The audience claps while we hold each other’s hands tighter. I try not to glance over at the Fabulations, but I can’t help it. I’m not the only one, either—Fabulina is staring down Cassandra like, “Lunch time is coming up!”
“Our second-place winner is—from make-money Manny-Hanny—DANITRA!” Show Bizza shouts.
Aqua lets out a sigh. “Thank you, God, for not letting Juju win. Now keep up the good work!”
We all giggle hysterically as we wait for Show Bizza to announce the grand prize winner.
“And taking first place in our competition which is celebrating the 35th-year-anniversary of the Harlem School of the Arts. By the way, can you believe it’s been that long?” Show Bizza asks, waiting for the audience to answer, but they shout out, “Come on, bring it!” Show Bizza starts laughing. “I’m just playing with y’all—all right, the winner is.” He stares at the paper in his hand for a long time like he can’t see, then shouts, “Now we know who’s not a wannabe up in here.”
We look at each other and pause like petrified cheetahs waiting for Show Bizza to break it out.
“Okay, well, truthfully, the other groups didn’t stand a chance once my man Toto hit the stage.”
I burst into tears and cover my face before Show Bizza even finishes.
“You believe that dog? He had a rump shaker cuter than half the girls I’ve dated!” Show Bizza shouts, cracking himself up. “Well he’s a top dog now—come on out here, you dirty dog. Oh, and bring THE CHEETAH GIRLS!”
Bubbles shoots out her right arm and cups her paw, doing our Growl Power sign. “YES! I TOLD YOU WE WERE POISED FOR THE NOISE!”
Meanwhile, Madrina shoves Toto into Bubbles’s arms and pushes us out onstage.
I can’t stop crying and I can’t even see where I’m going, so Dorinda grabs my arm to make sure I don’t trip over anything. The more the audience claps, the more I keep crying. Bubbles lets Toto get down on the stage and takes the envelope from Show Bizza. He gives her a hug. Toto does another little dance and the audience goes wild.
As soon as we get backstage and into the dressing room, Madrina says, “What did I tell you girls—real talent always shines through.”
“I guess they’ll be changing their spots real soon,” Aqua says, quietly looking over at the Fabulations.
“And their name too, I hope,” Angie shouts loudly so, they can hear.
“And their profession,” Madrina chimes in.
“Guess what, Miss Chanel?” Aqua says proudly, turning to Aqua for approval. “We have decided to name our puppy Coco in your honor.”
“Oh, that is so coolio,” I coo, and this time I really mean it. Even though I am still sad about not getting a puppy, I am happy that Aqua and Angie have one, and now they’ve named it after my middle name.
“That’s tight,” Dorinda says, nodding her approval. We all quickly change into our clothes and head to the reception area so we can celebrate our latest Cheetah Girls victory.
“What’s the word on the street now!” Bubbles yells out as we approach. “I’ll tell you what it is—get ready for a global getdown!” As we enter the reception area, all our peeps from Drinka Champagne come running up to us, yelping and screaming.
“Cheetah Girls—that was dee-luxe!” screams Malcolm Extra, throwing his arms around us.
I notice Bubbles really eyeing the room, and I know what she is doing. “Have you seen Eddie Lizard?” she asks Malcolm, who heckles, “He ain’t been slinking around here, that’s for sure. I haven’t seen him since class this afternoon.”
Bubbles tries to hide it, but her face falls like an avalanche. Just as quickly, I see disappointment flicker into Bubbles’s eyes and I turn around to see Derek and Mackerel. My heart stops. I can’t believe he came!
“What’s up, señorita?” Mackerel says, trying not to smile.
I can’t help smiling and shouting at him, “I’m sorry about the other day!”
“Oh, I got that—no ruffle,” Mackerel says, embarrassed that he let me see him get mad.
All of a sudden, Pucci pushes Mackerel and the other peeps out of the way, introducing himself loudly. “I’m Spida Man. The Cheetah Girls’ manager!”
“Hey, pooch, what you got in that bag?” Bubbles says, giggling at my little brother. “Dig the threads, by the way.”
“Chanel—I got something for you!” he says excitedly.
“What, Pucci,” I say, beaming at my little brother, who looks so handsome in the burgundy velvet suit that Madrina bought him for his birthday.
“I told you my mousetrap works. Look inside, one of the mouse got stuck on one!” Pucci says proudly, shoving the paper bag in my face.
I let out a scream and push the paper bag away. Mackerel and Derek burst out laughing. “That’s right, little man. Show ’em how to exterminate a situation.”
“I’m just kidding,” Pucci says, smirking up a storm. “Go ahead—look in the bag!”
“Pucci, if this is one of your jokes,” I warn my brother, grabbing the bag slowly, “it will be the last one you pull before you’re locked away in reform school.”
I open the bag and look inside, puzzled. “A doggy bone?” Shaking my head, I beam at my brother. “Thanks, Pucci. I’ll save it for breakfast, if that’s all right with you?”
“You don’t have to, loco Coco! Somebody else is going to eat it,” Pucci says, laughing.
