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“So, you’re going to go and buy a bikini?” Keysha asked.

  “Yeah. I’m thinking about a nice bikini,” I said, envisioning the color and style I wanted.

  “OMG. I was just thinking the same thing, because when I was at the mall, I saw one that I really wanted, but I didn’t get it.”

  “Well, I think we need to make plans to head over to River Oaks tomorrow. What time do you work?” I asked.

  “I’m on the afternoon shift, so I don’t have to be at work until two o’clock.”

  “Cool. That gives us plenty of time. I could be at your place by ten o’clock. Is that cool?”

  “Sounds like a plan to me,” Keysha said, agreeing.

  “Okay. I’ll see you then,” I said and ended our conversation.

  * * *

  The following day Keysha and I arrived at River Oaks Center, excited about getting some shopping done. We walked through the Sears entrance and made our way through the store and out into the mall.

  “I can’t wait to get my new bikini. When Misalo sees me in it, his jaw is going to hit the floor,” I boasted.

  “You know what would make it even sexier?” Keysha asked.

  “No. What?”

  “If you were to get a matching sarong to wrap around your waist. I just know you’d look dangerously hot.”

  “I like that idea,” I said, hoping I would find something that would match.

  We continued our walk through the mall until Keysha said, “Wait. I want to stop in here and look at some new sneakers. The ones I have look horrible.”

  We stopped at Lady Foot Locker, and we both began browsing.

  “What do you think about these?” Keysha asked, holding up a purple-and-white suede shoe.

  “I like the color, but I’m not too sure about the style,” I said as a pink-and-gray shoe caught my eye. I picked the shoe up and was so busy inspecting it that I was startled when a sales associate asked me if I needed help.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you, Maya.”

  I immediately turned to see who the sales associate was and figure out how he knew my name.

  “Carlo?” I was totally shocked to see him.

  “Why did you say my name like that?” he asked, smiling at me.

  I toned down my voice so that I sounded more cordial. “I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that this is the last place I ever expected to see you.”

  “I work here. I started not too long ago,” he said, glancing down at the shoe I was holding. “Would you like for me to get that in your size?”

  “Uh.” I couldn’t believe that I’d lost my train of thought. Whenever I was around him, my brain seemed to malfunction.

  Keysha came to my rescue. “What’s up, Carlo?”

  Snapping his fingers, he said, “Keysha, the lifeguard, right?”

  “Yes. Glad to see that you have a good memory. Come on, Maya. We should go. I don’t want any shoes out of here. I’ve changed my mind.” Keysha was about to turn and walk out.

  “Wait a minute,” Carlo said, stopping her. “Are you sure you couldn’t find anything? You haven’t even been in here that long.”

  “I’m sure,” Keysha whispered sarcastically.

  “Well, okay.” Carlo turned back toward me. He reached out and took my hand in his own. “I heard about how sick your sister got. I hope she’s okay.”

  “She got poisoned at your house,” Keysha quickly pointed out.

  “Hey, I personally had nothing to do with my cousins bringing that over. I don’t get down like that. I’m no angel, by any means, and I do have a rocky past, but I’ve never been down with the drug thing,” Carlo said defensively.

  “You could’ve fooled me,” Keysha fired back, not willing to give Carlo any slack.

  Turning back toward Keysha, Carlo said, “I truly am very sorry about what happened. If I could’ve prevented it, I would have. Look, to make a long story short, my family member who brought the stuff into the house has been asked not to come around anymore. What he did was very disrespectful.”

  “Not to mention illegal. I’m glad your family worked all of that drama out,” Keysha said and signaled for me to follow her out the door.

  “Let me make it up to you guys. I’d like there to be no hard feelings between us. If you buy something, I’ll give you my employee discount.”

  “How much of a discount is it?” Keysha asked.

  “Fifteen percent,” Carlo said and smiled at Keysha.

  “Maybe next time,” Keysha said and once again motioned for me to leave with her.

