Culture Clash

by L. Divine

  “Full disclosure, huh? You have a few secrets of your own I’m not privy to, don’t you, Mr. Weiner?” I ask, pushing him in his lower back as we walk to the front door. He’s got a cute butt for a white boy, and I love his strong, tanned legs, even if they are covered in hair.

  “We all do. But for you, Miss Jackson, I’ll be an open book.” Jeremy turns around and strokes my face with the back of his right hand before bending down for one last kiss. I gently grab the back of his head, entangling my fingers in his thick curls. Jeremy’s hands move from my face down to my waist and he pulls me in closer. Here we go again.

  “Damn. Do you have to go now?” I whine as he releases me from his embrace. Jeremy opens the door and steps over the threshold, officially ending our make-up make-out afternoon. Every time Jeremy kisses me like this I feel swept away in the moment. This fool’s got some power over me and we both know it.

  “I love you too, Jayd,” Jeremy says, kissing me on the forehead and jogging down the stairs without allowing me to respond. That fool just said he loved me and ran off. What the hell?

  I step back inside and close the door as my phone rings once again. I push the silence button and notice the time, realizing I need to get a move on. I just remembered I was supposed to meet my crew at Nigel’s house about an hour ago. No wonder Rah’s been texting and calling me like crazy. I completely lost track of time, but that’s how it is once Jeremy and I get started—and I don’t regret a single minute.

  While relocking the multiple bolts on my mom’s front door, I swear I can feel someone’s eyes on me. I walk over to the living room window and look outside over the neighbor’s tall trees to see if I notice anyone staring my way. I don’t have time to play 007 right now. I have to clean up this place and get ready to go, which includes a shower and doing my hair. It’s still early in the afternoon and I know my crew’s not going anywhere anytime soon. I’ll be there as soon as I can, but I’m not rushing for anyone. Besides, I feel too good from Jeremy’s surprise visit and love confession to care about being late or about who may be spying on us. I just want to enjoy this feeling a little while longer before I have to deal with my crew and their inevitable issues.

  1

  The Ultimate Betrayal

  “Yuh need fi check yuhself before yuh start kiss yuh teeth/

  Caw yuh nuh ready fi this yet bwoy.”

  —TANYA STEPHENS

  Once all of my chores were done at my mom’s apartment, I gave my hair a quick wash and dry before flat-ironing it and packing my stuff. It’s been a minute since I’ve had time to give my hair the proper love and care it deserves, but hopefully next weekend I’ll have more time to pamper myself. I sent Mickey a text a few minutes ago, informing her I was on my way. I don’t even know why I’m going to this session. I have schoolwork to catch up on and there are always Mama’s assignments to do. Will a sistah ever get a break?

  When I pull up to Nigel’s house I see all of my friends are in attendance this sunny Sunday afternoon. I wish I were at the beach with Jeremy, as nice as the weather is. I park my little gray ride behind Chance’s Chevy and turn off the engine. Maybe I can take Chance’s car around the block before we leave and disturb Nigel’s pristine neighborhood. I need to make it a habit to drive his and Jeremy’s cars more often, so I can sharpen my hot-rod driving skills. I wonder if girls ever race in their car crew?

  “Sorry I’m late, y’all. What did I miss?” I ask, entering Nigel’s foyer and greeting my friends chilling in the plush living room. They all look distracted by whatever’s on the flat screen television. I’m surprised Mickey would come back so soon after Mrs. Esop called her out last week about being unsure of the paternity of her unborn child. But I guess my girl’s still hopeful she’ll be accepted into the family. If there ever was an eternal optimist in the midst of the darkest of challenges, it’s Mickey. She’s dead set on marrying Nigel and becoming a housewife, even if his mama can’t stand her.

  “Damn, Jayd. You missed everything. Me and Nellie are almost done with the registry and guest list,” Mickey says, flipping through baby catalogues, which has been her and Nellie’s favorite pastime lately. I’ll be so glad when this baby is born I won’t know what to do. I walk into the living room and join the session in progress. I know they didn’t smoke down here, but my boys are definitely on cloud nine.

