It Is What It Is (14 page)

Read It Is What It Is Online

Authors: Nikki Carter

23
I
'm waiting outside when Ricky gets to my house. I don't want my friends to come in and see the aftermath of Candy's activities. Gwen is still furious and LeRon is in a really weird mood. He looks like he's on the verge of tears, but he's not letting them fall.
It's so cold tonight that I changed my mind about the jean skirt, and instead put on jeans that match my jacket. I'm sure most other girls will have on cute jean and corduroy skirts, but a sista like me is not trying to get frostbite to make a fashion statement. On top of my whole ensemble is a silver down jacket with a nice furry hood.
As I walk up to the car, I see that Ricky has already picked up Kevin and Hope. I smirk to myself when I notice that Hope has figured a way to get in the front seat with Ricky. It's like she kicked her chase into high gear once Valerie stepped out of the way.
I've got to give it to my cousin. She is definitely persistent.
“Where's Candy?” Kevin asks as I blow warm air into my hands, trying to thaw them.
“Umm ... she's not coming.” This is the only answer I can come up with, without putting all her business out there.
“Why? Is she sick?” Hope asks.
“No.”
Ricky narrows his eyes and peers at me through the rearview mirror. “Spill it, Gia. I know you're hiding something.”
That's the trouble with best friends. There is no way I can hide any kind of juicy scoop from Ricky.
“She's on punishment,” I say.
Hope's eyes get big as she asks, “Did she get caught boosting?”
I nod slowly. It doesn't count as me blabbing if they figure it out, right?
“Oh, Lord. Gia, have you been praying for her?” Kevin asks.
This boy is a trip! “Have
you
been praying for her?”
“Yes, of course. I was praying that she'd see the error of her ways and stop.”
“Well, then your prayers are partially answered,” I say. “I don't know if she believes she was wrong, but I guarantee you that she's gonna stop. Absolutely and without a doubt.”
“Did Auntie Gwen go crazy on her?” Hope asks.
Hope knows how Gwen gets down. She's been a witness to some of Gwen's worst scenes. Like the time when Hope and I were six and we thought Gwen's sewing room would look better with smiley faces spray-painted on the wall. Um, yeah ... it was all bad.
“Gwen was pretty calm, but LeRon was tripping,” I reply.
Ricky asks, “What did he do?”
“First of all, he tried to blame me for Candy's issues.”
“No, he didn't!” Hope says with surprise in her tone.
“He sooo did! He even tried to stop me from coming tonight.”
Ricky says, “That's not cool. What did Gwen say about that?”
“Well, obviously she didn't let him get out on me like that. I'm here, aren't I?”
Kevin asks, “So what did they do to Candy? She's still in the land of the living, right?”
Land of the living? Hahahahaha! Kevin has been making so much progress, but at one sign of trouble he drops all freshness and goes back to old-school church language. He sounds like his grandmother getting ready to testify on Sunday. She always says,
Lord, I thank you for keeping me in the land of the living.
Boo, Kevin!!!!
“Miss Candy is cool,” I say. “Her wardrobe is going to be rather ... limited ... over the next few weeks or so, but she's cool.”
“What do you mean by that?” Hope asks.
“I think I'll just let you see her on Monday and judge for yourself.”
“That bad, huh?” Ricky asks.
“Even worse ...”
So, I'm trying to figure out this whole hayride concept. A lot of young people get together and ride around an open field in a big wooden wagon pulled by a tractor. Inside the wooden wagon is a bunch of dry, itchy hay. Let's not forget how cold it is out here; it's about forty degrees at the most, but at least it's dry.
Tell me why I'm here again?
Oh yeah, because all of the freshest, flyest, and most popular kids have decided that this is the fun thing to do. Remind me to not go along with this foolishness next year.
Hope whispers in my ear, “I'm going to sit next to Ricky in the wagon.”
Of course she's going to sit next to Ricky in the wagon. Or at least she'll try. But I want to know why I have to be included in every single decision Hope makes in reference to Ricky. Her un-reciprocated (okay ... not sure if that's a word) affection irritates me beyond reason.
I snap. “Listen, Hope. If you're going to make a play for Ricky just do it. Don't tell me about it.”
“But why wouldn't I tell you? You're my cousin and Ricky's best friend!”
“You know I hate drama,” I say with a sigh. “And you, Ricky, and Valerie have given me more than my fair share.”
“I didn't know you felt that way,” Hope says.
“Now you do.”
“I wonder,” Hope continues, “if it's more than your aversion to drama that makes you so annoyed with this love triangle.”
Love triangle? This girl is beyond delusional. Don't you need three people to form a triangle? The only ones catching feelings are her and Valerie. They've got a love line segment (no ... I absolutely will not explain that. Simple geometry, people. Elevate your mind).
“What are you trying to say?” I ask, feeling even
more
annoyed.
“I think maybe you're blocking because you are feeling Ricky more than you admit.”
“Whatever, Hope. I'm not even going to entertain that. I am
not
blocking either, by the way. I'm just pointing out the obvious.”
Hope lifts an eyebrow at me and says, “I'm not blind, Gia. You and Ricky are perfect for each other. You both like to make up corny dance steps, and y'all both use slang that no one else is using. I'm really surprised that you haven't already tried to holla at him.”
