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Authors: Dakota Knight

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BOOK: Biker Chick
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A lump formed in my throat. Instead of saying ‘yes', I asked, “What makes you think that?”
Mrs. Phillips inhaled deeply before answering. “Well, Crystal, one of our members saw you and Ray when you rode in.”
“And?”
“Well, this member told me that it looked like Ray was a member of some gang named the Phantom Cruz. Is that true?”
The lump had traveled into my mouth. It was a large piece of dryness that wouldn't let me speak. I didn't know where Mrs. Phillips was coming from, so I had to play defense.
“I mean, everyone here is in some sort of gang, right?”
Mrs. Phillips grinned. “But none of the so-called gangs here are involved in illegal activities, Crystal.”
I frowned and huffed. “Yeah, right. What makes you so sure about that?”
My attitude obviously didn't sit too well with Mrs. Phillips. She folded her arms across her chest and shifted her weight onto one leg. She started tapping her other leg.
“Crystal, I'm not going to waste a lot of my precious oxygen to tell you this . . . however, you're young, you're smart, and you have a lot of potential. You have the opportunity to start college in the fall and truly fulfill your potential. I don't want to see you waste that on something . . . or someone.”
“Wait a minute. Did my mom hustle you into this? I mean, you've talked to her and you didn't know about Ray? And now you're inviting me here and then giving me a lesson like we're still at Eastwood?” I shook my head. “I'm eighteen now. I'm an adult. And, I know what I'm doing.”
“Your mother has nothing to do with this, Crystal. Of course she told me about Ray, but she didn't tell me everything. I'm assuming by your attitude that I'm right about his affiliation. Maybe it's too painful for her to talk about, or even think about.”
Thoughts of my father flashed in front of my mind. “You don't understand, Mrs. Phillips. It's different with Ray. He's getting out . . .”
“Lower your voice,” Mrs. Phillips warned, putting her right index finger over her lips for emphasis.
I spoke softer as I continued. “He's getting out. He's cutting hair and saving up. It won't be long before he's totally legit. Plus, if you recall, I hustle too. Your new purse didn't come from Nordstrom, you know?”
“I didn't hear that.”
“I'm just saying. We're both trying to do it right, so just stop with the lecture and the ‘world on my shoulders' bit.”
“Watch your tone, Crystal,” Mrs. Phillips said. I hadn't realized how much attitude I had.
“I'm sorry. I just . . .”
“My concern is for you, Crystal. I don't know your boyfriend. But I do know that there are police officers here. They may not be in uniform, but they're here, none the less. If they see your boyfriend's bike with those figures painted on it,” she shrugged her shoulders, “well, who knows?”
“What kind of threat is that? How can a cop do something when someone is just trying to ride and have fun?”
“It's not only that, Crystal. We all love our rides, and we love gathering together, but we can't allow . . .”
A cloud of understanding hovered over my brain. “Oh, so are you saying we're not welcome?” I said loudly.
“Crystal, your tone.”
“I don't care about my tone. I can't believe this.” I stomped past Mrs. Phillips and headed for the path leading back to the eating area. “If you don't want us here, then we're leaving, okay?”
“Crystal, wait!” Mrs. Phillips called out for me. But I wasn't trying to hear her anymore.
I hurried to the table where Ray was still chowing down. He looked troubled when he noticed me. I probably looked like I could murder someone.
“What's wrong?” he asked, after he finished swallowing his food.
“We've gotta go,” I said, picking up my plate.
“What do you mean, go?”
“Well, you didn't want to be here anyway, and it appears none of these fogies want us around, so let's go.” I carted my plate off to the nearest trash can and waited for Ray to get ready.
My face started getting hot as I noticed people staring at me. There was no way I was going to start crying. I didn't even want to go to the damn Summer Blast and now I was upset because I felt like nobody wanted me there.
“Did something happen?” Ray asked after he threw away his plate and joined me near the end of a row of tables.
“Let's just go, now,” I said.
Ray looked like he wanted to discuss it further, but the expression on my face must have let him know that I wasn't in the mood.
