No Boyz Allowed by Ni-Ni Simone Read Free Book Online Page B

was a line—which I had no patience for. I decided to wait, and not because I had to use it, but because I wanted a moment alone. Scratch that, I needed a moment alone.
    The line moved hella slow.
    I opened my clutch purse and took out my compact.
    Lips . . . still poppin’.
    Eyes . . . revealed too many thoughts that I didn’t want to deal with.
    I quickly put the mirror away and continued to wait. But after a while the line seemed permanently on pause, so I gave up and walked away.
    This party had gone from a ten to negative one. All I wanted was to go home, crawl in bed, and toss the covers over my head. But at the moment, with Pop and Man-Man crazy-glued to one another I couldn’t do that.
    I need some fresh air.
    I walked toward the front door and as I made my way through the crowd my eyes scanned everyone... just in case...
    The night’s breeze felt like a relief when I stepped outside on the porch. My heels clicked as I leaned against the black iron stair rail and looked out into the street—only for my eyes to meet him: standing on the street corner beneath a flickering street lamppost, kicking it with a group of his boys.
    Be bold.
    No. If anything, I need to go back inside.
    Just chill and stand here.
    I hesitated.
    Maybe I should . . .
    Maybe I shouldn’t . . .
    I slid a piece of gum in my mouth, blew a minty-fresh bubble, and popped it.
    I can’t . . .
    This was crazy.
    He was too far for me to hear anything more than a few shrieks of laughter that drifted from his conversation but he was close enough for me to see him smile, turn his head, and notice me standing here. We locked gazes for about two point five seconds and then the butterflies took over my stomach and I couldn’t take the stare-off anymore.
    A few minutes later I looked back in his direction. He was no longer looking this way and had resumed his conversation with his friends. I wondered was he talking about me.
    I watched him pull car keys from his pocket.
    Is he leaving?
    Get it together...
    Get it together...
    And go over there...
    I swallowed.
    Just do it...
    My heels echoed like wind chimes as I sauntered through my anxiousness and catwalked over to where he and his friends stood.
    This was the bravest I’d ever been. Ever.
    Relax, relax, and play it cool. My presence immediately brought their conversation to a halt. “Hey.” I gave the group of five a small wave. Then I looked directly at my interest and said, “Can I speak to you for a minute?”
    Silence. Complete and utter silence for at least two seconds and then he gave each of his boys a pound and said to them. “A’ight, yo, I’ll get up with y’all later.”
    As his friends walked away they each looked at me and smiled. One of them even said to him, “This you?”
    He answered, “Maybe.”
    That response caused me to blush like crazy. I tried to erase it quickly from my face but no matter how hard I tried the blush didn’t fade. And suddenly I felt my temperature rise to two hundred degrees.
    Jesus ...
    Dear God, please don’t let that be sweat I feel bubbling on my forehead. This is no time to be anti-sexy.
    I placed my right hand on my forehead and slyly checked for sweat.
    No sweat.
    Whew.
    I am way too nervous. I need to calm down. I mean, he’s cute and all, but it’s not that serious.
    Yeah right...
    Once his boys went their separate ways—some returned to the house party and others left in their cars—he looked at me and said, “Wassup?”
    I hesitated and unintentionally ended up swallowing my gum. Dang! “Umm, nothing’s up.” Why did I say that? I. Sound. So. Stupid. Let me try this again. “What I meant was something was up. I mean is up.”
    I was getting dumber by the moment.
    Ugg!
    I curled the corners of my lips, which made my dimples bling, and then I said in a soft and playful tone, “So umm, what had happened was I, umm, came over here because I thought you were this cutie that I’d just met at the party.”
    Please let him play along . .