Charm City Part 1 (Welcome to Bodymore Murdaland)

by S. L. Walker

  “I got a page from Kaitlin this morning, saying she had the money and to meet her,” I explained.

  “And instead of this dummy just going to meet her, she tells Deon,” Victoria chimed in.

  “Deon claimed he would meet up with Kaitlin and told Raven not to go,” Angel added.

  “Am I gonna tell this story or y’all?” I said, irritated.

  “I guess I am the only one out the loop, I see. So if you didn’t go, why did you miss class? You know Professor Heart assigned us individual projects. Aaaaand he’s gonna tutor me,” she said, with a slight smile.

  “You have got to stop crushing on his old ass,” Victoria rolled her eyes. Eva mugged her, “That man is fine, I don’t know what you talking about,” Eva contended.

  “I did go. Tori skipped class with me to follow them,” I told her taking my food out my bag.

  “Well, what happened?” Eva impatiently asked.

  “He met her at a that small library no one goes to. He basically yelled at her for helping me and getting the weed stolen,” I told them.

  “She got the shit stolen?” Eva interrupted.

  “Listen! This was the part I was telling them when you walked over. We couldn’t hear too well, but it seemed like something went wrong, like it almost got stolen, but she got it back.”

  “She looked pretty scared,” Victoria added in.

  “Apparently she fought the guys off and doesn't know…” I stopped and lowered my voice. “If one of the guys is dead or not. I guess she shot him.”

  “Wow,” Eva said shockingly. “ This has gotten way out of hand.”

  “Way,” Angel added.

  “They moved more towards the car so we couldn’t hear anymore and that was that,” I said.

  “Oh my God, Raven,” Eva said sitting on the table.

  “Then we left,” Victoria said.

  “So what now?” Eva asked.

  “I don’t know. I want to ask Deon when I see him tonight,” I said, knowing that I would be opening up an argument between us again.

  “Well, now he can quit that crap with Treach,” Angel said.

  “Yeah, but I don’t think it’s going to be that simple,” I told her. As a matter fact something told me it wasn’t going to be that simple.

  CHAPTER 4

  Raven waited impatiently for Deon to get home, who didn’t stroll in the house till almost 11 at night. She jumped up from her bed when she heard him go into his room and tapped on the door. His door was unlocked so she crept in without his permission.

  “Deon,“ she whispered. He was quickly putting his money up.

  “Damn, wassup, Vee?” He said nervously and annoyed that she walked in without his say so.

  “How did it go?” She asked closing his door behind her.

  “Fine, no thanks to you,” he grimaced, closing his closet door and sitting in his chair he uses to play video games.

  “What happened?” She sat on the bed. She felt bad for everything, but wanted to be sure that everything was back okay.

  “Really, Vee?” He said annoyed. “I told you I’d handle it. It’s handled.”

  “Come on, I deserve to know. I am sorry I made such a mess, I was only trying to help you. You know that right?” He looked into her sincere eyes.

  Deep down he did know that, but it still didn’t stop how he felt about the situation, nor how complicated she just made everything.

  “Yeah, and I told you not to. And a mess you did make. Them niggas tried to rob her and she didn’t let them. Now Kaitlin is asking for me to ask Treach for protection. She possibly hosed some nigga over trying to rob her. I don’t know how ima do that,” he said, upset.

  Raven’s face was in shock. She covered her mouth with her hands.

  “She can’t do that. Can she?” Raven was appalled. It wasn’t Deon’s fault Kaitlin almost got robbed. If anything it was her connect, so it was her fault. However, Kaitlin was doing Raven a favor, so technically it all came down to being Raven’s fault.

  Fuck. Raven’s head hurt all of a sudden.

  “Well, she did. Of course I told her fuck her and give me my money. But at the same time I had to agree to try and help her. She did fight for my money, which saved both our asses. Maybe,” he told her turning on his video game system. “Look, Vee, don’t mention none of this to dad. I will handle it. You stay out of it and no more contact with Kaitlin. You hear me? I hear you even talking to her…,” he said, leaning over with his finger in her face.

