Step Up (10 page)

Tameka

Sipping
on peach-mango-flavored smoothies, we listened to the quiet storm on V-103. As Lauryn Hill's “Ex-Factor” rang through the speakers, six girls pretended they knew the words. It was more of an old-school song and I only knew some of the words because Mommy had played it over and over a million times when I was little. We all danced around the patio as the music rang out across our backyard. It felt as if I'd never left the dance team as I moved my hips and belly to the music.

Asia and Jade stopped and took sips from their smoothies while Indigo and I did the bump. Tymia and my cousin Alyssa giggled as they watched. Alyssa wasn't really much of a dancer; she was an athlete, but she enjoyed hanging out with us anyway. We had talked her parents into letting her stay in Atlanta for a few weeks. They'd left for Florida the day after the Fourth of July holiday and planned on coming back for Alyssa at the end of the month. We were both shocked and excited but didn't ask any questions. We were just glad for the time together. With us living so far apart, it wasn't often that we got to spend time together.

I couldn't wait to introduce her to my friends and just as
I suspected, everybody hit it off immediately. Once Alyssa and Tymia discovered that they were both in love with Omarion—
this week
—they became the best of friends right away. Asia was a little standoffish at first, but that was just her. She did that with everyone until she got to know them. After she warmed up a little, she and Alyssa actually had a discussion about fashion that lasted way too long in my opinion. Indigo and Jade wanted to teach her the latest dance steps even though she wasn't at all interested in learning.

“See what's playing on 95.5 The Beat,” Jade suggested. “The quiet storm is kind of lame. I don't know any of those songs. Who the heck is DeBarge anyway?”

“I know who DeBarge is. My mama used to listen to them back in the day,” said Alyssa.

“That's my point,” Jade added.

I switched stations and Young Jeezy's and Kanye's voices echoed across the dark sky.

“Now that's what I'm talking about right there.” Indigo shook her booty to the music and then pulled Tymia out of her lawn chair. “Show me that move that you did in practice the other day.”

“This one?” Tymia bounced her shoulders and moved her hips to the music.

“Yeah, that's it…slow it down a little bit so I can get it,” Indigo said.

Tymia repeated the move slowly and we all lined up along the patio and tried to mimic it. Before long, we all were moving in unison. Even Alyssa had it. We all spent the next hour showing each other dance moves. The best part about being a teenager was having sleepovers like this one and having all of your friends in one place at one time.

“Are y'all still at it out here?” Mommy slid the glass patio door open and stuck her head out. “Is anybody hungry?”

“No, thank you, Mel,” Indigo answered for the group. “We're cool.”

“Thanks, Mommy, but we're good,” I added.

“Okay, then. I made some quesadillas in case y'all get hungry later. Tameka, they're in the oven and…”

Mommy was interrupted by loud screams as Lil Wayne's “Lollipop” began to play. All of us started shaking to the music as if he was making an appearance in our backyard. Discovering that she'd lost our attention, Mommy quietly shut the patio door and disappeared inside. She knew from past sleepovers that my friends and I would stay up until the wee hours of the morning dancing, singing and talking about everything under the sun. She always made sure that the kitchen was stocked with our favorite drinks and snacks and never complained about the giggles and loud conversations.

After the mosquitoes started to bite, we took our party inside to the family room where we spread blankets on the floor and flipped through the channels. The radio was still playing quietly although we watched television. When UGK's and Outkast's “Walk It Out” song started to play, Jade didn't hesitate to turn up the volume while Tymia and Indigo started to Walk It Out. Asia and Jade couldn't help joining in, and it wasn't long before Alyssa and I started Walking It Out, too. Walking It Out didn't come so easy for me anymore—not with my stomach protruding across the room. Still, I moved to the music. The exercise was good for me
and
the baby.

Jamie Foxx's “Blame It” rang out across the room, my ringtone. I rushed to grab it, hoping it was Vance. It had been two days since I'd heard from him and I needed to hear his voice. I looked at the screen; it was a number that I didn't recognize but I answered anyway.

“Hello,” I said it cautiously.

“Tameka, what's up?”

“Who's this?” I asked.

