Cold As Ice (21 page)

M
aking my way out of the kitchen and through the backyard, I notice Lexi following me to the backhouse. She takes her guardian job way too seriously, if you ask me. I open the screen door and lock it behind me, lest anyone decides to surprise me back here, which I doubt. The boys rarely go any farther than the garage attached to the front of the small house. They don't know exactly what we do back here, nor do they want to.

“Finally, some alone time in the spirit room,” I say to Lexi, who looks uninterested in my enthusiasm. I wish I could read her mind, but, unfortunately, my newfound sight doesn't work on dogs. I have a couple hours before Jeremy meets me back at my mom's, and I want to get as much work done as I can. Before I can get into my studying, my phone vibrates with another call from Rah. Now what?

“Hey, girl,” Rah says groggily through my cell. When I left his house Friday night, he and Sandy were still going hard. I've got too much work to do today to be his shoulder, and I need to make this call quick if I want to take full advantage of my alone time.

“What's up, Rah? I'm at Mama's,” I say while turning from the page that Mama left open for me to study, instead searching for my own shit. I'll take the bath as prescribed and do some of my assignment, but tonight is all about me.

“Can you come over on your way home? I have a little something for you I meant to give you Friday.” He can't be serious. There's no way in hell I'm stepping back into his house as long as Sandy's Amazonian ass is there. “Sandy's gone to her grandparents' house for the weekend.” Rah's no mind reader, but he hit that one on the head. I thought he told her to move out, but I don't have time to get the full story.

“It'll have to be quick because I already have plans for the evening,” I say, glancing at the wall clock and then down at the work in front of me. It's going to take me at least a couple hours to finish up here, and I told Jeremy I'd be back in Inglewood by nine, which means I'll have to leave here and get to Rah's by eight to make it back to my mom's on time.

“Cool. See you later,” Rah says. I hang up my cell and focus on the task at hand. I don't know why I keep bending to Rah's will, but I'm getting stronger in more ways than one. Besides, a gift is a gift, and who am I to say no? A true friend forgives, and I have no problem with that; as long as Rah doesn't mistake my kindness for weakness—again—it's all good.

 

It was nice working alone on my spirit work, and it was just the peace I needed to get my mind right for the week ahead. I'm working extra hard to get Mama the stove she so deserves for Mother's Day and to make up for all the work I missed studying for my Advanced Placement exams last week. Luckily, summer's around the corner, and with my main job at Netta's and my side hustle doing hair at my mom's place, my cheddar should be well stacked in a few months.

I've been at Rah's house for all of ten minutes, and already his cell phone is working my nerves. He's been in his room talking since I got here, and I'm ready to go. If I leave now, I could take a shower and relax before Jeremy arrives, not that he cares much how I look these days. We just like being together, morning breath and all.

“Rah, I'm out!” I shout from where I'm seated in the living room and head toward the front door.

“Oh no, you don't,” he says, jogging into the foyer with a small gold box in hand. He hangs up his cell and hands me my gift. Finally. My birthday was six weeks ago, but just because it's late doesn't mean I won't accept it. I look up at my boy and smile, opening the box.

“Oh, Rah, it's beautiful,” I say, pulling out the gold ankh charm hanging from a shiny gold chain. He's never bought me something so extravagant before. This must've set him back at least a bill or two. With my gold “Lady J” bangle from Jeremy, I'm starting myself a nice little collection of boyfriend jewelry. Mickey's the one with the jewelry box full of shiny things from all her conquests, but my two pieces are nothing to laugh at either.

“I know your birthday passed, and I acted like a jackass, but I wanted to still give you your gift,” he says, taking the heavy necklace from my hands and walking behind me. “Let me help you put it on.” I move my hair from my left shoulder to my right and hold it up slightly so he can see what he's doing. After securing the cold metal around my neck, he bends down and kisses me gently. He knows my neck is extra sensitive, especially in the groove between my ear and shoulder on either side.

“Rah, I've got to go,” I say, trying to resist his soft lips, but he ignores my request and keeps kissing, now almost sucking my skin. If he doesn't stop soon, I'm going to have a hickey on my neck the size of Long Beach to explain to Mama and everyone else with eyes, including Jeremy.

“Do you really want me to stop?” Rah asks, moving his hips from side to side and me right along with him. Damn, he feels good—too good. His phone vibrates in his jeans pocket, and just in time, too. I almost got caught up in the rapture with this brotha, and that is the wrong direction to go in.

“I've got to get this. Don't go anywhere,” Rah says, stepping into the living room. I should really get going, but before I can escape, I hear something in the back. As Rah continues his conversation, Sandy walks through the studio door that connects to the kitchen; she has Rahima on her hip. Why didn't she come in through the front door like she normally would?

“I saw you two making out through the window,” Sandy says—no hi, hello, or nothing. Where are her manners? “Are you going to stand there and tell me you haven't given up the panties yet?” she asks, throwing her cell phone down on the counter. Rahima looks freighted but stays glued to her mother, who has little regard that her daughter is still in the room.

