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“If you brag again, woman, I’ll send you over to the other side and leave you there.”
    â€œAllan Page is over there.”
    â€œHe doesn’t have my record, remember. Ha, ha, ha!”
    â€œHe doesn’t have your anything, Marv.” She squeezed his hand and settled down to see the outcome of the second half of the game.
    It was touch and go! Marlborough scored, but missed the extra point. Marlborough’s fans, nevertheless, came alive. The score was now fourteen to twelve, Manning still ahead. Then Manning trapped Marlborough behind Marlborough’s goal line, giving Manning two more points. Marlborough could not get going, and for the second time was trapped for a safety. Marvin was demoralized. Manning won the game eighteen to twelve.
    The stadium exploded with Manning’s fans clapping, stamping and chanting:
    CLAP YOUR HANDS . STAMP YOUR FEET .
    MANNING ’ S TIGERS CAN ’ T BE BEAT !
    ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST .
    ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST !
    As the crowd moved outside the stadium, Brenda and her group snaked through, chanting:
    WATCH OUT , WE ’ RE HERE .
    EVERYBODY , STAND CLEAR .
    WE ’ RE AT THE PEAK
    OF OUR WINNING STREAK .
    SO , HEY , EVERYBODY , STAND CLEAR !
    When Brenda saw Emma, she shouted, “Hey, look at our saddity friend licking Marlborough’s wounds.”
    â€œAw, leave her ’lone,” Liz said.
    â€œYeah, she think she too good for Manning. Traitor,” another said.
    â€œThe way we done kicked Marlborough’s ass t’day,” Brenda said, “that chick’s gotta’ be all they say she is: a washed-out Marlborough Oreo.”
    â€œ O-oo-o , dog ’er, Brenda,” the crowd shouted.
    The word Oreo exploded in Emma’s mind and the jeers of the crowd flamed her anger. She moved toward Brenda, tightfisted, ready to fight.
    â€œEmma, what’s all this?”
    Emma turned and saw her mother. “Come on here, get in the car,” her mother said.
    â€œWait for me, Marvin.” Emma followed her mother. “Mama, that’s just some silly girls. I’m with Marvin. We’re going over to Marlborough; he’ll bring me home later.”
    â€œYou’re getting in this car and going home, Emma.”
    â€œBut, why? Why can’t I go with Marvin?”
    â€œI don’t want you out here with all these crazy people.”
    â€œI’m not with crazy people.”
    â€œI saw you, acting like you were brought up in the streets.”
    â€œMama! What are you talking about?”
    â€œGet in that car.”
    â€œMama, please. Let me go.”
    â€œEmma, you’re going home. Go tell Marvin he can come with us now or he can come by for you later.”
    â€œI can’t tell him that, Mama.”
    â€œThen I’ll tell him.”
    â€œNo! Please.”
    â€œEither you do it, or I’ll do it.”
    Emma fought back the tears as she went over to Marvin. “I can’t go.”
    â€œWhat? Why not?”
    â€œMama says no.”
    â€œWhat about you? What do you say?”
    â€œOh, Marv, I want to. I can later if you come by.”
    â€œListen, woman, I came over here to be with you and for us to spend this day together. Now, you make up your mind. I can’t come later. Things are happening now. ”
    â€œOh, Marvin … I don’t know what to do.”
    â€œI can’t tell you.”
    Emma lowered her head and bit her lips, trying to fight back the tears.
    â€œOK, baby.” Marvin kissed her on her lowered forehead and walked away to join his friends.
    All that had been close and warm was suddenly withdrawn, and she wanted to run after him, away from her mama who shriveled her, treated her like a little child without any will, without feelings. But she just stood there and shivered.
    On the way home she sat in the backseat, hanging on, trying to put it out of her mind. She knew if she said one word she would explode. She must not