Around the Way Girls 12

by Treasure Hernandez, Marcus Weber

Genres: African American Urban

Synopsis

There’s a saying that if you come from my part of town, you're from around the way. Urban Books bestsellers Treasure Hernandez and Marcus Weber bring readers a fast-paced look at the lives of some street-smart women who think they know it all. Do they have what it takes to survive on the streets?

Caught Between a Good Boy and Bad Boy by Treasure Hernandez: Kiesha Simmons is that girl. She graduated top of her high school class and was captain of her step team. She’s about to start college at Howard University and is presently doing an internship with the top realtor in her city. She's had a good life so far, but there's one thing she has to do before she takes off for college in the fall — and that's lose her virginity. She just has to decided who is going go to be the lucky guy: her boss’s son or the local thug rapper.
 
Lost and Found by Marcus Weber: Maria Santiago is on her way from Albany, New York, to Atlanta, Georgia, when her Greyhound bus stops over for a two-hour layover at the Port Authority in Manhattan. She takes a stroll through the city and accidentally witnesses a drug deal going bad. All the men are killed, and Maria scoops up the briefcase full of drugs and a gun, making her way back to the bus station and back on her bus. Arriving in Atlanta, she finds that her grandmother is about to lose her house, and Maria goes up on a mission selling the drugs to save her family. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies, and finds a love that will last her the rest of her short life.
 

Release date: January 24, 2023

Publisher: Urban Books

Print pages: 288

Sample

Rinnnggg!

The sound of the bell should have told the students in Mr. Cline’s senior English class that it was time to settle down. But it did no such thing. In fact, the talking and laughter got louder. It probably had something to do with the fact that it was the last day of senior year and they were all excited. Still, that didn’t mean Mr. Cline didn’t have a job to do. He adjusted the glasses on the tip of his nose and cleared his throat at the front of the classroom.

“Settle down, class. I understand that it’s the last day of high school for most of you, but this is still a classroom, and you will respect it as such.”

“‘This is still a classroom, and you’ll respect it as such,’” a boy in the back of the room mimicked.

Most of the students laughed, but one in particular looked over her shoulder at the boy with a disgusted look on her face. Kiesha Simmons was never too keen on class clowns, and that was exactly what Brandon was. He even dressed like a joke on purpose, wearing mismatched sneakers and a goofy hat on his head. Annoying didn’t even cover the bases when describing him.

Ever since she was a little girl, Kiesha took her education seriously, all the way up to the last day of high school. She had beauty and brains, the best of both worlds. Brandon, on the other hand, looked at school as a distraction. Therefore, he tried to distract everyone else, and Kiesha wasn’t having it.

“Shut up, Brandon. Damn. You’re always doing the most.”

“Ain’t nobody say nothing to you, Kiesha! You always tryin’a save somebody,” Brandon said.

“Thank you, Miss Simmons, but I can handle my own classroom,” Mr. Cline said and rubbed his chocolate hands together. “As I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted by a student who won’t be graduating on time—”

The class laughed, and Brandon slumped in his seat.

“I am so proud to have been your teacher this year, and I wish nothing but the best for you as you go forward in your journeys.”

All year Mr. Cline had been Kiesha’s favorite teacher. He was the kind of man who truly believed that a person could be whatever they wanted to be as long as they tried. In fact, he was the one who pushed her to follow her dream. Ever since Kiesha was a little girl, she was obsessed with commercials and how a few seconds could make someone want to get up and buy or experience something. There was a certain kind of power in it that she liked, and as she grew older, her infatuation for it only grew. And that was why in the fall she would be attending college at Howard University to pursue a career in marketing.

As Mr. Cline was talking, Kiesha felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She looked back and grinned when she saw her best friend, Stacy McAlister. Stacy glanced at Mr. Cline to make sure he was still preoccupied before she leaned forward to talk to Kiesha.

“You comin’ out tonight, right?” she asked in a low voice.

“Coming out where?” Kiesha made a face like she didn’t know what Stacy was talking about.

