I sighed, not bothering to answer. It wasn’t like anything I said would change her mind anyway. I just knew one thing for sure: Angel was my girl. And if the Thetas had rejected her because she’s Hispanic, I didn’t know what I was going to do.
18
Camille
I couldn’t get Jasmine’s words out of my mind. But then I kept hoping Tameka was right and Jasmine had blown this all out of proportion. I knew Tori could be a witch, but I just didn’t want to believe she’d go that far.
“Tori, I need to talk to you,” I said as I caught up with her in the cafeteria at the beginning of lunch.
She stopped before getting in the food line and turned to me. As usual, she was surrounded by several other Thetas.
“Is it true that you all rejected Angel because she’s Mexican?” I asked. Usually, I would’ve been a little scared of Tori, of the power she had to make me a Theta or crush my dream, but today I was too worked up to be scared. I’d spent all night calling Angel, and she wouldn’t take my calls. I couldn’t half sleep, this was bothering me so much.
Tori huffed and rolled her eyes. She didn’t immediately answer me. Instead, she took her time, pulled down her jean miniskirt, then adjusted her fuchsia and black layered T-shirts. Finally, she looked at me and said, “I guess your girl couldn’t wait to come running back to tell you that.”
“Is it true or not?” I firmly asked
Tori turned up her nose. “You’d better watch your tone. I know you’ve been accepted and everything, but it’s not too late for me to revoke your membership.”
I hesitated. I couldn’t believe that as bad as I wanted to be a Theta, I now found myself questioning that decision.
Alisha, another member who seemed to be Tori’s sidekick, stepped toward me. “Camille, we are very proud to have you and all the other girls we selected. I know you’re friends with Jasmine and Angel. But you need to realize that we’re your sisters now. And your loyalty lies with your sisters.”
I was starting to feel bad. I didn’t want them to think I was being disloyal. But I wanted to be loyal to Angel, too. I decided to try another approach.
“I guess I just don’t understand why you would keep someone out just because of that,” I said, softening my tone.
“I don’t understand why Angel even wants to be a part of a black sorority,” Tori retorted.
“Because she doesn’t see color,” I replied.
“Look,” Tori said, like she couldn’t believe she was even wasting her time debating this. “There are plenty of Hispanic groups for Angel to join. Why does she have to be a member of our organization?”
“Why do we have to discriminate?” I countered.
Tori blew a disgusted breath. “You know, I don’t even want to debate this. As long as I’m president, Angel and anyone like her will not be a Theta.” She flicked me off and walked away.
“Yeah,” Alisha added, as she stepped in my face. “You need to decide if you really want to be a Theta. And if you do, I suggest you recognize that some things just can’t be changed.” She shot me a hateful look before turning and taking off after Tori.
I was sick. I could tell there was no getting through to Tori. I could still hear Jasmine’s words: Why would you even want to be a part of a racist organization like that?
I had to remind myself, this was bigger than Tori. She was graduating this year. I’d get in, work hard, then change that stupid mind-set. Yeah, that’s the solution, I thought as I went to grab something to eat.
A smile crept up on my face for the first time in days. I had a good feeling that this was all going to work out after all.
19
Camille
I was so relieved to see Angel at school today. Me, Alexis, and Jasmine had been calling her for two days, but she had her mom tell us she wasn’t really up to talking. She said she’d just see us at school, only we never did.
I was standing in the hall talking to some other Theta members when I spotted Angel. I told them bye and took off to catch up with Angel.
“Hey, Angel,” I said, just as she was about to turn the corner.
“Hey.” She stopped and looked me up and down. Her tone was definitely different. It was cold, like she had an attitude.
“Are you mad at me?” I asked.
She shrugged nonchalantly. “Why would I be mad at you?”
“Because of this whole Theta mess.”
She shook her head. “Don’t sweat it. As Jasmine would say, it is what it is.”
“I’m really sorry.”
“No need for you to apologize. You had nothing to do with it.”
“I know, but I still feel bad.”
“Don’t feel bad.” Angel glanced up at four Hispanic girls who were standing a few feet away, staring at us like they were waiting on someone. I knew one of them—this messy girl named Christina who was always starting trouble. I recognized the others from around school, but I didn’t remember their names.
“Well, I gotta go. Christina and ’em are waiting on me.”
I know a strange look crossed my face. Since when did Angel start hanging out with Christina and her friends?
Angel didn’t give me time to ask any questions as she darted off.
Angel’s attitude and her new friendships bugged me the rest of the day. I’d tried to ask Jasmine about it during our history class, but she acted like she was still mad at me and I wasn’t about to kiss her butt.
I decided I would just wait on Angel after school so we could talk then. When the last bell rang, I hurried straight to Angel’s Algebra II class. By the time I got there, she was already gone, so I headed down the hall to her locker. I spotted her laughing with Christina and a couple of other girls.
“Hey Angel,” I said, approaching her. “What’s up?”
I was about to speak to the other girls, but the looks on their faces stopped me cold.
