Authors: L. Divine

Hustlin' (10 page)

BOOK: Hustlin'

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“You know, Jayd, I must admit, you are a very talented actress,” Laura says, approaching my locker.

Ms. Toni and Reid are in the drama room serving as witnesses to the sound check. I wonder what Laura's doing up here all alone? That's very unlike her. And, her giving me a genuine compliment is even more suspicious.

“No wonder you were able to jostle your way into Lady Macbeth's crown.”

“I didn't jostle my way into anything, Laura.” I toss the trash into the bin, trying to ignore her energy. I have to deal with this broad enough as it is. I can't wait until next week when this festival is over. Sharing a class with Laura and the rest of ASB has proven to be more than a sistah can handle.

“Oh, yes you did,” Laura says. “And the worst part about it is that you did it with tricks up your sleeve. But believe me, little girl, you're not the only one who can work magic around here.”

Again, Misty pops up her curly head out of nowhere, this time without Shae. Maybe she left something behind. Whatever the case, both of them and me in the main hall is still too close for comfort in my world.

“Damn, Jayd, how much shit you got in your locker? It's going to take you all day to clean that up.”

Misty's got her nerve talking. The only reason her locker isn't as bad as mine is because she rarely takes notes or has extra paperwork to bring home. No one would ever accuse Misty of being a diligent student.

“What's in my locker is none of your business,” I say, tossing the last of the miscellaneous papers into the can before slamming the locker door shut and returning it to its post by the bathroom door. I've got about five minutes before the bell rings and want to get to Mrs. Sinclair as soon as she lets us in. I'm too anxious to try on my costume to give these broads any more of my time.

“No, but once it's out and in the trash, it's public property. Remember that,” Laura says, walking out of the nearly empty hall before I can make my exit.

What the hell was that all about? Misty, looking momentarily victorious for some reason, heads toward the main office, leaving me completely alone in the vast building. What the hell just happened here? Before I can figure it out, Chance texts me, telling me to get down to the drama room for my fitting. It's about time.

When I get to the dress rehearsal, everyone's already buzzing with excitement over his or her costume. The drama room is packed and there's more plastic garment covers on the floor than at a cleaner's as cast members and groupies alike uncover the precious wardrobe. I have to admit, anytime we perform a Shakespearean play, the costumes are amazing. I spot Chance, Matt, and Seth in a corner making fun of Chance's costume. He does kind of remind me of a character in
Men in Tights
.

“So, how's your injury, Banquo?” I ask, gently pushing Chance in the arm.

Alia's eyeing her witch costume in awe: it is pretty amazing, including a hump for her back, long, gray hair, warts and all.

“It's all good. Hey, have you seen Nigel today? I've been looking for him and texting him all day with no response.”

Now I'm positive he and Mickey ditched. One day they're going to get busted for that shit.

“No, I've been looking for Mickey myself.” I glance toward the door leading to the hallway where the dressing room, bathrooms, Mrs. Sinclair's office, and the entrance to the theater are. I want to go pee, but I notice Laura heading back that way and I've had enough of her for one day.

“Jayd, your dress is in the dressing room. The gown for the sleepwalking scene isn't ready yet, but will be by opening night,” Mrs. Sinclair says, entering the classroom and buzzing through the packed room to check on all of the outfits. Her bushy, red head can be seen among all of the students with her checklist in hand. “I need everyone to come and sit down with their costumes in hand, please. Hurry so we can get class started and rehearse, please,” Mrs. Sinclair shouts through the crowded room. As if she's said nothing, no one moves.

“Hey, get your clothes, sit down and shut up,” Chance yells, making Mrs. Sinclair smile. If I didn't know better, I'd say he has a crush on our little teacher. I guess I'd better be obedient like everyone else.

When I get to the dressing room, Laura's eyeing her costume but touching mine.

“So, how long have you been a fan of Shakespeare?” Laura asks, delicately placing my dress across the dressing room chair.

“I'm not really,” I say, watching her every move in the mirror reflection. What's she really up to? “Why do you ask?”

“Well, I was just wondering how a little ghetto girl like you would know how to perform a part from one of his plays. I figured you must've gone to camp like the majority of the drama students.”

“No, I don't know of many Shakespearean theater camps that come through Compton. But I did see a crackhead throw her own baby in the Dumpster once. That provided, I think I've trained well for this part, don't you?” I actually heard about that happening, but Laura doesn't need to know all of that. The look on her face tells me my goal of shutting her up has been accomplished, at least for the time being.

I take my dress off of the chair, ready to take off the plastic, revealing Lady Macbeth's main attire. But before I can even get my backpack off, Mrs. Bennett enters the dressing room followed by Mrs. Sinclair, who's running around like a chicken with her head cut off. Laura gives me an evil eye and walks over to Mrs. Bennett, giving her a hug. Where is Ms. Toni when I need her?