“Well, hello to you, too,” I say, waving at my girl, who waves back in her cute two-year-old way. It looks more like snatching than waving, but I'll take what I can get.

“Please, Jayd, y'all can cut the act.” She takes a pot out of the cabinet under the stove and walks over to the sink, filling it with water like she's about to cook, but we both know that's not what she's doing.

“Say what?” I ask, completely offended by her accusation, and so is Rah, who finally walks into the kitchen to deal with his irrational baby-mama. This is my cue to roll.

“Sandy, you're talking like you're crazy. Did you take your meds today?” Rah asks, but there's nothing funny about Sandy's behavior.

“Don't play with me, fool. I know what I saw.” Sandy's eyes are more evil than usual. I hope she's not planning to cook grits, because I do not want to witness an Al Green moment. Besides, she has no right reacting about Rah and me doing anything together, even if she's way off. Why is she the only one who doesn't see that?

Because she's right to some degree,
my mom says, reasoning for the wrong side.

Mom, not now. Please
. I can't tell, but I think my mom's laughing at my plea to get her out of my mind. Like I have any control over that. Maybe I can work on that part of my vision, too.

“Sandy, you need to relax. We already established this last time you tried to pull this shit. You're not my wife, and I don't have to answer to you. We're not a family, Sandy,” Rah says. His phone rings again, and he goes back into the living room to answer it. Sandy looks at me like she wants to slit my throat with one of the knives by the stove. If I could fly over there, I'd move them out of her reach, but no such luck.

“I've got to make a run real quick,” he says, coming back into the foyer where I'm posted. “Jayd, you want to come with me?”

“All right,” I agree. Anywhere is better than being here with Sandy, and I want to make it clear to Rah that he can't kiss me like that anymore. Jeremy and I are definitely one-on-one these days, and he needs to respect that. Rah puts his keys on the counter out of habit, and Sandy snatches them up, holding them hostage.

“Y'all ain't going nowhere,” she says, throwing the keys out of the open kitchen window. If Rah's mom kept up with the house, there would be a screen there preventing Sandy's erratic behavior.

“Sandy, what the hell did you do that for?” Rah yells at a smiling Sandy. Rahima leaps from her mother's arms and runs to her father, who picks her up, holding her tight.

“I've got to go,” I say, opening the door behind me and heading away from the ugly scene. I can holla at Rah later. He puts Rahima down and heads out the front door behind me. I wave good-bye to Rahima, who's now back in her mother's arms. Poor baby. She doesn't know which way to go, and I feel her. Sandy runs out of the kitchen and through the back door. Rah and I stare at each other as we hear his car door slam and the engine start.

“Bye, bitches!” she yells, pulling away from the curb and speeding down the street. She must've found another spare key. I thought he learned his lesson the last time she stole his grandfather's car, but I guess not. If my dream about her driving fast was any indication of what's ahead, I need to warn Rah.

“We have to stop her,” I say to him, but Rah just looks after his red car speeding down the street, completely dazed. “Come on.” I run over to my mom's car parked in the driveway, but he doesn't move.

“Man, I'm done chasing that trick. Let her parole officer catch her,” Rah says, not realizing how serious the situation is. He looks down at his ringing cell and silences it for the moment. What the hell?

“Rah, she's out of control, with your daughter in the backseat. Don't you care about Rahima's well-being?” I open the car door and get in, starting the engine. If we leave now, we may be able to catch Sandy at the light.

“That's what I'm saying,” he says, sending a text to God only knows who. “When she gets busted for being out past her curfew, she'll be in violation of her parole and back in jail, and I'll have Rahima once and for all. Besides, I've got something to handle real quick. Can you drive, baby?” What the hell did this fool just say to me? And is Rah seriously putting his hustle over his daughter's safety in the hopes that Sandy will get busted? Really?

“Rah, I'm telling you Sandy driving with Rahima is a bad idea. I had a dream about her getting into an accident where they both get seriously hurt.” Rah gets into the passenger's seat and looks at me, stroking my cheek with his left hand.

“Jayd, Rahima's in the car with her mother every day, and nothing that bad has ever happened. Maybe your dream meant something else,” he says, patronizing me. Rah's never going to take me seriously when it comes to what's best for Rahima, and I see that clearly now. “Now, can we go, please? That girl's already got me running late.”

“Find another way to get there. I'm going home,” I say, pushing Rah out of my mom's ride and shutting the door behind him. I already know where this road leads, and I refuse to go down it with him anymore. I've been way too nice about this entire situation, and however their mess ends, I want no part of it.

START YOUR OWN BOOK CLUB

 

Courtesy of the DRAMA HIGH series

 

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

 

The following is intended to help you get
the book club you've always wanted
up and running!

Enjoy!

Start Your Own Book Club

A Book Club is not only a great way to make friends, but it is also a fun and safe environment for you to express your views and opinions on everything from fashion to teen pregnancy. A Teen Book Club can also become a forum or venue to air grievances and plan remedies for problems.