“Girl, stop playin’ with me! To G Money’s crib. You know his dad is throwin’ him a pre-graduation party. I heard it’s gonna be lit!”

“I don’t know, Stace.”

“You didn’t ask your mom like I told you to, did you?” Stacy asked and rolled her eyes in an annoyed fashion.

“I guess I forgot.” Kiesha shrugged.

“You ain’t forget shit! You just didn’t ask.”

“Because you know how she is! Especially since there will probably be alcohol there.”

Kiesha and Stacy had been best friends since sandbox days. They’d gone through everything growing girls could go through together and were thicker than thieves. In fact, just saying they were best friends didn’t do them justice. Blood couldn’t have made them any more the sisters they were. It was a beautiful feat because the two of them were as different as oil and water. Stacy was one of the most popular girls in school and the captain of the cheer team. Kiesha, on the other hand, kept a low profile and her head in the books. She was a beautiful girl with her light brown doe eyes and long, soft curls, but she cared more about school than she did partying or hanging out. However, somehow, she always ended up at some kind of party with Stacy.

Kiesha really did feel bad about not asking her mom about the party. Kiesha’s mom wasn’t super strict, but she did keep a close eye on her. She just didn’t want her daughter to do anything foolish. She raised Kiesha to be bright, smart, and responsible. And because of that, Kiesha didn’t want to hear the thousand questions that always came when she asked to go somewhere.

“Kiesh, I can’t go without you. You know that’s the rule! And you know my mom is gonna call your mom to double-check.”

Kiesha groaned. Part of the reason she and Stacy were so close was because their parents were old college roommates. As single moms, they’d teamed up to help each other raise their daughters, and the teamwork still hadn’t ended. Kiesha looked at Stacy’s pleading face and groaned again.

“I’ll ask when I get home. What time does it start?”

“Seven. And please do! Plus”—Stacy got a mischievous look in her eye and grinned—“I heard Malcom is gonna be there.”

Kiesha tried to hide her smirk. Malcom Donald was the finest boy in school. He was a senior too, and she’d had a crush on him all year. He was cocoa brown, had the whitest and most perfect smile, and always wore his long hair in braids. Malcom had been the captain of the football team and brought them home a championship in the season. He was on the radar of any girl with eyes, but Kiesha had dreams of making him her boyfriend that summer.

“He doesn’t even know I exist.” It was Kiesha’s turn to roll her eyes.

“Please, the last time I saw him he was asking about you. You might as well see what he’s talking about later.”

“Okay, I said I was going to ask. You don’t have to throw a nigga’s name in to get my attention,” Kiesha said and turned around to hide her smile.

For the remainder of class, they went around the room and shared what they planned on doing once school was done for the year. Some students didn’t have any plans but to work and hang out on the beach, and others had exciting summer plans. When Mr. Cline got to Stacy, Kiesha heard her giggle.

“I plan to enjoy my summer. You know, hang with my girls, shop. My mama already started me working at her clothing store, so I’ll keep some dollars in my pocket. Then it’s off to FAMU I go.”

“Nice! What about you, Kiesha? Tell us what you have planned.”

“I’ll be interning most of the summer and spending as much time with my mom as possible.”

“You’re going to Howard, right?”

“Yep.”

“I never thought I’d see the day you and Miss McAlister separated from the hip,” he said with a good-hearted smile. “I’m interested—why not stay here and attend FAMU? What’s so special about Howard?”

“I guess I’m just following in my mom’s footsteps. Since I was little, she’s talked about how great a school it is, and it’s the only school I ever dreamed of attending. She claims it’s where she awakened, and hopefully it does the same for me.”

“So sentimental!” Stacy said behind her, and the class laughed.

Kiesha turned around to roll her eyes, and Stacy just shrugged. Sometimes it was hot and cold with her, but Kiesha always forgave her sometimey tendencies.

Mr. Cline wagged a playful finger at Stacy and turned back to Kiesha. “That’s admirable, and I hope all your dreams come true up at Howard.”