“It's me, Sean.”

“Hey, what's up?” I said. I was disappointed that it wasn't Vance but glad to hear Sean's voice. “Whose number is this?”

“This is my cousin's phone. My battery went dead,” he explained. “What you doing?”

“Hanging out with my girls.”

“Sounds like y'all are having a party.”

“I guess we kinda are,” I explained.

“What's the occasion?'

“None. We're just having a sleepover, hanging out…listening to some music, you know, the usual.”

“That's cool,” he said. “Hey, check this out…I'm going down to Grambling in a few days to hang out with a couple of my friends on campus.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I'll probably leave on Thursday and come back Sunday. You want me to check some things out while I'm there?”

“Like what?” I was playing dumb. I knew exactly what he wanted to check out.

“I could check up on your boyfriend—make sure he's behaving himself.” Sean laughed, but I wasn't laughing. Insecurity had already begun to set in and my trust in Vance was slowly fading away with each passing day. However, I still loved him. And I wanted to believe in him.

“Nah, I'm good,” I told Sean.

“Well, if you change your mind, let me know. I got your back,” he said.

“I appreciate it. Thanks.”

“Well, I'll let you get back to your party. Wish I was there.” I could hear the smile in his voice.

“It's just a bunch of giggling girls over here. You would
be bored.” I smiled and took a seat on the sofa; curled my feet underneath my bottom as I got comfortable.

“I wouldn't be bored if I were with you,” he said. “Your beautiful smile would keep me company.”

I giggled as if Sean had told a joke. He made me smile for no apparent reason at all and when I finally looked up, every eye in the room was on me. They were all wondering who I was talking to.

“Tell Vance I said hello,” Indigo said.

“Indigo said hi,” I told Sean…pretended he was Vance.

“Tell her I said what's up.” He played along. “Matter of fact, ask her if I can come over.”

“Tonight?” I asked. The idea of it was exciting.

“Right now,” he said. “I'll bring some friends to meet your friends. What'd you say?”

“I guess it would be okay. My mom is sleeping…so…okay.” I said it before I clearly thought it through.

“Cool. I'll see you in a minute then.”

I hung up and sat there for a minute, gathered my thoughts. Knew that I needed to do something with my hair, maybe put on some lip gloss. There was no way of hiding my stomach. A bigger shirt would only make me look bigger. And why did I care anyway? Sean knew that I was pregnant. And he was just a friend anyway.

“That wasn't Vance, was it?” Alyssa asked.

I shook my head no, a sly grin on my face.

“Who was it then?” Indigo asked.

“Yeah, 'cause you were all smiles and everything,” Jade added.

“It was Sean, wasn't it?” Alyssa asked.

“Who's Sean?” Asia asked.

“Sean from the exercise class?” Indigo asked. “I knew he liked you!”

“Like her?” Alyssa asked. “He's been over here kicking it with her.”

“He's been over here?” Indigo asked. “And you didn't tell me? You been holding out on me!”

“Okay…okay…he came over on the Fourth of July,” I explained. “And he's on his way over now.”

“Right now?” Alyssa asked.

“Are you for real?” Tymia asked.

“And he's bringing some friends,” I told them.

“Are they cute?” Jade asked.

“I don't know. He's cute, so his friends probably are, too.”

“Oh my God! When were you gonna tell us?” Asia grabbed her purse and rushed into the guest bathroom. “I gotta comb my hair and put on some lip gloss.”

“Asia, let me borrow your eyeliner pencil,” Tymia said and went into the bathroom, too.

Indigo, Jade, Alyssa and I crept up the stairs and crowded into the other bathroom, careful not to wake Mommy. I checked my hair in the mirror and put on lip gloss. Indigo did something with Jade's hair while Alyssa sat on the edge of the bathtub and sent a text to someone. Probably her college-aged boyfriend. When “Blame It” echoed through the small bathroom, I grabbed my phone quickly. Didn't want Mommy to hear it.

“Hello,” I whispered.

“Come outside,” Sean insisted.

“Okay,” I said before hanging up. I turned to my friends. “They're outside.”

