“Whoa, whoa, hold up. Say what now?” Jordan interrupted, shocked at what she was hearing.
“What’s your technique? How do you do it? I’ve heard all kinds of different stuff, but I want someone who really knows what they’re doing to tell me.”
“Technique? Technique for…?”
“You know.” Eva leaned closer over the desk and whispered in her ear. “Giving head.”
“Oh, hell naw!” Jordan lost control of her temper and shot up from her chair. She cocked her head to the side and looked Eva over with a doubt in her eyes that questioned the girl’s sanity. Jordan knew all about the rumors making the rounds, but aside from Adrienne, no one had confronted her about them.
“Shh! It’s okay!” Eva whispered. “It’s not like I look at you like you’re nasty or anything. Just sit back down.”
The substitute’s calls met Jordan’s back as she stormed out of class, not even halfway into the first hour of the day. The door to the bathroom smacked the wall, and the echo was deafening as Jordan barricaded herself in a stall in an attempt to calm herself.
She was out of breath as she squinted to read the graffiti on the wall. “Jordan is a ho” was written in black marker on the wall. Jordan frantically licked two of her fingers and tried to rub the ink away, but even her best efforts didn’t manage to fade or smear the color, let alone erase it.
Just as the ink refused to disappear, it seemed her problems with Adrienne wouldn’t go away. She had kept her distance in hopes of falling off her ex-best friend’s radar, but even though it had been weeks since their last face-to-face interaction, Adrienne clearly hadn’t stopped talking about her to anyone who would listen. Her peers were still judging her, labeling her and shunning her because of Adrienne’s lies.
It had gone on long enough. Storming down the hall, Jordan burst into the musty ladies’ locker room in search of Adrienne. The room was quiet except for the sound of dripping water from sink and shower faucets, but Jordan still searched row after row of lockers. She sniffed the air after picking up the scent of tobacco and followed her instincts to a drawn curtain in the showers.
She crept over the damp floor and quickly snatched the curtain open. Adrienne twitched at the sudden disturbance and was temporarily stiff with fear until she realized she hadn’t been caught by a member of the faculty. She nonchalantly crushed her cigar with her heel, blowing smoke in Jordan’s face.
“Move!” Adrienne’s tone was menacing.
“Fuck you!” Jordan’s tolerance was gone, her anger consumed her. Adrienne had robbed her of so much happiness this year, she felt it was urgent to confront her. The disrespect had to end.
“Ha, Jordan’s mad. You mad, Jordan?” Even if Adrienne was afraid of the fire in Jordan’s eyes, Jordan knew she wouldn’t back down. And she didn’t care if her challenging words fueled Jordan’s temper. “Yeah, you mad.”
Jordan used both hands to push Adrienne against the wall. She wanted to punch her in the face, but she boasted a steady straight-A academic performance and she had a clean record. She’d made it all the way to her junior year of high school without getting into a fight, and she didn’t want to destroy what she had worked so hard to build. Her mother’s voice rang in her ears and convinced her to keep her fists at her side.
“What are you going to do, hit me?” Adrienne laughed weakly before shoving Jordan’s shoulder with her own and taking a seat on a bench.
“What the fuck is up with you telling all these people I go down? Eva Parker just sat up here and asked me for my ‘technique.’”
“Who said I told Eva that? Did she tell you I said that?”
“No, but it’s not like she needs to. I know you did it, Adrienne.”
“Whatever, Jordan. Just because your business is out in the streets, don’t be mad at me. It ain’t my fault,” Adrienne said with a shrug.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, but I am. Do I look like I’m playin’ games with you?” Adrienne asked spitefully, pushing Jordan even closer to the edge. “Are you done now?”
“Far from it. The next time I see you outside school—”
“Oooh, sounds exciting! Really,” Adrienne said sarcastically. “I’m sorry for having to cut our lovely little chat short, but I have somewhere I need to be.”
