Frenemies (15 page)

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Authors: L. Divine

BOOK: Frenemies
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“What's up, Jayd? I'm catching up with my man. Can I call you back later?” I can hear him in the background grilling her, and it doesn't sound like anything nice.
“Yeah, sure. But real quick: who are you going as to the party?” I have to make sure she's not planning on wearing the same thing as me.
“Pam Grier.”
“What! So am I!” I shout into the phone. I should've known. The few Black girls at the school will probably all be her in some way. She is the Black shero of the seventies.
“Well, then, we'll be twins,” she says, trying to rush me off the phone.
“No, that ain't going to work. I'm wearing a nurse's outfit, so just don't wear anything white,” I say.
“Fine, Jayd. I'll see you in a couple hours,” she says, hanging up the phone. I still need to do my hair before she gets here, and my mom being in the bathroom isn't helping, but she's leaving soon. Then I'll have the place to myself and can hook up my do. I know my mom still has her Afro wig around here somewhere, and I can braid my hair up underneath. Then I won't have to worry about it for work tomorrow either. I'm looking forward to playing dress up, especially in my fly-ass red boots. I need all the power I can get, even if it's all in my head.
Because Mickey and I both decided to go as Pam Grier, she has now assured me she'll go as Foxy Brown. Nigel and Raheem are coming to the dance, as expected, but keeping their costumes on the low. I'm sure they'll look good no matter what they wear. And I know, with it being a seventies party, they're both going to be pimped out.
“Damn, girl, you look almost as good as I do,” Mickey says when she arrives, her pink Regal shiny from the fresh wax her man must've put on it. I'm surprised she's in such a good mood after what I overheard on the phone earlier. Knowing her, that's not the only thing that got waxed.
“You don't look so bad yourself,” I say, commenting on her short skirt, low-cut blouse and fly-ass straight wig hanging down her back. “I wasn't sure you were going to make it.” I get in the car.
“I know. My man's tripping hard. But I got him to shut before I left,” she says, smiling. This girl is too much for me sometimes. We need Nellie back to buffer us out. Without her, it's just too much heat around here.
“TMI Mickey: way too much information,” I say as she pulls off toward the beach. It's a breezy evening but not too cool. I have on my mother's red wool wrap, which matches my outfit perfectly. I hope I can get to Nellie before she takes a bite of that apple and gets the treat of her life. I still have to convince Mickey to help, even if she does consider Nellie to be enemy number one right now.
“Whatever, girl. You better learn some tricks from me and save your little relationships while you can,” Mickey says, putting her long airbrushed acrylic nails through her wig with one hand as she taps on the steering wheel with the other.
“The only relationship I'm worried about saving is the one between you, me and Nellie.”
“Oh, hell, no, Jayd. I know you're not serious about that girl,” she says, rolling her eyes at me. I see she hasn't cooled off a bit.
“Look, Mickey, she's our girl. She's been taken over by the dark side, and it's our job to get her back.”
“You sound like one of those goddamned White-ass horror flicks,” she says, turning onto Aviation toward PCH. The nightlife is always cracking out here.
“You know what, Mickey, you'll thank me for it later,” I say, convincing myself that she'll change her mind. “Besides, I can't do it alone. I need your help.”
“It's always the ones who want to help that get killed off first in those movies,” she says, unrelenting in her judgment. No matter what Mickey says, we're getting our friend back tonight, and we're also going to find out who our real friends are and who are just enemies in sheep's clothing.
15
Trick or Treat
“My night nurse/
Only you alone can quench this Jah thirst.”
—GREGORY ISAACS
T
hese White folks go all out for their parties. There's a disco ball dripping blood in the center of the gymnasium ceiling, hanging from the scoreboard. Everyone's taken their costumes to a gory edge, making me and Mickey look like virgins. I think we all watched similar movies because everyone's either got on an Afro, a long wig or some extra-high boots. But none of these folks look as bad as we do, and I know it, because all eyes are instantly on us when we walk in the room.
“Mickey,” I hear Nigel say as we enter the crowded gym. “Damn, girl, you look good,” he says, grabbing her by the waist and kissing her cheek. They look cute as a couple, but it's too bad that—like this gym turned haunted house—it's all an illusion.
“You don't look so bad yourself,
Super Fly.
” And Mickey's right. Nigel looks damn good in his cream-colored three-piece suit and hat with the leather boots to match.
“Damn, girl, you want to join my stable?” he says, sounding like the pimp he wishes he was.
“You already got one more fly girl than you need,” I say, instinctively eyeing the packed room for Rah.
“Your boy's not here yet,” Nigel says, reading my mind. “I don't know why you frontin'; y'all just need to go on and get back together,” he says, stepping behind Mickey and claiming his spot for the evening. But I've got other plans for his main chick.
