Caught Up in the Drama

by ReShonda Tate Billingsley

  “Oh, that’s right,” Angel replied. “My sister said she saw her at the Galleria Mall for the America’s Next Top Model auditions.”

  “What?” Jasmine exclaimed. “When?”

  “Probably about fifteen minutes ago,” Angel replied. “That’s how long Rosario has been home. She said she saw her coming in the mall with some older girls as she was leaving. She said one of them had a number on her chest for the auditions. Why?”

  A few beats of silence passed before Jasmine said, “Because Camille told Alexis she was babysitting.”

  “For real?” Angel replied.

  “Yeah, but maybe I misunderstood,” I said, even though I knew I had heard her loud and clear.

  “Yeah, right,” Jasmine said. “Well, we’ll just see about that. Hold on.” We all waited while Jasmine called Camille. Jasmine clicked back over once she had Camille on the line. “What’s up, Jaz?” Camille said.

  “Hey, where are you?” Jasmine asked.

  “Why?”

  “Because Alexis and Angel are on the phone. Alexis is going through it, and we need to go over there.”

  Camille hesitated, then said, “Dang, um, I . . . I can’t.”

  “And why not?” Jasmine asked.

  “I . . . I’m babysitting my neighbor’s kids.”

  We all were silent for a moment. Jasmine finally said, “You’re babysitting?”

  “Yeah, and girl, these kids are bad. I finally got them to sleep.”

  “So, they’re ’sleep now?” Jasmine slowly asked.

  “Yeah. I’ve been here all day, and their mom won’t be back until tonight.”

  “Is that right?” Jasmine asked. I knew she was thinking the same thing I was. Why was Camille telling us a bold-faced lie?

  “Yeah,” Camille replied. “So, let me get off this phone and go check on them.”

  “Yeah, you do that,” Jasmine said.

  Camille either didn’t notice the sarcasm in Jasmine’s voice or didn’t care. All I could think about was the fact that she hadn’t even bothered to ask me what was wrong.

  “I can’t believe she just straight-up lied,” Angel said once Camille hung up the phone.

  “How long ago did your sister say she saw her at the mall?” Jasmine asked.

  “Rosario just got home. She said she saw Camille going in the mall with a bunch of girls as she was coming out.”

  “Maybe she only stayed a minute, then went to go babysit,” I said, not believing it myself.

  “Maybe the kids are sleeping in the furniture section of Macy’s,” Jasmine said dryly.

  I was stunned. Camille had done some dirty things when she’d been trying out for this teen talk show on Channel 2 last year, but she’d apologized like crazy, and she’d changed.

  But maybe, just maybe, this newfound stardom had caused her to change right back.

  21

  Alexis

  I really did not have a good feeling about this, but Jasmine was adamant that we all go to the mall. She said she was fed up with Camille and her ways, and we had to call her on it.

  “Jasmine, do you really think this is a good idea?” I said as we made our way into the Galleria Mall. Jasmine had been so pumped that she’d asked her older sister to drop her off, and she didn’t ask her sister for anything. I’d swung by and picked up Angel, and now we were heading inside.

  There had to be a thousand people here. Camille loved America’s Next Top Model , so it didn’t surprise me that she would be here trying out for it. Looking at all of the people, I wondered how Jasmine thought we were ever going to find Camille.

  Surprisingly, we’d only been searching the crowd for a minute when Angel said, “There she is.”

  Jasmine and I both looked to where Angel was pointing. Camille was sitting on the front row next to a girl I recognized from the video. I could not believe my eyes. I had been holding out hope that this was all a big misunderstanding.

  “See, I told you,” Jasmine said, anger burning in her voice. “If it’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s when somebody tries to play me. And I’m about to go tell Camille about herself.”

  “No, wait,” I said, grabbing Jasmine’s arm. “Do you really want to make a scene in front of all these people?”

  “I don’t care about these people,” Jasmine snorted.

  “Come on, Jaz, chill,” Angel said. “Let’s just hang back and wait for them to get up.”