“And to think you used to be my best friend—or at least you were supposed to be my best friend.” Jordan spoke aloud as though she were no longer talking to Adrienne, but Adrienne couldn’t resist saying something in return.
“Boo-hoo, cry me a fucking river. You’re right, I’m not your friend anymore, get over it.”
“Well, with all that being said and done, I wish you the best. I really do,” Jordan told her. “And I really hope your fat ass is on your way to class for once! You could stand to drop a few pounds there, buddy.” She matched Adrienne’s sarcasm, looking her over from head to toe. Adrienne had always been sensitive about her weight, even though she was constantly complimented on her “thick” figure by men of all ages.
“Oh, so you’re a comedienne now? Don’t get me started on you.”
“Actually, I think you’ve done more than enough to prove you’re the funny person here. What happened to you? Why couldn’t you just come and talk to me?”
“Jordan?” Adrienne’s voice was without emotion as she reached into her locker to retrieve a tiny bottle of Calgon body mist. She sprayed the air around her with the perfume and stepped into the vapors.
“Adrienne,” Jordan grumbled, twisting her neck with attitude.
“Do me one last favor, just for me? If you do this, you have my word I’ll leave you alone,” Adrienne crooned as she slammed her locker shut. Her speech was plain and her eyes were cold, but she placed her hands on Jordan’s shoulders to force eye contact.
“What do you want from me?” Jordan’s puzzlement was apparent as she held their stare. Adrienne knew she had her right where she wanted her.
“Jordan…” She sighed deeply. “Kill your fucking self.” And with that harsh statement, Adrienne let go and made her exit, leaving Jordan at a loss for words.
Jordan sat with her knees to her chest in bathwater that was no longer warm. She laid her head on her knees and continued to weep. She lifted her head in search of the disposable razor she’d placed nearby, and her pruny fingertips felt blindly in the room illuminated only by a ray of moonlight coming through the small window. Her fingers were careful as they handled the sharp blade, and she fought to keep her crying quiet. She didn’t want to wake anyone.
She replayed the locker room scene between her and Adrienne over and over again in her mind. Adrienne had made her cruel request as though it were reasonable, a genuine favor eligible for consideration. Jordan had been humiliated in front of the entire school, and now she walked the halls every day alone. She even went without lunch just to bypass the embarrassment of dining without company. She’d withdrawn from the social scene.
She was frustrated with her life, and she bit down on her lip, tossing the plastic blade into the darkness. Who does Adrienne think she is? she thought, her sadness mixing with anger. She barely heard it ricochet off the corner of the room over her heavy sobs. She hugged her legs tighter and began to shiver in the cooling water. Lost in a daze, she’d been drowning in depression, and she didn’t want someone else to save her, as much as she wanted to save herself.
CHAPTER 10
“Jordan Wright?”
“Here.”
Jordan lowered her hand and shifted in her chair as her computer technology teacher, Mr. Reaves, finally reached the end of the attendance list. The fact that she had made it to the last period of the day was nothing short of a huge disappointment. She just wanted school to be over with. After reaching rock bottom last night, she didn’t want to go to school at all, but her parents wouldn’t listen to another request to remain at home. She’d had no choice.
As Mr. Reaves began outlining the day’s lesson, an earsplitting alarm began to sound and a flas
h of white light came from the strobe on the wall. Jordan sighed in displeasure as she stood, pushed her chair under her desk and joined the horde packed into the hallway. The fire drill had everyone headed for an exit, and the students were more than happy to miss part of the hour.
While others carried on conversations and made plans for the weekend, Jordan quietly flowed with the crowd. She was in no rush to head into the heat that awaited her outside. As she approached the door, her blank expression turned into an angry stare. The glitter on a banner for the Spring Fling had caught her eye, and she wished no one were around so she could rip it to shreds. The Spring Fling was the biggest end-of-the-year party besides the prom, and it had a reputation as always being a hype and memorable night.
