“Well, you stay and hang with your friends then.”
“I’m not staying for them either.”
He stopped packing and turned to me, a lot calmer. “Then help me understand what it is, Angel.”
“School, I was going to go to college,” I said, not wanting to tell him the real reason—that I was just scared.
“And? How many times do we have to have this discussion? They have colleges in Dallas.”
“Plus, my mom watches after Angelica.”
“Your mom also works, while Angelica sits in daycare. My mom is at home all day, so Angelica would be with her.”
I didn’t know what to say. Rico had it all figured out.
“Rico . . .”
He held up his hand to stop me. “You know, you keep coming up with these excuses, but I get it. Loud and clear. I’m done asking.” He started taping the boxes closed.
I sat there wondering if I was about to lose the best thing that had ever happened to me. Would I ever find someone to love me like Rico did? I felt tears trickling down my cheeks. I was so confused. It wasn’t like he was asking me to move across the country. Dallas was four hours away. What was I really scared of? And it’s not like Angelica could tell me what she thought of him if I did give her time to get to know him. No, I couldn’t take any chances.
“I’ll go,” I said softly.
He stopped and turned to me. “Don’t do me any favors.”
“No, I want to go,” I said.
“But what about your party, and your graduation, and your friends?” he said snidely.
“I’ll live with missing my graduation. They can send me my diploma. My friends will understand.” I knew they wouldn’t.
“What about that graduation party you were dying to go to?” he asked.
“Forget about a party, Rico. I just want to be with you.” I stood and walked over to him, not bothering to hide my tears.
Finally, Rico smiled. He pulled me up toward him and hugged me tightly. “That’s my baby. We’ll leave tomorrow,” he said. “I’m going to make you so happy.”
Happy was not a word I would use to describe how I was feeling right then. In fact, I didn’t understand what I was feeling. I loved Rico, right? So why did I feel sick to my stomach about leaving with him?
32
Jasmine
I’d gotten through my paper drama, so I thought I would sail through the rest of the school year. But I had a bad feeling that the drama was far from over. In fact, I was standing on drama’s doorstep right now. Me and Miss Rachel. I’d baby-sat her little girl, Nia, while she’d run some errands today, and on the way home, she announced that we were stopping by Alexis’s house. Any other time, that would’ve been cool. But I wasn’t looking forward to the reason why we were stop-
ping by.
“. . . all I need to do is sit down and have a little talk with Alexis’s parents,” Miss Rachel said, reaching for the doorbell.
I shook my head. From the little I knew about Alexis’s parents, they were stubborn and didn’t like people up in their business. I didn’t think they’d appreciate Miss Rachel trying to tell them what to do with their own kid.
A short, pudgy woman who I assumed was the Lansings’ new maid opened the door. “Come in. Mrs. Lansing is expecting you.”
She showed us into the dining room, where Alexis and her parents were already seated at the table. Alexis’s eyes lit up when she saw me.
“Hello, everyone,” Miss Rachel said.
Alexis’s father and mother stood to formally shake Miss Rachel’s hand.
“Jasmine, can you go wait in the living room, please?” Miss Rachel said.
“No, can she stay with me?” Alexis asked, jumping up from the table. “Everybody’s ganging up on me, I want someone here on my side.”
I wanted to tell her I would rather wait in the other room, but the pitiful look on her face made me keep my mouth closed.
“No one is ganging up on you, Lexi,” her mother said.
“And this isn’t an issue of sides,” her father added.
She looked at them pleadingly until her father said, “Whatever,” and motioned for me to take a seat.
I walked around to Alexis’s side of the table and slid into the seat next to her. She immediately grabbed my hand, making me feel sorry for her. She was really scared of what her parents would say.
“So, do you think we can get this show on the road? I have a million and one things to do today,” Mr. Lansing said.
Mrs. Lansing rolled her eyes, and although she looked like she wanted to say something, she didn’t.
