by Omar Tyree
A crowd of teens was gathered at a small street intersection. A bloody-nosed boy came shuffling through the pack with a bruised and battered face. Tracy tried her best to back away and was helplessly surrounded by the flowing crowds.
“What’s up, girl?” Travis said to her out of the crowd.
Tracy grabbed on to him for protection. “Travis, what’s going on?”
“Oh, Victor just beat some dude up.”
“Who is Victor?”
“You never heard of Victor? He’s thorough as shit. He just whipped dude ass,” he responded, excitedly.
“Who does he hang out with?”
“He hangs out with the High-Low crew: Mark Bates, Tyrone, Peppy, and all them other hoodlum dudes.”
“He hangs out with Peppy? I hate that boy,” Tracy commented. “What does he look like?”
“He’s a dark-skinned, pretty muthafucka with a lot of flyy gear,” Travis answered. “But it wasn’t like I be lookin’,” he joked with a grin. “Naw, dude is pretty decent. Straight up.”
Tracy could tell that Travis had a lot of respect for him. That only made her more interested.
“What’s his last name?”
Travis stopped himself. “Wait a minute now, we gon’ stop talkin’ ’bout dude. What’s up with me and you?”
Tracy laughed it off as they began walking toward her house.
“Where we goin’?” Travis asked her.
“I’m goin’ home,” Tracy told him with a smile.
Travis had found himself halfway down the block with her. He then shrugged his shoulders and threw up his hands. “I might as well walk you home then.”
“Where were you at during school today?” she asked, changing the subject. She had looked forward to seeing him.
“I ain’t go to school.”
“So where were you? I called your house, twice.”
Travis grinned. “Oh, you really wanted to talk to me, hunh?” he responded, pleased with her concern.
“Shet up,” Tracy said, grinning back at him.
“I was at my boy’s crib. I’m goin’ over there after school tomorrow, too.”
“What do y’all do over there?” Tracy asked as they crossed the street.
“Nothing, really. We just watch television and videotapes and shit. My boy got one of them chill cribs. His mom works like twenty-four-seven. She ain’t never home.”
They reached Tracy’s house and chatted a bit more before she went in. Tracy promised to go to his friend’s house with him after school the next day. Travis promised her that other girls would be there, and Tracy trusted him. She was curious to see what they all did to entertain themselves.
After getting out of school, Tracy followed Travis and three other girls behind his loud friends. She had a funny feeling about following a group of mischievous teens to a boy’s unsupervised home. Jantel had turned down her offer to tag along, and Tracy had become apprehensive about what they all planned to get into. Travis responded sourly at her suggestion. He didn’t want Jantel tagging along. “All she gon’ do is get in the way,” he said.
Get in the way of what? Tracy thought. I hope Travis don’t think he’sgonna get anything from me. Travis was not attractive enough for Tracy to jeopardize her virginity, but it sure looked like a party of couples.
Once they arrived at the boy’s house, all of the girls watched television while the boys ran around collecting money for something. Tracy was baffled and curious. She felt uncomfortable. The boys were not even talking to them. What the hell are they doing? she panicked. Tracy wanted to leave after the first ten minutes. It was a big mistake.
Once their money was gathered, one boy left the house. The others then decided to converse with the girls. A shockingly attractive boy sat in a chair opposite from Tracy. He was tanned-skinned with small dark eyes and dark curly hair. His thick dark hair was tapered on the sides and long on top.
Tracy could not take her eyes from him. She looked over his new Nike sneakers and his red and blue Fila sweat suit. Dag! I wish I was here with him instead of with Travis, she thought to herself.
“Ay Bob, did he go to get it?” the girl wearing a green Champion sweatshirt asked him.
Bob said, “Yeah, he’ll be back in twenty minutes.”
“What are we waiting for?” Tracy asked.
Bob laughed. “We waitin’ for some weed. You ever smoked weed before?”
“Unt unh. I don’t do that.”
Bob smiled at her through dark slit eyes. “Why not? It gets you in the mood. It makes you feel nice as hell.”
