by L. Divine
“Would the lady care for a ride?” Jeremy says, pulling alongside me before I begin my hike up the steep hill.
“Are you sure? Isn’t that a boyfriend type of duty?” I say. Truthfully, I could use the lift this morning. I’m exhausted from staying up late and my legs aren’t used to the walk anymore.
“Friends get rides too, Lady J,” Jeremy says as he reaches across the passenger seat and opens the heavy door. As Daddy would say, they don’t make cars like these anymore. Classic Mustangs like this one are hard to come by, and so are gentlemanly men. “We’re friends, right?” he says, looking up at me from under his cap brim. His eyes, like Mama’s, are irresistible.
“Fine,” I say as I fall into the cream-colored leather seat. This five-minute ride is saving me fifteen minutes of a good workout and I’m grateful. But he doesn’t need to know that. The last thing I want is for him to feel like I need him. That’ll go to his head and the next thing I know he’ll be trying to get back with me again, I’m sure.
“Well, don’t be overjoyed,” he says, pulling away from the curb toward campus. It’s foggy, so there’s no view of the ocean. “I’m glad to see you this morning.”
“Oh really? And why is that?” I ask, allowing the lyrics of the alternative music on the radio to pull me in, rather than play his mind games. I don’t know who it is, but it sounds cool.
“Well, I wanted to say I’m proud of you.” Is he serious? What could he be proud of me for?
“What are you talking about?” I say. Mickey pulls up beside us in her pink Regal bumping Snoop. Nellie, sitting in the passenger seat, notices us together and smiles big.
“Good morning, you two,” Nellie says. I know I’m going to get it for this.
“What’s up, ladies?” Jeremy says, honking at Chance, who’s parked across from the spot Jeremy’s pulling into. I also see Matt and Seth across the way. I have to time my audition for the play with the bus schedule, and they’re the men in charge of getting me in and out on time. I also want to practice my lines with someone auditioning to play the lead role of Macbeth, and I’m sure they’ll have that information too.
“So, do I hear reconciliation in the works?” Nellie chimes. Mickey’s unamused, and I have a feeling I’m going to get a mouthful from her and Nigel before the day’s over. Now I really have a good reason to hide out.
“It’s just a ride, y’all,” I say, opening the car door and stepping out before Jeremy even turns off the engine.
“Whatever. I’ve got to find somewhere to park. I’ll holla at you later,” Mickey says, pulling off. I can tell by her tone she’s pissed. I can’t deal with that right now. I want to get back to why this dude is proud of me, like he’s my daddy. I’ve got to hear this one.
“So, as you were saying about your pride in me,” I say, leaning up against his trunk, watching his lean body as he pulls himself out of the low vehicle. I love tall men.
“I’m proud you didn’t sink to Tania’s level. She can get real dirty.” Now see, that’s what irritates me about Jeremy. He can be so judgmental sometimes, even if he doesn’t mean to be. It’s all in his tone.
“How can you think so badly about a girl you made a baby with?” I say. How is it that dudes get amnesia about a girl’s personality when they sleep with her, but have a perfect recollection of what a bitch she is after it’s all over? If this is how sex affects the brain, I might stay a virgin forever.
“What’s your problem? I’m just calling it like I see it,” he says, locking his car and leading the way to the main campus.
“You shouldn’t talk bad about Tania, even if I do agree with you. She’s carrying your seed,” I say, sounding like Rah. I remember getting this speech when he got my homegirl pregnant a few years back. He was right, and the same principle holds true in this situation. He slept with her. Now he has to pay the price, even if he doesn’t like her. KJ went through the same thing with his ex-chick Trecee but got lucky because Shae revealed Trecee was already pregnant before KJ started messing with her. I hope he doesn’t repeat the same mistake with Misty. She may be a trick but she’s no slut, so I’ll know the baby’s his.
“Whatever, Jayd. Look,” he says, stopping in front of me and causing the other students walking around us to stop and stare. “I made a mistake getting Tania pregnant, but it’s over now. Can we just move on?”
