by Nikki Carter
“You wouldn’t have listened to us if we’d done that,” I reply.
She knows that it’s true too. The only thing we have going for us right now is the element of surprise. Also, the embarrassment factor for the grown folk.
My mom sighs. Hopefully that is a sign of defeat!
“I, too, agree that you all have learned a valuable lesson about leadership and about dating violence,” my mom says. “I do not think that Sascha should participate, but I do want the rest of you to enjoy this special moment. So, we will allow Sascha to be presented.”
Everyone cheers in the foyer like we’re at a football game. Sascha is close to tears.
“Calm down, ladies,” Aunt Elena fusses. “You’re supposed to be debutantes, not rowdy sports fans!”
My mom opens the door and allows the boys to come in to line up. Yes, Ricky is looking really good. I catch a few girls giving him double-take side eye. It’s all good, though, because he’s not looking back.
Sascha whispers to me, “I thought we were all walking in together. I don’t have an escort.”
“Yes, you do! You can share mine,” I say. “Ricky, come here. Stand between us.”
Ricky smiles. “Okay. Wow, I get two pretty girls.”
“Watch yourself,” I say.
“Shh!” Candy hushes. “We’re starting!”
Next we hear my mother’s voice on the microphone. “These girls have worked really hard to exemplify qualities that will bring honor to God. Above all, these gems are pure and ready to be presented to the world. We give you the PGP debutantes!”
There is a loud round of applause as the doors open! Aunt Elena reads off each of our names, ending with Sascha. Everyone stands and claps again as we circle the room on the arms of our escorts.
They look so proud of us! And I’m most definitely proud too. I’m happy that I can hold my head up high and shout out that I’m pure. That’s just a ridiculous amount of hotness right there.
Sascha and I are each holding one of Ricky’s arms as we circle the room, but he’s only looking at me.
After we’re finished walking, all of the debutantes sit at a long table with our escorts. We’ve got people waiting on us hand and foot, serving our dinner. It’s kind of like we’re a huge bridal party, but nobody got married.
My mom leans behind me and whispers in my ear. “Congratulations, Gia. I’m proud of you.”
I look up into her face to see if there’s any hint of retribution or an impending punishment for our rebellion. But she’s nothing but smiles and joy. Whew! Why do I feel like I came super close to losing my life today?
After the dinner is over, we get to have a dance with our escorts. I let Sascha have Ricky and I dance with my uncle. Hope looks like she’s in heaven dancing with grown Brother Bryan. I think Aunt Elena needs to check that immediately, but I’m not getting in that one! I’ve had enough drama.
Pastor Stokes says, “Thanks for the dance, Gia. I was sure you’d want to dance with Ricky.”
“Oh, it’s just Ricky.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Just Ricky? I was led to believe that it was a little bit more than just Ricky.”
“I don’t know who you’re getting your information from. You need a new source.”
Pastor holds his head back and laughs. “One day I’ll be dancing with you at your wedding.”
“That’s a long way off! I’ve got college!”
“College. It seems like I was just burping you on my shoulder. You know your mom and aunt used to leave me with you and Hope when you were babies.”
“Really?”
“What? I was pretty good at it.”
I laugh out loud. “Umm ... I’m talking about my mom and Aunt Elena hanging out.”
“Don’t let them fool you! They were almost best friends until I became a pastor.”
“Wow. I learn something new everyday.”
Ricky walks up and taps Pastor Stokes on the shoulder. “Can I steal your partner, Pastor Stokes?”
“Well, Gia. It’s just Ricky. Am I being kicked to the curb?”
I’m smiling hard. “Sorry, Pastor.”
Ricky takes my hand. “Guess what?”
“What?”
“I’m going to New York!”
“What? How do you know?”
“Because my letter said that I was the third candidate and that they would contact me if there was a cancellation.”
I feel my hands tremble. “I can’t believe this! Oh my goodness, this is gonna be so fun.”
“I know, right.”
“But my mom is gonna trip if she thinks we’re dating. She might not let me go.”
Ricky nods. “Maybe we should chill on the crush thing for now. That way we can make sure there’s no blocking.”
As much as I hate to agree, I know this is the truth. If Ricky and I start skipping through the dandelions holding hands, my mom will put the halt on the summer program. And faking it won’t work either, because my mom is nearly impossible to fool.
“Cool.”
Ricky grins wickedly and says, “So does that mean I can holla at the fine ladies I’m going to meet at Columbia University?”
“What are you asking me for? I’m your friend, right? But if you can’t find me around campus, I’m probably at Coney Island with my new boo.”
“Jokes, I see.”
“Are they jokes? Really?” I ask. “If you don’t claim me, then I’m free, right.”
Ricky pulls me in a little closer, but still far enough away to not raise any red flags to my mom. “I might not be claiming you out loud, but you know what it is, Gia.”
He looks so serious when he says this, that my heart skips a little. But still, Ricky always comes short of really laying it all on the line, even when it’s just between us. Now, like every other time, he almost makes me his official boo.
