Page 7

I was so uncomfortable, I considered deserting her. A part of me thought it would be terrible, but another part of me couldn't wait to do just that.

"I ain't seen you here before," someone said, and I turned to look at the heavily pocked-marked face of a young man. He had a cigarette dangling out of the corner of his mouth. It looked pasted there on his wet lips. He had a thin scar over his right eyebrow and his eyes were glassy, red. The blue belt hung from his pants pocket. He looked older than everyone else and was probably in his twenties, I thought.

"That's because I haven't been here before," I said quickly.

"Slummin'?" he asked with a cold smile. He had a gold tooth and when I looked closer, I saw some hairs curled under his chin. Flattened like a prune dried in the hot sun, he looked more purple than black and his lips curled outward with a bruise on the corner of the lower lip. I actually felt my stomach churn at the sight of him.

"I'm not exactly happy to be here," I replied and he laughed a quiet laugh, just his body shaking. He shoved a toothpick into his mouth as soon as he withdrew the cigarette, which he just tossed to the floor and stepped on.

"Come on. I'll show you where it's quieter." He reached for me.

"No thanks," I said stepping back.

"I don't bite. Much," he added with another wide smile. I spotted another scar, this one on the side of his neck. It ran down toward his right shoulder.

"Yeah, well I haven't had a tetanus shot recently," I said, trying to act brave even though my insides were shaking. Come on, Beni, I prayed. Let's get out of here.

He laughed again and two other

members of the Crips joined him. He mumbled something to them and they all laughed.

"You want something to drink? Smoke?" he asked me. "No thanks," I said. I backed up a few more steps toward the door.

"Hey, girl," he said with a look of disgust, "you come here for a good time, didn't you?"

"No," I said.

"Then why'd you come?" he demanded, his face folding deeper into anger, his eyes wider, his nostrils flaring like a wild horse.

"Maybe she likes the food, Jerad," one of the boys at his side muttered, and they all laughed.

"What's your name?" Jerad asked, stepping closer. I looked for Beni, but I didn't see her anymore.

"My sister is here," I said for no reason and I looked harder for her.

"So stick around. What's your name?" he asked, this time more firmly.

His two buddies stepped between me and the door. I hugged my books tighter to my bosom. Looking around desperately, I saw no one who would come to my aid. If anyone was looking my way, it was with a gleeful smile, enjoying my discomfort. It frightened me even more.

"What'cha got under there?" he asked nodding at my bosom. "Some buried treasure?"

They all laughed and the circle they were forming grew wider and tighter as more boys joined them. My heart began to pound. I looked frantically for Beni and saw she was dancing with Carlton.

"I really have to go home," I said.

"So soon? What, are you on parole and got a curfew?" he asked. Every time he spoke, his private audience laughed. I felt their eyes all over me, drinking me up in gulps from head to toe. It made me feel naked, on display. My face felt hot as fear planted itself firmly in my stomach and sent my blood raging around my body.

"Maybe she wants you to walk her home, Jerad," one of the other boys said.

"I could do that. I could drive you home, too," he offered. *

"No thank you."

"She's stuck-up, Jerad," another one

commented.

"Are you stuck-up?" he demanded. I glanced at him. His eyes looked glazed with anger. "You think you're better than the rest of us because your skin's lighter, girl?"