A Girl Like Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

them. For a moment it looked as if her hands were having a seizure. “East side!”
    Neecy pushed Naja’s room door open, “Come on, Mom-Mom.”
    â€œMy name is Delicious, and I’m a retired stripper.”
    â€œCome on, Delicious,” Neecy said, shaking her head.
    Immediately, Mom-Mom dropped down and started getting her eagle on. “Where is a pole when you need one?”
    â€œYou’re embarrassing Naja,” Neecy said as she grabbed Mom-Mom’s hand and ushered her out of the room.
    â€œNaja,” I whispered as Neecy closed the door behind them. “Has your grandmother always been like that?”
    â€œLike what?”
    â€œYou know, senile.”
    â€œOh, she’s not senile, she’s from North Carolina. She crazy as hell, but she’s not senile.”
    Why did I bother? “Can I use your phone?”
    â€œYeah,” Naja said as she proceeded to get dressed. I dialed my house and Sydney answered. Mica was screaming in the background. “Syd, what is wrong with him?”
    â€œAniyah did it. He asked her was there was really a Santa Claus and she told him no, Santa got capped last year. And the next thing I know, he’s all tangled up in that Superman sheet he wears, having a nervous breakdown.”
    â€œLet me speak to him.”
    â€œMica!” she yelled. “Elite on the phone.”
    â€œSi-si-sistah,” he sniffled as he spoke into the phone. “Santa—Santa—Santa…”
    â€œMica, it’s October. Why are you worried about Santa?”
    â€œOh God—oh God—he got shot.”
    â€œHe did not!” I said sternly. “Now you stop crying and get yourself together. You’re a big boy.”
    â€œYeah, Mica,” Aniyah said in the background. “Santa didn’t get shot. He’s in a halfway house.”
    â€œAniyah! Put Aniyah on this phone!”
    â€œYeah?” she said, getting on the line.
    â€œYou better stop! Now look, Ny’eem should be home any minute. I’ma be home late.”
    â€œOkay. Should we put the extra lock on the door to keep Mommy and Gary out until you come back?”
    I looked at the calendar before I answered the question. First of the month. “Mommy won’t be home for a minute, so you’ll be alright. Just remember what I said, and stop teasing Mica.”
    â€œAll right,” she snickered. “I will.”
    Once I hung up, I proceeded to get dressed in my fitted bebe jeans, champagne colored halter, open toe stilettos, and instead of flat-ironing my hair, I let it drape over my shoulders in an abundance of ocean waves. I was too fly for words. And I decided to heck with the disguise. Jahaad will just have to live with me going to the concert and gettin’ my groove on!
    Naja placed her hands on her hips. She rocked a pair of fitted Juicy jeans with a matching rhinestone hoodie, and heels. We pranced out of her room and stopped in the living room.
    â€œDaddy,” she said, “How do we look?”
    â€œYup-Yup.”
    â€œThat means,” her mother chimed in, “that you real fly.”
    â€œAnd you know this,” Naja smiled. “Okay Ma, we’re going to the concert.”
    â€œYou need a ride?” We both looked at her mother in her too small purple spandex leggings, white tube top, and platforms. “Nah, we’re good,” Naja and I said at practically the same time.
    â€œOkay, but if you need a ride, hollah.”
    â€œBye, Ma!”
    â€œBye, y’all.”
    â€œBye, Daddy!”
    â€œYou gots to chill,” he smiled.
    â€œBye, Mom-Mom—”
    Mom-Mom screamed, “It’s Delicious!”

SPIN IT…
    Track 5
    â€œO h…hell…to da nawl!” Naja yelled as we sat in the front row at Continental Arena, feeling like hip-hop princesses and looking twice as fly. “Is that,” she continued, “Lil Wayne hugged up on Trina?”