Diva Rules by Amir Abrams

Pauley.”
    She shakes her head. “What, she tried to go with the hands?”
    â€œYeah, right. Picture that. Ooh, I wish she woulda tried it. Please, boo. Please do. All talk. Trust.”
    Miesha asks what Pauley said when all this was going down with Quanda.
    â€œNot one damn thing. That punk stood there lookin’ all goofy ’n’ ish.”
    â€œMmph. I knew he was soft as cotton.”
    â€œYeah, but he’s hard as brick ’n’ steel in all the right places,” I say, thinking back to our night of naked Twister down in his basement. I shudder. “What a waste.”
    She sucks her teeth. “Umm, you do know that there’s more to a boy than his sex, right?”
    â€œOhhhhh-emmmmmm-geeeee! Now you sound like my sister Leona.”
    â€œWell, it’s true.”
    I give her a blank look. “Like what? Do tell.”
    But before she can explain to me what more a boy has to offer other than sex, Antonio ’n’ Cease are headed our way. “Ooh, here they come now,” she says all excited ’n’ whatnot, like I’m supposed to be all grins ’n’ giggles about one of the school’s biggest man-whores tryna check for me.
    No ma’am, no sir. Not interested. I stand up.
    â€œWait. Where you going?” she wants to know. I tell her to the computer lab to finish typing an English paper. “Ooh, lies! Don’t even try it. Since when you start going to the computer lab?”
    â€œSince today.”
    She starts laughing as Antonio ’n’ Cease walk over.
    â€œHey, Tone,” I say.
    â€œWassup, Fee? How you?”
    â€œI’m good.” I eye him as he leans in ’n’ kisses Miesha on the lips.
    â€œHow’s my sexy babe doin’?”
    She blushes. “Better now.”
    I roll my eyes.
    â€œYo, what’s goodie, My?” Cease says to her. She speaks back. Tells him nothing much. He turns his attention to me. “Oh, so you not speakin’?”
    I flick him a wave. “Hey, Cease.”
    â€œOh, so it’s like that?” he says, eyeing me. “Why you act like you ain’t see me earlier? You just gonna play me to the left like that when all I’m tryna do is give you my heart?”
    â€œBoy, bye. You play too much.”
    â€œNah, I’m serious. Be my valentine.”
    I suck my teeth. “Valentine’s Day was last month, fool.”
    â€œNah, baby. E’eryday’s V-Day when you’re around.”
    â€œAnd the answer is still no.”
    Miesha gives me the eye.
    â€œOh, word? That’s how you doin’ it?” He spreads open his arms. “A brotha can’t get no love? I mean, damn. Can I at least get a hug, then?”
    Before I can tell him hell no, he grabs me up in a big hug, grinning all crazy. “Damn, you smell good, girl.”
    Mmph. Of course I do, boo. Thought you knew.
    He sniffs me. “Whew. You got me goin’ through it, yo. I wanna lick ya neck.”
    Miesha giggles.
    Antonio laughs. “Yo, Cease, man. You wildin’, yo.”
    I roll my eyes. “Whatever, Cease. Where’s ya lil girlfriend?”
    â€œ Girlfriend? Nah. I don’t have one of those, yet . But maybe if you act right I’ll make you my girl.”
    I step outta his embrace. “Boy, bye! Not interested.” I glance over at Miesha ’n’ Antonio as I’m grabbing my tray. “All right, lovebirds, peace out. I’m outta here.”
    â€œOh, word? A’ight then,” Antonio says, eyeing Cease.
    â€œYou need a ride after school?” Miesha wants to know, easing her arm from around her boo-daddy’s neck. I tell her no. Tell her my sister Sonji is picking me up ’n’ taking me to the mall to go shopping right after school.
    I try not to look over at Cease, but I can feel the heat of his gaze on me. I pop my lips ’n’ toss my hair. Get ya look on, boo!
    â€œOoh, I so hate