With Friends Like These

by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

  Everyone, the guy included, looked at me like I had lost my mind.

  “Sorry, guys,” I told Luscious and Big T. “But as I was saying, our boyfriends are waiting on us.”

  Alexis smiled, I guess finally catching on. That girl could be so slow sometimes. She walked over and took one of the other boy’s hands. That one, who looked like he couldn’t be any more than five feet tall, broke out in a huge smile as he leaned back and looked at Alexis’s butt. The third boy looked at Jasmine and grinned. Jasmine folded her arms. “My boyfriend is at home,” she said.

  I tried to ignore Jasmine and scooted in closer to my boyfriend-for-the-moment.

  “Y’all with these fools?” Luscious said.

  While our three new friends didn’t seem like the rough type, they didn’t seem like punks either. Especially the one I was with.

  “Excuse me,” the boy I was with said as he stepped toward them. “I think the young ladies told you all they were with us, so we’d appreciate it if you kept moving.”

  Luscious looked at Big T. “You hear that, T? They’d appreciate it if we kept moving.” Luscious was about to say something else as a snarl crossed his face. Luckily, Big T must’ve noticed the security guards walking toward us, because he grabbed Luscious’s arm. “Yo, man. Let’s roll. They ain’t even worth it.” He motioned toward the guard, and that quickly got Luscious’s attention because, without saying another word, he spun around and walked off.

  I smiled at my boyfriend-for-the-moment. “Hey, thanks a bunch for helping us out. Sorry to throw you out there like that, but we were desperate to get rid of those bustas.”

  “No problem,” he said as he stuck out his hand. “I’m Walter Lewis.”

  I shook it. “I’m Camille Harris. This is Alexis and Jasmine,” I said, pointing to my girls.

  “Well, my vertically challenged friend here is Sam, and that’s Elbert,” Walter said, motioning toward his other friend.

  “El,” Elbert said, cutting his eyes at Walter. “My friends call me El.”

  Sam looked at Alexis with that big goofy grin still across his face. “I’ll be your boyfriend for real.”

  Alexis turned up her nose. “Thanks, but I have a boyfriend already,” she lied.

  “Bet he isn’t as fine as me,” Sam said, sticking out his puny chest. Alexis looked like she was trying not to throw up.

  Me and Walter laughed. Jasmine rolled her eyes like she was ready to go.

  “So, if both your girls have a boyfriend, I’m sure you do, too,” Walter said as he stared into my eyes.

  I felt my stomach flutter. “Actually, I’m very much single.” I hadn’t really had a boyfriend since Keith, the guy I’d gotten into all that trouble behind.

  “Well, Camille, I would really like to take you out sometimes. Maybe to a movie or something.” Walter smiled, his dimples melting my heart.

  I smiled back, surprised that I was even considering going out with him. “Sure,” I finally said.

  He pulled out his cell phone and programmed my number in. “I will definitely give you a call.”

  “Do that,” I said, trying to sound cute.

  I waved as he walked off. I turned to see both Alexis and Jasmine standing there with their arms crossed. “Could you be any more desperate?” Jasmine said.

  “Desperate? How you figure that?”

  “You know you don’t want that boy,” Jasmine snapped.

  “And why wouldn’t I? Because he’s white?” I responded.

  “Ummm, yeah,” Jasmine said.

  “And? Alexis is half white,” I said defensively.

  “I’m not half of anything. I’m multiracial. My mother is white and black and my father is from the Dominican Republic,” she proudly proclaimed.

  “Okay, Tiger Woods.” I laughed.

  “If you look black, you are black,” Jasmine said. “And you ain’t gon’ have nothing but problems trying to date a white boy.”

  “That’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard you say,” I responded. “Besides, what difference does it make? He’s cute. That’s all that matters.”

  Jasmine threw her hands up as she walked off. “Whatever. If you like it, I love it.”

  I watched as Walter made his way down the mall. I smiled. I definitely liked it, and couldn’t wait to get to know Walter Lewis a little bit better.

