Charles sat in the car watching Sharron walk away. “I know this girl is just playing with me,” he thought aloud to himself. “I just know it.”
Chapter 3
Part 1
Charles sat impatiently in class, waiting for the sound of the bell to signal the end of the school day.
Thank goodness this was the last class today, he thought to himself. He continued to wonder how in the world he and Doug could have allowed Dale into talking them both into taking the Algebra 2 class taught by Ms. Papas during this period. They must have been real gluttons for punishment. There was one consolation, he thought. At least the three of them were in the same class together. That would make studying easier and keep them on the honor roll.
Charles felt something soft hit him on the back of his head. As the sound of the crumpled paper hit the floor of the classroom, Charles turned around in his chair to scan the room for a possible suspect. His search quickly ended as his eyes focused on the not-so-conspicuous face of Cedric Lambert, his cousin. Charles reached down, picked up the crumpled paper from the floor, but before he could throw it, he was interrupted by the sound of the bell.
“Finally,” he said. Dropping the paper back onto the floor, he placed his math book inside his backpack and walked toward the door.
Outside the classroom, Charles, Doug, Dale, and Cedric met together and began walking toward their lockers.
“So, what’s up for this weekend, fellas?” asked Cedric. “You guys going to the beach tonight?”
“No, not me,” said Dale. “My father is picking me up to take me to the dentist. It’s root canal day.”
“I’m not going either,” said Doug. “My girlfriend Betty and I had already made plans to go to the movies tonight.”
“So, you mean to tell me that for once in your lives, the three of you guys didn’t make plans to hang out together?” chided Cedric.
“Nope,” replied Dale. “Contrary to what everyone thinks, we do have and lead our own separate lives.”
Dale and Doug stopped at their lockers, while Charles and Cedric continued walking toward the student parking lot.
“So, did your pops go out of town already?” asked Cedric.
“Yep. He left this morning.”
“So that means that you can hang out at my house this weekend?” asked Cedric.
“I wish that I could, Cedric,” said Charles, “but Dad said that East Palo Alto was off limits while he is out of town.”
“Is that because of what happened last week between you and that nigga Kenneth?” asked Cedric.
“No,” Charles replied. “My dad doesn’t know anything about that.”
“I think that I know who that nigga is too,” said Cedric.
“You do?”
“You said that he drives a blue Cadillac, right?” asked Cedric. “Well, I know that I’ve seen him in that car.”
“Where?” asked Charles.
“On Alberni Street here in EPA,” replied Cedric. “Right in the middle of the dope spot. Looked to me as if he was trying to conduct some business.”
“It figures. He looks like the type,” replied Charles. He looked down at his watch and realized that fifteen minutes had passed since the last bell had rung. “Oh man! I better hurry.”
“What’s wrong?” asked Cedric.
“I’m supposed to meet Dennis in the student parking lot,” said Charles. “We’re supposed to ride to the Santa Cruz beach together.”
“Then you don’t need to hurry because Dennis is never on time,” replied Cedric.
“You’re probably right,” said Charles, “but I want to be there just in case.”
“If he’s there, then that will be a first,” Cedric responded. “Hey, since you can’t hang out in EPA, then do you want me to come over and kick it at your house this weekend?”
“Well, Dennis is supposed to hang out at my house this weekend,” said Charles. “But if you want, you can stay over at my house for a week before my dad gets back. And believe you me, it will probably be the last time that I will be able to have company over until I get off punishment.”
“Why?” Cedric asked. “What did you do this time?”
“I’ll show you.”
Cedric and Charles continued onto the student parking lot. Cedric stopped in place, frozen, unable to move. He could feel the blood draining from his face.
“You crazy fool!” Cedric shouted at Charles. “Uncle Charles is going to kill you. I don’t believe it. You stole his Ferrari?”
“Wait, Cedric,” Charles pleaded. “Let me explain.”
“No. I don’t want to hear it,” Cedric said, covering his ears. “And I definitely don’t want to spend the week over at your house. Maria is going to tell on you, and I don’t want to be there when Uncle Charles gets back and the shit hits the fan.”
“Relax, Cedric,” said Charles.
“No,” Cedric replied, “if I go anywhere near your house, Uncle Charles is going to think that I’m the one who talked you into stealing his car, and I ain’t got nothing to do with it.”
“Well, do you at least want to know why I did it?” asked Charles.
“Yeah, I’m dying to hear this one.”
“Sharron Morris,” said Charles.
“The cheerleader?” Cedric responded in a loud voice. “You stole your father’s car for a cheerleader?”
“Not just any Cheerleader, cousin. The captain of their squad,” replied Charles, his face conveying expressed accomplishment.
“You’re crazy, man,” said Cedric with a hopeless expression. “But you know, I guess Sharron does have the kind of body that’s worth dying for.”
“Yeah, she does, Cedric. She really does. But, you know, it’s kind of funny the way this whole thing started this morning.”
“What do you mean?” asked Cedric.
“The girl calls me up this morning out of the blue,” Charles explained. “I think that it’s some sort of fluke until she asked me to pick her up at her house and take her to school. Not only that, but on the way to school, she asked me if I would be her date tonight at Dollar Night on the Boardwalk. Does that sound strange or what?”
Cedric thinks for a moment, digesting what Charles had just told him. Then it hit