“Mrs. Bennett, I don't know how this got into my purse, but it did and I wouldn't be doing my duty as a student-body officer and Homecoming court member if I didn't report it.” Laura reaches in her Prada bag and slips out a small piece of notebook paper.

“How does being the ASB president's girlfriend make you an officer?” I ask. She takes herself way too seriously. No wonder she and Nellie get along so well.

“Whatever,” Laura says, flipping her heavy, straight brown hair over her shoulder. “The letter's from Mickey to Jayd,” Laura says, waving the torn paper in front of Mrs. Bennett and me. I see I'm not the only one who can hustle.

“How much of a coincidence is it that I just cleaned out my locker a few moments ago and now you've mysteriously popped up with a letter that was in my locker.” I reach for the letter but Lauraâbeing the Amazon girl that she isâdoes a good job of keeping it out of my reach before handing it to a curious Mrs. Bennett, who looks up from her reading long enough to give me a sinister smile. What else has she got up her sleeve?

“What's so serious about the letter that it needs my immediate attention?” Mrs. Bennett asks, opening the dilapidated note. Her thin, blonde eyebrows arch high, like she's just had a facelift.

I know I didn't have a letter from Mickey in my locker that would have any pertinent information in it, so I'm really not too worried. But who knows what evil has up its sleeve at any given moment?

“It's proof that birds of a feather flock together.”

I look from Laura to Mrs. Bennett and realize I'm missing something. What the hell is Laura talking about? Mr. A and I already established that I'm a different bird, so I don't know what species she's referring to.

“Well I guess you fly with crows, you trashdigger.”

Laura walks up to me, bends down and whispers in my ear. “I don't have to do my dirty work. I have others to do that for me.”

What did that mean? And if she didn't have her backup, she'd already be picking her teeth up from the ground.

“Your friends Mickey and Nigel are under investigation for skipping class, and we think they had help in forging her mother's signature. We are taking the matter very seriously. And if your handwriting matches the signature on the letter, we will have to punish you as well.” Mrs. Bennett looks elated at the content of the letter.

Goddammit, if Mickey ain't always getting me in some shit. What the hell?

“I don't care about all that. What I care about is you stealing my stuff. There are ways of going about getting what you want without jacking me,” I say to Laura, who's looking down at me like she wants to slap me and I wish the bitch would. I'd give her ass a run for her money, even if she does stand a good eight inches taller than me and is built like a thin dude.

“Well technically, Jayd, trash is public property. And as you said, you threw this out.” Mrs. Bennett's too much for me right now. “Is this your letter?”

“I don't know; let me see it.” I put my hand out for her to give it to me.

But Mrs. Bennett folds her arms across her flat chest with the note in question clutched firmly in her hand. “We don't even have to go through all of this. If you simply admit to your role, we can avoid the embarrassment of taking it to the administrative level. Did you help Mickey forge her mother's signature and ditch, or not?” she demands. Mrs. Sinclair looks like she wants to help, but I know there's nothing she can do. Mrs. Bennett's way over her head both in terms of seniority and bitchiness.

“If you've got proof, you know the answer, then don't you?”

My smart-ass remark makes Mrs. Bennett's blue eyes turn red. Damn, I know I'm in for it now and I didn't even get to see my dress.

Ms. Toni, Chance, Matt, and Seth walk into the dressing room, ready to begin rehearsal, only to find more drama back here than they bargained for. Shell shocked, they all wait for the next move.

“Fine then, Jayd, have it your way. We can settle this in the principal's office. Come with me,” Mrs. Bennett says, taking me by the arm and leading me out of the dressing room. The other students watch in shock as we make our way out of the drama room and up the hill toward the main office.

I can't believe this is happening. How did Mickey and Nigel get busted? The only people that knew about their ditch day were me andâof courseâNellie. This is a hater move that has hit me unfairly, and there's going to be hell to pay if I lose my part over this mess.

End Scene

“I working hard, I'm playing my part/
But the scene still won't work.”

âDEBORAH COX

A
fter spending the remainder of fifth period in the principal's office with Mrs. Bennett and missing the dress rehearsal, all I can think about is chewing Mickey's ass out. Mrs. Bennett wouldn't show me the letter, so I don't know exactly which one they have or if it's even mine. I have a funny feeling that the letter doesn't really say anything, even though Mrs. Bennett tried to make it seem like a confession.

I've seen plenty of cop shows where they interrogate the witness for hours to make them confess to a crime they didn't commit. Even if I did do it, which I didn't, I'm not confessing a damned thing, especially not to Mrs. Bennett. She can have all the proof in the world and I'll still deny my part in Mickey's mess. But Mickey can't get away with her hustlin' any longer. She needs to be called on it and now.

