Hustlin' (19 page)
Authors: L. Divine
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It's the Friday before the Fall Festival and the holiday buzz is in the air more than ever. For me, though, it's a rough day. The final rehearsal before the practice run-through is today, and as I head down to the drama room, everyone looks excited about the event. On my way, I notice Mickey and Nigel walking toward the main office.
“Hey y'all, wait up,” I say, jogging over to where they are walking across the quad, careful not to let any of my potion spill out of the miniature spray container I put it in last night. I want to savor all of my golden potion and make sure it's used for its intended purpose only. I can't wait to get to the dressing room and get started on my cleansing. I even jotted down a Legba chant to say, just to add to my good luck.
“What's up, Jayd?” Nigel says.
They both apologized already for me losing my part, and I've forgiven them, for the time being. But they both know they have to do their part in fixing this mess and I'll do mine.
“My parents are coming to campus to talk with the principal about my ditching, Mickey's pregnancy, everything. This sucks big time, man.”
Damn, Nigel's in for it when Mr. and Mrs. Esop get the whole story. And if they find out I helped, they'll never trust me again. It's one thing for the school to think I'm down with their ditching, put me on probation and take my part away from me. The administration already thinks badly of me, no matter how wrong they are. But for Nigel's parents to think that I intentionally set their son up to get played is another thing altogether.
“I'm sorry, baby,” Mickey says, trying to console Nigel. But he looks unmoved by her attempt to comfort him.
“Everything will work out, Nigel. Don't worry.”
He looks at me, noticing I no longer seem afraid of the outcome, unlike when he saw me in the main office for our interrogation Wednesday. “How can you be so sure?”
Mickey looks as comfy under Nigel's arm as I feel in my powers now. I know what my true gift is and it walks hand in hand with my hustle. “I have faith and a little something extra.”
Mickey and Nigel watch the seagulls fly above our heads and off toward the beach and I follow their gaze. Students and teachers alike whiz by us as we remain still, even with the ringing bell over our heads. Lunch is officially over and, along with it, the beginning to the end of this horrific week.
“I'd better go,” Nigel says somberly. “Since you have so much faith, could you say a prayer for me? My dad's threatening to send me to a private school next semester if I don't straighten up. And I don't want to switch schools again.”
“Already done, son.” Unlike Mickey, Nigel accepts my comfort and heads off to meet his destiny, with Mickey close by his side.
Speaking of destiny, here's Mrs. Bennett to play her role in mine as the bitterest bitch of all time.
“Jayd, it seems as if this year you are in a perpetual state of despondency. Is life treating you well?”
Hell no, everything's not okay, but I'll be damned if I let her know what I'm thinking. Why does she always have to sound like she's teaching one of our AP prep courses?
“Yes, everything's fine,” I lie, resuming my trek toward the drama room. Unfortunately, that's also where she's headed. Now that I'm no longer in the lead, I don't have to be there for the lunch rehearsals. I already know the part like the back of my hand, making me the best understudy in the world. Laura's the one who needs the rehearsing. Besides, I could use the break before I steal my part back on opening night. It's going to take everything I've got plus some to take Laura down without getting caught. All I need is the perfect opportunity.
“If you need to talk to someone, you know the school has a teen help hotline,” she says to my back.
Is she referring to the call-in center troubled kids use when they're desperate? I know this trick is tripping if she thinks she can affect me that deeply. I have to slow down and check her real quick before I get to her protégé.
“You don't need to worry. I'll never give you the satisfaction of committing suicide,” I say. From the creases forming at the top of her already wrinkled forehead, I can tell Mrs. Bennett's not amused.
“I've known people to kill themselves over smaller things,” she says, with a forlorn look in her eyes.
From the softening in her voice, I know Mrs. Bennett's not talking about me anymore. Maybe someone she knows killed him- or herself and I've hit a nerve. I didn't mean to come at her like that, but she started it.
“You're right,” I say, not knowing what else to say.
Before I can sympathize too much, Mrs. Bennett regains her evil composure and refocuses her attention on me and my supposed sorrow. But I know it's just a little bad luck that needs reversing.
“Jayd, some things in life aren't meant to be, even if at first you get what you want. Recent events in your life are the perfect example of this truth,” Mrs. Bennett says, now leading the way to the drama room. “First, your short-lived relationship with Jeremy and now, your lead in Macbeth. Fate, it seems, has a sense of humor,” she says, walking away from the scene of her own verbal hit-and-run.
I never knew a teacher could be my worst hater ever. Now I'm more determined than ever to gain back what I have lost and I'm well on my way to doing it, if I could only get this broad out of my way.
“By the way, the core cast is rehearsing in the main theater so that the drama room can be cleaned for next week's opening. The rest of the class is meeting outsideâthat includes you.”
She never quits, does she? I guess my cleansing will have to wait for Monday. I just hope it won't be too late for my potion to work.
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It's my last day of driving lessons and I can't even be all that happy about it. After failing my pretest Wednesday, I'm slightly nervous about taking it again, especially since they report it all to my dad, being that his name's on the check. He already chewed me out about wasting his money on lessons I'm not taking seriously, and I don't want to hear his mouth again. My dad said he'd take me for my test in the morning if I'm up by seven. He knows how to ruin a sistah's Saturday, that's for sure. But I'm not going to complain if it means I get to drive.
At least I'll have a guaranteed ride to my mom's this afternoon, and I get to drive there from here. It's the first time Tina's letting me drive all the way home and so far, so good. We're only one block away from my mom's street and, from what I can tell, I don't have as many red checks on the paper as I did last time.
