The Fight (15 page)

“And exactly what truth did you tell her, KJ? Trecee's truth is that I still want you and that's a lie. What did you tell her, Kalvinice Alonzo Jenkins Jr.?” I had to call him out. He's too used to drawing on sympathy to get out of stuff. But not this time. This time he was going to be a man about this and take responsibility for his actions. If I have to call him out like his mama, then so be it.

“Hey, girl, don't be calling me by my full name. Don't nobody else over here know it and I want to keep it that way.”

“Whatever, KJ. I just want to know the truth. What did you tell Trecee to make her come after me like this?”

“Okay, but first you have to understand the situation. We were in the car one night playing Truth or Dare. It was my turn and I was afraid of her next dare, so I chose truth—worst choice of my life. Anyway, Trecee asked me if I had ever been in love and if so, with who. I said, yes, and with Jayd.”

Just as my heart stops beating and my jaw drops to the ground, the bell rings for the end of break and the beginning of third period. What the hell kind of mind games is he up to now?

“Look, KJ,” I say, trying to sound as cool and as unbothered as possible. “I don't care what you said to Trecee to make her go psycho on me. I just know that it needs to end, cease, stop and now. So, do something.”

“Jayd, what can I do? Trecee's not the most rational person. I tried to talk to her about this drama between you and her, but she won't hear me. She's convinced you cast a love spell on me and I don't mean it when I stick up for you. She's not stable, Jayd, and I'm sorry about all of this but I don't know what else to do or say.”

“Yeah, you're sorry all right. You're the sorriest brotha I've ever known. First you can't control yourself. Now you can't control your broads. I'm sorry I ever went with you. You have been nothing but a major source of drama and pain in my life. I don't even know why I thought you could help me. You can't even help yourself.”

Just like that, I got up to walk to math class. This was a waste of time and energy. He's so full of himself, thinking 'cause he said he's in love with me that I'm gonna just melt and forget this girl is supposed to be beating my ass by the end of the day. He's something else.

“Jayd, don't be like that,” he says, grabbing my right hand from my thigh and putting it on his lap. “Look, I'm not going to let anything happen to you, especially not because of me. I'm serious, Jayd,” he says, looking straight into my eyes.

Why is he touching me? I hate when he grabs my hand; it weakens my “mad” defenses. Not so easily this time, though. I'm too worried about Trecee and about being late to Mr. Ball's class. I hate math, but I'm sure I'll hate it even more if I'm late.

“Peace, KJ, I'll see you later. I don't want to be late for class.”

“Come on, let me at least walk you,” he says, getting up to follow me.

“Fine, but don't talk to me unless it's to tell me you found a way to get Trecee off of my case by the end of the day,” I say, still not giving in to him.

“Is that all you can say?” KJ asks.

“Right now, yes. That's all that's on my mind. Thank you for walking me to class,” I say. Luckily my class is right around the corner from the teachers' lounge, so he doesn't have much time to sell me any more of his bull.

“Look, can we have lunch together? I think we still need to talk, don't you?”

KJ touches my face. We do have some unfinished business to attend to. And he'll take me off campus—and pay. “Fine, KJ, lunch doesn't sound too bad. Meet me outside of Mrs. Peterson's class—oh, that's right. I've been ‘banned' from her wack class until I finish writing the Constitution.”

“Dang, Jayd, what did you do this time?”

“Never mind that. Just meet me outside the library after fourth period, and make sure Trecee doesn't see us.”

“All right, you bet. I'll be there. I have Leadership fourth and we usually get out early. So I'll be there right when the bell rings.”

As the tardy bell rings and KJ sprints down the hall, I have to ask myself what I'm doing. I feel like Ashanti—foolish. I must be a fool to trust KJ again. What does he want to talk about anyway? I know what I have to say, and he's not going to like it. I just want him to know exactly how much he hurt me and how shady it was for him to do it over the phone. I want him to know he's a punk and that he doesn't deserve me. And I want him to know how much I loved him and that I would've given it up to him had he just waited a little longer. Oh well, too late now, especially since he's gone be a daddy. But I still want to hear what this punk has to say.