  “You must’ve been real busy to be almost three hours late. Where were you?” Nellie asks, tagging several pages with pink Post-It notes. Party planning is definitely my girl’s thing. Maybe she can plan a small birthday celebration for me this year. My birthdays are usually uneventful, but I wouldn’t mind doing a little something on my special day. Nigel and Chance nod their greetings without looking away from the Chow Yun-Fat flick in front of them. Martial arts always mesmerize my boys, and he is one of my favorite actors, too. Looks like I came just in time, no matter what Nellie and Mickey may think.

  “She was with her boy toy,” Rah says, taking his red eyes away from the fight scene on the big screen to glare at me. I knew he would be irritated about seeing Jeremy kiss me on Friday, but he really can’t say shit. I have to endure not one but two of his ex-heffas sniffing around him on the regular. Jeremy and I actually have a future together, unlike what he and Trish and Sandy have.

  “He’s not my boy toy,” I say, ready to defend me and Jeremy if need be. “I know you know me better than that, Rah,” I say, rolling my eyes at him and sitting down next to Nellie on the couch. Mickey and Nigel are cuddled up together on the loveseat and Chance is sitting on the floor in front of Nellie while she plays in his hair. Everyone’s coupled off except for me and Rah, yet we’re the two that brought them all together. Isn’t this ironic?

  “Then what is he, Jayd?” Rah asks, turning his body around to face me completely in the chair he’s posted up in next to the couch. “You’re usually not late to a session and you didn’t answer my calls or texts. Naturally I got worried and went by to check on you. Before I could get out of the car I saw your boy Jeremy leaving your mom’s apartment, and he looked very happy,” Rah says, waiting for my confession—but from where I’m sitting I don’t owe him an explanation.

  “Ooh, a midafternoon make-out session. I love it,” Nellie says, taking her hands out of Chance’s hair and clapping. “Details, please.” Nellie is a bit too excited for the heaviness of the situation between me and Rah. I’ll fill her in on the kiss-by-kiss encounter another time. Right now I need to check my boy before he goes too far.

  “Rah, Jeremy and I are friends, and you’ve known that all along. Besides, you don’t see me spying on your ass when you don’t answer my calls, which is quite often now that Sandy’s back in your life,” I say, sucking my teeth at him. He’s got nerve enough for the both of us.

  “Jayd, you can say whatever you like, but you know you’re wrong to be dealing with that punk again. He shouldn’t even be touching you,” Rah says, his high cheekbones flexing at the very thought of Jeremy and me kissing. I didn’t mean for him to ever witness Jeremy and me being affectionate, but it happened and there’s no going back.

  “Hey, that punk is my friend, and he helped you win that basketball game against KJ, don’t forget,” Chance says, having Jeremy’s back like a true homie. Nigel has his back, too, but he’s Rah’s homie first, so he’s silent for the time being. But I know if Rah gets too carried away Nigel will step in. We all know Rah’s not really pissed at Jeremy; he’s just jealous because I’m doing my own thing.

  “Whatever, man,” Rah says, calming down for the time being, or so I think. After a few minutes of silence, Rah comes back at me. Am I going to get to watch the movie in peace, or what?

  “Just admit that the shit was disrespectful, Jayd, and I’ll let it go.” Mickey and Nellie look at Rah and then back at me. Nigel feels the gravity of the situation and turns the volume down on the surround-sound system his dad hooked up in here, much to Chance’s disapproval. The entertainment system in the game room is even tighter than this one and I alread
y feel like I’m at one of Magic Johnson’s theaters. But Rah’s drama is distracting us all from watching the movie.

  “I’m not admitting a damn thing,” I say, now just as irritated as Rah. This fool is really tripping and messing up my vibe. I was feeling good when I left my mom’s house. Now I feel like kicking his ass. “Can you please shut up so we can enjoy the movie? We’ll talk about it later.” If I were a dude Rah would’ve socked me in my mouth for telling him to be quiet. He looks like he’s going to hit something and I feel him.

