Next Semester (Kimani Tru) (edit title/settings)

Next Semester the sequel to First Semester was about James Dawson, or “JD”s second semester as a freshman at the University of Atlanta. From a narrow escape in the last book he was tested, and found not to have H-I-V. Since then, despite Kat’s pleas and possibly wanting to further presue what they had, he is very adment about not having anything to do with her this semester. When he gets back on campus he hooks back up with friends (Fresh, Lawry, Dub B, Fats, and Timothy aka T-Mac).

He isn’t even there a hot second when he sees a girl he wants to hit up, (meaning sex) named Lesley, that dismisses him, because she doesn’t fool with guys from U of A. I never could figure out if she was from U of A herself. Anyway he discovers his square roommate has gone Greek and decked his room out in black and gold, and given hisself the alias T-Mac. I’m thinking is this a diss to a certain fraternity with the same colors? At a outside (welcoming back) event, when they try to get books and discovers the line is too crowded, Fats (whose like the campus’s oldest student, slash hustler) takes there orders for books and also gives them some advice about what classes to take. He suggests a class in politics, because it’s rumored that the teacher is about to have a baby.

That means easy A. Fresh immediately signs up for a credit card. We know this will let to trouble in the long run. JD runs into Lawry who know has a toung ring (Uh yeah), and Lesley (who tells him to hit her up on FB). At the party that night JD gets Lesley’s digits for real. She’s been drinking and doesn’t know she hasn’t all ready given them to him, or not in this case. JD has noticed the bruises on her face, but doesn’t care because her butt is so big. The party is a foam party, and Ludacris is performing. Wiiild. We ain’t never have nothing like this in my little small time college. A foam party sounds VERY sexual.

So after the party there’s suppose to be a after party. JD, and Fresh go to check it out, but it’s at a “frat house”. Set up. When they get there it’s some other people there. JD almost falls for a trick with some red jello. After getting up on some chicks. (which it fascinated me to read about Fresh having a females legs wrapped around his waist on the wall) they start to leave. They’re tricked into staying by one of the Frat’s members and led into the basement. They stay there til the early hours in the morning in the “chair” position (pre pledging). Never heard of “pre-preledging”. I was thinking can they do this.

So the next morning JD finds out that his easy A class will be taught by one of his toughest professers last year. Not only that Kat is in the class. To top that off instead of studying politics in books, the teacher wants them to divide into groups, and pick a representive to run for Student Council. There’s this guy in the class (Howard) who ran every year and won. Kat, JD, Dub B, and a friend of Kat’s (Destiny) get put in a group. Oh yeah Fresh too. Needles to say they pick Kat, who is a straight A student, and also an AKA. But she’s the one that has AIDS. JD’s rep is already tarnished, but for the good of the group, and after Kat breaks down and apologizes to him, he decides to at least be cordial to her.

Pledging presits. Getting even more sick with each time they’re called in. It’s discovered that one of the frat guys is Leslies ex boyfriend and calls JD out for texting and trying to steal his girl. The day Kat is scheduled to give her pre-election speech something happens (Fresh’s car tires are slit) by one of his many women, that he has been caking with the money on his credit card. So JD has to give the speech. Regardless to say he bombs.

After that they live for a Spring Break trip to Miami. Oh yeah T-Mac has fallen in love with a girl he meet on FB (Amy). JD has heard in one of his sessions that one of the Kappas is screwing her but he hasn’t got up the courage to tell Timothy his girl is a freak. Amy has gave it up to T-Mac and he’s totally sprung. Her being his first and all. In Miami JD hooks up with Lesley. They all go to a club, where Fresh spends a shit load of money on drinks and VIP treatment. At the club Timothy sees Amy all up on a Kappa and confronts her. He learns the truth. JD sees another Kappa (Lesley’s ex) pushing up on her and goes over to defend her. A fight breaks out, and he threatens it’s on when they get back on campus.

Tension mounts with the election. Kat gets a free concert together with Kanye West for anyone that will be tested for HIV. How in the world can they contact Kanye West? But okay. Oh yeah going backwards a little JD discovers at the beginning of the book that Lawry IS gay after he catches him giving Howard head. Dub took a picture and threatned to put in on FB. Lawry told him if he did that he’d tell the Kappas he snitched about pre-pledging. Dub gets mad cause Lawry hit on his girl at the club and post the pictures. SO Lawry makes a poster that depicts JD, Kat, Downtown D, and Him (saying that they all had a thing).

Earlier in the book, he goes Dr. J and asks if he should stay in the class, or drop. Dr.J (who is a Kappa) gives him some good advice about what to take into consideration, which is why he remains in the class. He fights with Lesley, who is always skeptical about his sexual preference. I think he comes to a confrontation with the other Kappas, but they decide not to kick him off the line, only when a older member reminds the other one that HE was the one in the wrong for putting his hands on Lesley. It doesn’t help anything between them (JD and Lesley) when he asks for two pairs of her panties. Yeah I mean..cant blame her there. But Kat recognizes the signs of pre pledging and comes to the rescue.

The kick JD off line any way for snitching. Kat and Howard each gives speeches. Kat gives the most most heart warming even with a trick question thrown in (about a group of men that have fashioned themselves after her sorority). She gives a excellent speech after JD turns up the pressure. But she almost falls apart after hearing Downtown D on the news has (umm either got caught with drugs, went to jail, or turned down a NFL position) But she wins. JD is called back by the Kappas to pledge for real in the fall (?) next year.
He does fail a class, when Timothy decides to get back at him for not telling him about Amy.

In the end Fresh is screwed for spending all that money and won’t be able to come back to school next year. Timothy tells him to have faith. Then he helps him out and tells him she works with people to get scholar ships. Lesley breaks up with JD and gives him some crap about seeing how it goes next year. At the end of the book he reminisces and it recaps everything that went on.