Fall 1993

The alarm clock sounded at exactly 7:10 am.

Anxiously, Darnell rolled out of bed. She was ready for her first day as a high school student. She prepared to jump right into the shower until she stopped in front of the mirror.

Curiously, she spied the black satin scarf that maintained and hid her newly styled hair from her gaze. Darrien had forced her to wait until the morning to take it down, an obvious scheme to make her wear it to school even if she hated it.

Darnell sighed. How did she let Darrien convince her to begin high school with a, “fresh and more approachable look,” as she had simply put it? When she thought of high school, she didn’t see herself as the approachable type. And if high school is anything like middle school had been, a boy wouldn’t even give her a second thought.

She could see it now, today would be the first day of The Dreaded High School Years. During those years, she would probably stick out like a sore thumb amongst all of the polished and more attractive girly girls. During those years, she would sit by the phone, waiting for the hottest boy in school to ask her to the dance. And if she were lucky enough to grow up and be as pretty and as girly as her sister, she would have at least one boyfriend before she graduated.

Turning away from the mirror, Darnell’s gaze drifted to the outfit she planned to wear; denim overalls with one strap hanging off the shoulder, a baggy long-sleeved v-neck sweater, and a pair of navy blue Converses. Surely, in that outfit, no boys would be chasing after her anytime soon. And she wasn’t sure if she preferred it that way.

Of course she hadn't had much time to ponder the thought before Darrien came bursting into the room, basking in a morning glow that it was definitely too early to have.

“Hey, hey freshman.” She strutted over to Darnell, “You ready to see your hair?”

“Well, I haven’t showered-”

“What!” Darrien shrieked. “Go shower, I’ll pick you out a cute outfit to go with your even cuter hair!” Unable to contain her excitement, she squealed.

“I already have my cute outfit picked out.”

Darrien glanced towards the bed. “I must be blind because I don’t see anything remotely cute over there.” With that said, she pushed Darnell out of the room and into the bathroom. After loudly telling her to hurry up, Darrien shut the door.

~*~*~*~*~

Justin buckled himself in the passenger seat as he waited for his mother to join him and take him to school. As usual, she took an unnecessarily long time to get ready just to drop him off at the corner. Then, finally, she would come to the car after he had waited for fifteen minutes, wearing one of her snug jeans, a tight-fitted shirt with a sophisticated hairstyle, and a splash of makeup to complete the look.

She explained to him that a woman must always look her best because she never knew whom she would meet. He assumed that to mean that she was looking for a man otherwise; she wouldn’t have bothered with the three-minute ride to the corner.

Once, he actually inquired about her desperate man-fetching attempts. She told him not to worry about it because he was the only man she needed in her life. Either way, he knew that she had the hots for the male crossing guard.

His mother, Lynn, smiled as she pulled up along the corner and his tight backside, as she had once called it, came into view. Then, she must’ve spent a few seconds in fantasy land before hugging him close and kissing his forehead, which he absolutely despised. For that reason alone, he was thankful that she dropped him off here instead of at school where all his fellow highschoolers would be willing witnesses.

“Bye Mom.” Justin reached to retrieve his backpack from the backseat and then he exited. He closed the door before leaning into the open window.

“Mr. Miller doesn’t work the after school shift anymore Mom, just the mornings.”

“Oh.” She was actually disappointed as he told her about the crossing guard’s new schedule. “What a shame…well you’ll walk home then?”

“Yes.” He replied simply, though he was beaming on the inside. No more being picked up by his overprotective mother.

“Okay, see you at home sweetheart. I love you!” She shouted loud enough for the whole block to hear, and everyone including the crossing guard turned to look at them. They were an adorable mother and son pair, both of them flaunting curly blonde ‘fros and fair skin.

Justin grunted before returning the sentiment. He held his head down as he walked to the corner where he would wait for Darnell. He listened for the sounds of his mother peeling away from the curb until he heard someone calling him. When he looked up, he expected to see Darnell because that’s who he thought he heard calling him. However, it wasn’t her. It couldn’t have been her.