At that moment, the last bell of the day rang, and everyone jumped up to run out of the classroom. Kiesha tossed her bag over her shoulder and followed the crowd of students out into the hallway. She didn’t know how to feel. Her high school journey was over. Well, almost. Graduation was in a few days.

She and Stacy walked to their lockers together to empty them. When they were done, Stacy pretended like she was smelling something delectable in the air.

“Ahhh, do you smell that? That’s the smell of freedom!”

Kiesha laughed, but before she could respond, Malcom walked over to them. He was easily six feet tall looming over them. He smiled first at Stacy and then at Kiesha. She felt like her heart was going to pound out of her chest. He was standing so close to them she could smell the Armani cologne he wore. And he wasn’t just fine, he was one of the best dressed students in school. He always had a pocketful of money, the kind that was able to keep Malcom laced in designer clothes and shoes every day.

“What’s up, y’all?” he asked with his Florida-boy accent.

“About to run up out of here. I’m surprised you haven’t left yet,” Stacy said.

“I was, but then I saw the two most beautiful girls in school. I had to say somethin’.”

“Nigga, you got all the game,” Stacy laughed and pushed his arm.

Kiesha was still stuck on him calling her one of the most beautiful girls in school. They’d had a few classes together, but they barely spoke. Hell, she didn’t even know if he’d actually looked at her long enough to see her features. But what he just said was all the confirmation she needed.

“Whatever. Y’all comin’ to G Money’s party tonight? I heard it’s gon’ be poppin’ for real.”

“We’ll be there,” Stacy told him and gave Kiesha a small nudge.

“Uh, umm, yeah. We’ll be there,” she concurred.

“Cool. I can’t wait to see what y’all pull up wearin’. I know you’re gon’ be fine as hell,” he said and winked at them.

She felt herself grow warm. If she weren’t the color of peanut butter, she was sure her face would be bright red. When Malcom walked away to rejoin his group of friends, the butterflies in her stomach stayed.

“Girl, you see him checkin’ for you? You really have to make sure Mama Bee says yes. Tonight might be the night you lose your—”

“Stace!”

“I’m serious. You don’t want to enter college still a virgin, do you? You need some experience under your belt. And can you imagine a better-looking practice dummy?”

Kiesha laughed, but the truth was that her mind was going a hundred miles a minute. She’d daydreamed a thousand times about losing her virginity to Malcom. But not at a party, and not when he wasn’t her boyfriend. But still, if it happened, she wouldn’t be mad about it.

“Ma!” Kiesha’s voice rang through the foyer of the four-bedroom home she shared with her mother. “Ma!”

She went around the whole house in search of her mother, and when she didn’t find her in any of the usual places, she went to the last possible option: the garage. Sure enough, when she opened the door from the kitchen, she saw her mom sitting at a long table in front of a canvas. She had her natural hair pulled up into a messy bun and wore an apron over her shirt and jeans. She’d been in the middle of painting a still life scene with beautiful pinks, reds, and greens. Kiesha almost didn’t want to disturb her, but the party started at seven, and it was already three.

“That’s beautiful,” she said, and her mom stopped painting to turn around.

Upon seeing her daughter, Miss Simmons smiled big. She placed the paintbrush down and went to give Kiesha a hug. Her lips planted two soft kisses on Kiesha’s forehead, and for those moments, Kiesha felt safe from everything in the world just like when she was a little girl.

“Hi, baby. I didn’t even hear your car pull into the driveway.”

“You never hear anything when you’re in your zone. I didn’t know you were painting again.”

Miss Simmons had always been a woman of virtue. Kiesha had been blessed with a great role model for a mother. No matter how busy she was, Miss Simmons always made time for the things she enjoyed and loved. Kiesha remembered being a child and playing in the corner while her mother painted for hours. She was very good at it but never wanted to pursue a career in it. Painting was just a “release,” she’d say, one she could speak all of her emotions to without receiving any judgment back.

