Fair-Weather Friends (5 page)

Tori groaned in disgust but dug in her purse and pulled out four quarters. She dropped the money in Jasmine's hand. I could tell it took everything in Jasmine's power not to fling the money upside Tori's head.

Tori rolled her eyes as soon as Jasmine walked off. She leaned in and whispered something to Alisha, the girl sitting next to her, and they both busted out laughing.

I took a bite of my food in silence. We still had two days before they made a decision on us, so I was really hoping Jasmine could keep her cool until then.

“Here's your Diet Coke,” Jasmine said as she approached the table.

“Can you pop the top, please?” Tori casually said, as she turned back to Alisha like she was in a deep conversation.

Jasmine took a deep breath, then popped the top and sat the soda down in front of Tori.

Tori didn't bother to look at Jasmine as she continued her conversation with Alisha, this time talking real loud.
“So anyway, as I was saying, Donovan will be here this weekend and he can't stop talking about all the special things he has planned for us.”

I don't think I'd ever been so anxious for the bell to ring and for lunch to be over!

Tori had done everything under the sun to get Donovan to be with her when him and Jasmine were going together.

After Donovan left for college, him and Jasmine broke up, but it was obvious she still loved him. So to hear Tori talking about him, I just knew would set her off.

“… And he wants me to come up to watch him play,” Tori continued.

I was just about to try and start up a conversation with Jasmine about something, anything, when Tori turned to her.

“You know, I just thought about it—didn't you mess with Donovan for a minute?” she asked.

I hung my head. Tori knew doggone well that what Donovan and Jasmine had was more than just “messing around.” And it was definitely longer than “a minute.”

She looked at Jasmine innocently, like she was waiting on her to respond. Jasmine just continued biting her bottom lip. Tori shrugged and turned back to Alisha. “Guess the cat has her tongue. Oh well, anyway, wait until you see the dress I'm wearing for our date this weekend. Baby, those college girls won't have anything on me. I know when
Donovan sees me in that dress, he won't be able to keep his hands off of me.”

I guess Jasmine had heard all she could stomach because she grabbed her soda and her plate and got up from the table. Tori and Alisha laughed as she stomped off.

“Ooooh, you'd better go see about your little friend. She looks mad as all get-out,” Alisha said to me.

“
Little?
As big as she is? Please,” Tori said and they both cracked up laughing again.

“Yeah, I need to get to class anyway,” I said, getting up from the table as well. Angel followed me. It didn't surprise me that Tameka kept her seat.

We caught up with Jasmine just outside the cafeteria. She was fuming.

I walked up to her, poised to begin my speech.

She held up her hand and stopped me before I could say a word. “Camille, leave me alone. I swear, I'm two seconds from punching something. Or somebody.”

“Why are you letting her get to you?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Angel chimed in. “You know they just mess with us to get under our skin. That's what they're supposed to do to girls trying to join.”

“Well, that's stupid,” Jasmine snapped. “Why would they want to make me mad on purpose?”

I shrugged. “It's just all part of the process.”

“Well, it's a stupid process.”

Just then the bell rang and everyone began filing out of
the lunchroom. We were about to head to our classes when we heard Tori calling me.

“Oh, Camille,” she said, catching up to us and handing me a piece of paper. “Can you go turn in my history essay to Mrs. King? It's due by fifth period.”

Okay, I was getting tired of her, too. Still, I took the paper.

“Thanks, girl,” Tori said, without giving me time to respond. She stepped around me and immediately bumped into Jasmine. Tori's backpack fell open and all of her books came tumbling out. I couldn't be sure, but it almost seemed like Tori had done it on purpose.

“Dang! Would your big behind watch where you're going? Good grief!” Tori said, loud enough to make several people passing by stop and start staring. “Pick my stuff up!” She demanded. “You're going to make me late for class!”

Jasmine didn't respond. She just stood looking at Tori like she was crazy.

“Is all that fat clogging your ears?” Tori snapped. Several people standing around started “ooohing” and “aahing.”