“Over? How the hell is it over when she’s still in her first trimester?” I say, almost shouting. Jeremy shoots me a look that tells me to keep my voice down. And he’s right: this conversation’s over. The first bell’s about to ring and I don’t want to be late for my day of hiding. I also have AP meetings tomorrow to prepare for and I don’t want to give Mrs. Bennett anything else to complain about, so I better check my English portfolio to make sure it’s on point. “I have to go. Excuse me,” I say, walking around him and joining the crowd.
“Jayd, come on,” Jeremy says, catching up to my brisk pace. But I’m done talking. It’s getting us nowhere and I’ve already made my decision. Whether he accepts it or not is up to him. “Don’t be like this.”
“Don’t be like what, Jeremy? Compassionate? God forbid I’d want to do that. Oh, that’s right. You don’t believe in God,” I say as I turn toward him and shoot a look that silences him once and for all. I turn back around on my heels and march toward my locker. I hope Mickey and Nellie aren’t there because I’m really not in the mood to be grilled right now. I need to calm down and focus on all of the work I have ahead of me. I don’t have time for anyone else’s bull today.
My locker would be jammed this morning. By the time I get it open I only have enough time to get my books and get to class. Before I exit the main hall, I see KJ, C Money, and Del leaving the main office. I still don’t understand why Misty couldn’t catch a ride with them to school. But why do I care? I have enough on my mind as it is.
“You can’t speak, girl?” KJ shouts down the corridor. He and his boys all look alike, with their Adidas warm-up suits and the shoes to match. They’re a good-looking crew. Too bad they’re all jackasses.
“I’m speaking,” I say as I roll my eyes and exit the hall, only to find my girls outside waiting for me. Damn, to be the second largest school in Southern California, South Bay seems too small sometimes.
“Hey girl,” Nellie says, falling into step with me as Mickey trails behind. I can feel her eyes burning through the back of my skull. Let me set them straight right now so we don’t have any issues.
“Before y’all say anything, Jeremy saw me at the bus stop, offered me a ride, I accepted, we argued, nothing more. Any questions?” I say as we make our way through the oncoming traffic of students rushing to classes.
“Yeah,” Mickey says, now in sync with us. “Why did you get in his car in the first place?” I sometimes hate that she’s formed an alliance with Nigel and Rah, because now she’s going to be looking out for my boys and not me, which is not the way it should be since she’s supposed to be my homegirl. As many times as Rah’s been in the wrong, Nigel’s never ratted him out to me. But I think Mickey would love to bust my chops right in front of them both and that ain’t cool.
“Because my legs were tired. But, you wouldn’t know anything about that since your man makes sure you always have a ride, and a car when you can drive,” I say, a little more sour than necessary. But she’s really got her nerve this time.
“Put the claws away, ladies,” Nellie says, a little too jovial for the moment. “We can continue this lively discussion at break.”
“I can’t. I have too much work to do,” I say, heading to my Spanish class and leaving them to go their separate ways. At least we don’t have any classes together. I couldn’t concentrate on my schoolwork if I had them up in my grill on a daily basis.
“Well then, we’ll catch up after school at Nigel’s practice. Since it’s an early day, Mickey can give you a ride home, isn’t that right, girl?” Nellie says, but that doesn’t look like what Mickey was thinking at all. How can Mickey serious
ly hate on me when she’s juggling two dudes herself? What the hell is up with the hypocrites this morning? When it’s too close to home, the truth can get mighty uncomfortable.
“Yeah, whatever,” Mickey says, folding her arms across her chest and revealing her freshly airbrushed nails, gold hoop charms and all. Must be nice to have a dude’s bankroll to count on.
“Okay, it’s settled. We’re hanging after school, no excuses,” Nellie chimes, again trying to lighten the mood, but I’m not feelin’ it.
“Fine. I’ve got to go,” I say. The last thing I want to do is sit up at Nigel’s practice after school when I could use the time to study or nap or do something more productive than talk about Rah and Jeremy. Honestly, neither of them can give me what I want or need right now, so the topic is moot. But I know my girls don’t see it that way, and I’m sure even Chance and Nigel will add their two cents if they have the opportunity.