  “Yeah, fine. I got it,” she interrupted, pushing his finger out her face. She stood up to leave feeling like she failed her brother. “I’m going to bed.”

  She walked out, heading to her room hoping she didn’t cause more damage than there already was.

  $$$$

  “Bitch, Tommy know you a two timing rollie!” Zara yelled, pushing Jamie out of her face. Zara and Jamie were both in the hall during lunch arguing over Tommy, who had been seeing them both.

  “Who you callin’ a rollie?! Bitch, you’re a little ass girl, Tommy don’t want you!” Jamie got in her face. Zara’s friend tried to hold her back and tell her to walk away but Zara was so caught up in arguing she ignored her.

  “You, bitch! Go confront him if that’s your man then!” Zara yelled laughing. Jamie had about four friends with her to Zara’s one. They were also trying to hold Jamie back saying that the teachers would hear if they didn’t stop the shit show in the hallway. Neither of them bothered to take their friend’s advice.

  Raven, Tori, Angel, and Eva were both walking by when they saw the crowd form around Zara and Jamie.

  “Oooouu who fighting?” Victoria asked. “Let’s go see y’all,” she skipped over. The girls followed Victoria with curiosity and Raven instantly noticed Zara’s frowned face and then Jamie’s clowned made up face.

  “Oh shit, it’s Jamie. I knew someone was gonna try and beat her ass one day,” Victoria laughed folding her arms ready to see the action.

  Zara and Jamie continued to shout at each other while their friends pulled them back. Someone shouted to let them fight while the crowd got closer.

  “You bent cus Tommy don’t want your ass no more, bitch! Your pussy loose and he told me that shit stank!” Zara yelled, laughing. The crowd all laughed and Jamie’s light skinned face got red as an apple as she leaped at Zara, pulling her hair. Zara jumped back and began punching and took her foot and slammed Jamie down to the ground. Zara started punching when one of Jamie’s friends jumped in and pulled Zara by the hair off Jamie. It threw Zara off which allowed Jamie to kick Zara in the leg. Zara yelled out in pain, but was too concerned with getting Jaimie’s friend off her hair.

  The crowd oooued again.

  The girls all look jarred watching their very on WWE smackdown in the school hallway.

  “That’s messed up, they’re jumping her!” Angel shouted. Raven watched, conflicted on helping her. Zara wasn’t too appreciative when she jumped in the last argument she was having with Tommy. She was ungrateful then and probably would be ungrateful this time.

  Zara began punching everywhere, telling them to get off her. A third girl jumped in while Zara’s friend got scared and ran off.

  “Come on yall before a teacher come,” Raven said, still staring at the fight.

  “That’s fucked up,” Victoria said shaking her head, turning away to follow Raven. Zara’s face became bruised as she battled the girls; blood beginning to form from the cut on her lip.

  “Aw fuck,” Raven said, her conscious getting the best of her. She turned and pushed through the crowd to help Zara.

  “Where the fuck she going? Where the fuck you going?!” Victoria yelled after Raven. The girls all looked at each other and simultaneously ran after Raven. Raven pushed through to Zara and grabbed Jamie by the throat, slamming her onto the lockers. Zara noticed but kept fighting the other girls. Victoria jumped in on the third girl as well as Angel and Eva pushing and pulling all kinds of hair. Before they knew it all girls were kicking, screaming,
punching, and pulling hair.

  A horn blasted loud enough to bust eardrums.

  “Break this bullshit up!” Two school security guards and several teachers were pushing kids out the way and snatching up the fighting girls left and right. Two other security guards ran up as well pushing people out the way and shouting to go to lunch. The girls weren’t saying anything but looking pissed, bloodied and tired at each other.

  “What in the name of?!” One of the women teachers stood in the middle of the security guards.

  “A bunch of ladies doing this?! I expect this from boys, but my God! Take them to the principal’s office right now. All of you have detention!”

  “What?!” Eva yelled pissed. Raven and Zara caught eye contact but so did Raven and Jamie. Raven gave a devious smirk at Jamie who looked away, wiping her busted lips and sweaty face. The girls all sighed and moaned with anger.

