Tyrell Read Online Free PDF Page A

I’m bothering her or something? Her attitude make me sick sometimes. “I want my clothes, what you think?”
    â€œYou shoulda thought of that ‘fore you walked your ass outta here.”
    â€œI want my shit,” I say, and kick the door three more times. Hard.
    I hear Troy say, “Mommy, let him in.”
    â€œGo back to sleep,” my moms tell him. “I ain’t got time to deal with his nonsense.”
    I punch the door a few times, then go back to kicking it. I’m mad as I can get. Who the fuck do she think she is? Fuck her. She probably in there all happy ‘cause she got me mad.
    I walk away from the door ‘cause I don’t want her thinking she in control when she not. I don’t need them clothes anyway. Shit. She want them so bad, she can keep them for all I care.
    I get to Novisha apartment looking and probably smelling as homeless as I am. I’m wearing the same clothes I was wearing yesterday and the same clothes I slept in. I couldn’t even take a shower or brush my teeth ‘cause I ain’t wanna go back to Jasmine room and hafta deal with what happened last night. I don’t know how I’m s’posed to go to some awards ceremony like this.
    Ms. Jenkins open the door and when she see me I can tell she feel sorry for me, like I’m one of them hungry kids they put on them TV commercials late at night. Novisha come outta her room wearing this short blue nightshirt. If I wasn’t so funky I would give her a hug, but I don’t even wanna get close right now.
    She don’t mind though. She wrap her arms ‘round me and give me a little squeeze. This the kinda hug she give when her moms is ‘round. The good girl hug. “I’m so happy you made it, Ty.” She smell so sweet, like that peach bath stuff she like so much.
    Ms. Jenkins don’t let me say a word though. “Go put some clothes on,” she tell Novisha. “You know it’s not right to run around like that in front of Tyrell.”
    Novisha roll her eyes. “I told you, Mom. Tyrell respects me.” She smile up at me.
    â€œHe’s still a boy and you’re still a girl. Respect’s not gonna change that.”
    Novisha turn ‘round to go back to her room and I try not to look at the back of her legs. “You don’t gotta worry, Ms. Jenkins,” I say. “You got a good girl there.”
    â€œI know she’s a good girl. I just hope you’re being a good boy ‘cause I trust you. Don’t make me regret that.”
    Since I’m so early, Ms. Jenkins let me take a shower, and she send Novisha downstairs to the Rite Aid to buy me a toothbrush, some new underwear, and socks. I feel kinda bad making her spend money on me, but I really do need them things since my moms ain’t let me get my clothes from the room.
    â€œTyrell,” Ms. Jenkins call through the bathroom door when I’m just ‘bout to get in the shower. “I found a shirt my husband left here a while back. You have to wear your own jeans though.” Ms. Jenkins always call Novisha pops her husband even though they been divorced for almost two years. The man ain’t pay no child support or nothing for almost a year ‘til Ms. Jenkins finally dragged his ass to court. But she don’t hold that against him. It’s like she forgot how bad he treated her.
    I open the door a crack and she hand me the shirt. “Thanks,” I say again. The shirt ain’t too bad neither. Just plain blue with white buttons.
    â€œAnd don’t forget to wash that hair. There’s some shampoo in the cabinet below the sink.”
    God, a brotha miss one shower and all of a sudden she actin’ like I’m the funkiest nigga alive.
    By the time I’m finished taking a shower, Novisha back. She hand me the Rite Aid bag through the door and, ‘cause her moms is watching, she cover her eyes so she can’t see me naked. Like she