Betrayed by Suzetta Perkins Read Free Book Online Page A

stammered. The last thing she wanted to do was have a face to face with Brenda. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to see her—she missed her something awful. But the truth about her disappearance, her leaving Durham so suddenly, was bound to come out, and she couldn’t risk it. And then there was Victor, who had already threatened her. She tried to find the words. “I’m really busy unpacking and trying to get this house together. I don’t know when I’ll be free.”
    â€œYou’ve got to take a break sometime. Mimi, I’ve missed you. What about tomorrow at twelve-thirty?”
    â€œI’ve really got a lot to do.”
    â€œMimi, it’s been a long time and it may be a bit awkward, but I want to see my friend.”
    Mimi hesitated. “Okay. Tomorrow at twelve-thirty. Where would you like to meet?”
    â€œHow about Brasa right off of Highway 70? It has great Brazilian food.”
    â€œThat’s fine. I’ll be there.” Mimi shut the phone and sat down in one of the chairs. What was she going to do now?
    A FRIKA SWUNG HER GYM BAG ACROSS HER SHOULDERS AND HEADED to the gym locker room to get ready for cheerleading practice. She felt good about the test she had taken in English. She couldn’t wait to get to practice to tell Asia about Keith, a junior who had walked her to her science class. He was one of the brothers she had met at the frat party on Saturday night.
    Just before entering the gym, her cell phone rang. A smile crossed her face as she hurried to answer the call.
    â€œHey, Keith.”
    â€œHey, Nikki. What are you doing?”
    â€œI’m at cheerleading practice, but I’ll call you as soon as I’m done.”
    â€œOkay, sounds good. Maybe we can meet each other later on.”
    â€œAll right. Bye.” Afrika was all nerves and jittery. Keith was a good-looking, tall Alpha brother. Before closing the phone, Afrika saw that her mother had sent her a text.
    She opened the text and read her mother’s message. Afrika frowned, somewhat alarmed at the tone of it, but she remembered she had sent one of her own and had yet to talk to her mother. Afrika closed the phone and decided she’d contact her mother as soon as practice was over. As soon as she entered the gym, she saw Asia and all else was forgotten.
    T HE SUN DROPPED BELOW THE HORIZON AND DARKNESS REPLACED the light. Mimi rushed around the house shutting blinds, checkingthem twice to make sure no one could see in. She secured the locks back and front, shaking and rechecking them to ensure no one could get in.
    Exhausted, Mimi slouched in the nearest chair and heaved her leg over the arm and let it hang. It became a painstaking event, listening for the beep that announced a text or the ringtone reserved for Asia.
    Anxious, Mimi picked up the remote and turned the television on in hopes of a distraction as she flipped from one channel to another. However, nothing seemed to capture her attention. Her mind wandered as the day’s events wouldn’t leave her alone. Victor’s face appeared in front of her—she could almost hear him breathing. She fought to be rid of him, but his image wouldn’t go away.
    She couldn’t believe she had struck him dead in the face. A smirk streaked across Mimi’s face, gloating in the memory—her one-second victory.
    Her face became somber. Something drastic had to be done about the precarious situation she found herself in, although she wasn’t sure what it was. The more she thought about Victor, the more defiant Mimi was becoming. Her mind was made up about one thing for sure, and that was Victor wasn’t going to run her or Afrika out of Durham. More immediate was her lunch date with Brenda. The timing was all wrong; Mimi wasn’t ready to see her yet.
    Mimi searched for the time on the DVR. It was seven o’clock, which meant it was one in the morning in Germany and too late at night or early