If all goes well, tomorrow I should be able to take my test in the morning and drive to the cast party tomorrow night, if my mom lets me borrow her car. Karl's always picking my mom up on the weekends, leaving her Mazda parked in the garage. I don't know how likely it is she'll let me roll, but it's worth a shot. I may not be the reigning queen right now, but I'm still in the drama club and I'm making an appearance, come hell or high water.
“Okay, Miss Jackson, please find an open space and parallel park.”
Damn, this was where I messed up last time. But practice makes perfect and I'm going to swing it.
I pull up next to a car parked in front of my mom's building, slightly passing it, just like I've seen my mom do a million times. Taking a deep breath, I shift the automatic gear into reverse, ready to jump over the final hurdle. I swing my right arm behind Tina's head, draping my arm behind the passenger's seat and slowly let my foot off the gas while turning the steering wheel ever so gently. I expertly park the car and return the gear to drive to straighten out the vehicle before shutting off the engine.
“Did I pass?” I eagerly ask, ready for my wings.
Tina scribbles something on the paper, ignoring my excitement. I'm sure she's tired of dealing with overzealous teenage drivers and I'm no exception. But after the week I've had, I need some good news and soon.
“Yes, you did. Merry Christmas.” She passes me the yellow slip with my score and the word “pass” written across the top in big red letters. “Give this to the DMV when you go to take your test. Have a nice holiday.”
“Thank you and you too.” I take the paper from her before she gets out to reclaim the wheel. I grab my bags out of the backseat and hurry onto the curb because Tina looks ready to take off. I can tell by her paranoid body language that this white girl's uncomfortable in Inglewood and can't wait to get out of the hood.
I can't wait to tell my parents that I passed my Driver's Ed course, and the first person I'm calling is my daddy. If I have my way, I'll be the first one in line at the DMV in the morning and I'll drive myself to the cast party. Nothing's going to get in my way, not now.
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My dad picked me up bright and early this morning, just like he said he would. I got my license, but no car to roll as of yet. My mom drove straight to work from Karl's house yesterday and won't be back until Sunday. But she wasn't completely closed to the idea of me driving her car one day. I'm just glad Jeremy's available to take me to the cast party, since this isn't really Rah's thing. And now that Chance and Nellie are an item, I can't ask him to take me. Whatever. As long as I get to show off and shake Laura up a bit, I don't care if I have to walk back to Redondo Beach to get there, as long as I make it.
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When Jeremy and I arrive at Matt's houseâthe usual spot for our partiesâthe front lawn is packed with drama students and groupies alike. The first one I see is Nellie.
“Hey man,” Jeremy says, giving his boy dap. Nellie looks at Jeremy and smiles before scowling at me.
What the hell?
“What's up, y'all?' Chance says, giving me a big hug. Nellie pulls Chance's arm, ready to go inside.
She's not going anywhere before I have my say. “So, what's up with you, Nellie? I see ASB has been working you like a slave, putting up new posters and all.” My former friend looks at me hard like she wants to hit me, but I know Nellie knows better than that. She may have a new attitude, but she's the same old Nellie inside.
“Whatever. How are you, Jeremy?” Nellie asks.
I know she didn't just dismiss me and try to speak to my friend. Oh, she's really feeling herself now. Not wanting to get in the middle of our mess, Jeremy decides to exit stage right and greet Matt and Seth, who are also outside hanging out. The last time Nellie and I were here, we had a good time. But now, I wish she'd just leave.
“I'm good, Nellie. Jayd, I'll be over there when you're ready to go inside.”
It's a typical Saturday night in Redondo, with all of the rich kids outside on their sprawling front lawns, bumping T.I. out of their state-of the-art sound systems in their fancy cars. Nellie's dreaming if she thinks she'll ever fit in here. She's also dreaming if she thinks I'm going to let her rude ass get away with ignoring me.
“Did you hear me greet you or is being rude also a personality requirement for running with Laura?”
Nellie looks down at me, finally ready to speak. “I'm sick of being the boogie bitch amongst the ghetto girls. And Mickey's shit is more foul than Misty's. I can't be a party to it anymore than you can be Misty's friend after what she put you through.”
“ âAmongst, a party to,'” I say, mocking her proper diction. Our girl has always been prissy but this is a bit much, even for her. “Nellie, I don't know who put that stick so far up your ass, but I'll gladly remove it if you need me to.”
Nellie looks like I just spilled grape juice on her favorite white Gucci blouse, and her tone is equally unforgiving. “Jayd, I don't know you or Mickey anymore. From this day on, consider yourself warned.”
Warned about what? She can't do anything to me.
Nellie walks away, leaving a stunned Chance behind to follow his new master, but not before he talks to his old friend.
“I hate to be the one to tell you this, but someone's got to snap your girl back to reality,” Chance says, walking me toward the main house while also following Nellie. Chance's heavy platinum chain shifts from one side of this thin chest to the other as we make our way slowly up the hill. I miss kicking it with my boy.
“What's up, Chance?”
He looks down at me, drapes his arm around my shoulders and takes a deep breath like what he's about to say is top secret. “Nellie doesn't know that I know this, so you can't tell her it came from me.”
Oh, this must be good if Chance is swearing me to secrecy. I nod in agreement of our pact and let him continue.
“In order to be in their crew, the girls have to be hazed in different ways. Nellie already proved she could take one for the team twice by not fighting too hard when Laura spread that half-naked picture of her around campus, and again when Tania planted the nasty apple for her at the Masquerade Ball.”
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