by Nikki Carter
Jewel and Kelani sit down next to me, each of them holding a flyer. Kelani asks, “Are you going to this party or are you going to be at IHOP?”
“Where are y’all gonna be?” I ask, not wanting to be the first traitor among the Hi-Steppers.
Jewel scoots really close to me and says, “We asked you first.”
“Wait a minute,” I say, “are y’all trying to go to the rally girls’ party?”
Kelani lowers her voice to a whisper. “It sounds like fun, and everybody is going except us! The football players, cheerleaders ... everybody!”
“So, if we go, who’s going to break it to Valerie?” I ask, because this is really the most important question.
Jewel replies, “We think it should be you because you’re the co-captain. You can stand up to her without getting bumped down to the B squad.”
“I guess I can do it. But you two better have my back! I’m not playing.”
Jewel and Kelani give me matching nods. Tonight they have opted for bright gold eye shadow to go along with their ponytails. I wonder if there’s such a thing as multiracial twins, because these two had to be separated at birth.
As if on cue, Valerie stomps down the steps holding a handful of crumpled flyers. “Have y’all heard that everybody is going to this party?”
“Everybody but us,” Kelani says under her breath.
“What did you say, chica?” Valerie asks.
She’s got a stank attitude for real. Her nostrils are flared and her face is a bright shade of red. I guess we can safely say that the rally girls have gone past the point of no return. They are now Valerie’s mortal enemies.
I clear my throat and say, “Look, Valerie. We go to IHOP every week. Don’t you think for once we could go along with someone else’s program?”
“What are you saying, Gia? I do not understand the words that are coming out of your mouth,” says Valerie.
“Shall I say it in Spanish, chica?” I ask.
Valerie purses her lips and frowns. “Don’t play, Gia. You’re going to this lame bowling thing?”
“Yes, and so are Jewel and Kelani ... right, y’all?”
For once, the nonbiological twins don’t seem to be on the same page. Kelani starts a nod, and Jewel is about to shake her head no. Then they each do the opposite gesture, as if they haven’t decided.
“Well, which is it? Are you betraying the Hi-Steppers or not?” Valerie demands.
I roll my eyes furiously. “Look, girl. Nobody is betraying the Hi-Steppers. This is about having fun, and it looks like all the fun is going to happen at the rally girls’ party. So the three of us are going.”
Candy walks up and joins the conversation. “I’ll go wherever you go, Valerie. Are we still going to IHOP?”
“Yes, the loyal Hi-Steppers will be at our normal location.”
Jewel and Kelani drop their heads sadly. I reply, “Candy, you are going where I go. Do I need to walk over there to my mom and tell her you’re trying to sneak off somewhere without me?”
I narrow my eyes and scowl at Candy. If she wants me to keep her klepto behavior a secret then she better not try to side with Valerie. A look of recognition flashes across her face. She knows what it is.
Candy says, “Sorry, Val. Gia’s right. I do have to go with her, or my dad won’t let me go at all.”
Valerie’s eyes travel to each of our faces. It’s not difficult to see that she’s furious. She storms away to go and talk to the other seniors on the Hi-Stepper squad. They’ll probably go along with whatever Valerie wants.
Jewel says, “Oh my goodness, Gia. You totally rocked just then. Valerie looked mad enough to kick you off the squad.”
“She probably will,” Candy warned. “And I won’t feel sorry for you. Don’t you know that Hi-Steppers are supposed to stick together?”
I want to laugh out loud. Candy has clearly become one of Valerie’s disciples. I should give her a warning on how fast Valerie can change. Maybe I’ll tell her to ask Hope about it.
“She can’t kick me off the squad,” I say. “I’m a co-captain. But she can kick you off the squad, or she can at least recommend it to Mrs. Vaughn. So, I suggest you worry about getting this step right and forget about the after parties.”
“Gia!” I hear Kevin calling my name from a few rows behind us. I’m trying my best to pretend that I don’t hear him.
“Gia!” he yells again.
Candy laughs. “Hey Gia, your man is calling you.”
“Ha, ha,” I reply.
