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    JZ stood behind Jacinta, positioning her arms. “Look, I’m down with winning, but you’re not even competition. Come on, girl.” He bent over Jacinta, imitating the proper stance, forcing her body to mock his. “You’re not putting enough force on the right end of the stick.”
    The two of them stood locked in the pose until Jacinta hit the ball to his satisfaction. JZ lingered—a second too long—as they watched the stick connect with the green ball, sending it rolling slowly a few inches away.
    Okay, playtime over, Mina thought.
    Just as Michael asked, “What do you think, Diva?” she left the conversation abruptly and strode over to the pool table.
    â€œUmm ... what’s all this ?” Mina gestured grandly to JZ and Jacintabefore folding her arms in mock disapproval.
    â€œWhat?” JZ said, but his smile was crooked and pooched at the same time, in that “caught” kind of way. “Why you rummin’?”
    Mina squinted. “Why am I what?”
    â€œOh, y’all don’t know nothing ’bout that,” JZ yelled, teasing. “That’s that new hotness I just made up. Rummin’, it means tripping.”
    â€œThat word is not hot,” Mina snorted.
    â€œAlright, don’t let me find out later that you jocked my word,” JZ said.
    â€œYeah, whatever.” Mina nodded her head toward Jacinta. “What’s going on with y’all, all buddy-buddy?”
    Jacinta laughed. “Uh-oh, the Princess is suspicious.”
    â€œMan, I’m just trying get a real game going on here,” JZ said. Reluctantly,he put more distance between him and Jacinta. He and Mina had an unspoken thing about him scoping out her girlfriends. She hated when he did it—so he tried not to do it in front of her.
    â€œWhat’s the rule, Princess? JZ not allowed to mack on anyone in the ...” Jacinta took an exaggerated bow, her hands together. “Inner circle.”
    Mina pointed at JZ, a silent “you know better” passing between them.
    A huge grin spread over JZ’s face as he yelled, “Ay! Man, I’m glad you’re here.”
    He laughed, loud and hard, at Mina’s confused look.
    Brian came up behind Mina and wrapped his arms around her, teasing. “You stirring up trouble, toughie?” He threw up a fist in a “what’s up” in Michael’s direction.
    There were murmurs of “hey” and “what’s up” from Kelly, Lizzie and Michael.
    As if Brian’s voice and touch flicked a No Nagging switch in her head, Mina immediately went soft and flirty.
    â€œHey.” She giggled. “Now when do I ever cause trouble?”
    That set the whole clique laughing.
    â€œY’all are so wrong,” Mina said, a small grin dancing at the cornerof her mouth.
    JZ took a quick shot at the striped yellow ball, barely taking aim, and sent it flying to the corner pocket as he tattled, “Your girl all up in my bidness.”
    â€œNo, that’s you and Cinny all up in each other’s business,” Mina said, enjoying the way she and Brian rocked slowly back and forth in his strong warm bear hug. She never tired of him holding her like that.
    â€œYou gotta give it to him, Mi. He did wait till she was boyfriend-less,”Michael quipped. He stood upright, finally finished hemming one of Lizzie’s pants legs, and surveyed his work.
    â€œThat’s right, boyfriend LESS,” Jacinta chirped.
    Mina listened for any sadness in the proclamation. For weeks Jacintahad been in a bad way about her and Raheem’s breakup. But just recently, around the same time she and JZ’s flirting was on the up tick, she seemed to really be over Raheem. If there was such a thing.
    Mina had a feeling Cinny simply had good and bad days. Today must have been a good one because there was nothing but happiness in her voice.
    Mina was glad. A little wary maybe, that a