“Yup, girl. It makes everything in the world seem funny,” the green-sweatshirt girl responded.
Bob said, “Dig. Remember that time we got on over Mark Bates’ house?”
Green-sweatshirt girl nodded her head and smiled.
Bob stared back at Tracy. “Do you go with Travis?” he asked her.
“No,” Tracy said, overjoyed that she didn’t.
“Y’all just friends, or do you like each other?”
Tracy hunched her shoulders and smiled. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” Bob asked with a frown of confusion.
Travis called from the kitchen in the nick of time, “Ay Tracy, come here.”
Tracy got up in her long, black boots and blue Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. The tight-fitting jeans hugged her firm behind quite snugly.
Bob could not take his eyes off of her either. “DAMN!” he howled, shaking his dark, curly-haired head.
“Ay Bob, you better cut that shit out, cuz’,” Travis warned with a chuckle. “So what’s up? You gon’ get on with us?” he asked Tracy inside of the kitchen.
Tracy made up her mind. “Naw. I ain’t really down with that.”
“So what we gon’ do then?”
“I’on know,” she said. She felt unsure with Travis. She was more interested in Bob.
“Have you ever had sex before?” Travis asked her bluntly.
“Yeah,” Tracy lied, embarrassed.
“Aw’ight then. We gon’ go to my boy’s room when dude gets back with the nickel bag.”
Tracy wanted to tell him “No,” but she knew she’d seem young if she caused a scene, so she kept quiet.
“Aw’ight,” she said, nonchalantly. I ain’t doing nothin’ though, she told herself as she turned and walked back to her seat inside of the living room.
Tracy sensed Bob’s eyes glued to her behind again. All he did was smile at her, and Tracy was immediately tantalized. She wanted to lose her virginity to him, and she didn’t even know him. Bob gave her that sexual feeling.
The errand boy had finally gotten back with the small yellow bag of marijuana. He brought two more boys with him. Tracy really felt uncomfortable then. They spread the crushed dried leaves right out on the table in front of her and started rolling joints. Tracy was praying that they didn’t ask her to smoke any. And they didn’t.
The two quiet girls were dragged up the stairs. Bob sat there giggling at Tracy. He didn’t seem interested in anything after he had gotten high.
Tracy grinned at him. “Why you laughin’?”
“ ’Cause you funny.” His dark eyes got smaller, making him look even cuter to Tracy.
“Tracy! Come here!” Travis yelled. He led her up the steps and into the back room. He then patted his lap for Tracy to have a seat on it. She sat on his lap hesitantly, feeling nervous about it.
Travis began to rub his hands over her breasts. Tracy began to breathe slower, deeper. Through the thin walls, she could clearly hear moans and a squeaky bed from the next room. It added to Tracy’s sensuality, but not for Travis. He tried to kiss her. Tracy turned her head to avoid him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, holding her tighter.
“Nothin’,” Tracy said. She didn’t want to say it, but she hoped that he would get the message. Travis put his hands on her pants zipper. Tracy grabbed his hand to stop him.
“Come on, now,” Travis whined.
; Tracy took a deep breath to force out her suppressed comments. “I don’t wanna do this.”
“What? See now, why you playin’ wit’ me?” he fumed at her.
Tracy got off of his lap. “I’m goin’ downstairs,” she said.
She hurried down the steps and saw the same sociable girl sharing a joint with Bob.
Travis came down after her. “Ay Tammy, come here for a minute,” he said. Tammy wasn’t attractive. Tracy thought she’d “do it” with anyone. Travis and Tammy went up the steps.
Tracy was left alone with Bob, who immediately began to giggle.
“Why you keep laughin’ at me?”
“Come here,” he said. He stood up and looked her straight in the eyes. “You ain’t down wit’ Travis, hunh?”
Tracy shook her head. “Unt unh.”
“Get your coat and stuff,” Bob told her, caressing her hand.
Tracy wanted to be with him. They left, holding hands and heading for Bob’s house.
“Come downstairs,” he said. Tracy took her coat and bag. “My mom might be comin’ home soon,” he warned her.
