Chasing Romeo

by A. J. Byrd

  I chose Spanish this year as an elective because I heard how easy it is. I really need easier classes given how I barely scraped by last year. The only bummer is that I arrived too late to get a good seat in the back. I pick out the first vacancy across the room, and as I head over that way, I notice how most the girls’ eyes follow me.

  I play it cool—flash a couple of smiles—but then I genuinely light up when I see who’s sitting in front of the empty desk and talking to a cute girl with a head full of small braids.

  “Oh hey,” I say.

  Tyler glances up at me, looking more bored than when she left me standing in Mr. Carson’s class. “We meet again.”

  “Lucky me.”

  I laugh. I really like this girl’s style. Taking my seat, I immediately lean forward to whisper at her back. “Hey, what’s your problem?”

  She turns in her seat. “I told you before. My name ain’t ‘hey.’ And at the moment, you’re my problem.”

  “And earlier?”

  “Again—you.” She faces the front again while Ms. Lopez begins handing out books.

  I’m confused. What the heck did I do to upset her so bad? I can’t think of a single thing. Maybe it’s true what they say: Oak Hill girls are tough as nails.

  That could be a good thing.

  BFF Rule #2

  Never let a guy come between us.

  chapter 5

  Anjenai—Friendly Competition

  My mouth nearly hit my desk when Tyler mouths off to that dreamy hunk Romeo. When Tyler finally glances my way again, I give her my “what-on-earth-is-wrong-with-you?” stare, and in response she just rolls her eyes and slumps down in her desk.

  Okay. Tyler has definitely lost her mind.

  Ms. Lopez’s class seems like it’s going to be an easy one. For our first day we just learn our names in Spanish and share what few Spanish words we know.

  Tyler is happy to mouth off a few words and then act like she didn’t know they were curse words.

  The class gets a good chuckle out of it—including Romeo.

  Swear to God every time he laughs my stomach quivers like it’s full of butterflies. I can tell I’m not the only one. The other girls in the class are trying to break their necks to get a good look at him.

  The only one who acts like they are completely unaffected by him is Tyler. Then again, maybe she’s trying too hard to act like she is unimpressed.

  When the bell rings, Tyler takes off so fast I have to call after her to prevent her from leaving me.

  “Okay, what gives?” I ask, catching up with her.

  “Nothing. I have English next, and I don’t want to be late.”

  “What? Do I have Boo Boo the Fool written across my forehead?” I ask, trying to keep up. For a short person, she has impossibly long strides. “What’s up with you dissing a guy as fine as Romeo like that?”

  For an answer she just rolls her eyes.

  “Look, let’s just talk about it later,” she says. “I’m in a hurry. My next class is in the other building.”

  And just like that, she takes off running. I stop and stare after her. I swear that girl is getting stranger every day.

  My next class, biology, puts the b in boring so I occupy my time practicing writing my future boyfriend’s name:

  Romeo Romeo romeo

  When I was through with that, I tried our names together:

  Romeo & Anjenai Anjenai & Romeo Romeo luvs Anjenai

  And of course my future married name:

  Mrs. Romeo Blackwell Mrs. Anjenai Blackwell Mr. and Mrs. Romeo Blackwell

  I smiled all the way through class. By the time the bell rings, however, I’m also starving. Maynard Jackson High’s school cafeteria looks old despite the fresh coat of green paint, but it’s also huge. I look around to see whether Kierra or Tyler has beat me here but then quickly grab a table to reserve seats before they are all taken.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” some chick hollers close to my right ear.

  I jump out of my skin only to find it’s that snooty chick Phoenix and her back-up divas. “I’m about to sit down,” I tell her.

  “Not at our table you’re not.”

  I look at the table and then back at her. Just then Tyler and Kierra join the small circle.

  Goldilocks gets bold and steps toward me.

  “I don’t see your name written on it,” Tyler sasses.

  Oh, great. Here we go again.

  “It doesn’t have to be. Everyone knows that this is the Red Bones’ table.”

  Tyler plops her backpack down in one of the chairs. “Not anymore.”

