Imagined Love (12 page)

“Baby, please, I swear it’s not what you think. Jade, just let me explain,” Alonzo called as he ran behind her.

“Alonzo we need to go,” his date demanded.

He wanted to keep chasing Jade to make her understand what was really going on, but he couldn’t. He just hoped she’d be willing to listen to him at a later time. More than anything Alonzo wanted to kill Katrina! He blamed her for Jade’s heart being broken. She was never supposed to know and she wouldn’t have if it hadn’t been for his evil, vindictive sister!

Katrina followed Jade around the corner and sat in the passenger seat of the parked car. “I’m sorry, girl. I just didn’t think you’d believe it unless you saw him yourself. But I hope this is enough for you to see Alonzo don’t care about you, Jade. You deserve better than him. And you certainly better than that short, dumpy heifer he taking to the prom! She looked crazy and . . .”

“That actually doesn’t help,” Jade sniffed. “To be honest, it makes me feel worse! Why would he choose her over me? And not that it would’ve been better but I might have understood if he’d had a super model on his arm. I don’t get this, though. What’s so wrong with me that he’d rather be with her?”

“I don’t know, Jade, but I hope you’ll finally move on.”

She had every intention of doing just that, but Alonzo managed to work his way back into her heart. Jade refused to talk to him over the weekend so Monday morning he put a four-page letter in her locker explaining what happened and how he never meant to hurt her. Going to the prom with Charlotte wasn’t his idea but he felt pressured into doing it. Her father had a lot of authority at the college Alonzo was planning to attend and “suggested” he take the girl to her prom as a favor to him. Being that Cicely had no money to contribute to any of his college expenses, Alonzo needed all the help he could get. She had made it quite clear that getting him to high school graduation was the end of her parental duties and he was on his

own. So taking a girl he didn’t even like to the prom was just a small sacrifice he thought no one would ever know about. Alonzo knew he had done a lot of things to hurt Jade but that time he truly hadn’t meant to.

A week later Katrina was disgusted when she saw Alonzo and Jade walking hand in hand. She slammed her locker shut and vowed not to ever get involved again. Obviously Jade liked being mistreated so there was no point in Katrina concerning herself with it any longer. Tawny and Dion came to the same conclusion and said nothing when Alonzo went back to his old ways after a few weeks of playing the good boyfriend. After Labor Day, when he left for college and Jade began junior year, her mother and friends hoped his absence would free her up to date other boys. They had no idea just how deep her loyalty went.

A few days after Alonzo left, Willa surprised Jade with a blue, 1979 Plymouth Horizon. She thought it was a great way to keep the girl from constantly asking to borrow her car, but more importantly Willa thought the excitement of having her own vehicle would make Jade want to be out of the house more. She hoped it would encourage her to see other boys and not waste time moping about Alonzo. The car was definitely a “hooptie”, with the loud muffler and dented hood, but Jade and her friends rode everywhere in it with pride. Katrina especially loved it and thought of the Horizon as their car. She no longer caught the bus to school because she expected Jade to pick her up every morning. And she often made plans to attend parties or sporting events under the assumption that her friend would be responsible for getting her there. At first Jade didn’t mind but she quickly grew tired of feeling used. And once Alonzo began inviting her to visit him on the weekends, Katrina was left stuck for transportation.

“Oh, so you couldn’t open your mouth and tell me you were catching the bus home?” Jade asked after she’d burst through Katrina’s bedroom door. “I sat at the school for thirty minutes waiting on you!”

“Well, I guess now you know how it feel to be sitting up waiting on somebody that don’t never show.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Saturday, Jade! While you went traipsing off to see your stupid boyfriend I was sitting here waiting for you to pick me up so we could go to Marvin’s party!” Katrina yelled then bumped Jade’s shoulder with hers as she made her way downstairs.

“Uh, excuse me but when did I say anything about going to Marvin’s party?” she asked, following Katrina to the living room.

“Don’t act stupid, Jade! I told you about that party on Thursday after school!”

“And again I ask when did I say anything about going to it? You mentioned the party and we never said another word about it. So I don’t know where you got that I was coming to pick you up when I already had plans to go to Indianapolis. And I also don’t get how you think you punishing me by catching the bus. You’re the one that had to stand out in the cold waiting and then cram into an overcrowded bus! And you can do it from now on as far as I’m concerned,” Jade yelled then went to grab her coat and purse.

“Oooh, I am so sick of you!” Katrina screamed. “It’s bad enough you already got everything in the world but you have to come over here and take my stuff too! Landon is my brother, not yours, so leave him alone! And take this mess

with you,” she said, snatching Jade’s honor roll certificates off the wall. “What the hell they doing here anyway? My mama should be putting my stuff on the wall not yours!” Katrina threw all five of the framed certificates at Jade and one of them hit her in the head.

“Well maybe if you actually won something other than class clown Cicely would have a reason to put your stuff on the wall!” Jade sneered, as she tried to ignore the pain in the top of her head.