“What’s up, Kev!” I shout from my seat.
“We’re picking teams for bowling tonight! Will you be on mine?”
I roll my eyes. “Sure, Kevin.”
“Ew!” Kelani says. “Are there going to be band geeks at the rally girls’ party?”
“Band geeks?” I say with a glare. “That’s not really cool, Kelani.”
Kelani drops her head, shamefaced. “Valerie always clowns the band.”
“Well, I don’t do everything Valerie does,” I reply. “Kevin is my friend, whether he’s in the band or not.”
Maybe it’s time for me to step up and end Valerie’s tyranny over the Hi-Steppers. She’s got girls like Jewel and Kelani, who are really kinda nice, just being evil for no reason. That’s not cool. I’m starting to think Valerie is not a happy person.
After the game, everyone finds a ride over to the bowling alley. Since I’m riding with Ricky, Hope, Kevin, and Candy, Gwen and LeRon let us have an extra hour and a half. We don’t have to be home until after midnight, which is sweet!
Ricky is in a great mood, because they won the game, thirty-five to seven. Kevin is in the front seat and Candy is sandwiched between me and Hope.
Hope asks, “So, Ricky, are you looking forward to the Homecoming game? You should really be ready to show your stuff.”
“Yep. We’re playing Normandy again this year, so I plan on putting a lot of points on the board.”
Kevin jumps in. “Speaking of Homecoming, Gia, I need a date, and I think you should go with me.”
Clearly, Kevin has lost his mind. Apparently, he has taken Pastor Stokes’s name it and claim it message way too literally.
“Umm, Kevin. Why’d you have to go and kill the mood, boy?”
Everyone but Kevin bursts into laughter.
“So what about you, Ricky?” Hope asks. “Who are you taking?”
“I haven’t given it much thought at all. Do I have to take a date? Can’t I just show up?”
Candy replies, “The starting quarterback has to have a date! Ricky, don’t you know anything about high school politics?”
“What do you know? You’ve been in high school for all of five seconds,” I say.
“I watch Gossip Girl,” Candy says in her defense.
Hope cracks up. “Girl, bye!”
Candy’s little comedy break saved Ricky from having to either commit to a date with Hope or turn her down. Either option would’ve been all bad, I think. But the look on Hope’s face tells me that she hasn’t given up on Ricky.
By the time we get to the bowling alley, the party is already popping. There are Longfellow High students all over the place, and students from other schools too.
“Wow, Hope! This party is the bidness!” exclaims Candy.
Hope beams. “It wasn’t just me, planning this. It was all of the rally girls working together.”
Ricky walks up with several pairs of bowling shoes. “Are y’all ready to get demolished?”
I cover my mouth, but the laughter spills out anyway. “Boy, whatever. Don’t let that little football win blow your head up. We’re gonna crush him, right, Kev?”
“That’s right! Who else is on our team?” Kevin asks.
“Count me in,” says Hope. “I really want to beat Ricky now since he’s talking mess.”
Candy says, “Ricky, I’ll be on your team.”
“Can you bowl?” he asks.
Candy giggles and slaps Ricky on the arm. “Not really, bu
t I just wanted to help you out.”
Ricky throws his arms into the air. “Can I get one decent player on my team?” he asks.
“I’ll be on your team, Rick.”
Valerie stays sneaking up on somebody. She’s standing here with her arms crossed, with Jewel and Kelani at her side.
“Umm, okay, sure. I guess,” Ricky says.
Hope looks about ready to explode, which in any other scenario would be quite hilarious to me. But since this is a Valerie-induced anger, I’m going to resist making any jokes that might make this situation worse.
Kevin grabs an empty lane for us and starts filling out the computerized score card. Why does he scribble his own name as “Kev-Dogg” on the screen? Every time I think he’s ready to join us in the land of cool, he runs back to the dark side.
Jewel is on our team, and we let Rick’s squad have Kelani. Now I think we’re pretty even with player talent. Jewel claims she’s never bowled before, so she should make up for Ricky’s unfortunate Candy situation.