Hell would have to freeze over first before Darnell stepped out of the house appearing like a Darrien carbon copy with straight hair draping past her shoulders and framing her plump round face. And dressed in what was nearly a turquoise floral mini skirt with the thick waistband cuddling her pudgy waist and a white sleeveless scoop neck shirt that hugged her breasts. Justin’s gaze traveled to her thick knees before dropping to the navy blue Converses on her feet, which were probably the only item of the wardrobe that this girl had in common with Darnell.

Before his body could respond in its usual fashion to her various appeals, Justin made a move to step around her and cross the street, he added an, “Excuse me,” as he did so.

“Where the hell are you going camera boy?” The girl was irritated.

Justin whirled around as he stepped into the street. “ Dee!”

“Yes.” Darnell shifted her weight to her right leg and tugged on the hem of her skirt. She had already felt uncomfortable and Justin’s wide-eyed gaze made it worse. “Do you mind?”

“What? I’m still trying to make myself believe it’s you?”

Darnell wanted him to quit staring at her chest so she quickly stretched to punch him in the arm. “Does that help?”

“Oww, yeah” Justin rubbed the spot where she had hit him. He walked cautiously as he went to stand beside her.

“Wow, dude you look like a different girl! And you actually look like a girl!” He stared at her lips as she prepared a response.

“Duh, I know.” She tried to appear giddy about it, but failed. She was more sarcastic than anything. “Anyway, I had to try something new for high school; you know what I’m saying?”

“I guess.” Justin shrugged and Darnell responded with another punch. “What?”

“That’s it?”

“I’m sure you’ll hear more once we get to school.” He started with a smirk as he crossed the street without Darnell.

“More? Like what?” Clearly fishing for compliments, she followed behind him.

“Guys telling you that you are all that and a bag of chips.” Darnell burst into a loud laughter and shoved him once more. Then, she told him to shut up.

“You know I wasn’t even going to do this but Darrien convinced me. She said that high school was all about looks and what you’re wearing. She said I had to start off fresh and look fresh while doing so.”

“But Dee, this aint you…” He paused to run his fingers through her hair. It was unbelievably soft. The smoothness of it made his fingers tingle. He dropped his hand back to his side and Darnell finally released the breath that she had been restraining.

“I’ve never dressed like this so how do we know it’s not me?”

“It’s not you.” Justin repeated firmly. “It’s Darrien.” Immediately, Darnell sucked her teeth at his comment.

“How come every time I attempt to be girly I’m trying to be like Darrien? My mother gushed about the same crap when I left the house. How pretty and lady-like I looked. How I had to dress like that more often. How much I looked like a Darrien mini-me. How finally she was happy that I was growing out of my boy phase. It’s not a phase. I just prefer to be comfortable.” She stretched out her skirt again for emphasis.

“God, I feel like my ass is showing!”

“It’s not.” Justin said after having the nerve to check. “If you want to change you can borrow my gym shorts but you’ll have to bring them to my seventh period. I need them for gym class.”

“No that’s okay.” She sighed. “I promised Darrien and mom that I wouldn’t change today.”

“Really? Cause you can change in those bushes. I’ll cover you.”

“Eww that’s perverted.” Darnell giggled, Justin soon joined her but tried to defend himself. The next ten minutes, they walked in silence. Darnell felt awkward and Justin was nervous. He couldn’t stop looking at Darnell while she wished that he would.

He wasn’t accustomed to this new reaction towards her nor was he used to her appearance. And she wasn’t familiar with his attention or any boy’s for that matter. It actually made her stomach flutter.

“Hey Justin?” She touched his arm once they reached the school stairs. The way she was staring at him was so innocent, yet anxious. He didn’t know what to make of it. Usually, Darnell was evil eying or wrestling him, especially when he would whip her in a video game, never ever was she willing to show her softer side. She’d send him home before she’d allowed him that privilege.

“Yeah?”

“Don’t lie to me just because I’m your friend…but do I really look pretty?” Justin was prepared to reply with a standard, “I guess so’, but Darnell wanted his honest opinion.

