Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give, #0)(55)

“Word,” says Rico. “With Shawn and Dre gone, it ain’t the same. They were the only big homies who really cared ’bout us. We gotta look out for ourselves now.”

“Damn.” I don’t know what else to say.

“Don’t trip, Mav. It’s all good,” Junie says. “Long as we got each other’s backs, we’ll be a’ight in these streets.”

“In the meantime,” Rico jump in, “we tryna figure out how we gon’ roll to this winter dance. You oughta come through.”

Winter dance? Oh dang, I forgot that’s next weekend. “I don’t know, man.”

“Why not?” says Junie. “You momma can watch your son like she did for the football game.”

Not when I done got Lisa pregnant. I ain’t ready to tell my boys that I got another baby on the way. I don’t need the whole school in my business. “Nah, she probably won’t watch him for that. I don’t got a date no way.”

“Who said shit ’bout a date? I’m rolling solo so I can get as much sloppy toppy as I want.” Rico slap palms with a laughing Junie.

“We getting a limo,” Junie adds. “Gon’ roll through in some fly-ass tuxes, looking like the Mafia. You can’t miss out on this one.”

He talking limos and tuxes, and I’m thinking dollars. “How much that gon’ cost?”

“You just have to put down a couple hundred,” says Rico.

“Man, I gotta get my son a new car seat. I can’t waste money on no dance.”

“Is that why you rock them dusty kicks every day?” Rico asks, and Junie bust out laughing.

My sneakers them same Reeboks I bought this summer. By now I would’ve had a new pair.

Every now and then, I wonder how different things would be if I was still selling drugs. I’d have fresh kicks, fa’sho, and I could buy Seven everything he need.

I can’t go there. Dre wouldn’t want me to. I shrug at Rico. “I got more important things to deal with than shoes.”

“We need to start calling you Old Man Carter,” Rico says. “I take that back. My grandma get out more than you and she fresher than you.”

“Whatever,” I mumble.

The first bell ring for class. I follow Rico and Junie down the hall as they discuss the dance and their plans. It’s like they speaking a language I ain’t fluent in anymore. The words real familiar, but they done lost all meaning for me.

Me and Junie go to history class. Mr. Phillips write notes on the chalkboard as we fill into the room.

“Hope you’re all prepared for today’s exam,” he says, with his back to us. “I trust that you studied properly over the break.”

I stop dead and close my eyes.

I didn’t study for nothing. I was too caught up in the fact I got another baby on the way.

This already ain’t my day.

I end up having three exams, and I studied for none of them. Just what I need when my grades already rocky.

I rest my head back against this hard-ass seat. I’m riding the city bus downtown to meet Lisa at her doctor’s. She called me Friday, told me she had an appointment today after school, and said I was welcome to come. That’s it. Girl get on my nerves, man. Mr. Wyatt told me I can come to work whenever the appointment is over, but of course that I mean I’m gon’ have to stay late. I can never catch a break.

Lisa’s doctor’s office is on the fifth floor of a skyscraper. People walk around the main lobby in suits with briefcases. I’m real outta place in my hoodie, jeans, and backpack. I get on the elevator with this white lady, and she pull her purse closer, like she scared I’m gon’ snatch it. People way more scared of me than they oughta be.

I get off at the fifth floor and follow signs to the doctor’s office. This definitely not the free clinic. Water streams down a fountain, and elevator music play from some speakers. Fancy paintings hang from the walls.

I let the receptionist know I’m here to meet up with somebody, and I scope out the waiting area. Lisa near the back in the navy blazer and plaid skirt she gotta wear to Saint Mary’s. She made her uniform fresh by throwing on some Jordans. She fill out paperwork and ain’t noticed that I’m here.

The person next to her has.

Carlos stare me down. One of his hands bandaged up, probably from the sucker punch he gave me.

I ignore that fool and sit on the other side of Lisa. “I’m not late, am I?”

“No, we just got—” She look up, and her mouth drop. “Oh my God, Maverick, is that a black eye?”

“It’s nothing.”

“That’s not noth—” Lisa look at Carlos’s hand. Then she look at me. She sighs. “Did you two get into a fight?”

Carlos rub his knuckles. “It wasn’t a fight. I beat his ass.”

This fool won once, now he talking shit. “Only ’cause I let you. Won’t happen again.”

“Oh, I’m more than happy to have a rematch.”

“What it is, then?”

“Y’all! Please,” Lisa says. “Don’t start.”

“Fine,” Carlos says, through his teeth. “However, I have every right to be pissed that he ruined my little sister’s life.”

“He didn’t ruin my life, and he didn’t make this baby by himself,” Lisa says. “I was a more-than-willing participant. Maverick told me he didn’t have a condom, and I still wanted to have sex with—”