Alexis and I both looked at each other. “Well, yeah, we know there are other things, community service and stuff,” I said. “But what else were we supposed to do? We didn’t want to get kicked out before we even made it,” I added defensively. I was beginning to feel a little dejected after talking to them. And a little angry with Alexis for dragging me over here.
“I thought being in a sorority would be fun,” Alexis added. “But it’s causing all kinds of problems, especially because another one of our friends didn’t make it either, and we think it’s because she’s Hispanic. Now she’s barely even speaking to us.”
I didn’t understand why Alexis was telling them all of our business but before I could shoot her a look telling her to chill, Jasmine cleared her throat loudly from our table. I guess that was her way of signaling to us that it was time for us to cut the conversation short.
“Well, ladies, they just brought our food so I guess we should get back to our table,” I said.
I was about to turn and walk off when Alexis quickly spoke. “Crystal, I know this may be a lot to ask, but we also belong to a youth group called the Good Girlz at Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church. I was wondering if you and some of your friends wouldn’t mind coming to one of our meetings to talk to us and maybe answer some questions about sorority life. Maybe that will help ease some of the problems between us. I mean, we’d have to make sure it was okay with Miss Rachel, our sponsor, but I’m sure she won’t mind at all.”
Crystal smiled at us and replied, “I think that’s a good idea. I know some of my sorors and other Greek members would love to come talk to your group.” All the other women at the table nodded in agreement. “The majority of what all sororities do, not just AKAs and Deltas, is community service. Mentoring young girls is one of our projects, so that works perfect for us.”
Alexis excitedly pulled out her iPhone. “Great!” she said. “If you give me your number, I’ll have Miss Rachel call you to set it all up.”
Crystal programmed her number into Alexis’s phone and we went back to our table. I just knew Jasmine was going to have something smart to say. I was right. Before we could even sit down good, she started in.
“Y’all know you wrong for leaving me sitting at the table, looking like I’m out to eat by myself. But I’ma let y’all slide. This time. And only because Alexis is paying for dinner.” She dug into her chicken fingers.
“I am?” Alexis said.
“This was your idea,” Jasmine said. “You know I don’t have no money.”
“I guess I am then.” Alexis smiled.
Jasmine took another sip of her drink, then said, “I guess you feel better now since you talked to those uppity sorority girls.”
“For your information, they were not uppity,” I said. “They were very down-to-earth and very helpful. As a matter of fact, Alexis invited them to come to one of our Good Girlz meetings to speak and they agreed.”
“Good grief,” Jasmine complained. “It’s bad enough I have to deal with this mess at school, but now I have to deal with it at the Good Girlz meetings? When will this nonsense ever end? Let me know when they’re coming so I can make sure I stay home that night.”
I shook my head in frustration. I knew Jasmine was serious, just like I knew getting Angel there was going to be a task in itself. Honestly, I didn’t know what good the sorority members would do by coming to a meeting, but I figured we had to do something to make everything right again. And this was going to be the first step.
22
Jasmine
Will things ever be the same again? That’s the thought that swirled through my mind as I lay in bed. Thankfully, everyone in my family was gone and I had the house to myself for a change so I was able to enjoy some peace and quiet. But now the silence had my mind running rampant. I couldn’t help but think about what was happening with my circle of friends.
Even though we’d hung out last night, tonight Camille and Alexis were off somewhere doing Theta stuff and Angel had a new group of friends. Our community service project was coming up and that should definitely give us a chance to bond, but I missed the four of us just hanging out and doing stuff together. Shoot, I even missed Tameka, who was now Tori’s flunky. And now with this big black/Hispanic division, the chances of us all hanging out together were looking slimmer and slimmer.
“Maybe Miss Rachel can give me some advice,” I mumbled, picking up the phone to call her. I punched in her cell phone number and was grateful when she answered on the second ring.
“Hi, Miss Rachel, it’s Jasmine. I hope it’s not too late to be calling. I really need to talk to you about something,” I said.
“You know it’s never too late for my girls,” Rachel replied. “Just hold on a moment.” I heard some shuffling, then she yelled, “Jordan, I’m going to tell you one last time, turn off that video game and go to bed before I beat your behind!”
I chuckled at Miss Rachel, who reminded me of my own mother with her no-nonsense approach to discipline. The only difference was, I could talk to Miss Rachel about anything—something I definitely couldn’t do with my mother.
“So, what’s the problem, Jasmine?” Rachel asked when she returned to the phone.
I sighed heavily, trying to figure out where to begin. “I’m having some serious issues with the other members of the group and I’m not sure what to do about it. Camille, Alexis, and Tameka are all wrapped up in the Theta Ladies and Angel has started hanging with a new group of girls at school,” I explained. “Ever since Angel found out the real reason she didn’t make it into that stupid sorority, nothing has been the same.”
Rachel was silent, like she was thinking about her answer carefully before responding. “I think it’s really sad that hate that my parents grew up with is still out there. It’s proof that although we’ve come a long way, we still have a way to go. But there is no generation better equipped to change that climate of hate than you guys.”
“Well, joinin’ the Theta ladies ain’t the way to do it.”
