Caught Up in the Drama (20 page)

“Unh-unh,” Jasmine said, wagging her finger. “Ain't gon' be no private tours. We don't know you like that.”

“That's why I'm giving her the number.” He scribbled his number on a piece of paper then handed it to me. “So she can get to know me
like that.
” He winked. “Angel, I await your call.” He blew me a kiss before walking off.

I tried to keep it together so I didn't appear to be a total
geek, but I wanted to jump up and down and do a happy dance.

“Girl, you better call him,” Camille said, genuinely excited for me. I had thought she was going to be bothered since he'd dissed her.

“You don't want him?” I asked. Yes, he was cute, but that was one thing the Good Girlz didn't do was talk to someone else's man. Camille, Jasmine, Alexis and I had been tight since joining the Good Girlz two years ago. Tyeesha joined a few months ago, but she had worked her way into our circle like she'd been there all along.

Camille waved me off. “Please, you know how I do. I was just flirting. Besides,” she playfully wiggled her neck, “even if I did want him, he obviously only has eyes for you.”

“Who was that?” We all looked up to see Miss Rachel peering off in the direction where Rico had walked off.

“That's about to be Angel's new man,” Alexis sang. “They call him R-Train.”

“Like the subway?” Miss Rachel asked, shaking her head. She didn't wait for anyone to answer as she wagged her finger our way. “What have I told you girls? You don't need to be worried about any boys, men or anything else.”

“Oh, Miss Rachel, it's natural, human nature,” Camille joked.

“I got your human nature,” she replied. “I told you where having boys on the brain will land you.” Miss Rachel readily admitted that, like Camille, she used to be boy crazy as a teen and she'd had more than her share of trouble behind it. She'd started the Good Girlz after marrying a preacher and deciding she wanted to keep young teenage girls from making the same mistakes that she made.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Camille said, albeit respectfully. We'd all heard this speech before. And although she didn't act like it, Camille had come a long way. She'd actually come to the Good Girlz behind a boy named Keith. He'd broken out of jail and Camille was hiding him in her grandmother's house. She didn't know he'd broken out of jail, but when the police rolled up on them playing house, Keith bolted and left Camille to take the rap for “harboring a fugitive.” The judge let her come to the Good Girlz instead of keeping her in juvenile detention.

Truthfully, we'd all had our share of boy drama, including me. I got pregnant at fifteen. And don't get me wrong, I'm not promiscuous. In fact, that was my only time. And as much as I love my daughter, Angelica, I definitely could've waited to have her because being a teenage mom was no joke.

Thankfully, Angelica's father, Marcus, had come around. It took him two years, but he was now a part of Angelica's life. He and I were cordial, but that's about as far as it went. We'll never get back together. I think part of him still resents me for having a baby, like I did it all by myself.

“Angel got his number and everything,” Tyesha said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“How old is that boy?” Rachel said, frowning.

We all shrugged.

“I don't know,” I finally said. “It's not like we got into a whole bunch of details.”

“Well, he looks old to me,” Miss Rachel said.

“I'm not even thinking about him,” I said. I just wanted to get the spotlight off of me. I had every intention of calling Rico. I just didn't want Miss Rachel all up in my business. It wasn't every day that someone as cute as Rico showed an
interest in me. And I was at the point in my life when I was ready to show him some interest right back. Shoot, I was graduating in two months and I didn't even have anyone I could take to the prom.

“Good,” Miss Rachel said. “I didn't bring you all up here to this school to pick up guys.” She looked over at Lauren, who appeared to be saying good-bye to everyone. “Well, girls, the tour has wrapped up. Dr. Breyer would like to meet with you ladies in her office.”

We made our way back across the campus to the vice president's office. I wondered why we were going to see her, but Miss Rachel was moving so fast I couldn't really ask any questions.

“She doesn't really have anything to do with enrollment,” Miss Rachel began, “but her husband and my husband play golf together. So she wanted to meet you personally.”

We made our way across campus and into a nicely decorated office. A large photo of a panther hung on the wall and there were photos of happy-looking college kids everywhere. The furniture looked worn but the whole office seemed like it was student-friendly.

The secretary ushered us back and we all took a seat around Dr. Breyer's large oak desk. She greeted us with an enthusiastic smile. A tall, pretty woman with a warm and friendly face, she reminded me more of a grandmother than a vice president of a college.

After some brief introductions, she said, “Well, girls, I don't have much time because I have to get to a meeting, but I am so proud of what Rachel has done with the program and I wanted to personally give you these.”

We all looked confused for a moment as she handed each of us an envelope. We turned them over, still looking confused. Miss Rachel stood in the background, grinning like she was crazy.

I was the first one who tore into mine and all I saw was congratulations. “Oh, wow,” I said. Camille, Jasmine, Alexis and Tyeesha all ripped theirs open at the same time and they, too, squealed in delight.

“Yes, congratulations are in honor,” Dr. Breyer said. “Prairie View A&M University would be very honored if you all would attend.”

“We've been accepted?” Tyeesha asked.

“Like there was ever any doubt,” Alexis sang.

“Maybe not for you,” Jasmine replied. Alexis was a brain-iac, but the rest of us struggled from time to time.

“Of course, this is contingent upon all of you actually graduating,” Dr. Breyer said. “Judging from your records that should be no problem.”

Jasmine looked like she wanted to say something but decided against it.

“Thank you,” we all said together.

“No, thank you, ladies. And I look forward to a personal relationship with each one of you,” Dr. Breyer said.

“Lorraine, thank you so much,” Miss Rachel said. “You just don't know how much this means to me and the girls.”

“Yes, it means a lot,” I said. I couldn't actully believe I was going to college. My mom had already said she would keep Angelica because she wanted me to further my education. But the reality that I might really get to go didn't set in until just now.

“Well, we need to get back down the road.” Miss Rachel stood up. “I wanted to get the girls home before it got too dark.”

We all stood and shook Dr. Breyer's hand and we practically floated out of the room. I couldn't wait to get home and tell my mom. I would be the first person in my family to go to college so I was definitely excited. Then add to the fact that I had met a cute college boy, well, things couldn't get any better than that.