  5

  Alexis

  Jasmine looked at me like she was trying to figure out why I was standing at her door.

  “What? You weren’t expecting me?” I flashed a big, cheesy grin.

  “No, I thought you were those pesky kids from down the hall. They’re always trying to sell something—magazines, chocolate bars, cookies, anything to make a dime,” she said.

  “Nope, not selling anything.” I shifted my weight, anxious to get inside. “Are you gon’ let me in or what?”

  Jasmine stepped aside and let me walk in. “I didn’t know you were coming over. I thought you said you had to study for that calculus test. What’s up?” she said.

  My gaze danced around the room. “I didn’t feel like studying.” I didn’t want to come right out and tell her the real reason I was there because I really didn’t know if she was going to trip. But when Jaquan walked into the living room, slowly sipping on a glass of Sunny Delight, I think it became obvious why I was there, especially from the way both of our eyes lit up.

  “Hey, Alexis. What’s up?” He flashed a lopsided smile. I hadn’t told anyone, but I called Jaquan earlier this week when I knew Jasmine wasn’t home. I’d acted like I was calling for her, and I was so grateful that he answered. Instead of hanging up after he told me Jasmine wasn’t in, he talked to me for almost an hour. I was excited that he even remembered me from the basketball court. But he’d said, “As pretty as you are, who wouldn’t remember you?”

  I was hooked from that moment. We had talked every day since then, and he’d invited me over today just to hang out.

  Jasmine turned toward her brother and frowned. “What do you want?” She turned up her nose and sniffed. “And did you have to take a bath in that cologne? Sheesh,” she grumbled.

  Jaquan ignored her and walked toward me. “I’m glad you could make it.”

  Jasmine’s eyes got big. She looked at me. “What is he talking about?”

  “Me and Alexis ’bout to roll out.” He took my hand. I tried not to blush.

  “Roll out?” Jasmine said. “You’re here for him?” She looked at Jaquan like she thought somebody was playing a joke on her. “Y’all serious? So what, y’all talking now?”

  “And so what if we are?” Jaquan said. “Come on, let’s go,” he told me. “We’re taking your car, right?” I nodded and handed him my keys. My dad would have a heart attack, but I didn’t care.

  Jasmine’s draw dropped open. “You letting him drive your BMW?”

  Now she was starting to sound like my mom.

  “Jasmine, why don’t you stay outta my business,” Jaquan said.

  “Alexis is my friend. So this is my business,” she shot back.

  I definitely didn’t want to see them fighting over me. “Hey, Jaquan, let me talk to Jasmine just for a minute,” I said.

  He let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine. Meet me on the basketball court. I’ma go holla at one of my boys. Don’t be long.” Jaquan then leaned over and gently kissed me on the lips. It caught me off guard. But when he looked at Jasmine and laughed, I knew he was just trying to get under her skin. Even still, the kiss sent goose bumps up my arm.

  As soon as Jaquan left, Jasmine spun on me. “What in the world is wrong with you? Why are you messing with my brother?”

  “I told you, Jasmine. I like him. He likes me. What’s the big deal?”

  “So, what’s gon’ happen when y’all break up? What’s gon’ happen if he cheats on you? Or you cheat on him? I don’t wanna be caught up in the middle of no mess.”

  “Nobody is cheating on nobody, okay. We just kickin’ it,” I tried to reason.

&nb
sp; “No, it’s not okay,” she said as she folded her arms across her chest.

  I took a deep breath. “Well, it’s gon’ have to be okay. Because me and Jaquan are together.”

  “Oh, y’all together now?” Jasmine cocked her head. “’Cuz, I don’t think he kn—” Jasmine threw her hands up. “You know what? Forget it. You do what you wanna do.”

  We stared each other down for a minute. I didn’t want to go there with Jasmine, but she couldn’t dictate who I could and couldn’t see. “I will go there, Jasmine,” I finally said. “And what I wanna do is be with Jaquan. So I’m gonna be with Jaquan.” I turned and headed toward the door.

