Fire from the Rock by Sharon Draper

can I lose something I don’t even have?” Sylvia said helplessly. “Besides, I think he likes Candy Castle.”
    Lou Ann laughed so hard that little streams of milk came out of her nose. “Don’t you know that all the boys like Candy? She’s hot chocolate, Sylvia. Melted, sweet, soft, and delicious. That’s why you have to let him know you like him. Boys go for quality, too—sometimes.” Reggie walked across the cafeteria, carrying a tray and heading for a table where Calvin Cobbs and a couple of other boys sat. “Hey, Reggie!” Lou Ann called as loud as she could. “Come sit with us.”
    Sylvia felt herself shrivel as he grinned, changed direction, and headed their way. He wore a blue argyle sweater, blue chino slacks, and those raggedy blue Keds. The rubber of the left shoe flapped a little as he walked. “How could you do that?” she whispered to Lou Ann.
    â€œAw, quit acting like your little sister. Talk to the boy like you got some sense!” Lou Ann admonished.
    â€œHow do you get so many boys to notice you?” Sylvia asked Lou Ann shyly as she glanced with wonderment at Reggie’s approach.
    â€œI relax, Sylvia, like you need to do. Boys don’t like tense girls. They dig someone who can make them feel good. You’re too uptight.”
    Sylvia had no idea how to relax like Lou Ann suggested. She wondered if Reggie thought she was boring. There was just so much she couldn’t figure out.
    â€œHow’s it goin’?” Reggie asked, chewing that Juicy Fruit gum as he grinned. He sat down then, his long legs bumping Sylvia’s under the table as he got situated. She gasped slightly and her heart thudded, but he didn’t seem to be nervous at all.
    â€œI’m fine, Reggie,” Sylvia replied as smoothly as she could. “How’s your brother doing on the Mann basketball team this year?”
    â€œGreg thinks he’s a superstar,” Reggie said between mouthfuls of meat loaf. “Says he wants to play for the Harlem Globetrotters one day.” Then, looking more serious, he said, “Speaking of brothers, I heard about Gary. How is he doing? Tell him if he ever needs help dealing with the white boys, I got his back!”
    Why are boys so ready to fight all the time? Sylvia thought as she stirred her corn pudding. “He’ll be okay—on the outside, at least.” Sylvia frowned. “I think Gary is simply gonna crash and burn one day. Might get messy.”
    Reggie smiled. “He’ll heal up. Then he’ll be ready to fight again—stronger and tougher. But speaking of basketball,” he said smoothly, “there’s a game at Mann next week. Would you like to go with me?”
    Sylvia almost choked on her cookies. She couldn’t believe he was asking her on a date! She sat there for a moment, staring stupidly and saying nothing. Then she felt Lou Ann kick her leg.
    â€œUh, I’d have to ask my mother, but as long as she thinks there will be at least a million other people there, she might let me go.”
    â€œCool!” he said. “Tell you what—to avoid the parent trap, why don’t I just meet you there? Your folks can drop you off and pick you up, and neither one of us has to go through all those questions that parents think they have to ask.”
    â€œYou sound like you’ve done this before!” Sylvia said, aware she was laughing too loudly.
    Reggie, faking the deep bass voice of her father, said, “Now, tell me, son, what are your intentions concerning my darling daughter? And will you ever buy new shoes?”
    Sylvia, Lou Ann, and Reggie, laughing hysterically, initially did not see Miss Washington approach. Sylvia looked up in surprise. Miss Washington, unsmiling and determined-looking, strode toward their table. Her sturdy shoes echoed on the linoleum floor. “I need to speak with you, Miss Patterson,” she said