“All that and a bag of chips.” She rolled eyes and giggled at his unfamiliar use of the phrase, yet there was no mistaken the hint of blush on her cheeks. “And you look even better than Darrien.” That last compliment did the trick. Darnell laughed away her nervousness.

“You’re trippin’, but thanks anyway.” She rushed up the school stairs ahead of him. Justin stared after her and quickly realized his eyes were not the only ones doing so.

~*~*~*~*~

So far, Darnell had only made it through half of the day; however, she quickly concluded that it had been eventful. Not only did she get compliments on her newly straighten hair from all the popular girls she didn’t yet know, but she also received a couple appreciative looks from some of the boys.

She was actually surprised that everything had gone the way Darrien said it would until she found herself along with several other female classmates in the principal’s office because of her eye-catching attire. Apparently, her skirt was too short and her shirt too tight. It was all new to her since she had never been accused of showing too much skin.

In reality, her mother, Victoria wished she showed her legs more often. She even complained to the principal that Darnell didn’t show off her curvy little figure nearly enough.

“My daughter wasted so many years wearing those godforsaken baggy tee shirts and overalls that she probably didn’t know she had big breasts and hips until this morning!” Her mother’s exaggeration carried through the speakerphone. Mr. Owens, the principal, was more than a little shocked. He had expected Darnell to be scolded for her “inappropriate” wardrobe rather than praised for it. Afterwards, all he could do was send her out to the waiting area until he thought of what to do with her.

Now, she was getting weird looks from the boy beside her who had refused to do something as simple as a ten-minute class presentation. Evidently, doing actual work on the first day of school was unheard of and ridiculous.

In the span of a half hour, she had learned that he, Jason McMillan was an eleventh grader on the varsity basketball team as a point guard. He had just made the team despite the fact that he had tried out his first two years of high school. Also, he planned to make it big in the NBA one day. Not interested at all, she only pretended to listen because he was talking about one of her favorite sports.

“So what are you in for?” He abruptly asked. Darnell turned and found herself staring into his light brown eyes. He raised a dark brown brow at her when she didn’t immediately respond.

Darnell followed her sister’s advice and licked her lips. She had done so nervously but all that mattered was that it had been done. She managed to look at and converse with a boy without scrunching up her face due to absolute boredom.

“Hey, I’m talking to you.” He urged her to open her mouth and speak.

“I know and I’m listening.” Darnell winced as soon as she uttered the attitude-laced words. Darrien told her that she couldn’t treat every boy as she treated Justin if she was hoping to one day have a boyfriend.

“Oh so what are you in for?”

“You make it sound like we’re in prison.” His lips lifted into a sly smile.

“School is prison. That’s why I’m trying to elevate my ball game so the NBA will snatch me up. I won’t have to worry about stupid classes and homework anymore. That’ll be the bomb, right?”

“Well, I just started high school today so I’m not looking to drop out anytime soon.”

“Oh so you’re fresh meat, huh?”

Darnell tried not to roll her eyes. “I’m a freshman, yes.”

“Okay.” He chuckled, showing off two rows of perfect teeth. “What’s your name?”

“Why?” Once again, she couldn’t control her mouth. Darnell sighed; she wasn’t cut out for this flirting stuff. However, rather than be offended Jason just brushed it off.

“I just wanna know the name of the pretty girl I’m talking to.” Aww, she heard the words pretty girl and nearly melted all over the bench. That was the second time today she had been told that she was pretty.

“My name is Darnell.”

“Darnell? Isn’t that a boy’s name?” Okay, why’d he have to ruin it? She almost reached out and punched him in a reflexive action.

“I’m named after my uncle if that’s what you’re asking.” Darnell gnawed her bottom lip to keep from expressing her annoyance with a range of colorful words.

“Oh that’s dope.”

“Thanks.” She murmured while standing. Automatically, her hands went to her skirt. She had been toying with the length of it all day until the principle stopped in the hall and called her into his office. “I’m going to go see if I can go back to class. So…bye Jason.” As she walked off, she folded her hands behind her back just to shield her butt from his view. She was never wearing a mini skirt again.

