by Pat Simmons
Her mission had been accomplished—until Tango back tracked in sync with her steps. Annisa hurried to stay by his side without making eye contact with Kami. Tango smacked his lips and gave her a lustful appraisal—her hair and makeup were done to perfection and instead of her flats, she had on wedge heels—thanks to her aunt’s shopping spree. “You clean up, girl.”
You’re complimenting another woman in front of your new fling, really? Tango scanned Kami’s arm and frowned.
“You removed our tattoo?” He seemed disappointed.
“It no longer worked with my wardrobe.” After the Holy Ghost refreshed her at the tent meeting, she asked Queen to take her somewhere to remove the evidence of bad judgment. Surprisingly after the tattoo was gone, thoughts of Tango didn’t consume her. She walked away, giving an imaginary high five to Susanna. Kami couldn’t wait to tell her friend what happened. “Yep, I’m ready for a boyfriend trade-in.” she said under her breath.
That afternoon, Kami felt good that she had survived the first day without any drama until an unknown girl jolted her—more like slammed into her.
“Watch it, chick,” the new student, either a freshman or transfer, said without a glance then kept walking.
What was her problem? Since she had had a victorious day, Kami wasn’t about to let the devil ruin it.
At home, her mother met her at the front door. “So how was your first day back, sweetie?” Cheney hugged her before she could answer.
“I was a little nervous because I knew I’d run into...When I saw him, it was as if God opened my eyes to see how insensitive Tango really is.”
Kami rested her backpack on the floor and headed to the kitchen to see if Pace had left any snacks for her to munch on before dinner. Her mother trailed her.
Cheney handed her a bottled water. “You’ll meet the right one who will lift you up with love instead of pulling you down with deceit.” Her mother smiled. “But you’ll have plenty of time to meet him, like after college and grad school and five years on your first job.”
“Mom! I don’t know if I want to wait that long, but it will be worth it if he’s like my daddy.” Kami shook her head, and her mind drifted back to school. “I really didn’t want Tango or anybody else to see how much he had hurt me. I acted like Aunt Queen when guys look at her and she ignores them.”
Parke walked into the kitchen and kissed Cheney on the cheek and then Kami. “I don’t know whose had the worse influence on my favorite daughter—Grandma BB or Queen,” he said evidently overhearing some of their conversation. Good, because she wanted her dad to know he was her hero again and the blueprint for any boyfriend to follow.
“And for the record, I expect to meet the next guy face-to-face.” Her father pointed two fingers from his eyes to hers. “So, are you okay about Tango?” Parke sat on a stool and crossed his arms, then his feet at the ankles. If she was reading his body language correctly, he was giving her all the time in the world to talk. Her mother joined them on the other stool.
How could she have taken her parents’ love for granted? “Well, at first, I didn’t think I would feel anything for Tango when I saw him, because I’ve been trying to refocus on my walk with God, but I did... a little. The real pain came with seeing Annisa with him. It was a setup by my so-called best friend. She knew Tango didn’t like me, but what was in it for her to see me make a fool out of myself?” She reflected on the Scripture in Proverbs 1:11: Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privately for the innocent without cause. “I trusted her with my secrets and everything.” Kami held back tears. Betrayal hurt. She had texted Susanna at lunch with an update because she needed to vent.
Susanna didn’t disappoint. She made Kami smile when she replied: I’m your best friend now.
Her mother captured her attention again. “Well, sweetie, sometimes we pick people to be our friends and it works out, but the best friends are the ones God handpicks for you.”
“Amen.” Kami grinned. “Like Susanna.”
The next day at school, she kept to herself. She didn’t respond to a group of girls hanging with her nemesis who whispered and giggled when she passed them. Kami didn’t take the bait to defend her womanhood. Instead, she prayed that God would send her friends here at home—real friends.
Minutes later, the same girl who bumped her the day before walked up to her face and started to provoke her. “You think you’re cute, don’t you?”