Since I missed fifth period, I really could care less about being late to sixth. While I was in the office, I saw Mickey and Nigel leaving the conference room. They looked like they had been in there all day. I know they were hungry, especially Mickey, so I'm sure they didn't go directly to class. If they did, I'll catch Mickey during the passing period and call her foul behavior out once and for all.

“Mickey, I need to holla at you real quick,” I say, catching Mickey and Nigel in the main hall by her locker. She's snacking on some Oreos and chocolate milk; that used to be Rah's favorite drink. I can't wait to see him after school. But all pleasantries will have to wait until later.

“Jayd, I know what you're going to say,” Mickey says, trying to defuse the situation before I get to her, but it's way too late for that. I'm already hot enough to set this entire school on fire just by thinking about this bull.

“You don't have a clue what I'm about to say or do,” I say, stepping in her face, ready to get down with her. She and I have never had it out like this before. But I'm done with her taking advantage of me, and the people around us, for her benefit. Who does she think she is, Nellie?

“Jayd, they can't prove a thing. My mom and dad will never come up here for no simple shit like me ditching. They already know how I do. So, you're in the clear.” She continues her munching as the bell rings in the empty hall, signaling the end of fifth period and the beginning of the student stampede. She nonchalantly steps away from Nigel, who's leaning up against her locker, ready to head to P.E., but we're not done.

“Yeah, and what about Nigel? Don't you think they might clear this with his parents, too?”

Nigel looks at me with distress in his eyes and I can see he's already considered that possibility. Nigel, like most sane kids, is still afraid of his mama and daddyâmostly his daddy. But at the moment, I think he's more afraid of losing Mickey, so he chooses to keep silent and walk it out.

“Jayd, Nigel's the star quarterback and he has a game tonight. They're not going to call his parents and say shit,” Mickey says, a little too cocky for me. It's Nellie's job to keep Mickey straight, and she's been off the ball for a minute now.

“And what about my signature, Mickey? Mrs. Bennett says she can prove I signed the damned letter and that'll be all she needs to give my part to Laura.” Just the thought of that witch in my costume makes my skin crawl.

“That bitch has always had it out for you, girl,” Mickey says, stating the truth. But that's not the point. Mrs. Bennett wouldn't have shit to say now if it weren't for Mickey's mess. “That sounds like a personal problem to me.”

“Mickey, I don't need any help getting into any more trouble with the administration. All I need is more drama and more ammunition for Mrs. Bennett to hate on me.”

Mickey looks from Nigel to me and then back at Nigel, who kisses her on the nose for reassurance, even if he does look more concerned than she does. I guess they've already figured this one out.

“Look, Nigel's not going to say anything about us. We're good, Jayd. You worry too much.”

This trick is really on one if she thinks I trust her or Nigel with my academic future against this lily-white administration up here. When it comes down to it, we're all in the same sinking ship, except for maybe Nigel, until after football season's over. And I know for a fact the folks in the office would love to see me go down, Misty and her mama included.

“Us? What us? There is no us. There's you and your selfish bull and me getting caught up in this mess.”

For a moment, I think I've reasoned some sense into Mickey's hard-ass head, but her arrogant smile returns to her cocoa complexion, showing I haven't fazed her at all. She tosses her blonde-streaked weave over her bare shouldersâher Bebe off-the-shoulder top is fierce, I must admitâand sucks her teeth in disgust.

Oh, no she didn't. Now I'm really gonna call her business out and in front of Nigel no less, who's not going to like what I have to say at all.

“By the way, Mickey, your man paid me another visit yesterday and this time he wasn't so friendly.”

Nigel's jaw tenses up and rightfully so. Originally, he's from the same hood as we are, so he knows her man's reputation. I don't know what Nigel was thinking, messing with a gangster's girlfriend anyway. Bryan hipped me a long time ago to the crazy fact that boys love danger and, according to my dream last night, Nigel's definitely got a volatile situation on his hands.

“You okay, Jayd?” Nigel looks genuinely concerned, but I can't tell if it's more for me or for his own ass, because I know intuitively that Nigel knows he's next. “Did you tell Rah?”

Before I can answer Nigel, my cell announces a text from Rah, saying he'll pick me up a little later than he'd originally planned. I'll have to call Netta after school and let her know I'm running late. I'll catch Rah up on all of the drama with Nigel, Mickey, and her man, as well as the rest of the day's madness on the way back to Compton this afternoon rather than text him back now. I want to squash this mess with Mickey right now.

“What are you talking about?” Mickey says, stepping back into Nigel's arms now that she thinks I've calmed down. But this is just the quiet before the storm. Speaking of which, students are rushing through the hall, knocking into me like I'm not even standing here. But I'm so vexed I don't even feel their pale bodies pushing mine. I see Maggie and the rest of El Barrio making their way through the busy hall, but she doesn't notice me. If my friends keep tripping like they are now, that'll be my next crew. From what I can tell, they always have each other's backs.