The People

To start, all you need is yourself and at least one other person. There's no criteria for who this person or persons should be other than their having a desire to read and a commitment to discuss things during a certain time frame.

The Rules

Just as in Jayd's life, sometimes even Book Club discussions can be filled with much drama. People tend to disagree with each other, cut each other off when speaking, and take criticism personally. So, there should be some ground rules:

1. Do not attack people for their ideas or opinions.
   
2. When you disagree with a Book Club member on a point, disagree respectfully. This means that you do not denigrate other people or their ideas, i.e., no name-calling or saying, “That's stupid!” Instead, say, “I can respect your position; however, I feel differently.”
   
3. Back up your opinions with concrete evidence, either from the book in question or life in general.
   
4. Allow everyone a turn to comment.
   
5. Do not cut a member off when the person is speaking. Respectfully wait your turn.
   
6. Critique only the idea. Do not criticize the person.
   
7. Every member must agree to and abide by the ground rules.
   

Feel free to add any other ground rules you think might be necessary.

The Meeting Place

Once you've decided on members, and agreed to the ground rules, you should decide on a place to meet. This could be the local library, the school library, your favorite restaurant, a bookstore, or a member's home. Remember, though, if you decide to hold your sessions at a member's home, the location should rotate to another member's home for the next session. It's also polite for guests to bring treats when attending a Book Club meeting at a member's home. If you choose to hold your meetings in a public place, always remember to ask the permission of the librarian or store manager. If you decide to hold your meetings in a local bookstore, ask the manager to post a flyer in the window announcing the Book Club to attract more members if you so desire.

Timing Is Everything

Teenagers of today are all much busier than teenagers of the past. You're probably thinking, “Between chorus rehearsals, the Drama Club, and oh yeah, my job, when will I ever have time to read another book that doesn't feature Romeo and Juliet!” Well, there's always time, if it's time well-planned and time planned ahead. You and your Book Club can decide to meet as often or as little as is appropriate for your bustling schedules.
Once a month
is a favorite option.
Sleepover Book Club
meetings—if you're open to excluding one gender—is also a favorite option. And in this day of high-tech, savvy teens,
Internet Discussion Groups
are also an appealing option. Just choose what's right for you! Well, you've got the people, the ground rules, the place, and the time. All you need now is a book!

The Book

Choosing a book is the most fun. COLD AS ICE is of course an excellent choice, and since it's part of a series, you won't soon run out of books to read and discuss. Your Book Club can also have comparative discussions as you compare the first book, THE FIGHT, to the second, SECOND CHANCE, and so on.

 

But depending upon your reading appetite, you may want to veer outside of the Drama High series. That's okay. There are plenty of options, many of which you will be able to find under the Dafina Books for Young Readers Program in the coming months.

 

But don't be afraid to mix it up. Nonfiction is just as good as fiction and a fun way to learn about from where we came without just using a history textbook. Science fiction and fantasy can be fun, too!

 

And always, always research the author. You might find that the author has a Web site where you can post your Book Club's questions or comments. The author may even have an e-mail address available so you can correspond directly. Authors might also sit in on your Book Club meetings, either in person, or on the phone, and this can be a fun way to discuss the book as well!

The Discussion

Every good Book Club discussion starts with questions. COLD AS ICE, as does every book in the Drama High series, comes with a Reading Group Guide for your convenience, though of course, it's fine to make up your own. Here are some sample questions to get started:

1. What's this book all about anyway?
   
2. Who are the characters? Do we like them? Do they remind us of real people?
   
3. Was the story interesting? Were real issues that are of concern to you examined?
   
4. Were there details that didn't quite work for you or ring true?
   
5. Did the author create a believable environment—one that you could visualize?
   
6. Was the ending satisfying?
   
7. Would you read another book from this author?
   

Record Keeper

It's generally a good idea to have someone keep track of the books you read. Often libraries and schools will hold reading drives where you're rewarded for having read a certain number of books in a certain time period. Perhaps a pizza party awaits!

Get Your Teachers and Parents Involved

Teachers and parents love it when kids get together and read. So involve your teachers and parents. Your Book Club may read a particular book whereby it would help to have an adult's perspective as part of the discussion. Teachers may also be able to include what you're doing as a Book Club in the classroom curriculum. That way, books you love to read, such as the Drama High ones, can find a place in your classroom alongside the books you don't love to read so much.

Resources

To find some new favorite writers, check out the following resources. Happy reading!

 

Young Adult Library Services Association

http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/yalsa.htm

 

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Hip-Hop!

Teen Rap Titles

http://www.carnegielibrary.org/teens/read/booklists/teenrap.html

 

TeensPoint.org

What Teens Are Reading

http://www.teenspoint.org/reading_matters/book_list.asp?sort=5&list=274

 

Teenreads.com

http://www.teenreads.com

 

Sacramento Public Library

Fantasy Reading for Kids

http://www.saclibrary.org/teens/fantasy.html

 

Book Divas

http://www.bookdivas.com

 

Meg Cabot Book Club

http://www.megcabotbookclub.com