Street Soldiers Page 11

  “I need a drink,” Jeremy says. That might not be what I wanted to hear but it may be just the answer I needed.

  I return my focus to the plate on my lap ready to devour the comfort food.

  “Hey, Jayd,” Nellie says, walking outside through the opened patio doors. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

  “That makes two of us,” I say, unapologetically licking the hot sauce from my fingers. “What are you doing here?” What I meant to say was what everyone else around me is thinking: You’re not with Chase anymore, which means you’re no longer affiliated with the Drama Club, so what the hell are you doing at one of our functions?

  “Oh, Laura invited me,” she says, gesturing toward Laura, Cameron and the rest of their bitch crew on the back lawn. “Didn’t I tell you they’re supporting me for Senior Homecoming princess this year? I’m so excited!” Nellie says, about to burst out of her body-hugging Bebe dress. “I might be the first black queen at South Bay High. I can’t wait to make history not once but twice.”

  Great, that’s just what we need. Nellie’s head got so large after last year’s victory it took everything in me not to slap her on several different occasions.

  “Kind of like Jayne Kennedy did back in the day,” Marcia says, again adding her voice unnecessarily. I don’t mind her outspokenness; it’s actually kind of refreshing. But everyone’s not going to share my view.

  Nellie looks at the new girl on deck like she’s a leper but chooses to ignore her comment for the time being.

  “That woman was official back in the day,” Chase says, nodding his head in recognition of the first black woman to grace the cover of Playboy magazine, or any magazine for that matter.

  Seth looks at Chase like he’s speaking Dutch. “Is that one of the Kennedy’s, like the former Governor’s wife?” Seth asks. I’m surprised he knows that much.

  “No, dude. Not at all,” Jeremy says, laughing at Seth.

  “I’m surprised you don’t know who she is, man,” Chase says. Alia looks as clueless as Seth does. She also looks jealous at Chase’s obvious crush on yet another sistah much to Nellie’s liking. “Jayne Kennedy was one of the baddest divas that ever graced the cover of a magazine and made history while doing.”

  Seth’s eyes brighten at the thought of another bold and beautiful woman to look up to. Everyone’s well aware that Seth is gay, happy and proud about it. He’s in charge of make up and wardrobe for the Drama Club as well as the set designs for our shows. He takes pride in his work and in being the nosiest gossip at South Bay High.

  “Hello all,” Cameron says, stepping onto the deck leaving the rest of her rich, mean girl crew on the lawn to soak up some sun. I hope they sizzle and burn.

  “Mmmm,” Alia says, under her breath. She must be drunk acting out like this. She never has anything negative to say unspoken or otherwise.

  “Cameron,” Jeremy says, taking a sip of his spiked iced tea courtesy of the servers on deck. I hope he’s been thinking about heeding my words per our last conversation. All that alcohol and smoking is liable to get him in trouble again. If it weren’t for his bad habits we wouldn’t be in this mess.

  “Let’s check out the deejay,” Chase says, taking his girlfriend by the hand and heading toward the other side of the pool.

  “Love the new shades, Nellie,” Cameron says. “Gazelles?”

  “Yeah, thanks,” Nellie says, removing the expensive sunglasses. “They were a gift.” There’s something about her tone that makes me think that compliment was code for something else.

  “I’ll come with,” Marcia says, sensing the thick vibe. At least she has that much sense.

  Seth looks at Cameron and Jeremy, then down at me taking the hint as well. Damn, this broad can clear a crowd—true evil tends to possess that divine ability.

  Nellie stays put but looks anxious as hell. I’ll see what that’s all about later. Just a moment ago she was on cloud nine envisioning yet another crown on her already swollen head. Our crew barely made it through her last coronation, now we may possibly have another one on its way. I don’t know if we can go through that again.

  “Jeremy, I’m glad I ran into you,” Cameron says, attempting to loop her arm through his. Jeremy moves before she can make contact.

  “Why is that?” Jeremy asks, impatient by his neighbor’s giddy demeanor.

  I continue polishing off my plate ready for seconds. Even this wench can’t ruin my appetite.

