Black & Ugly (12 page)

"I went in my purse and pulled out my knife and stabbed her in the stomach. I ain't want to go too deep, just deep enough for her to stop hitting me with that iron thing, but she fell down and started crying for help. I just got the hell out of there, and that's when you came outside and saw me. How did you know I was there?"

"I didn't," I answer as I take a deep breath to absorb her explanation. "I always look for you when we go somewhere. I know somebody's always fucking with you, and I wanted to have your back."

"Thanks, Parade. But you know who she was, right?"

"No ... who was she?" I ask real nervously.

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"It was the girl you fought at the mall. She was mad at the way you stomped her out that day, and she took it out on me."

"What?" I yell, standing. "The girl in the mall that day was the same one outside last night?" She nods.

Shit! Shit! Shit! This is my fault. Sky could've possibly committed a murder, and it's all my fault.

"I'm so sorry, Sky," I say, hugging her. "I shoulda been there."

"It's cool. We have to do whatever we have to do to protect each other," she says. "I hope you got my back."

"You know I do," I respond, taking my place back in my seat. "Whateva you need me to do, I'll do." I can't get over the fact that Sky really stabbed somebody, and it's so unbelievable because we just saw those girls the other day in the mall. Again, I try to imagine Sky lying down on the ground. She's right. It was too dark outside to see much of anything. But, I did see blood all over Sky's pants and the girl lying down with her hair partially covering her face. I also remember that she wasn't moving or crying for help. In fact, she was extremely still.

"I'm sorry 'bout all of this," I repeat. "I shoulda been there."

"It's too late for that now. We gotta stay tight. But, you think she okay, Parade? You think she'll be fine?"

"Yeah, I think she's okay. But if she's not, nobody knows you were out there and it was a lot of people at
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that party."

"Not to scare you, Parade," she cries as her chest moves up and down, "but I hope she's dead. I really do.

Because if she's alive, she
will
be able to ID me," she pauses, "and you, too. I just know it." I can't believe what she is saying but I know she's right.

"If she is dead, they'll probably put everything on Silver and them anyway. They always gettin' arrested.

But if she ain't dead, we run the risk of her telling the cops."

"So, in a way, it's better if she's dead, right?" she reasons.

I can't nod, but it is exactly what I'm thinking.

"You ain't gonna tell nobody, right? I mean, Miss Wayne and Daffany don't know, do they?"

"I'm not telling nobody, Sky. Trust me. I promise.

The less people who know, the better."

"That's what I'm saying. The less they know, the better."

She runs up to me and hugs me again. I've known her since elementary school, and she has never volun-tarily laid her hands on me. It was always me, wanting and needing her friendship.

She is hugging me and my cell phone rings. She wipes the tears from her face and says, "Who is it?" as if whoever is on the phone has information about what happened at the party.

"Who is it, Parade?" she asks again. "Answer the phone. They may be calling to tell you something
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about last night."

But I can't because the person on the phone just left her house.

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7

Jay

JAY IS ANGRY AT PARADE for not answering his calls.

He feels that even though he's with Sky, Parade should
be at his beck and call. He likes the idea of being able
to control her and doesn't want her getting too far
away from him. He is sitting in his car on his way to
New York to re-up when he decides to call her again.

The moment she answers the phone, he goes at her.

"Where you at?" he asks her in a serious tone.

"I'm on my way to Miss Wayne's house. You know I
was still over Sky's when you called me earlier, don't
you?"

"Man, that girl ain't thinkin'
'
bout us. She wouldn't even think I'd look your way. Trust me. So there's
nothin' to worry about."

He knows that hurt Parade, but he wants to be real
with her. As far as he's concerned, Parade is somebody
he fucks and it's as simple as that. But what he doesn't realize is that Parade gives him much more. Her
kind ways, slowly but surely, are starting to make him
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fall for her and begin to hate the relationship he has
with Sky even more. However, because he grew up in a
household that looked down on dark-skinned women,
he knows he can never put one on his arm - especially
one that would be his ex-girl's friend.

"Oh," she says in a low voice. "I guess you're right.

So what's up? Is something wrong?"

"Naw. I'm tryin' to fuck when I get back tomorrow,"
he declares.

"Where you going?"

"Why?!" he yells.

"I'm just askin' 'cuz I want to know what time to be
in the house."

"Man, I'm goin' to New York. And you need to be
waitin' on me whenever the fuck I call."

"I know, Jay," she says softly. "I will."

"The fuck wrong wit' you? You beefin' 'bout what I
said?"

"No, it's just that my hair is messed up and I want
to find a job."

"So what, you askin' me for money?"

"No."

"Look, I'ma give you three hundred tomorrow, but
don't think you gonna keep runnin' my pockets."

"Thank you, Jay -"

"Thank you shit," he says, cutting her off. "Make
sure you got my pussy ready."

"Okay ..." she responds, trying to end an embarrassing moment. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
On the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, he hangs
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up without a response and decides to call Sky. Unlike
when he calls Parade, he doesn't look forward to
speaking to Sky. Lately, he's felt that she has become
too high on herself, but her attitude is half his fault and
half her parents'. They spoil that girl so much that she
expects other people to do things for her instead of
appreciating what is given.

"Hey, Sky. What you doin'?" he asks, although he
really doesn't care.

"On my way to Miss Wayne's."

"Oh. Who you wit'?" he asks.

"I'm by myself, boy. Am I seeing you tonight?"

"Naw. I'm on my way to New York."

"So when was you gonna tell me?"

"I did but you was runnin' your mouth wit' that
bitch."

"Naw, I don't remember all that, Jay," she says.

"But anyway, what's up with tomorrow?" she asks,
hoping he'll have room for her then. "I miss you
already."

"Maybe lada on that night. I got a lot of work to do.

Niggas been slippin' on the block lately, so I have to
put them youngins back in check."