  “Just leave me out of it,” she called out as I headed out the door. “No matter what happens, leave me out of it!”

  I let the front door slam on the sound of her voice.

  6

  Camille

  I twirled the phone cord around my finger. Today was a good day. We had the day off from school and I was stretched out across my bed, going into my third hour of talking to Walter. I probably should have been studying for my history test on Monday, but my conversations with Walter were so much more fun.

  “So, did you see Taylor from American Idol last night on Jay Leno?” he asked.

  “Nah, I don’t watch Jay Leno. My mom says ever since Arsenio Hall went off, she stopped watching late-night TV, so we never really watch it.”

  “Who is Arsenio Hall?”

  “I don’t know. Somebody who used to have a popular talk show, I guess. My mom is always raving about how funny he was,” I replied. “But I like Taylor, even though I’m still surprised he won. Personally, I was rooting for Paris. I’m surprised you even know who Taylor is, though. You don’t seem like the American Idol type.” Walter was one of the smartest guys I’d ever met. Since I met him in the mall last week, we’d talked almost daily. He had me laughing all the time. I was especially impressed with the fact that he got straight A’s and had already been accepted to Princeton. But I guess that shouldn’t really surprise me, since his father was a state senator and his mother was a former Miss Texas.

  “I only watch the show because my sister is a die-hard fan,” he said, snapping me back to our conversation.

  “So is my friend Alexis.” I laughed.

  “Was she the one at the mall with you?” he asked.

  “Yeah, the one Sam was trying to talk to.”

  Walter laughed, and we started talking about something else. After a few minutes he asked me to hold on a minute. When he returned to the phone, he said, “So you ever been to a drive-in movie?”

  “Nope, never have. I mean, I’ve seen some in movies, and I even saw on the news last week about this new one that opened up between here and San Antonio, but I’ve never been to one before,” I said.

  “Hmm, well, looks like I may have to take you, then. We could go with a few of our friends and make a road trip out of it. I think you’ll like it.”

  “Really?” I asked. I thought there was no way my mom was letting me go on a road trip with a boy, even if it was with a group of people.

  “Man, it is so much fun. We used to go to the one near Gatesville when I lived in Killeen. My dad was stationed there for close to fifteen years. It was off the chart,” he said excitedly.

  I just loved how his slang seemed so natural, not like a white boy trying to be black, like this guy named Mark at my school.

  “Sounds like fun,” I said. “So y’all would just pile up into a car and go to the drive-in, huh? But what about privacy?” I asked.

  “You don’t think about that when you’re at the drive-in. I mean, either you’re in a minivan, which is way cool, or—”

  “A minivan?” I balked.

  “Well, I’m just telling you what some people used to do. Me, well, I’d hop into my dad’s Chevy Impala and bring along a couple of big thick blankets. Talk about a proper drive-in date experience. Now that’s what I’m talking ’bout.” He chuckled.

  I was thinking about the picture he was painting for me. I started getting all excited thinking about me, Angel, and Jasmine, with our dates, of course. Yeah, that would be tight.

  “You sold me. So whassup? When can we go?” At this point, I’d go to the moon with Walter. Even if it meant having to lie to my mom.

  “You serious?” he asked, sounding all surprised.

  “Yeah, let me talk to my girls and we can plan a group trip.”

  “Okay, cool, that sounds good.”

  Suddenly a voice rang through, interrupting our conversation.

  “Walter, are you still on the phone?”

  “Um, yes, ma’am,” he said.

  “I need to use it, sweetheart,” she said.

  “Okay, Ma. Let me just say ’bye to my girl. I’ll call you when we’re off,” he answered.

  I started feeling all warm and tingly inside. He had just referred to me as “his girl” to his mother. Yeah, things were really starting to take off between us.

  I was glad he couldn’t see me blushing. I don’t know why he had my stomach fluttering and stuff. I had never been remotely attracted to a guy of another race, but the funny thing was I didn’t see any color when it came to Walter. I just saw a really cute guy who I enjoyed talking to.