  I don’t know what I was thinking or why I opened my mouth, but I said, “Can I see this shoe in a size seven?”

  Carlo took the shoe and said, “Sure. I’ll be right back.”

  Keysha walked over to me and whispered, “What are you doing?”

  “I like that shoe. Plus, I’ll get a discount. There is nothing wrong with using him for his discount,” I said, justifying my selfish need.

  “Are you sure you’re not trying to set him up to be your rebound guy?” Keysha asked, seeking a reasonable explanation from me.

  “I only want the discount for the shoes, that’s all,” I assured her.

  “Fine,” Keysha said as we both sat down.

  Carlo returned with my size. He kneeled down on one knee and removed the sandals I was wearing. He then removed the shoes from the box, took out the stuffing, got socks for me and laced up the shoes. Just before Carlo slipped one of the shoes onto my foot, he said, “You have very soft feet, and I love your toenail polish.” Carlo massaged the heel of my foot a little. His fingers had magic or something in them, because his touch made me feel very strange. He was about to do the same thing for the other foot, but Keysha interrupted.

  “Okay, you don’t have to go the extra mile here. She’s a big girl and can put on her own shoes.”

  I glanced down at Carlo, who was still kneeling before me. He was looking at me with his gorgeous eyes. His eyes had the strangest effect on me. I couldn’t even explain what I was thinking to myself, let alone anyone else.

  “Will you hurry up and try on the other shoe?” Keysha’s voice snapped me out of my trance.

  “Yeah,” I answered as I slipped my other foot into the shoe.

  “How do they feel?” Carlo asked.

  I stood up, walked around and looked at my feet in a nearby mirror.

  “That’s a nice color, don’t you think, Keysha?” Carlo positioned himself next to Keysha and folded his arms.

  “They’re okay,” I heard her say.

  “I think I’m going to get them,” I said, taking a seat to remove the shoes and place them back in the box.

  “Okay. I’ll ring the sale up,” Carlo said.

  “With the discount, right?” Keysha asked, making sure he held true to his word.

  Carlo laughed. “Of course, Keysha. I’m serious about the discount for you, too. Are you sure you don’t want to get something?”

  “I’m positive,” she said.

  Carlo rang up my purchase, and I paid for it. As we walked out the door, Carlo said, “I hope to see you again soon, Maya.”

  I glanced back at Carlo, who was smiling at me.

  “Girl, if you don’t come on and leave him alone, I swear I’ll choke you,” Keysha grumbled, threatening me.

  “There is no need to choke me,” I said, feeling good about my purchase.

  “What is it with you and him? What really went on the night you were at that party?” Keysha asked.

  “Nothing, and please stop asking me that question,” I told her.

  “I believe you,” Keysha said, “but Carlo seems like the type of guy that would have you very confused.”

  “I’m not interested in Carlo,” I said
conclusively.

  “Just remember you can’t have your cake and eat it, too,” Keysha reminded me.

  “I know,” I stated as I refocused my thoughts on getting a smoking-hot bikini for Misalo.

  After visiting several stores, Keysha and I found the perfect bathing suit for me. It was a blue-and-white-checked, triangle-cut Burberry-patterned bikini. Once I paid for it, we decided to stop and grab a bite to eat at the food court. I ordered a salad, and Keysha ordered a slice of pizza. We found a vacant table and sat down. No sooner had we gotten comfortable than Carlo came up, pulled over an empty chair from a nearby table and sat next to me.

  “What’s up, ladies? It looks like we meet again,” said Carlo, smiling.

  “Does the term ‘a fly at a picnic’ mean anything to you?” Keysha had clearly become annoyed with Carlo.

  “No, it doesn’t.” Carlo chuckled.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “I’m on my lunch break,” he said.

  “Well, why don’t you go buy some food and eat somewhere else?” Keysha was clearly being rude.

  “Oh, it’s like that? I’m good enough to use for my employee discount, but not nice enough to sit at a lunch table with you.” Carlo was, without question, offended.

