Courtin' Jayd

by L. Divine

  PRAISE FOR THE DRAMA HIGH SERIES

  “You’ll definitely feel for Jayd Jackson, the bold sixteen-year-old Compton, California, junior at the center of keep-it-real Drama High stories.”

  —Essence magazine on Drama High: Jayd’s Legacy

  “Egged with comedy and a provoking street-savvy plot line, Compton native and Drama High author L. Divine writes a fascinating story capturing the voice of young black America.”

  —The Cincinnati Herald on the Drama High series

  “Filled with all the elements that make for a good book—young love, non-stop drama, and a taste of the supernatural, it is sure to please.”

  —The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers on Drama High: The Fight

  “A captivating look at teen life.”

  —Harriet Klausner on Drama High: The Fight

  “If you grew up on a steady diet of saccharine-Sweet Valley novels and think there aren’t enough books specifically for African-American teens, you’re in luck.”

  —The Prince George’s Sentinel on Drama High: The Fight

  “Through a healthy mix of book smarts, life experiences, and down-to-earth flavor, L. Divine has crafted a well-nuanced coming-of-age tale for African-American youth.”

  —The Atlanta Voice on Drama High: The Fight

  “Drama High has it all…fun, fast, addictive.”

  —Cara Lockwood, bestselling author of Moby Clique

  Also by L. Divine

  THE FIGHT

  SECOND CHANCE

  JAYD’S LEGACY

  FRENEMIES

  LADY J

  Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

  DRAMA HIGH: COURTIN’ JAYD

  A NOVEL

  L. Divine

  Dafina Books for Young Readers

  KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

  http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

  To my publicist at Kensington, Adeola Saul, for having

  faith in the series and for being an enthusiastic passenger

  on this journey. From the beginning you’ve been a

  consistent cheerleader. Thank you for your continued

  support.

  To Walter, Steven, John, Laurie, Magee, Jessica, Lydia,

  Barbara, David, Darla, Helen, Selena, and the rest of the

  folks at Kensington Publishing Corp.: Thank you for being

  flexible and patient always. To my former publicists,

  Christal Jordan-Mims in Atlanta and Parthenia Bozeman

  in Los Angeles, for backing the series from the start.

  And to my agent, Brendan Deneen: Thank you for helping to make my dreams a reality and for courting Jayd like a true gentleman.

  Contents

  The Crew

  Prologue

  1. Above The Rim

  2. Hot Head

  3. Waiting

  4. Foul Play

  5. From The Sidelines

  6. The Rebound

  7. Hoodrats Wear Prada

  8. Down To The Root

  9. Let It Burn

  10. Hot Air

  11. Great Expectations

  12. Ballin’

  13. Who’s Got Next?

  14. One On One

  Epilogue

  A Reading Group Guide

  Discussion Questions

  THE CREW

  Jayd

  A sassy sixteen-year-old from Compton, California, who comes from a long line of Louisiana conjure women. She is the only one in her lineage born with brown eyes and a caul. Her grandmother appropriately named her “Jayd,” which is also the name her grandmother took on in her days as a Voodoo queen in New Orleans. She lives with her grandparents, four uncles, and her cousin Jay. Jayd is in all AP classes and visits her mother on the weekend. She has a tense relationship with her father, whom she sees occasionally, and has never-ending drama in her life, whether at school or home.

  Mama/Lynn Mae

  When Jayd gets in over her head, her grandmother, Mama, is always there to help her. A full-time conjure woman with magical green eyes and a long list of both clients and haters, Mama also serves as Jayd’s teacher, confidante, and protector.

  Mom/Lynn Marie

  At thirty-something years old, Lynn Marie would never be mistaken for a mother of a teenager. But Jayd’s mom is definitely all that and with her green eyes, she keeps the men guessing. Able to talk to Jayd telepathically, Lynn Marie is always there when Jayd needs her.

  Esmeralda

  Mama’s nemesis and Jayd’s nightmare, this next-door neighbor is anything but friendly. She relocated to Compton from Louisiana around the same time Mama did and has been a thorn in Mama’s side ever since. She continuously causes trouble for Mama and Jayd, interfering with Jayd’s school life through Misty, Mrs. Bennett, and Jeremy’s mom. Esmeralda’s cold blue eyes have powers of their own, although not nearly as powerful as Mama’s.