17

The Fight

—
DJAY/TERRENCE HOWARD

 

“G
ood morning, class. Please take out your books and turn to page thirty-six. Do all the problems on the page and turn it in at the end of class.” I don't hate math for the sake of hating it. I hate math because all the math teachers here are awful. They don't teach or explain anything, at least not any of the ones I've been so fortunate to encounter.

Mr. Ball is a short, round, bald-headed man who laughs at his own pathetic jokes, and knows only what he knows, and nothing more. If you ask him questions, he refers you to the book. Once when I had him last year, this man gave me a pass to go ask another teacher to explain it to me. He says I ask too many questions to be a good math student. I say it's because I have a bad math teacher. But no sense in complaining. I still have to do the work to get out of here, so I might as well get used to it. I take out my book and my notebook.

Scott, the class leech, leans forward from the desk behind me to ask, “Hey, Jayd, can I borrow a pencil?”

“I don't have an extra pencil, Scott,” I say, telling the truth. I hate writing in pencil, so I only keep one in my math notebook. No extras.

“Well, can I borrow a piece of paper, then?” he asks. Now I'm annoyed. I turn around to look at him.

“Scott, why don't you bring supplies to class? Do you not know that you'll need your book, paper, and a pencil every day?” I say, loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

“Damn, Jayd, what's up with you this morning? Oh, I know. That girl with the braids is going to kick your ass today. Yeah, I heard about that,” Scott says with a sadistic grin on his face. The other students look up from their work to see my reaction.

“Shut the hell up, with your freeloading punk ass.” I turn back to my work, avoiding eye contact with everyone else. I can't let this White boy get to me. I got too much other stuff on my mind.

“Okay, you two, settle down and get to work,” Mr. Ball says from his desk.

Settle down? How can I do that with all of this drama going on? I wonder if teachers even notice when students are having bad days.

 

Since I'm still banned from Government, I go to find solitude in the library. At first I thought this was the worst punishment Mrs. Peterson could have given me. But, I must say that chillin' in the library does give me some peace amidst all the chaos. But, the universe has other plans today.

When I turn down the hall to walk toward the east quad where the library and computer lab are, I run right into Misty walking up the hall.

“Hey, Jayd, you look a little green—everything all right?”

I choose to ignore her petty behind and walk past her when I hear someone call my name from a distance. Is that KJ? I turn around to see him running toward me.

“Jayd, I'm glad I caught up with you. Let me walk you to the library. Oh, what's up, Misty?” KJ says, almost knocking her over.

Looking shocked and confused, but no doubt interested, Misty says, “Hey, KJ,” like she's auditioning for a Jay-Z video.

KJ basically looks through Misty and ignores her obvious attempt to flirt with him; he smiles at me.

“Come on, Jayd. Let's get going before the bell rings,” KJ says, grabbing my hand and leading me toward the east quad.

“Bye, KJ. Oh, and I'll tell Trecee you said hello,” Misty says.

“Yeah, you do that, Misty. No doubt you'll put your extras on it,” KJ responds.

Giggling, but no doubt feeling foolish, she says, “KJ, you're so funny. I'll talk to you later, OK?”

And with that last pathetic attempt at capturing his attention, Misty's gone.

“Jayd, let's ditch fourth and go somewhere and kick it. We need to solve this and it's going to take longer than lunch to even get started.”

“I don't know, KJ. I'm already in deep with Mrs. Peterson and I don't want to get in over my head.”

“She'll never know. Besides, Jayd, what's she gonna do—come out of her full class to check on you? I don't think so. Let's go to Alonzo's and split a burrito and talk about what's really going on—between me and you.”

Now how could I say no to half a burrito and a charming smile?