“What I'm talking about is you not caring about the people that are here to back you up each and every time you do something stupid. You need to check yourself before I have to, Mickey, for real.”

Mickey laughs at my threat, pissing me off even more. I can feel my head getting hotter, and my eyes begin to shimmer like Mama's do when she's upset. I'm sure my brown eyes don't have the same luminous effect as Mama's green ones, but they're doing something, because both Nigel and Mickey are looking at me a little differently now. Nigel looks mesmerized by my eyes, and so does Mickey, but it doesn't keep her from speaking up.

“Jayd, you can do all the magic tricks you want, I don't give a damn. I'm not worried about the people up here and you shouldn't be either.” Mickey looks at Nigel and regains his full attention. She grabs his right hand with her left and begins to head toward sixth period.

Why does she think I'm playing with her? “That's easy for you to say, Mickey. You've already got what you want out of life. Others, like myself, actually want to graduate with honors and go on to do bigger and better things outside of getting married and knocked-up.” As soon as the words hit, I see Mickey's really feeling my heat. Well, it's about time. She should know better than to test me. I'm probably the only person in this entire school who's not afraid of her. That's why we're better friends than enemies because, once it's on and cracking between us, it's an even match for sure.

“Jayd, you sound just like your little hating friend Nellie right about now, and I'm not having this conversation again. You're tripping.”

I follow them both down the long corridor leading to the exit and the gym. Ahead of us, Misty, KJ, and the rest of their weak crew are also leaving the main hall and heading for gym class. Lucky for me, my class is on the opposite side of the gymnasium from theirs.

“What's up, baby-mama and maybe baby-daddy?” KJ says to Mickey and Nigel as KJ and his crew lead the way down the hill. Nigel looks at KJ like he wants to slap the taste out of his mouth, but keeps his cool. He's better than me. My head gets hot just thinking about KJ's smart-ass mouth. “And aren't you supposed to be practicing your spells or something for your big opening night?” KJ asks, turning around to face me while walking backwards down the hill. If I focus hard enough on his shoes, maybe I can make him trip and fall. That would make my day.

“No. Apparently she's going to lose her part and it's all my fault,” Mickey whines, making fun of my predicament, which is anything but funny to me. She gets a good laugh out of KJ, Misty, and their crew, at my expense, pissing me off even more, and Nigel doesn't look happy about her mocking me, either. What's gotten into her? I know it's more than the baby she's carrying. But if I could make bets on who the baby's daddy is by the way she's carrying on, I'd say the characteristics don't favor my boy Nigel at all.

“Damn it, Mickey. This is just the type of shit I'm talking about and I'm tired of your selfish bull,” I say, not backing down from Mickey for a second, amusing KJ and crew even more. But I don't care who's watching our impromptu production. Mickey needs to take this situation seriously and I'm not going anywhere until she does. “Now I see how Nellie feels. All you think about is yourself, damn the consequences, even if those consequences end up burning your friends. Is that how it's going to be?”

Mickey rubs her belly, trying to gain sympathy for her situation.

Nellie, Laura, Reid and the rest of the ASB cronies file out of the gymnasium with Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza decorations in hand, ready to clutter the football field and gym alike with holiday crap. I love how this school tries to act like it's tolerant of various cultures, even if we all know it's a bunch of bull. A few days ago, Nellie was hating on Laura just as much as the rest of us, but now she looks like she's having fun. I guess she contracted the rich bitch virus again. So much for my crew being immune.

I know the holidays are supposed to bring out the cheer in people, but this holiday feels the opposite of festive to me. I can't believe Christmas is only two weeks away and I still don't have a car or friends to roll with. Nellie hasn't spoken to me since I checked her about Mickey's right to chill with Nigel, and now I'm regretting that conversation too. Ignoring us completely while she's with her Homecoming court, Nellie walks onto the field, glances our way and then turns her head and continues walking without so much as a hi. Wow, what a friendly gift. I hope Misty gets me the same thing.

“What consequences, Jayd? No one even knows what really happened.”

Nigel looks at us. I know he doesn't want anyone to overhear us talking, especially not his coach. The bell's about to ring for sixth period and we all have to get dressed, except for Mickey. My dance instructor is cool, but we have recitals today and I need to warm up for my hip-hop piece that includes a mixture of West African dance. I need all the vigorous exercise I can get to calm my nerves after our unfriendly encounter.

“Nellie knows, and now that you've made an enemy of her she may be tempted to tell on us both just to wipe that smug smile off your face.”

Mickey considers the possibility of our girl ratting us out and I see her expression soften slightly, but not enough for me.

“I could lose my part in
Macbeth
over this shit. Not to mention I don't want your man coming at me anymore. Fix your shit, Mickey. Fix your shit.”

BOOK: Hustlin'

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