A young black girl is menaced by a boy at school with emotional problems.

“You can’t play nothin’.”

I didn’t raise my eyes when I heard his voice. I shifted them sideways. It was the new boy in class. Beside me were the dirty high top basketball shoes, and the black corduroy pants with the too short cuffs belonging to Terence Jackson.

I snatched the ball mid-air and held the jacks, squeezing them until the little pointed stars hurt my palm.  I didn’t like Terence Jackson.  He sure did scare the pants off me.  I didn’t answer him so he took a step closer.  “Did ya hear me, fool? I said, you can’t play nothin’. Gimme those jacks.”

Category: Publication pending short story. Genres: Social commentary, P.O.C.

© Avril Adams, 2022

Photo credit: Bruce Mars via Unsplash.com