Cold As Ice (15 page)

“Here's your gas money and a little something extra, too,” Mama says, pulling a fifty-dollar bill from her bra—the safest wallet in the world—and handing it to me. “Food's expensive nowadays, isn't it, little Jayd?” I can't hide anything from Mama. I don't know why I try to keep anything from her when I know it's no use.

“And enjoy your day tomorrow,” Netta says, making sure she didn't miss a single strand on Mama's head. “We can handle the shop. You have fun with your friends.” I wish that were possible. Unfortunately, I'll probably spend the day trying to avoid them as much as possible in order to keep my good mood.

“Thank you both very much,” I say, hugging Mama first and then Netta. They never did answer me about coming to see me speak this weekend, but I know they will. They've always got my back and, unlike my friends, they never leave me in the dark. It'll be a miracle if Mickey and Nellie even remember it's my birthday tomorrow, but we'll see. I'm going to enjoy my day no matter what bull comes my way via friends, enemies, and everyone else in between.

 

After I left work yesterday evening, I stayed at the study session until midnight. At least it was at one of my favorite spots, the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. With all the caffeine in my system, I couldn't have slept even if I had made it back to Inglewood earlier. Jeremy has been the perfect gentleman, escorting me home every evening since I moved into my mom's place. He usually spends the night and leaves early in the morning to get ready for school at his own house. I'm glad for the company because I do get scared sleeping alone at night sometimes.

When I woke up this morning Jeremy had a bagel with a candle in the middle waiting for me on the dining room table. It was the sweetest thing ever, and the bagel was good, too. Today might just turn out to be the best birthday I've ever had. With Jeremy's thoughtfulness, it's already been perfect. My mom was the first one to greet me before I even woke up fully, singing “Happy Birthday” into my mind. I'm glad she and Karl are happy, but I do miss my mom being around, especially today.

My cell vibrates in my purse, beginning what I hope to be a day full of well wishes. I look at the caller ID and see it's my father calling. At least he didn't forget like he usually does. He can never remember whose birthday comes first—my mother's or mine—and usually ends up calling me on her day, but there's always a first time for everything.

“Hi, Daddy,” I say. I don't really want to talk to him, but I guess I should be nice because it's my birthday and all.

“Hey there, girl,” he says nervously into my cell. We haven't spoken since I left the bucket he calls my first car in his driveway a couple months ago. “Happy birthday. How old are you now, sixteen?” he jokingly asks, but I know he's serious.

“Seventeen,” I say. How could he forget how old his youngest daughter is? And, more importantly, how could he forget that my sweet-sixteenth birthday was last year? Maybe because, like all my birthdays, it wasn't that sweet or memorable because my former best friend from my old school, Family Christian, and I got busted shoplifting. Actually, I got busted while she was shoplifting and stuffed some boxer shorts into my backpack. Now I can never show my face again at the Ross in the O.C.—like I'd ever go in there again anyway.

“Okay, seventeen,” he says defensively. As I take my backpack and purse out of my mom's car, there's an uncomfortable pause on the phone. “How's everything else going?”

“Everything's going fine, Daddy. I just got to school,” I say, arming my car and heading toward the front gate. I purposely arrived early to campus this morning so I could get a good parking spot. There are barely any cars here yet, and it's quiet except for the squawking seagulls circling in the cloudy sky above my head.

“Oh, that's right. It is a school day,” he says. “I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday and let you know your card's in the mail. Bye, baby.” I hope there's a check accompanying the card when it arrives. With him, there's no telling.

“Thanks, Daddy, and have a good day,” I say, flipping my phone closed and returning it to its pocket inside my purse. Talking to my father is always like pulling teeth.

“Happy birthday, bitch,” Misty says, surprising me as I make my way from the main parking lot onto campus. What's she doing here so early, and why is she talking to me? Some people never learn their lesson, no matter how hard they fall in the process.

“I'm actually glad to see you this morning, and thanks for the greeting,” I say, stepping up to her so close I can smell the cherry lip balm smeared all over her mouth. “I'm going to tell you for the last time, Misty. Back the hell up off me and my friends, or you'll be sorry.”