  Me and Kierra follow suit and then cross our arms to let them know we aren’t going to back down. In reality, I’m praying this won’t end up being another fight. Surely expulsion will replace our Saturday detention.

  While our second stare down ensues, I suddenly become very aware of how quiet the cafeteria has become. Really, you would have thought we were in the middle of a funeral.

  We probably were—ours.

  “Look, little girl,” Phoenix sneers.

  “I got your little girl,” Tyler snaps, swirling her neck and settling her hands on her hips.

  Yep. It’s gonna be another fight.

  “Ladies, is there a problem?”

  None of us had to look over to recognize the security officer Nance Foster’s voice. And still neither side backed down.

  “Don’t tell me you all are ready to get another Saturday detention,” Nance inquires.

  Silence.

  “Phoenix?”

  She grinds her teeth. “No, ma’am,” Phoenix finally spits out, her eyes promising that this isn’t over by a long shot.

  “Good. Then find a seat.”

  Thrusting up her chin while her eyes still throw daggers, Phoenix jerks away and barks at her shadows. “Come on, girls. We’ll take care of this later.”

  The moment they walk away, the cafeteria erupts with thunderous applause with a few hoots and whistles thrown in for good measure.

  I turn to the crowd undoubtedly looking dazed and confused.

  A few more people climb to their feet almost as if they are expecting us to take a bow. I slide into my chair with an uneasy smile, and Kierra takes the seat next to me and grabs my arm.

  “I can’t believe it. We’re already popular on our first day!” she exclaims excitedly.

  “Yeah, but for the wrong reasons,” I complain, pulling out my packed lunch from my backpack: a PB&J sandwich, an apple, a handful of Cheetos and a juice box.

  “Ohmigod!” A girl pops up next to Tyler. “I can’t believe what I just saw. I’m truly you girls’ biggest fan.” The girl can give Kierra serious competition for the title of Ms. Bubbly.

  “I thought you were my fan,” Tyler says with a half laugh.

  “I am!” She plops her lunch tray down and invites herself to take a seat. “Truly.”

  “What—you starting a fan club?” Kierra asks Tyler. Obviously, she’s just as confused as I am.

  “You guys are like rap stars now,” the girl goes on. “Before the end of the day everybody in school is going to know you guys stood up to the Red Bones. Oh, my name is Nicole, by the way.” She waves with an even brighter smile. Looking at her wide smile makes my own cheeks hurt.

  “I’m Anjenai,” I say.

  “Kierra.”

  “Tyler.”

  “Of course I know your name, silly.” Nicole slaps a hand on Tyler’s shoulder.

  Tyler looks at the girl’s hand and then waits for her to remove it. It’s Tyler’s new thing. She doesn’t really care to be touched all that much. I know because she can barely tolerate our group hugs anymore. Her momma just up and leaving like she did really messed her up.

  “What is a red bone,” I ask, the title just now hitting me.

  Nicole gives a simple shrug. “It’s sort of self-explanatory, really. Look at them.”

  I glance up to see the Red Bones settling into a different table with their lun
ch trays—their gazes still blazing.

  “What? You’re about as light skinned as they are. Why aren’t you a part of their group?”

  “It’s more than that. It’s the whole look, money and connections.”

  “If they are so rich and well-connected, why aren’t they going to a private school or something?” Tyler asks, continuing her combative glare from across the room.

  Nicole crams some food into her mouth and keeps talking. “They used to—until they got kicked out.” She leans forward and whispers, “I heard that they hazed some chick that wanted to be part of their clique. The girl got seriously hurt, and her parents sued everyone involved. The lawsuit is still going on.”

  “For real?” Kierra asks, wide-eyed.

  I’m a little surprised myself and give the fashion divas another dagger-look.

  Nicole sits up again and shrugs. “Yeah, but some people say Phoenix got kicked out because she got caught having sex with her boyfriend in her dorm room.”

  “Now that I can believe,” Tyler and I say at the same time.

  We glance at each other and—no kidding—I think Tyler finally graces the school with her first genuine smile of the day.

  “So how long have you guys been friends?” Nicole asks.

