Authors: Stephanie Perry Moore

The Way We Roll (7 page)

BOOK: The Way We Roll

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Like a microwave gets hot in seconds, she quickly warmed up to me. “Wow, you're Mikey's sister?”

I didn't get to respond. Kade was abruptly rolled inside, and his mom rightfully left me and my dad to go over to him. “You are not going back out there. I don't care what you say. This is crazy,” she said to Kade.

I was so nervous, not knowing what was up. A few minutes later one of the trainers came to me and asked me to follow them to see Kade. I hadn't been a daddy's girl in a while. Now I was clinging to his arm.

“Dad, he's with his mom. I'm just down to make sure he's going to be all right. I don't want to intrude.”

The trainer heard me and said, “No, it's okay, he wants to see you.”

My dad pushed me toward the guy. A part of me didn't want to see Kade hurt at all. I needed to be strong for him. I couldn't be vulnerable.

“Hey, baby,” Kade said as he extended his hand. “No long face. They say it's just sprained and that I can go back out there. I see you met my mom.”

“I just thought you were Mikey's sister and came down with your dad,” his mom said in a mean tone. “Is there something else going on I don't know about? Maybe I didn't have her pegged wrong after all.”

“Ma, leave her alone, she's my girl.”

“What? You telling me someone is your girl?” She turned to me. “Okay, then, talk some sense into this fool and tell him not to go back out there on that field.”

He made the argument. “NFL pro scouts are here.”

“So?” I said to him.

“Malloy, they came to see me play, and I'm trying to keep my stock up so I can go in the first round.”

“You've already had two fumbles, and three sacks. If you didn't impress them today, I need to take their job. You don't need to go back in the game. Let your leg get stronger, and next week you can go back out there. If you go out now you might damage it and be out a few more games. You don't want that now, do you? Come on now.”

“All right!” he huffed. “Wrap me up. I'm just going to sit on the sidelines. I'll see you after the game.”

The trainer wheeled him back into the isolated part of the locker room. I walked out to my dad. His mom followedme.

“You really care for my son, and you've got influence over him. Take care of him. He's a hothead, but if he can appreciate someone with your qualities, maybe my boy is growing up. All right, Big Mike, take care, now.”

“You impressed the mom. Dang!” my dad teased. “I taught you well.”

“Keep being a good influence and lose the young girl,” I said as I hit him in the arm.

“Stay out of your daddy's business,” he joked. “Ain't nothing that serious. Just messing with your mama.”

“Okay, so maybe you coming to this party is not a great idea,” I said as I saw my boyfriend hopping toward me at the big afterparty the team was throwing later that night.

“Please, we beat them Eagles real bad! Your brother got an interception. I've got to be here for him anyway, and then maybe you and I can have some alone time. I don't have a curfew, but I have to be with the trainer early in the morning.”

Worried, I said, “You don't need to be on your feet that long.”

“Come here, girl,” he said as he threw his arm around me and drew me to him.

If eyes could cut, I would have had so many stabs up and down my back. Most of the women in the place were checking us out, and, yes, when I first met Kade, I, too, had been physically attracted him. But getting to know him like I had over the last monthâhe was so deep. His kind of commitment would scare most of these women away. I knew why Sharon wasn't trying to give up that kind of affection.

Being naughty, Kade whispered, “You know I ain't had none in a month?”

“Well, we've been talking for thirty-two days. Is there something you need to be telling me?”

“You know I can't count good. My head is still messed up from the game.”

“You play defense. You hit people. Nobody hits you.”

“Come on, I'm on crutches. Somebody hit me.”

I lightly jabbed him. “All right. Quick on your feet, too!”

“Let's go sit down,” he said as he grabbed my waist.

“There's nowhere to sit.”

“I'm going to go find us some chairs. You just stay right here.”

Before I could tell him I'd go, I was distracted. My phone started buzzing. I looked down and saw I had a text messagefrom Loni that said she and Torian were at the door. My brother was working the door, so I asked, “Can they get in free, please?”

“They your friends? You ain't got no friends,” Mikey joked as I popped him. “If y'all can put up with my mean sister, come on in. I'm Mikey.”

I bragged, “He's the guy who got the interception today, y'all.”

“So you find time to notice my game, too.”

“Oh, see, you got jokes.” I turned to Torian and Loni. “Come on, girls. I want you to meet my boo.” Then I turned and saw Sharon was rubbing all over Kade's chest. “Oh, no! This hussy is not up in here trying to get with my man.”