  “You’ve lost your damn mind, you know that?” Rah says, standing up from his seat and towering over me. “Do you really think I’m stupid, Jayd? I know you and that punk-ass white boy are more than friends—no offense, man,” Rah says to Chance, who looks like he wants to jump in, but chooses against it. When Rah gets this angry there’s no reasoning with him. Nigel gets up from his cozy spot next to Mickey just in case he needs to cool Rah down.

  “Come on, man. Let’s take a walk,” Nigel says, trying to distract Rah. But Rah’s eyes are set on me, and mine on him. Nellie scoots over, putting more space between her leg and mine. Chance scoots over on the floor just in case Rah takes another step and accidentally crushes Chance’s fingers underneath his new Jordans.

  “You betrayed me, Jayd. You betrayed us,” Rah says between his teeth before storming out of the living room and through front door, passing Mr. and Mrs. Esop on his way down the porch steps. Nigel looks down at me and shrugs his shoulders before following his boy. I haven’t seen Rah this angry with me in a long time.

  “Rah, wait a minute. It’s not that serious,” I say, rising to follow them out. He can be so dramatic sometimes.

  “Hello, Jayd,” Mrs. Esop says, leading her husband through the open door. I smile at Nigel’s mom and dad before walking through the foyer. They look stunning in their Sunday best, fresh from church.

  “What’s wrong with Rah?” Mr. Esop asks, turning his head to watch Rah start his car before heading to the game room next to the living room. Mrs. Esop takes off her large white hat and smoothes her hair down in the antique mirror hanging in the entryway.

  “Oh, the usual,” I say, looking back at my crew looking at us instead of the muted screen in front of them. A live show is always more interesting. “I’ll be right back,” I say, adjusting my purse on my shoulder and walking down the steps. I’m so sick of doing damage control, but it’s an inevitable part of maintaining friendships. And sometimes boys can be more difficult to deal with than girls when it comes to matters of the heart.

  “Jayd, I’m looking forward to continuing our discussion soon about becoming a debutante,” Mrs. Esop says. I thought I was out of that deal when she went off on Mickey.

  “But I just assumed you wouldn’t be interested any longer in coming to the shower,” I say, trying to speak low so Mickey doesn’t hear. I haven’t told her about my deal with Mrs. Esop yet. But from the look on her crooked face, I’d say Mickey heard the entire conversation. Shit. Now I’ll have to deal with her drama, too.

  “Just because it’s not my grandchild doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy the festivities,” she says with a cunning smile. “And I am nothing if not a woman of my word. Besides, a deal’s a deal,” Mrs. Esop says, waving to Mickey, Nellie, and Chance before walking up the stairs. Mickey looks at me like she’s about to explode she’s so pissed, but I’ll have to deal with her later. Right now I have to catch Rah before he does something stupid, which is the usual when his head gets this hot. Why does my life have to include all of this bull?

  START YOUR OWN BOOK CLUB

  Courtesy of the DRAMA HIGH series

  ABOUT THIS GUIDE

  The following is intended to help you get the book club you’ve always wanted

  up and running!

  Enjoy!

  Start Your Own Book Club

  A Book Club is not only a great way to make friends, but it is also a fun and safe environment for you to express your views and opinions on everything from fashion to teen pregnancy. A Teen Book Club can also become a forum or venue to air grievances and plan remedies for problems.

  The People

  To start, all you need is yourself and at least one other person. There’s no criteria for who this person or persons should be other than their having a desire to read and a commitment to discuss things during a certain time frame.

  The Rules

  Just as in Jayd’s life, sometimes even Book Club discussions can be filled with much drama. People tend to disagree with each other, cut each other off when speaking, and take criticism personally. So, there should be some ground rules:

  Do not attack people for their ideas or opinions.

  When you disagree with a Book Club member on a point, disagree respectfully. This means that you do not denigrate other people or their ideas, i.e., no name-calling or saying, “That’s stupid!” Instead, say, “I can respect your position; however, I feel differently.”

