Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair

just as cool as you please.
    The class snickered.
    â€œEighteen sixty-six?” I asked shyly. The class broke out into hoots and hollers.
    â€œI asked you if you knew when the last fire drill took place.” Mr. Cox shook his head.
    I swallowed. “Oh, it was around Valentine’s Day,” I said, as the recess bell rang.
    I huffed and puffed as I made my way out into the hallway. Who did that heifer think she was? What was she trying to pull, I thought to myself. I had never done anything to her.
    â€œWait till I catch up with her,” I mumbled on my way down the stairs.
    â€œSay,” Carla came up from behind me. “Don’t let that bitch get away with that. There she is, jack her up, Stevie.”
    â€œWillie Jean, that was really cold-blooded!” I shouted. Me and Carla followed Willie Jean onto the playground and so did a bunch of other kids. I didn’t want a crowd around us, because I knew a crowd meant a fight.
    Willie Jean turned around. “It was just a joke, Stevie.”
    â€œHa, ha, well, it was so funny I forgot to laugh.”
    â€œYou don’t know her that well.” Carla cut her eyes and put her hands on her hips.
    â€œOooh, doon, baby!” Tanya shouted. “She say you don’t even know her that well!”
    â€œThis is between us, Willie Jean, let’s talk over there.” I pointed to a far corner of the playground. Willie Jean nodded. “We don’t need no crowd,” I explained.
    Me, Carla, and Willie Jean walked away from the others.
    â€œWillie Jean, why did you try to make me look like a fool?”
    â€œYou look like a bigger fool, trailing behind a no-good boy the likes of Yusef Brown!”
    I raised my eyebrows. “What business is it of yours?”
    â€œYeah, what business is it of yours?” Carla sounded like an echo. “Don’t tell me you wanna get next to him, ’cause I know he ain’t thinking about you.” Carla sucked her teeth. “Shoot, your chances are slim and impossible and, honey, slim just left!” Carla laughed.
    â€œI don’t want none of Yusef Brown. He don’t move me and he don’t groove me. I just think Stevie can do better for herself, that’s all.”
    â€œWhat do you care?” I asked. Me and this girl weren’t even tight or nothing.
    â€œWhen Stevie’s holding up the walls at the graduation tea, what can you do for her but hold up the walls with her?” Carla added.
    â€œThere ain’t no law saying that two girls can’t dance together,” Willie Jean answered all calm.
    â€œYeah, but everybody feels sorry for them. They know they dancing together ’cause they can’t get no man.” Carla folded her arms.
    â€œSometimes a boy will cut in if two girls are dancing together. He’ll say something like, Y’all two ladies ain’t got to be dancing together. I saw that happen at my Aunt Sheila’s birthday party,” I explained.
    â€œYeah, it be’s that way sometimes, if you happen to luck out,” Carla agreed.
    â€œI don’t know if I’d call that lucking out myself.” Willie Jean turned and walked across the playground toward the volleyball game.
    â€œShe don’t know if she’d call that lucking out.” Carla shook her head. “Is she fully clothed and in her right mind?”
    â€œWhat is she trying to say?” I asked.
    â€œStevie, I think she’s trying to say she funny.”
    â€œCarla, you think she’s really that way?”
    â€œI ain’t wanna say nothing before, cause you know how I hate to talk about people. But the girl told on her own self. I could tell she had some boy in her, from jumpstreet. Nine outta ten of them P.E. types do. Her sister’s probably all crossed up too.”
    â€œHere comes Roland.” I hunched my shoulders.
    â€œFrom the pitiful to the pathetic. I’m gonna go and see if I can find