The Battle of Jericho by Sharon M. Draper Read Free Book Online

about time somebody did!” she continued. Jericho noticed that Kofi was frowning.
    â€œIt’s called the
Warriors,
Dana,” Kofi said as if talking to a child. “That doesn’t sound much like a club for girls!”
    â€œSo there’s no such thing as women warriors? Don’t get me started, skinny boy!”
    Kofi’s lips grew tight with anger. He didn’t answer her.
    â€œOh, let the boys have their little club, Dana,” Arielle said. “Unlike women, they need stuff like that to help them grow up!”
    â€œBesides,” November added, “the Warriors help so many people with that toy drive. Don’t mess with what works. I admire their social activism.”
    â€œYou also admire their jammin’ social events,” Arielle reminded her.
    November grinned. “I gotta admit it. They look so good in those jackets, and they give those sweet formal dances, and Josh takes my breath away when he wears a tuxedo!” Josh grinned at her and took her hand.
    Arielle laughed and said, “You two are a mess!”
    â€œWell, I’m opposed to the idea of a club just for dudes,” Dana said again. “I just may have to do something about it!”
    â€œYou think you’re gonna change a tradition that’s been around for fifty years?” Josh said with derision. “Some things girls just don’t need to be a part of!”
    â€œAnd who are you to tell me what girls can and cannot do? Who made you king of the world, Mr. Cornflake Head?” Dana’s anger was obvious and, judging by her tone of voice, growing stronger.
    â€œAnd who made you queen?” Kofi answered for him. “You can’t change a tradition just because it suits your mood! The world don’t work like that!”
    â€œI think she’s right!” November said. “People get taken to court for discrimination like that! Not that I want to be in a stupid club named ’Warriors’ of anything!”
    â€œIf I did decide to join, I ought to be able to!” Dana cried. “The club is way outdated.
Everything
is integrated now, and I’m not talkin’ about racial fairness—I’m talkin’ male/female stuff.”
    Josh groaned. “Aw, girls always want what they can’t have!”
    November frowned at Josh. “I think Dana ought to have that right, if that’s what she wants,” she said quietly.
    Josh ignored her. “Every time we get something that’s just for us dudes, girls want a piece of it—like the lady sportscasters on ESPN runnin’ around the locker rooms after a game. You know they just want to see naked men in the shower!”
    Dana threw her shoe at him. Luckily he ducked. “Girls ought to be able to do anything they want and be in anyclub they want to be in,” she proclaimed. “Who made men the kings of the world?”
    â€œOther men, of course!” November replied without smiling. The room was filled with hot, tense anger.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6—10 P.M.
    â€œHEY, ARIELLE,” JERICHO SHOUTED OVER the accelerating noise of the argument, “come upstairs and let me show you something!”
    â€œGood thinking,” she said as the discussion in the basement got louder and she hurried with him upstairs. “I wasn’t ready to dive into that.”
    â€œMe neither. I’m a lover, not a fighter,” Jericho said with a grin.
    â€œIs that what you called me up here for?” she asked, as she grinned and smoothed the wrinkles from her hip-hugger slacks.
    â€œNo. I want you to meet my best friend.”
    Arielle looked confused. “I didn’t hear anyone else come in.”
    Jericho smiled again. “She’s right here, always waiting for me, always ready to take me to another place, a better place.”
    â€œShe?” Arielle asked.
    Jericho was enjoying this. And he was enjoying the fact that somehow all his shyness had