One Week Later
Another rally, another performance for us. We didn’t have practice at all last week because we needed to rest after street ball week. I wish somebody would’ve told me that there was a rally today! Then I would’ve actually thought about or performance and tried to run it over with the girls…we are totally unprepared. I don’t even know what song we’re doing, and the rally is in an hour…next period.
It’s okay just stay calm right? How much bad can happen?
I’m sitting here in science class bored out of my mind! It’s hard not to think about our performance. None of my friends are in this class either. Well, there are other black people in here, but I don’t talk to any of them on a regular basis.
The teacher brought her ugly ass up to the front of the room now. I don’t like her. Can you tell? I don’t like people that underestimate me, and she’s one of those people. I guess just because I’m black, I’m not supposed to be getting an ‘A’ in science. She thinks I should be getting an ‘A’ in something like Black History. I’m getting an ‘A’ in there too, but ya know…it’s the principle of the thing!
“There’s a rally next period, class. It says on my paper that all students must report to the auditorium instead of the gym next period. So, don’t go to your fourth periods…go straight to the auditorium. Also, the library will be closed because it’s a mandatory rally. I believe they’re making some announcements about basketball and announcing the court for ‘Winter Ball’.”
Crap! I forgot about that too…I know I was nominated because I saw my name on the ballot last week when voting was held. I’m not gonna win, so no worries. Maybe I’ll at least be in the court. Justin and Victoria seem to be winning everything. He’s not mad at her anymore.
That figures.
He called me and told me. Don’t ask me why he felt the need to call little ol’ me cause I have no clue. He swears I care about her stank ass. But, I told him he could call me whenever he wanted to talk. I owe him…after how rude I was to him during street ball week.
Justin couldn’t stay mad at anyone for a long period of time if he tried. With the exception of Damien, that is.
Wait…how the hell are we all supposed to fit in that auditorium? There’s no way in hell all of us are going to be able to fit in there. I wonder what’s going on with the gym…something’s probably not working again.
Cheap ass school.
Where am I gonna sit? Somebody better save a seat for me, I know that for sure! Seniors should get priority, dammit!
“Ms. Thomas!” my teacher yelled from the back of the room, where her desk was.
What does this heffa want? I turned around and looked at her.
“Come here, please,” She ordered.
She handed me a pink slip when I got to her desk. It was an excuse to get out of class early! I wonder who wrote this? I know no lady in the office would write “You’re special and a senior…bring your ass on!” on a pink slip.
After I gathered my things, I slowly walked out of the classroom and peered down the hallway. There stood Justin and Mike in the distance, leaning against lockers and grinning at me.
I shoulda known.
“What up, pimpin’?” Justin said in a goofy tone.
I laughed, “Y’all are too much! Where did you guys get these pink slips from?”
Justin popped his collar playfully. “There’s this sophomore that’s an office aid 3rd period. She wants me bad,”
Mike laughed, “Girl is sprung! She was like, ‘Oh sure, Justin anything you want.’”
The boys laughed at Mike’s impression. We walked down the hallway some more and Mike turned a corner. I guess he had to round up some more people.
Justin looked at me and grinned. When he turned his head, I looked up at him and grinned. After a short moment of silence, we both began to laugh.
We did that a lot. “Are you ready for tryouts?” I looked up at him again.
Justin sobered up and sighed, “Yeah, man.”
“You’re a lot happier these days. What’s up with that? You found oreos to go with your milk?” I joked.
Justin smiled sarcastically, “Ha. Ha. Very funny, Melanie. For your information, I’m happy cause I’m gonna be 18 at the end of this month. My ass is gonna be grown! My mamma can’t tell me shit!” he exuberated.
“Ha ha…watch your ass come to school a week after your birthday, and be like, ‘I gotta go straight home today, y’all. My mom said I have to wash the dishes and start dinner,’” I laughed after I did an impression of him.
He looked at me like he was upset, but I didn’t care. He knows I’m messin’ with him.
Justin finally laughed, “Probably, but…you’re supposed to be happy for me,” He whined and shook my arm.
“I am happy for you, Justin. You’ll be all grown up,” I smiled at him and he beamed back. “And then me and you could go clubbin together. You’ll be able to get me into clubs and stuff,” I added.
He looked as if a light bulb had just turned on and it illuminated his whole face.
“That’s right huh!” he smiled, and led me into the auditorium. “But, what makes you think I’m gonna be getting you into clubs?”
He’s a dork. He needs to stop playing with my emotions like that.
***
Sweat dripped from the girls’ faces as they walked off the stage, and into the backstage area. Melanie gathered them all in a group and congratulated them and complemented them on their performance. They had done better than they had all thought. Doing a routine that they’d known like the back of their hands, and having time to run it before the actual rally, had helped immensely.
They all changed back into their school uniforms just as Coach Walker had finished reminding the student body about the basketball tryouts that were going to be held after school.
Chasity walked up the steps that were on the side of the auditorium and tapped Jerome on the shoulder, signaling for him to let she and Melanie in the row. Some of the other girls sat in the row above them, kicking out any underclassmen that happened to be in the seat they wanted.
“Y’all did good,” Jerome whispered to Chasity.
She grinned at him and turned her attention back to the stage, which was the only object lit.
Damien looked over at Melanie briefly and grinned, before protectively putting his arm around her shoulder. Not once had Damien ever fully complemented Melanie on her dancing abilities unless they were dancing at a party and he was grinding against her.
