Page 287 of Kentrell

That’s when Wani crossed the line.

“You a hoe anyways—funky, slew-footed bitch!”

Everybody broke out laughing. Even Lex fell out on the sidewalk, kicking his feet.

Uncle Yam stopped mid-step, turning just enough to glance back at her like you gon’ let that slide?

She snapped her neck back toward Wani so fast it looked like it might break. “You better watch yo fuckin’ mouth, lil’ dick-ass nigga!”

“Ain’t nan thang lil’ bout this thang I’m swangin’—” Wani yelled, hiking his shirt up, tucking it under his chin like he was proud.

Then this fool started swaying side to side, pelvis forward, humping at the air like he was center stage at Freaknik.

“I ain’t got no draws on—yeah you see that shit, bitch! Gimme bout four—five years, yo mouth gon’ be right here!” He hovered his palm over his crotch, bobbing it like he had something to show.

The whole block exploded again. Lex nearly choked on his laugh. Wave and Oshon damn near fell off the curb.

“You gon’ be a dirty dick-ass nigga like yo tired-ass daddy!” she fired back without missing a beat.

She struck a nerve.

Wani squared up his shoulders quick. “You better quit speakin’ on my daddy ‘fore I get him to come out here and slap yo ho ass around!”

And like the devil heard him…

“KENTRELL!”

That booming voice hit me like a punch to the back.

I froze mid-laugh, my heart sinking straight to my stomach.

“OOOH! Trell in trouble!” Wani, Lex, Oshon, and Wave all howled in unison like a damn choir.

I sighed hard, standing up off the stoop, dusting off my jeans like it mattered, and headed toward the door.

Already not in the mood for his shit.

I stepped inside just as Uncle Yam and ol’ girl followed behind me. The screen door slammed shut like punctuation at the end of a bad sentence.

And that’s when the night really started to spiral.

I barely got two steps inside before the heat hit me. Not the weather—the tension.

The house smelled like sweat, liquor, and fried grease from something my mama or Velvet probably cooked two nights ago. Dishes stacked high in the sink. Trash still in the corner, overflowing with empty beer cans and takeout boxes.

And there he was.

My daddy.

Standing dead center in the living room like he’d been waiting on me all day just to start some shit.

His eyes cut straight to mine.

“So this how you livin’ now, huh?” he barked, waving a hand around like the walls offended him. “House looklike shit. Kitchen smell like shit. Trash still sittin’ there like I ain’t tell you to take it out this morning!”

I clenched my jaw, hands balling at my sides. “You ain’t tell me. You told Wani. Right before he asked could he go play with Lex and them.”

Before I even finished that sentence—pop!

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