Bad Apple - the Baddest Chick by Nisa Santiago

skeptical about leaving Nichols by herself, but she had promised her mother that she would be home before nine o’clock. She gathered up her things and left Nichols seated at the table, her face buried in the latest issue of Vibe magazine.
    Nichols lost track of the time, until informed by one of the workers that the place was closing. After gathering her things, she walked out of the store and into the evening, where the city was still bustling and loud. The weather remained hot as the night took over the day.
    Nichols began her walk on 125th Street, not rushing to get home. When she reached the corner of Seventh Avenue and 125th Street, she noticed a cute, young thug seated in the passenger seat of a dark blue Tahoe with spinning, chrome wheels and rap music blaring. The truck had stopped at a red light. She locked eyes with the young man, who had smooth brown skin and stylish long braids. He smiled at Nichols as he nodded to the music, and Nichols couldn’t help but smile back. The thug’s pearly white teeth glistened, his eyes penetrating Nichols’ like he was a hypnotist.
    She thought he was the finest thing she had laid eyes on. The two had this unspoken attraction between them, and she wanted to know his name. But the light suddenly changed to green, and the Tahoe made its way down 125th, the rap music slowly fading out. She sighed, wishing they had time to introduce themselves. Nichols hated that they’d met so briefly, but she realized there wasn’t anything she could have done about it.
    She continued her walk toward home, hoping her apartment would be free from drama. As she made her way down the street, she was hounded with looks and catcalls from a variety of men, some of which made her extremely uncomfortable. They looked at her as if she was a sheep trapped in a lion’s den.
    When Nichols made it to Lenox Avenue, she noticed the same truck parked in front of Sylvia’s Restaurant. A whirl of excitement hit her like a rapid storm. She smiled while walking closer to the truck. She was hoping her cutie from the intersection was still seated in the passenger seat. She didn’t want to be too obvious by staring at the truck, so she kept her eyes straight ahead and slowly walked by the vehicle, pretending it didn’t exist. Out of her peripheral vision, she noticed a figure seated in the passenger seat, and a slow smile formed on her face.
    As Nichols walked by, she heard someone say, “Ay, shawty, I know you, right?”
    She turned to see who called out to her and was flattered that it was the same cutie in the front passenger seat. “Say what?” she replied, trying to look unconcerned.
    “I saw you watching me at that light.”
    Nichols sucked her teeth. “Please. You know you was watching me.”
    He laughed. “A’ight, yeah, I was, but you fine, shawty. You Kola’s sister, right?” he asked with the warmest smile.
    “Yeah. And?”
    “Nah, I’m cool wit’ ya sister. She my peoples, but damn, her sister is so much finer. What’s your name, beautiful?” he asked with politeness.
    As Nichols approached the truck, she was unable to contain her smile any longer. She fixed her eyes on the young thug with the Colgate smile and Jim Jones swag. “Nichols.”
    “Yeah, I like that name,” he said. “I could get used to saying that.”
    “And what’s your name?”
    “Delray.”
    “It’s cute.”
    “Thanks. So where you on ya way to?”
    “Home.”
    “Damn! So early? Shit, the sun ain’t even set fully yet. What? Ya moms got you on curfew this summer?”
    “No. Ain’t nothing to do right now,” Nichols snapped back, offended by his remark.
    “So we can find somethin’ to do. Yo, my man in there gettin’ us somethin’ to eat right now. You hungry? I can hit him on the jack and tell him to get you a plate too. It ain’t no thang.”
    “Nah, I’m good.”
    “You sure? ’Cause I swear I just heard your stomach growling like a muthafucka. It sounded like you got a grizzly bear or