“Well, I just wanted to talk to you two about Alexis’s college career,” Miss Rachel began.
“Alexis doesn’t have a college career,” Mr. Lansing said. “She threw it away when she decided to get naked on the internet.”
“I wasn’t naked, Daddy,” Alexis protested.
“Might as well have been.”
“Arthur, please,” Mrs. Lansing said. “We’re never going to get anywhere with that negativity.”
He shrugged and made a jerk with his head. Wow, he was really mad at Alexis. Since I’d known them, Alexis had been Daddy’s little girl. So to see this change left me speechless, and I know it had to hurt Alexis.
“Mr. Lansing, I realize you’re angry, but you have raised a good daughter,” Miss Rachel said, motioning toward Alexis, who squeezed my hand even tighter. “She made a horrible mistake, one that, unfortunately, many young people make today. But if ever anyone has learned from their mistakes, I would vote for Alexis.”
That brought a small smile to Mrs. Lansing’s face, although Mr. Lansing didn’t bother to even turn and look at his daughter.
“I ask that you reconsider your refusal to pay for Alexis’s school,” Miss Rachel continued. “She is so bright, and it’s a shame what has transpired, but she’s suffered because of it. I don’t want to see her suffer the rest of her life.”
I could tell Miss Rachel was getting through to Mrs. Lansing, but Mr. Lansing remained a wall of steel.
Alexis took a deep breath and leaned in. “Daddy, I’m so sorry for what I did,” she said. “I’m sorry for embarrassing you both. I’m sorry for betraying your trust, and more than anything I’m sorry for blowing a great opportunity. No, I didn’t want to go to Cornell, but I do want to go to college.” Her voice gained some steel of it own. “I am going to college. With or without your help. I’ll figure out a way. Grants, loans, I’ll even work two jobs if I have to.”
A stunned look crossed Alexis’s mother’s face. “Grants? Loans? A job?” She turned to her ex-husband. “Did you hear that?”
“It’s the price she has to pay for what she did,” he said firmly. “But not only does she want me to pay for college but she also wants me to pay for a non–Ivy League college.” He stood up like he was done talking. “Not gonna happen. I haven’t worked all my life so my daughter could choose school based on her little high school buddies. As far as I know, she probably did the whole video on purpose so she’d lose the scholarship and be forced to go to Prairie View.”
“You know what? You can think what you want to think, Daddy, but that’s not the case and you know it,” Alexis said, standing up to match his gaze. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I don’t need your money. I will make my way. I’m going to college, I will graduate, and maybe one day you can forgive me.”
“I forgive you. You’re just not getting any money for that school,” he said.
Alexis’s mother shocked us all when she pounded the table. “Enough!” She stood up as well. “This is absolutely ridiculous.” She turned to her ex. “Stop acting like a stubborn mule. Your daughter made a mistake. But Miss Rachel is right, she’s a good girl. And if you’d stop being a jerk for two seconds, you could see that.” She turned back to Alexis. “We will pay for you to go to school, wherever you want to go to school.” She cut her eyes at Mr. Lansing. “And if your father has a problem with that, I will pay for it myself.” She fo
lded her arms. “I’m not as dumb as people may think. Trust, Mommy has a nice little nest egg.”
I expected Mr. Lansing to knock over a chair and storm out or something, but he actually smiled as he stared at her. “Wow, Veronique, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you get feisty like that.”
“Well, get used to it. It’s the new me.”
“I like the new you.” He took a step toward her. Were they about to kiss? Ewww!
Alexis banged the table. “Hel-lo!”
They remembered where they were and both took a step back. Mr. Lansing cleared his throat. “Sorry.” He let out a long sigh. “Lexi, your mother’s right. I am very, very disappointed in you. But we’re not going to turn our back on you.”
Alexis raced from around the table and threw her hands around her father’s neck. “Thank you!” She hugged her mother as well. “Thank you so much!”