  “Look, Camille, my mom needs the phone, but I really want to take you out. I mean, I know we’re gonna do the drive-in thing, but I mean before then. We could like go to TGI Friday’s or something. How does that sound?”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I replied.

  “You wanna go tomorrow?” he asked.

  I bit my lip. “Dang, I can’t. We’re having a sleepover at Alexis’s.”

  “So, we’ll go tonight. I’ll pick you up around six. Where do you live?”

  I sat up in the bed. “Today?”

  He laughed. “What better time than the present? Is that cool with you?”

  I glanced over at the digital clock on my nightstand. It was already three o’clock. Then there was my mother to deal with. She wasn’t going to be happy about me going out with someone she didn’t know. But shoot, if I didn’t go tonight, I’d have to wait till next week. “Why don’t I just meet you at six at the restaurant?”

  “What, you’re ashamed of me?” he joked.

  “Boy, please,” I laughed. “It’s just my mom isn’t even going to be feeling me going out with a stranger.”

  “I’m not a stranger.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  He laughed. “I know. That’s cool. I’ll meet you at six at the Friday’s by First Colony Mall.”

  We said our good-byes, and I sat in bed wondering what I would say to my mother. I had really tried to get away from lying to her, but I didn’t see any other way out of it.

  I jumped up from my bed and made my way down the hall to my mother’s bedroom. I softly knocked on her door.

  “Hey, Ma,” I said as I eased into the room. She was sitting in her chaise lounge with her reading glasses on, her head buried deep in her Bible.

  “Hello, sweetheart,” she said, looking up at me. “I thought you were taking a nap.”

  I walked over to her bed. “Nah, just in my room hanging out.”

  She smiled at me, and I felt a twinge of guilt about the lie that was about to come out of my mouth. Me and my mom had been through some serious drama over the past year, and we were finally getting back on track. I hated to mess all that up by lying to her, but I knew my mother. No way would she let me go out with a boy she’d never even heard me talk about.

  I took a deep breath. “Hey, we’re going to have a sleepover at Alexis’s tonight.”

  “I thought the sleepover was tomorrow night,” my mother said as she removed her glasses.

  “Yeah, but we have another community service project we need to work out all the details for, and tomorrow is all for the kids we’re mentoring,” I lied. I had already figured it out. I would hang out with Walter until he had to go, then I’d come home and tell my mother that I wasn’t feeling good
and had to come home.

  “Oh, well, then you have fun,” she said.

  I flashed a smile and headed toward the door. I stopped just before I left and turned to my mother. “I’m going to leave around five-thirty, if that’s okay.”

  My mother nodded. “Yes, sweetheart. You have fun and remember, I love you.”

  I swear, my mother gave me this sweet look that made me want to go running back into her room, begging her to forgive me for lying. But images of Walter kept me from coming clean.

  I swallowed, waved to my mom and said, “I love you, too. I’ll be careful.” Then I headed to my room to start getting ready for my date.

  7

  Camille

  I was trying my best not to get impatient while Walter stood yapping on his cell phone.

  “Hey, man, if my mom or dad calls, just tell them I’m in the bathroom or something. Yeah, man, that’s all I need you to do. I’ll be there,” he said.

  We had met in the parking lot of TGI Friday’s. I wasn’t gon’ interrupt, but I could tell that just like me, he had to lie to his folks to see me. I wish parents understood that telling us no only makes us want to see each other even more.

  “Nah, I don’t think they’re gonna call, I’m just saying if they do, that’s all.” Walter shook his head as if his friend could see him. “Yeah, cool, I’ll meet you at your house, but I’ll call you when I’m ready, okay?”

  The minute he got off the phone, I said, “So, what was that all about?”

  He shrugged off my question at first. But I guess the look on my face told him he couldn’t just blow me off.

  “Oh, that’s nothing,” he finally said. “My mother trips sometimes. After I told her you were my girl, she started talking ’bout I’m too young to be serious with anyone. She claims we have a plan—college, grad school, then a serious girlfriend. So rather than deal with her, I just let her think I’m with her plan.”