Surprisingly, Katrina lunged at her! She made the mistake of thinking Jade would be a push over who was easy to beat but soon realized just how wrong she was and got slapped and kicked mercilessly!

“Damn, girl, what are you a Rockette?” Katrina asked, as a swift kick to the back landed her face down on the couch!

As much as she didn’t want to, Jade laughed. “What’s wrong with you?”

Katrina sat up on the couch and began to cry. “I’m tired of feeling beneath you, Jade. You not the only pretty girl in the world. And you not the smartest person that ever lived. But everybody always like you better . . . even my own family!”

“When have I ever said you were beneath me, Katrina? And when have I ever said or acted like I was the prettiest or smartest girl in the world?”

“You never said it but everybody else do and I’m sick of it!”

“All I ever did was love you and be your friend, Katrina. But you made it real clear from the amount of times you just screamed you hate me that you don’t want my friendship. So there’s really no point in us ever talking again,” Jade said then she grabbed her coat and purse and walked out the door.

“Jade, wait,” Katrina called. The slamming door put an end to the conversation and the relationship.

It wasn’t until two weeks later when Ms. Lovette asked Katrina if Triple Threat would perform at Lew Wallace’s Halloween bash that she attempted to speak to Jade. She had wanted to call her and even wrote a few letters to put into her locker. However, Katrina knew Jade was really upset and didn’t think she would talk to her. She told Tawny about the Halloween performance and they both approached Jade with the idea at lunch.

“You aren’t serious, are you?” Jade asked, as she looked at both of them like they were crazy. “As far as I’m concerned Triple Threat no longer exists.”

“Oh, girl, quit being all dramatic! Friends fight sometimes and they say stupid shit they don’t mean. I was tripping, okay?” Katrina said as tears welled up in her eyes. “You the best friend I ever had, Jade, and I’m sorry.”

Tawny started crying but Jade just stared at Katrina not knowing what to do.

“Look, I know I hurt your feelings but I would think we was even by all that ninja junk you pulled on me! Shoot, I still got knots from where you kicked the hell out of me!”

Just as Katrina was hoping, Jade burst out laughing. She embraced her long-time friend and they had lunch together. Then, like always, they went back to doing things as if nothing had happened—until the next time.

As the months rolled by, Jade continued on in her roller coaster of a relationship with both Katrina and Alonzo. She’d vow not to ever speak to either of them again and then they would manage to worm their way back into her heart. By April of 1988, however, Jade had decided she was done with Alonzo once and for all. She was fed up with the way he treated her. Though, as much as her friends wanted her to get out of the house to help get over him, Jade spent most of her free time in her room crying over him.

On Saturday, April 9th, Katrina bummed a ride to Jade’s house in order for them to get ready together for the big skate party at Screamin’ Wheels Skating Rink. Boys from every high school throughout the city would be there and Katrina planned to snag as many of them as she could. That’s why she became incensed when Jade announced her plans to stay in for the night.

Dion and Tawny were there and both agreed to stay in as well. Katrina was enraged and she lashed out at Dion first.

“Won’t you quit kissing her butt all the time ‘cause it ain’t gone get you nothing. All you gone ever be is her little pet, monkey!”

“And all you’ll ever be is her little charity case, you food stamp using, lay on your back for money welfare rat!” Dion snapped, fed up with her insults and disrespect.

The three girls stared at him in shock. For the first time in all of their run-ins Katrina was speechless. And the hateful way Dion was glaring at her, daring her to say something else to him, convinced her to stay that way. Katrina quickly turned her attention back to Jade hoping to change her mind about going to the skating rink. Then she began fussing at her friend to stop sitting around moping about Alonzo when they could be out having fun with other guys. Willa heard them talking and entered Jade’s room to convince her daughter to go to the skating party.

“Yeah, come on girl, let’s just go and have some fun,” Tawny said.

“Who knows who you might meet, Jade. It’s city wide tonight so the cuties from every school will be there. That’s why I got a pack of pens and a tablet in my purse for all the numbers I’ma be getting,” Katrina laughed.

“Anyway,” Tawny rolled her eyes. “You don’t have to go there trying to find somebody. Just go out to enjoy yourself, okay? We can skate, dance, and get

our grub on with that pizza they serve up there. If you meet somebody, cool, and if not, that’s cool too.”

“But if you was looking for somebody, who would it be? Let’s just pretend Alonzo didn’t exist and you had your choice of any guy. Who would it be?”

Dion held his breath as he silently prayed Jade would say his name. He’d been in love with her since freshman year and hoped more than anything she was secretly harboring a crush on him as well.

“Uh, I don’t know,” Jade blushed.

“Come on, baby girl. There has to be somebody you like,” Willa said, desperately hoping there was.

“Well, actually I think this guy named Damien Scott is cool.” If her friends knew just how often she daydreamed about him then they’d know Jade thought he was a lot more than cool. “I mean, you know . . . if I had to pick somebody.”

Dion felt deflated and pretended to look for something on Jade’s dresser to hide the tears forming in his eyes.

“Girl, you lying! Damien is my boy!” Katrina shouted.