Huh? Here we go. Lord, what am I, a magnet for trouble?
Walk away, the Lord whispered instead.
No, not this time. Shifting her books to one side, she rested her fist on her hip. “You’re a good mind reader because as a matter of fact, I do.”
“I think you’re ugly, and I’ll make sure of it if you mess with me again.”
Excuse me, mess with you? Widening her eyes in disbelief, Kami was speechless. She began to assess her classmate. She was the same height as Kami, but a couple of shades darker, and definitely needed a makeup application class from Miss Pearl’s.
Based on what the girl was wearing, no wonder she made the snide remark. She probably would look better if she cared about her hair and the unflattering clothes that made her appearance look boyish, but not gay. There was a spirit of jealousy operating in her midst.
“I wouldn’t worry about her,” another unknown student said to Kami, appearing out of nowhere.”
“And why is that?” Kami lifted an eyebrow, mindful of a crowd forming nearby. Students at her school were good for egging on a fight and using social media to post videos to go viral.
“Victoria’s foster care trash.” The tall girl, who was thick and wore cheap weave, snickered.
Hurt flashed across Victoria’s face, but she bounced back.
Offended herself, Kami didn’t recover that fast. Is that what people thought of her before she was adopted?
“I’m Tammie. This one here picked a fight with me in the lunchroom.” She huffed. “Miss Victoria didn’t know she had to fight my cousins too. We’re an army of six here at school.”
Now Kami had names for their faces. The thick girl was Tammie and Victoria was...Kami didn’t have a description for her yet, but she wasn’t trash. If Tammie was telling her this because she wanted her allegiance for protection or something, it wasn’t going to happen.
This was her senior year, and Kami didn’t have time for cliques. She had to stay focused on maintaining her grade point average, excelling on the cheerleading squad, and graduating with honors, seemingly a simple goal that was being made difficult each day. “What grade are you?” Kami asked Victoria.
“She’s a transfer,” Tammie answered instead.
Victoria huffed and squinted. “A junior. Why do you want to know?”
Between the two, Kami didn’t know who she cared for less. Since it seemed like Victoria and Tammie had issues with each other, Kami slipped away and let the two have full rein.
Something about the encounter with her two classmates bugged Kami the rest of the day. Before climbing into bed that night, she cried out to the Lord on their behalf, then she recalled the derogatory remark Tammie made about Victoria—foster trash. Hmph. “Jesus, I don’t know Your plan, but let me draw them close to You with my actions and defeat the devil in his tracks. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
Look beyond what you see, and see them as I do, God whispered.
The next morning, Kami coaxed herself to have compassion for Tammie and Victoria and put on magnifying glasses to see the good Jesus saw that apparently she had missed. Both were troublemakers in their own rights.
At school between classes, she saw Victoria at her locker and walked to her. “Hey.” Her classmate faced her and stared her up and down. Clearly, a good night’s sleep didn’t alleviate her major attitude. “Look, I don’t know what you have against me, but I was hoping we could try to be friends.” Kami grimaced. How much time and effort would it take to accomplish that with someone who didn’t like her? She wasn’t sure she could actually
like Victoria.
“Nah. I don’t need any friends.” She slammed her locker door shut, dismissed Kami, and walked away.
Tammie appeared. “I told you she was bad news.” She came to her side and folded her arms, startling Kami. “You just keep popping up whenever I’m around her.”
“I have backup. There’s something about you. I feel we have a kindred spirit.”
“Umm-hmm.” She didn’t see a connection at all. Actually, the girl was annoying in a stalker sort of way.
The next couple of days, it seemed as if Victoria went out of her way to avoid Kami. Tammie didn’t. She always seemed nearby. One day when she scanned the cafeteria, she noticed a rowdy bunch at a table. It was Tammie and her entourage.
A couple of guys near Tammie even made Kami blush with their hot looks. How many new and transfer students enrolled this year? Kami spotted Victoria sitting alone across the room, so she headed in her direction.
