That Girl Is Poison by Tia Hines Page B

mind. Who the hell do you think you’re talking to like that? You better come correct!”
    Then it happened. Greg’s cell phone rang. Oh shit! That’s it. I’m caught! The phone rang for a split second. I knew she’d heard it. I thought my life was over.
    My aunt looked around like, What was that noise? She walked toward me while I was standing in front of the closet.
    I told myself, “Whatever you do, don’t let her in that closet.”
    â€œDon’t come near me!”
    â€œWho do you think you’re talking to?”
    â€œI’m talking to you, that’s who! You!”
    I was stepping way over my boundaries. My aunt could have knocked me silly at any given moment, with her Mike Tyson power and her Nell Carter build. That’s right. Mrs. Linda Jones was no scrawny woman.
    She came at me full force, charging with her fist. I tried to run but like a Flintstone, but my feet didn’t pick up fast enough. She grabbed my shirt from behind, twisted the collar, and got me in a choke hold. I thought I was about to die. I don’t think my blood was circulating at all. I struggled to get her off of me, but it was no use. I was about to be ’sleep, as tight as she was squeezing my neck.
    And Greg, poor Greg, I always had him caught up in something. He couldn’t resist helping. He had to do something. She was damned near about to kill me. I guess my silent struggle gave it away.
    He rushed out of the closet and tried to muscle my aunt off of me. She let me go, turned and punched him in the face. Greg took the punch like a man and backed out of the way.
    I jetted out of the room, almost tripping down the stairs. I didn’t know my aunt could run that fast. She caught up to me as soon as I took the leap from the second-to-last stair. Then you know what happened next. I lost my balance as I came down from the jump, and Splat! My face made friends with the floor.
    This gave my aunt the opportunity to get at me. She scooped me up, locked a hold of both my arms, and shook the shit out of me.
    Greg must have thought I was going to break in two because he came out of nowhere and tackled my aunt to the floor. Now that was a Kodak moment. He should have gotten an award for tackle of the year for that move. Boy, was that a funny sight.
    Greg, of course, was not too happy about what he did. You could tell from his facial expression that he didn’t mean to do it. “Oh my. Ma’am, ma’am, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to I’m so sorry.” He tried to help her up, but she resisted. And even though he insisted, she kept shunting him aside.
    Then, before you knew it, Auntie Linda had grabbed the closest object near her—the broom. Greg moved out of the way as she swung at his legs, going for the kill.
    I told him to run out the back door. He took my advice and made a dash for it. I was going with him. I didn’t care. I wanted out too. He unlocked the door in a hurry and let himself out, and I followed behind him.
    â€œDesire, where are you going?”
    â€œWith you. I wanna go with you.”
    â€œYou can’t. You know you can’t go with me.”
    â€œI don’t wanna stay here. Please, just let me come with you.”
    Then, out of nowhere, my aunt snatched me up and threw me on the ground. Greg stared, hurt displayed all over his face.
    â€œOuch!” I cried.
    â€œPlease, Miss, can you just let her up? I’m sorry for what I did.”
    â€œGet off my property! And don’t tell me what to do with this here floozy.”
    Greg started walking away.
    â€œGet off of me! I wanna go with Greg. Let me go with Greg. Greg, help me! Get her off of me!”
    As the side of my face lay in the grass, I saw for the first time tears come to Greg’s eyes.
    â€œDesire, I—I can’t. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
    â€œGet your sorry ass off my property before I call the police!”
    â€œDesire, I gotta