  “Forever,” Kierra brags.

  The three of us lean over together to flash Nicole our gold engraved necklaces.

  “B-F-F,” Nicole reads.

  “Yep. Best friends forever.” I beam at her and then glance at my girls. I’m hit with memories of giggling sleepovers, hopscotch and jacks tournaments and even lame attempts to run away from home together. We really have done it all.

  We’ve also done a lot of crying…

  “Wow. You guys are so lucky.” Nicole sighs with an unmistakable note of envy. “The girls in this school are nothing but a bunch of beeyotches, and they’ll stab you in the back the moment you turn around. Trust me on this.”

  With a snap of a finger Nicole went from being bubbly to bitter. I wonder what that’s all about.

  Laughter booms in the cafeteria, and we all glance up to see a swarm of good-looking guys spill inside. My gaze, of course, zeroes in on Romeo.

  “Isn’t he dreamy?” Kierra asks, sighing. “I’m in love, and his locker is right next to mine.”

  “Really?” I perk up at this news. “Well, he’s in my and Tyler’s Spanish class.”

  “He’s also in our American history class,” Nicole tosses in. “Isn’t that right, Tyler?”

  “So what?” Tyler bites into her sandwich while holding on to that aloof attitude again. The one I’m not quite buying anymore.

  “Sooo,” Nicole goes on, her smile returning. “He actually tried to talk to you today, and you left him standing in Mr. Carson’s room with his mouth hanging open.”

  “Shut up!” Kierra dropped her minibag of Cool Ranch Doritos to stare at Tyler.

  “You’re lying,” I accuse. Please, please, please God don’t tell me my future husband has the hots for my best friend.

  “True story, isn’t it, Tyler?” Nicole asks.

  Kierra and I hold our breaths.

  “You know, you have a big mouth,” Tyler snaps at the girl.

  “What?” Nicole looks hurt.

  “You like him,” I say, finally putting the pieces together. Well, I’ll be damned. Tyler, who has a string of male friends and who has never once liked any of them for a boyfriend, finally has a crush on someone?

  Somebody stop the presses.

  “I do not!”

  I open my mouth to argue, but then Kierra grabs my arm.

  “Oh snap! He’s coming this way.”

  I glance up in time to see him and a laughing crew of boys follow him to our table.

  Oh Lord, please don’t let me pass out.

  chapter 6

  Kierra—Showtime

  My boo is walking straight toward me. My boo is walking straight toward me. I make a couple of quick signs-of-the-cross despite not being Catholic. Oh God, there’s no time for me to check my hair and makeup before he arrives at our table.

  “Hey, aren’t you girls at the wrong table?”

  I sigh and close my eyes. “Oh, that golden voice.” Someone kicked me. “Ouch.”

  The guys snicker, and it hits me that I said that out loud. I open my eyes to see Romeo staring dead at me.

  “Thanks,” Romeo says. “I think.”

  My face is on fire. What I wouldn’t give to be able to shrink down to about two inches right now.

  “This is the Red Bones’ table,” one of the guys informs us, reaching over and grabbing one of Anjenai’s apple slices. He’s a nice-looking hottie, too, but he has nothing on my boo.

  “Hey!” Anjenai pops him on the back of the hand. “Go get your own food.”

  “Chill out, Chris,” Romeo tells him.

  “What? It is.”

  “Not anymore.” Tyler crosses her arms. “This table is public property.”

  Oh God, please tell me she doesn’t expect us to fight the boys, too. We seriously need to have a “come-to-Jesus meeting” real soon. I’m a lover…not a fighter.

  “Let me guess,” Romeo says, smiling down at Tyler.

  TYLER??!!!

  “You chased the Red Bones off as well.”

  “We all did,” I jump in. Love my girl, but I’ll be damned if I’ll let her get all the glory on this one—especially when it seems to impress my boo.

  One side of Tyler’s lips kick up. “Yeah. My girls always have my back.”

  “Damn right.” I thrust up my chin.

  The group of boys behind Romeo laughs.

