#5 Icing on the Cake (11 page)

Sipping on hot cocoa in the bookstore, I texted Slade, “Long story, not at the dessert shop. Pick me up at the bookstore. Please hurry. My life is falling apart.”

After I hit send, I wanted to take back the message, or at least take back the last part.

Slade quickly called me back and said, “I know you didn't get fired from a volunteer job? Charlotte told me her brother works there. Were you all over him instead of taking care of your responsibilities and the lady let you go?”

Sighing I said, “No, sis, could you just hurry up please? That's not what happened.”

“I'm not the one coming to pick you up. Ansli is.”

“So why you got me going into all of this?”

“You the one who texted me! Charlotte and I are practicing for a few gigs, so please don't blow things with her family.”

“You're talking to me about blowing up on somebody?”

“All that is behind us now, Yuri.”

“Okay, but let me call Ansli.”

“I'm just sayin' if you need to apologize, you need to apologize.”

I hated that Slade was so into making her world right that she didn't really listen to those around her, just like with Charlotte. She cared more about their image than Charlotte's needs, and if she'd listened to me here, or at least give me a chance to explain, she would understand why I wanted to be far away from Ms. Pinky's facility.

I actually needed to talk to Ansli, anyway. Her personality was more like mine than anyone else's in our home. I was certain it was because we were biological sisters. Maybe I needed to bond more with her, get her to help me understand how she maneuvers in such a, sometimes,
volatile home. I used to think it was really cute that Shelby, Slade, and Sloan were so fiery. Now I was getting a little agitated, and I wanted to get those feelings under control before they became a bad issue. Fifteen minutes after I texted, Ansli was out front of the bookstore. I knew she loved white, hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, so I got her a cup before heading outside.

“I know that's not what I think it is,” she said.

I nodded, handing it to her. “Yum, yum before I even tasted it. I love you girl! Why'd you bring me a cup? What's going on? You don't have to bribe your sister if you want to talk to your sister. You know that?”

“I just wanted to try to do something nice for you, that's all.”

“Thank you!” Her tongue was nothing like mine. It took me a while before I could drink a hot liquid, but she turned that cup up like nothing. “Delicious! You made my world right. How can I do the same for yours?”

“I used to wish I was stronger, you know like our sisters. I've been asserting myself more
lately, and it's been getting me into trouble. I guess I've learned it's not so bad to stay the Yuri that I am, but even that person is evolving because nobody's pushing me up to stand up more for myself or more for others. I don't know, I can't explain it. I feel so confused.”

“I don't tell you often enough, but you are the best person I know,” Ansli said to me. “You see the good in everybody and everything more than the rest of us. You make everything that's wrong, right. And you're much stronger than you think you are. You might be quiet and not loud and demanding with your delivery, but you're equally as passionate. You always have been. And I know you don't remember, and I'm not trying to make you sad or anything, but we do have an angel up there watching over us, and you remind me so much of our biological mom.”

“I do?” I said to her.

“You are right. You don't need to change you, Yuri. Just keep growing, learning from your mistakes, and understanding what you will and won't accept. But I saw you during Slade's concert, and for the first time ever, I saw a side
of you that scared me a little bit. Well, that and when you had Onyx ready to fight you of all of us. You're the last person I would think a gang would wanna get on, but whatever.”

“I know, right?” I said to her. “What did you notice at the concert?”

Then before she said anything, I could remember back. I knew what it was. I'd allowed the green-eyed monster to show its ugly head.

“You've always been one who has been happy for other people,” Ansli explained. “Don't change that. What's going on with this Ms. Pinky lady? I heard about you and Charlotte's brother.”

“We won't ever be talking again,” I said defiantly.

“Okay, so you like him,” Ansli teased.

“No, I don't. I mean how can you take up for someone who's doing wrong?”

“You can't, but there's always two sides to every story, and sometimes people have to find out things for themselves for them to come around. So don't be too hard on him, and if there's something serious going on with Ms. Pinky, tell
Dad. When I tried to take some things into my own hands, with all that stuff that was going on with some of those homeless people, it didn't work out until I got Dad involved.”

“How's he feeling?” I asked when we pulled up at the house.

“Go check in on him. I had some time with him earlier.”

“So is he not doing well?”

“I didn't say that, Yuri. He's fine and on the strictest diet. He's sad because the sweets are gone.”

“I can make him a treat. I've been thinking about this for my friend, Logan. She can't eat a lot of sweets either, and desserts are so sugary sometimes, but they don't always have to be.”

“Well, go hook them up. You'll really make him smile.”

An hour later, I was walking into my parents' bedroom.

