As they walked to the bus stop, Shayla's soft set brown eyes and turned into a frown. She threw her right hand up to protect her eyes from the sunlight.
Rhonda scrunched her nose up as if the heat was causing a stench too strong for her to bear.
Gladys walked ahead of the pack as if the heat didn't bother her in the least bit.
Despite the scorching heat, the friends walked through the schoolyard in a confident strut. They were the perfect trio - one smart, one fiery, and one salsa.
He is riding clean, Shayla thought as she noticed a freshly painted, speckled-gray Cutlass Supreme with limo tint rolling on eighteen-inch McLean wheels.
"Nice ride," Gladys said as the car crept around the corner in slow motion. The music bumped so loud that the noise sent vibrations through the schools' glass windows.
"I bet he has some money, riding clean like that. I wonder who it is?" Rhonda asked.
When the car finally came to a stop, the driver's window slid down and Shayla locked eyes with the driver. He was rocking a LL Cool J style hat. He had skin smooth like butter, luscious lips, and thick eyebrows. His right brow had a distinctive, cute slit down the middle. At the precise moment that his lips turned up into a nice, smooth, LL Cool J smile, all eyes were on him. He could have passed for the rapper's twin. When he looked in the direction of the girls, the full effect of his handsomeness was hypnotic.
Ronnie was the first to break out of her trance. Sounding like Smokey and Craig from the movie, Friday, she said, "Daaaammmn, he is fine! I'm about to get the 411…" She started sprucing herself up, but stopped when she saw Mr. Jackson walking in the car's direction. "What is Mr. Jackson doing?" she asked as she applied another layer of lip gloss.
Fighting back the dreamy look that threatened to take over her face, Shayla said, "I sure would like to be a fly on the wall."
"That makes two of us," Rhonda said.
"I'm sure he has a girlfriend," Shayla said.
"There you go trying to couple up with a nigga, Shayla. You don't have to 'boyfriend' every guy you think you might like. It doesn't matter if he has a girlfriend, because I'm leaving that marriage and baby carriage for the next chick anyway," Rhonda said, irritated.
"Whatever, Rhonda!"
Rhonda laughed and pushed Shayla out of the way. "Whatever is right."
The gruff assistant principal, Mr. Jackson, fumed as he pointed his finger and scolded the guy in the car. Once the music was off, Mr. Jackson walked away from the car saying, "Don't let me have to tell you about your music again, Mr. Wilson. Do you understand?"