  “I wanted to discuss our Homecoming plans, silly,” Cameron says.

  “We don’t have any plans, Cameron,” Jeremy says without attempting to hide his disgust for the trick. At least we can agree on something.

  Would it be too crude of me to accidentally toss my drink in her face?

  “Of course we do, Jeremy,” Cameron says, taking the drink out of his hand and sipping on it. “You’ll be escorting me to all of the Homecoming festivities in a few weeks.” She attempts to take another sip but Jeremy reclaims his drink before she can get too comfortable with it. “And since it’s our senior year let’s make the occasion yearbook worthy, shall we? We should really shop for our outfits this weekend. We don’t want to wait until the very last moment. Wouldn’t you agree, Nellie?”

  Nellie looks from me to Cameron waiting from me to spill my drink all over this trick, but Jeremy intervenes before I can go off.

  “Cameron, I’m not going anywhere with you. No matter what you and my mom may think we’re not dating and we never will.”

  Nellie looks at Cameron afraid to move a muscle. I swear she knew this was coming but how?

  “That’s where you’re wrong, Jeremy,” Cameron says, taking out her cell phone and displaying the planted picture like it’s a newborn child. “According to this photo, we’re not only dating but we’re loving every minute of it. And happy couples do things together like attend social functions, which you will be doing a lot of this year so get used to it.”

  “Cameron, what the hell have you been smoking?” I ask, tired of her rant.

  “And can I have some because that shit’s got you high as a satellite,” Jeremy says, making me laugh. I’ve missed his sense of humor.

  Cameron shoots Jeremy a look that brings her serious tone right back to the forefront. The last time Jeremy almost went to jail for selling weed on campus I made him a batch of cupcakes to get him out of that legal mess. His father’s attorneys also came in handy, but it really could have gone either way. They warned Jeremy then that if he got into trouble again the judge would have no problem throwing him in jail no matter how much clout his parents may have. Cameron knows she’s got Jeremy right where she wants him—away from me and into her prom pictures.

  “Let’s just cut to the chase, shall we?” Cameron says, studying the photo. “If you deny that we were making out like we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other you’ll have to admit that you were high in the picture.” Cameron’s really tripping, so much so that she’s almost gangster with her shit, inspiring a little fear in me that she might actually get away with this stunt.

  I know Jeremy doesn’t want to miss his senior year for anything, most of all jail time. By drinking and smoking weed he’d be in violation of his parole agreement and on his way back to court.

  “Cameron, are you that hard up for a man that you’ll blackmail one who quite obviously wants nothing to do with you into dating you? Really?” I ask, amazed at how vengeful a wench can be.

  “Don’t worry about my motivations, Jayd. As of this moment, Jeremy Edward Weiner is no longer your concern. TTYL, babe.” Cameron smiles wickedly, blows a kiss to Jeremy and walks away.

  Nellie looks after her mentor like she wants to follow but hesitates. What the hell?

  “I’m going to tell my attorney about Cameron staging the photo and blackmailing me and see if there’s anything we can do,” Jeremy says, visibly upset. “She’s really lost her mind.”

  “Sanity’s a crap shoot when you’re in love.” I say, ready to roll.

 
This isn’t the stress-free afternoon I’d hoped for. At least I’ll get some free groceries to go. There’s enough food inside to feed an army and Matt always insists we take food to go. A couple of plates should last me a day or two until I can get to the market. Constantly rising gas prices are forcing us broke folks to make some tough choices these days.

  I look at Nellie who looks away guilt-ridden. I’ll lay into her ass over the phone or at another time. The last thing I want to do is be a part of another scene. I wipe my hands on the thick napkin and head for the patio doors.

  Jeremy stops me in my tracks and blocks me from entering the doorway. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get you back, Jayd.”

  Jeremy walks through the door ahead of me and vanishes inside the spacious basement, no doubt to find a bong and smoke his brains out in an attempt to forget about Cameron’s latest revelation. I can’t even enjoy my last jumbo shrimp. I don’t know if it bothers me more that Jeremy allowed himself to get into this situation or that Cameron’s got him right where she wants him and how that affects me.