“Hey, Jordan! Wait up!”
Jordan became irritated as soon as she heard someone behind her calling her name. She was sure this was just another one of Adrienne’s tricks or someone coming to ask about one of the lies everyone had heard about her. She looked back and, pleasantly surprised, allowed other students to pass her as she waited to greet a glowing Warren Taylor.
“What up doe, Jordan? Where you been at? I swear, I never see you around anymore.”
Jordan was equally happy to see him and was about to reply when she hesitated. She could sense someone staring at her, and when she looked to her left, she saw that Adrienne was no more than ten feet away.
Adrienne shifted her weight in her high heels and tapped her friends to point out Warren and Jordan’s interaction. Jordan immediately turned to leave in a hurry, but Warren was quick to take hold of her wrist and gently pull her back to him.
“Where are you going?” he asked, almost yelling to be heard over the alarm.
Jordan refused to answer him in words. Instead, she looked beyond him to the four girls watching her. Warren glanced over his shoulder and glared at Adrienne and her crew. They instantly began to play innocent, pretending to be in the middle of an intense conversation. Warren flashed the girls a sour face that let them know he saw right through their act.
“Don’t worry about them. Let’s go.” He draped his arm over Jordan’s shoulders and led her through the double doors. Casting a last backward glance, Jordan was almost pleased to see the angry look on Adrienne’s face.
Adrienne was infuriated seeing Warren devote his attention to Jordan. She’d already watched him be late for practice just to talk to Jordan, something he’d never done for anyone. She could feel hurt brewing beneath her jealousy as she realized that it wasn’t Jordan who was interested in Warren, but vice versa.
“I wouldn’t have that shit if I was you.” Kenya was the first to offer her opinion, and Michelle didn’t waste any time offering her two cents, either.
“Hell yeah, who does she think she is, all up in your face with him? It looks like she’s just trying to start some shit to me.”
“I know, right? Adrienne, girl, what are you going to do?” Farrah asked. All eyes were on Adrienne, and she knew the girls were hoping to see a fight between the ex-best friends. She stared off into space.
“Shh! Be quiet. Don’t worry, I got this,” she snapped.
“It don’t look like it to me,” Michelle remarked.
“Yeah, well, sometimes looks can be deceiving.” Without warning, Adrienne stormed off full of attitude, and a teacher was soon behind the trio, ushering them out of the building.
Meanwhile, once outside, Jordan quickly removed Warren’s arm from her shoulders. “Leave me alone.” Jordan’s mood was foul, and it seeped into her speech as she shook free from under his arm.
“What?”
“You heard me!”
“Aw, are we having a bad day?” Warren asked, turning his mouth down in an exaggerated pout.
“You have no idea.”
“Then why don’t you tell me all about it?” Warren was genuine as he stood his ground.
“It’s nothing. I’m all right.” As mad as she was, Jordan still didn’t want to bad-mouth Adrienne. “I’m sorry…” She sighed. “What about you? How have you been?”
“Great. I just found out North Carolina is going to come to scout me at our next game,” Warren said proudly.
“Wow! Congratulations!” Jordan’s eyes lit up.
“Yeah, I’m excited. We play the Hornets,” he said, waving a hand dismissively, “and everybody and they momma knows I’m about to show out.”
Jordan was amused at Warren’s arrogance. “You think you’re just going to stunt on ’em that easy, eh?” she teased, folding her arms over her chest.
“That’s right,” Warren asserted.
“Yeah, my little brother just joined the rec-and-ed team last month so he can keep playing all year,” Jordan told him.
“That’s what it is. That’s one smart brother you got there.” He supported his choice with a certain overbearing pride in his voice. Warren wasn’t just pursuing the sport for financial gain; he had true love for the game.
“How long have you been playing ball?”
“Damn…probably since I was about five or six.”
“Ha, that’s funny.”
“What?”
“Nothing, it’s just that he’s the same age now as you were when you started,” she said.