And everybody knows ... Almost doesn’t count.
A READING GROUP GUIDE
IT’S ALL GOOD
Nikki Carter
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The following questions are intended to
enhance your group’s reading of
IT’S ALL GOOD.
Discussion Questions
1. What do you think about PGP (Powerful Girls are Pure)? Was it a lame idea? Why or why not?
2. Do you want to see Gia and Ricky together as a couple? Will it ruin their friendship?
3. Have you ever been cyber stalked? Has anyone ever posted a lie about you on the Internet? What was that like?
4. Were you surprised to find out who Susan’s cyber stalker was? What would you do if you were being stalked?
5. Have you ever been in a relationship with someone who abused you? If you had a friend in this kind of relationship, would you tell someone?
6. Do you think it was fair for Valerie and Sascha to ask Gia to keep their secrets? Was Gia a snitch for telling?
7. Should Ricky and Gia claim each other over the summer, or should they put their crush on hold?
Sixteen Random Things About Gia
Okay, here are sixteen things about me from my Facebook page. After you read them, go on Nikki Carter’s Facebook page—http://profile.to/nikkicarter—and post sixteen random things about you!
1. I sleep on my left side.
2. If my left side hurts, then I’ve got issues.
3. I’m allergic to snow and all temperatures below forty degrees.
4. I don’t like bugs. They are not cute. Mostly, they’re gross. Especially ones with lots of legs.
5. My favorite food is spaghetti. No, not my mom’s spaghetti—hers is always crispy. Spaghetti should not crunch.
6. I make up random rules, like the one above. If spaghetti crunches, it should be issued a citation.
7. Swimming is my favorite sport.
8. Combing my afro puffs after swimming is my least favorite sport.
9. I’m a really good friend.
10. My mom is my role model.
11. I like c
lassical music, like the kind they make you listen to in music class. Yeah, it rocks.
12. I think Star Trek is hotter than Star Wars.
13. I write lots of stuff in my journal that the world will never know about.
14. I think I’m exceptionally cute. So should you!
15. I’d like to have children one day ... far, far in the future.
16. Save the Hi-Stepper! Save the world! Hahahaha!
A Discussion with the Author
1. Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi.
2. What are your favorite TV shows? Friday Night Lights, Smallville, Grey’s Anatomy, and Heroes. (Save the cheerleader, save the world!!! Yeah!)
3. Bath or shower? Both.
4. What’s your most embarrassing moment? I was at a house party in my good friend’s basement. I went upstairs to get a snack and when I headed back downstairs, I slipped and fell down the flight of stairs. The music stopped, but I just hopped up and started dancing. Trust ... it was ALL bad!
5. Who’s your favorite actress? Sanaa Lathan! Love and Basketball is one of my favorite movies!
6. Who’s your favorite actor? I have more than one. Johnny Depp, Denzel Washington, and Idris Elba!
7. Who’s your favorite singer? This changes a lot. Right now, I’m feeling Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Jennifer Hudson. I also like fun gospel artists like KiKi Sheard.
8. Have you ever been in love? Yes!
9. If you could be a celeb for a day, who would you be? Hmm ... Kimora Lee! She is running thangs. So fabulous!
10. Flip-flops or Crocs? Umm ... neither.
11. What should readers learn from the So For Real series? The lesson is that it’s okay to be unique and fearless! You can be a Christian and fab. Also, the people who appreciate you for doing YOU are the ones you want in your life!
Want more Nikki Carter?
Turn the page for a preview of
COOL LIKE THAT.
Available in March 2010
wherever books are sold.
1
“Mom, come on! Mrs. Freeman is going to be here in a minute.”
I seriously think that my mother is trying to make me miss my flight. Where am I going, you ask? To a summer enrichment program at Columbia University in New York City! How hot is that?
What’s even hotter is that my bestie, Ricky Freeman, is going too. We get to stay on campus all summer long, taking classes and kicking it all over the Big Apple. Man, that’s hot to the touch, okay!
My mom has been tripping since she found out that Ricky is going to the program instead of my other bestie, Kevin Witherspoon. Kevin got selected first, but his grandparents are really old-fashioned and they wouldn’t let him go away for the entire summer. That’s how Ricky got a chance to roll.
I know what you’re thinking. Why would my mom have a problem with Ricky?
Well, the problem is not with Ricky per se. She’s known him since he was a baby and we’ve been best friends since elementary school. We even go to the same church.
The issue is with the fact that it seems like overnight Ricky got super duper fine. He’s tall, with caramel colored skin and big brown eyes, he keeps a low fade, his acne’s disappeared, and he’s got muscles he never had before. And check it. All that extra fineness is crushing on little ol’ me.
My mom wants the truth, but she can’t handle the truth.
She’s been asking me questions ever since our debutante ball this past spring. Ricky was my escort, and I think that made her even more paranoid.
The killer part is, we aren’t even dating. Not openly or secretly. Ricky suggested that we put our crushes on hold while we go to New York so that my mom could trust us.