  I couldn’t tell if they were auditioning until I saw another girl walk back over to them and rip a number from her chest. Judging from the furious look on her face, she hadn’t been picked. She motioned for Camille and the other two girls to come on, and then she stomped ahead of them.

  “Jasmine, I don’t know about this. Maybe we should just talk to Camille later,” I said.

  Jasmine didn’t respond. She was already heading over to intercept Camille. She stopped just as Camille was turning the corner.

  “Camille!” Jasmine called out.

  Camille spun around, as did the other girls. Camille’s mouth dropped open when she saw us.

  “So, how are the kids?” Jasmine said sarcastically.

  “Man, that’s foul,” Angel said. “Now you’re lying to us?”

  I was still speechless.

  “Hey, uh, uh . . . ,” Camille stammered.

  “Uh, uh, what?” Jasmine said.

  “Camille, is there a problem?” the girl from the video said.

  “Naw, Maya, um, these are my fr—the girls I go to school with.”

  We all looked at her, dumbfounded. Now we’d been downgraded to classmates?

  “Yeah, there’s a problem,” Jasmine said, eyeing Maya up and down. “You’re in our conversation.”

  “Excuse me?” Maya said.

  “Yeah, excuse you,” Jasmine responded before turning back to Camille. “So, what’s up?”

  “Yeah, Camille, I thought you said you were babysitting?” Angel added.

  Camille looked like she was searching for a lie. But she didn’t get a chance to say anything, because the girl who’d ripped off the number stepped in. “She told us all about y’all and I told her you’re crampin’ her image. So maybe she lied because she was trying to spare your feelings. Maybe she doesn’t like hanging around with wannabes,” she said, looking me up and down, “teenage baby mamas,” she said, looking at Angel, or “hood rats,” she said, turning back to Jasmine.

  I cringed as I saw Jasmine’s nostrils flare. I couldn’t care less what she said about me, but she’d crossed the line talking about Jasmine and Angel. Maybe this was the new group of people Camille was hanging out with, but I could not believe that she would stand there and let them go off like that. I couldn’t believe she had told them that stuff about us, because there was no other way they could’ve known. I was tempted to let Jasmine do Jasmine, but since I wasn’t in the mood for anyone to get arrested, I put my hand on Jasmine’s arm.

  “Unh-unh, let me go,” she said, snatching her arm away. “This chick got me messed up. I will yank that weave right out of your head.”

  “And you’ll get yours yanked right back,” the girl said.

  Jasmine swung her ponytail, which had grown tremendously over the last year and now hung down her back. “It’s real, which is more than I can say about anything on you.”

  “Oh, you ain’t the only one from the hood,” Maya said. “The difference is, we know how to turn it on and off. But it ain’t nothing but a thang for us to turn it on.” She started removing her earrings.

  “Camille, what’s going on?” I said, outraged that she would let this happen.

  “Guys, please,” Camille finally said. “Let me handle this.”

  “Yeah, handle it, Camille,” Maya said. “Because this is exactly what I’m talking about. This is the kind of stuff you don’t need. I told you, you really need to leave these busters alone.”

  “I got your busters,” Jasmine said, taking another step forward.

  “Camille?” Angel pleaded. By now
people were starting to stare. I even caught a few people pointing their camera phones at us like they were waiting for a fight to jump off.

  “Guys, I’m sorry I told you I was babysitting. It’s just . . . ,” Camille began.

  “It’s just she didn’t want to be bothered,” one of the girls chimed in.

  “Shandy, please!” Camille said. “Can you guys go on? I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”

  Shandy rolled her eyes. “Come on, Maya. Let’s go before these girls make me act straight ig’nant up in this mall. I’m already mad about them picking all these ugly girls over me.” They walked off, Shandy still griping.

  We all stood staring at Camille.

  “So, it’s like that now, huh?” Jasmine said.

  “Camille, why’d you lie?” Angel asked.

  “Guys, I’m so sorry,” Camille said, ashamed. “It’s just that I knew I was coming here with them, and I didn’t know what to tell you.”

  “How ’bout the truth?” Jasmine snapped. “It’s not like we would’ve been surprised, because you don’t have time for us anyway.”