“So, Rick,” Valerie says as she slides up next to Ricky on the bench. “It is okay if I follow you to Cedar Point next week, right?”
Ricky clears his throat nervously. “It’s a straight shot. You just take Highway Two West the whole way. You can’t miss it.”
Valerie snuggles up so close to Ricky that there is no space between them. “But I’d feel so much safer if I followed you. What if we get lost?”
Ricky scoots away from her. “Well, I don’t care if you follow us. I’m driving with the people from my church. Be at Gia’s house next Saturday morning at nine.”
“Let’s bowl, people!” Kevin says excitedly. He is way too pumped about this game.
Kevin goes first and makes a strike. He does some kind of crazy little move that he calls his victory dance. Umm, yeah, no.
The rest of us take turns throwing balls into the gutter or knocking down one or two pins. Even Ricky is playing horribly, and he’s usually pretty good. Maybe he’s tired from the football game, but I’m almost one hundred percent sure he’s thrown off by all of the booty popping by Valerie and hair-flinging by Hope. Yes, he does seem to be a bit distracted by Hope, but I can’t tell if he likes or dislikes the attention.
When Valerie knocks down three pins and then drops it like it’s hot to celebrate, I guess it’s too much for Ricky. He grabs me by the arm and says, “Come on, Gia, let’s go get some snacks. Kevin, bowl on our turns, okay?”
Kevin says, “Oh, sure! You just want me to get some points on your sorry boards.”
Ricky ignores Kevin’s foolishness and drags me toward the refreshment counter. He says, “Gia, what in the world is going on? Why are Hope and Valerie acting all crazy?”
“Boy, quit acting like you don’t know. Obviously, they both want to be your boo.”
“Well, I guess I knew about Valerie, but Hope? Hope likes me too?” Ricky asks with anxiety in his voice.
“Yep, I guess she couldn’t handle all of your hotness.”
Ricky sits down at one of the tables and runs his hand over his hair. It’s one of his nervous tics. He says, “Gia, Hope can’t like me. I mean, I don’t think of her in that way.”
I swallow hard. It’s a good thing I’ve never let any of my almost-crush feelings get out of control. I mean, this could very easily be me he’s talking about.
“So what are you going to do?” I ask.
“Can I pretend that I don’t notice? Do you think they’ll let me play stupid?”
This is almost too easy. “Play stupid? The fact that you are just now noticing this little triangle kinda confirms that you are not playing.”
“I am not in the mood for your jokes,” Ricky fusses. “I need some help here. You have to get your friends off of my back, especially Hope.”
Hmmm ... especially Hope? Does that mean that there is some chance for Valerie to make it back to boo status? It is my fervent prayer that this is not the case. I have no intentions of dealing with Valerie mixing in with my inner circle of friends.
“So what about Valerie? I think she’s pretty much determined to be your date for the Homecoming dance. I hear she’s planning to run for Homecoming queen.”
“So? What do I have to do with that?” Ricky asks.
“Well, you’re pretty popular now, seeing that you’re the starting quarterback,” I explain.
“I’m not even a senior! Plus, I don’t care about any of that Homecoming court mess.”
“Hear, hear, my brother!” I say while giving Ricky a high-five. “Who in the world wants to be the Duchess of Longfellow High?”
“I know, right?” Ricky laughs a little bit and seems to relax. “I guess we should go back over there now,” he says. He points over to our lane, and both Hope and Valerie are staring in our direction.
I give Ricky a pat on the back and say, “It’s gonna be a long day at Cedar Point next Saturday.”
13
We’re up bright and early for our family adventure to Cedar Point. Ugh! Gwen is in the kitchen packing a picnic basket full of sandwiches, fruit, cookies, and other foods that I will not be eating. The entire point of going to Cedar Point is eating the cheese fries, caramel apples, and ice cream at Pierre’s Ice Cream store.
Candy is in front of the mirror appraising her outfit. I have to admit that her House of Deréon jean skirt and baby tee are pretty fresh, but I refuse to give her any compliments on her stolen goods.
