Read Lady J Online

Authors: L. Divine

Lady J (17 page)

“Yeah, dude. And that's game,” Del says, rubbing salt into their wounds. “Take it like a man.”
“I would if you played like one,” Nigel says, throwing his own shit in the mix. “Y'all play worse than the Lakers when Shaq and Kobe were competing for best bitch of the league.”
“Who you calling a bitch?” KJ says, stepping out of Jeremy's face and into Nigel's. Even if Nigel stands a few inches shorter, KJ doesn't want to mess with him. Nigel was recruited to sack players for South Bay, and he'd be glad to do it right here on the basketball court, if need be.
“Is everything all right over here?” Mr. Adewale asks, catching us all off guard. Me and my girls are mesmerized by the scene, waiting to see who will throw the first blow. And Chance, Nigel, and Jeremy all look ready for the fight.
“Yeah man, everything's cool,” Nigel says, being the first to back down. “This game isn't over.”
“Anytime, any place, baby. You call it and I'll be there,” KJ says as he and his team retreat toward the locker room. “It's going to be my court no matter where we play.”
“We'll see about that,” Nigel says, passing the ball to Mr. Adewale as he comes over to give Mickey a kiss before heading back to the weight room. I hope he works off some of that frustration before he hurts someone.
“Jayd, you want a ride? From the looks of it, it's about to storm,” Mickey says, suddenly in a generous mood. There must be some magic in Nigel's lips because my girl's mood has completely changed.
“Yeah, thanks. Chance, are you okay?” I say, noticing the black scuff marks across his new kicks—and I know how sensitive dudes can be about their shoes.
“Yeah, I'm cool. Jeremy, you should've kicked his ass when you had the chance, man.”
“That's not the way to handle it, trust me,” Mr. Adewale says, dribbling the ball and shooting some practice hoops. I see he's got game, too. “But you should have a ref around next time, just in case.”
“You're right, man. Next time,” Jeremy says, responding to Mr. Adewale but looking at me. I think we should hit the road before I get into some trouble of my own.
“I have to get going,” I say, signaling my girls to get up. “Good game. I'm impressed with both of you.”
“Why thank you, Lady J,” Jeremy says as Chance takes Nellie by the hand, escorting her down the bleachers. “You ladies want to grab something to eat?”
“Oh, I can't. I've got a ton of work to do.” I wish I could hang out after school more, like other students do, but Mama would have my ass in a sling if I didn't stick to my regular schedule. “But how about tomorrow? It's an early day.”
“Tomorrow it is,” Jeremy says, helping me down too. I forgot how much of a gentleman he can be.
“And thanks for being our cheerleaders,” Chance says, kissing Nellie's hand as Mickey leads the way out of the gym. I think she's had enough of us and our white boys for one day.
“Mickey, do you have my sweater in the car?” Nellie says, getting in the back since I'll be dropped off first.
“No. I left it at home. I'll get it to you tomorrow,” Mickey says, starting the car as Keisha Cole and Missy Elliot blare out of her speakers, making the trunk shake.
“No, Mickey. I need it now. I have my outfit picked out for tomorrow and it includes my red Bebe sweater. You'll have to take me to your house to get it.”
“Ah, hell no. I've got to get home,” I say, emphatic about not going to the other side of Compton today. I'm not in the mood for seeing Mickey's family, her man included. “Besides, that's out of her way to go all the way to her house and then back to mine.”
“Not if she takes the 105. And besides, you were supposed to give me that sweater back weeks ago. I'm not getting out of this car until I have it in my hand.” Nellie can be more demanding than Mickey sometimes. It's a wonder they're friends at all.
“Fine. I'll give you your damned sweater,” Mickey says, barely catching the on-ramp to the 105 East from the 110. I don't feel good about this detour in my day at all. I knew I should've taken the bus home, even if it meant getting a little wet. It's better than dealing with Mickey's side of town any day.
START YOUR OWN BOOK CLUB
Courtesy of the
DRAMA HIGH
series
 
 
 
 
 