I forgot how good a burrito is with KJ. He gets the works, something I would never do. When he splits a burrito with me, it's actually not in half. It's usually one-quarter for me and three-quarters for him. As big as they are, this is the perfect ratio for us.

After we place our order, we sit down at a booth outside. From our seats we're able to see the sparkling blue ocean water. I remember the first time we came here we walked to the beach after we ate. It was the nicest lunch date I've ever had. Speaking of us, KJ didn't waste any time getting to his point.

“Look, Jayd, after all that's gone down between us this summer, I just want to set the record straight. I don't love Trecee, and I never did or will. I only love one girl and that's you.”

He thinks his game is slick and airtight, but it doesn't work on me. Some cat telling me he loves me is not enough to make me go running back to him. I still remember how he treated me at the end of our relationship. If he thinks I'm letting him off this easy, after all the drama I've been through and am still going through because of him, he's got another thing coming.

“KJ, why are you telling me this now? You just move at lightning speed, don't you? One girl to the next, just like that without a second thought. What's wrong with you? This girl is crazy over you, willing to jump me to prove that to you, and yet you're here telling me you love me. What kind of twisted game are you playing now?”

KJ looks hurt and leans in closer to take my hand. “First of all, it ain't one girl to the next. I ain't no dog like you think I am, Jayd.”

“Whatever, KJ. You went from Maisha to me to Trecee. It's just a game to you, and yet all the girls end up hurt and involved in a bunch of mess over you and it ain't fair.”

It isn't fair. Not to any of the girls involved in this mess. I know so many sistahs who get played like this all the time, and they always end up going back to the cat. Like all he did is irrelevant because now, he truly loves me and this time it'll be different. No, not this sistah, not this time.

“Jayd, I know you're angry with me and hurt and upset. If I were you, I wouldn't want to talk to me again either—at first. But, that's if you only remember the end of our relationship. Before that, it was really good, or at least I thought so. We were hella tight, Jayd, and I want that again.”

OK, now either his game is improving, or I still have feelings for this brotha. I need some air to think. This is just too much excitement for one day.

“KJ, maybe we should be getting back to campus.”

“We haven't even had our food yet,” he protests.

“Yeah, but I need to meet my girls.”

“Don't look like we need to go back to see your girls. Here they come now.”

Sure enough, Nellie and Mickey are pulling into Alonzo's parking lot waving me down.

“Jayd, girl, come on. Get in the car. Trecee is trying to get a ride here to come get you,” Nellie says, hanging out of Mickey's car window.

“Yeah, Misty conveniently came into fourth period and told Trecee you and KJ went off campus together for lunch at your old spot. Misty can put a lot on stuff sometimes, can't she though?”

Mickey got that right. Misty and her big, wicked mouth. She'll never learn to stay out of my business. That's who I feel like fighting, if anybody. She's not getting away with this. Just as I get up from the booth to hop into Mickey's ride, my heart begins to race. I feel like I'm going to explode and then I remember my dream about fighting Misty.

“Come on, y'all, let's go back to school. I'm so tired of running from these broads. If they want to fight me, so be it. But neither one of them is getting away with this.”

“I knew Misty was going to run to Trecee and tell her she saw us together,” KJ says. “I'm going to get our burrito and meet y'all at the school.”

“KJ, how can you be worried about food at a time like this?” I ask, a little bitter that he's still thinking about eating when his baby mama is on her way up here to start some mess with me.

“Jayd, ain't nothing gone happen,” he says, turning toward the counter to pick up our order. “Besides, a brotha still got to eat, right?”

“Right, KJ,” I say, snatching our burrito from his hands and throwing it in the trash before getting in the car with my girls.

“Enjoy your lunch,” I shout. Mickey pulls off.

“Damn, Jayd, what you do that for?” KJ yells after me as Mickey's ride takes us back to Drama High.

 

When we get to the campus, the air is charged. I hate that fight feeling. Nothing good ever comes out of a fight and I know that someone is about to have one. Lunch is over and fifth period is already in progress.

