Crazy Love by Amir Abrams Page B

through an article on 50 Cent in Vibe . I’m not really checking for him like that so I don’t give his interview much attention, and all of the words start running together. Borrring! I toss the magazine over onto the floor, reaching for my cell over on the other side of my bed. I scroll through my history until I find the number I’m looking for, then call.
    â€œHey, baby,” Sincere says the minute he answers. I smile, touching the chain he bought me. Hearing his voice makes me all tingly inside.
    â€œHow you?” he asks.
    â€œI’m good. What you up to?”
    â€œChillin-chillin’. Thinking about you.”
    Mmmhmm, you better be! “Awww, that’s so sweet.” I reach over and click off my lamp, propping two pillows up against my headboard, then lean back.
    â€œYou’re sweet,” he says in almost a whisper. “You wanna go to a movie tomorrow night?”
    I sigh. “I can’t. I’m back on punishment.”
    â€œWhat?” he asks in disbelief. “You just got off. What happened now?”
    â€œShe’s pissed that my dad bought me a BMW instead of some used Nissan. She stays pissed about something.”
    â€œDamn. I was hoping to take you to the movies tomorrow night, then get something to eat.”
    â€œWell, maybe this weekend we can do something.” Usually if I’m on punishment and the Witch isn’t around, Daddy will let me go out for a few hours on the weekends that I am staying at his house, so hopefully this weekend she’ll be too busy flying around on her broomstick to bother coming over.
    â€œYeah, true. I wanna see you.”
    I smile, glancing over at the digital clock on my nightstand. It’s almost ten o’clock. “I wanna see you, too,” I say, sighing. “Maybe tomorrow we can meet after school for a bit before I have to go to dance.”
    â€œYeah, that’s cool, too. But I really wanted to see you tonight, too.”
    â€œ Tonight ?” I ask, jumping out of my bed, racing into my bathroom. I flick on the light switch and stare at my reflection in the mirror. My hair is all over my head. I have on a pair of raggedy Hampton University sweats and a ripped, bleach-spotted T-shirt with DIVAS RULE written on the front that should probably be dumped in the trash. OMG, I look a hot mess!
    â€œYeah, tonight. I’ve been thinking about you all day, baby.”
    I grin. Erika’s voice pops in my head. Mmmph. The key to getting a guy to fall for you is to get all up in his head. Once you have him constantly thinking about you, you’ll have him sweating you twenty-four-seven, wanting to be with you and only you.
    â€œOh yeah? And whatchu been thinking about?”
    â€œTasting them pretty lips.”
    Whew, and I wanna taste yours, too.
    â€œBut I don’t want you to get in any more trouble, so I’ll wait until—”
    â€œ Not ,” I say, cutting him off. “Wrong answer. I’m grown.”
    He laughs. “Yeah, okay. And your grown butt’s back on lockdown.”
    â€œWhatever. What time you tryna come through?”
    â€œYou sure? I don’t want your mom to flip.”
    â€œOh, puhleeeze. Let me worry about that. Now answer the question.”
    â€œWhat question?”
    I sigh. “Don’t play stupid, boy. What time you coming?”
    â€œLike right now.”
    â€œOkay,” I say, racing around my room tryna find something cute to wear. “But I can’t be out too long.”
    He laughs. “Yeah, I know. ’Cause you on punishment, but you grown.” He keeps laughing.
    I suck my teeth. “Whatever. Laugh all you want.”
    â€œNah, my bad, baby. You make me laugh, that’s all. I’ma see you in like twenty minutes, a’ight?”
    â€œOkay. But don’t park in the driveway. Park up in front of the bushes so the Wicked Witch can’t see your truck.”
    He starts laughing