In theory, it sounds like a good plan. Gia and Ricky—buddy-buddy, without a crush in sight. In reality it might be somewhat hard to execute, especially with all of the alone time we’re gonna have.
Honestly, I think my mom didn’t want to let me go, but she couldn’t give me a good reason why I shouldn’t be allowed to, after she’d already given me permission. She tries to be fair most of the time. Sometimes she comes up short, but mostly she’s good.
The only thing that kicks rocks about this summer is the fact that my cousin and other bestie, Hope, won’t be in New York either. I’ve promised to keep her updated by text, e-mail, and Facebook. With all of our technology, she shouldn’t miss one second of all the action.
“Gia, do you have extra underwear?” my mom asks.
She’s standing in the center of the living room, looking frazzled as I-don’t-know-what. My mom is hereby prescribed a bottle of chill juice, for real.
“Mom, I’ve probably got enough underwear in my suitcase, that I won’t have to do laundry once the entire summer.”
“What about your cell phone? Do you have your charger?”
“Phone, check. Charger, check.”
My mother sighs. “Okay, make sure you call me before your plane takes off. Then call me when you land. After that call me in the morning, once during the day, and before you go to bed.”
She gets the are-you-kidding-me blank stare.
My younger sister, Candy, says, “Dang, Mama Gwen. When is she supposed to have any fun if she’s doing all that calling?”
“This trip is not about fun, it’s about getting her into a good school,” my mother explains. “You’ve got money, right? And an ATM card?”
She knows that I have everything because we did a check, double-check, and triple-check yesterday. And the day before that.
She’s tripping.
Finally, I hear Ricky’s mom’s horn blaring outside.
“They’re here, Mom! I’ve got everything on the list, and if I forgot something you can FedEx it to me.”
“Okay, Gia, give me a hug.”
I give hugs to my mom, sister, and my stepdad, LeRon. They are quick hugs because we’ve already wasted enough time, and I don’t want to be late for my flight.
My mom and LeRon follow me outside to the car. I knew they were going to do that, so I try not to get irritated, but I’m not sure if it’s working.
“Hey, Gia!” Ricky says as he puts my suitcase in the trunk. “Are you kidding me? What do you have in here?”
“Clothes, shoes, hair products. The usual.”
Ricky shakes his head. “It feels like you have ten sets of encyclopedias in there.”
LeRon clears his throat. “Ricky and Gia. We’ve got some ground rules for you all while you’re away for the summer.”
Ground rules? I can already tell this is going to steal my joy.
“Number one, remember that you belong to God and that He can see everything you’re doing all the way in New York.”
Wow! He put the “God sees all” rule on us. If I was planning to hook up with Ricky or any other hot boy, that just totally killed it.
“Number two, have fun!” my mom says. “We trust you and know that you’ll make us proud.”
“That’s all?” I ask.
Gwen cocks her head to one side. “I can come up with some more if you want.”
My mom hugs me and Ricky one last time before we get into the car and finally pull off. Ricky’s mother looks at us in the rearview mirror and smiles.
“I’ve got my own rule,” she says. “Please go up there and act like you’ve got some home training.”
This means for us to not do anything stupid that would end up embarrassing our families. That’s a given.
I glance over at Ricky, sitting next to me in the backseat. He’s wearing the Tennessee Titans jersey that I gave him for Christmas last year. Cute. I’m wearing his gifts too: a charm bracelet and a butterfly barrette.
Yeah, Ricky went totally overboard last year with his gifting. He told me he was giving me the barrette because I reminded him of a butterfly. How is it that it seemed so much less corny the first time I heard it on Christmas Day?
I close my eyes and inhale deeply. Ricky’s wearing some kind of cologne that smells really nice. Or maybe that’s dryer sheets and laundr
y detergent. All I know is that he’s smelling fresh and clean.
It’s going to take all of my strength and the prayers of all the ladies in the church for me to resist the power of the crush. I really want to fight it, but without distractions from people at home, this could be the opportunity that Ricky and I need to finally make it official.
And of course, we’ve got to be official by senior year. Hello!
I feel the excitement building in my stomach as we pull up to the airport terminal. There is a flight attendant waiting on us at the door, since we’re flying as unaccompanied minors. It almost feels like a babyish kind of thing, but when I found out that my mom wouldn’t let me fly without the extra supervision, I gave up my issues with it.
With our escort (babysitter) we get to go through the security checkpoint without standing in line. Sweet!
Finally we’re seated in the gate area until takeoff time, which is about thirty minutes from now. I’m about to plug in my iPod and listen to some Sasha Fierce when Ricky taps me on the shoulder.
“What’s up, Ricky Ricardo?”
His eyes are wide and excited. “We’re going to New York City. For the entire summer. No parents.”
“I know, right!”
“Gia, this is going to be the best summer of our lives. We’re about to make it hot.”
I can’t do anything but nod in agreement. Hotness indeed. Hotness to infinity!
DAFINA BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2009 by Nikki Carter
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.