white folks back then felt safe. capote scared 'em. he took hard core crime out the ghetto and dropped it in america's back yard. that's what makes the book special.
that's all of it. capote wasn't first. richard wright and james baldwin did the same thing. wasn't nobody tryin' to read them though.
lots of people like who? you? hello. didn't think so.
playing cards with snookie at one of the picnic tables. he glances up to see sara. glowering at him. he grins.
gotta work.
you already fired my ass, nikki. once and done. over. out. 'bye.
hit me and shut the hell up.
why you sweatin' me, snookie?
what happened to you at lunch, man?
so you're hangin' in, man? feelin' strong about being back?
you gonna stay though. right?
you up for some hoops after school? break your free-throw back in. chump the chumps like we used to.
i got my own problems, snook.
i ain't gonna be doctor nothin' if i don't get in and i'm not in 'til i get my letter.
that's too big.
i wouldn't do that if i were you.
know the difference between ethyl glycol and methyl acetate? both got three elements, two parts the same. it's that first part, c2 versus c3. c3 could blow a vial right out a person's hand.
i misread the component.
feetz ain't no square dance.
let's not.
how'd you think it was gonna be? that you was gonna drop me and pick me up whenever you felt like it?
it ain't anymore, nikki. not to me.
bad choice. 'anything.'
then it should be the best beer. you'd know that if you really drank.
what's that mean? whatever.
not everything. like i don't know why we're standin' still. i'm supposed to be dizzy by now. remember? from all those circles you danced around me.
but you do know how?
 let's do it then. c'mon.
now move your hips. not so fast. sara! just like our hands. 'flashlight! neon light! stop light! everybody got a little light under the sun.'
pummeling his dealer into cowering submission. only then does he look over at malakai who, eyes engorged with rage, is standing over his opponent, kicking and stomping him with no signs of letting up. patrick can see malakai's too far gone for talk. he rushes him from behind, nearly lifts malakai off his feet to swing him away from the dealer's writhing body on the floor.
man, what the hell are you doin'? tryin' to get sent back up?
you couldn't let it slide?
malakai, you fuck up parole, you ain't gonna back to juvee. eighteen and up, that's jessup. hardcore lockdown. you want that?
well, you definitely got the stompin' part down.
for damn sure, man.
chenille. i heard you the first five hundred times.
it's not okay, okay? come on, braveheart.
what?
why you keep lookin' at me?
that's not why. you wanna know somethin'. ask somethin'.
i was mad and he wasn't no kid. but you're from the suburb mars, right? folks don't fight there.
my friend was in trouble.
she likes him. it don't stop her from trippin' off him now and then. but malakai's good people. we go back. way back. you know, like they say, through thick and thin. so, how'd you like feetz?
once you got used to the music.
uh-huh. bet you listen to it all the time.
we gettin' any closer to your crib or should we stop for food and water?
you passed it.
no problem.
is that 'see ya' like gee-whiz, had a great time, can't wait to see you again?
or is it like 'see ya,' i'll bust a cap in your ass if you ever darken my doorstep again?
okay.
you do the shit to yourself, man. the bomb in your shell?
thank you, snookie.
on my way. soon as i get outta here.
throwin' a party?
well, you were fly anyway. last night. dancin', i mean.
nobody's as fly as me.
maybe we could hook up later. after school or somethin'. work on some of your moves. if you want.
by the way, hammer's pretty much played out.
i got it.
actually, i call it a car wash. the work i do, yeah, that's a job.
you hangin' with him now? think that's a good idea, 'kai?
you could try layin' all this shit off for awhile. give yourself a chance on the other side.
you know what i mean. it ain't like you don't have good sense.
i know that, mrs. gwynn.
feel the groove. don't let the music mess with you.
who said i wanna be a doctor?
keep it tight. watch your butt.
pediatrics. i like kids. come on, stay with me. you're slackin'.
no. do you?
wouldn't be the first time.
what was that shit you just did?
you used to dance?
why not?
that's why you brought it up. did that whole relieve thing. 'cause you don't wanna talk about it?
yeah, we can concentrate. but i think it is a big deal. whatever it is you don't wanna talk about.
what y'all doin' to my nephew?
didn't you like it when you 'used' to dance?
let me guess. you don't wanna talk about it.
i stole a bike here once.