Miss Simmons looked sadly from her masterpiece to her daughter. “I figured I’d better busy myself with something to prepare me for when the house is empty.”

“Mama, I told you, if you want me to go to FAMU, I will. I got accepted there, too.”

“No.” Miss Simmons shook her head. “You’ve had your heart set on Howard since you were a little girl.”

“This is true. They have one of the best marketing programs, but FAMU’s is great too!”

“Girl, your mama will be just fine. I just need time to adjust. That’s all. Anyway, how was your last day?”

“Fine,” Kiesha said quickly and took her mother by the hand. “Come on, I’m sure you’re thirsty. Let me fix you a glass of sweet tea.”

“Mm-hmm,” Miss Simmons hummed knowingly.

Still, she let Kiesha drag her to the kitchen table and make her a tall glass of sweet tea. Kiesha carefully placed the glass on a coaster in front of her mother and sat across from her. She watched like a hawk as Miss Simmons sipped the drink. She was trying to buy herself some time to figure out how to ask about the party. It was Friday, which they usually spent together doing a pizza-and-movie night. It was something Miss Simmons always looked forward to, and from the stack of DVDs on the counter, it seemed that this Friday was no different.

“All right, spit it out. I know you want something.” Miss Simmons looked at her daughter over the rim of her glass.

“What? Me?” Kiesha feigned shock.

“Yes, you. I know you like the back of my hand, ma’am. Whenever you want something, you try to butter me up. So spill it before I spill this tea on you.”

“Okay, okay.” Kiesha took a big breath and spit the rest of it out quickly. “There’s this party tonight, and I really want to go. Please, please, please, can I go?”

“And where is this party at?”

“It’s at G Mon . . . Gregg’s house. His dad is chaperoning it, so an adult will be there. All the seniors are going.”

“Okay, you can go.”

“Mom, please! I’m eighteen already. Technically I don’t even have to ask permiss . . . wait, what?”

“I said you can go,” Miss Simmons repeated. “It’s the last day of senior year, you did amazing in your studies all year, and like you said, you’re eighteen already. I think you should be able to have some fun.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Miss Simmons said, smiling fondly at her. “A mother couldn’t be prouder of her daughter than I am of you. Plus, your internship starts soon, I want you to have at least a little fun before then. Speaking of which, has Mr. Parks let you know an official start date?”

“June twelfth.”

Antonio Parks wasn’t just the top Realtor in Miami. He was the person Kiesha would be working with that summer. She felt beyond blessed to land an internship with someone so prestigious, and him being black was just the icing on the cake. She would be working hands-on with the marketing side of his real estate company, and she was excited. But first, like her mother had said, she wanted to have a little fun.

“What time does this party start?” Miss Simmons asked.

“At seven.”

“Then you better start getting ready. I assume Stacy is going with you.”

“Yeah,” Kiesha said, pulling her phone out of her pocket and shooting her BFF a text message. “I just told her I’ll be there to pick her up. She’s so mad that her mom still hasn’t been able to get her a car yet.”

“Michelle is working her butt off just making sure they have a roof over their heads. The boutique is bringing in good money, but she has two other kids to care for. Stace will get a car in due time.”

“I guess not everyone could be as lucky as me to get an accountant mom with only one kid.”

“How fortunate you are.” Miss Simmons winked. “I’m going back to my painting. Be safe tonight.”

They both got up from the table and went their separate ways. Kiesha bounded up the stairs to her room. The first place she went was to her walk-in closet. She went to the back, where her more formal clothes were. Without even trying one on, Kiesha knew that she didn’t want to wear a dress. She hated being confined in them and wanted something that would allow her a little more freedom. Her eyes fell on a brand-new light blue halter-top romper she recently bought. She loved it because it hugged all her curves and made her butt look huge. Not to mention, her peanut butter–colored skin really set the blue off. She snatched it off the hanger and went to take a shower.