  “Get your stuff and lets go,” said one of the guards. Zara’s coward friend sat on the sideline next to the teachers. Zara mouthed “bamma” with a fierce look as she walked past with the guard.

  As they all walked up to the principal office, the guard separated who was friends with who. He ordered Jamie and her friends to sit in the chairs in the hallways chaperoned by the other guards.

  Zara, Raven, Victoria, Eva, and Angel all walked into Principal Grinner’s office, who was already ready to cuss them out. Principal Grinner was a classic tight ass that felt like detention was the only answer to all kids fighting. She was an older black woman with a big nose, hairy chin, and wore cheap wigs. She was waiting with her clipboard, leaning on her desk, staring at all five girls as they sat on her old leather couch.

  “I don’t believe we’ve met. Not personally. I am Principal Grinner and I hear you like making a zoo out of my school in the hallway. I can only imagine what would have you fighting like dogs.” She looked at her clipboard.

  “When I say your name, say here or put up your hand.”

  “Victoria Springs.”

  VICTORIA

  I raised my hand as the Principal called my name and handed me a detention badge for after school and Monday after school. I scowled over at Raven and this nobody that we just got detention over. I couldn’t wait to ask why we jumped in that stupid fight. I could only imagine what my mom would say; she just lost her job and didn’t need this on her plate. I was hoping they wouldn’t call home and just let us do our time. She then called Eva Sanchez, and handed her badge and Angel Moreau, handing her a badge.

  “Raven,” she said and handed Raven a badge. I didn’t know they knew each other. I looked at Raven who looked at me and shrugged.

  “And I am guessing you are Zara De Luca? I hear this fight started with you,” Principal Grinner said handing her a badge.

  “I don’t know who told you that,” Zara said with an attitude. Principal Grinner cut her eyes at her. “You ladies will meet directly after school in room 202 and await further instructions. Thank you, you may leave.”

  We all got up with attitudes stuffing the badges in our pockets and backpacks.

  “Send in the other girls,” she called out to her assistant. We walked out all looking at the broken down friends of Jamies'. I caught Raven giving a foul look at Jamie who didn’t make eye contact. As a matter of fact, none of the girls really made any eye contact. I looked at the time on my pager and realized the lunch bell was about to ring any minute.

  “We missed lunch and I’m starving,” I said.

  “I can’t believe we got detention,” Angel followed after me. I looked at Eva who was pissed off, staring at Raven and Raven was staring at Zara.

  “Thanks, y’all,” Zara spoke up. We turned the corner of the hallway and walked out to the front side of the school. “Y’all didn’t have to do that.”

  “Oh we didn’t do it for you,” Eva interrupted with an attitude. “We don’t even know you. We were following Raven.”

  Zara looked at Raven and did a slight smile.

  “Guess you just like saving the day huh?” She said. We all looked confused. Raven turned her nose up.

  “I almost didn’t after that little ungrateful episode with your boy toy Tommy. You just lucked up cus I don’t like Jamie and them bitches was punks for jumping in,” said Raven. We stopped near the vending machine and some of us pulled out money to grab a snack and soda before class.

  “That’s right, Jamie dated your brother. Tommy was telling me about it. You know she tried to get back with him? That’s what all that shit was about. Tommy told me he knew about it and just stopped messing with her. I’m no fool, I know he was probably only talking to me to get under her skin, but I didn’t care. Fuck that rollie,” Zara said putting some bubble gum in her mouth.

  “Shady bitch,” Raven agreed.

  “Well, seeing as y’all know each other and we just got detention for two days over a boy, so you say your name is Zara?” Eva said with an attitude.

  “Yeah,” Zara answered.

  “Well, I’m Victoria or you can call me Tori,” I shook her hand.

  “I’m Angel,” Angel smiled.

  “Eva,” Eva followed.

  The bell rang.

  “Well thank you again. My own homie didn’t even have my back. Scary bitch,” Zara said shaking her head. “See y’all after class,” she waved.

  “Yea I’m out, I got PE,” Eva peaced out and walked the other direction.

  “Eva’s pissed,” I pointed out.