  “See, this is exactly what I’m talking about,” Camille huffed. “I knew it would be drama.”

  “You know what, Camille?” I said, speaking up. “Don’t even worry about it. You don’t want the drama. Our drama. So you go on and enjoy your life as Sisco’s sidekick or whatever it is you have going on. You kick it with your new friends, and you don’t have to worry about us anymore.”

  Camille’s face hardened. “Why you gotta be all dramatic?”

  “It is what it is,” I said, feeling teary-eyed all over again.

  “You know,” Jasmine said, gritting her teeth, “the fact that you got Alexis upset ought to tell you how jacked up this is.”

  Jasmine was right. It took a whole lot to push my buttons, and Camille had pushed me right over the edge. I was too through.

  Camille’s eyes started watering up as well. “I just wish you’d understand.”

  “Oh, we understand loud and clear,” Jasmine said. “Alexis is going through it. All she wanted was to talk to you. But you gotta try and play her.”

  “I’m sorry. Alexis, what’s wrong?” Camille asked, looking concerned.

  Before I could answer, Maya yelled, “Camille, let’s go.”

  “I’m coming!” Camille yelled back. She turned back to me. “Seriously, what’s going on? Why are you upset?”

  I let out a pained laugh. That new girl’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect. “You know what, Camille? Don’t even worry about it. Your friends are waiting.”

  Jasmine looked Camille up and down in disgust, turned around and walked off. Even Angel said, “Wow, Camille, that’s really messed up.”

  Me, I had no words left. I just looked her dead in the eye, trying to see who this person was standing before me. I used to think that I wanted to be famous, but if this is what it turned you into, forget it. I couldn’t say anything else as I turned to go catch up with my friends—my real friends.

  22

  Camille

  I was getting to the point where I hated coming to school. Sure, people were still jocking me and giving me props about the video, which had begun playing regularly on BET and MTV. But a few others had started calling me derogatory names, thinking it was funny. For the most part, I tried to ignore their heckling.

  I’d missed the last two Good Girlz meetings, since that blowup with Jasmine last week. I’d pretty much kept to myself, going to school, then practice with Sisco, because we were supposed to be performing at this hip-hop honors show being filmed in Houston at the end of next month.

  “Hi, Camille, you going to the play?” this girl named Veronica said, snapping me out of my thoughts. Before I could answer, the bell rang to dismiss class.

  I nodded. “Yeah, I’m headed there now.”

  I had almost bailed out of attending because Xavier was in the play, but I’d get extra credit for my creative English class. Since I’d gotten an F for not turning in my last assignment, I made my way to the auditorium.

  I felt strange, because I usually sat with Jasmine, Alexis and Angel at school events. But now I was all by myself. After our argument, I’d told them all where they could go, and I’d stormed out. Now I wished I had waited around to find out what was up with Alexis, but I’d been so mad at Jasmine that I had just had to get out of there.

  I immediately noticed Jasmine, Alexis, Angel and Tyeesha on the left side of the auditorium, laughing and giggling. The fact that they hadn’t bothered to save a seat for me told me I wasn’t welcome, so I sat next to Veronica.

  Luckily, the play started pretty quickly. It was actually pretty good. It was called On a Wing and Prayer. The only downside was the fact that Dee was in it, too. But still, I found myself getting caught up in the drama.

  That is, until the final scene. That’s when Xavier reached over and kissed Dee. I felt my heart drop into the pit of my stomach.

  On the side of the stage, the drama teacher loudly cleared her throat. Xavier laughed and pulled away from Dee. “Sorry, I got carried away.” Dee giggled but continued her scene.

  I don’t know how the play ended—everything from the kiss on was a blur. All I could think of was getting up and running out, but I didn’t want anyone to see me.

  As soon as the play ended, I made a beeline to the door. I raced to the parking lot, hoping my mom was waiting outside. This was definitely one of those times I wanted my car, as raggedy as it was. If I’d had it, I would’ve been long gone.

