzy, and try to swing higher than one another. The officer walks back to his patrol car. “Whatever,” I mumble. I flip him off. “I ain’t forgot.”. Why would I? “Oh.” I know this is the moment I’m supposed to remember her, but I don’t. This is ball, Seven. “Probably a King Lord,” he says, brushing the sides of his fade.

A smile tries to form on his lips, but he shakes his head. He meant for it to go a whole different way yesterday, which is the problem. I forgot to tell the cops that Khalil got out with his hands up. And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

Like we’re about to go through the shit to get out of it. But no matter where we move, Kenya spots Denasia and glares at her. It doesn’t matter what I’m thinking about doing today though—my parents have their own plans for me. Girls wear their hair colored, curled, laid, and slayed. “Hell, no. The Hate U Give Audiobook is a popular novel, Angie Thomas. “Stay here,” he tells Khalil. “He didn’t mean—”, “Hands on the dashboard!” the officer barks at me. The officer approaches the driver’s door and taps the window. She pulls me toward the door, and my feet move against my will. “The other day, we were in line in the cafeteria, right? Mrs. Rooks leaves. Please, go to the den.”. She only worried ’bout getting a wig though.” He gives a weak laugh that doesn’t show his dimples. Interest Level: 9-12

Get Access To Hundreds of Unpublished Audiobooks. He kisses my cheek. She was chunky (her momma told her it was baby fat), dark-skinned, and wore her hair in braids that always looked freshly done. My body’s so used to waking up at five, it doesn’t care if it’s Saturday morning or not.

I don’t deserve the sympathy. For more information, call 601.366.7619.

Now, if somebody tries to break in our house or something, they won’t meet the baby Brickz.