  “Is everything okay?” Chase asks, stepping behind me and rubbing my shoulders.

  Nellie looks pissed but can’t say shit about who Chase chooses to touch. She lost that right when she gave up on him—one of the biggest mistakes she’s ever made since I’ve known her. I know she could kick herself now that Alia’s snagged her ex-boo up.

  “Not at all. I wish I knew who sent me that picture,” I say, thinking out loud. “Then I might be able to help Jeremy check Cameron without getting in trouble for it. I know there’s some sort of law against what she did.”

  Nellie replaces the shades over her eyes and looks around anxiously like she stole something. What the hell is wrong with her?

  “That’s actually not a bad idea, depending on who sent the picture and if they’re willing to testify against Cameron. Good luck with that,” Chase says, sympathetically tapping me on the shoulder.

  Chase knows as well as I do that Cameron’s replaced Jeremy’s baby-mama, Tania as the head bitch in charge. Sometimes I wish Jeremy weren’t the most wanted dude at South Bay High. Then there wouldn’t be so many hating females to deal with on the regular.

  Nellie shifts from one butt cheek to the other like her shorts are on fire. She then removes her glasses again and looks sadly at Chase.

  “Nellie, are you okay?” I ask. “The bathroom’s inside if you need to go,” I say, gesturing toward the patio doors.

  She looks down at her uneaten veggie platter and plays with her celery sticks. “Jayd, I sent you the picture,” Nellie says with tears in her heavily made-up eyes. “I didn’t want too but Cameron was showing it off to everyone at Laura’s house like she’d won some sort of bet or something. I just wanted you to know what was up.”

  “Nellie, say it ain’t so,” Chase says, disappointed in his ex girlfriend’s admission.

  “Damn it, Nellie! Why didn’t you say something before?” I ask, pissed as all get-out.

  “I wanted to but I was trapped,” Nellie says, taking her napkin and dabbing her wet eyes without smearing her mascara. “If Cameron found out that I sent it from her phone I would have been seen as a traitor. Besides, I just wanted you to get the information. What difference does it matter how you got it? The most important thing is that Chase proved it was altered slightly to her advantage and now you can help Jeremy and move on, right?”

  “Wrong,” I say, too upset to argue with my friend. I step inside and take a deep breath.

  Nellie’s done some stupid shit in her day but this tops them all. How could she watch my boyfriend and I suffer at the hands of the very bitch she wants so desperately to be friends with? Loyalty means absolutely nothing to Nellie when she has her eyes set on a goal. I haven’t been this mad at anyone for a long time and to make it worse, I don’t know who I’m more angry with: Jeremy, Nellie or Cameron. Why does love have to hurt every single time I find myself in the middle of it?

  No one had better say another thing to me while I make my plates and escape this scene. If the wrong person steps up I’m liable to go off and that’ll only do more harm than good.

  “Evil! All of you, just no good hussies.”

  -Church Lady

  Drama High, volume 11: Cold As Ice

  * * *

  CHAPTER NINE: LETHAL WEAPON

  The past few days have been a blur to me and not just because I’ve been on my grind. Rather than face Jeremy, Cameron, Nellie or Misty and risk a fight, I’ve chosen to immerse myself in my schoolwork and my spirit studies much to my grandmother’s delight. Mama and Netta even eased up on asking me to join them at the county jail with the other supporters, which has given me more time to think about my next moves.

  So far the only decision I’ve made about anything is that the African Student Union needs to branch out if it’s going to be a viable club. Half of the members have dropped out and the numbers continue to decline. I decided to reach out to El Barrio for new members and a few of them were happy to sign up, including Maggie. Besides, it’ll be nice to hang out with her more often. Out of all of my school associates, Maggie’s the most consistent with her swag making her a perfect new member.

