"My ma whooped my ass so hard I swear I couldn't sit for week." Antonio laughed.

We all started dying of laughter.

"Damn man, what did you do?" Eric chuckled.

"I snuck out to go to JT's party. I didn't come home til 2 in the morning."

"You lucky as fuck, Ant cause if my mom found out I pulled some shit like that my whole life would've been over." Leo chuckled.

"Y'all bold as fuck" Taylor said while shaking her head.

"Tay-Tay I know you did some shit stop frontin' " Leo said.

"Nah. I'm not like that." Taylor smiled.

"What about you, Amiyah? Any crazy stories?" Evan asked.

"Well... there was a time when I was at my friends house and she had boys over. Her dad was at a friends house that night. Anyways, there was a guy she was talking to and she was getting some action. Her dad walked in the house and saw the house full of people and he was FUMING. Then he saw his daughter get out her room with a random boy and he lost his shit. He threatened to shoot all the boys if they didn't get out the house. They thought he was playing but he shot through the ceiling to prove he wasn't. The neighbors heard the gunshot and called the cops. Everybody rushes to get the fuck out the house. My friend got her car snatched from her. They monitored everything she was doing. Calls, messages, emails— EVERYTHING. She was on house arrest for almost a year."

After I was finished telling the story everybody looked at me shocked.

"Wow!" Garrett sighed

"For real?" Noelle asked.

"Yea. True story"

It was true. That night it was suppose to be a girls night with me and Saraya, but Saraya made the terrible decision to have some guys over that night. I told her she shouldn't, but she didn't listen to me and she ended being a prisoner in her own house.

"Damn Ant. She makes your mama look nice" Leo chuckled.

"For real." Antonio said.

We kept talking for a couple minutes until Ms. Brown showed up.

"Hey class! Before I start, the headmistress wanted to stop by and talk to you guys" Ms.Brown explained.

"Evan what your mom bout to talk to us about?"

"I don't even know to be honest" Evan said confused.

"It could be complete nonsense and I'd still listen. Don't be surprised in a couple of years when you calling me dad" Garrett smiled at Evan.

Noelle and I started chuckling.

"No way in hell. I told you to stop talking about my mom like that" Evan smiled.

"Sorry bro, but your mom... is hot." Garrett put his hands up as if he were surrendering.

Ms. Lexington walked inside the class and everybody was quiet.

"Good Morning to you all" Ms. Lexington greeted the class.

"Morning" the entire classroom said.

"Ms. Lexington did you get a haircut?" Garrett asked.

"Why yes Garrett, I did." Ms. Lexington smiled.

Garrett mouthed dad to Evan and Evan gave him the middle finger.

" I wanted to stop by to talk to guys about a scholarship opportunity."

I sat up straight for this.

"This scholarship will get you a full ride to the college of your choice"

The entire class started chattering.

"Settle down students" Ms. Brown said.

"Anyways, there will be only three recipients of the scholarship. The first person will get a full ride. The second will get $10,000 worth scholarship money. For the third person, only $5,000 scholarship money. More information regarding the scholarship will be sent to you via email. Enjoy the rest of class" Ms. Lexington said as she walked out the room.

"Imma need her to send me that application right quick cause I'm not playin bout my education" Taylor smiled.

"For real. Spelman is my dream school and my parents definitely do not have HBCU money." Noelle chuckled.

"That seems cool and all, but I'm not going to a university. I don't even know what I wanna do after high school. There's no point in me going to a school for 4 years to be clueless and in debt" Garett said.

"You never know. I mean you could get a basketball scholarship. Are you thinking about community college?" I asked.

"I was thinking about doing 2 years of community college and transferring to a university" Garrett said.

"That's cool." Leo chimed in.

"What bout you Ev? You thinking bout the scholarship?" Antonio asked.

"Uh... I mean full ride is nice, who wouldn't want a full ride to their college of their dreams?"

"Ant. Why you asking Evan? His ma got connections. Plus he got mad scouts watching him at every game. My mans don't need that scholarship." Leo chimed in again.

Leo wasn't lying. Of all people why Evan? He has everything. His mom is the headmistress, he plays on the varsity basketball team, he is also in numerous clubs at school. He's gonna get an scholarship at some point while the rest of us have to rely on our grades and test scores rather than connections.

"I mean we still got time to think about college. Why waste right now trying to figure it all out?" Leo said trying to change the subject.

"True" Taylor nodded.

"Facts." Antonio said.

After class was over Taylor and I headed to lunch, Noelle had late lunch. After we got our food we sat next to Leo, JT, Antonio, and Eric.

"Slide yo fat ass to the right I'm coming through" Taylor barked at Leo.

"Damn Tay-Tay, I didn't know you wanted to sit next to me that bad." Leo smirked with ketchup on the side of his lip.

JT started chuckling on the other side of the table. When Taylor caught a glimpse of his smile she started blushing.

"So I was thinking bout 4. That way we have time to catch the movie and hang out and chill. Y'know?" Eric explained.

"Bet." Leo chimed in.

"I like that" Antonio chimed in.

"Ight cool" JT chimed in.

"I'm sorry. What's going on?" Taylor asked.

"Yeah, what is going on?" I repeated.

All of a sudden three girls sit at the table. I remembered all of them. They were the ones who came up to me after class on the first day of school.

"Hey JT, we still on tonight?" One of the girls asked.

"Yeah, Imani we still on"

So this was the Imani girl Taylor kept taking about. I looked over to Taylor paying no attention to Imani or JT.

"Hey, you're Leo's sister aren't you?" The tall girl asked me.

"Yeah. Amiyah" I said.

"Destiny." She smiled.

Destiny is Evan's ex. Why do everybody got to be involved with each other?

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" The other girl asked Eric.

I'm guessing it was Kristal. I remembered what Taylor said about them. She gives me a different vibe than Imani and Destiny.

"Yea sure." Eric nodded and followed Kristal outside the lunch room.

"Oh what time are we meeting up?" Destiny asked.

"Eric said 4." Leo responded dryly.

"I didn't know this was a group thing" Taylor said directly to Leo.

"I mean it wasn't til last minute" Leo said.

"Okay since everybody going its cool if Amiyah and Noelle and I tag along?"

"You acting like I set this shit up, Tay" Leo chuckled.

"Well?" Taylor asked again.

"I'm tryna hang out too." I added.

"It ain't no problem" JT chimed in.

"The more the merrier" Antonio said.

"Oh my gosh I can't wait for tonight. Look forward to seeing you guys there" Destiny beamed.

Taylor and I both gave a fake smile.

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