Tracy stood inside of his red-carpeted basement. Bob walked over to her and pulled her body to his, kissing her. She then felt his hands, running down her back as he squeezed her behind. His pants tightened as she felt his masculinity throbbing against her leg.
It was all happening too fast, and Tracy wanted more. She could feel Bob’s vibrations through her jeans. It took him a while to get her zipper down. He then peeled her clothes to her ankles. Tracy felt the basement draft whip around her bare lower body, while Bob began to peel his own clothing to his ankles. That was when Tracy saw it approaching her legs.
It was difficult for Bob to position himself on top of her because her pants were not completely off, making it hard for him to spread her legs. Bob then tried to force it with Tracy resisting and pulling back.
“Bob, take my pants off,” she whispered.
He sat up and thought about it. “I’on know, ’cause my mom is comin’ home soon.”
Tracy sighed, disappointed. She leaned up with him. “Well, try again like this.”
Bob tried, but it was no use. He then saw shadows through the basement window.
“Oh shit! It’s my mom and my sister!”
Tracy pulled her pants up in a hurry. Bob snatched her coat and bag and led her to the back door. She ran out of his house and down the driveway, excited about the suspense. Bob ran back into his basement and turned on Inspector Gadget. His long-haired mother walked down into the basement and looked around. Bob sat and smiled at her, nervously.
“What’s up, mom?”
“Boy, you think you so slick. I know you had a girl in here,” his mother said, glancing at the back door.
She looked at Bob with an evil eye. “I keep tellin’ you, boy, them damn girls gon’ get pregnant. Now you keep runnin’ around here like they won’t trap you. Because it’s a whole lot of confused little girls out here who are just dying to have some pretty babies. You hear me?”
DING DONG! DING DONG!
“Jantel, I got something to tell you!” Tracy screamed.
Jantel opened her door. “What?”
“You know some boy named Bob?” Tracy asked, throwing her book-bag to the floor.
“He got real curly hair?”
“Yeah, and he hangs out with Travis and them?”
Jantel got excited. “Yup, that boy is cute as I don’t know what. All the girls like him.”
“I was just over his house,” Tracy bragged.
“Uuuuw, for real?” Jantel squealed, happy for Tracy.
“Yup, and he did it to me,” Tracy fibbed.
Jantel whispered, “How it feel?”
“It felt gooood.”
“Dag, I would love to do it with him. You go with him now?”
“Yup,” Tracy lied again. She wanted to go with Bob though.
Jantel sighed. “Dag, you lucky, girl. How did you meet him?”
“I was with Travis, but I didn’t want to do it with him, ’cause he ugly, so I left with Bob.”
“Uuuuw, you nasty, girl.”
“Shet up, you would want some from him, too, so don’t even try that goody-two-shoes role,” Tracy retorted.
“Yup, if he asked me,” Jantel admitted to her.
Tracy went home and daydreamed about having kids with and marrying Bob. She hardly knew the boy, but he was s-o-o-o-o cute that it didn’t matter. He was the best-looking boy she had had yet. He even dressed nice. Tracy planned to get his phone number and go finish what they started. She forgot about Travis. She told herself that she only liked him because he was funny. But Bob was someone she could really be with. As far as her virginity . . . oh well. Everybody has to lose their virginity one day, she figured. And Bob was an excellent choice to lose it to.
Tracy wore her best outfit, hoping Bob would come to see her after school. She wore a blue leather skirt suit that everyone talked about. It was one of the expensive outfits that she had received for Christmas. Tracy caught all eyes and nothing but compliments.
“You look like a knock-out today, girl,” Jantel told her.
Tracy cracked a wide smile. “Yeah, I know. I hope he comes up here today.”
“Well, if he don’t, he doesn’t know what he’s missin’.”
“Maybe we could go to the movies tonight,” Tracy suggested. It was Friday.
Jantel nodded. “Yup, you should ask him, Tracy. And I can go with y’all.”
Tracy shook her head with a grin. “Not this time.”
Jantel sucked her teeth. “Oh, you’re going solo on me now, Tracy?”
“That’s right,” Tracy piped.
