Get What You Give by Stephanie Perry Moore Page B

whatever it was we agreed to and get to bed. It had been a long day, from going through the ceremony to talking later with my mom, sister, and all their alumni friends. Bonding was the most important thing. Of my new sisters, there was the sassy one, the overly outgoing one, the quiet one, a country one, and myself—we were interestingly different, and it was gonna take a lot more nights to know each other better. Tonight was not the night for me though. I was on a mission.
    I actually walked across the street beside Teddi. This guy was frightening, and I didn’t wanna leave my sisters alone with him for another second. I wasn’t sure what made him so scary. Maybe it was his gold teeth or his heavy chains or maybe his chiseled but thuglike stature. I had a gut feeling that he was local and was trying to be harder than he appeared.
    â€œEvan, you better get your friends. I’m not talking to them!” her boyfriend slurred out either high, drunk, or both.
    Evan came over to us and said, “Okay, I just need to talk to him and calm him down. Can y’all please go in and get what we need? Please!”
    â€œYou don’t need to leave with that guy. He’s obviously been drinking and very upset,” I said, basically beseeching her to come in with us.
    â€œG-Dogg? No, he’s cool. He’s a little overprotective. Let me square things away, and I’ll be right in,” Evan said, telling us what we wanted to hear.
    Quisa said, “Come on, Hailey. Give her some time with her man. She said she’ll be in.”
    Against my better judgment, the four of us left her outside with that hostile nut. She was hugging him. He looked like a broken-down, old-fashioned, good-for-nothing gangster.
    As soon as we stepped inside, Teddi said, “I don’t see how we get caught up with these guys, thinking they’re our only way out. He ain’t got nothing going on for himself. Why is Evan with him?”
    â€œLet’s just hurry and get what we need,” I told her, really wanting to make certain Evan was cool.
    A part of me wanted to stand guard and keep a close eye on Evan. As long as I could I watched her from the door, but when I turned my head for a second and then looked back, she was gone.
    His car was there, but they were nowhere in sight. What was up with that? Quickly, I went to get everyone else. Teddi, Millie, and Quisa felt my nervousness. We were only in the store for seven minutes—a record for four young women, I’m sure. We bought white sweat suits, jeans that were alike, and some black shirts.
    Stepping back outside, the four of us were devastatingly stunned as G-Dogg brought a left hook down on the right side of Evan’s horrified face.
    I started second-guessing myself. When I couldn’t see them before, were they hidden behind his car so he could rough her up? Had I dashed away when I should have fled to her side? Was it my fault everything was not right with my new friend?
    â€œOh, no, he didn’t!” Teddi said as she took off and tried to fight the guy herself.
    â€œSomeone call the cops!” I shouted. “Justice needs to be served on this fool.”
    Millie said, with tears, “Got you. I’m calling nine-one-one now. You’re right, Hailey, he can’t beat her up like this!”
    â€œNo, no, you guys, the cops are criminals. Don’t call them. Please, I can handle him,” Evan pleaded as Millie dialed her phone anyway.
    Why did we leave her alone? I wondered. I felt so bad. Not caring if it was wrong or dangerous to try to jump into the domestic disturbance, I joined my roommate in her quest to get Evan away from the jerk. It took Teddi and me giving all our effort to get him off her.
    Evan was speaking, but she wasn’t agreeing with us helping her. She was screaming at us for interfering in her business! If we hadn’t helped her, she would’ve ended up in the hospital. Quisa grabbed the