“Why don’t you go find out what’s up with the Thetas?” Christina finally snapped. She was a pretty girl, but had this rough look, like she’d been around the block a few times. She wore her silky black hair pulled back in a ponytail. And she was dressed like a tomboy in some baggy Dickies, a black T-shirt, and some hi-top Converse.
I decided to ignore Christina and turned my attention back to Angel. “Can I talk to you, in private?”
Angel shot me a nonchalant expression. “Nah, anything you say to me you can say in front of my friends.”
Friends? To my knowledge, she didn’t even half know these girls. Since when did they become her friends?
“Angel, what’s going on?” I lowered my voice and asked her. “We’re tight. Talk to me. What’s all this about?”
Christina stepped up right next to Angel. “It looks like Angel wants to stick with ‘her own kind’—you know, like your little sorority members feel she should do.”
I stood speechless.
“Oh yeah, we know all about the Thetas having a problem with Mexicans,” Christina continued when I didn’t say anything. “I guess y’all think because you’re black, you’re better than us or something?”
I hated that Angel had told these girls about her being rejected and why. I knew that meant nothing but trouble.
“Nobody thinks that.” I know I didn’t sound convincing.
“Save it,” Christina spat. “We already know the deal. We confronted your funky sorority members already, and they admitted to it, told Angel to stick with her kind, and so that’s what she’s doing. So bounce.”
I looked at Angel, hoping she’d speak up. But the look on her face told me Christina was speaking for her.
“Angel …”
Christina moved closer to me. “Bounce,” she repeated.
Since I wasn’t trying to fight nobody, and it was obvious Angel wasn’t in her right mind right now, I left.
I couldn’t believe Tori had just straight out admitted the real reason they rejected Angel. What was she thinking? Our school was about half black and half Hispanic, so t
he last thing we needed was some racial problems. But judging from the mean mugs on Christina and her friends’ faces, it looked like there were definitely about to be some problems.
20
Camille
“Hel-lo.” Kalvin waved his hand in my face. “Are you even listening to me?”
I snapped out of my daze. Kalvin and I were walking down the hallway between classes. I had tried to talk to him about how upset I was over Angel, but as usual, he switched the focus back on him and was telling me about something that happened at football practice. He was so not the prize I’d initially thought he was. I’d zoned out of his conversation as my mind drifted back to Angel.
“You know, I’m not used to girls tuning me out,” Kalvin said, stroking his chin.
“I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind.”
“Obviously.” He turned to see what had captured my attention now. It was Angel, walking down the hall laughing and talking with Christina and two other girls.
“Look, handle your business. Holla at me when y’all work all that Theta drama out.” Kalvin stomped off. I debated following after him. But I couldn’t really deal with Kalvin right now. This whole thing with Angel was getting ridiculous and it was consuming my thoughts.
Angel hadn’t hung out with us all week long. She’d been too busy all up under her new so-called best friends. She hadn’t returned my phone calls and she hadn’t been to a Good Girlz meeting. She’d even been ignoring Miss Rachel’s calls. That’s why when I watched her walk toward me, I made up my mind: she and I were going to talk and we were going to talk right now.
“Angel, can I holla at you for a minute,” I said, stopping her as she approached me.
Before she could respond, Christina stepped in front of her again.
“What do you need to holla at her about?” she said.
I put on a confused look. “I’m sorry. I thought I said, Angel, can I holla at you.”
Christina wiggled her neck as she stepped in my face. “Well, Angel don’t wanna holla at you. Comprende? ”
I suddenly wished Jasmine was around. Christina was at least five feet, eight inches—a good five inches taller than me. But even though I may have been a little scared, I wasn’t going to let her punk me, especially not in front of the nosey crowd of people that had started to gather around us.
“No, I don’t ‘comprende,’ ” I replied. “This is between me and Angel.”
“Well, Angel’s business is now my business,” Christina said defiantly.
I was just about to say something else when Tori, Raquelle, and Alisha walked up. “What’s going on, Camille?” Tori asked, eyeing Christina and Angel. “Is there a problem?”
“It’s only a problem if you’re about to make one,” Christina replied as she stared back at Tori.
The last thing I wanted was to get into it with Christina and her friends. And I dang sure didn’t want the Thetas getting into any trouble over this. I just wanted to talk to Angel.
“Naw, Tori, I’m straight. I was just trying to talk to Angel, that’s all.”
Christina laughed as she turned toward one of her friends and said, “Ella necesita hablar a esa muchacha negra acerca de que alzó teje.”
I had no idea what she said, but the way they were looking at Tori and laughing, it had to have been about her. Tori must’ve sensed it, too, because she stepped closer to Christina.
“What did you just say?”
Christina just kept laughing.
“She said something about a negra,” said Alisha.
“Are you calling me names?” Tori said, balling up her fists. I didn’t take her for the fighting type, but I knew she wouldn’t let Christina punk her.
Raquelle commented, “She said that Camille needed to be talking to, and I quote, that black wench about her jacked-up weave.” She cocked her head and stared at Christina. “You’re not the only one who can speak Spanish.”
The smile left Christina’s face. “And? I don’t care if she knows what I said.”