Now that Rah has allies who were my friends first, I feel like Rah attends our school. Now, let Rah do some shady shit and we’ll see how far the loyalty of our so-called friends-in-common extends. His ears must be burning because here he is, texting me good morning. If I didn’t love this boy so much, I wonder if we’d still be friends.
The afternoon sun has melted away the fog and is shining brightly, giving me plenty of much needed warmth. My attitude always improves when the weather’s good. And I needed the adjustment, especially to deal with my girls giving me heat about Jeremy. I know they mean well, but really. Enough is enough. I didn’t even speak to him in third period, although he tried to pass me notes during our boring movie. But I’ve had enough of him for one day.
“You need to let that white boy know that y’all can’t be friends anymore. That’s what you need to do,” Mickey says, sipping on her grape Crush while Nigel and the other football players work it out on the field. We’re sitting in the middle of the bleachers where the sun is shining its brightest and providing us with some much needed warmth on this cool afternoon. The day went by fast because of the teacher’s meetings being held today, which gives us an extra hour and a half of kick-it time. I have to make it a point to holla at Ms. Toni tomorrow. It seems like forever since we caught up and I know she’s already gotten wind of my breakup with Jeremy.
“Now, why can’t they be friends?” Nellie says, looking around for Chance. I know she’d never admit it, but the girl is sprung and I can see how. Chance has always had her back and has liked her even longer. All it took was for Nellie to come around and now they can love without limit. “So, he’s made a few mistakes. That’s what friends do, they mess up and they forgive,” she says, reflecting more on our friendship than on Jeremy and me.
“Yes, but they aren’t homies. Like I said before, dudes can’t be friends with girls. It ain’t natural. Especially not after y’all have made out,” Mickey says, smiling as I remember when Jeremy first kissed me at the beach. Yeah, that wasn’t a very friendly interaction at all.
“Yeah, even kissing can be deadly to a friendship,” I say, still strolling down memory lane. I remember my first kiss with Rah. After that, I was sprung. Same thing happened with this dude named Donovan. I was his first kiss and we never went back to being friends. And now Jeremy.
“What are you talking about? Nigel and Jayd are just friends, Chance and Jayd are just friends and I’m sure there are better examples, too,” Nellie says, sounding as optimistic as ever. But I’m siding with Mickey on this one, even if I hate to admit it.
“I think you’re right, Mickey, but not because I don’t think Jeremy and I can just be friends,” I say, snacking on my leftover chips from lunch. “I don’t think I can ever get over the way he gave up the rights to his baby, especially when he thinks Tania is Satan’s love child. How could he allow his baby to be raised by her without at least knowing who her husband-to-be is?”
“Yeah, that is messed up,” Nellie says. And I know she feels me. Her daddy is actually her stepfather. But he’s also the only father she’s ever known and that must bother her a little.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but I’m just being real. I can’t have any respect for the way he’s treating Tania, and without respect there’s no true friendship, is there?” I say as I send Rah a quick text before he sends out an APB. We got that straight last night: always respond to each other’s messages in a timely manner.
“You’ve got that right. I’m just glad you see it my way,” Mickey says, stabbing Nellie’s ego with her words. So, how’s Rah?” she says, reading my mind.
“He’s cool. He caught up with me yesterday after school,” I say, leaving out the details of my dramatic evening. I hope today is much less eventful when I get home.
“Now see, that’s a real friend for your ass,” Mickey says, finishing the last of her soda before moving on to her pork rinds. She must’ve brought those with her because I know they don’t sell them up here. Just then, we hear a car with heavy bass coming down the street parallel to the football field. Pulling into the parking slots at the top of the stadium, we see Mickey’s man getting out of his black Monte Carlo and heading our way. Oh shit, this can’t be good.
“What the hell is he doing here?” Nellie says, alarmed at the possibility of another fight, and I feel her. The last thing I want to do is get involved with Mickey’s man and their arguing, especially not with Nigel here. That’s more than I can handle today.