“I’m not saying Camille and Alexis should choose Angel over the Thetas, but they cannot in any shape, form, or fashion tolerate such hate,” Rachel said.
“I know, and Tori was saying some pretty hateful things, like Mexicans are taking over everything. It’s just jacked up.”
“It really is,” Rachel replied. “And Camille, Alexis, and even Tameka need to make it clear where they stand on that issue. I will make sure I tell them that. But maybe you can be the one to get people to—instead of focusing on all the negative aspects of things like illegal immigration—look at all that they contribute to the economy and society once they get here, and how to better integrate them, rather than insisting or hoping that they go home.”
I knew Miss Rachel was right, but it didn’t seem like it would be that easy. A lot of damage had already been done.
“I see your point, Miss Rachel,” I said, “but this whole situation might have really messed up our friendship.”
“Jasmine,” Rachel continued, “I want you to understand that friends go through their ups and downs all the time. It’s not going to always be wonderful between you guys. You’ve seen that already behind that whole fiasco when you were going out for that teen talk show.”
I nodded as I recalled that nightmare. That had definitely taken its toll on our friendship. Shoot, it had almost ended it. Camille had taken backstabbing to a whole new level when we all tried out to host this teen talk show on Channel 2. Luckily, we made up after Camille got fired and came back apologizing to us.
“And you know with that,” Rachel continued, snapping me out of my thoughts, “it seemed like you guys would never be friends again. But you got through it. Just like you’ll get through this. Honestly, you seem to be the only levelheaded one right now, so you’re going to need to keep up the fight to bring everyone back together.”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“I don’t know. Keep trying to get through to them. Come up with a plan. A
nything. Just don’t give up on your friendship.”
I exhaled and squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn’t believe I was the one who needed to be levelheaded. As hot tempered as I was?
“Okay, Miss Rachel, I’ll think about what you’re saying, but I don’t know what I can do,” I told her.
“I’m confident you’ll come up with something. You guys are too good of friends.”
“I’m glad somebody’s confident,” I mumbled.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing,” I replied, massaging my temple. “I hear what you’re saying. I’ll do what I can and I’ll let you know what happens.”
“All right. You call me back if you need anything.”
I said good-bye and hung up the phone.
After a few minutes of lying across my bed, I decided to take Miss Rachel’s advice and make the first move to get us back together. I didn’t worry about Tameka because in my opinion, she was too far gone. But I did call Camille and Alexis to see if they were back home yet. They were and after talking to them on three-way for a few minutes, we all decided it would be a good idea to go catch a movie tomorrow or something. The hard part was going to be getting Angel to let her guard down long enough to spend time with us. Of course, neither one of them wanted to be the one to call Angel so I had to do it.
I hung up with them, then took another deep breath as I dialed Angel’s number. It probably was best that I be the one to call her since I was the only one she really didn’t have a reason to be mad at.
“Hey, Angel! What’s up, girl? I haven’t heard from you in a while,” I said as soon as she picked up the phone.
“Oh, this isn’t Angel, this is her friend Christina. Angel’s a little busy right now. Can I take a message?”
I was a little thrown off since I wasn’t used to Angel having any friends other than us and I definitely couldn’t appreciate somebody trying to screen her calls.
“No, I’ll hold on,” I said, trying not to get an attitude. “Can you tell her Jasmine is on the phone?”
“What part of ‘she’s busy’ do you not get?” Christina said.
I had to catch myself because I was about to go straight off. Obviously, she didn’t know who she was talking to. And she definitely must be crazy if she thought she was going to come in and take my—our—place in Angel’s life.
“What, are you her personal secretary now?” I said, “I said, I’ll hold on.”
“Whatever!” Christina mumbled. Then she yelled, “Angel, it’s some girl on the phone for you named Jasmine.”
A few minutes later Angel got on the phone.
“Oh hey, Jasmine. What’s up?” Angel’s tone was dry. I absolutely was about to get an attitude now. I hadn’t done anything to her so she didn’t need to be getting funky with me.
“Why is Christina answering your phone?” I asked.
“She’s just helping me with Angelica. What’s the big deal?”
I was a little bothered by Angel having some strange new chick around Angelica, but I didn’t want to get into that conversation with her so I decided to just leave it alone. If she wanted some stranger around her baby then that was her business.
I told her about me, Camille, and Alexis wanting to go check out a movie tomorrow, just like old times.
“I’ll have to check my schedule and get back with you. I think we’re goin’ to a party over near Sharpstown,” Angel said.
I stood up and began pacing my bedroom. For some reason, all of us were pretty protective of Angel, probably because she was so nice, naïve, and gullible. So it was starting to bother me that she had just let Christina—who everybody knew was nothing but trouble—into her life.
“Who is ‘we,’ and since when do you have a schedule that needs to be checked?” I asked her. She was for real trippin’. “And who has a party on a freakin’ Sunday?” I know she wasn’t out-and-out lying to me, was she?
“Look, Jasmine, I know you may not realize this, but my life is not defined by my friendship with you, Camille, and Alexis. I do have a life outside of y’all,” she huffed.