  “No, it’s not like that,” I said, wanting to avoid a conflict.

  “Good, because I’d hate to think that you guys were just a couple of users.” Carlo was right. It wouldn’t be very nice of me to use him the way I had and then turn my back on him.

  “Why don’t you go get something to eat and join us?” I suggested. I glanced at Keysha, who looked baffled by what I’d just said.

  “I’ll get something in a minute,” Carlo said as he looked at my shopping bag. “What else did you buy today?” Without asking for permission, Carlo reached into my shopping bag and pulled out my swimsuit. “Wow! That’s going to look so hot on you,” he said, pressing the bra top against me.

  “Would you please put her things back in her bag!” Keysha said, clenching her teeth.

  “I’m just trying to give her a compliment,” Carlo said, then placed the item back in the bag and rested his hand on the back of my chair. “You should let me taste some of your salad.” He leaned in closer to me.

  I looked at him, then at Keysha. The look I saw in her eyes was one of panic. I tried to figure out why she was darting her eyes back and forth, but the signals she was sending didn’t make sense to me, until I felt someone tap me on my shoulder. I looked up and saw Misalo.

  “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Misalo said.

  “Yo, man, don’t you think you’re being a little disrespectful? Don’t you see me talking to her?” Carlo’s voice had an edge to it as he fired blades with his eyes at Misalo.

  “This has nothing to do with you. This is a conversation between me and Maya. So get lost.” I’d never heard Misalo sound so forceful before.

  Carlo rose to his feet and sized Misalo up.

  “Oh, boy,” Keysha said nervously as she rose to her feet and gathered up her things.

  “Maya,” Misalo called. I looked at him and was about to step away with him.

  “Maya,” Carlo called. I glanced over my shoulder at him. He puckered his lips and blew me a kiss. “I can’t wait to see you again. If you need me to do anything else for you, and I do mean anything, just let me know.”

  Misalo completely lost it when Carlo said that. He stepped around me and positioned himself in front of Carlo.

  “What are you going to do?” Carlo fearlessly taunted Misalo.

  “All I know is…” Misalo was so angry, he didn’t finish his thought. Instead he shoved Carlo. Carlo responded by shoving him back. Misalo lunged for Carlo, and they both crashed into a table, knocking it over. They tumbled to the floor, each of them slinging wild punches and tugging on each other’s clothes.

  “Oh, my God!” I yelled out as Misalo and Carlo rolled around on the floor, trying to establish control over one another.

  “Damn!” I heard Keysha say as she moved toward me.

  Several mall security guards came rushing over. Within moments, at least five mall cops had arrived to break up the disturbance.

  “You’re not so bad,” Misalo snarled at Carlo.

  “This isn’t over, idiot!” Carlo answered back as he was being restrained.

  As Misalo was being held, he spit on the floor. I glanced down at his saliva and saw that there was blood in it.

  “Misalo, are you hurt?” I asked. I tried to approach him, but a mall cop stopped me. Misalo was escorted away before he could answer. I turned my attention back to Carlo and noticed that he was being taken in a different direction.

  Seven

  VIVIANA

  I was in the backyard, resting on a hammock. The warm air felt great on my skin, and the scent of freshly cut grass and flowers in full bloom hung in the air. It was a perfect day for doing absolutely nothing. I looked at the blue sky and the white clouds gently floating along. One cluster of clouds took the form of a unicorn. Another cluster looked like a car. It was funny how clouds could do that. I listened as a red cardinal sang its heart out. I scanned the nearby tree branches for the red-and-black bird. When I found the little guy, I laughed to myself, because the cardinal appeared to have a Mohawk as a hairstyle. I was fascinated by how something so small could make so much noise.

