Summary

In Book Two, "Special Game," City had been in love with Shalaya Crump for as long as he could remember. Despite his love for her, Shalaya's obsession with the future irritated City. It was 1985, and no one their age ever thought about the future.

Shalaya lived close to City's grandmother, Mama Lara, in Melahatchie. They spent time together whenever City visited. City tried explaining how sad his and Shalaya's story was (4).

Over Christmas break, Shalaya had "claimed she could love" City (4). Despite her promise, Shalaya still refused to be City's girlfriend. She could never stop talking about 2013, and everything that might happen years in the future.

Between Christmas and summer breaks, City invented "all kinds of ways to show Shalaya [he] was special" (9). He wrote his plans in a notebook labeled "GAME" (9).

In "Baize," City was back at...