Jessica was so excited she wanted to explode, but she held it all in. She decided to take Vonda’s advice again and separate herself from all the girls he was used to messing with.
“I’ll think about it.”
Kenny could not believe his ears again. For the first time in his life, he was baffled, yet intrigued, by a girl and wanted to get to know her even more.
Suddenly, the D.J cut the music and announced that guys should get their girls because it was time to slow dance.
Kenny looked at Jessica with uncertainty. “Jessica, you said you would dance with me later. Can we dance now?”
Jessica nodded. “Yes, I’d like to dance with you.”
He stood up, took her by the hand, and led her to the middle of the dance floor. Pulling her into his arms, they danced like it would be their last chance.
While Jessica was dancing, she noticed her friend Vonda was in the arms of her newfound love, Stevo. When she and Vonda locked eyes, they winked at each other. Then Vonda gestured with her head behind her, and Jessica saw that Lynn was also dancing and getting it on with a boy as they slow danced to the love song.
When Tiny arrived back at the party, her eyes searched around for her friends, and when she spotted Jessica and Kenny dancing in the middle of the floor, she smiled cynically and had a seat in the corner of the room and waited—waited for all hell break loose.
After they danced and chatted through three love songs, Jessica’s panties became so moist that she had excuse herself. She told Kenny that she had to go to the bathroom to freshen up. Vonda and Lynn did the same and followed her to girl-talk. They entered the tiny bathroom, locked the door, and began to scream and jump up and down for their new love interests.
“Oh, my God, Jessica. Stevo asked me out for a date.”
Lynn quickly added, “Oh, shoot, the boy that I met name is Devin and he asked me the same thing.”
Then they turned their attention back to their homegirl Jessica and she also nodded and said, “He said he wants to go out with me too.”
The three girls hugged and jumped up and down a little more.
Vonda suddenly had a fantastic thought. “Oh, shoot! Maybe they can be our dates to our prom.”
The girls were temporarily frozen in place until Jessica said, “They say dreams do come true if you only believe.”
They all squealed and said, “I believe, I believe.”
They finally managed to pull themselves together, regain their composure and fix their faces and clothing. After a brief inspection of one another, they were ready to seize their men. When they opened the door, the first thing they noticed was that the music was no longer playing and the lights were turned on. The second thing they noticed when they stepped into the living room stopped their hearts. It was Mrs. Jones. Jessica’s mother.
The whole room was silent. When Mrs. Jones spotted her daughter, she walked straight up to her and said, “You lying whore,” then slapped her viciously across her face.
Everyone in the room shuddered and cringed as her mother continued beating her while they walked out the front door. Sadly, everyone in the room began laughing loudly as Lynn, Vonda and Kenny stood by and felt responsible for her unfortunate incident. They were heartbroken.
Tiny however, stood in the corner reveling in Jessica’s misfortune with a wicked smile.
Chapter 4
The incident at the party would long be remembered as a disaster, and the Jessica situation became the talk of the town. Jessica was so embarrassed that she became withdrawn and shallow and wanted nothing to do with the outside world—even Kenny. The fact that her mother put her on a two-week punishment suited her just fine, because, she thought, the fewer people who saw her face, the better.
Vonda and Lynn suspected Tiny had a hand in sabotaging their big evening. She denied everything at all costs, but they didn’t believe her. Even though they still allowed Tiny to roll with them to school, she was treated like an outcast, especially from her longtime friend, Vonda. For the next few weeks, the four still went to school together, but none of the three girls said a word to Tiny.
Tiny felt really bad because she knew she took it too far this time. She knew that something had to be done to make up for her selfish behavior, but she didn’t have a clue how to make things right.
During that time, Jessica’s heart craved to see Kenny, but she could no longer face him because of the incident that left her so embarrassed. So she simply made up her mind to forget about him because he wouldn’t want to see her either.