  Every time I close my eyes the picture of Jeremy and Cameron’s infamous kiss comes to the front of my mind. Why did Nellie have to send me that photo? I hate it when I get jealous. It’s such a dangerous and useless emotion, but that’s what I’m feeling. As Newton said, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and I need to be careful when making my next move. The odu I read last night about Oshune being madly in love with Shango and tricking his first wife, Oba into cutting her ear off and putting it into his soup showed me that for sure. Like the veve on my shoulder represents, we can choose any direction we want to go in according to our heart’s truest desires. Possessing a cool head when making the choice is the challenge.

  Violence is not becoming of Oshune and the daughters in her lineage have paid for her jealous actions ever since. Like Oshune, when my head gets hot I can make foolish mistakes with serious repercussions. My tongue can be a lethal weapon at times and Nellie’s the first target on my list.

  “Jayd, what are you doing sleeping in the middle of the afternoon?” my mom asks, opening the front door. “Your aunties are going to be here any minute to help me plan for the wedding festivities. I need you to have this place spotless by then.” My mom gathers my bedding off of the couch, balls it up and tosses it into the already stuffed living room closet.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I say, reluctantly rising from the couch. So much for taking a quick nap before getting my study on later this evening.

  I was looking forward to a Saturday night chilling by myself. If I had my own room it wouldn’t be such an issue, but I know that’s not happening anytime soon. My mom and Karl will probably move to his apartment when they get married this summer and I’ll be in a dorm room somewhere unless I get my own place. Just the thought of being completely responsible for an apartment gives me a headache.

  “Why so glum, chum?” My mom used to say that to me all the time when I was a little girl. If only things could be that simple again.

  “Dudes, chicks, money—you name it, I’m dealing with it,” I say, watching my mom switch from one expensive pair of shoes into another, perfectly complimenting her nude, strapless jumpsuit.

  I wish I had the wardrobe and the girlfriends my mom has. She’s been friends with the same four women since junior high school. Mama says that was the only blessing that came from her eldest daughter losing her powers—she could maintain her friendships with women from all walks of life without inciting fear in any of her true friends. All of my aunties, as I’ve called them since I can remember, know my mom’s story and love her just the same. I’d love to have those kinds of homegirls. Instead, I’ve got Nellie and Mickey’s selfish asses to deal with.

  “Uh oh,” my mom says. She passes me the glass cleaner and a roll of paper towels from the dining room table where I’ve left my hair m
ess from last night and today’s appointments. My mom looks less than thrilled with my negligence but is sympathetic with my mood. “What happened now?”

  “The top three?” I ask, cleaning. “Cameron’s blackmailing Jeremy into being her call boy, Nellie can keep it from happening by telling the truth and having my back but she won’t, and Rah’s back with Trish.”

  “Rah’s what?” my mom asks, nearly shrieking she’s so shocked. “What the hell is that boy thinking?”

  My mom doesn’t really concern herself with my school friends but she’s known Rah since we were twelve-years old. Much like the rest of my family she’ll always give him the benefit of the doubt no matter what.

  “Rah chose Trish—again,” I say, wiping the coffee table harder than necessary. I’ll be able to see through it to the apartment downstairs if I keep this up. “I don’t know why I’m surprised. Dudes never pick girls like me. I’m too strong, independent, blah, blah, blah. Mean frail bitches are the only ones who win.”

  “Watch your mouth, little girl,” my mom says.

  I rarely slip up like that. I really need to take a cleansing bath like the one I read about last night. I don’t have all of the ingredients nor can I imagine driving back to Compton this evening. It’ll have to wait but not for too long—my head can’t take much more heat.

  “Mom, I’m sorry about the language and for not straightening up after my last client,” I say, moving into the dining room. I always clean up right after I’m done but all I wanted to do an hour ago was pull the covers over my head and sleep. “You know I’m doing my best to keep the place clean. It seems like people are losing a lot more hair these days than they used to.” One girl alone left enough hair for me to make a track out of.

  “Jayd, it’s not just the hair on the floor. The water and electric bills have also been very high lately. I’m not spending much time here anymore and it’s honestly getting to be a drain.”

  “I know, mom. I’ll chip in some more for the utilities.” It already feels like I have my own place with the way my mom leaves me here by myself every night. I buy my own groceries and pay a small portion of the bills. All that’s left is for me to pay is rent and I’ll be official.