“Okay, so who's your man?” Loni asked.

“Yeah, which one is he?” Torian repeated.

I pointed to Kade. Torian and Loni saw all the Betas around him. They tugged me back from walking over.

Torian said, “You can't date one of the Beta guys. That's pledging suicide. Uh-uh!”

The music got lower, and Kade and Sharon's voices escalated.He was stepping back from her. She was ticked. I didn't feel threatened. I knew he didn't want her.

“Clearly what they had is over,” I said boldly to my friends.

“Sharon, move back now. I said we're over. I'm not trying to be mean. Plus, I'm hurt. I can't have you tugging on me.”

“But I need to talk to you Kade; this is serious.”

“Ain't nothing left to say.”

He looked over and saw me watching. I couldn't believeit when he hobbled over, bent his neck down, and planted his lips on mine. People in the room started clappingand cheering. Sharon and a few of the Betas from Western Smith fled the party.

“Stop, stop, you can't do this,” I said

“I just want you to know, Malloy, that Sharon and I are over for real. I don't want nobody making you feel like that ain't clear.” He started moaning, and I knew his ankle was hurting him.

“Let me go get my car so I can take you home.”

In a sexy voice he said, “Oh, I like the sound of that.”

“Guys, I've got to leave,” I said to Torian and Loni.

Loni looked around and saw the crowd getting loud again. “We're going to leave, too.”

“Y'all don't like the party?”

“No, it's just that we got some crazy looks from the Betas, and we aren't even supposed to be out like this,” Loni said. “You know, when you want to pledge, sisters don't want you out.”

“Y'all gonna let them dictate your life? You've got to have some fun.”

“No, we'll go,” Torian said as they walked out with me.

When we got to my car, I yelled. “Oh, my gosh!”

My back window had been smashed in. There was a brick with a note stuck to it written in brown lipstick that read
Don't be such a slut!
I was livid. “That chick is crazy!” I yelled. “I cannot believe this!”

“Calm down!” Torian said. “You don't know who did this.”

“Are you kidding me? I know exactly who did this. It was Sharon.”

PRINCIPLE

I
just stared at the note as tears of anger streamed down my face. The party that was once inside was, I guess, now over because everyone had piled around me. I heard some folks laughing, and when I looked up it was the Betas from my school.

“Who would do this?” someone screamed out from behind me.

“Did you leave a purse or anything out?” Loni said.

“I know who did this. I think it's mighty trifling that the trick can't come up in my face and handle this woman to woman!” I yelled out as I looked across the parking lot straight into the eyes of Sharon. “I'm going right over there to talk to her.”

“Oh, no, you are not. You're not going anywhere,” Torian said, holding me back. “Loni, help me.”

Loni chimed in. “Yeah, she's right. You'll be committingsuicide if you go over there.”

“Listen to you guys. What kind of frame of mind are you in? Will you do anything to pledge and get stupid Greek letters?” I was so angry, looking at the shattered glass. “A brick was just thrown through my car window by one of them girls because now her guy is with me. I tried to let him go. I tried to give him back to her. It's not my fault he didn't want her. If this is the dumb stuff she does, no wonder Kade wanted to end it. She's older than me and still acting like a child.”

I kicked my foot in the air. I banged on my car window.People must have thought I was out of my mind as well. But seeing this foolishness, I couldn't hold it together.

“I don't even want to think about pledging. I'm calling my mom right now.” I reached in my pocket to get my cell.

After I had explained everything to my mother, I got the third degree. “Malloy, what are you doing out this late at a party anyway?”

“Mom, I know you're in bed, and I'm sorry. I just came to the party with Mikey. Now I can't go home because one of your Betas threw a brick through my window.”

More sympathetic, she asked, “You weren't in the car, were you, baby?”

“No, Mom, the car was parked. I came out here and found it like that.”

“So, wait a minute ... back up, Malloy. How do you know one of the Betas did it? It's that cocky, popular guy you're dating, huh? You took somebody's boyfriend.”

“Mom, how can I take somebody's boyfriend?”

“Malloy, don't be silly. You know men say anything. I recall when that young man came up to the Beta conventionwith Mikey to see his girlfriend. Now, I told you earliertoday ...”