“Yeah, hopefully I’ll make it to the NBA one day…Speaking of making it, have you starred in any more videos, Ms. Soon-To-Be-Famous?” he joked lightly.
“Uh-uh, and I really don’t want to. Trust me.” She giggled. “The only thing I’ve been doing lately is getting a head start on college apps so when the fall comes I won’t have to stress about it.”
“I should do that, too.”
“You don’t even have that problem, though. You’re not even in your senior year yet and you already got college scouts checkin’ you out. That says a lot.”
“Yeah, but I want to keep my options open.”
“Where are you trying to go? If I were you I would get as far away from here as possible.”
“It’s funny you say that, because I was actually looking to go somewhere up north. Where, though, is the question. I won’t go anywhere that doesn’t have a team.”
“Have you already figured out what you want to major in? That is, if you’re not playing ball in the NBA by then. I know I sure can’t make up my mind.”
“I was thinking…medicine. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor like my granddad.”
“A doctor?” Jordan couldn’t catch her chuckle before it escaped her throat.
“Yeah, what’s wrong with that?” Warren raised an eyebrow.
“Nothing, it’s just I guess it’s not true then when they say that all jocks are dumb.”
“Hey, I resent that!” He laughed. “Naw, but for real, you want to know something? It’s ridiculous how much I read. People would think I was such a nerd if they really knew.”
“That’s probably just because they’re so used to seeing you in a different light. You’re Mr. All-Star. Not some Einstein. No offense.”
“None taken.”
“Well, if it helps, I don’t think you’re a nerd.”
Warren cracked a smile, and Jordan felt foolish for her comment. A wave of relief washed over her when the bell sounded for everyone to return to their classrooms.
“So…what do you got up for the weekend?” As the two started toward the building, Warren kept their conversation alive.
“Absolutely nothing.”
“Nothing at all? That I find hard to believe. I know you probably be out every weekend. Niggas are probably damn near knockin’ your door down.”
“That’s not even true.”
“And I know you probably go out and party with your girlfriends. You and Adrienne used to be tight, right?”
“Yeah, but I wonder how I did it sometimes. How do you deal with her?”
“I don’t. Shit, you do not have to tell me she got a fucked-up attitude. Trust.”
“But she always made it seem like y’all were kickin’ it and whatnot. Plus, I saw her with
a bunch of flowers on V Day. I just assumed you bought them for her.”
“What?” His eyes were wide and his laughter was loud. “Are you for real?”
“As serious as a heart attack,” she said.
“Man, Adrienne is a jump! Who knows what fool bought her those flowers. But I won’t lie to you, I know you know I used to mess with her at the beginning of the year. I only ended up going out with her because she wouldn’t leave me alone! And I should’ve known better than to give in, because sure enough, she got way too clingy, way too fast. If it makes you feel any better, it really doesn’t go any deeper than that,” he admitted. “And besides, like I was telling you before, don’t sweat her bullshit. Adrienne is all talk. All she does is run her mouth, and anybody who knows better knows talk is cheap. It will all blow over in time. You just don’t let her come in between us. We’re still friends, regardless of whatever she says.”
“Ha, in that case, you’re more like my only friend.” Jordan had to laugh at the sad reality.
“Then why don’t you come cheer your only friend on at his game? I could use all the support I can get.”
“You already practically have a fan club around here.”
“Yeah, but you being there would mean a lot to me.”
“I don’t know, Warren…”
“Okay, let me ask you something.”
“Depends on what it is.” She exercised caution this time, remembering the last time she did that, it hadn’t gone so well.
“When was the last time you got out of the house?”
“I wish I could tell you, but now that I think about it…I don’t even remember.”
“Then what would you say if I asked you to not only come to the game, but to also come to the Spring Fling with me?”
“Now you want me to go to the Spring Fling with you, too?” Jordan’s eyebrows arched in amazement.
16 Isn't Always Sweet Page 7
