094

With my cup full of soda, I stood at the entrance of the sliding glass door. I narrowed my eyes as I watched Latisha get up from her seat and walk over to one of the boys sitting at the edge of the pool - the same one that threw the football at me. He casually spun the ball in his hand as she leaned down and whispered something to him. She then briefly pointed in my direction, causing the boy to look up at me for just a second before looking away. She then smiled as she walked away and took the steps down into the pool.

That wasn't suspicious.

At the risk of walking into some kind of trap, I headed back out onto the pool deck to take my seat across from Tamara again now that Latisha was away. She smiled in relief to see me again.

"Hey," she greeted me. "Glad you didn't decide to leave."

I shrugged as I placed my soda cup on the table. "It's your birthday party; not hers. Of course I'd stay. Even if I am pretty much in enemy territory."

"I'm really sorry about that," she said with conc