Melanie sighed softly as the principal spoke and looked to her left, past Damien’s head, and to the other side of the auditorium. Lighter faces were seen over there. The auditorium was split into three sections with stairs in the gaps. The middle section was more mixed then the left and the right side, mainly because they were sophomores and freshmen who didn’t know any better.
Melanie’s brown eyes met with Justin’s blue, and she tried hard not to grin at the goofy look Justin was giving her, for Damien would notice. Justin didn’t seem to care if Victoria noticed, however, because she was too enthralled in the principal’s announcement about the royal court for the Winter Ball.
Damien looked at Melanie quickly, and she jumped slightly. Luckily, he thought she was trying to give him a kiss because her face was so close to his. Damien leaned in slightly, and gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
Melanie rolled her eyes at him when he was done, and connected them back with Justin, who was laughing at her now. She narrowed her eyes at him, silently telling him to shut up.
“Okay, and the princes and princesses for Winter Ball are as follows: Prince Trace Ayala and Princess Jamie Peters,” The principal looked up into the crowd as people clapped and some cheered.
The two were crowned when they got to the stage, and sat upon the chairs that were elevated on a riser. There was an arch adorned with white roses place over the riser.
“Next up are Prince Jerome Davis and Chasity Howard,” Many people cheered for them and shock appeared on Chasity’s face.
Melanie squealed, got up, and hugged her best friend tightly. “Now, you get to be with yo wannabe nigga!” she whispered her ear.
Chasity blushed and turned to Jerome, who was standing at the end of the row, with his hand held out. He smiled at her when she took it, and she turned her head in the direction of Melanie and winked.
The two were crowned, and the principal moved on, “Okay…let me get the next envelope open.” When he opened it, he announced, “Prince Justin Timberlake and Princess Victoria Jenkins.”
Loud cheers erupted from their side of the auditorium and Victoria hugged all of her friends, shocked, and hurriedly made her way over to Justin.
Melanie rolled her eyes as she watched Victoria. She leaned into Damien’s ear, “She actin’ she got crowned for queen.”
Damien nodded in agreement, “F’real.”
Justin and Victoria were crowned, and the principal announced that the next couple would be the last, “Here we go…” he opened the envelope, “…Prince Damien Ford and Princess Melanie Thomas.”
Melanie hugged the people around her, and she and Damien walked down the steps, with their arms linked.
**
“I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing, Dad. Mom may be blind to it for now, but I’m not,” Justin stood leaning against one of the marble counters and faced his dad, who had his back to him.
Randall slowly turned from his position in front of the sink and peered at his son suspiciously. Justin tried not to be scared as his father lurked over to him slowly and eyed him maliciously. Justin stood a step back, but was determined to stand his ground. His dad had been coming home with different women too many times for the last month. He either went home with them, or they came to Randall’s house.
“Don’t you need to be going to the beach or something like that? It’s Friday…it’s a three-day weekend. What are you doing still in the house? Do you want money, son?”
“No,” Justin said firmly.
Randall chuckled bitterly, “That’s a first. Get out of my face with all that bull shit, young man. You have no right to come at your father like that!” he yelled the end of his sentence and Justin winced.
Steven walked into the kitchen now, with a pout on his face. “Dad! The playstation is BROKEN!” he whined and Justin rolled his eyes, “John put peanut butter in it.”
Randall’s scowl turned into a smile and he motioned for his Steven to come closer to him, “I’ll call your mom and tell her to pick a new one up on her way home. How does that sound?”
“YAY!” Steven yelled and ran back into the depths of the large house.
Randall turned back to his eldest son and the scowl came back. He was silent, and he pulled out his wallet from the back pocket of his Armani pants. “Here,” Randall handed Justin a couple of crisp, hundred dollar bills.
Justin looked down at the green paper with desire. He wanted it; he saw a new outfit he wanted to get at the mall. But, he had to be strong. He sighed and looked back up at his father, who had a mischievous grin on his face.
“Go on, take it. You know you want…take your girlfriend, Krystal-”
“Kelice,” Justin corrected
“Err…take you girlfriend to the mall. By her a gift. Come on take it. I won’t tell your mom,” Randall inched the money forward and rose his eyebrows.
Justin shook his head slowly and snatched the money from his father’s hand. He walked away and shook his head with defeat.
**
Justin bounced the ball slowly onto the hardwood floor of the gym before taking the shot. He missed and cursed himself for reminiscing again. It frustrated him that he could never think back to the good things that happened in California enough. Whenever he thought about home, he thought about his father, and that distracted him when he’d try to play his best. Justin sighed and waited for one of the other guys trying out, to give him the ball. Randall never went to any of Justin’s basketball games, for it was always his mom and brothers who supported him.
It still baffled him as to why his mom had such a problem with him playing basketball. Justin didn’t understand it at all. But, his mom had always said that she wanted him to get recognized for his grades instead of just being able to play basketball.
The coach blew the whistle, “Alright, gentlemen come over here and take a knee,” He ordered.
The boys followed their coach’s instructions and got close. Justin and Jerome stood next to each other.
“It’s almost time for everyone to go home now, and I just need to see what everyone can do,” He instructed. “So, I want everyone to make one, single file line at half court. I’m going to hand you the ball, and the first time you come to the hoop, I want you to do a regular lay up. The second time, I wanna see a trick,”
The boys scattered and came together in a line, just like the coach had ordered. Justin was standing behind Mike, and Samuel was in front of Mike. Jerome, who was behind Justin, touched Justin’s back.
“What you gon’ deliver this time, milk man?”
Mike chuckled in front of him.
Justin rolled his eyes at their playful antics and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t know…whatever comes out the cart.”
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