Before Justyce’s butt has a chance to sink into the leather of the Riverses’ basement couch, Manny’s already talking crazy. “So how long you plan to hold out on ya boy?” He doesn’t turn away from the movie he’s watching on mute while an old Deuce Diggs track thumps through the speakers.
“I won’t even pretend to know what you’re talking about,” Jus replies. “Yo, what album is this? I don’t think I’ve heard this cut before.”
“Mixtape from a few years ago. Don’t change the subject.”
Jus looks at Manny. “What subject?”
“Dawg, who just dropped you off?” Manny says.
“SJ. Which you know from the I’ll have SJ drop me off text message you responded to fifteen minutes ago.”
“Exaaaaactly.”
“Exactly what?”
“You and SJ.”
“What about me and SJ?”
Manny stares at Jus like he just said Two plus two is five.
“What, Manny?”
Manny shakes his head. “I thought we were boys, Jus.”
“Whatever. Turn the TV up.” Justyce tucks his hands behind his head.
“Just tell me how long.”
“How long WHAT, fool?”
“How long you been hookin’ up with SJ, man! Why you over here playing dumb?”
Jus rolls his eyes. “I’m not hookin’ up with SJ, Manny.”
“Everybody knows, man.”
“Everybody knows what?”
“That you’re over at her house every damn day. You know Jessa Northup is her neighbor. She told us. Says SJ’s parents are obsessed with you. Call you Jusmeister and shit.”
Jus drags his hands down his face. He knew Jessa was nosy, but damn. “First of all, you sound like a damn girl right now with all this gossiping shit. Second, I’m not over there every day. Third, when I am there, it’s for debate stuff. And fourth, Mr. and Mrs. F liking me is irrelevant.”
Manny rolls his eyes. “So all you go over there for is debate?”
“Yes, Manny. The state tournament is in three and a half weeks.”
“Okay…and that’s all y’all ever talk about?”
Justyce’s brow furrows. “I mean, we occasionally talk about other stuff but—”
“SEE! It’s something going on between y’all, man! I can see that shit all over you!”
Justyce shakes his head and settles down into the couch. “I’m not talking about this anymore. You gonna turn the movie up, or what?”
“Jus, I’m your best friend!”
“Dawg.” Justyce sits up. Turns to look Manny in the eye. “I’m only gonna say this once, so listen closely, all right? There is nothing going on between me and SJ.”
Manny stares right back. “Jus, I know you like her, man. And she obviously likes you—”
“Doesn’t matter.” Justyce sinks back into the leather.
“It does, though—”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“You trippin’, man. SJ’s a gorgeous girl AND she’s perfect for you.”
“Drop it.”
“Come on, Jus—”
“I said it doesn’t matter, Manny!”
“Why not?”
Justyce takes a deep breath. “Manny, my mama would blow every gasket in a fifty-mile radius.”
“Huh?”
“SJ is white.”
Manny draws back, puts his hand over his heart, and mock-gasps. “What? You’re kidding me.”
“Shut up, fool.”
“Whatever.” Manny waves him off. “She’s not white white. She’s Jewish. It’s different.”
Jus sighs.
“They were slaves too, dawg. And then the Holocaust. Even now—”
“I know what you mean. Won’t matter to my mama, though. SJ’s skin is white.”
Manny doesn’t respond.
“My mama is not down with that.”
Still no response.
Justyce exhales.
“No offense, Jus, but that might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” Manny finally says.
Jus shrugs. “Is what it is. And since pissing my mama off ain’t real high on my to-do list, SJ and I are strictly friends. Besides, me and Mel are talkin’ again.”
Manny smacks his forehead. “I was wrong before,” he says. “THAT is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Shut up, man.”
“Jus, if Melo and SJ are diverging paths on the road of life, you’re headed for a dead end, my friend.”
“Where do you get this shit, Manny?”
“I’m just sayin’. Mama aside, you’re making the wrong decision.”
Jus snorts. “No offense, but I refuse to take relationship advice from a dude who’s never been in one.”
“Whoa now! Just cuz I don’t want a serious girlfriend at the moment doesn’t mean I don’t know what it takes to maintain a relationship.”
“Ah, here we go.”
“I’m serious, Jus. You think I’ve learned nothing from watching my parents over the last seventeen and a half years?”
“Whatever, man. Can we please drop this?”
They fall into a weighty silence, both staring at the massive television screen but neither actually watching the movie.
Out of nowhere, Manny says, “You know I’ve got the opposite problem, right?”
“What?”
“I’ma tell you something, but don’t laugh at me, all right? I’m trusting you with a deep, dark secret.”
Jus lifts an eyebrow.
Manny inhales, filling his cheeks with air before blowing it out. “I’m scared of black girls, man.”
“Huh?”
“Black girls. I’ve never really encountered a nonfamily one.”
“Okay…”
“There are none in our grade. The only ones I know are my cousins and they’re…a lot.”
“A lot?”
“Like real attitude-y and kinda…” Manny swallows. “Ghetto.”
Justyce doesn’t know what to say. It’s not like he has any experience in this area either. Melo’s half black, but she’s def not the type of girl Manny’s talking about.
Manny goes on: “I know that’s a stereotype or whatever, but I’ve literally never experienced anything else. My folks are all excited about me going to Morehouse next year, but I’m nervous as hell.”
“How come?”
“You’re my only black friend, dawg. I’m supposed to go from this all-white world to an all-black one overnight?”
Jus doesn’t respond.
“Anyway. My bad for just laying all that on you.”
Jus shrugs. “It’s cool.”
“I should’ve applied to Princeton or somethin’. Woulda been more familiar.” Manny sighs.
Jus shakes Manny’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine, man. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of dudes you’ll vibe with at Morehouse just like you vibe with me.”
“It’s Spelman I’m really worried about. You know it’s right next door. Black girls everywhere.”
Jus laughs.
“And you know I love women, man. What if I get there and none of them are feelin’ me?”
“I wish I knew what to tell you, Manny. All I can say is they’re not all alike, just like we aren’t.”
Manny nods. “Touché, my dawg.”
They lapse into silence again.
Then: “Jus, I’ma say this last thing, then I’ll get outta your business.”
“Oh boy. Here we go.”
“I get wanting to please your mom. The only reason I’m even going to Morehouse is because it’s been my ‘SpelHouse’ alumni parents’ dream for me since they found out I was a boy. But passing up on a good thing because your mom wouldn’t approve…I don’t know about that, man. Especially when it comes to something as stupid as race.”
Justyce snorts.
“You’re still doing that MLK thing, right? What would he do?”
“I wouldn’t know considering Ms. Coretta was black.”
“Shut up. You know what I mean. If you’re doing this Be Like Martin thing, do it for real. Refusing to date a girl because she’s white is probably not the Kingly way, bruh.”
Justyce glares at Manny. “I knew I shouldn’t’ve told your punk ass anything.”
Manny smirks and grabs the TV remote from the ottoman. Then he slouches down into the couch and unmutes the movie.