“Whatever, Nigel. Me and Mickey have business to handle. We'll be right back,” I say, taking Mickey by the arm and leading her toward the cauldron where Nellie and her girls are hanging out. Nellie looks cute in her
Wonder Woman
costume, even if there are ten more girls in the room wearing the same outfit. Judging from her constant nose wiggling, pointy hat and broom, I'm assuming Tania is Samantha from
Bewitched,
and, just as my dream predicted, she has crossed the outfit with a hooker's clothes. Laura's the plainest version of
Catwoman
I've ever seen, and Reid thinks he's the shit in his
Batman
gear. It's truly a star-studded event.
“Jayd, where the hell are you taking me?” Mickey says, looking back at Nigel as I strut across the floor, ready to start something with Nellie for the last time.
“We're going to have a chat with our girl,” I say, my heart pounding harder the closer we get to the scene. Nellie's third in line for the apple bob, and I know Tania's treat will be waiting for her in the cold water if I don't do something about it. These boots make me feel powerful, just as my mom predicted, and they're also turning a lot of heads, including KJ's and his boys', pissing off Misty and her girls. It does our souls good to play dress up, especially in characters that may serve as our alter egos. Speak of the devil, I spot Chance in line behind Nellie, dressed as John Travolta in
Saturday Night Fever:
tight pants, gold chains and all.
“Unless I'm talking while whipping her ass, I don't have anything to say to the trick,” Mickey says, turning around and heading back toward Nigel, who's in pursuit of us, with Rah right by his side. I have to pause and catch my breath as Rah's image knocks the wind out of me. He looks stunning in all black as he portrays one of my favorite characters,
Shaft
, with his hair in an Afro like mine. Damn, he looks good in leather.
“Jayd, I don't know how you can convince yourself that you love Jeremy when you have all this fine-ass Black man right here in front of you,” Mickey says, gesturing toward our approaching boys. “I don't care if he's got that little trifling girlfriend at his school, that's your man, girl, and you better claim him while you still can.”
“Mickey, is he going somewhere?” I say. She sounds like there's a shortage of good Black men around or something, and I'm not buying that. “And him having a girlfriend may be okay with you, but I take commitment seriously,” I say, bracing myself for Rah's touch. He wears P. Diddy's cologne better than its namesake, I imagine.
“You look good, Nurse Coffy,” Rah says, swooping me up in his arms and kissing my neck. Misty, KJ and crew all look over at us from the bleachers where they've relocated South Central for the evening. They've decided to go as the Black Panthers, all wearing big Afros, black leather jackets and dashikis. Now see, that's what I'm talking about. If they weren't so stank all the time, I'd be down with the solidarity they have as a clique. Why can't me and my girls stay as tight as they appear?
“Thank you, Shaft. You don't look so bad yourself,” I say as he puts me back on my feet and looks down at me. “Isn't your school having a Halloween function of its own?” I know Westingle is just as active as South Bay, and Rah and Nigel have enough school spirit for both campuses.
“Yeah, and we're going to hit that one up later,” he says. “Nurse, I think I'm feeling a little hot.” Rah grabs my hand and puts it on his forehead, making Mickey and Nigel laugh. “Can you cool me off?”
“Rah, shut up and stop molesting my hand,” I say, snatching away from his grasp and playfully hitting him on his arm. “Mickey and I were on our way to handle something. We'll be right back.” I reclaim Mickey from Nigel and march toward our intended target. Boys can be so distracting sometimes.
“Hey, wait up. We want to watch,” Nigel says as he and Rah follow us to the cauldron line.
“Jayd, I already told you I'm done with Nellie. I can never trust her again, and so to me, she might as well be dead,” Mickey says. But I can't let it go this easily.
“Mickey, out of all the times Nellie has had your back and you hers, how can you give up on her so easily?” Noticing our approach, Tania tries to rush China, who's in front of her in line. But she just can't seem to catch an apple in the dark container full of water, giving us more time to rescue Nellie.
“Because I've never turned on her like this, Jayd,” Mickey says loud enough to quiet some nearby people, including Nigel and Rah. “This is the worst shit a friend can do. Why can't you get that?”
“Because I believe in forgiveness, Mickey, especially when it's someone you love,” I say, looking at an intense Rah as he stares straight through me. I know we're sharing the same memory of him cheating on me with my cousin and then our entire junior high crew temporarily turning on me as a result of me fronting on them both at school. But that was a long time ago.
“Well, that's you. I believe in letting bitches be,” Mickey says, staring at Nellie, who's now heavily engrossed in our conversation from where she's standing. Tania nervously tries to push the girl in front of her out of the way, but to no avail. China's determined to get herself an apple if it's the last thing she does. She's probably got the munchies, as usual.
“Mickey, we don't have time for this,” I say, noticing Tania's loose sleeve with the green apple sticking out underneath. “Nellie's always been the clueless, material one in the crew, so stop acting like you don't know her as well as I do, if not better.”
“Listen to your girl, Mickey,” Nigel says, putting his two cents in, which may be enough to convince her. “You can't let good friends slip away.” He strokes her bare arms.
“But she turned us in,” Mickey wines, almost defeated. “You want me to just let that go?”