“Hey Darnell…” She turned back around. “You know, you would look good as my girlfriend. You know that don’t you?”

“Um, no, no I didn’t.”

“Well, now you do.” He smirked and licked his lips. Darnell whirled around towards the principle’s office with a blush tinting her cheeks again. Her first day of school had been a day for many firsts. And before the week was over she had her first boyfriend.

However, there was something strange about their relationship. She didn’t stay up all night talking to him on the phone like Darrien and Andrew often did. In fact, he didn’t even have her number nor did she have his. They only talked during lunch periods, and before and after school. Sometimes she would watch him practice in the gymnasium, not knowing what else a girlfriend was supposed to do. Like now, she sat in the bleachers and played one of her handheld videogames, oblivious to everyone around.

“Hey.” Startled by the sudden voice Darnell shoved her Game boy into the front pocket of her backpack. She raised her eyes to Justin and not Jason as she anticipated. She sighed relieved. She wasn’t ready to tell Jason about her tomboy like addiction to videogames.

“What game were you playing?” Justin asked while moving her backpack to the floor so that he could sit beside her. He settled the school’s digital camera in his lap. As a part of Dunbar High’s yearbook staff, he had to be prepared to take pictures.

“Um Super Mario.”

“One, two, or world?”

“One.”

“Oh cool.” And that was the end of their conversation as they drifted into an awkward silence. Their walks to and from school had been uncomfortable as well ever since Darnell told Justin about her new boyfriend one day while they were in her basement.

“You know that boy you were taking pictures of in the gymnasium?” She had asked.

“Jason McMillan? Yup, why you like him?” He was only teasing her knowing that between the both of them she would be the one to least likely show interest in dating. However, then she blindsided him while wearing the cheesiest grin on her face.

“He’s my boyfriend.”

“I guess this new look paid off, huh?” His attention had drifted to his shoes strings and he hadn't paid enough attention afterwards to hear her response. He had gone home and hadn't been back to her house since.

“So what are you doing later?”

She shrugged, “Um I might stay and watch Jason’s game.” That wasn’t out of the ordinary. She loved basketball. Her favorite player was Michael Jordan.

“Yeah me too. I have to take pictures. But what about after?”

“I don’t know yet Jason might wanna do something.”

“Oh ok.” He tried hard not to relay his disappointment.

“Why? You wanna help me with my homework 10th grader?” She smirked teasingly.

“You don’t need my help you’re smarter than I am.”

“True.” Darnell bragged with a bright smile as the atmosphere eased from tense to comfortable. It had only been four days since they hadn’t talked to each other or hung out after school, yet it seemed much longer.

“So have you told your moms and Darrien about Jason?”

“Oh God no! They would have a congratulations party, no thank you. So right now they think I’m spending all of my time with you.” She laughed lightly while he forced out a chuckle and watched her intently as she flipped her hair out of her face. He noticed a hint of gloss upon her lips.

“You like being the girly girl and being someone’s girlfriend don’t you?”

Darnell pursed her lips. “Jason likes the way I look so, um, it’s okay.”

“Just okay, huh?”

“Yeah I’m still getting used to it and I don’t know how long this will last.” She tugged on the hem of the knee-length denim skirt she wore with a blue tee shirt.

“Well, I need to take your picture then.” He lifted the camera.

“To savor this look when it’s gone and buried?”

“It doesn’t matter. I like both versions of you Dee.” He admitted, then snapped the picture. The flash nearly blinded her.

“Damn, you never let me pose first!” Her bottom lip poked out in a pout, giving him the opportunity to snap another photograph. “Justin!”

“What? That was cute.”

“My fist is cute too.” She tucked in her bottom lip and held up her fist towards the camera, which deserved another picture.

“That’s the last one, I promise.” Justin hurried to put the camera away when she reached to hit him in her favorite spot, his arm.

“Hey Darnell.” Still laughing, they turned towards a sweaty Jason. Justin scrunched up his nose. Darnell kept their distance when Jason sat beside her.