I wasn't even listening as she went on and on. Everythingaround me was such a blur. Torian and Loni were trying to tell me Sharon didn't do this, but who else would have a motive to mess up my ride, freak me out, and leave me a crazy note trying to scare me away from Kade? It could be only Sharon. Was I the only sane one living in a crazy world?

“Mom, I gotta go. I'm about to call the police.”

“Malloy Murray, I'm telling you don't do that. Let's not make it a big deal. I'll pay for the window tomorrow. Tell your brother to let you drive his car. You call me as soon as you get back to your apartment.”

“Mom, I don't even see Mikey anywhere around here. I have money in my bank account to pay for the window. That's not even the point. The one who did this should pay for it, and I know who did it. Precious sorority sister or not, she is going to pay.”

My mom yelled back, “Now, you listen here! You didn't see anybody do anything. Calm your little self down. You shouldn't have been out there this late anyway. I told you nothing good happens out late at night in them streets. Some lessons you just have to learn the hard way, and obviouslythis is one of them. Malloy, am I making myself clear? You hear what I am saying to you? This is over. No police. We will take care of it on our own.”

“Mom, I don't want to pledge, okay?”

“And quit saying all that, too. You're all hot under the collar. As soon as any little thing happens, you don't want to pledge. That's why you need to be in a sorority. So you can get some discipline and understand what sisterhood is all about.”

“If sisterhood is someone coming over to my car and breaking it because they can't have their little way, I don't want to be a part of the sisterhood! It seems like a whole bunch of sisters from the hood, if you ask me,” I blurted as I hung up.

I wanted to smash my phone through the window that was still in one pieceâvandalize my own car, that's just how frustrated I was from hearing my mom side with her stupid sorors. I knew we didn't have the best mother-daughterrelationship, but I certainly wished she would have taken my side for once. I had thought we were gainingground. Why she kept standing up for those girls who wore lavender and turquoise was beyond me. When would her own daughter come first? As I listened to Loni and Torian tell the crowd to mind their own business and I looked at the crushed glass all over my backseat, deep in my heart I knew I would never get all my mom's love unlessI was a Beta.

“Come on, now, we just asked y'all to leave. You see she's upset about her car, dang!” Torian yelled out.

Though I was disappointed that my new buddies didn't support my view that Sharon did this, I really appreciated the two of them having my back. Even if folks weren't listening,they didn't want me to be a sideshow. As I cried, they shielded my body from direct view.

After I got myself together, I finally looked up and saw only Torian. “Where's Loni? I'm sure she wanted to get away from this whole scene. I can't blame herâyou can go, too. I'll be fine.”

“No, no, she went inside to find your brother.”

Dang
, I thought,
they really are good friends
. I did need to find Mikey. Why he wasn't out here, I didn't know. When we were growing up, he could always sense my tears as they formed and always came to my aid without me callinghim. Not this time. In despair, I leaned over my vehicle.

“Dang, what y'all looking at?” I heard Kade yell.

When Kade came over to me, I rushed into his arms, and he held me tight. A part of me felt like all this was just a bad dream, but now, in his embrace, I was in a sweet slumber, and everything would be all right.

“What happened? Did you see who did this?”

“I know who did this!” I told him, feeling like the judge and jury.

The crowd wasn't going anywhere, because we were playing out a soap opera, and I really got folks talking when I popped my trunk and pulled out a crowbar. I wanted to bash Sharon's head in. I've never been a violent person. I don't fight, except for kicking Mikey's butt over the years. But Sharon had crossed the line when she'd vandalized my property. If my mom wasn't going to make her pay for it voluntarily, maybe a little blood would do me just fine.

“Where you going with that?” Kade asked as he grabbed the crowbar from my tight grasp.

“Give that back to me! I need to take care of business. It's on now!”

“You are not going to hit nobody. Did you see Sharon do this?”

“What, you taking her side, too?” I said, getting all upset and defensive. “You're just like my mom and my girls telling me I'm not sure. Dude, you should have stayed with Sharon.”

“Listen, calm down,” he said as he pulled me close. “Baby, I want to be with you. Just because I don't want you to fight her doesn't mean I want to be with her. Come on, now, think logically on this one.”

“Think logically. I'm trying to think logically. She's going to admit she did this. I'm going to scare a confession out of her bony behind right now. You can get on my side and join me, or you can get the heck out of my way.” Because I was so angry, I shoved him to the side.

