Black & Ugly

Product Description

Parade Knight hates her complexion. As a result, she considers herself to be unattractive and condones the misuse of her body. Sky Taylor is beautiful, fly and wanted, and loves reminding Parade of her imperfections especially after suspecting that she may be sleeping with her man, Jay Hernandez. Miss Wayne is hilarious and a self-proclaimed girlfriend who enjoys the attention his friends bring. If you let Miss Wayne tell it, he s not a gay, he s just one of the girls. Daffany Stans uses her body for profit and hides a health secret so serious that it could endanger the lives of her friends, considering their sex partners are so closely related. Black and Ugly is a tale of four totally different friends from the same block, whose friendship is tested during a seemingly innocent game of Truth or Dare. When fatal secrets begin to surface, will Parade give up the friend whose shadow she has walked in all her life? And will Miss Wayne and Daphne abandon their friends to save themselves?

About the Author

With a goal to become one of the world s greatest multi-genre African American female authors, T. Styles takes her swing at her true love, Urban Lit writing. Born in Southeast Washington, D.C, and raised in Houston, Texas, she now resides in Baltimore County, Maryland with her son. She credits her creativity to God, the hundreds of DVDs she has in her collection and trailblazers such as Sister Souljah, saying that, In order to be blessed, you have to pay homage to those who ve paved the way. Although writing is her love, she is certainly multi-talented. Having worked as a Certified Massage Therapist, Model and Public Speaker for major companies/organizations such as The Office of the US Supreme Court, Marriot, Carefirst Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Eduserc, she has discovered that her true passion is writing. In addition to working with companies and individuals regarding Health and Wellness issues, T spends her time speaking honestly about the issues she s experienced with the law as a juvenile. She is no stranger to the complexities and issues of the street. I believe urban writing doesn t glorify crime, it brings to light what really exists. It is my hope that through writing, I can steer as many young people away from this lifestyle as possible. To me, there s no harm in that. With an excellent support system, including her son and best friend, she plans to use all of the tools at her disposal, as she strives to create the next great novel.

Black & Ugly

T Styles

 previous page 

Black

and

Ugly

By T. Styles

This is a work of fiction. The authors have invented the charac-ters. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

If you have purchased this book with a 'dull' or missing cover--

You have possibly purchased an unauthorized or stolen book.

Please immediately contact the publisher advising where, when and how you purchased this book.

Compilation and Introduction copyright (c) 2006 by Triple Crown Publications

4449 Easton Way, 2nd Floor

Columbus, Ohio 43219

www.TripleCrownPublications.com Library of Congress Control Number: 2006937037

ISBN: 0-9778804-1-9

ISBN 13: 978-0-9778804-1-6

Author: T. Styles

Cover Design/Graphics: www.MarionDesigns.com Typesetting: Holscher Type and Design Associate Editors: Chandra Sparks Taylor, Rhonda Crowder Editorial Assistant: Elizabeth Zaleski Editor-in-Chief: Mia McPherson Consulting: Vickie M. Stringer Copyright (c) 2006 by T. Styles. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except by reviewer who may quote brief pas-sages to be printed in a newspaper or magazine.

First Trade Paperback Edition Printing December 2006

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed in the United States of America
Dedication

I'd like to dedicate this novel to all my chocolate sisters who don't realize how truly beautiful they are.

Acknowledgments

As always, I'd like to thank God for the talent, strength and courage he has given me to excel in my craft. In him, all things are possible.

To my son, I am because of you, and because of you, I am. Stay on the honor roll, baby, and continue to knock 'em down on the football field. And between me and you,

"When did we get ice cream?" I know you'll get it.

I'd like to thank Charisse. Once again, you stood beside me for the completion of another one. Did I tell you your support gets me through? Because it does. Thanks for being my closest friend, strongest supporter and biggest fan, because I'm yours too.

I'd like to thank my wonderful family. My mommy, my sisters Tina and Kavena, my nieces Destanee and Bria, my nephew Darius and his brother-in-life D'Juan, my aunt Paula and cousins Dee, Billy and his loving wife. To Los/30/Mr. Mavins, I love you with all my heart. I hope I'm doing you proud with this one. I'd also like to send a shout-out to your cellmates, too. Tell them I'm throwing them many kisses and more hugs.