“What’s up camera boy, you taking pictures of my girl?” He threw his arm around Darnell’s shoulder in a decidedly possessive fashion. She cringed. She definitely wasn’t one of those prissy girls that was afraid to get sweaty, as long as it was her own sweat of course.

“Don’t call him that.”

“Why not? He takes pictures.”

“Don’t call him that. I call him that.” And she had been calling him that for the past year so obviously that made it okay.

“Oh you know him?”

“Yeah.” Darnell replied but didn’t bother to elaborate. It was then that Justin decided it was time for him to leave. He was already disgusted by them as a couple as it was.

“See you later Dee.” He stood and began to gather his things.

“Wait, take our picture for the yearbook. Caption it cutest couple.” Justin almost threw up in his mouth.

“I’m all out of space on this thing. I’ll get you next time.” It didn’t take him long to dash down the bleachers and out of the gymnasium.

Justin and Darnell hadn’t spoken to each other since that afternoon in the gym. Even when he happened to pass by her in the hall, the awkwardness and tension were too much to share more than a slight wave.

Justin, unsure of how to handle the “new” Darnell, spent less time at her house playing video games and more time sulking in his lonesome. However, Andrew, his ever perceptive cousin, noticed the change in him and had tried to pump him for information, but he’d been evasive.

Justin suspected that Darnell still hadn’t told Darrien about her new boyfriend or else Andrew wouldn’t still be interrogating him about how his and Darnell relationship had seemed to change overnight.

Justin lifted his head from his arms as soon as he heard the turning of the lock; he needed to pretend to be at least somewhat happy to keep Andrew off his back. Of course it didn’t work.

“I thought you would be at Darnell’s. Are y’all still not talking?” Andrew eyed him suspiciously as he shrugged.

Justin tried not to show his irritation at hearing Darnell’s name, but he failed miserably. “Why don’t you ask Darnell that?” He muttered under his breath, toying with the rope of his camera.

“Oh she’s Darnell now? What happened to ‘ Dee’?” Andrew laughed and held up his hands defensively when Justin glared at him.

He pushed away from the table and stood, leaving his camera on the table before leaving the kitchen.

“Well I’m going out with Darrien, anything you want her to tell Darnell?” Andrew’s voice followed him in the bedroom.

“No!” Justin yelled and plopped down on the edge of the bed. He had nothing to say to her, nothing at all. Besides she was the one that didn’t want to talk to him so why should he bother.

A few seconds later Andrew appeared in the doorway, “You’re lying man, but whatever. Peace out.” Andrew hadn’t allowed Justin to say more before exiting the bedroom.

After about thirty minutes of absolute boredom with the video game, Justin stared at the Sega Genesis controller for another five minutes before tossing it to the side. Briefly, he wished he was at Darnell’s playing video games in the basement, but he pushed that thought aside too.

The phone rang suddenly and Justin looked at it before answering it. “Hello.” He rushed out.

“Justin?” Dee?

“Darnell.” He would not make the mistake of referring to her as Dee.

“I was wondering-” Her sentence was cut short when Justin abruptly ended the call. He stared at it and his hands began shaking in anger.

“Shit.” The muttered expletive summed up his life perfectly at the moment.

He knew Darnell would not bother calling him back. In fact he hoped she wouldn’t. Hopefully, he wouldn’t make the mistake of running into her in the hall or worse the cafeteria line since they shared the same lunch period. He had been doing such a good job of avoiding her during lunch or maybe it was she that had been doing a better job of spending time with her “new” boyfriend.

~*~*~*~

A walk through the woods was usually a peaceful entity, a way to bond with all of the beauties of nature. However, apparently, Justin felt differently as he kicked away rocks that were in his path and snatched leaves off poor innocent branches as if they had offended him. Yet, it was neither the rocks nor the leaves that had offended him, it was Dee, no, Darnell.

