A Girl Like Me by Ni-Ni Simone Read Free Book Online Page A

asked.
    â€œAny news crews following us around?”
    â€œNews?” he looked out of both windows. “Why, you see somebody? I hope not, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”
    â€œNo, I don’t see anyone.”
    â€œSo why did you ask?”
    â€œJust askin’.”
    â€œAi’ight…so what happened to you coming backstage last night?”
    My heart was skipping beats. “Uhmmmm, my sister…was sick. And I needed to leave.”
    â€œReally? Where was ya moms? At work?”
    I stared at him. She was at work alright. “Yeah. At work, and she couldn’t take off.” I was very uncomfortable, but after a few moments, we pulled up to a New York pier, where there was a small boat waiting at the docks. I couldn’t believe it. A real boat.
    I slyly pinched my right thigh to see if the moment was real, and when I felt pain, I realized nothing had changed and it was actually happening to me.
    The water was amazing and the evening sun was turning crimson and leaving illuminated shadows across the ripples. I was speechless. I got out of the car, took his hand, and got on the boat. Was this what the rich and famous did? Ride boats all day? Dang, this was the life.
    Haneef smiled at the captain. “Wassup? Elite, this is Kool-Out, my thugged-out captain,” he laughed.
    â€œFunny, sir,” the captain said.
    Did he just call him sir?
    â€œNawl, I’m buggin’. This is John,” Haneef said. “He’s going to drive us around tonight.”
    â€œPleased to make your acquaintance, madam.”
    Madam? Not knowing what to do, I smiled and watched him return to the captain’s booth a few steps below, leaving Haneef and I on the main deck all alone. “Sit down,” Haneef said as he pointed to a reclining chair, but for some reason I continued to stand, even as we pulled into the open sea.
    â€œI hope you like cheeseburgers and sweet potato fries.” Haneef smiled and pointed to the table in the center of the deck, which was dressed with silver domes. He lifted them and revealed the menu he’d just described.
    Hmph, I could’ve sworn this dude was trying to get with me. But that wasn’t going to happen. After all, he already said this was about pleasing a fan. So, I was going to keep it movin’.
    â€œWow, this looks delicious,” I said as we sat down to eat, still looking over my shoulder for an unexpected news crew.
    After we ate dinner, I was too nervous to be myself, so I decided to play the nice and quiet type.
    â€œHave you ever been on a boat?” Haneef asked, cutting across my thoughts.
    I laughed. “Uhmmm, yeah.”
    He stared at me for a moment.
    Was I supposed to say more than that?
    â€œOh…kay, when?” he pried.
    Is he tryna hold a conversation? “Uhmmmmm…okay,” I said, answering his question. Remembering the last time I was on a boat, I cracked up laughing. “Last winter there was a blizzard, and these dudes around my way stole a canoe and we went riding up and down the block in it. We had broomsticks for rowing, and the whole nine.”
    Haneef looked at me like I was crazy.
    Maybe I shouldn’t have told him that story. He probably thinks I’m ghetto as hell. “I guess that was a li’l ghetto, huh?” I asked.
    â€œA little? A whole lot,” he laughed. “But I got a story to top that.”
    I twisted my lips. “What?”
    â€œAi’ight, check it.” He draped his arm behind my seat. “When we lived in Baltimore, my older brother, Khalil, bought a school bus, had the top taken off, took the seats out, and made it a pool.”
    â€œOh, no!” I cracked up. “Say, word?”
    â€œWord. Li’l Ma, we swam in that pool all summer. We were straight coolin’.”
    â€œThat sounds like something my brother, Ny’eem, would do.”
    â€œHow many brothers and sisters do you have?” he stroked my