'cause i didn't have one.
i used to do wild shit like that.
yep. most of the time.
we're not.
doesn't make me different from him. not the way you think it does.
what you mean by scary? 'kai's tough. he has to be. he still got a good heart. i know.
let me finish. me and him got into some shit awhile back. real bad shit. we held up a gas station off 95. i bailed the ride -- jumped out the car. 'kai kept goin', got caught. i knew what he was gonna do that night. knew the car was hot. i woulda been guilty as him if they had caught me, if malakai had served my name up. but he didn't.
he did his time plus most of mine. i owe him that.
we all mess up. maybe malakai gave up. but he's still m'boy and he still got a chance. i ain't just gonna cross him completely off and be like everybody else.
gangsta' sara. stole a hat. call the f.b.i.
i think i'll wait for you to surrender. were you tight with your mom, sara? i mean, y'all get along and shit?
so she meant something to you. how come you never talk about her?
know why there's nothing to say? because you don't talk about her. you won't talk about her.
why not? if it helps.
and you call malakai scary.
we can celebrate together.
i like it. i love it. thank you.
work with you?
surprise.  sara?
you have to go in. this is where i'm bringing you. the ballet.
but what?
i thought you would like it.
you ain't actin' like you did.
why not? what happened? you just woke up one day and decided to waste your talent.
i saw the look on your face when you did it, sara. the same look i saw tonight. goofy happy. so if you're gonna tell me somethin' about not dancing, at least tell me somethin' real.
it's not your fault it rained or she died. or that you danced. that's what you were there for. your mom would've expected you to do what you did.
you still got whatever you had when your mom was alive, sara. she wouldn't want you to give up.
do you want to do it, sara? i mean you. do you want juilliard?
then it's on you to make the dream come true.
for her. for you.
lemme see that move you did. that cute leg relieve thing. come on, sara.
that's what you call outta shape, what's it take to get you in shape?
this is the perfect spot for that. you can run around and i can sit under the trees and watch you.
that's great!
sara, you puttin' the mojo on yourself.
negative shit. white folks call it karma. the bad kind.
quit whinin' and catch up then.
so i'll help you with it.
yeah. i'll help you. tell me what you need to do and let's get busy.
nobody's watchin' you but me.
unresponsive as she grinds her body into his, raw and wild.
sara?
i'm sorry.
how can a piece of shit tell?
back out my business, boy.
how am i frontin', 'kai? i made time for this bullshit, didn't i?
y'all hangin' tonight or what?
eastside? that's the wrong side.
i ain't messin' with those fools over there. you know how they are.
that ain't protection. it's an excuse for some unnecessary mayhem.
how you know? you ain't tried nothing else. now you sittin' up here strapped for no good reason. you askin' for trouble, malakai. you think this shit's funny?
fuck you, lip. i know what's out there. i also know you can get past it. but that ain't gonna happen, 'kai, long as you keep gettin' in your own way.
what's your favorite flower?
yeah, but if you did.
what's your favorite color?
what's your second favorite color?
you're makin' this real hard, sara. those ain't exactly tuxedo colors.
i was tryin' to get around to askin' you somethin' but since i'm some sorta nut, you probably wouldn't wanna go to prom with me.
chill, man. i'm goin'. you don't have to come off with all 'at.
druid hill? hell yeah.
i got study hall. don't matter anyway. not with those suckers. i'll be back before the bell rings.
pretty bad. can't even play a got-damned game of ball no more.
shit!
i thought you had somethin' to say to me.
somethin' must be on your mind for you to get up in sara's face, start all this drama. what you tryin' to prove, nikki?
what if she is? what's it to you? you didn't see me trippin' off that howard dude and i could have. i coulda tripped hard, nikki.
how you gonna call it different?
you don't even know what you're talkin' about, nikki.
i thought i was goin' someplace good with you. you the one called me off. but you ain't tryin' to remember that. now you mad. why? because she's white and i like her? i'm with her.
it ain't got no business settin' you off! me and her ain't got nothin' to do with you and what you think. so keep your hands off her and that shit to yourself.
how many times you gonna ask me that?
even if i did ride, you ain't got nobody but lip and lip will get a nigger's ass killed. quick.
that shit ain't funny.
have you lost your motherfuckin' mind, man? huh? have you!
'cause you wrong, malakai!
you messed up.
no. you gonna get it right now so you can do it perfect next time.
like what?
what's wrong, sara?
what things? the audition? you ain't got nothin' to worry about. i told you. i'll be there.
i didn't know there was a 'them.'
they only got a point if you believe they got a point, sara.
that's a fuckin' 'nough.
because i like to think for myself, run my own life, and i thought you did too.
first of all, malakai ain't never fucked me over. second of all, you don't know him, sara, what he been through. matter of fact, you don't know shit about none of it. so don't come off to me like you do.
who the fuck are you to say he's lost? malakai had my back when you were busy gee-whizzin' in the woods with your backward-ass, redneck friends.
you know what? the hell with you.
thought you might need this on saturday. i ain't gonna be able to make it.
they just got bad news, man. they don't need to hear it again. arvel's fightin'. he's gonna pull through. thing is, when he does, they don't think.  he ain't.  shit. arvel ain't gonna walk again.
malakai.  .  when it's on, i'll be there.
i don't care what you said, chenille.
it's besides the point. whatever point it is you tryin' to make.
i gotta go.
he's not a fool, chenille.
i still gotta go. check you later.
pull over. this ain't helpin' nobody, 'kai. i'm out. i mean it. stop the car.
what you gonna do, 'kai? you gonna shoot me? go ahead! you'll have to!
yes, sir. she's ready.
you can do it. ain't nobody watchin' you but me.
all due respect, if ya'll don't let this girl in, you're crazy!
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