I laugh back at my brother because I finally get his jokes. He must be talking about the mouse in my bedroom. “Right, Pucci.”
“Is he really your manager?” Mackerel asks, chuckling.
“No, Bubbles’s mother is,” I say, pointing to Madrina.
“I’m sorry about jamming you up with your girl,” Mackerel confesses, but I don’t get it.
“What happened?” I ask.
“You know—that songwriting thing,” Mackerel continues, shoving his hands in his pocket. “See, Derek told me about the beef you two had with writing songs together.”
“Oh, you knew about that?” I ask, finally realizing that Mackerel had set me up when he let the cat out of the bag at school the other day. “Well, sometimes I tell fib-eronis. So now you know my little secret.”
“Well, I kinda knew that already,” Mackerel says, chuckling uncontrollably. My face turns such a bright shade of red and I can feel my skin radiating. “But you’re real cool or else I wouldn’t be messing with you.”
I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn around. “Surprise!” Pucci screams, shouting at the top of his lungs.
I am speechless. Mamí is standing in front of me holding Nobu. I can’t believe she would hold a dog. She never even held Toto.
“Is Mrs. Bosco here?” I ask Mamí, taking Nobu from her arms.
“Oh, yeah, I think she is over there,” Mamí answers.
“I’m so glad you like Nobu,” I coo, beaming at Mamí.
“This is not Nobu,” Mamí says, smiling.
“Oh, who is it then?” I ask, snuggling my nose to the puppy. “I know it’s not Ragu—his eyes are darker.”
“He’s yours—you name him what you want,” Mamí says proudly.
“I told you, loco Coco, somebody else was going to be eating the bone!” Pucci shouts, proud of himself for keeping a secret. I wonder how long he has known about this.
I start crying and Bubbles comes over quickly. “Who is this?” she exclaims, grabbing the puppy from my arms. “Omigod, Mrs. Brubaker gave us another puppy!”
“No,” Mamí explains, “I bought him from a breeder in Long Island. I figure we should leave Mrs. Brubaker and her brood alone for a while.”
Bubbles screams louder than I do and everyone comes over to see what the “show” after the show is all about.
“What are you going to name him?” Dorinda asks me excitedly.
“Well, let me see, designer names are part of my family’s tradition,” I say, looking at Mamí proudly. “First came Chanel, then came Pucci. Please welcome the newest and cutest member of the Simmons famil
y—Mr. Prada!”
Everyone gathered around us starts clapping.
“Guess you’re not down with O.P.P. anymore for real,” Bubbles shouts out, then whispers in my ear, “Guess Princess Pamela was right after all too.” We give each other a Cheetah Girls handshake on that one.
“Thank you, Mamí,” I say, crying, and I give her a hug.
“I’m proud of you,” Mamí says, beaming into my eyes. “And so is Luc.” Turning, I notice Mr. Tycoon in the background. He bows his head at me. “I told him we’re not moving to Paris. If he wants me, he has to come to New York because your dreams are important to me too.”
I hold Prada tight in my arms and look up at everybody, crying. “What did I tell you, Prada or nada—for life!”
Bow-wow Wow!
Haters always getting sooo, sooo wicked
Just ’cuz we issued the much needed ticket
To the tune of forty-five RPM amped live
Right down to the ducket beehive
And while you were trying to put the bite on our groove
We were busy making cheetah-licious moves
And singing Bow-wow Wow
Yippee Ayy Pay Day
Bow-wow Wow
Yippee Ayy Pay Day
The duckets are coming our way.
Bow-wow-wow
Yippie yay, yippie yay
Bow-wow-wow
Yippie yay yippie yay
That’s right y’all to all the haters
We got to reveal the game plan
So face the factos
There’s no way of knowing
Which direction the Cheetah Girls are going
But you can set your compass
To the obvious factos
Just get a sniff or whiff of our
Get-paid situation ’cuz
We’ll be going where all the dogs
Are barking about our business.
And they’ll be singing
Bow-wow Wow
Yippee Yay Yippee Yay
Bow-wow Wow
Yippee Yay Yippee Yay
The Cheetah Girls always get their payday
Bow-wow Wow
Yippee Yay
Bow-wow Wow
Yippee Yay
It’s a hootenanny hooray!
For the Cheetah Girls and their splendid-ferocity
Bow-wow-Wow
Yippee Yay Payday …
Bow-wow Wow
Yippee Yay Yippee Yay!
The Cheetah Girls Glossary
Adobo down: Mad flavor. As in, Alicia Keys’s new jammy is adobo down.
Babosa: Spanish for bobo-head, idiot.
Bad case of the runnies: Diarrhea.
Bite-happy: Someone who steals someone else’s flavor.
Bite your tongue (but don’t eat it): Now would be a good time to shut your trap. Like when you are definitely tripping over your own words.
Boca grande: Spanish for “big mouth.” As in, Why don’t you shut your boca grande for a change and some coins?
Bring it: Come prepared. Don’t slouch.