“Hey.” She sat without an invitation.
Victoria looked up. “What do you want?” Chewing on her hamburger, she waited for an answer.
“To be friends.” Kami smiled. God, I’m doing this for You.
“I told you, I don’t need friends. They turn on you quicker than a trained Rottweiler, and I hate dogs.” She growled as if she was imitating one.
Kami would have laughed if they hadn’t been interrupted. “Hey, foster girl. You’ve got your sister with you too?” Jenny had a reputation last year for picking fights, but coerced others to do her dirty work. Kami wondered if she should try to befriend Jenny as the girl stood over their table. Nah.
Resist the devil and he will flee, the Lord Jesus reminded her of James 4:6–7: He gives us more grace. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Jenny who seemed to have the upper hand with her height and weight didn’t seem to intimidate Victoria. Kami silent prayed, Jesus intercede. Protect the defenseless. You calmed the storm. Speak peace to this storm. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Victoria got to her feet. Oh boy, Kami thought and stood to show solidarity. An altercation was not her idea of peace be still.
As if summoned, Tammie and her crew appeared. Where was the drama-free zone Kami craved?
“She’s not my sister, and I don’t need one to whip your....” Victoria cursed and balled her fists, ready to take the first swing.
“Back off, Jenny.” Kami paused. “Why are you picking on her?”
The girl gave Kami a look as if to convey, Why are you questioning me? “Why not? She’s the new girl on the block. It’s a welcome party.”
In perfect timing, Mrs. Davis, the lunchroom moderator, shoved her way through the group. “Either eat your lunch or go to detention,” she threatened.
They dispensed in a flash.
When they were alone, Kami snuck glances at Victoria when she sat again. Did they have any similarities?
“What’s wrong with you?” Victoria bit out.
“Do you think we look alike?” Kami didn’t see it. “I was adopted when I was four.”
“Hmph. Congratulations,” she said dryly. “It’s been proven no two people have the exact same eight facial features to be identical, taking into account factors such as head measurement, height, eye color, which is suspect—”
Whoa. Who was this person spewing out data as if she was Miss Google? Kami wondered.
“And for the record, on any given day, there are more than four hundred thousand minors in the foster care system, so I guess we all do look alike.” Victoria swallowed and looked away.
“Oh, by the way, you were among the twenty percent of lucky ones who were rescued.” Standing, Victoria swiped her milk bottle and apple off the table, then stuffed it in her backpack. Without another word, she left Kami sitting there to digest more than the food on her tray.
Chapter Sixteen
A stalker. Kami had turned into one ever since Victoria began to evade her in the hallways and lunchroom. It was going on three days.
Lord, You know where she is. Show me. Once they did come face-to-face, then what? The girl wasn’t looking for pity. Was Kami’s friendship charity? There were so many questions whirling around in her head.
Friday afternoon, Kami had taken the late lunch period so she could meet with her advisor about college options. When she walked into the cafeteria, she spied Victoria slipping outside. Kami’s adrenaline kicked in as she hurried to catch up. As she was about to open the door, she paused and observed Victoria sitting behind a tree. Her knees were drawn to her chest and her head bowed. Her shoulders shook. Kami didn’t have to guess that her classmate was crying.
“Lord, let me see what You see in her,” she whispered a prayer and opened the door. Quietly, she approached Victoria, then sat within inches of her. Kami didn’t know if she should rub her back or talk, so she remained silent and prayed.
Victoria glanced up, tears rolling down her cheeks. Anger at seeing Kami invade her space replaced the agony that had brought her to tears. “I don’t know you, or want to know you, so why do you keep following me? Didn’t you hear that chick, I’m foster trash,” she spat out.
“Making sure you’re okay,” Kami said. She hoped Victoria could see the genuine concern on her face.
“Why?” She frowned and sniffed, but the tears kept falling.