Angel immediately started picking up the books.

“I don't want you to get it,” Tori snapped at her. “I want her to get it. She knocked the books out so she needs to pick them up.” Tori pushed Jasmine's shoulder. “And hurry up because I don't have all day.”

I saw the fire in Jasmine's eyes and knew it was all over.

“Get your own books,” Jasmine hissed. “And if you ever
put your stank hands on me again I will break your freakin' arm.”

“Hit her in the mouth!” some stupid boy yelled.

Tori seemed surprised for a minute, but quickly regained her confidence as she stepped closer toward Jasmine. “Umph, I don't know what Donovan ever saw in your big, food-stamp-carrying, ghetto tomboy behind.”

Jasmine's chest heaved up and down as she glared at her. She was from the hood and even though her mother was a hard worker, her family was still on welfare. So Jasmine was real sensitive about her background.

“What, you gonna hit me now?” Tori said, cocking her head. “I happen to know that you had to transfer to Madison in the first place because you got kicked out of your other school for fighting. One more fight and you're expelled from the district for good.” She smiled as she stepped closer. “So go ahead, take your best shot.”

Jasmine clenched her fists. “Touch me again and see how much I care about getting kicked out of school.”

“Come on, Jasmine, chill,” Angel whispered as she lightly touched Jasmine's arm.

Jasmine jerked her arm away but kept her glare on Tori.

“Yeah, Jasmine,
chill
,” Tori said. “Or you can forget about ever being a Theta.”

Jasmine took a deep breath, calming herself. “It's already forgotten. Because I don't want or need your little funky sorority.”

Tori sucked her teeth. “Oh, we weren't funky when you were all up in our face trying to be a member.”

“I ain't never been all up in your face.”

“Well, what did you apply for then?” Tori said.

“Call it temporary insanity, peer pressure, whatever. But consider this my withdrawal notice.” Jasmine reached over and snatched Tori's history essay from me. She held it up, then ripped it in half. “You're lucky your paper is all that I'm tearing up.” She flung the torn paper in Tori's face before turning and walking off.

My mouth—as well as Tori's—fell open in shock. But Jasmine couldn't care less as she strutted down the hall to her next class.

T
hey got it twisted if they thought I was just gonna sit there and take Tori's mess!

I didn't need to be a part of
nothing
that bad. I knew Camille was going to try and come give me some lame excuse about why I should give the Thetas another chance. And I was right because she, Angel, and Tameka were waiting at my locker after my last class.

“Camille, don't even start with me because I'm not trying to hear you,” I said as I opened my locker and stuffed my English book in.

“Come on, Jasmine. Why are you trippin'?” Tameka asked.

I slammed the locker shut. “You need to ask that snob Tori why she's trippin'.”

“They really are nice girls,” Tameka said.

I turned and stared at her. “Do your lips hurt?”

She looked confused. “My lips? Why?”

“I'm just wondering if your lips are sore from playing kiss-up.”

Tameka rolled her eyes, but I didn't care. I was too through. “Look, you guys might be okay with running around like a slave or something, but I'm not with that,” I told them.

Camille tried to convince me with, “Jasmine, you know this is all a big game.”

“Game over.” I headed down the hall and out the building. Camille, of course, was on my heels and Angel and Tameka were right behind her.

“Jaz, it's just all part of what they do,” Tameka said as they caught up with me.

“Yeah, it's all in fun,” Camille added.

Tameka, I wasn't even trying to hear. As for Camille, she was my girl and all, but she was definitely losing her mind. I spun on her. “Camille, there was nothing fun about today. There was nothing fun about last night. There is nothing fun at all about being humiliated, degraded, and talked to like you're crazy. If that's what gets you off, then fine. But as for me, no thanks.”

“It's not that bad,” Angel chimed in.

I turned to her and shook my head. “Angel, I can't believe you're falling for this mess. Half the time, they act like you're not even there. I don't understand why you even want to be a part of this.”