“Who?” Tawny asked.

“You know him. The tall, pretty boy that think he Michael Jackson! He got nice, curly hair and always wearing penny loafers. He is fine, though, with his big high yellow self. Totally Jade’s type. And he always asking about you too. We got two classes together and I swear he find a way to ask me something about you every day! He think you all that and a bag of chips, lucky heifer,” she laughed.

“For real?” Jade asked, unable to hide her smile. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Katrina’s mouth fell open in disbelief. “Are you serious, Jade? If I didn’t have something to say about Alonzo you wasn’t trying to hear me. But I’m glad to know this about Damien ‘cause he definitely your type of guy. He would totally be the boyfriend you want. Ooh, what if he up there tonight? That would be perfect! Then I could hook y’all up.”

“No!” Dion snapped before he could stop himself.

“Oh, no, no,” Jade protested simultaneously.

“Oh, yes, yes,” Katrina laughed. “So let’s get you a smokin’ outfit to put on so you can turn Michael Jackson’s head!”

Dion decided to pass on going to Screamin’ Wheels. The thought of seeing Jade with Damien or any other guy was too much for him to take. And the way the boys were drooling over her in the black, curve-hugging, strapless knee-length dress Katrina selected for her would have broken poor Dion’s heart.

Looking every bit as sensual and provocative as her mother, Jade strutted through the door wearing her favorite Skin Musk perfume and let her long, lush brown hair hang down past her shoulders. She couldn’t help feeling sexy when one

attractive young man after another fought for the chance to spend time with her. Jade had spent so much time chasing Alonzo that she didn’t know what it felt like to be sought after. And it didn’t take long to realize how much she loved it!

“Look, girl, we gone have to split up for a while ‘cause you taking all my action. I can’t compete with all that booty you flaunting in this tight ass dress,” Katrina laughed. “So let’s say we meet back up at the food court around eleven. Cool? I gotta go find Mr. Right Now.”

“See ya, tramp,” Jade giggled.

Katrina laughed then gave her the finger. Tawny and Jade decided to skate and had been doing so for thirty minutes when a couple of guys decided to join them. Tawny was immediately drawn to the boy who was skating with her but Jade wasn’t interested in the other one at all. So she agreed to meet her friend in the food court later then left. She had returned the skates and was putting her heels back on when someone snatched her by the arm.

“What you doing here?” Alonzo demanded over the loud music and chatter. “You didn’t ask me about being out here tonight.”

“Ask you,” Jade snapped, as she snatched her arm away. “Last time I checked my father was Miles Caldwell!”

“Ha, ha, very funny, smart aleck. Though I wonder what ole Miles would think if he saw you in this dress. Damn you sexy,” he said, eying her seductively. “But what I meant was you didn’t ask me about coming with you. If my cousin hadn’t stopped by I would’ve been stuck at the house while you were out here just living it up.”

“Then I guess the roles would’ve been reversed, for once. But you always find a way to get what you want, don’t you?”

“Well, apparently not since I haven’t found my way in between your legs yet, smart ass!” Alonzo snapped. “I came over here willing to let you hang out with me tonight but since your attitude is all jacked up, you can stay by yourself! Maybe once you calm down you can come talk to me like you got some sense. I just hope someone nicer doesn’t have my attention,” he said then turned to leave.

Alonzo was expecting Jade to come running behind him like she always did when he manipulated her. When she started going in the opposite direction he grabbed her by the waist and turned her towards him.

“Hey, where you going? You started this whole mess so I think you need to do something to make it up to me. I could find someone else, and we both know that’s not a problem. But I’m willing to give you another chance to be nice. I might forgive you if you were.”

“You might forgive me! You know what Alonzo, I . . .”

“You know, Jade,” he said, leaning in closer to her, “you ought to consider yourself lucky that I’m even interested. I could have anybody I want and here I am

asking to be with you. Hell, I’ve even begged you, girl, and that’s just not something I do. And why should I have to? You swear up and down that you love me so much, so what’s the problem? Why won’t you make love to me?” Alonzo asked, genuinely confused. “I don’t know how long you think I’m gonna put up with this. But you either give me what I want or . . .”

“Or what, Alonzo?” Jade yelled. “You’re gonna cheat on me more than you already do?”

“Cheat? What you talking about? I’m a grown man, Jade, and I have grown man needs. So as long as you keep acting like a frigid little girl, I’m gonna get those needs met somewhere else,” he said, hunching his shoulders. “Look, I’ve waited a long time and put up with a lot of junk to get with you, girl. But you know? I honestly used to think you playing hard to get was kind of cute. It turned me on to want you and not be able to have you. Plus, I knew I could trust you not to be sleeping around like those trampy friends of yours. But it’s not cute now, Jade! You been teasing and tempting me for way too long and it’s time for you to put out—tonight!” Alonzo pulled her so close that she could feel his heart beating wildly and the firmness of his erection. “You owe me, Jade. So we can go to your car or the bathroom or even stand right here and do it for all I care. Just as long as you understand that we are doing it! No more excuses.”