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
 
The following is intended to help you get
the Book Club you've always wanted
up and running!
Enjoy!
Start Your Own Book Club
A Book Club is not only a great way to make friends, but it is also a fun and safe environment for you to express your views and opinions on everything from fashion to teen pregnancy. A Teen Book Club can also become a forum or venue to air grievances and plan remedies for problems.
The People
To start, all you need is yourself and at least one other person. There's no criteria for who this person or persons should be other than them having a desire to read and a commitment to discuss things during a certain time frame.
The Rules
Just as in Jayd's life, sometimes even Book Club discussions can be filled with much drama. People tend to disagree with each other, cut each other off when speaking, and take criticism personally. So, there should be some ground rules:
1.
Do not attack people for their ideas or opinions.
2.
When you disagree with a book club member on a point, disagree respectfully. This means that you do not denigrate other people for their ideas or even their ideas themselves, i.e., no name calling or saying, “That's stupid!” Instead, say, “I can respect your position, however, I feel differently.”
3.
Back up your opinions with concrete evidence, either from the book in question or life in general.
4.
Allow every one a turn to comment.
5.
Do not cut a member off when the person is speaking. Respectfully wait your turn.
6.
Critique only the idea (and do so responsibly; saying “That's stupid!” is not allowed). Do not criticize the person.
7.
Every member must agree to and abide by the ground rules.
Feel free to add any other ground rules you think might be necessary.
The Meeting Place
Once you've decided on members, and agreed to the ground rules, you should decide on a place to meet. This could be the local library, the school library, your favorite restaurant, a bookstore, or a member's home. Remember, though, if you decide to hold your sessions at a member's home, the location should rotate to another member's home for the next session. It's also polite for guests to bring treats when attending a Book Club meeting at a member's home. If you choose to hold your meetings in a public place, always remember to ask the permission of the librarian or store manager. If you decide to hold your meetings in a local bookstore, ask the manager to post a flyer in the window announcing the Book Club to attract more members if you so desire.
Timing is Everything
Teenagers of today are all much busier than teenagers of the past. You're probably thinking, “Between chorus rehearsals, the Drama Club, and oh yeah, my job, when will I ever have time to read another book that doesn't feature Romeo and Juliet!” Well, there's always time, if it's time well-planned and time planned ahead. You and your Book Club can decide to meet as often or as little as is appropriate for your bustling schedules.
Once a month
is a favorite option.
Sleepover Book Club
meetings—if you're open to excluding one gender—is also a favorite option. And in this day of high-tech, savvy teens,
Internet Discussion Groups
are also an appealing option. Just choose what's right for you!
Well, you've got the people, the ground rules, the place, and the time. All you need now is a book!
The Book
Choosing a book is the most fun. LADY J is of course an excellent choice, and since it's a series, you won't soon run out of books to read and discuss. Your Book Club can also have comparative discussions as you compare the first book, THE FIGHT, to the second, SECOND CHANCE, and so on.
 
But depending upon your reading appetite, you may want to veer outside of the Drama High series. That's okay. There are plenty of options, many of which you will be able to find under the Dafina Books for Young Readers Program in the coming months.
 
But don't be afraid to mix it up. Nonfiction is just as good as fiction and a fun way to learn about from where we came without just using a history text book. Science fiction and fantasy can be fun, too!
 
And always, always research the author. You might find the author has a website where you can post your Book Club's questions or comments. The author may even have an e-mail address available so you can correspond directly. Authors might also sit in on your Book Club meetings, either in person, or on the phone, and this can be a fun way to discuss the book as well!
The Discussion
Every good Book Club discussion starts with questions. LADY J, as does every book in the Drama High series, comes with a Reading Group Guide for your convenience, though of course, it's fine to make up your own. Here are some sample questions to get started:
1.
What's this book all about anyway?
2.
Who are the characters? Do we like them? Do they remind us of real people?
3.
Was the story interesting? Were real issues of concern to you examined?
4.
Were there details that didn't quite work for you or ring true?
5.
Did the author create a believable environment—one that you could visualize?
6.
Was the ending satisfying?
7.
Would you read another book from this author?
Record Keeper
It's generally a good idea to have someone keep track of the books you read. Often libraries and schools will hold reading drives where you're rewarded for having read a certain number of books in a certain time period. Perhaps a pizza party awaits!
Get Your Teachers and Parents Involved
Teachers and parents love it when kids get together and read. So involve your teachers and parents. Your Book Club may read a particular book whereby it would help to have an adult's perspective as part of the discussion. Teachers may also be able to include what you're doing as a Book Club in the classroom curriculum. That way, books you love to read, such as the Drama High ones, can find a place in your classroom alongside the books you don't love to read so much.
Resources
To find some new favorite writers, check out the following resources. Happy reading!
Young Adult Library Services Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/yalsa.htm
 
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Hip-Hop!
Teen Rap Titles
http://www.carnegielibrary.org/teens/read/booklists/teen
rap.html
 
 
 
Sacramento Public Library
Fantasy Reading for Kids
http://www.saclibrary.org/teens/fantasy.html
 
 

Other books

Deliverance (The Maverick Defense #1) by L.A. Cotton, Jenny Siegel
The Duke's Agent by Rebecca Jenkins
Midnight Bites by Rachel Caine
Stepbrother Soldier's Baby: The Hero (The Complete Series) by Moore, Lila
The Detective's Daughter by Lesley Thomson
A Summons From the Duke by Jerrica Knight-Catania, Lilia Birney, Samantha Grace
The Devil's Demeanor by Hart, Jerry
Oracle by David Wood, Sean Ellis
Caprice and Rondo by Dorothy Dunnett
Surrogate For The Billionaire: A BWWM Pregnancy Romance by BWWM Club, Tyra Small


readsbookonline.com Copyright 2016 - 2024