I saw Mrs. Phillips again as me and Ray walked toward the parking lot. She was with a couple of her L ROCS buddies. She didn't call out for me, and it wasn't as if I would have responded anyway. I rolled my eyes and put my arm through Ray's.
Even after we returned home, Ray didn't ask me about what happened. And I didn't want to talk about it. Instead, I told him I didn't feel well and headed for the bedroom. I took off my shoes and my gear before getting into bed and crawling under the covers. As I lay there, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't help but wonder what the future would bring.
Part Three
Chrysalis
The best way To plan your next
conquest is on your own.
Others won't hesitate
To steal your thunder . . .
and your lightning.
—Highlights from The Hustler's Handbook
 
 
 
The easiest way To lose touch with
reality Is to shield yourself
from the world.
—Highlights from The Hustler's Handbook
Chapter Eleven
And still I waited for that happily ever after . . .
I almost made it. Seriously, I did. I met with an advisor, set up a schedule, got my student ID, and even purchased some notebooks and study aids. But in the end, I never made it to that first day of class. In fact, I didn't make it to college at all. One month after I graduated from high school, I officially moved in with Ray. With all that we had going on, I was basically getting my higher education on the streets of Columbus and at home with my man. I wish I could say it was all good, that I was living the glamorous life, but my decision not to go to school had an unfortunate consequence. Me and Mom stopped talking to each other.
It was hot the day it all blew up with Mom. When I decided to drop my classes, I didn't have a choice but to let her know. And I did, one month after classes started. See, I couldn't tell her at first because I knew how she would react.
“What the hell do you mean you're not at State?” Mom asked me the day I gave her the bad news. “Well, I decided that I would hold off with school for a bit.
Explore my options, you know? I mean, I'm young and there's plenty of time to go to college.”
Then it happened. The pain spread through my face so quick, at first, I thought she actually punched me with a fist. But then I felt the lingering pain of four fingers, a thumb, and a palm on my right cheek. Mom had dealt me an openhanded pimp slap.
I ducked in time to miss the second blow.
“Crystal Marie Sells, I can't believe you!” Mom yelled at the top of her lungs as she prepared to strike me again. I couldn't let her give me the beat down, and I bobbed and weaved so much I thought I was in the ring with Laila Ali.
“After all I've sacrificed for your ass and you're going to miss out on the opportunity I never had! You ungrateful . . .”
Mom covered her face and started sobbing. I felt horrible, but I didn't reach out for her. I knew she needed some comfort, but I also knew what she could do if she got a hold of me. I thought it was best to keep my distance.
“Mom, I'm sorry. I just wasn't ready for school yet and didn't want to get in and mess up or anything,” I explained.
She glared at me, and I had never seen her with so much pain in her face. Not even when my dad died. My eyes began to well up too.
“Mom, I'm going to go to college. I promise. I'll have a degree one day. You'll see.”
“Don't you realize you lied to me? Here I've been, thinking you're in class and telling my friends how proud I was that you were at State. You got me out here looking like a damn fool.”
“Mom, I . . .”
She held up a hand. “I don't need to hear your bullshit right now, Crys. Here I was, thinking you'd be different. That maybe you'd look at what happened between me and your father and know your life had to be different. Maybe I should have moved further away from these damn streets after your father died. Maybe to another state. Maybe I shouldn't have encouraged you to have your little purse parties and sell those bootlegs. Now you're going to get caught up too.”
“Mom, you're talking like my life is over. If you could just hear all the stuff we've got planned. I'm not going to end up in the ghetto. I'm moving up and out. Can't you see that?”
Mom sighed and said sadly, “All I see is a girl who can't tell the truth and who is getting involved with a man that's no good for her, that's what I see.”
“But Ray is the best thing that ever happened to me,” I said.
Mom sighed again before making her way to her favorite chair and sitting down. She had stopped crying, and her eyes were red and starting to puff up. I really did feel bad about the whole situation, but at the time, I also thought,
I'm an adult now, and I make my own decisions
.
“You know Crys,” Mom began, “I've always tried to give you good advice. I've tried to steer you the right way. But you think you're all grown now.”
I began to speak but she raised a hand to stop me.
