Trey’s response? “You’ll be back, smart guy. Once you see them white folks don’t want yo black ass at they table. They not down with you bein’ their equal, dawg. We’ll see you soon.” He grinned.

I think if the Socio Evo discussion had taken place on a different day, I could’ve ignored Trey. I mean what the heck does he know? I’m not even sure he’s still in school, and the only white person he interacts with was standing there with his blond hair in cornrows and a gold grill that spelled out “BRAD” across his teeth.

Jared and Trey taken together, though? The whole return trip to campus, their words played catch with my confidence.

Jared’s test score thing really bugged me. All this talk about how “equal” things are, yet he assumed I didn’t do as well as he did? And NOBODY can tell me he didn’t make that assumption because he’s white and I’m black, Martin.

And then Trey…WHY does this guy insist on trying to keep me down? On the real, he’s just as bad as Jared!

It’s like I’m trying to climb a mountain, but I’ve got one fool trying to shove me down so I won’t be on his level, and another fool tugging at my leg, trying to pull me to the ground he refuses to leave. Jared and Trey are only two people, but after today, I know that when I head to Yale next fall (because I AM going there), I’m gonna be paranoid about people looking at me and wondering if I’m qualified to be there.

How do I work against this, Martin? Getting real with you, I feel a little defeated. Knowing there are people who don’t want me to succeed is depressing. Especially coming from two directions.

I’m working hard to choose the moral high road like you would, but it’ll take more than that, won’t it? Where’d you get the courage to keep climbing in the face of stuff like this? Because I know you got it from both sides.

I’m gonna try and sleep now. Get my head reset on my shoulders. Feel free to pop up in my dreams or something. Tell me what to do. Like Babe Ruth did to Benny in The Sandlot (I love that movie, Martin).

—Justyce

P.S. Totally unrelated, but you know anything about love triangles? I feel like a jerk because there SJ was, cheering me forward, while Melo—as usual, only thinking of herself—wanted to hold me back. And what did I do? Capitulated to the booty (and, okay, the fear of what my mama will say if I fail to keep SJ at the furthest end of the friend zone).

I’ve got absolutely nothing on this one. How did I even end up in this position? I’m a decent-lookin’ dude, but TWO gorgeous girls wanting the J-Mac?

I can’t even handle it, Martin.

Before Justyce’s butt has a chance to sink into the leather of the Riverses’ basement couch, Manny’s already talking crazy. “So how long you plan to hold out on ya boy?” He doesn’t turn away from the movie he’s watching on mute while an old Deuce Diggs track thumps through the speakers.

“I won’t even pretend to know what you’re talking about,” Jus replies. “Yo, what album is this? I don’t think I’ve heard this cut before.”

“Mixtape from a few years ago. Don’t change the subject.”

Jus looks at Manny. “What subject?”

“Dawg, who just dropped you off?” Manny says.

“SJ. Which you know from the I’ll have SJ drop me off text message you responded to fifteen minutes ago.”

“Exaaaaactly.”

“Exactly what?”

“You and SJ.”

“What about me and SJ?”

Manny stares at Jus like he just said Two plus two is five.

“What, Manny?”

Manny shakes his head. “I thought we were boys, Jus.”

“Whatever. Turn the TV up.” Justyce tucks his hands behind his head.

“Just tell me how long.”

“How long WHAT, fool?”

“How long you been hookin’ up with SJ, man! Why you over here playing dumb?”

Jus rolls his eyes. “I’m not hookin’ up with SJ, Manny.”

“Everybody knows, man.”

“Everybody knows what?”

“That you’re over at her house every damn day. You know Jessa Northup is her neighbor. She told us. Says SJ’s parents are obsessed with you. Call you Jusmeister and shit.”

Jus drags his hands down his face. He knew Jessa was nosy, but damn. “First of all, you sound like a damn girl right now with all this gossiping shit. Second, I’m not over there every day. Third, when I am there, it’s for debate stuff. And fourth, Mr. and Mrs. F liking me is irrelevant.”

Manny rolls his eyes. “So all you go over there for is debate?”

“Yes, Manny. The state tournament is in three and a half weeks.”

“Okay…and that’s all y’all ever talk about?”

Justyce’s brow furrows. “I mean, we occasionally talk about other stuff but—”

“SEE! It’s something going on between y’all, man! I can see that shit all over you!”

Justyce shakes his head and settles down into the couch. “I’m not talking about this anymore. You gonna turn the movie up, or what?”

“Jus, I’m your best friend!”

“Dawg.” Justyce sits up. Turns to look Manny in the eye. “I’m only gonna say this once, so listen closely, all right? There is nothing going on between me and SJ.”

Manny stares right back. “Jus, I know you like her, man. And she obviously likes you—”

“Doesn’t matter.” Justyce sinks back into the leather.

“It does, though—”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“You trippin’, man. SJ’s a gorgeous girl AND she’s perfect for you.”

“Drop it.”

“Come on, Jus—”

“I said it doesn’t matter, Manny!”

“Why not?”

Justyce takes a deep breath. “Manny, my mama would blow every gasket in a fifty-mile radius.”

“Huh?”

“SJ is white.”

Manny draws back, puts his hand over his heart, and mock-gasps. “What? You’re kidding me.”

“Shut up, fool.”

“Whatever.” Manny waves him off. “She’s not white white. She’s Jewish. It’s different.”

Jus sighs.

“They were slaves too, dawg. And then the Holocaust. Even now—”

“I know what you mean. Won’t matter to my mama, though. SJ’s skin is white.”

Manny doesn’t respond.

“My mama is not down with that.”

Still no response.

Justyce exhales.

“No offense, Jus, but that might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” Manny finally says.

Jus shrugs. “Is what it is. And since pissing my mama off ain’t real high on my to-do list, SJ and I are strictly friends. Besides, me and Mel are talkin’ again.”

Manny smacks his forehead. “I was wrong before,” he says. “THAT is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Shut up, man.”

“Jus, if Melo and SJ are diverging paths on the road of life, you’re headed for a dead end, my friend.”