  Rah

  Rah is Jayd’s first love from Junior High school who has come back into her life when a mutual friend, Nigel, transfers from Rah’s high school (Westingle) to South Bay. He knows everything about her and is her spiritual confidant. Rah lives in Los Angeles but grew up with his grandparents in Compton like Jayd. He loves Jayd fiercely but has a girlfriend that refuses to go away (Trish) and a baby-mama (Sandy). Rah is a hustler by necessity and a music producer by talent. He takes care of his younger brother Kamal and holds the house down while his dad is locked up and his mother strips at a local club.

  Misty

  The word “frenemies” was coined for this former best friend of Jayd’s. Misty has made it her mission to sabotage Jayd any way she can. Living around the corner from Jayd, she has the unique advantage of being an original hater from the neighborhood and at school.

  KJ

  He’s the most popular basketball player on campus, Jayd’s ex-boyfriend, and Misty’s current boyfriend. Ever since he and Jayd broke up, he’s made it his personal mission to persecute her.

  Nellie

  One of Jayd’s best friends, Nellie is the prissy princess of the crew. She is also dating Chance, even though it’s Nigel she’s really feeling. Nellie made history at South Bay by becoming the first Black Homecoming princess and has let the crown go to her head.

  Mickey

  The gangster girl of Jayd’s small crew. She and Nellie are best friends but often at odds with each other, mostly because Nellie secretly wishes she could be more like Mickey. A true hood girl, she loves being from Compton and her man with no name is a true gangster.

  Jeremy

  A first for Jayd, Jeremy is her white ex-boyfriend who also happens to be the most popular cat at South Bay. Rich, tall and extremely handsome, Jeremy’s witty personality and good conversation keep Jayd on her toes and give Rah a run for his money—literally.

  Mickey’s Man

  Never using his name, Mickey’s original boyfriend is a troublemaker and always hot on Mickey’s trail. Always in and out of jail, Mickey’s man is notorious in her hood for being a coldhearted gangster, and loves to be in control. He also has a thing for Jayd but Jayd can’t stand to be anywhere near him.

  Nigel

  The new quarterback on the block, Nigel is a friend of Jayd’s from junior high and also Rah’s best friend, making Jayd’s world even smaller at South Bay High. Nigel is the star football player and dumped his ex-girlfriend at Westingle (Tasha) to be with his new baby-mama to be, Mickey. Jayd is caught up in the mix as both of their friends, but her loyalty lies with Nigel because she’s known him longer and he’s always had her back.

  Chance

  The rich white hip-hop kid of the crew, Chance is Jayd’s drama homie and Nellie’s boyfriend, if you let him tell it. He used to have a crush on Jayd and now has turned his attention to Nellie.

  Bryan

/>   The youngest of Mama’s children and Jayd’s favorite uncle, Bryan is a dj by night and works at the local grocery store during the day. He’s also an acquaintance of both Rah and KJ from playing ball around the hood. Bryan often gives Jayd helpful advice about her problems with boys and hating girls alike. Out of all of Jayd’s uncles, Bryan gives her grandparents the least amount of trouble.

  Jay

  Jay is more like an older brother to Jayd than her cousin. Like Jayd, he lives with Mama but his mother (Mama’s youngest daughter) left him when he was a baby and never returned. He doesn’t know his father and attends Compton High. He and Jayd often cook together and help Mama around the house.

  Prologue

  “Haven’t you heard of no white after Labor Day, Jayd?” Mrs. Bennett, my most hated teacher, says, commenting on my bright attire. Apparently, it’s okay for folks to wear all black on any given day. But put on white from head to toe, and you stick out like a sore thumb.

  “Other people’s opinions of you don’t matter, Jayd. It’s what you think of yourself and your heritage that counts,” Mama says, creeping into my dream as usual. Do all grandmothers have this ability, or is it just mine?

  “She’s right, Jayd,” my mom says. I guess my dream world has become community property. “I know it’s difficult sticking out in a crowd, especially at school, but it’s worth it. Trust me.” And I know she knows what she’s talking about. My mom gave up on her spirit lessons in high school. So why are they all up in my head this morning?

  “Look at that witch,” Reid says, no longer in character as Macbeth but joined by the rest of the drama class in his taunting. “My mom told me about people like you.”