“Don't worry, Jayd. You know we got your back,” Nellie says, with her hand on my shoulder.

“Jayd, I just want to say again that I'm sorry you got dragged into this mess. I ain't letting Trecee do nothing to you, I promise,” KJ says, eating the second burrito he ordered after we left. It took him a minute to catch up to us. Mickey took her time getting back to campus, stopping to get me some Vaseline for my face just in case I have to take a couple of blows to the head.

It's sweet of KJ to offer his protection, but this is personal now. Misty's lying and twisting things up in Trecee's little mind, and it's time for it to all be untwisted. And, there Trecee is, waiting for me by the main gate. My heart is racing and my head is hot. Yeah, I'm a little scared, but it's about to be on up in here.

. . . I'm a little scared, but it's about to be on up in here.

Just as I'm ready to face my opponent head-on, I begin sweating like I'm in Miami during carnival, and jarring another déjà vu experience; then I remember the dream I had about a fight with Misty. A little shaken, but still determined to teach Trecee a lesson she'll never forget, I walk over to the main gate, with my girls in tow. We're ready for whatever comes our way. But before I even get close to Trecee, Shae comes out of nowhere with her man Tony right behind her.

“Hey, Jayd, what's up, girl? I got a little info you might be interested in,” she says. Then she yells over to Trecee, “You too, Trecee. Although you gone end up feeling real stupid after I say what I gotta say.”

What are Shae and Tony doing here? They act like the bell for fifth period didn't ring a few minutes ago. Doesn't anybody care about going to class anymore?

“Look, Shae, this ain't got nothing to do with you so why don't you step back and let me handle this,” Trecee says while moving toward me. I'm ready for her. I take off my earrings and rings and hand them to Nellie. Usually I wouldn't fight a pregnant girl. But for all I know she could be lying and I ain't gone sit here and let her kick my ass. I'll be as careful as I can.

Mickey's talking mad stuff. “Trecee, you ain't nothing but trash and you been jealous of my girl all along,” she says. “You was just looking for a reason to fight, and now you gone get your ass whipped.”

“You don't have to do this, Jayd. You can still walk away,” Nellie says, looking from me to Trecee and back at me.

“It's too late for reasoning with this broad, Nellie.”

As I take off my backpack and hand it to Nellie, the “No More Drama” bag Mama gave me on Tuesday falls to the ground. Where the hell did this come from? As I bend down to pick it up, I notice it has the word
LISTEN
written on the side. There are no coincidences, so I decide to let Shae have her say.

“What's up, Shae? What's so important you have to speak on it now?”

“Well, normally I wouldn't break up no fight, but this is a little different. Misty has been playin' both of y'all in this little game of hers. She's trying to get KJ all to herself. She told my home girl Trina yesterday she made up all this BS about Jayd and fed it to Trecee, who is stupid anyway, and she was gone get Jayd beat up and Trecee kicked out, and that would leave KJ all to her.”

“What? Why would she think that? She ain't got no chance with me,” KJ says, stepping up and looking dumbfounded.

“Well, Misty has never been too smart, now has she, KJ?” I say to him, not knowing what else to say.

“And, as for you, Trecee,” Shae continues, “you know good and well that your baby ain't KJ's. You were pregnant before you started messing with KJ, and I know who the baby's daddy is, so you need to stop trippin' and leave them alone. It's Misty you need to be concerned with.”

“Pregnant?” Nellie and Mickey exclaim in unison. KJ puts his head in his hands and just starts saying, “Thank you, Jesus” over and over again.

After Shae finishes with her exposé, she and her silent man turn around and leave just as quickly as they came. Then we all start looking for Misty. Usually, I wouldn't want to fight Misty because I do feel kind of sorry for her. But this time is an exception. When I find her I'm going to teach her a lesson she'll never forget.

Unfortunately for her though, I don't see her before Trecee does, and the next thing I know, Trecee's running toward Misty at full speed. Me, my girls, and KJ run after Trecee, anxious to see what she'll say or do.