“You know, maybe you do need to spread your wings and see what life's all about. You need to see what the costs of your actions are. Since you're grown now, and my opinion doesn't matter, then you need to go out and do it on your own.”
I nodded in agreement. “That's what I want to do.”
“That's fine. But don't expect me to help you. In fact, you need to make sure all your stuff is out of here tomorrow or I'm calling Bulk Pickup and having it put out on the curb.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, surprised.
Mom ignored my question, saying, “And lose my phone number. When things turn south for you, and they will turn, believe me, I don't want you calling and thinking you can just run up in here and be up under me.”
“But Mom, what's up with that? Is this about Gregory? Is he putting you up to this? I mean, you trying to punish me or what?”
Mom's glare was so hard, it felt like she had slapped me again. “Don't you dare bring him into this. He had nothing to do with it.”
“How could I not bring up the man you're replacing my dad with?”
Another slap did come. I don't know how she got from her chair to where I was standing so quick, but she did. Then, just as quick as she rose, she walked to her chair and sat back down, heaving up and down as she tried to catch her breath.
“Lord knows, I'm sorry. And I pray I'm doing the right thing. The choice I've made may be hard on you, but don't you ever question the love I had for your father. I stuck by him through thick and thin. But he's gone now, and God has brought someone new into my life. Someone living the kind of life I want to lead. That's more that I can say for you.”
She rose from her chair again before continuing. “I wish you the best, but you want to make your bed, and I want you to lie in it. I'm about to go to shopping. I'll be out for a while. When I return, I don't want to see you here. Make sure you leave my key on the table. I'll be changing the locks tomorrow.”
“Can't we talk about this?” I asked with a sense of urgency. “I mean, you sound like you're cutting me off or something.”
“Good-bye, Crystal,” Mom said before she walked toward the kitchen. A couple minutes later, I heard her car start up. I was in the house alone.
It took me at least ten minutes to absorb our conversation. I wasn't dumb enough to think Mom was playing with me. I could tell by the tone in her voice that she was beyond pissed. I just hoped it was a passing phase. She would get over it in a couple days and then call me and tell me to come over so we could talk.
I went into my room and looked around. Most of my gear, clothes, shoes, and such, were already at Ray's house. Of course, I still had stuff there, posters on the wall, pictures of me and my friends, the large stuffed rabbit my dad gave me for my eighth birthday.
Surely Mom wouldn't get rid of that stuff
, I thought. I decided against taking anything with me, not that I had anywhere to put anything on Foxy Baby. I convinced myself Mom was just upset. I did however, put the key on the table. I had a feeling she was going to change the locks. The key was my attempt at a peace offering.
I didn't really start getting upset until I went back to Ray's. He wasn't home yet. As I sat in the den, a sense of loneliness washed over me. I couldn't explain it. I shook it off, ordered take out, and had the table set before Ray came home a couple hours later. As we sat at table, I picked at my food. I had lost my appetite.
“Something wrong?” Ray asked as he finished off a piece of fried chicken.
I nodded. “I told my mom about school today.”
“Uh oh. How did she handle it?”
“She smacked the shit out of me, that's what.” I pointed to my bruised cheek for emphasis. “And then she told me to get out of her house and that she was changing the locks.”
Ray eyes widened as he sat back in his chair. “Whoa, Cristal, that sounds pretty major.”
I tried to play it off. “She's just angry I dropped my classes. She'll get over it in a few days. I'm not that worried about it.”
“Oh, and that's why you're over there moping over your food, right?”
“Well, I don't want her to be mad at me,” I said.
“I got you. If you think you'll be fine, it's all good.” His attention returned to his food.
“Plus, we're making changes,” I said. “We're both going legit and we'll be successful. I'll prove to her that I made the right decision.”
Ray stopped chewing and looked at me strangely.
“What?” I asked.
I watched as he chewed and swallowed.
“We're going legit. That's what you told me.”
Ray smiled. “I'm going to take care of you,
Cristal.
You'll never have to worry about a thing,” he said confidently.
I sighed in relief. “I'll show her,” I said, hoping against hope that I was right.
BOOK: Biker Chick
8.28Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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