  “Hey, y’all,” Chris says, looking at me. “Check out Mighty Mouse over there. What did you do, kick out someone’s ankles?”

  “Hey! Who are you calling Mighty Mouse, peanut head?” I snap back in response.

  The boys’ laughter is like a sonic boom.

  “That’s the second time today someone called you that!” His friend to his right slaps him on the back. “That makes it official, Shadiq.”

  Shadiq, with his fine Bow Wow-looking self, glares at me. “Like I care what some pip-squeak, Wal-Mart-shopping hood rat says about me!”

  Tears leap into my eyes. I didn’t buy this outfit at Wal-Mart.

  Tyler jumps to her feet and pushes Shadiq back. “What the hell is your problem?”

  “Ooh.” The circle of boys around them cracks up.

  “What—you like picking on girls?” Tyler challenges.

  Shadiq stares back at Tyler in shock.

  Romeo jumps in between them. “Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Everybody calm down.”

  “Whatever. You better check your boy,” Tyler warns.

  “Romeo, what are you doing over here?” Phoenix’s syrupy voice slips in a second before she pushes her way to his side. “We’re sitting at another table today,” she says as if the choice had been hers to make. “Come on, I saved you a seat, baby.”

  Baby????

  Romeo looks hesitant to go.

  “Cool,” Shadiq says, his eagerness to leave this sticky situation evident on his face. I can’t say I hate to see him ago.

  “Check you later,” Romeo says to our table and then allows his girlfriend to lead him away.

  “Are you okay?” Anjenai asks leaning toward me.

  “Yeah,” I mumble. “He’s an ass.”

  Tyler plops back down into her seat. “I hate this school.”

  “I should have known she would have sunk her claws into the finest boy in the school.”

  “They’ve been dating like forever,” Nicole shares and then leans forward. “Romeo was the one she’d snuck into her school dorm.”

  My heart sinks even further. “Do you think they’re—” I lower my voice “—having sex?”

  “If you were dating him, wouldn’t you?” Nicole tosses back at me.

  I glance over my shoulder and back at the Red Bones’ new table and soak in Romeo’s fine profile. “Dang, I would do anything to be his girlfr
iend.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Anjenai adds. “’Course I’d settle for him noticing I’m alive first.”

  Something about the Red Bones’ loud laughter and open glances toward our table tells me we’re the topic of the conversation. “Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to get on those girls’ bad side,” I say.

  Nicole sneers, “Oh, please. Phoenix is such a fake. She keeps her friends close and her enemies closer. Half the time I can’t tell which Bianca and Raven are. Look at her.”

  I am looking. Her new seat at the moment is Romeo’s lap, and he doesn’t seem to mind. Bianca and Raven are flirting with his two main sidekicks Chris and Shadiq.

  “She’s pouring it on thick to win Romeo back,” Nicole says.

  Anjenai and I twirl back in our seat at that. “Get him back?”

  Nicole bobs her head and shoves the last of her spaghetti into her mouth. “They broke up a couple of weeks ago. I hope for good this time. He deserves so much better than her.”

  “How is it that you know all this stuff?” Tyler asks.

  “Easy.” Nicole shrugs. “Phoenix is my half sister.”

  We look at each other. That certainly sheds new light on the situation. Before I know it, I’m pumpin’ our fourth wheel for as much information as I can get. Apparently, she and Phoenix have the same father but different mothers. Phoenix’s mother being his wife and Nicole’s mom not. They were literally brought up on opposite sides of the tracks.

  Phoenix’s rich.

  Nicole not so much.

  This past summer, after her father’s insistence, Nicole was subjected to staying with him and her half sister. According to her, it was one of the worst summers of her life. The Red Bones did nothing but pick on her and talk about her cheap clothes and size 14 body.

  By the time lunch was over with, I couldn’t believe I’d ever admired Phoenix and her friends.

  “Well, you’re more than welcome to hang out with us at our table,” Anjenai tells her as we head out of the cafeteria.

  “Yeah. Anytime,” I cosign.

  When Tyler doesn’t say anything, I glance over and catch her watching Romeo and Phoenix as they continue to laugh and smile at each other.