Betrayed by Suzetta Perkins Page A

appraisal of the new man in her life.
    â€œThank you, Keith.” She batted her eyelashes. “You don’t look bad yourself.”
    â€œWell, I’ve got it like that. The brothers and I have got to do this photo shoot for a billboard sign they’re going to hang on Interstate 95. The Alphas are gonna have all the honeys coming to Central. But I’ve only got eyes for you, girl,” Keith said in a hurry. “This photo shoot is about marketing the school. Gotta do my part.”
    â€œHmmph. Tell me anything.”
    â€œNikki, you have nothing to worry about. I’m the luckiest guy on the campus, in the State of North Carolina, across the world…
    â€œAll right, all right,” Afrika said, holding her hand up for Keith to stop. “I get it.”
    â€œSo where’s your twin?”
    â€œYou mean Asia?”
    â€œYou know I’m talking about Asia. I swear your mommas must have used the same fertility clinic because you and Asia look so much alike.”
    â€œOkay, Keith. This is where I draw the line. Yes, Asia and I have some similarities, but I’m no test tube baby and I’m nobody’s twin. And the reference to my momma is out of line and off limits to you. I don’t play that when it comes to my mother.”
    â€œWhoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, baby, I didn’t mean any disrespect. I wasn’t trying to talk about nobody’s momma. I was only talking about science—how two people with two different sets of parents, with two different sets of genes can have some of the same, almost identical features. My momma used to say that everyone has a twin in this world.” Keith took Afrika’s head and turned it toward him. “Now, don’t I look like your boy, LeBron James?”
    â€œYou wish.” Afrika’s frown turned into a giggle. “You wish you were as tall as LeBron. Now that man is fine.” Afrika giggled again.
    â€œI know you aren’t saying he’s finer than me.”
    â€œYou are so conceited. But, Boo, you do look better than LeBron.”
    â€œI knew it. I knew it.”
    â€œKeith, you are so crazy. Look, I’ve got to get to my class. I don’t want to be late.”
    â€œWhat are you doing after class?”
    â€œI’ve got cheerleading practice.”
    â€œAfter that?”
    â€œI’m not sure. Asia talked about going to some pizza joint.”
    â€œAsia needs a man. She’s pretty and all, but she doesn’t have your personality.” Keith pecked Afrika on the lips. “Just because old man Christianson is her daddy, she thinks she’s all that.”
    â€œCome on, Keith. Be fair. Asia is nothing like her father. She’s cool and I like her. And if you like me, you’ve got to like Asia. Anyway, she’s got a man…Deon, the Eagles’ quarterback.”
    â€œDeon? He’ll break her heart. I hear he’s been with a lot of women on campus.”
    â€œHow would you know?” Afrika asked with a frown on her face.
    â€œStuff like that is no secret. Look, my good friend, Zavion, is probably Asia’s type. He’s a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill, about six feet, and plays on UNC’s basketball team. I’ll talk to him. Maybe we can all get together before the Alpha party on Friday night.”
    â€œI don’t know if that’s a good idea, Keith. Asia is a little high strung, and she may not take too kindly to us interfering in her personal life, and like I said, she’s seeing someone.”
    â€œTrue, but it doesn’t have to be a date. Look, we don’t even have to tell her that Zavion is coming. If everything works out, I’ll have Zavion meet us somewhere.”
    â€œWhatever. I’ve got to go. Call me later.”
    Keith gave Afrika a quick kiss on the lips and took another peek at her behind. Satisfied, he gave her a parting smile. “Okay, babe.”Before Afrika was out of sight, Keith took out