I'd like to thank my friends Charisse, CeCe, Kalisha, A.C. (Damn baby, how many A Hustler's Son books did you sell? I love you for that and I remember everything!) Cochise, Mona, Allyn, Marla, Monica, Chaneta, George, Mike, the Grosses and Mamma Watkins. I'd also like to thank Mark Valentine. You are the best friend a girl could ever ask for. Thanks for staying in my life.

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I'd like to thank the Triple Crown Publications family: Ms. Vickie Stringer, Tammy, Mia and all the editors and designers who made my book possible.

I'd also like to thank Cynthia for being there for me when I needed you. You'll always be number one in my book.

I'd like to thank some of my favorite entertainers for keeping me smiling. P-Diddy, Janet Jackson, Anthony Hamilton, Tyra Banks, Raheem Devaughn, R. Kelly, Jamie Foxx, 50-Cent and Vivica Fox.

I'd also like to send a shout-out to Leo Sullivan. You have been an inspiration to me, and I need you to know that. I hope we can get to crackin' on a project. That would mean a lot to me.

To all my readers, please continue to support African-American authors like Cydney Rax, Deja King, Candice Dow, Kwan, Karen E. Quiones Miller, Darren Coleman, J.

Tremble, Paula Edwards (the best talk show host for up and coming authors) I love you girl! Treasure E. Blue, Miasha, Danielle Santiago, Leo Sullivan, Quentin Carter, Wahida Clark, Tanika Lynch, Erick Jerome Dickey, Dorrie Williams-Wheeler and the rest of my MySpace fam.

I can't leave without thanking the bookstores that push my book. DC Bookman and Tiah, you guys are wonderful.

You made a night more special for me than any I could ever have imagined. That's what you call hometown love, and thanks for looking out. To Urban Knowledge Bookstore in Mondawmin Mall, Urban Knowledge Bookstore in Owings Mills Mall, Urban Knowledge in New Jersey and Sepia Sand and Sable...I love you guys.

Last but not least, I'd like to thank my fans for believing in me and my work. This is all for you. I'm still a work in progress, but trust and believe, I think about all of you
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Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

with every word I type. Continue to send your emails, because I read and respond to every one of them. I love you guys.

T.Styles

[email protected]

www.myspace.com/toystyles

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Black and Ugly

1

Parade Knight

I KNEW I WAS UGLY the moment my mother gave me a mirror. How could I not? Growing up, she reminded me over and over that I didn't look like her when she was younger. I don't care too much anymore because I can beat a bitch down. And, I dare somebody to call me ugly to my face. Everybody knows me 'round my way and they know the one thing I don't tolerate is someone tellin' me somethin' I already know.

Hyattsville, Maryland, where I was born and raised, is not always considered the ghetto until you lift up a few rocks and look behind a couple of corners. Then you'll come face to face with what moves in the dark because in the most remote part of town and next to a cemetery is Quincy Manor Apartments, the place I've called my home for twenty-two years ... and that's all my life.

By the way, I'm Parade Knight. I'm five feet, five inches, dark-skinned and thick to death. I'm the one the boys sneak around with when their girlfriends act
T. Styles

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Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

up ... well ... besides Miss Wayne, and that's a whole

'notha story. I'm not light-skinned or pretty enough to be their arm-piece, but I'm soft enough to put in their beds. I've been told that I don't give them a hard time like their girls do, that's why they fucks wit' me.

Although I know I'm not the prettiest, my body is tight and my pussy stays wet. I've learned to appreciate my positives and ignore the negatives. Does it hurt to be considered unattractive? Yeah, it does. But I've gotten used to it over time. There's no use in me dwellin' on shit I can't change. I'm gonna be ugly today, and I'm gonna be ugly tomorrow. Might as well make the best of what God gave me. Right?

Now, my friends, they're just the opposite of me.

Take Sky Taylor, for instance. We're the same height, age and weight - about one hundred forty-five pounds

- but her hair is soft, short and naturally curly. Her skin is light and she ain't got a mark on her body. Get a good picture of her in your head? Can you see her?

Well, I'm the exact opposite.

Sky gives me a lot of things, like the clothes she doesn't want anymore. I wish we were the same shoe size because she buys a new pair every week. I don't care if they're hand-me-downs, 'cuz without her, I wouldn't have anything decent to wear. She even gave me this fly-ass perfume that my mother stays comin' in my room usin'. And that doesn't do anything but piss me off because when it's gone, she ain't got no intentions on replacing it.

My folks give me the bare essentials. A comb. A
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T. Styles