“Where the hell is Billy?” Rhonda asked, taking a huge gulp of her drink. The liquor caused her eyes to water, but she held it like a true soldier. Rhonda could outdrink all of her girls and a few guys they knew.

“She was supposed to be dropping Jean off downtown and coming right back,” Yoshi said.

“They’re probably somewhere licking each other’s asses,” Reese said scornfully.

“Yo, y’all really think Billy get down like that?” Yoshi asked.

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Rhonda answered. “She sure as hell dresses like a dyke. When is the last time you seen her slide with somebody or heard about a nigga hitting that?”

“I ain’t seen Billy with a dude since Sol, God bless,” Reese said.

“She ain’t been the same since that nigga got killed,” Yoshi recalled.

Sol had been a local knucklehead who they had gone to school with. He fashioned himself a pretty boy and his mind was constantly on his paper. He and Billy had hooked up during high school and had a romance straight out of a music video. They could often be seen hugged up on the block or shooting hoops in the park. One night after Sol had dropped Billy off in the projects, some stick-up kids approached him and demanded his chain. Sol, being a true soldier, refused to part with the showpiece. For his insolence, they put two in his melon and took it anyway. Billy wore black for damn near six months after his murder. She hadn’t been quite the same since.

“These Harlem niggaz ain’t nothing but trouble.” Reese shook her head.

“Speaking of trouble.” Rhonda nodded up the block.

The young man who was heading in their direction had a baby face and a slim build. His hair was nappy and wild, but freshly shaped up around the edges. He had a confident swagger and murderous eyes. Young Jah was the type of kid who your parents warned you never to bring home. He was a good dude to those he was cool with and a headache to those he wasn’t.

“Ladies,” Jah said in a voice that was almost that of a man, but still had a childlike squeak to it. “What’s good?”

“You.” Yoshi looked up at him.

“So I’ve heard.” He smiled. “What y’all doing?”

“Sipping on something light.” Rhonda showed him the bottle.

“What’s popping, Rhonda? How’s my nephew?”

“Bad as hell. Between him and your stupid-ass brother, I can’t even get my mind right.”

“I heard y’all got into it earlier.” Jah placed a Nike on the stoop.

“This nigga be on some bullshit, yo. All I was trying to do was have an adult conversation with him and he starts flipping out.”