“Your life is not defined by us?” I shouted. “What in the world does that mean?”
She blew out a deep breath like I was getting on her nerves. “Don’t be mad because now I have other people in my life who are important to me. If you don’t like it, that’s your problem.”
I was so close to going off on Angel that I literally had to bite my tongue to keep from losing it. I couldn’t believe she was acting like this. When we first met her, she would barely look anyone in the eyes, let alone catch herself getting smart with somebody. This new group of friends had really gone to her head and it was taking everything in my power for me not to put her back in her place.
“You know what, Angel? I’m going to hang up this phone now before you make me say something I am gonna regret. You my girl and all, but you need to think about who your real friends are and who has, and always will be, there for you,” I told her. “I’m going to chalk this conversation up to you being upset about the whole Theta thing and give you a pass. You give me a call when you come to your senses.” I slammed the phone down before she could reply.
So much for me being levelheaded.
23
Camille
I grabbed my duffel bag and threw it over my shoulder. I couldn’t believe how excited I was about doing community service. But this wasn’t some boring visit to the senior citizens’ center. We were actually heading to New Orleans with the Habitat for Humanity “Teens Give Back” project. Although we were traveling as part of the Good Girlz, other people from my school were going, too—including Christina and her crew and Tori and some of the Thetas. I’d been hoping the trip would give me, Alexis, and Jasmine time to repair our bond with Angel, but somehow I doubted we’d have much success with Christina in the way.
I noticed Angel’s sister pulling up to drop off Angel. I quickly made my way over to her car.
“Hey, Rosario.” I waved after she came to a stop.
“Hey, Camille,” she replied. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”
I looked at Angel to gauge her reaction, but she acted like she hadn’t even heard her sister.
“Hey, Sweet Pea,” I said, turning to Angelica, who was sitting in her car seat in the back. I leaned in and tickled Angelica’s chin. The little girl giggled and almost made me cry when she said, “Hi, ’Mille!”
“I miss you, Pumpkin,” I replied, tousling her curly black hair. “But I promise I’m going to come see you when I get back, okay?”
Angelica nodded, a huge smile across her face.
I stood up and faced Angel, who had just gotten her bag out of the trunk. I watched as she kissed Angelica, then told Rosario good-bye.
“Hey Angel,” I cautiously said after Rosario had driven off.
“Hey,” she responded.
There was a moment of awkward silence between us before I said, “So, are you excited about going to New Orleans?”
“Yeah.” She didn’t say anything else.
I was determined to make some headway. “Jasmine, Alexis, and Tameka are already here. They’re inside helping Miss Rachel load up some stuff. Are you going to sit with us on the bus?”
Angel glanced over at Christina, who was standing near the bus glaring at us.
“Naw, I already told Christina I would sit with her.”
“Angel …” I sighed.
“I gotta go,” she said, without giving me time to finish.
My heart sank as I watched her dart off.
Christina had now moved over to a group of Hispanic guys and was pointing my way. Great, I thought, just get everyone all worked up, why don’t you?
“What’s up, cutie pie?”
I looked around; Vincent and another Gamma Man had just finished unloading their stuff from their car.
“Hey Vincent. Hey Julian.”
Vincent noticed my uneasiness and glanced from me over to Christina and the others. “What’s u
p?” he asked again.
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
“Don’t tell me ‘nothing,’” Vincent said, continuing to look back and forth between us. “They’re looking at you like you stole something.”
“Yeah,” Julian added, eyeing them as well. “If they’re messin’ with you, you just let us know. You’re a Theta now. That means anybody messes with you, messes with us.”
I couldn’t help but note how that sounded exactly like something a Crip or a Blood would say.
“Naw, I’m straight,” I lied.
“This wouldn’t have anything to do with the rumors I heard that Christina and her crew were mad about Angel not making it, would it?” Vincent asked.
I sighed. I should’ve known this gossip would be all over school.
“I guess. But squash it. It’s not even worth trippin’ over.”
“Naw, forget that,” Julian said, stomping over toward Christina’s group. Vincent followed and I groaned, then took off after them.
“Guys, it’s nothing. Just leave it alone,” I called out after them.
They ignored me and kept walking. “Yo, Hector,” Vincent said as he approached the group. He was pointing at a tall guy who had stepped to the front of the crowd.
“Yo, the name is José. But you know that, vato. You’re just trying to be funny,” José said, clenching his fists.
“Hector, José, Jesus, whatever,” Vincent said. “You got a beef with my girl, here?” He pointed at me.
“Naw, it seems your girl and her little friends got a beef with my girl,” he replied, pointing at Angel. “Seems y’all got a problem with her people.”
By this time, a small crowd had started to gather, including several of the Thetas.
“I think the problem is your girl just needs to start her own sorority and stay out of ours,” Tori interjected. I should’ve known she’d throw in her two cents.
José flashed his palm in her face. “Was anybody talking to you? Go back to Africa or something.”
Tori wiggled her neck. “No you didn’t! I ain’t from Africa. I’m from the north side. Unlike your girl here,” she said, pointing at Christina, “who probably snuck across the border last night.”
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