Just hours earlier, he had been sitting at the far end of one of the cafeteria tables by himself when just last week he and Darnell had shared that spot. Not wanting to spend another dreadful minute alone, he hurriedly ate the lunch that his mother had packed for him. Afterwards, he stood and headed towards the trashcan, which was positioned conveniently in the middle of the cafeteria. Seconds later, Darnell had been standing beside him. She had used the moment to talk to him while Jason was at the front of the lunch line.

“Hey, you’ve been M.I.A?”

“Uh huh.” He dumped his trash.

“And last time we talked, your phone accidentally hung up on me.” She was eyeing him knowingly.

“Uh huh.” He put his tray on top of the trashcan.

“Whatever. Do you wanna come over tonight? I got a new video game.” Her smile almost made him forget what he was going to say.

“Uh…no I’m good. Plus I gotta eat dinner with Mom, it’s family night.” He was treading in dangerous territory. He didn’t want to be having a conversation with Darnell, yet here he was.

“Maybe your boyfriend might wanna play?” He was satisfied enough with the annoyed expression on her face to walk away, and that’s exactly what he did. He stomped out of the lunchroom with Darnell staring questionably at his back.

Justin, always the one with an eye for detail, lifted his camera to snap a picture of a stray dog that somberly ambled down the block, searching for his next meal or maybe a new friend---he had concluded as the dog quickly crossed the street to lick his hand.

“Hey buddy.” Justin had no choice but to pet the large animal. He smiled slightly as the golden retriever tagged along beside him.

“You’re funny.”

Justin looked up from the food that he was gathering from his backpack to feed the dog. There one block behind him, stood Darnell and her boyfriend or “boo”-as he heard some of the students refer to Jason.

Today her hair fell in array of ebony curls on her shoulders and she accessorized the style with a multi-colored headband. He hated to admit it but the look suited her even though it was so unlike Dee.

Defiant, he turned his back to the sight of his displeasure and continued to his destination, attempting to ignore the anger that was seeping into him. However, every few seconds he found himself looking out the corner of his eye in her direction.

Justin did a fantastic job of trying to discreetly spy on Darnell and managed to walk home at the same time until suddenly she met his intense gaze. He froze and tripped over his own feet.

Both Darnell and Jason turned too see Justin quickly rise to his feet and collect his belongings.

“Hey, isn’t that the dorky camera boy you know?” His insult fell on deaf ears as Darnell quickly walked the rest of the block to catch up with Justin.

She’d tried calling his name, but it seemed that his steps quickened whenever she had. At this rate, she would have to chase Justin down the block or else he would turn the corner and be at Andrew’s house before she made it to the next block.

Darnell called after him again, rushing around the corner and ignoring the insistent yelling of Jason. “Justin!”

Justin struggled to maintain control of his camera and the items that were overfilling his backpack as he approached oncoming traffic. The crossing guard abruptly held up the stop sign when he saw Justin coming, thankfully the light had turned red just in time.

The retriever was surprisingly keeping up, assuming that Justin was running as part of a race. However, the only thing that was racing was his heart as he contemplated what Darnell would do if she managed to catch him. Apparently, she wasn’t that far behind him as he had suspected because now it seemed as if she was directly behind him. He could feel her breath on the back of his neck and clearly hear the angered voice in his ear before she tackled him. He hit the ground with a thud. His chin scraped a patch of dirt rocks.

“Oww! What you do that for!” He tried to roll over.

“Why the hell have you been ignoring me Justin?” He winced as he felt the force of Darnell’s elbow in his spine. It was amazing how ladylike she could be in her skirt and still be “tomboy” enough to chase him down like a fugitive. The dog barked loudly, circling them excitedly.

Justin spit out the distasteful flavor of grass before speaking, “You were ignoring me first!”

“You hung up on me!” She spat, her words, condemning. Her voice, winded.

“That was an accident!” He lied.

“Bump you Justin. Why are you acting different now that I go to Dunbar?” At her question, Justin instantly thought that she had obviously mistaken him for herself since she clearly was the one who had done a 360.

“I’m still the same.” And that was all he said before he miraculously shifted his weight so that he would no longer be kissing dead grass. Darnell eased off of him and settled beside him, but still kept one firm hand on his chest.