I was very happy for my girl. Maybe all it had taken was for someone to make them sit down in the same room together. Miss Rachel walked over to shake their hands as well. I was about to say something when I noticed Alexis’s iPhone lighting up. It was a text from Angel. I couldn’t help but notice the first word. Goodbye.
I instantly picked up the phone to read the rest of the message. Bout to lv town with Rico. Sorry I couldnt say bye in person. Tell evrybdy I luv them. B in touch soon.
I almost dropped the phone. “Alexis,” I cried. Everyone turned to look at me. “W-we have to go. Now.”
“What’s going on?” Miss Rachel asked.
I didn’t know what to say, but I didn’t have time to think either, so I just blurted out, “It’s Angel.” I held the phone up. “She’s running off with Rico. We need to go stop her.”
“Oh, my God!” Alexis said. “Mom, Dad?”
“Go, go try to stop your friend,” her mother said, realizing how serious the situation was.
“I’ll try to get in touch with her mother!” Miss Rachel called as we raced toward the front door.
I could only pray that we made it to Angel’s house in time to stop her from doing something crazy.
33
Jasmine
Man, Angel is going to so hate us for this,” Alexis said as we raced toward Angel’s house. Camille and Tyeesha had met us at the corner of 610 and S. Post Oak. Camille had left her car in the shopping plaza parking lot, and they’d jumped in with us.
I nodded. I hadn’t had much time to think, but I was wondering if we should have waited before letting her mother know. “Y’all know I’m no snitch, but we had to tell her mom this. She’s crazy and has lost all good sense,” I said. “I wonder if Rico has been slipping her some drugs?”
I didn’t think he was, but I didn’t know how to explain the cryptic good-bye message.
Truthfully, I didn’t know if Angel’s mom would be able to stop her, because she was a different type of mom from mine. There wouldn’t have even been an issue if it had been me. Not only would I have been too scared to run off with some boy, but if I had, there was no way I would have done it in her presence, because she would have killed me and the boy first.
But I didn’t know what would happen with Angel. All I knew was that somebody—either us or her mom—needed to get through to her.
We reached Angel’s house in less than fifteen minutes, praying the whole time that she hadn’t left already. We tried to call her, and, of course, she didn’t answer. Her mom had immediately called Alexis. She was working late for a library event, which is why I’m sure Angel chose tonight of all nights to leave.
Her mom had been horrified at the thought of Angel running off with Rico. She was racing home, but she was in downtown Houston, and she had a forty-minute drive.
Alexis swung the car into the driveway. We barely gave the car time to stop before we jumped out.
I immediately started banging on the front door. “Angel, open up!” I yelled.
“Angel, we know you’re in there, and we’re not going away!” Camille shouted.
We kept banging and kicking the door for about five minutes.
“Do you think she’s gone?” Alexis whispered.
Before I could answer, the door swung open. “What are you doing here?” Angel said.
“To talk some sense into you!” I snapped, pushing the door and bogarding my way in.
“Dang,” Angel said, stumbling backward. “Just run me over, why don’t you?”
“What are you thinking?” Camille said, following me in. “Didn’t you learn anything from the last time you ran away?”
When we’d first met, and before Angelica was born, Angel had run away because her mom had been trying to get her to give her baby up for adoption. Me, Camille and Alexis had hit the road trying to find her. We had, in Victoria, Texas, and we’d convinced her to come home. The whole experience had been a nightmare and, I’d thought, enough to make none of us ever want to run away from home again.
“What? Are you my mother now?” Angel said, shutting the door. “Plus, I was a lot younger then. I know what I’m doing now.”
“This is crazy!” I said. “Think about what you’re doing!”
“I don’t expect you to understand,” Angel snapped at me.
“Look, we didn’t come here to fight,” Alexis said calmly.
“Why did you come here?” Angel asked as she walked over and zipped up a suitcase set on the living room sofa.
“To talk some sense into you,” Camille said. “You can’t do this.”