“Well, technically, it was Misty. Nellie just verified the info,” Nigel says, giving me some news I didn't know. I've been so wrapped up in my own drama, I forgot to follow up with Mickey about their in-house suspensions this week.
“Misty? Why am I not surprised,” I say, noticing Rah hasn't taken his eyes off me as he stands behind Nigel, waiting for our next move. The party is really getting hyped around us as the deejay begins to play old disco music, getting everyone up on the dance floor.
“Because you know how she is,” Nigel says, still trying to win Mickey over. “Come on, baby.” Nigel kisses Mickey's nose and then her mouth. These two have no shame in their cheating game.
“Fine, whatever,” Mickey says, kissing him back. “But, Jayd, we're even after this,” she adds, ready to take over Tania's world with me. Two different yet equally powerful versions of the closest thing we've got to a Black female superhero in the seventies to save our Oreo counterpart; now, that's power.
“Come on, girl, let's go rescue Wonder Woman,” I say, ready to give Tania a dose of her own nasty medicine.
“Oh, no, not the ghetto girls again,” Tania says, causing her crowd to chuckle. But by the time we're done with her, I'll be the last one laughing.
“Tania, what's up your sleeve?” I say, walking toward her, ready to expose her for the twisted trick she is. Acting as her bodyguard, Reid steps in front of her, almost knocking down an irritated Chance.
“I can't let you get too close, Jayd. You're known to have quite a temper, and Tania's in a fragile condition,” he says, sounding like the chivalrous knight he isn't.
“Reid, get out of my way before I step on you with my heels,” I say, ready to kick his ass if need be. But noticing me and Mickey's backup, he stands down and leaves me to handle what I came here for.
“Jayd, what are you talking about?” Tania says, feigning shock.
“The apple up your sleeve, Tania. Give it here,” I say, reaching for her arm as she steps back out of my reach.
“Is it a crime to bring your own fruit?” she says, taking the large green treat out of her clothing, causing everyone to fall silent.
“How did you know she had it?” Nellie asks, looking at me suspiciously. I haven't shared my secret with her yet, but she should know me well enough by now to trust my intuition, no matter how crazy it may seem.
“I saw it from across the room. Nellie, she was going to plant that apple for you. There's something wrong with it, I just know it,” I say, trying to reason with my fallen girl without giving up all my secret knowledge.
“You're lying,” Laura says, coming to Tania's defense. I don't know why she's pledged her blind allegiance to her, but Laura can see no wrong in any of Tania's actions, ever. “Tania would never do anything like that to a friend.”
“Nellie, don't listen to her,” Tania says, recasting her spell of deceit. “She's just jealous of you, Nellie, you know this.” Nellie again hardens her feelings and turns away from me, as though to say she's had enough. Well, so have I.
“If I'm lying, Tania, then take a bite,” I say, calling her bluff. I trust my dreams more than I trust this trick's word.
“I don't have to prove anything to you,” she says, turning away from the cauldron and heading toward the exit.
“No? Then have Laura take a bite,” I say, daring her friendship skills. I know this heffa's twisted, but let's see just how far she'll go to save face. “If I'm wrong, which I'm not, then give the apple to Laura and let's see who the real liar is around here.”
“Jayd, we are not going to play your silly little game,” Tania says. But, having drawn a crowd with China, Misty and everyone else surrounding us now chanting, “Bite, Bite,” Tania can't get away this time.
“Give her the apple or bite it yourself, Tania. That's the only way you're getting out of here,” I say, Mickey stepping up right beside me. I know Tania doesn't want to challenge me and my girl. If Tania thinks I'm a bit much, then she ain't seen nothing yet.
“Food makes me nauseous,” she says, playing off her pregnancy for sympathy. This girl is something else, and I feel sorry for her baby. Having money doesn't guarantee mental stability or a great childhood, no matter what she or Jeremy may think.
“Give it to me,” Laura says, snatching the shiny green object from Tania's grasp and inspecting it. “I trust my friends.” Before Reid or Nellie can say anything, Laura bites into the apple, making a loud crunch sound ripple through the now silent gym. Everyone's waiting to see what'll happen next.
“See? Nothing,” Laura says, chewing the piece of fruit in her mouth and turning the other portion toward the onlookers, myself included. Was my dream wrong? But just as I begin to doubt myself, tiny worms start to surface from the bitten flesh, eliciting a loud gasp of shock and disgust from the crowd. Noticing their reaction, Laura spits the apple into her hand and sees the same thing.
“You sick bitch!” Reid screams at Tania, who's looking for a quick escape route. But I ain't done with her yet. I know she's probably going to leave for New York soon after this incident, especially if Jeremy signs the papers. So I need the full confession, in front of Nellie and everyone else, before she goes.
“Do you see now what kind of chick this is, Nellie?” I say, screaming at my friend as Laura gulps down a cup of red punch Reid brought her. What a Halloween treat she got. “How could you leave us to kick it with her?”

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