“Want me to come along?”

“Yeah,” I say, but I don’t know why. Something didn’t sit right with me, one of them bad feelings, like the weight of eyes on me. “Discreet, though. Watch my back.”

We head toward the far side of the blacktop. A fence topped with barbwire lines that edge of the school’s property line. A stand of trees grows on the other side, their branches shadowing that corner. The twins hold court in the shade like it is their own private tree fort. Most days, I never give a second thought to either Tafrica or Wisdom. I call myself “not wanting to be distracted by no females.”

“What’s good, Thelonius?” Tafrica says.

“You look ill, T.” Wisdom adjusts her glasses. I notice her braces for the first time. She’s the only person I’ve met who can pull off pigtails, braided or otherwise. “Like something a cat threw up.”

“I must be coming down with something,” I say.

“What’s your friend doing? He acting all suspicious over there, trying not to be noticed,” Tafrica says.

Nehemiah lingers by the edge of the building, between the spontaneous game of soccer and our conversation.

“He good,” I say.

“What’cha need, then?” Tafrica says.

“I just want to know a little bit about Kutter.”

Both Tafrica and Wisdom check around for prying ears before both grab me and yank me close.

“What are you asking about him for?” Tafrica whispers through clenched teeth.

“What? I just want to know how he connected with Marcel.”

“Who said they’re connected?” Wisdom asks. She doesn’t quite huddle with me and Tafrica but keeps her head up in a constant scan of who might wander too near.

“You’re kidding, right? Everyone knows he works for her.”

“But no one asks.”

“I heard he’s homeless,” Wisdom says.

“Homeless?” I ask.

“Couch surfing with relatives. No one wants to take him in for too long. Did a stint in one of those juvenile boot camp type places. The Change Academy, I think.”

I have a theory that everyone loves to stick the word “academy” in a school’s name to make it sound more prestigious. Though I suppose if you call schools what they were, “Whoop That Trick” Academy doesn’t have the same ring as the Change Academy.

“Only a rumor.” Tafrica’s head snaps in Wisdom’s direction. “We don’t do rumors. Especially about them. That’s dangerous. If Kutter broke from Nyla and if he went to work for Marcel, it means there’s trouble among the Queens. We too close to them and we ain’t trying to get caught up in that mess.”

“Becoming collateral damage isn’t good for my look.” Wisdom nods.

“He straight hood, that’s all you need to know.”

“Okay, I got it.” I lift my hands and back up. That’s when I feel it. The weight of eyes tracking me. Doing a quick scan myself, I have no idea from where.

“Word of advice, T,” Wisdom offers. “Be careful who you ask about.”

“Or to who,” Tafrica continues. “You never know who’s listening or who they loyal to.”