One day, the girls exited the building right after school let out, and there stood Kenny Duboise, in the flesh. Jessica was so surprised that she could hardly breathe, or move, for that matter. He stood proud and tall as soon as he saw her step out of the school. Jessica regained her composure and proceeded toward him. Vonda, Tiny, and Lynn stood by, watching it all unfold. In front of him now, Jessica smiled uneasily, still pretty much embarrassed about what had happened at the party. She was unsure of what to say and was glad when he finally spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence lingering around them.
“Hi.”
She asked, “How are you?”
He nodded and repeated, “I’m good, I’m good.”
They both found it awkward for the moment until Jessica asked, “What are you doing down here?”
“I came to see you.”
She searched his beautiful face. “I mean, how did you know where I went to school? I didn’t tell you what school I went to.”
Kenny gestured to her three friends who stood behind her and said, “Tiny told me.”
Jessica was taken aback for a moment turned and looked at Tiny.
Tiny nodded back.
Kenny asked, “You think we can ride home together so we can talk?”
Jessica looked back at her friends, who must have read her mind.
Vonda walked up to them and said, “Hi, Kenny.”
He smiled and answered, “Hey Vonda, how you doing? I hear Stevo is taking you to your prom. That’s nice.”
She blushed and nodded. “Yeah, he said he was going to take me.” Vonda turned toward Jessica and continued, “Yo, me, Tiny, and Lynn gonna go ahead and go down to 34th Street to check out some shoe stores for the prom. We get up with you tomorrow, ok?”
“Ok.” Jessica gave her a hug.
The three girls waved to the couple as they passed by, then suddenly Tiny stopped and walked over to Jessica but, avoided eye contact.
“Jessica, I’m . . .” She turned speechless and awkward until Jessica said, “It’s all right, Tiny. Thanks.”
Tiny looked up in Jessica’s eyes and said, “Jessica, I may not always be there for you when you want me, but I will always be there for you when you need me.”
Jessica nodded and they embraced. As soon as they pulled apart, Tiny ran off and caught up with Vonda and Lynn.
Jessica turned her attention back to Kenny and said, “Well, it looks like it’s me and you.”
He smiled, took her by her hand, and walked slowly toward the train station headed to Harlem.
**********
Over the next couple of weeks, Jessica and Kenny were together almost all the time, as he met her at the train station on 135th Street and Lenox daily. Even though they hadn’t been together long, it seemed like a lifetime to Jessica and she felt totally comfortable whenever she was around him. On this particular day, he asked her the ultimate question as they stood in front of her parents’ building.
“Jessica, we been seeing each other for a while now, right?”
Jessica smiled and nodded, not sure where he was going with the conversation.
“Anyway . . .” He paused briefly and looked down at his feet. “I was wondering if you’d like to be with me. You know, be my girl.”
Jessica was stunned. It was as if she was outside herself watching a movie. She was totally taken by surprise by the question. She knew Kenny liked her, but she never expected him to ask her to be exclusive so soon.
She continued to search his face to see if he was joking, but there wasn’t a hint of anything remotely close to being funny. He was serious.
He looked into her eyes and said, “Jessica, if you say yes, I’ll make you this promise . . .” He looked at her with all the intensity in the world and spoke in French Creole. “Mwin fe promes poum pa janm few mal, mwin pap janm few kriye, mwin fe promes poum pa janm baw kou. Se promes nan fon kem pou jistanm mouri!”
Jessica didn’t understand a word he was saying, but it sounded beautiful.
“It means, ‘I promise I’ll never hurt you, and never make you cry, I promise to you that I would never hit you, cross my heart . . .” He made a cross sign on his chest. “And hope to die!”
That was it. He’d stolen her heart forever, and there was no way for her to resist any longer. She knew from that moment on that he would play a major role in her future.
She said, “I just have one requirement if I was to say ‘yes.’”
He immediately grew fearful, praying he could live up to her request. “What is it?”