Seriously? Is she trying to analyze me? She best not quit her day job, on the real. Ricky and I do have a lot in common. Hello! That's why we're best friends!
“Listen, just don't involve me in your romance with Ricky and we'll be just fine.”
“Okay.”
“Thank you! Was that so hard?”
Valerie struts up to us looking like she's about to board a plane to Aspen. Her light brown suede jacket and skirt is the business! She's wearing thick cream-colored tights and matching suede boots. Her makeup even matches her clothing. I know she's cold because her cheeks are a bright red, rosy color, but it only seems to add to her fresh factor!
Dang her!
“Are you having fun, chica?” This question is directed to me, because Valerie prefers to pretend that Hope does not exist.
“We are having a great time!” Hope answers for both of us.
Valerie sneers at Hope and says, “We're about to serve dinner soon in the barn. And then we'll go on the hayride. After that, we're gonna square dance.”
Square dance? Okay, somebody is tripping. I don't square dance. I don't do anything square.
Ricky and Kevin jog over to us. “Did someone say dinner?” Kevin asks.
“Yes.” Valerie grins at Ricky while answering Kevin's question.
I grab Valerie's arm to hold her in place and say to Ricky, “Hey, y'all, save me a seat at the dinner table. I need to talk to Valerie a second.”
Ricky looks suspicious but says, “Okay, Gi-Gi. See you inside.”
When I've pulled Valerie a safe distance away from everyone I ask, “Are you done with Ricky or not? It sure doesn't seem like it.”
“I'm done pursuing him. That's not how I get down. I don't chase boys ... they chase me. But if Ricky ever comes to his senses, then I would definitely be open for a reunion.”
I nod, satisfied with her surprisingly honest answer. “Okay, cool.”
Valerie lets out a flurry of giggles. I frown because I have no idea what is so funny.
She says, “You just seem super concerned, that's all. I wish that you and Ricky would stop playing games and just hook up already.”
Okay, two times in one night is too much. I stalk away from Valerie without answering her accusation. Of course, I would be open to taking my friendship with Ricky to the boyfriend level. But the
hook up
level? Um ... big, fat
no, ma 'am!
Plus, all of their theories about Ricky and me would hinge on Ricky actually having romantic feelings about me. And I haven't seen evidence of this at all. My only not-so-secret admirer, Kevin, even seems to be slipping away into the clutches of Candy.
So, I'm pretty much romance free.
I make my way into the huge barn where they're serving dinner. It smells like barbeque, which makes my stomach growl. I haven't had any good barbeque in a long time. I've had the disgusting, burnt-to-a-crisp substitute that Gwen
calls
barbeque, but not the real thing.
Ricky waves me over to their table. I see a place saved for me, but I also see that Hope has strategically gotten herself a seat next to Ricky. I guess she plans to be right up under him all evening.
Poor Ricky.
I take my seat at the table and say, “It smells good in here. I'm starving.”
“Yeah, the menu says that they have ribs and chicken, corn on the cob, and potato salad,” Kevin says.
I wonder how much Valerie's mother spent on this shindig. I know that they've got dough and all, but dang! This had to cost like sweet-sixteen-party kind of money. All to win a Homecoming-queen crown? Wow on top of wow.
As if to answer my question Hope says, “Valerie's uncle owns this place. I heard he threw this party as a gift to her.”
Valerie's mother stands in front of about three hundred kids from Longfellow High with a microphone. “Hola, everyone! Tonight we're having this party in honor of my Valerie, my hija.” She rolls her
r
as she says
Valerie,
making it sound more like
Valerrrie
.
“Everybody can line up for the dinner, and there is plenty of food for everyone!” Valerie's mom announces, and places the microphone back in its cradle.
We line up with the rest of the crowd. As we wait to get our food, Valerie walks up and down the line with Romeo, giving people buttons and urging them to vote for her. Romeo is only a junior and not even running for Homecoming court, so I don't see what's in it for him. It seems like he's content to be Valerie's date for the evening.
Hope leans in and whispers, “I wonder what secret Valerie has on Romeo. I heard she knows something about him that can get him thrown off the football team.”
“I heard the same thing,” I reply.
Even though it was last school year, I remember like it was yesterday, the conversation that I overheard between Valerie, Kelani, and Jewel. They were talking about how badly Romeo was playing me, and Valerie admitted to forcing Romeo to date me to keep me out of her way while she schemed on Ricky. She claimed to have a huge secret on him that pretty much made him her slave.
I wonder what could be that awful.
The giggle clones, Jewel and Kelani, walk up to us. Surprisingly, they look pretty cute with their matching corduroy hookups and Timberland boots. They're each wearing two long, braided ponytails with little brown bows on the ends.
“So where's your sister?” Kelani asks.
“Who, Candy?”
Jewel laughs. “How many other sisters do you have?”
Yes, I knew she was talking about Candy, but sometimes it takes a moment to register that she's actually my sister. I've been an only child for so long that sometimes it feels crazy to say I have a sister.

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