Dear Martin

CHAPTER 2

Justyce drops down onto the plush leather sofa in Manny’s basement and grabs the game controller from the giant ottoman in front of him.
“You good, dawg?” Manny says, furiously pressing buttons on his vibrating controller as the sound of machine gun fire fills the room in surround sound. It pushes into Justyce’s ears and bounces around in his head; he can feel it pulsating in his chest: BANGBANGBANGBANGBANG BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG.
He gulps. “Yeah. I’m good.”
“So you playing, or what?”
Manny’s avatar switches weapons in quick succession, tossing everything he’s got at the enemy troops.
Grenade: BOOM. Glock 26: POP POP POP.
Flamethrower: FWHOOSH.
Bazooka: FWUUUUMP… BOOOOOOM.
“Unbelievable, Jus.”
“Whatever.” Justyce stares at the football frozen in mid air on the massive flat-screen. Girls don’t flock to Justyce like they do to Emmanuel “Manny” Rivers, Bras Prep basketball captain and one of the best-looking guys Jus knows. There’s a lot of stuff Manny has that Justyce doesn’t-two parents with six-figure salaries, a basement apartment, a badass car, crazy confidence…
What does Justyce have? The hottest girl in school.
“I don’t expect you to understand, Manny. You run through girls like underwear. Wouldn’t know true love if it kicked you in the nuts.”
“First of all, true love wouldn’t kick me in the nuts. Considering how many times Melo has figuratively kicked you in yours-”
“Shut up, man.”
Manny shakes his head. “I hate to break it to you, homie,
but you and Melo’s relationship puts the ick in toxic.”
“That’s some girly shit you just said, dawg.”
“You know my mom’s a psychologist,” Manny says. “You got Codependency Syndrome or something. You should really take a look at that.”
“Thanks, Dr. Phil.”
“I’m serious, Jus. I can’t even look at you right now. This thing you’re doing? This always-running-back-to-Melo thing? It’s a sickness, my friend.”
“Shut up and play the damn game, man.” Just then Manny’s mom appears at the foot of the stairs.
“Hi, Dr. Rivers,” Justyce says, rising to give her a hug.
“Hey, baby. You doin’ all right?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“You sleeping over? Dinner will be ready in a few. Chicken cacciatore.” She winks.
“Aww, you know that’s my favorite,” Jus says.
“Dang, Ma, how come you don’t never make my favorite?”
“Don’t ever, Emmanuel. And hush.” “Don’t be mad cuz your mom likes me more than you,
Manny.”
“Shut up, fool.”
Dr. Rivers’s cell phone rings. “This is Tiffany Rivers,” she says when she answers, still smiling at the boys.
Doesn’t last long. Whoever’s on the other end of the phone, it’s obvious from her expression they’re not bearing
good news.
She hangs up and puts her hand over her heart. “Mom? Everything okay?”
“That was your aunt,” she says. “Your cousin’s been arrested.”
Manny rolls his eyes. “What’d he do this time?”
Dr. Rivers looks from Manny to Justyce and back again. “He’s been charged with murder,” she says.
Manny’s jaw drops.
“They say he killed a police officer.”