I’ve decided to bring Mr. Tweety out for some air. In honor of our amusement-park trip, I’m wearing my white Tweety polo shirt with a ferris wheel on the front. It may not be high couture, but it is completely felony-activity free.
“You sure you don’t want to borrow something of mine?” Candy asks, after looking my outfit up and down.
“No. That’s called receiving stolen property.”
“Will you lighten up? It’s not that serious really.”
“Actually, it is that serious, and if you don’t simmer down with all of that boosting, I might just have to snitch on you.”
Candy glares angrily. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Yes, I would. You have absolutely nothing on me, so I really don’t mind getting you in trouble.”
Candy stares at me intently as if she’s trying to see if I’m serious. I’m not. I just like to keep her worried. She is a permanent fixture on my prayer list, though. She needs some deliverance for real.
Gwen pops her head into our bedroom. “Are you girls almost ready? I think your friends are outside.”
“Yes! Let’s roll, Mama Gwen,” Candy says.
Candy is killing me with this Mama Gwen stuff. I’m totally accepting of her getting along with my mom, but I hope they don’t think we’re starting a trend here. I have no intentions of calling LeRon Dad, Daddy, Papa, Pops, or any of the above.
Gwen raises an eyebrow in Candy’s direction. “Girl, you sure do have a lot of clothes. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you repeat an outfit.”
I stifle a snicker as Candy’s face turns pale with fear. She better not play Mama Gwen too close. Gwen is very, very observant and her “mess” radar stays connected and in place.
Candy replies, “I guess my mother goes a little overboard sometimes on the clothes thing.”
“Mmm-hmmm ...” Gwen says. “You girls make sure to go to the bathroom before we leave. It’s a long ride.”
Candy and I look at each other and crack up laughing. What are we, toddlers? Gwen doesn’t even note the reason for our laughter because she’s off to take care of her man.
I step into the living room and look out the window. Ricky, Hope, and Kevin are here and they’re standing outside Ricky’s car. Valerie has just pulled up too. I better hurry and get out there before the fireworks start.
But wait a minute. Oh my goodness. I cannot believe Gwen and her husband are trying to destroy my life. They are wearing matching outfits, and trust, it’s all bad. They have on navy blue shorts and T-shirts that say What Would Jesus Do?. But the worst
part is the matching neon-green fanny packs.
I expect this kind of foolishness from Kevin, but not Gwen. Clearly Elder LeRon is a bad influence.
“Mom, what are you wearing?” I ask.
“LeRon picked it out. Do you like it? We’re twins!”
I shake my head with utter disgust and walk out the front door. I cannot and will not approve of this. She gets a big, fat no, ma’am!
“Hey, y’all,” I say as I walk over to Ricky’s car.
Ricky looks relieved to see me, and I can guess why. Hope and Valerie look like they’re about to pounce on him at any second. I’ve never seen my friend under this kind of stress!
Valerie says, “Ooo-OOO!”
Every Hi-Stepper here replies with the usual, “Ooo-OOO!”
I don’t know how necessary our Hi-Stepper bird call is outside of a football setting. It’s almost like Valerie wants Hope to feel like an outsider. That is so the opposite of cool.
“I’m calling shotgun in Ricky’s car!” I shout.
Kevin grimaces. “Hey, I already claimed it when he picked me up.”
“Umm, that doesn’t count because everyone was not present and accounted for.”
Ricky laughs. “Yeah, Kev. I think Gia is right.”
“Ha!” I say and jump into the front seat of Ricky’s car.
Kevin mutters something and climbs into the backseat. Hope doesn’t look too thrilled either, but I’m glad I thought of it first.
“Gia, if you’re going to sit in the front then you cannot take a nap like you always do!” Ricky says. “This is a long ride and I’m going to need some conversation.”
“I got you!” I reply.
“If she falls asleep, you can call me and we can chat all the way there. I’m sure I can keep you awake,” Valerie says from her post on the sidewalk.
I was wondering when she was gonna work her way into the conversation. It’s not like Valerie to stand off to the side in silence, especially when there’s a cute boy to be preyed upon.