Jessica smiled. “Will you take me to my prom?”
He chuckled. “Yes, I would love to take you to your prom.” Kenny took Jessica in his arms and swung her around off her feet. When he let her down they looked into each other’s eyes and slowly kissed for the very first time. They were in love.
**********
The week leading up to the prom, all the girls made heavy preparations for their big day. Even Jessica’s mother seemed excited and helped her prepare for the big day by taking her shopping at Macy’s. She bought Jessica an extravagant evening dress with coordinating shoes and accessories.
This is definitely going to be a night to remember, Jessica thought. She was with the right friends, the right man, and in the prime of her life. She knew that after that night she would no longer be a little girl. She would become a woman, and nothing would stop her.
Chapter 5
Prom Night
June 1981
The evening of the prom, the girls felt it would be better if they got dressed together and got picked up from Jessica’s parents’ house. Mrs. Jones invited the other parents over so they could experience and take pictures of their daughters’ monumental moment.
Jessica had asked Kenny earlier if he could get one of his friends to take Tiny to the prom. He agreed and got one of his friends from the neighborhood named Calvin. Kenny even paid for Calvin’s tuxedo, just so he could keep his girl happy. Tiny had never met Calvin before and was driving everyone crazy, worrying them all to death about if he was ugly or cute.
The time finally arrived when the doorbell rang. The gracious host, Mrs. Jones quickly walked over to answer the door. She looked back toward the other mothers before smiling and opening the door.
Standing at the door was Kenny, who was dressed to the teeth in a black tuxedo with a corsage in his arm. He flashed a bright smile. “Good evening, Mrs. Jones. My name is Kenneth Duboise, and I’m here to take Jessica to the prom.”
Mrs. Jones was taken aback by the handsome, well-mannered young man. She thanked him and graciously invited him and the other boys, who had walked up behind him, into her home. The other young men introduced themselves as they entered and Mrs. Jones went about introducing them to everyone parents. Jessica’s mother excused herself and told them she would tell the girls their dates were there.
Ten minutes later, the girls descended the stairs. It was if four angels were exiting the gate of heaven. All eyes followed their every move. Tears flowed freely from the parents, and the boys’ mouths dropped agape.
One by one, each girl walked over to their respective dates. The boys greeted them and placed their corsages on their wrists. Cameras were flashing a mile a minute to preserve and immortalize the moment as a chapter of their lives.
Tiny instantly clung to Calvin. Her prayers were answered from God in the best way possible—he was fine. Not only was he cute, he was almost equal her size in height—with her pumps on, of course—making them look like the perfect couple.
Lynn and Vonda, equally content with their dates, were ready to show all the other girls at school what they were working with. And then there was Jessica. Nothing else had ever come close to how she felt at that present moment. Jessica felt like a real woman for the first time in her life as she stood before her mother and father with the first boy they’d ever seen her with, and she felt proud. They posed for another twenty minutes before they finally exited the house and climbed into the awaiting limousine the four guys chipped in to rent.
**********
When they arrived at the Astor Park Ballroom in the Village, the four couples made a spectacular entrance as all eyes rained upon them. The girls proudly flaunted their dates in front of all their soon-to-be-former classmates. They became the envy of the night as they danced and romanced the entire night away. Nobody wanted the night to end as all the couples separated to their own little corners, their own little worlds.
As the night began to wind down, each girl knew they were coming upon the biggest moment in their brief lifetime—they would all lose their virginity. The girls had discussed this matter for months, some even for years, and in a matter of hours the elusive fantasy would finally come true. All the girls were so nervous they began to tremble. Finally, the night came to an end, and the girls met up in the bathroom to discuss their fate.
In a circle, each girl stood before each other in ominous silence as the reality of the matter materialized.
Vonda was the first to speak as she looked from face to face, “So, y’all, what’s up? What we gonna do?”
Tiny spoke up and said, “I don’t know about y’all, but I’m ready to get busy with that nigga Calvin, yo.”