  Back up your opinions with concrete evidence, either from the book in question or life in general.

  Allow everyone a turn to comment.

  Do not cut a member off when the person is speaking. Respectfully wait your turn.

  Critique only the idea. Do not criticize the person.

  Every member must agree to and abide by the ground rules.

  Feel free to add any other ground rules you think might be necessary.

  The Meeting Place

  Once you’ve decided on members, and agreed to the ground rules, you should decide on a place to meet. This could be the local library, the school library, your favorite restaurant, a bookstore, or a member’s home. Remember, though, if you decide to hold your sessions at a member’s home, the location should rotate to another member’s home for the next session. It’s also polite for guests to bring treats when attending a Book Club meeting at a member’s home. If you choose to hold your meetings in a public place, always remember to ask the permission of the librarian or store manager. If you decide to hold your meetings in a local bookstore, ask the manager to post a flyer in the window announcing the Book Club to attract more members if you so desire.

  Timing Is Everything

  Teenagers of today are all much busier than teenagers of the past. You’re probably thinking, “Between chorus rehearsals, the Drama Club, and oh yeah, my job, when will I ever have time to read another book that doesn’t feature Romeo and Juliet!” Well, there’s always time, if it’s time well-planned and time planned ahead. You and your Book Club can decide to meet as often or as little as is appropriate for your bustling schedules. Once a month is a favorite option. Sleepover Book Club meetings—if you’re open to excluding one gender—is also a favorite option. And in this day of high-tech, savvy teens, Internet Discussion Groups are also an appealing option. Just choose what’s right for you!

  Well, you’ve got the people, the ground rules, the place, and the time. All you need now is a book!

  The Book

  Choosing a book is the most fun. CULTURE CLASH is of course an excellent choice, and since it’s part of a series, you won’t soon run out of books to read and discuss. Your Book Club can also have comparative discussions as you compare the first book, THE FIGHT, to the second, SECOND CHANCE, and so on.

  But depending upon your reading appetite, you may want to veer outside of the Drama High series. That’s okay. There are plenty of options, many of which you will be able to find under the Dafina Books for Young Readers Program in the coming months.

  But don’t be afraid to mix it up. Nonfiction is just as good as fiction and a fun way to learn about from where we came without just using a history textbook. Science fiction and fantasy can be fun, too!

  And always, always research the author. You might find that the author has a Web site where you can post your Book Club’s questions or comments. The author may even have an e-mail address available so you can correspond directly. Authors might also sit in on your Book Club meetings, either in person, or on the phone, and this ca
n be a fun way to discuss the book as well!

  The Discussion

  Every good Book Club discussion starts with questions. CULTURE CLASH, as does every book in the Drama High series, comes with a Reading Group Guide for your convenience, though of course, it’s fine to make up your own. Here are some sample questions to get started:

  What’s this book all about anyway?

  Who are the characters? Do we like them? Do they remind us of real people?

  Was the story interesting? Were real issues that are of concern to you examined?

  Were there details that didn’t quite work for you or ring true?

  Did the author create a believable environment—one that you could visualize?

  Was the ending satisfying?

  Would you read another book from this author?

  Record Keeper

  It’s generally a good idea to have someone keep track of the books you read. Often libraries and schools will hold reading drives where you’re rewarded for having read a certain number of books in a certain time period. Perhaps a pizza party awaits!

  Get Your Teachers and Parents Involved

  Teachers and parents love it when kids get together and read. So involve your teachers and parents. Your Book Club may read a particular book whereby it would help to have an adult’s perspective as part of the discussion. Teachers may also be able to include what you’re doing as a Book Club in the classroom curriculum. That way, books you love to read, such as the Drama High ones, can find a place in your classroom alongside the books you don’t love to read so much.

  Resources

  To find some new favorite writers, check out the following resources. Happy reading!

  Young Adult Library Services Association http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/yalsa.htm