Keyshia and Clyde by Treasure E. Blue Page A

I’s know how it feels ta be special.”
    Clyde nodded. “I feel you, nobody ever did that for me either. I always had to go out and take mines, so I guess I wasn’t too concerned about that other shit.” They walked to a bench and sat down.
    Keyshia asked him, “You live with yo’ momma and pa?” Clyde put his head down and shook it slowly.
    â€œWhere they at?” she asked.
    Unable to look her in the eye, he stared at the floor and said, “My mother’s been in the hospital since I was three, and my dad’s been in prison about the same time.”
    Keyshia saw him growing uncomfortable and changed the subject. She put on an excited smile and said, “Guess what?”
    Clyde began to grow fond of her childlike smile and said, “Oh no. What now?”
    â€œI’m taking you out to a concert!”
    Caught off guard, he asked, “What concert?”
    â€œLyfe . . . Lyfe Jennings,” Keyshia said excitedly. “You heard of him before?”
    â€œHell, yeah, that’s my nigga. He sings my anthem, ‘Stick Up Kid.’ ”
    â€œWell, I saw one of the billboards at a hotel we passed in the taxi on our way here saying he gonna be there tonight. You down?”
    She stuck out her fist, and Clyde tapped it lightly and said, “I’m down.”
    Keyshia grabbed him by his arm. “Good, now come with me to get my hair did and then go find you something to wear for the show!”

Chapter 10
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    After Keyshia finished getting her hair done, she and Clyde fought each other tooth and nail about what Clyde would wear to the show. Clyde wanted to wear his regular urban city gear: sweatshirt, Timberlands, and jeans. But Keyshia had another vision for him.
    â€œYou ever seen the movie
Set It Off
with Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah? And when what’s-his-name came and pick Jada up for a date, yo, he looked smooth in the suit, and plus y’all look something alike.”
    â€œSo?” Clyde said quickly. “That ain’t got nothing to do with this boring-ass suit you want me to try on. Naw, fuck that, that ain’t my style. I’m a ’hood nigga, and I’m always gonna be a ’hood nigga!”
    Keyshia would not back down, “Clyde, you’s ain’t in the ’hood right now, boy. All I’m asking you is to try something new, that’s all.”
    Clyde seemed to calm down as he looked in her soothing eyes, but suddenly he snapped out of it. “No, fuck that! I ain’t falling for that shit again. I ain’t wearing no suit and that’s that!”
    By the time they left the mall, Keyshia had compromised and agreed to let him wear the Timberlands and jeans but said she would pick out the shirt and jacket. They both walked away happy. They’d stopped off in McDonald’s to have a bite to eat when Keyshia told Clyde that she had to pick up one more important thing before they left the mall. She quickly ran into Macy’s again while Clyde continued to eat his food. When she came back, happy-go-lucky as usual, she carried a small shiny Macy’s bag in one hand and a larger bag in the other and said, “I’m straight now, let’s bounce.” They now had to haul all their bags outside to a cab. Keyshia, ever the resourceful one, spotted a group of young white kids at another table and asked them, “Any one of you want to earn twenty dollars?” All the boys’ eyes lit up.

    At the hotel, Clyde showered first and got dressed. An hour later, Keyshia was still in the bathroom when Clyde knocked on the door and said, “Yo, Keyshia, the show starts in forty-five minutes, we got to be out.”
    â€œI’m coming,” yelled Keyshia. When she finally came out ten minutes later, Clyde was blown away. He had to look twice because he couldn’t believe she was the same girl. Keyshia wore a sleek, body-fitting red dress that ended slightly