Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give, #0)(32)

“Yeah. I’m straight.”

Lisa study me real hard. I got a feeling she ain’t buying that. “You wanna go for a walk?”

I nod.

Lisa take my hand into hers, and I let her lead me away from the church.





Eleven


Me and Lisa walk around the neighborhood for a while. She don’t talk, and I never feel like I gotta. We eventually end up at her house.

I sink onto her couch, and Lisa sit cross-legged beside me. “Saying I’m sorry isn’t enough, but I am sorry, Maverick,” she says.

I clear my throat. “Thanks for coming to the funeral. You ain’t have to do that.”

“Of course I did. I loved Dre like family . . . except when he was a nuisance at my games.”

I fight a smile. Dre would go with me to Lisa’s basketball games all the time. He became a fan of hers quick and would trash-talk the other teams. Nearly got us put out a few times.

“He was a loudmouth, huh?”

“The definition of a loudmouth. You remember when I met him?”

“Yeah. At that away game you had outta town.”

“Uh-huh. Which you tricked him into driving you two hours to.” Lisa laughs. “He was sweet to me, but I could tell he was mad as hell at you.”

I laugh. “He got over it. All it took was some gas money and a rib-tip plate from Reuben’s, with peach cobbler and banana pudding.”

“He was sooo greedy. Remember when we went to Sal’s with him and Keisha and he—”

“Ordered an entire pizza for himself. Then put mustard all over it.”

“Oh my God, he had the weirdest taste buds ever.”

“Yo, you not lying. I was messing with him ’bout that the other week before—”

I lose the words. I see him slumped over his steering wheel.

“It’s true, then,” Lisa murmurs. “You found him.”

I nod as I stare at my loafers. “He was already gone when I got out there.”

Lisa suck in a breath, like it hurt her to hear that. “I’m sorry.”

We get quiet again. It’s honestly too quiet. I’m surprised Ms. Montgomery ain’t come and cussed me out. “Your momma gone?”

“Yep. She’s at rehearsals. Her theater department is doing A Raisin in the Sun in a few weeks. It’s kept her busy all month.”

Ms. Montgomery is the theater teacher at Midtown School of the Arts. That explain why that woman dramatic as hell. “Oh, that’s cool.”

“Yeah. I’m glad it keeps her off my back.”

“You know damn well that won’t last long. At least you don’t gotta deal with Carlos, right?”

“Thank God, he’s back at college. Won’t see him until Thanksgiving. I’m trying to convince him to bring his girlfriend so he’ll be too distracted to get in my business.”

“Whaaat? Carlton Banks got a girlfriend?”

Lisa push my head. “Stop calling him that!”

“Ay, he is like Carlton. Surprised he got enough game to get a girlfriend.”

“Apparently he does. Her name is Pam, and she’s premed. She’s supersweet, although I don’t know what she sees in my brother.”

“Damn,” I say. “Your corny brother actually got a girlfriend.”

“Whatever, Maverick.” She hop up from the couch. “I’m gonna get changed. Feel free to get something from the kitchen if you want.”

She actually letting me stay. “Thank you.”

Lisa give me the tiniest smile. “You’re welcome.”

She go off to her room, and I help myself to the kitchen. I’m thirsty as hell. Ms. Montgomery keep her cabinets and refrigerator stacked. I find all kinds of drinks and liquor. Lisa’s momma know how to throw them back.

I pop open a Pepsi and wander down the hall. Lisa take her bun down at her bedroom mirror. I say she fine all the time (that ass looking right in that dress, goddamn), but this girl straight-up beautiful.

She catch me staring. “What?”

I lean against the doorway and sip my drink. “Nothing. Watching you.”

“So you can learn how to do your hair? Because clearly you haven’t combed that mess on your head.”

“Why you hating?”

“Why do you hate yourself?” She put her comb in my hair, and it get stuck. I wince as she snatch it out. “Damn, Maverick. When was the last time you brushed your hair?”

“I got a ’fro now!”

“So? You need to brush it, comb it, take care of it. Bet you haven’t washed it since I did those cornrows, have you?”

“I take showers!”

Lisa’s mouth make a line. “That’s not enough. You need shampoo, conditioner.”

“That’s girl shit.”

“Tell that to your dirty hair. Go to the bathroom.”

“Lisa—”

She point across the hall. “Go!”

Damn, she tripping. I go to the bathroom, take off my shirt and tie, and kneel beside the bathtub.

Lisa sit on the side of it and grab the handheld showerhead. She turn the water on. “This doesn’t make any sense, Maverick. Seriously.”

“It ain’t that ba— Aaagh!” She spray water in my face, strangling me. “Ay!”