The whole time the water was hitting her body, all she could think about was how she couldn’t wait to see Malcom that evening. He was the kind of fun she was trying to have all summer, and she hoped that after the party he would feel the same. Kiesha had to be real with herself. She was definitely in her fairy-tale way of thinking. But at the same time she didn’t care. She believed in fairy tales, and maybe hers was about to become a reality.

After she was finished washing her hair and body, she got out of the shower. After seeing in the mirror how pretty her hair looked, she opted to wear it just like that. She put some product in it to hold the curls and then wrapped a towel around herself to start her makeup.

She had just done her brows and foundation when she heard her phone ringing next to her makeup bag on the counter. It was Stacy. Kiesha answered it and put it on speaker.

“Hey, girl.”

“What are you wearing tonight?” Stacy blurted out.

“Remember that cute blue romper I bought from your mom’s boutique?”

“Ooh! Great choice. You’re gonna be sexy as fuck in that.”

“Thank you. What are you thinking about putting on?”

“That spicy red little number I’ve been saving for somethin’ special. And I guess this is special enough. I just hope G Money doesn’t think that just because I’m comin’ to his party, I’m gonna jump his bones.”

“Don’t hold your breath. He’s been trying to get you since the beginning of the school year.”

“Yuck. I wish he’d give it a rest. I mean, he’s not ugly. He’s just not my type.”

“Let you tell it, none of these niggas are your type.”

“You got that right! Well, one is.”

“Who?”

“Nobody you know. Anyway, do you think you’re gonna get your cherry popped tonight?”

Kiesha heard the question as she contoured her face. Her virginity always seemed to come up in their conversations recently. She felt like Stacy was more concerned about it than she was. Kiesha just felt like it was because they had always done everything together or around the same time. Stacy had lost her virginity the summer before their junior year. It was something she said she didn’t regret and enjoyed doing. Kiesha, on the other hand, just hadn’t met the right person to give it to. Nor had the setting been right. She wasn’t waiting for marriage or anything, but she didn’t want to give away something so sacred to just anybody, despite her lustful thought of Malcom earlier at school.

“I guess I’m just not looking to let someone fuck me at a party. That isn’t how I see myself losing my virginity,” she said absently, finishing her face. It wasn’t until Stacy grew quiet that Kiesha remembered that was exactly how she had lost her virginity. “My bad, Stace. I just meant—”

“I know what you meant. Don’t worry about it. What time do you think you’ll be by to pick me up?”

“I’ll probably be there at seven exactly.”

“Good. We don’t want to show up super on time like some lame bitches. Okay, I’ll let you finish getting ready. I’m going to call my girls, so just let me know when you’re outside.”

“Okay!” Kiesha said, and the phone disconnected.

She hoped that she hadn’t hurt Stacy’s feelings. She truly just hadn’t been thinking. If she had, she would have never said anything at all. But Stacy knew her heart.

After putting on her lashes, Kiesha grabbed her romper and got dressed. To accent the blue, she selected a small cream-colored purse and slid on a matching pair of sandals. Once her look was all the way together, she stared at the finished product in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. She was almost blown away by her own reflection. The romper fit better that day than when she tried it on. She glanced at the digital clock on her dresser and saw that it was time to go.

“Ma!” she called when she ran down the stairs, stuffing her phone and car keys in her purse. “Ma, I’m about to go!”

“Okay, baby. Have fun and be safe. Please be home at a respectable hour!” Miss Simmons called from the garage.

Kiesha sent Stacy a text that she was on her way and ran out the front door.

“I told you this bitch was gonna be jumpin’!”

Kiesha barely heard Stacy’s voice because she was too busy looking incredulously around the inside of G Money’s lavish beach home. She’d been to a lot of nice homes for gatherings, but this by far was the most luxurious. They were right on Darwin Beach and had a beautiful view of the water. Not to mention that G Money’s dad had really gone above and beyond for the party. There was a live DJ, and waiters were walking around with food and drinks.

Kiesha maneuvered around the crowd inside with Stacy until they were outside on the luxurious terrace. There were a lot of people there too, but there was more room to move around. It w. . .