Let Me Just Say This by B. Swangin Webster Read Free Book Online Page A

fight her next.
    â€œI know you ain’t asking me that, after she slapped the taste out of my mouth. I didn’t see you asking her no damn questions,” she said as she snatched her arm away from him.
    They got to Cheryl’s house and while they headed downstairs, she went to her room to change her shirt before her mother noticed and brushed her hair. She had a major headache, but looking in the mirror, the scratches she had could be covered with a little bit of makeup or explained away by some ‘incident’ playing basketball in gym. The inside of her mouth hurt like crazy, probably from when she bit the inside of her mouth, when Brenda slapped her. She joined Dee and Shaun in the basement after speaking to her mother, who was watching television in her room. Dee tried to lighten up the mood and so did Cheryl, but Shaun was in a foul mood and nothing that either of them said made it better.
    â€œI gotta go,” Shaun said while jumping up from the chair.
    â€œDo you have to?” Cheryl asked as she walked up the stairs behind him.
    He never acknowledged her. He pulled the door open and it was all she could do to call out for him to call her later.
    â€œI’ll try,” he said as he disappeared around the corner.
    Cheryl stood at the door and gave a shrug of her shoulders. She went back downstairs because she didn’t have time to wallow in what was becoming her mood of late.
    She heard her mom calling her and when she came to the top of the stairs she saw her mom with her arms folded and two police officers standing just inside the doorway.
    â€œCheryl, this officer says he wants to talk to you about a fight,” she said, while eyeing her suspiciously
    â€œYes, ma’am” Cheryl answered while trying not to look at her.
    â€œAre you Cheryl Book?” he asked.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWere you involved in a fight today with a…?” he said while flipping open his little notebook. “A Brenda Washington?”
    â€œYes,” she answered again and stole a glance at her mother.
    â€œYou were?” she asked with a look of anger on her face.
    Without being asked by anyone she said,” She hit me first. I was getting off of the bus.”
    â€œWas there anyone else involved?” the officer asked.
    â€œNo sir.”
    â€œAre you sure?” he asked, like he didn’t believe her.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWell, Ms. Washington has some pretty serious injuries to her face.”
    â€œWe fell while we were fighting, but I didn’t notice anything wrong with her when she left. Matter of fact, she was still trying to fight me and my friends walked me home.”
    â€œWell, this is more than just scrapes. She will actually need a few stitches,” he continued.
    She rolled her eyes to the top of her head.
    â€œMay I have a look at your hands?” he said. She unfolded her arms and stretched out her arms toward him. “That will be all,” he said while writing in his little notebook.
    Her mom gave her that look that said, get moving. So she walked back downstairs where she was sure that little miss nosey, Dee, was all up in the conversation. It was obvious to even a blind man that Dee was eavesdropping.
    As soon as Cheryl reached the bottom step, Dee started with the questions.
    â€œGirl, what happened? What did the cop want?”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said while shrugging her shoulders.Her mom was calling her and she told Dee to start cleaning up their project.
    â€œLook, when I’m done, I’ll leave but you better call me as soon as you can. They climbed the stairs and her mother was standing there. Dee opened the door and was stepping out when she said her goodbyes.
    â€œBye Mrs. Book,” Dee said.
    â€œBye Deidre,” her mom said.
    As soon as Cheryl had shut the door, her mother was in her face yelling.
    â€œHow dare you get in a fight in the middle of the street like a street