Kami fumbled in her pockets for tissues, but pulled out a napkin instead. Victoria eyed it. “It’s clean, here.”
Her classmate snatched it without a word of thanks and blew her nose, then looked in the other direction.
“Being in foster care doesn’t make us trash. I told you I was in foster care before my parents adopted me,” Kami said. “You’re smart and...” She couldn’t say pretty, because Victoria put very little in her appearance, but she could be, if she tried.
Victoria seemed to be holding her breath, waiting for Kami to finish.
“And strong.” She smiled. “Any foster parent would want to adopt you.”
“For the money, not because they want to love me. Besides, that door shut years ago.” Bowing, Victoria shook her head as she plucked blades of grass out of the ground. “I’ve had nothing but losers, who I hate, and I’m determined to get out. I’ll kill them or myself.”
Help! Lord, she doesn’t need a friend, Victoria needs intervention a.s.a.p. “What do you mean?”
Victoria didn’t answer. Either she was ignoring Kami or she was focused on her game plan.
Kami pressed. “This stays between me and you.” She continued to plead, almost to the point of tears, to trust her. She had already been exposed to two student suicides, one in middle school and the other her freshmen year. Kami didn’t want Victoria to be number three. Closing her eyes, she silently prayed until her classmate started talking, not really to Kami, but more to herself. Kami opened her eyes and listened.
“I got tired of asking God why I was born. Who cares? He doesn’t care, so I stopped caring. I’ve been nothing more than a man’s sex toy for him to keep or trade me as a prize in poker games. There’s sex trafficking in plain sight...and in back door deals.” She gritted her teeth, but didn’t look at Kami. “Even if they don’t touch me, they got inside my head. I am what people say I am—worthless and trash, so I guess God had no purpose in this life for me. I’m about to be out of here.”
“No!” Kami’s heart was breaking. She couldn’t process what she was hearing. “How old are you?”
“Fourteen.”
Kami swallowed. Fourteen and a junior? The person sitting before Kami looked every bit of seventeen like her or probably could pass for older. She swallowed again to keep her emotions in check. Here she was worrying about the faithfulness of a boyfriend, and her classmate was trying to survive terrible things: raped, molested, sexually assaulted, prostituted, sex slave. It all meant the same thing, the girl had been violated. Kami had said Victoria was smart and strong, but at fourteen, she was an overcomer. Kami hadn’t expe
cted or was prepared for this heavy duty conversation.
Suddenly, she squinted at Kami. “I’m not telling you this. I’m talking out loud, but if you repeat any of this, I will hurt you.” The fire in Victoria’s eyes conveyed her threat was real.
Exhaling, Kami nodded. “I’m praying for you,” she whispered, not knowing what else to say.
“Save it. God ain’t listening.”
God does answer prayers. Kami knew that, but she doubted Victoria wanted to hear that. “All this happened to you while in foster care?”
Victoria smirked. “What difference does that make? I was placed in foster care at birth. Eventually, my mother got clean, and I was returned to her at two. I remember her smelling good all the time. I didn’t have any toys, but there were books and magazines, and I remember looking at the pictures. The pictures made me want to know the story. The innocence of my childhood didn’t last long. She sexed me out to her boyfriend for drugs. For my safety—” she made quotation marks in the air—“I was put back in foster care. Same abuse, different face, so trust me, no two faces are the same. I had to learn survival skills and fast after overhearing the last foster dad making a deal to sell me into prostitution. I’m tired of men touching me!”
Looking around, Kami was grateful nobody was nearby, and only a few students were in the courtyard.
“If Cedric comes back into my bedroom one more time, I’ll stab him to death.” Victoria’s fierce expression revealed she wasn’t bluffing.
Whoa. Although venting was good, Kami wasn’t expecting her classmate to reveal such horrific details about her life. “I’m sorry.” She fought back tears. Her appetite was gone. Victoria needed her, and if Kami had to skip lunch for the girl to have someone to talk to, so be it.