“Ooh, what do you have here?” he said
already sitting up. “I hope everybody told you I can't have that though.”

“You can eat this one, Dad. No sugars anywhere.”

“Then I don't wanna eat that one. It looks good, but it won't taste worth anything.”

“Trust me,” I said to him.

“Alright. Your mom told me you've been a little upset. Beating yourself up because you didn't divulge what you witnessed earlier with me and my health.”

“Yeah, Dad, you scared me.”

“I apologize for putting you in such a tough position. But I love you with all my heart, and I am okay. I'm just going to have to watch what I eat.”

“Well, take this. Everybody deserves a treat and this one is the healthy kind because you know all the Sharp girls are ready to comply. Mom included.”

“Oh, I know. Everybody's letting me have it. But what's going on with you?”

“Dad, I don't wanna work for Ms. Pinky anymore.”

“Why not, baby girl?”

I explained everything to my father. All I witnessed, all that Rhonda told me, and all my fears of what would happen if nothing was done.

“Wow. You'll never know what shortcuts people take,” he said. “Look, you don't worry about this, nor will you have to go back unless I need you to go with me. We're going to take it over from here.”

“You will, Daddy?”

“Yeah, and Dr. Garner also called me about his concerns with this gang threatening you. What's up with that?”

“I stood up for the right person at the wrong time, but it's okay. I don't think they're bothering me anymore.”

“Well, we're looking into all of that too, but you stay far away from them.”

“Yes, sir. You don't have to worry.”

He was squinting looking at my cupcake, like no way could something healthy taste good.

“Eat it. Taste it, Dad!”

He bit into it, and the natural sweetness made it yummy.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Sometimes to get things perfect you've got to deal with the tough stuff. But the reason situations are tough is because most people don't want to deal with it. That's when people need to be encouraged and empowered to stand up and take appropriate action. Well, that's what the school was doing. SGA and PTSA partnered with administration to put on a rally to address bullying. In the last few days alone, not only were people getting beat up physically, but the gang was stealing and also threatening to shoot up the school. Many were terrified.

Logan and I were asked to share our story. The gym was full. You would have thought it was somebody's graduation day with the way the place was packed as parents and community folks showed up in support. I was so nervous. After all, I wasn't as great a speaker as my sisters. However, I tried to shake it off because I did have something to say on the subject. Once Reese, the PTSA student leader, introduced me, I got the nerve to head to the podium and speak up.

“No one should be afraid to come to school. It's a place where you're supposed to come to get a great education, not worry about being the victim of violence. I got involved in an incident, and didn't feel like I could sit there and not say something. I know now that you can't always speak up alone. I guess that's why we're having this forum. A lot is going on, and it's not even completely comfortable for me to get up now, but if we don't stand up and fight those who are trying to destroy us, then they're taking away what matters most, and that's our future. Without a future we have no life. So if you know
something about someone getting bullied, if you've been bullied yourself, if you're bulling somebody, just take time to think about what you're doing to make this place better. That's all I have to say.” I let out a sigh and turned to head back to my seat.

Reese was mouthing something to me. I couldn't make out what he was saying. I squinted. He repeated himself much louder, and I got it.

“Oh, I'm supposed to introduce my friend Logan. Give her a hand,” I said.

Nobody clapped. They just sort of looked at me like I was silly. But as long as they heard what we had to say, the applause didn't matter.

Logan came up to the podium, and I tried to go sit down. She grabbed my hand, and she started crying. Not boo-hoo crying, but steady tears streamed down her face. It didn't matter if you were close to or far away from her, you could tell there was some serious emotion being let out. It's like the whole gym just changed. Before she even spoke a word, her tears united us.

Finally, she got herself together, and she said, “If it wasn't for this girl here, I probably would be dead. She stood up for me when no one would. She's given me hope when I had none, and she's helped me learn that I am somebody special. Yeah, my parents have been telling me that for years in their own crazy way—my dad is a little rough around the edges. However, I didn't understand it as much as I did when she said it. Because as y'all can tell, I'm a big, big girl. I eat too many sweets, and I have for far too long. I'm also a diabetic. Because of my choices, my life is in danger. I was living with all of that. I was dealing with all of that, but there were some cruel people who wouldn't leave me alone. They beat me up mentally, and if they weren't going to take my life, I wanted to take my own. I don't know if there is anybody else out there feeling like you have no reason to go on, but I just want to say to you, you do have a reason. You've got to keep yourself together, get the right spirit, and tie yourself up with strength, so when you're attacked, you won't be destroyed. So thank you, Yuri, for helping me understand
that. I guess I talked today because hopefully I can help somebody else out there understand it too.”