A few boys whistled up the hall at her. Tracy ignored them.
Jantel said, “See, everybody is on you.”
“I know, but when you look like me they can’t help it,” Tracy responded with a laugh. Her head was definitely getting big.
They went to their classes like any other day, but Tracy got real nervous when the final bell rang. She chewed gum violently to calm her nerves. She then slowly walked to her locker to get the books that she needed for homework. Other girls stared at her jealously.
Tracy didn’t look around for Bob after school. Her nerves were too shot. In fact, she began to hope that he wouldn’t show. Jantel walked alongside her.
“Hey girl, what’s up?” a voice called from behind.
Tracy turned around and smiled, no longer nervous. “I didn’t get your phone number yesterday,” she said to him.
Bob acted as if he didn’t hear her. “Check you out,” he commented. “They said you was flyy, but damn!” He looked inside of Tracy’s coat to peep her leather suit. His breath smelled of marijuana, and his clothing was not as classy as it had been the day before.
Tracy looked him over. “So what ’chew want?” she asked snappishly.
“Oh, I just came to see you.”
“Well.”
Bob laughed at nothing. Tracy frowned at him.
“When you gon’ come see me again?” he asked.
Jantel began to walk away, fanning herself. “This is too much heat for me,” she joked.
“Hold up, Jantel, I’m coming with you. What did you say, Bob?” Tracy asked him, making him repeat himself. It was happening again; Tracy was quickly losing her interest.
“When you gon’ come over again?” Bob repeated.
Tracy waved her hand in front of her mouth. “Dag, you been smokin’ weed.” It didn’t seem to bother her before.
Bob grinned and said, “Yeah, we got on again.”
“Was Travis with y’all?”
“Yeah, he was there.” Bob was laughing at everything. “But umm, I’ma get back wit’ ’chew. Aw’ight? I got something to do. I just wanted to see you right quick.”
“All right then,” Tracy told him, glad that he was leaving. She watched Bob walk away like a lunatic, bumping all into people with the sun making his dark curly hair shine. He was c
ute all right, but he was also damaging his looks by taking drugs.
Tracy turned to head home with Jantel. She asked, “Did you see how on he was?”
“Yeah. I thought you didn’t notice,” Jantel commented.
Tracy thought things over. “Dag, I don’t know about him now. He was lookin’ like a bum.”
“He’s still pretty though, Tracy.”
“No, he ain’t all that. His hair was all crazy-looking.”
They laughed as they crossed Wayne Avenue.
Jantel asked, “Are you gonna get with him this weekend?”
“I don’t know. I got this dance show tonight. I almost forgot about it, and I’m going to that party tomorrow.”
“Carmen’s party?” Jantel asked.
“Yeah. You goin’, too?”
“Yeah, girl,” Jantel answered excitedly. “Everybody’s gonna be there. But I hate when them older guys come to the parties, like Mark and Peppy and them. All they do is cause trouble.”
“How old are they?” Tracy wanted to know.
“Like sixteen or seventeen. Why, you like one of them?”
“No. But do you know Victor?”
Jantel looked at her and shook her head with a scowl. “Oh, no, girl, he’s the main one,” she said.
“Why you say that?”
“Because, he’s always fightin’ somebody.”
Tracy nodded. “Yup, he beat this boy up just Wednesday night. Is he cute?” Tracy had heard that he was good-looking from several sources, but it didn’t hurt to ask again.
“Yeah, he’s cute,” Jantel answered. She said it as if she hated to admit it.
Jantel’s demeanor alarmed Tracy. “Why you say it like that?” she quizzed.
“Because, he uses girls to get what he wants. He ain’t no damn good. He got a lot of girls. And they be all fallin’ for his ruthless behind.”
Tracy could never seem to keep one particular guy on her mind for any long stretch of time. Victor was good-looking, older and popular. He had a way with women and could fight. Tracy wanted to meet him so badly it was killing her. Her attraction to boys was impulsive. Tracy just had to have whomever she wanted right away. Maybe he’ll be at Carmen’s party tomorrow night, she pondered. And if he did show, Tracy planned on being ready for him.