Caliente mad: Madder than regular mad. More like red-hot pissed off.
Cheddar cheese meltdown: When you start freaking out about things all at once.
Cheetah chompdown: Handling a situation. Handling your business. Stepping to the plate when something isn’t right or isn’t working out.
Cheetah-olic: Someone who is a shopaholic like Chanel, but buys everything that is cheetah-licious like Galleria.
Chitlin’ circuit: Back in the day, performers had to play real dives and holes in the wall. It was known as the “chitterling circuit” in honor of the pig’s intestines that was once a favored staple in soul food cuisine.
Cuatro yuks: When someone or something is four times disgusting.
Cucarachas: Cockroaches.
Cutie patootie: When someone or something is soooo adorable. As in, Nobu is such a cutie patootie, I could just kiss him to death!
Dangle the bait: Get what you want. As in, she always knows how to dangle the bait.
Déjà vu: French word pronounced like Day-jah voo. It’s that spooky sensation you get when you feel like you’ve been there, done that before.
Drama and kaflamma: Drama times two.
Fabulation: The tribulations of being fabulous.
Feeling kinda way: When you have a change of heart. Feeling wayward. As in, I’m feeling kinda way about the situation.
Foshizzle: For sure.
Frizzies: Curly hair like Galleria’s and Chanel’s.
Goospitating: Ogling and licking your chops over someone or something. As in, Derek is always goospitating over Bubbles.
Gracias, gooseness: Thank goodness.
Growl power: The brains, heart, and courage that every true Cheetah Girl possesses to make her dreams come true in the jiggy jungle.
Huffy puffy: When you’re so busy talking down to someone like they are stupid and you’re better than they are that you get out of breath.
Itinerary: Schedule. As in, “Check my calendar, darling—see if the meeting with the guidance counselor is on my itinerary.”
Jiggy jungle: That magical place inside of every dangerous, scary, crowded city where you can make your dreams come true. The jiggy jungle is the only place where every cheetah has its day.
Loco: Spanish for cuckoo.
Macking: When you’re really trying to get someone’s attention. As in, “Stop macking me. Get up off me, yo!”
Madrina: Spanish word for “godmother.”
Major: Tight. Faboo. Dope.
Mamacita: Term of endearment to use with crew members only. When a boy you don’t know says it to you, then it’s whack and disrespectful.
Mija: Spanish term of endearment. Means “sweetie,” “honey.”
Mucho attention: A piñata-full of “props.” A lot of attention.
No ruffle: Don’t sweat it. It’s nothing. As in, “I know you’re sorry. No ruffle.”
Off the chain: Dope. Tight. Coolio. Fabulous.
O.P.P.: Other People’s Prada. As in, I am not down with O.P.P. I’m gonna save my duckets and get my own!
Piñata: A decorated animal made from papiermâché, filled inside with candies and gifts, that is hung from the ceiling to be broken with sticks by blindfolded kiddies as part of Christmas or birthday celebrations.
Poochie wooch: The cutest, most adorable dog. Kinda like Toto.
Pulling a Houdini: Pulling a disappearing act.
Scrunchies: Wrinkles like on the forehead.
She’s special: She’s cuckoo. As in, Katrina wore yellow shorts to school today even though it was snowing, but you know, she’s special.
Slow your jellyroll: Slow down. Take notice. Watch what you’re saying.
Street cred: Credibility in the ‘hood with your peeps. If you have street cred, then your product or act is tight. The opposite of being corny or whack.
Supersize-me: Riff off the movie. Means bigger than average. A whammy jammy size.
Tan coolio: Spanish for “so cool,” “that’s tight, ayiight.”
Wait a segundo: Wait a second.
What ’chu holding: Hurry up, tell me what you want ’cuz I gotta bounce.
Acknowledgments
A Hyperion shout-out to talented editor Jaïra Placide and my favorite marketing Big Daddy, Angus Killick, who “loves to shop.” Primo thanks to Beth Miller and Gary Marsh at Disney Channel, as well as Whitney Houston, Debra Martin Chase, and Alison Taylor for their dedication in bringing the Cheetah Girls to the big screen, where they belong. Also, Andy McNicol and Eric Zohn at the William Morris Agency for their integrity. There is not enough thanks in the world I can give to my spiritual mentor, Anath Garber, the one person who was committed to healing my childhood wounds when there was no one else I could turn to. And, most important, this is for all the cheetah girls around the globe: thank you for all the letters, e-mails, cheetah drawings, and photos you’ve sent in your cheetah-licious outfits. Keep running wild and showing y
our spots. Growl power forever!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Deborah Gregory earned her growl power as a diva-about-town contributing writer for Essence, Vibe, and More magazines. She has showed her spots on several talk shows, including Oprah, Ricki Lake, and Maury Povich. She lives in New York City with her pooch, Cappuccino, who is featured as the Cheetah Girls’ mascot, Toto.
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2005 by Deborah Gregory
ISBN 978-1-4976-7727-2
This edition published in 2014 by Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
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