“Your threats don't scare me,” she says, taking a step so close, we're basically breathing for each other. Even with her heels on, we're still eye level. Looking at Misty has always been a little like looking in a warped mirror.

“They should,” I say. Not backing down from her advance, my mind involuntarily cools, and my eyes begin to glow in hers. My mom's powers couldn't have manifested at a more perfect time, or so I think.

Careful, Jayd. You could catch a head cold
, Misty says in her mind, and I suddenly feel my vision becoming cloudy. Oh hell no, she didn't use my own powers against me again. The warning bell rings, and the crowd of students starts flowing in from all directions, shutting down my vision quest for the time being, but my head feels congested. Misty smiles at her work as she walks away. What the hell just happened here? I don't have time to figure it out before first period, but she's not going to get away with her shit for much longer.

Spanish class was uneventful and busy, as usual. I wonder if Mr. Adewale ever gets tired of being on point all the time. I know I get tired of trying. We have a sample exam in English class this period, and after dealing with Misty's ass first thing this morning, I'm not feeling so good. I just want to go home and get in the bed. I can't deal with Mickey today, or anyone else for that matter. I need to find out what Misty's up to and fast if I'm going to fix this shit.

“Happy birthday, Jayd!” Alia and the rest of our AP crew say to me as I step into Mrs. Malone's room. Alia is holding a small ice cream cake from Baskin-Robbins, just like I said I wanted at last night's session when they asked me what I was doing for my birthday. I've been asking for it all month but didn't think anyone was listening. How is it that my associates heard what my best friends missed—or, more likely, ignored?

“Atchoo!” I sneeze loudly, unable to hold it in. “Sorry about that, and thank you,” I say, slightly embarrassed at all the eyes on me, including Jeremy's. I bet this was all his doing.

“Well, don't just stand there,” Mrs. Malone says. “Blow out the candles so we can get started.” I follow her directions, blowing out all seventeen of the white candles, almost in tears by the time the last flame flickers out. This is the sweetest surprise ever.

“Here. I thought you might like a day to yourself,” Jeremy says, handing me a big silver envelope. I carefully remove the gold ribbon holding it together, reading the red words on the white paper. What else could he possibly give me that he hasn't already?

“Oh, Jeremy,” I say, reading the gift certificate for a full day of pampering at a spa. “I don't know what to say.”

“How about thank you?” he says, looking at me strangely. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Actually, no,” I say, sniffling a bit. “I think I'm coming down with something, but I'll be fine.” The rest of the students sit down as Mrs. Malone returns to her desk.

“I'll see you at break,” Jeremy says, kissing me on the forehead before walking out of our class to join his own.

“That reminds me,” Mrs. Malone says, handing our exams to Charlotte, who dutifully passes them out to the rest of us, “Mrs. Bennett's absent today, so our meetings are canceled.” That news alone is enough to make me feel better. Now if I could only get over whatever this is Misty has thrown my way, I'd be set for the rest of the day.

 

Just like I thought, Nellie and Mickey both forgot about my day. Mickey may have remembered, but as she's still not speaking to me, I guess I'll never know. And because Nigel's not talking to her, they're both in a foul mood, and I'm not reminding anyone to greet me during our ASU meeting. It's bad enough I had to sit through fourth period with them, waiting for some sort of acknowledgment, but I give up.

“Here, have a doughnut,” Jeremy says, passing me a glazed treat. I'm going to be so high off sugar by the time the day is over, I won't know what to do with myself. On top of this morning's cake and ice cream, Jeremy surprised me again at break with flowers and balloons attached to a pound of my favorite See's candy. If I'd known how fond of birthdays Jeremy is, I would've had mine a long time ago.

“Who brought them?” I ask, biting into the sweet Krispy Kreme treats. One of these is as addictive as taking a hit off a crack pipe, I assume. Maybe we should give these to Pam, the resident crackhead on the block Mama feeds on the regular, instead of a hot plate. Pam might find another addiction and gain some weight at the same time, killing two birds with one stone.

“I don't know, but I say we have these at every meeting,” Nigel says, licking the icing off his fingers as Mickey grabs two more doughnuts out of one of the three boxes stacked on Mr. A's desk. When he returns, the meeting will officially begin.