  I couldn’t believe how long my mom was taking. I was about to call her when I heard Dee’s voice. “Hey, Camille, how’d you like the play?”

  I closed my eyes, willing her to go away. I turned around and there she was, standing with her arm around Xavier’s waist.

  I took a deep breath. I was determined not to let them know they’d gotten to me.

  “It was no Tyler Perry production, but it was all right,” I said, shrugging halfheartedly.

  “What?” she asked. “You mean you didn’t like Xavier’s spontaneous kiss?”

  I cut my eyes at him. I knew he was mad at me, but how could he be that cruel?

  “Whatever, Dee,” I said, turning back around. I so wished my mom would hurry up.

  I noticed Jasmine, Alexis, Angel and Tyeesha heading my way. I knew things were bad, but I was thankful to see them. Anything to get away from Dee and Xavier. I smiled at them and was getting ready to say something when they flashed hateful expressions. Even Angel was looking at me all funky. Then they walked right past me without saying a word.

  I heard Dee snickering. “Looks like no one wants you anymore.”

  “Shut up, Dee,” I hissed.

  “Or what?” she said, dropping her arm from around Xavier’s waist. Her girls were right behind her. Angel looked back and noticed me and Dee about to get into it. She even hesitated like she wanted to come say something, but in the end, she just kept walking toward Alexis’s car.

  “Just leave me alone,” I finally said. I retreated farther down the sidewalk. I wasn’t a fighter, but if she followed me down the sidewalk, it was on.

  She wasn’t the one, though, who ended up following me.

  “Yo, Camille, wait up.”

  I looked back to see Xavier heading my way. Dee was standing there, mad, her arms folded across her chest.

  “What, Xavier?” I said. “I’m sure your new girlfriend doesn’t appreciate you leaving her to come talk to me.”

  “Look,” he said, “I know me kissing Dee was messed up. But I just wanted you to see how it felt.”

  It hurt. Like crazy. But I wasn’t about to tell him that.

  “I mean, did it make it all right because I was acting?” he continued.

  It didn’t. But I didn’t say a word.

  “Well, that’s how I felt when you did the video.”

  “So, this was payback?” I shook my head, not giving in. “You do what you want. You made it clear we were through.
”

  “We are,” he said matter-of-factly, “but I don’t want you to think I’m some kind of dog. You played me.”

  “I didn’t play you, Xavier,” I said, softening.

  “Whatever you want to call it. The bottom line is, you chose this new world over me. And from what I hear, you chose it over your friends as well.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Whatever.”

  He gave me a disbelieving look. He knew me too well. “Camille, you had some good people in your life. You need to think about that and ask yourself if fame is worth the price you’re paying.”

  He shook his head, pitying me, before making his way back over to Dee. I fought back tears as Angel, Alexis, Jasmine and Tyeesha passed by in Alexis’s car. They were laughing about something. I glanced back at Dee, who had lost her attitude and now had her arm back around Xavier. I’m sure it was all for my sake, but she was still hanging tight.

  Nope, when I looked at all that I’d lost, I knew the answer to Xavier’s question. This definitely wasn’t worth the price.

  23

  Alexis

  A week had passed since the last big blowup at my house. For once I was glad my dad was out of town. A couple of hours after my parents’ last argument, I had seen him packing a bag. When I’d asked him where he was going, he’d told me he had a big meeting out of town for a few days. Peace and quiet had ruled our home for a week, and as much as I wanted my dad back, I didn’t know if I was ready for the peace to come to an end. My mom had called earlier in the day to tell me to come straight home from school because my dad would be there.

  As I pulled up in the driveway, I saw both my mom’s and dad’s cars and thought about the good times we used to have. I remembered all the times my dad would hide behind the kitchen door in the mornings, and when I would come in, he would jump from behind the door and scare me. I always knew he was there, but I pretended to be scared anyway. That was our little game that I used to look forward to every morning before he left for work. I would give anything for that kind of greeting this time, right about now.

  “I’m home,” I announced as I walked through our foyer.

  “Up here,” my dad replied through the intercom. “We’re in our room. Can you come up for a second?”