“Mickey,” her man shouts from the top of the bleachers. In navy blue Dickies and a white wife-beater, he looks like a straight thug. Half of his hair braided and the other half is in a ponytail, and he looks pissed. “Get up here, now.”
“Why you gotta yell at me like that?” Mickey says, simultaneously talking shit and gathering her stuff up. She knows better than to give him too much lip in public.
“Because you’re obviously deaf since you didn’t hear your phone ringing. I’ve been calling and texting you for the past hour. I know you got out early,” he says as she meets him halfway up the stairs. I look toward the field to see Nigel staring up at us, ready to charge like a bull seeing red. Luckily the coach has them running drills, so he can’t leave the field right now unless he wants to miss playing in Friday’s game. But if something goes down between Mickey and her man, I know he’ll be up there in a flash, game or no game.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’ve been talking to my girls,” she says, only telling half the truth. Before she sat down with us, she and Nigel went to the car to kick it. I’m sure she turned her phone off then and forgot all about it, putting her man’s jealousy radar on red alert.
“You were supposed to finish braiding my hair today,” he says. Man, she’s got him in check. How does she do it?
“Oh, my bad. I got you when I get home, boo,” Mickey says, gently touching his half-done do. I really need to get my notebook out and take notes on this girl’s pimping abilities, even if the pimping goes both ways in their relationship.
“And when will that be?” he says, grabbing her around the waist and staking his claim for all to see, including Nigel, who’s just tripped in midair over nothing, falling to the ground. “The football players up here suck. Y’all need to come to Compton. That’s where all the real niggas play.”
“They don’t all suck,” Mickey says, instinctively defending her other man. “I’ll be home right after I drop Jayd and Nellie off, okay baby?”
“No, now. I want you to finish braiding me outside before my curfew’s up in a couple of hours. I got some business to take care of and I need to be on the porch to handle it,” he says, glancing our way, which lets me know it’s the same type of business that probably got his electronic ankle bracelet put on in the first place. “I’m sure your girls can find another way home.”
“Okay, baby. I’m right behind you,” Mickey says as he heads back to his car, embarrassed at how much control her man actually has over her. Not me. I’ll never be at a dude’s beck and call like this girl is. I don’t know which fear for her is worse: that he’ll cut her allow
ance off or that he’ll whip her ass. Either way, my girl’s getting played and she’s allowing the game to continue.
“And how are we supposed to get home?” Nellie says, pissed to high heaven. Lucky for her Chance is coming our way. I’m sure he’ll be glad to give her a ride when she’s ready to go. If I leave now I can still catch my regular buses and leave all of this drama behind.
“And on that note, I’m out,” I say, grabbing my backpack and heading back up to where Mickey’s man is parked. I knew I should’ve stayed to myself all day long instead of kicking it down here.
“Jayd, wait,” Nellie says, grabbing my arm as Mickey looks from me to her. She knows her man’s patience is gone and she’s taking too long to get back to him. He’ll probably give her a ride to her car just to make sure she leaves right away. There’s a thin line between chivalry and possessiveness and her man crossed it a long time ago.
“Hey ladies,” Chance says, finally making it up the steep bleachers and immediately sensing the tension.
Before we can answer, Mickey rudely interjects, “Can you take them home?”
Chance looks at each of us and stops short of questioning when he sees Mickey’s man waiting for her. He doesn’t know who he his, but Chance senses he’s part of our problem.
“I don’t need a ride. I’m good,” I say, removing my arm from Nellie’s light grasp and continuing my trek. A Williams woman always has an exit plan.
“Are you sure?” Chance says. Even though I know he would give me a ride, he also wants to be alone with his new girl and I want to be alone—period.
“Very,” I say. I just want to go home, eat something good and get some work done. I’ve had more than enough social interaction for the week and it’s only Tuesday. Luckily, I have AP meetings at both of my breaks tomorrow and I’ll be practicing for my audition in my free time on Thursday. At least the next couple of days will be slightly more peaceful, I hope.