“I can and I am. And keep your voice down before you wake Angelica up.” She pointed at the playpen in the corner. I hadn’t even noticed Angelica fast asleep, covered with her little pink blanket.
Camille lowered her voice. “Angel, you’re going to take your baby and go with this man you hardly even know?”
“I know him and quit saying that,” she said.
“What about your mother?” Alexis asked. “You’re not going to say good-bye to her? After all she’s done for you?”
That brought a look of deep sadness to Angel’s face.
“I don’t want it to be like this,” she finally said. “But my mom is leaving me no choice. I wrote her a letter.” She motioned to a long white envelope on the table.
“Your mom has done so much for you and Angelica,” I said. “You owe it to her to let her say good-bye to her granddaughter.”
“This isn’t forever,” Angel protested. “I’m just going with Rico until we get married.”
“Okay, if you’re just dead set on marrying Rico, why don’t you wait until after graduation?” Tyeesha said. “I mean, come on, it’s next week.”
“And wait until after you’re married before you move in with him!” I said, knowing I was sounding more and more like Miss Rachel.
“Look, I’m not discussing this anymore,” Angel responded. “Besides, it’s either I go now or I don’t go at all.”
“Well, that’s a problem by itself,” Alexis said. “He’s giving you an ultimatum, demanding that you go with him.”
“Guys, you don’t understand,” Angel said again.
“You’re right, we don’t,” Camille replied. “We don’t understand a lot of things, and we try to be supportive anyway. But we can’t support you on this.”
I had to let them talk, because honestly, I wanted to slap some sense into her. I don’t know what kind of voodoo Rico had put on her, but she had stone cold flipped out.
Angel looked back and forth between the four of us.
“So you guys don’t have my back on this?”
We all slowly shook our heads. I couldn’t believe she’d thought that we would.
“Then I guess Rico was right. He’s the only friend I really have.”
She pulled the suitcase up and set it on the floor next to another smaller suitcase. We stood in a sort of face-off. For a change, I was at a loss for words. I didn’t know what—if anything—I could say to change my friend’s mind.
34
Angel
I knew I ne
ver should’ve sent that message, or at least waited to send it until I got on the road. Common sense should have told me they’d come running right over.
At first, I had tried to convince them to trust me, but judging from the scowls on their faces, I was just wasting my breath. I was about to say something else when the front door flew open.
“Mija, mija!” my mother said, rushing in. She was sweating like she’d been racing in a marathon. She stopped in her tracks when she noticed the suitcase. “Oh, my God,” she gasped, her hand covering her mouth. “So, it’s true?” Her eyes filled with tears. “You were really going to leave?” She glanced over at Angelica, who was still asleep. “And you were going to take my grandbaby?” The expression on her face was heartbreaking. “You weren’t even going to let me say good-bye?”
My eyes teared up as well. “Mami, please understand . . .” My voice trailed off as I glanced up at the open doorway. They all turned to see what I was staring at. Rico had arrived, looking smug and cocky.
“I hope you’re happy,” Jasmine said before he could open his mouth. “You come in here and mess up Angel’s life and think nothing’s wrong with it.”
Rico ignored her as he walked in and kissed me on the cheek. “It didn’t have to be this way,” he said. “You guys made Angel have to choose.” He squeezed my hand. “You ready to go, baby?”
“Mija, don’t,” my mother cried. “This is not the way. Please don’t do this.”
I walked over and picked Angelica up out of her playpen. She stirred as I lifted her to my shoulder. “I’m sorry, Mami. I never wanted it to be like this.”
“What about school?” my mother said, her hands shaking.
That was the least of my worries. “Mami, I passed everything. I’ve done all my coursework. School is out next week. I just won’t walk. They’ll mail me my diploma.”
My mom turned to my friends, as if they could talk some sense into me. They all looked like they didn’t know what to say.
“Come on, Angel, we have to go,” Rico said.
“You cannot go!” my mother demanded.
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