Chapter 1

JC stared out the window and slowly began to drift deeper into his own thoughts.  There they were, two little boys from two different cultures brought together for an unexpected event. DING!  DING!  "Ice cream man!"  A young African-American boy speeds out of his house to follow the rest of the neighborhood children in their quest to see the ice cream man. His mother poked her head out of the window to make sure her son wasn't acting a fool.  "Now Daryl you be careful out there running.  And make sure you bring your narrow self right back in this house when you get done.  You still need to take this garbage out!"  Daryl heard his mother but neglected to offer a response, he was to busy chasing down the ice cream truck.  "Daryl dont act like you dont hear me!  Boy you better bring me back my change too!"  Daryl knew better than to ignore his mom a second time.  Get a way with it once, you were lucky.  Try it again and a new relationship is born, belt meets ass. "I'll be careful," he quickly responded.  As he caught up to the rest of the children he noticed the cautious driver came to a slow stop.  Voices soon bombarded the weary driver.  "I want a cherry bomb!  I want a pink panther!  Can I have an ice cream sandwich?"  The driver quickly tried to accommodate each request.

The swarm of children that had previously been noisy and rowdy, were now calm and in sugary bliss.  As Daryl started walking home with an ice cream cone in hand, he noticed some kids picking on the new kid. Daryl knew those kids were the toughest 10 year olds around and werent to be played with.  "No sense in both of us getting an ass whupin," he sighed and crossed the street unnoticed.  As he walked by, he observed the new kid looked scared as the other kids shoved him from one to another. It was an uneven fight, three against one. Even if he tried to interfere the odds were still in their favor.  Daryl tried not to make eye contact with the new kid, so he continued to walk with his head hung low. The new kid was now yelling louder as one of the bullies hit him in the stomach, forcing him to fall to his knees.  "Someone, please help me!"

A far distance from his house, Daryl knew his mom would want him to do the right thing and help a person in need.  His sense of duty kicked in and he ran across the street and jumped one of the bullies.  A fist fight ensued with Daryl being tag teamed and the new kid receiving the worst of his beating from the head bully.  All of a sudden Daryl felt one of the bullies release his hold of his arms.  He soon heard the distinct sound of someone being slapped.  As he turned around, a tom boyish girl pulled the head bully off the new kid and pushed him to the ground.

The head bully got up from the ground rubbing his backside.  "I'm gonna have my brother beat you up!"  The tall reddish brown girl threw her plaited ponytail over her shoulder and stepped towards the bully.  "If he comes my way, hell get beat down too!  Now go home before I tell your moms what youve been doing!"  The bullies ran home crying and cursing.  The girl went to Daryl and helped him to his feet.  "Dang, what took you so long?  We were getting our butts beaten."  

The slender girl narrowed her eyes at Daryl.  "You're lucky I came out at all.  If you weren't ass draggin' around so much, mom wouldnt have sent me out to look for you."  Coughing interrupted their bickering.  The siblings rushed over to the new kid.  Daryl offered an outstretched hand, which he readily took.  "Thanks for helping me out, those guys were tough."  The threesome began their short trek home.  Daryl looked him up and down and shook his head.  They really kicked your butt..mine too.  My name is Daryl.  You gotta name?" The new kid started to check out his bruises before he answered.  "My name's Josh.  I think I live next door to you."  Josh turned his attention to Daryl's sister and noticed how pretty she was.  "Thanks for getting them off of me."  She smiled at him as she  reached for his arm.  "I think your mom's gonna flip, your shirt is ripped."  He quickly turned his attention to the rip.  "I'm never gonna hear the end of it.  She just bought that yesterday.  I am so grounded."  Daryl swirled his head towards Josh and cocked his eyebrow up.  "Grounded?  You get grounded?  My mama dont believe in that. She believes in getting my dads belt, her shoe, a switch or whatever she can get her hands on to whup me."

Daryls sister laughed at the remark knowing it was all too true.  "Daryl we better go.  I don't wanna have to hear her mouth."  Josh grabbed her shoulder to stop her from leaving.  "Hey you didn't tell me your name.  She smiled broadly at him and shook his hand.  "My name is Latise.  Its nice to meet ya."  All three heard the annoyed voice of Latise and Daryl's mom calling them to come home.  "That don't sound too good.  Latise we gotta go!  Stop by our house tomorrow and well play Sega."  The siblings hurried home as their mom continued to yell their name.

The ringing of the seatbelt sign awakened JC from his trance.  He looked over to Justin who was still sleeping.  Man, everyone makes fun of me for sleeping.  "This boy sleeps through everything."  He sighed and smiled to himself thinking of returning home.  "Oh Latise, My Lala.  You had me at 'My name is.' "