“You’re the different one, not me. The Darnell I know wouldn’t have had her head so far up Jason’s ass, drooling all over him every time I see you.” He stuck his finger in his mouth and pretended to throw up.

Darnell flinched, shoving his chest. “No I do not!”

"Uh huh!” Justin shouted his great comeback.

“Oh grow up.” She scoffed and stood, wiping the grass from her skirt. Unfortunately, it was stained. Justin watched her from his position on the ground. Darnell looked up the block looking for Jason although he had long ago headed back the other way.

“I’m actually surprised you didn’t forget about me.” Justin mumbled. The moment he settled his elbows on his knees, Darnell pushed him over and he dropped to the side with little resistance. She kneeled beside him once again.

"Forget about you? Boy Please. Who called you? Who did you hang up on? Who tried to talk to you at school? Who walked away from whom? Correction ran."

“Oh like you really wanted to hang out with camera boy?”

“What?”

“Ever since you found out that you’re actually pretty, it’s been Jason this and Jason that. He’s only with you cause of how you dress now. Go to school tomorrow in your braids and overalls, he won’t even remember you. I’ll bet you five bucks!” Justin boasted.

Darnell rolled her eyes. “I’m not betting you my lunch money!” Following her refusal, Justin finally rose to his feet. He dusted off his pants. He helped Darnell up.

“I bet you.” He felt the need to add as he started up the block again to walk Darnell home. The ownerless dog followed behind.

~*~*~*~

Sitting with her back against the base of the couch, Darnell jabbed the buttons of the game controller as she tried desperately to beat the board to reach the next level. She had barely made it through the first level all because she had been distracted. Distracted and angry. Angry with herself because Justin was right. Jason had forgotten about her.

Last night after Justin had walked her home, Darnell decided to test her options. Instead of wearing her hair straight or in curls as she had been doing for two weeks now, she asked Darrien to braid it. And when she awoke this morning she opted for a pair of her favorite overalls and a loose-fitting jersey in her favorite color, North Carolina blue.

Darrien rolled her eyes when she saw her and her mother mumbled her disappointment before she walked upstairs to her room where she would watch television prior to the spending the whole day cleaning up the house. Before leaving to meet Justin at the corner, Darnell grabbed her baseball cap and fitted it over her braids.

As he soon as he saw her, a wide smile lifted his lips. He was happy but surprised to see the Old Dee back in full effect. Darnell rolled her eyes, but admitted that she finally felt comfortable again. She was also secure in the fact that she wouldn’t be in the principal’s office today for inappropriate attire.

Darnell managed to survive two periods of horribly boring classes before she went to find Jason so that they could go to lunch. She rounded the corner towards his locker section and saw him talking some girl, whose honey-toned hands were all over him. She didn’t find that out of the ordinary being that she was used to the female attention he received as an athlete.

She spent a few minutes watching from afar before she strolled over to the pair. She stood behind the longhaired girl whose back was facing her. Since the girl was the taller one of the two, Jason hadn't noticed her. This prompted Darnell to call his name.

“Jason.” The girl whirled around to face Darnell and ended up knocking her books to the floor. Darnell bent to retrieve them.

“Oh my bad dude. I didn’t know you were behind me.” Darnell looked up in time to see the smirk that accompanied her words.

“I’m not a dude.” Darnell whipped off her hat. Her creatively braided cornrows settled past her shoulders.

“Oh my bad.” She repeated.

“Sure.” Darnell stepped around her and stood before Jason. He eyed her hair oddly before his eyes drifted to her chest; most likely wondering where her breast had ran off to beneath her baggy shirt.

“H-hey Darnell, ‘sup?”

“Darnell?” The girl choked on a laugh. Darnell sighed and attempted to ignore her. She definitely wasn’t going to the principal office for a short skirt, but she probably could for fighting.

“You ready to go to lunch?”

“Um…” Jason paused to scratch his head. “Yeah. What’s with your look?”

“What look? This is how I dress.”

“This the first time I’ve seen you dressed like that. I like the skirts and curly hair better.”