“Oh, did you want one?” Mickey asks Nigel, who looks amazed by how much his girl can put away. He shakes his head, and she continues eating, unashamed of the pounds she's packing on. There's still much tension in the air between them, but I can tell it's slowly dissipating, unlike the iceberg between Mickey and me. I'll let her completely chill the hell out before attempting to make nice. Besides, this shit is all her fault, as usual, and this time I refuse to be the first to speak.

“Enjoying the treats?” Misty asks, walking through the open door. A cold draft seems to follow her, reminding me of my dream about falling on black ice; that should be Misty's nickname because she's just as slick and dangerous as the real thing. “They're courtesy of KJ's campaign,” she says. I stop eating the soft pastry in midbite, now knowing their mysterious origin. Oh shit, this can't be good for me.

“You bought these?” Mickey asks, chomping away on her third doughnut. “Thanks, I guess.” That's the nicest thing Mickey has said to Misty in a long, long time. What did she put on these, and how do I protect myself from them? I knew I should've worn my bangles today. Something told me to gird my spiritual loins, but I didn't follow my first mind, and because I woke up at my mom's, Mama wasn't there to remind me like she would've done, had I been at home.

“Okay, students. Let's hear about how everyone's campaign is going,” Mr. Adewale says, walking into the room. “Ms. Toni won't be joining us this afternoon, but she did move to hold the official vote after spring break in a couple weeks. Any objections?” Not to that, but I think it should be illegal to bring food if you're intrinsically evil—I'll keep that suggestion to myself for the time being. I wrap the partially eaten pastry in a napkin and put it inside my purse. I'll have Mama take a look at it to see if my paranoia's running wild or if this girl really did put something in these.

“Man, I'm ready to vote now,” Del says, smacking on the sugary twist in his hand. “KJ's the man for the job—no offense, Jayd.”

“None taken, Del,” I manage to say, but the room has seemingly dropped in temperature. “Is it just me, or did someone turn up the air conditioner?” I zip up my jacket and rub my arms, trying to warm myself up. So much for showing off my new bebe top and pants, courtesy of Jeremy.

“I think it's just you. I hope you didn't catch a cold; that's why I was out for the past two days,” Misty says, her blue contacts gleaming. “Maybe your blood sugar's just low. Why don't you have another doughnut? It might help.” She gestures to the pile of tainted sweets. She's not as slick with her shit as she thinks she is. Whatever Misty did is having an effect on me, but no one else seems to see what I see, which is no surprise.

“Yeah, I say we get this vote over with now,” Nigel says, washing his snack down with water. “I'm ready.” Something tells me if he voted now, it wouldn't be for me, even if he is my unofficial campaign manager. Mr. Adewale looks at me still shivering and at his desk where the doughnuts are. Before he can add it all up, Chance walks into the room with an armful of pizza boxes and balloons.

“What's this all about?” Mr. A asks, taking a few of the boxes from him and setting them down on top of an empty student desk.

“It's Jayd's birthday, Mr. A,” Chance says, putting down the rest of the food and handing me more balloons before kissing me on the cheek. Mickey and Nellie look completely surprised by the news, but Nigel smiles. I knew he couldn't have forgotten about me, just like Rah—even if I don't expect to hear from him anytime soon after Mickey's confession. “This is from me and Nigel, girl.”

“Happy birthday, Jayd,” Mr. A says, walking over to give me a hug. Instead of feeling happy at his warm embrace, I feel sick to my stomach.

“I think I'm going to be sick,” I say, running from the classroom, barely making it outside before chucking up the half doughnut and everything else in my stomach.

“Jayd!” Jeremy says, running after me. He grabs my hair, holding it out of the way, and I'm glad for it. There's nothing like getting vomit in my hair. I take a couple napkins from Mr. Adewale, who has joined us outside, and wipe my mouth dry. This is so uncute.

“Maybe you should go home and get some rest. I hear there's been a bug going around,” Mr. Adewale says, walking back inside his room. He writes me a note to the office while Chance grabs all my birthday stuff, my purse, and my backpack.