That Girl Is Poison by Tia Hines

know.”
    â€œLet me ask you something. If you could live anywhere in this world, then where would it be?”
    â€œAh, I would have to say in L.A. with Tupac.”
    â€œGet out of here.” Greg laughed.
    I laughed too.
    â€œI’m serious, Desire.”
    â€œI don’t know, Greg.”
    â€œWell, next time someone asks you, know the answer—Always have dreams.”
    â€œI’ll keep that in mind.”
    â€œYes, please do. Did you think about calling your father like we discussed?”
    â€œYeah, but I don’t want to.”
    â€œIt may help sort out some of your feelings.”
    â€œI know, but . . . ”
    â€œHey, no sweat. You can’t rush sensitive situations like that. My fault. When you’re ready, just let me know. I’ll be here to lend a hand.”
    â€œThanks.”
    â€œYou’re welcome. Have you written anything lately?”
    â€œI started two poems that I didn’t get to finish. I’ll let you read them tomorrow. I have a finished one you can read now though.”
    I handed him the piece of paper, and he began reading it aloud.
    â€œHeroin. Deliver us from evil, this world is a living hell, the system is so corrupt, drug dealers are settling well. Mothers are killing their babies, thieves are getting three to five, crooked cops get suspended with pay; it’s a deep blue sea of crime. But dirty laundry hits the fan, welfare frauds are beyond, fathers are donating sperm; babies are air born. It is so contagious; this madness here on earth, you can’t depict a lifetime, contraceptives don’t work. Crack cocaine gets you ten, a rapist; I’ll cut you a deal. Murder, if you know Johnnie Cochran you’ll be a’ight, Chill! Just be aware of severe life sentences; state time leads to federal crime, a pregnant girl is having contractions, thirteen on her second child, man we don’t love them hoes, but you sleeping with ya best friend’s girl. Let’s rebuild our cities, instead of jails for our upcoming males. Thugs are turned into playboys, newborns can smell the corrosions. A blind eye can see through glass, a bullet can spell out a name, murder is on another level, can’t you see it’s all a game? Pollution is turned to destruction. HEROIN! HOT DAMN! IT KILLS! He Even Runs Outside Infants Nerves. Addicted to what? HEROIN! Yeah, yeah, it’s ill. Nicotine gets you hooked. Snort, sniff, or smoke can string you out. No prescription is needed for HEROIN, it’s in our lives on different routes.”
    He applauded me. “Damn, girl, this is deep. You got skills.”
    â€œThank you. I have one more too.”
    He started to read another one aloud: “Full of shit, muthafucka,” but then he immediately stopped after a few lines.
    I guess the profanity was a bit too much for him to continue to read aloud. So he read it silently then commended me on a good job once again.
    â€œSee, I told you. You ain’t stupid. You know the game these dudes be out here runnin’. I like this one. Yeah, this is the jump-off right here.”
    â€œYou think so?”
    â€œYeah!”
    â€œIt’s just a bunch of words and sentences to me.”
    â€œNo. What you have written is poetic. This is talent right here.”
    â€œMmmm. I guess.”
    â€œDon’t guess, know. You got potential right here. This is major.” He looked at his watch. “But we’ll talk about this later. My minute is up, and I gotta get going.”
    He got up to leave while taking another peek around the room. I glanced around too and almost broke my neck to cover up the open condom I spotted on my nightstand. I ran to pick it up, but it was too late. Greg’s tunnel vision had spotted it already.
    â€œWhat the hell is that?” He pointed as he moved closer to it.
    â€œWhat is what?” I asked, pretending to have no clue as I stood right next to the evidence.
    He grabbed my arm.