On the Come Up

Bri returns home and learns that Jay has withdrawn from her college program, so she can “make sure [Bri] and [her] brother don’t starve” (282). Bri is wracked with guilt because it seems like her mom is giving up on her dream to provide for them. Jay tells Bri that she likes her song, but she begs Bri to “stay low during all of this” (283) and try to be on her best behavior. She takes Bri’s phone and sends her to study for the ACT for several hours, and when Bri finally gets her phone back, she is inundated with messages from friends and strangers, who send her the link to an article. The local newspaper has published an opinion piece written by a woman who claims that Bri’s “Violent Song Leads to Violence” (286), and the writer calls Bri a “gang-affiliated, unruly teen who was recently kicked out of a local establishment” (287). Bri notices that although this white writer has a problem with Bri rapping about guns, the woman is pro-guns in another article. The double standard angers Bri and reminds her of all of the times white girls didn’t get in trouble for doing the same things that got her sent to the office. The writer calls for the song to be removed, and Bri jumps on Instagram Live to tell the world and the writer that “[they’ll] never silence [her]. [Bri’s] got too goddamn much to say” (290).

The next morning, Jay decides that they aren’t going to church like usual, and she isolates herself in her room. Trey explains that their mom “just needs a day away from all the church gossip” (293), but he then confronts Bri about her Instagram activity from the night before. He tells her that “that video was not my little sister” (294) and that their mom has other things to worry about. Sonny and Malik come over, and although Trey convinces her to go hang out with them, Bri is still angry about the meeting at Malik’s house from a few days ago. Sonny and Malik apologize, but Malik says that Bri has “changed on folks” and that “this whole rap persona of [hers]” (298) isn’t his best friend. Bri asks if they are embarrassed about being affiliated with her, but Sonny and Malik assure her that they want to be there for her, and their friendship can weather this because “nothing can change what we’ve got” (300). They play Mario Kart at Malik’s house, and Malik learns that the superintendent of Midtown plans to meet with the parents. Malik reports that “the school is hiring cops to work as security at Midtown” (302) instead of regular security guards. Malik suggests taking Bri’s song and coupling it with footage of what happened with Long and Tate to “explain the song to all of these idiots who come at [Bri] and it shows what happened at school” (304).

Bri, Malik, and Sonny create a music video with clips of life in Garden Heights and the footage of Bri being tackled to the ground. Bri acknowledges that it probably won’t change anyone’s mind about her because “they’ll never truly understand because they don’t wanna understand someone like [her]” (306). Sonny announces that he has started talking to his online boyfriend again, and after they talk on the phone, he still doesn’t know his name, but “[he] think[s] [he’s] heard his voice before” (308). Sonny leaves to babysit his siblings, and Malik and Bri hang out alone. They dance together and share their first kiss, but Bri doesn’t feel any sparks. Malik walks Bri home, and Bri asks why Malik kissed her when he has a girlfriend, Shana. Malik accuses Bri of “flirt[ing] with Curtis to make [Malik] jealous” (313), but Bri admits that she likes Curtis. While they argue, the Crown member from the Ring appears and robs them at gunpoint. He demands Bri’s crown pendant because “[her] daddy was real disrespectful, walking around with that crown on his chain and calling himself the King of the Garden” (315) while affiliating with Garden Disciples. Bri resists, knowing that the chain is valuable and could have taken care of her family if they sold it, but the Crown hits Malik and puts the gun to her head, so she has no choice but to hand it over. Bri watches as the Crown “speeds off down the street, taking [her] family’s safety net with him” (317).