We made a beeline for my bedroom just so we could peek out the window and try to catch a glimpse of Sean and his friends before going downstairs. As they stood underneath the streetlight in front our house, we could tell that there were four of them…Sean and three other boys. One of them
wore cornrows in his hair. With his sagging jeans, his muscles were defined against his tight-fitting T-shirt. Another boy had a short haircut and had dark skin and big eyes. He wore shorts and a wifebeater. His friend sported a Coogi outfit and brushed his waves.

“Okay, they're cute…from what I can tell,” Jade said.

“I got the Omar Epps look-alike,” Asia smiled.

“You are so fast,” Indigo exclaimed. “Don't nobody want him.”

“Whatever, Indi.” Asia laughed.

“How about the tall, dark and handsome one in the denim shorts and Lakers jersey?” Jade asked.

“That's the one that belongs to Ta-me-ka,” Alyssa said.

“He doesn't belong to me. He's just a friend,” I corrected her. “Now let's go before they wake up my neighbors.”

 

Standing on the curb, we all talked and laughed about nothing in particular. Asia and Omar Epps stepped away and began a private conversation of their own. Tymia laughed as Cornrows whispered something into her ear and Jade started quizzing the boy in the Coogi outfit about the rap industry. Alyssa, Indigo and I gathered around Sean to get a better look at his CD collection.

“I got anything you wanna hear,” he bragged. “Old school, new school, rap, R & B. You name it.”

Holding T.I.'s CD in her hand, Indigo said, “I would marry him if I wasn't already hopelessly in love with Marcus Carter.” Her eyes became dreamy. She missed Marcus way more than she let on.

“Is that your boyfriend?” Alyssa asked.

“Yep…always and forever.” Indigo twirled the charm on her necklace, the other half of a silver heart that she shared with Marcus. He wore the other half around his neck.

I always envied Indigo and Marcus's relationship from the day they got together. Marcus seemed like the perfect boyfriend and I believed that other boys could learn a thing or two from him about how to treat a girl. Marcus was Indigo's knight in shining armor.

“My boyfriend is sweet, too. We're getting married after we both graduate from college,” Alyssa announced.

“He's already got a head start on you, girl,” I teased. “What is he…like a junior in college?”

“Tameka, don't get me started on your missing-in-action boyfriend, Vance,” she fired back, and although her words were accurate, they still hurt. I dropped my head as a slight pain shot through my heart. “Sorry.” Alyssa grabbed my arm and placed her head on my shoulder. “I shouldn't have said that.”

“What
is
up with Vance?” Indigo asked. “He really needs to do better.”

“I told her that I could check up on him if she wanted me to. I'm headed down to Grambling for a weekend stay.” Sean smiled. “I could rough him up a little bit.”

“And I said that it's not necessary,” I interjected.

“When are you leaving?” Indigo asked, and I could see the wheels in her head turning.

“Thursday morning. Me and my buddy Calvin over there is driving down there in his Jeep.”

“And how much room is in this…Jeep?” Indigo continued.

“What are you thinking, Indi?” I asked skeptically.

“Got plenty of room. It's just the two of us,” Sean said. “Why? Y'all wanna roll with us?”

“No,” I said.

“Come on, Tameka. You know you wanna go down there and see what Vance is up to. Besides, it would be fun…something to do…a chance to get away for a few days.”

“I agree. It might be fun,” Alyssa added.

“Our parents will never agree to it,” I reminded both Alyssa and Indigo. Indigo could barely spend the night at my house without the third degree. I wasn't sure how she figured she'd get them to let her go to Louisiana for the weekend.

“I could tell my parents that I'm spending the weekend at your house and you could tell Mel that you're spending the weekend with me.” Indigo began to plead her case. “It's doable and you know it.”

“I don't like lying to my mama,” I said.

“Then tell her the truth,” Alyssa suggested. “Aunt Mel is really cool. She's nothing like the rest of our parents.”

“Tell you what…y'all figure it out and let me know,” Sean said.

I secretly found the idea very interesting but didn't want any of them to know just how much. I would give anything to get down to Grambling and see what Vance was doing. I would surprise him and he would be so happy to see me. It would be a reunion that would give me pleasant dreams for months to come.