  I turned my attention back to the white, fluffy clouds, which had once again changed their shape. This time I was sort of freaked out by what I saw. I swear, the clouds had formed into the face of my father. I blinked my eyes a few times to make sure they weren’t playing tricks on me, but no matter how much I tried to refocus, the clouds still appeared to have the face of my dad. I missed him so much. When I was a little girl, I loved being with him. The moment I heard him pick up his keys, I’d rush to his side.

  “I want to go,” I’d say.

  In my mind I could hear his voice say, “Vivi, I’m only walking to the corner store.”

  “Please, Papa,” I’d beg him as I sat on the floor with my back against the wall and put on my fancy white shoes.

  He’d smile at me and say, “No, not those shoes. Put on your gym shoes, the ones that light up.”

  I’d put on the other shoes, place my hand in his and walk out the door with him. I’d skip alongside of him and wave hello to everyone I saw. Some people viewed my father as a badass because of his tattoos, white T-shirt, red bandanna and dark sunglasses. To me, he was a protector who never let harm come to me. He was my personal bodyguard in a neighborhood that was very rough. He was also very sweet. Most people didn’t know I was the only person who could get him to act silly. He’d let me practice braiding his hair, and if I ever played a prank on him, like hiding his door keys or taking money out of his pants pocket, he wouldn’t get mad.

  Sometimes, when my dad and I would go out, he’d take me to the neighborhood playground. Most times, there were guys sitting on the equipment, drinking and smoking, so kids couldn’t play. However, if my father came and told them to move, they’d be very respectful and even apologize to him.

  I looked back up at the clouds that resembled my father, but they were now gone. I smeared away a tear and told myself to stop being so sentimental.

  As I continued to enjoy my lazy day, I decided that I should at least give getting along with Maya one last shot. Even though I liked her about as much as I enjoyed smelling a dead skunk, I figured if we were going to be living under the same roof, we should at least be civil. I figured that once she returned from the mall, I’d be nice and ask if we could talk so that we could establish some ground rules. This way, we’d limit any misunderstandings or potential conflicts that might come up, since I clearly wouldn’t be leaving anytime soon.

  By early afternoon, Maya finally came strolling up the driveway
with shopping bags. She had on some dark diva sunglasses and was talking on the phone through an earpiece. By that time, I was lounging around on a lawn chair, drinking Kool-Aid and surfing the internet with Aunt Raven’s laptop.

  “Maya, can I talk to you for a second?” I asked as she was walking by.

  “Hang on a minute, Keysha.” Maya glanced at me, curled her lips into a sour expression and asked, “What?”

  “I want to talk to you,” I told her.

  “We don’t have anything to talk about,” Maya said with nothing but attitude. “Oh, wait. Yes, we do. You need to stay away from Misalo.”

  “Is that a warning?” I asked, thinking she was trying to intimidate me.

  “I don’t give out warnings. I only hand out promises.”

  “I can’t help it if he likes me more than he likes you,” I said defiantly. I knew that comment would rattle her cage.

  “Keysha, let me call you back,” she said, ending her conversation. “Misalo would never go for a hood rat like you.” Maya removed her sunglasses.

  “Who are you calling a hood rat?” I asked, setting the laptop aside and rising to my feet. If she kept talking to me this way, it wouldn’t take long for my hair-trigger temper to kick in.

  Maya looked around, as if she were searching for something or someone. “Only you and I are out here, and I know for damn sure I’m not a hood rat.”

  Insulted, I pointed my finger at her and said, “I’ve just declared war on you.”

  “Please. You couldn’t spell the word war if I spotted you the letters w and r.”

  “You’re impossible to get along with, Maya. I was going to give you another chance, but forget it now.”

  “You bore me, Viviana. All you need to do is stay out of my way and stay away from Misalo. You got that?” Maya asked.

  With fire in my eyes I said, “I hear you, but—”

  Cutting me off, Maya said, “No more needs to be said. We’re done here.” She put her glasses back on and continued on her prissy little way. As she entered the house, I finished what I was going to say.

  “Payback is a real beyotch, Maya, and all is fair in love and war.”