I knew I needed to do something or things were about to get straight-up ugly in here. “Y’all, chill. This is between me and Angel.” I looked at Angel, who had been silent this whole time. “Can we please go somewhere and talk?”
Angel looked at Christina, then at Tori, before turning her attention back to me. “You know, Camille, Christina is right. There’s really nothing for us to talk about. You guys have made it clear where I stand, so I don’t think we have anything to say to each other.”
I stared at her in disbelief. I couldn’t believe that we’d come to this. “Angel, this is crazy. We’re best friends.”
Christina glared at me. “You were best friends. But I guess becoming a Theta made your true colors show. Angel can now see you for the racist that you are.”
“I’m not racist,” I protested. “Angel, you know that.”
Christina rolled her eyes as she pointed toward Tori and the other Thetas. “Birds of a feather.” She turned and walked away with Angel right behind her.
“Oh, and Miss Thang,” Christina said, stopping and turning back toward Tori, “this ain’t over. Believe that.”
She laughed as she walked off and I couldn’t help but get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.
21
Camille
Jasmine stared at me like I was stuck on stupid or something. “Come on, Camille, can you really blame Angel for hanging out with Christina and her friends? I mean, what your little stuck-up sorority sisters did was low down. Even you have to admit that.”
I sighed. I was still trippin’ over Angel’s funky attitude. I tried to tell myself she was just mad right now as I stuffed another mozzarella stick into my mouth. We were hanging out at T.G.I. Fridays, along with a ton of other young people.
Me, Jasmine, and Alexis were sitting in a booth sipping on virgin strawberry daiquiris and eating appetizers. It felt good for us all to be hanging out again. The only thing that would’ve made this just like old times was if Angel had been there.
But that wasn’t happening. And it looked more and more like it wouldn’t happen ever again.
“I wish you would quit saying that. The Thetas are not stuck up.” That’s all I could seem to come up with. I didn’t have a defense to their reasons behind rejecting Angel. I cut my eyes at Jasmine. “And you forget, we’re Thetas now,” I said, pointing to Alexis. “So if you talk about them, then you talk about us.”
“Then I’m talking about you,” Jasmine pointedly said. She was really about to make me mad. Her not liking Tori was one thing but this bashing the Thetas was getting real old. I was just about to tell her that when Alexis pulled my arm.
“Look, there are some AKAs and Deltas,” she said, pointing to a large group of women being seated at a long table across from us. They all wore pink-and-green or red-and-white T-shirts.
“Oooh, wow,” Jasmine sarcastically said. “I guess that’s your next goal in life, to become college sorority girls. Way to strive for what really matters.”
“I wonder what they’re doing hanging out together. I thought AKAs and Deltas didn’t like each other,” Alexis continued, totally ignoring Jasmine’s sarcastic remarks.
“Alexis, you are so naïve. You watch way too many movies,” I told her. “Don’t believe everything you hear.”
At that moment one of the AKAs spotted us looking at their table and waved like she knew us.
“Oh my goodness, that’s Crystal waving at us,” Alexis excitedly said.
“Who?” I asked.
“She used to go to my school. She was my senior mentor when I was a freshman,” she explained. “Let’s go talk to her.”
Jasmine frowned up. “Don’t even look at me.” She stuffed another cheesestick in her mouth. “I don’t feel like jockin’ nobody today.”
Alexis pulled me up from my chair before I had a chance to protest. I was a little skeptical myself about going up to a bunch of strange women asking them dumb questions in the middle of a cro
wded restaurant, but Alexis seemed determined to talk to them.
“Hey Crystal. Do you remember me? We went to high school together,” Alexis babbled.
“Alexis, right?” Crystal replied.
“Yes, and this is my friend Camille. What are you doing here? I thought you were off at college somewhere.”
“I am,” Crystal replied. “I’m a sophomore at Prairie View A&M. We’re just here for the weekend, hanging out.”
“Excuse me,” one of the women at the table, a Delta, interrupted, “but what is a Theta Lady?” She pointed to our jackets.
“Oh, it’s the sorority at our high school,” I said proudly.
“Oh, that’s so cute,” another one of them, an AKA, replied. “We didn’t have sororities when I was in high school. I had to wait until I got to college.”
“So how do you like being in a sorority?” the Delta asked us.
“Well, to be honest,” I said, glancing back at our table where Jasmine was sitting, looking more than a little agitated that we left her alone, “it’s been great so far, but not everyone is as happy about it as we are.”
The girls at the table started to giggle and gave us a “we know how you feel” look. “Girl, get used to that. There are a lot of haters in this world who don’t want to see you succeed,” Crystal told us. “I take it your friend over there isn’t a member?”
“Naw,” I said. “Jasmine started out with us, but she quit because they were making her do some really stupid stuff and picking on her.” I really did feel bad for Jasmine. I know she tries to act all hard, but deep down, she really wanted to be liked and accepted.
“Good for her,” another Delta replied. “I can’t believe hazing has made it all the way down to the high schools. It’s just stupid. Y’all do know that’s not what being a part of a sorority is all about, don’t you?”
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