“Kade done met his match with that one!” someone in the crowd hollered.

“Kade, seems like you need to go back to the Beta!” somebody else shouted.

Then a group of Betas was walking toward us. I was happyâSharon was coming my way. All I needed was the weapon.

“Somebody said you sayin' I did this. Don't be putting lies like that all out there,” Sharon said as she got up in my face.

“Oh, so you think I'm scared of you?” I said, pushing her back.

Some of her sorority sisters grabbed her, and Kade grabbed me.

“Wait, wait, y'all, let me go. Let me go,” Sharon said to them before she turned to Kade. She was smiling at him. My man, with his strength, put me behind him. He started listening to her. I was breathing so hard I was about to pop.

Sharon begged, “I need you, Kade. You don't understandwhat's going on with us. We have a deep connection.I just need to help you see it. I need your time. You got to talk to me.”

Kade would not let me get around him. “We were just inside, Sharon, going through this. Come on. Please don't make this end ugly. I'm with Malloy now.”

“Malloy, Malloyâwhat can she give you that I can't? You feel like you've used me all up, and now you want fresh meat? Well, I got a news flash for you. She's no virgin.”

I couldn't believe he still kept holding me back from beating down this chick. She had crossed the line in so many ways already. Now she was all up in my personal affairs even more.

Edging around Kade I said, “You don't know me, and you broke the wrong car window. You better be scared.”

“Are you threatening me, Malloy?” Sharon asked.

“Please, Kade, let me talk to her,” Hayden said as she moved Sharon back. “Please let me talk to Malloy.” She added, “I can calm her down.”

Because Hayden and I were working on our differences, I had no problem hearing her out. We walked over to the side. But Hayden just started talking trash. Like I owed Sharon a break. Hayden thought I was just gonna drop all this. Here I had thought she was going to apologize for her girl.

“Are you kidding me? She broke my car window. And I am just supposed to drop it? She's basically saying I'm some skank. Yet here you stand telling me I'm just supposedto move on from that? And then she has the nerve to accuse me of spreading lies about her? Whatever, Hayden,please get out of my way.”

“You want to pledge. I'm trying to make that happen, but you're not making it easy. Who in my chapter is going to vote for you? She was with us, Malloy. Sharon did not break your window.”

“Oh, so she was with you all night?” I asked, knowing it wasn't the truth.

“I mean, not all night, but she just went to the bathroom,”Hayden said as I shook my head, knowing as close as the parking lot was, Sharon needed only a little time to destroy my car.

“It doesn't take long to grab a brick and throw it through my window. I watch
CSI
. I'm going to take my car to the police station and get her prints. That way, when they come after her tail with a warrant, you, Kade, and my mom will all stop being on her side. She broke my window, and that's a fact.”

I still wanted to hit Sharonâuntil I got away from Hayden and I heard the last part of her conversation with Kade. She kept pleading for another chance. I've never seen a girl lose it so bad and be so desperate to try to hold on to a man. The two-hundred-fifty-dollar deductible I'd have to pay to get my window fixed paled in comparison to all the broken emotions I saw Sharon reveal.

“All right, so you gonna drop this now?” Kade said to me as he and I walked back into the building. “You see she can't take no more.”

“All right, fine. Where's Mikey? I need to get his car and go home.”

“I haven't seen your brother. Your friend was looking for him, and that's when she told me where you were. Mike's gone.”

“We can take you home,” Torian cut in, Loni by her side.

“I would take you home, baby, but I got to see the trainer at five in the morning for rehab. Gimme your key, and I'll drive your car over to Mike's place.” Kade gave me a puppy-dog face, and I knew I needed to go with my friends and just call it a night.

“Come on, Malloy, let's get out of here,” Loni said as she rubbed my back. “I know you're tired.”

“Call me tonight, baby. It'll be all right,” Kade said beforehe hobbled over to my car.

When I got in the backseat of Loni's car, I laid my head down. It was pounding something fierce. All I had been trying to do was enjoy my time with my guy at a party, and that couldn't even go well.

“Girl, I know how you feel,” Loni said, surprising me.

“If it would have been me, I probably would have wanted to whoop up on her, too.”

“We just couldn't let you go down like that,” Torian chimed in.

“It's obvious Kade likes you, though,” Loni said as she kept her eyes on the road.

“Yeah, he really does,” Torian said. “And he's a hottie!”

BOOK: The Way We Roll

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