  “She’ll get over it. Come on, Angel,” Raven motioned for Angel. They both had English together. I grabbed me a soda out the machine and hurried to Math class.

  EVA

  There were more people than I expected in detention. I had never had detention before. Never been in any kind of trouble in school, but here I was, over nothing. I was expecting to see the other girls that we fought there, but they must have scheduled them detention on a different day or time. My girls were all sitting together in desks in the middle of the room.

  A couple of guys I noticed from the block were in there and a guy from my PE class. My eyes met this light skinned, tomb boy girl’s eyes, slouched in her seat. They pierced into my soul so fierce I looked away uncomfortably.

  There were two teachers at the front going through some papers. Tori motioned to me that she saved a chair and I walked over.

  “Hey y’all,” I said sitting down. I was still pissed at Raven, but more mad that I had to cancel my tutor session with Professor Heart on Monday. I couldn’t tell him I had detention but didn’t want to look like I wasn’t trying to get help. My pager went off and the teacher instantly looked at me. Some of the students laughed.

  “No phones! No Pagers! No hats Miss Asia!” The big head teacher spoke out. The tomboy girl took her beanie off, revealing her long brown curly hair. You could see her face clearly now and she was actually really cute. She had a hoop nose piercing and her lips were pouty. She looked my way again, rolling her eyes and putting her black hoody over her head instead.

  “Either put them away or we will put them away for you,” the big head teacher said again, looking at me, totally ignoring Asia.

  I took a quick look at the number paging me and it was my mom. I couldn’t help but wonder if they called her and told her I had detention.

  “Okay people, today is clean up day. You will find some orange vest over there and gloves and we will be picking up trash around the school for one hour,” the other teacher said. Everyone moaned, some complained, and some said they weren’t picking up a damn thing.

  “Look, we can make this easy or make this hard. It’s one hour of your miserable lives so get the vest and gloves on so we can get this over with!” The big head teacher said.

  “Ugh, I wore my flats today,” Angel complained. “I was supposed to be at the center after school,” she looked down at her white shiny ballerina flats.

  “This is bullshit,” Zara said, getting up.

  “You can all leave your things by the desk and get them when we return,” t
he second teacher said. “Oh by the way, I’m Miss Debbie, this is Miss Parker,” she pointed at the big head teacher.

  “Come on y’all, let’s just get this over with, I got some good after this,” Raven told us standing up.

  “Good? Girl, I’m going home after this, before we get in trouble for that too,” I said with an attitude.

  “What’s your problem?!” Raven asked angrily at me.

  “This bullshit is my problem,” I said angrily back.

  “Ladies! Knock it off, get a vest and move on!” Miss Debbie said. We both shut up, got our vest and I walked out first. They directed us to different parts of the school, chaperoned by each teacher. We all stayed together, including the Asia girl, but to avoid further attitude with Raven, I walked ahead of the girls. Angel followed me.

  “Eva, you ok?” She asked, picking up a potato chip bag off the ground and putting it in her trash bag. I picked up a few pieces of garbage, too.

  “I might be moving to Philadelphia,” I said. I looked back to see who was close enough to hear me. There was enough distance between all of us. The Asia girl was doing the complete opposite of what we were asked to do. I shook my head judging her already. I continued to pick up trash.

  “When did you find this out? Why you just now telling me?” Angel interrogated. “And what’s in Philadelphia?”

  “I just found out, my mom got a new job that’s gonna have her relocate. For a while she said she will commute and stay the night there, but eventually we will have to move. I tried to tell y’all but we been so focused on Raven’s bullshit, and now this.”

  “You still could’ve told us. Do you know how long?” Angel asked.

  “No, couple months maybe, I don’t know,” I went for more trash on the ground before I realized what it was. “Ugh!” I kicked the dirty condom to the side.

  Angel laughed before she got back to me.

  “Well, you gotta tell the girls. I mean is it for real?” She asked.

  “Ladies! This is detention, not gossip time!” We had got stuck with big head Miss Parker to watch us. Everyone else was having side conversations. I don’t know why she was messing with us.