Camille let out a long sigh. “You're judging the whole
organization by one person. It's not even like that. Tori is just one person in the group.”

“She seems to be the only one that matters since everybody else is too scared to speak out against her.” It was my turn to let out a frustrated sigh. They were making my head hurt. “Look, I told y'all. I'm out. You can stay and take that crap all you want, but I'm done. The bad part is, you guys are taking all of this mess and you don't even know if you've been accepted.”

“We're supposed to get our letters Friday.” Camille pouted. “But Raquelle told me she thinks we're a shoo-in.”

“Whatever, Camille.” I was about to add something else when I looked up and saw Tori and her crew heading our way. I swear, if she said something out of line to me, I was gon' haul off and knock her in her jaw. That's why I decided it would be best if I bounced.

“I'm gone. I'll see you guys later. Have fun getting treated like dirt.”

I left before they could say another word. More power to them. But just like I tried to tell them from jump, I'm not cut out to be a sorority girl.

T
oday was a bittersweet day. One on hand, I was happy because we were supposed to be getting our letters of acceptance delivered to our lockers today after school. On the other, I was upset because I really wished Jasmine was going through the process with us. But after Jasmine went off on Tori the day before yesterday, I knew there was no way in the world that would happen.

Even still, me, Tameka, Angel, and Alexis were so excited. We'd all agreed to get our letters then meet behind the bleachers at the track after school and open them together. Alexis had skipped out of her last class early so she could come pick up her letter from the Theta advisor.

“I sure wish Jasmine was here,” Angel said as we pulled out our letters.

I sighed. “I know. Me, too.”

“You don't think our friendship will suffer behind all of this, do you?” Alexis asked.

“Nah,” I replied, hoping that I wasn't just trying to be optimistic. Jasmine had missed school yesterday and today because she was sick and she hadn't been in a talkative mood when I called her. I could tell she was still upset so I just left her alone. “She's just mad at Tori right now. I think she'll be fine with us when she gets over that.”

We all stood in silence for a moment, but the excitement began to overtake us.

“Okay, let's open the letters,” Tameka finally said.

“Wait,” I excitedly said before anyone could get their letters open. “Are we going to open them all together or one at a time?”

“All together,” Angel responded.

Tameka and Alexis nodded in agreement.

“On the count of three,” I said, holding up my envelope. “One, two,
three
!”

We all tore open our envelopes. My eyes immediately zoomed in on the word “congratulations.” I started squealing as I jumped up and down. Alexis and Tameka were doing the same.

“I'm in!” Tameka shouted.

“Me, too!” I sang.

“Me, three,” Alexis echoed.

I high-fived Alexis. “As if we had any doubts.”

We waited for Angel to start screaming as well, but she stood quietly, the letter gripped firmly in her hand.

“Come on, slowpoke,” I said. “Hurry up so we can go celebrate.”

Angel looked up, her eyes filling with tears. “It looks like you guys will have to celebrate without me. I didn't make it,” she said softly.

The smiles left our faces. “What?” Alexis and I said at the same time.

“You heard me. I got rejected.” Angel balled the letter up and stuffed it down in her book bag.

“You're kidding, right?” I said, reaching in her bag and grabbing the letter.

“I wouldn't kid about something like this.” Her voice was shaky.

I quickly scanned the letter. The words “sorry” and “try again next year” seemed to be blaring across the page.

I was speechless. It never crossed my mind that any of us might get rejected. And definitely not sweet, quiet Angel.

“I don't understand,” Alexis said. “How can they reject you? You're the nicest one of us all.”

Angel shrugged, trying to fight back tears. “I guess they just didn't like me.” She took a deep breath. “But don't worry about it. You guys got in. That's all that really matters.”

“No, it's not,” I said. “We were
all
supposed to get in.”

“Well, we all didn't,” Angel replied matter-of-factly as she threw her book bag over her shoulder. “It's probably for the best anyway. I need to be focused on school and raising Angelica.”