There were nervous smiles all around.
“I ain’t gonna lie; I ain’t never felt for a dude before like I’m feeling for that nigga Stevo.” Vonda reached for her neck. “Look what this nigga done brought me, yo. An 18-carat solid gold necklace and pendant.”
All three girls got up close and admired her new jewelry.
“Plus,” Vonda continued, “all the money that them niggas spent on the limo, tuxedo, corsages, and everything. If ever a nigga deserved to get some, these niggas do. What y’all think?” She looked at Lynn and asked, “What’s up, Lynn?”
Lynn still looked unsure and suddenly said, “I’m scared to death, but I think I’m ready to get it over with.”
Vonda and Tiny smiled, and then all eyes focused on their remaining homegirl—Jessica.
“Well, Jesse? It’s all on you now, what’s up?”
The intensity at that moment was so thick that you could feel electricity course through the air, as they awaited the final verdict on what would surely change their lives.
Finally, Jessica said, “I think I’m ready, too.”
All the girls were so happy that the decision was unanimous they could hardly contain themselves. When the weight of the unknown was behind them, they now had to plan a course of action to make it become a reality.
“Ok,” said Vonda, “here’s what we gonna do: We all gonna go to the same hotel and leave together. Since we won’t have no limousine service after they drop us off at the hotel, we got to take a cab back home.”
Jessica frowned and said, “That don’t make no sense to take four cabs home.”
“I know; that’s why I said we all leave the hotel together. They take one and we’ll take one. That way, we all don’t have to wait till tomorrow to find out from each other what happened. Make sense?”
All agreed with a nod and a smile.
Vonda said, “We could ask the cab driver to drop us off on a neutral corner on Seventh Avenue, that way any of us won’t have far to walk, bet?”
Everyone looked at her and said, “Bet!”
With a sly smile, Lynn stuck out her fist and said, “Get ’em girls?”
One by one, each stuck out her fist and said in unison, “Get ’em girls!”
They headed
out the bathroom in a single file when Vonda stopped short and said, “Remember, don’t tell them we want to go to the hotel. Let them ask us first. We don’t want them to think we that easy.” She looked specifically at Tiny and said, “You got that, Tiny? Let them ask us first.”
Tiny nodded quickly and they exited the bathroom.
One hour later, the limousine dropped the four couples out on 45th street at the Marriott Hotel in Times Square. Twenty minutes after that, the four young couples received the keys to their respective rooms and everyone went into Kenny and Jessica’s room first to have a night cap of champagne and a little weed to calm their nerves.
Kenny was the only one of the boys who didn’t drink or smoke. Neither did Jessica, but on that night Jessica had a couple glasses of champagne just to calm her nerves. They laughed, joked, and lived it up until Tiny and her date Calvin bid their farewells and were the first to retire to their room. Seconds later, Vonda, Stevo, Lynn, and Ronald said their goodbyes as well and retired to their rooms.
All alone now, Kenny took Jessica in his arms and slowly they began kissing. When they pulled away, they stared into each other’s eyes and knew that this would be night neither one of them would ever forget.
Kenny slowly began unzipping her dress while his hand began rubbing her breasts. A tingling wave of electricity shot through her body and she’d already released her second orgasm before she even noticed. Jessica, nude down only to her panties, stood nervously watching the most beautiful boy she ever laid her eyes starting to undress. He switched off the bedside light, removed her soaked panties, and lay down next to her.
The warmth of their nude skin touching felt ever so remarkable, she thought. Kenny’s hands and fingers began to explore every inch of her body as her breathing began to quicken. He used one of his fingers and penetrated her virginal canal as rivers of milky white liquid began to flow. At last, the moment had come, and Kenny began to mount her. At the same moment, Jessica stopped him and asked, “Kenny?”
Panting heavily, he answered, “Yes, Jessica?”
“Do you love me?”
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