Darnell gnawed her bottom lip as she was well on her way to becoming annoyed. “Look, I can’t dress like that everyday, too much work.”

“But if you dress like that then you’re not my girlfriend.” Jason folded his arms and leaned against his locker door.

“What?” Her feelings were crushed. “I’m still the same girl.” She didn’t know why she had to explain that fact to everybody.

“No my girl wears skirts and nice shirts. Not an outfit that looks like it could’ve been borrowed from my little brother.” At his harsh remarks, Darnell withheld a gasp. However, she felt tears gather at the back of her throat.

“So you gonna wear a skirt tomorrow?”

“No.” She wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of ogling her.

“Okay well I’m gonna go eat lunch with Alisha since she just asked. See you around.” He tossed a long chocolate arm around Alisha’s shoulder and the two walked off towards the cafeteria. Darnell headed to the library to bury her head behind a large book where no one would see her crying.

Now hours later, she was in her basement alone after rushing straight home after school without Justin in tow. She had hurried past the curious faces of Darrien and her mother and slammed the door behind her. When she had decided to focus on a video game, she concentrated more on not crying than the actual game. Finally, she began to take out her braids.

Darnell jumped up when she heard the basement door open and the sound of approaching footsteps.

“Leave me alone,” were the first words out of her mouth.

“Darrien said you would say that.”

“Oh…hey Justin.” She mumbled and relocated to the floor.

“Hey, what’s up?” Awkwardly, he stood with his hands stuffed into his pockets. Never ever seeing Darnell truly upset, he tried not to focus on the puffiness of her eyelids.

“Nothing.” She started on loosening another braid.

“Oh. I heard about what happened.” Actually, he had seen and heard the whole thing as he was walking into the lunchroom.

“Yeah I know. I’m not going to have your money until Monday though.”

“I wasn’t betting you for real Dee.”

“Oh ok.” She simply answered and reached her hand up towards another braid. Meanwhile, Justin finally went to sit on the couch. Darnell remained on the floor below him, her face close to his kneecap.

“Jason is a jerk.”

“You can say I told you so.”

“I told you so.” Darnell lifted her head to see him grinning. “What? You said I could.”

“I feel stupid and I dressed up for a stupid boy, then he dumped me. I had a boyfriend for a whole week. That’s pathetic.”

“You’ll get another one.”

Darnell wasn’t as assured. “Bet me money.” She looked up at him and smiled her first smile of the last few hours.

“I can’t. Don’t have any money.” They both laughed.

“What about you? You gotta gurrlfriend camera boy?” Justin immediately tensed at her question.

“Nope but I did kiss a girl today.” His confession made Darnell gasp.

“When?”

“Just now.” He replied and before he could lose his nerve, he pulled Darnell upright and into a kiss, an innocent kiss on the corner of her lips that was more like a peck, yet a kiss nonetheless. Darnell stiffened and then relaxed before slowly returning to her spot on the floor. When her back was to him again, she pulled her hand away from her hair to touch her lips. They tingled. She couldn’t believe her first kiss was with camera boy.

Surprised as well, Justin too touched his lips. Kissing a girl was much better than dreaming about them all the time. In fact, he should probably say something before he managed to scare Darnell away because of a natural body reaction to the kiss.

“You’re taking out your hair, is Darrien going to straighten it again?” That was the first thing he could think of.

“I was going to ask her to, but now I’m just gonna have her braid it again.”

“Oh.” He settled his hands in his lap before continuing. He stared at the many braids in her hair. “Do you need some help?” Darnell turned to stare at him oddly, but allowed him to help. She scooted back until she was sitting between his knees and he could reach the ends of her hair.

“Oww.” Dee winced as he yanked too hard on one braid. Obviously, he hadn't done this before.

“Sorry.” Justin groaned. He knew if Darrien came down and saw them, she would tell Andrew and he’d have hell to pay. Yet, that didn’t seem to matter as long as he had his Dee back.

After minutes of content silence, Darnell spoke up. “I’ma tell Darrien about what Jason did. She might be girly but she can whip his ass!”