  “Yeah, my great grandmother remembered hearing stories about slaves with strange powers,” Mrs. Bennett says. What is she doing in drama class? She and Mrs. Sinclair don’t get along at all. “They had to be put in their place to protect the others on the plantation,” she says, raising her pointer above her head, which she yields like a weapon in class on a regular basis, ready to strike.

  “Fight back, Jayd, like I taught you to,” Mama whispers into my ear as I stand my ground in the center of the room. Everyone has surrounded me, ready to watch the whipping I’m supposed to receive. “None of our ancestors took shit laying down, Jayd. We come from a long line of warriors. Girl, get up and fight!”

  “You have no right to judge me,” I say, taking a step back from Mrs. Bennett. None of my friends are here to help me. Only my enemies have come to watch. “And you damn sure have no right to hit me,” I say. Mrs. Bennett looks at me, her cold blue eyes shimmering like our wicked neighbor Esmeralda’s did when she gave me my headache from hell, which starts again as I stare back at her. What the hell?

  I feel like Alice in Wonderland. Watching me stumble and fall to my knees in the center of the circle, the entire class laughs hysterically at my demise. At any minute I’m going to vomit from the dizziness in my head. The laughing is getting louder and more dramatic. The scene switches and Reid is now in character. But instead of being Lady Macbeth, I’m one of the witches. Alia’s still laughing along with the rest of the onlookers as Mrs. Bennett readies herself to take a cheap shot at me while I’m already down.

  “Jayd, don’t you hear that alarm, girl? Get up,” Mama yells from her bed, instinctively saving me from my psychic beat-down.

  “Sorry, Mama. I’m off my game a little this morning,” I say, shaking my head free of the leftover pounding from my dream. I haven’t seen Esmeralda since I gave Misty her gris-gris ingredients last week and I leave out of the back door now always, just in case she’s feeling bold. After getting a taste of her powers, I’ll never give Esmeralda the chance to catch me off-guard again.

  “As soon as you realize it’s a game you can master, you won’t ever be off it again,” Mama says, giving me insight into my own visions, as usual. How does she do that?

  “She’s Mama,” my mom says, contributing her two cents. “You haven’t even seen ten percent of what she can really do. Why do you think I stay out of her way?”

  “If your mom’s in your head, please tell her to call me. It’s time for her to get a reading about this new man of hers,” Mama says, rolling over in her bed and returning to sleep. When did I become a psychic mailwoman?

  “Mama says to call her,” I say out loud, knowing they both heard me.

  “Damn, see what I mean Jayd? She probably already did the reading and wants to see what I have to say. Ain’t no hiding from Mama.” And don’t I know it. I’ll have to talk to her about my dream later. Now it’s time to get to school and face the music. Things have been really tense since everyone found out about me trying to help Misty, especially when I came to school wearing all white last week. But, I’m not going to be deterred from living my life. And with my crew back together as tight as glue, I know I’ll be just fine.

  1

  Above The Rim

  “The world is mine when I wake up/ I don’t need nobody telling me the time.”

  —ERYKAH BADU

  From my dream this morning, I thought my day was going to be much more eventful than it was. It was chill though, just going to my classes and getting my assignments for the week. Mrs. Malone still hasn’t returned my paper to me. I’m anxious to see what I got on the rewrite. It was a difficult assignment and I wasn’t into it at all. I hope there will be fewer red marks across the pages when I get it back this time.

  I did notice people staring at me, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. And me looking extra flyy today gives them a different impression than the one they had of me last week, even though I look flyy in my whites too.

  “Jayd, wait up,” Nellie says, joining me as I head toward the gymnasium. While I have dance class, she, Mickey, and the rest of the South Central kids have P.E. during sixth period. I usually don’t see any of them walk in because I’m always late for dress-up. Hiking up the hill from drama class is no joke and takes up the majority of the six minutes we have to get from one class to the other, no matter how far apart the classes are. Luckily, we have ten minutes to dress, which gives me plenty of time to get ready and be on time for roll call.

  “Why aren’t you in the gym already?” I say, speed walking up the steep hill. Students are rushing in every direction before the final bell for sixth period rings. “Don’t you have to run laps if you aren’t there for roll?” Regular P.E. is more stringent than our elective courses on the AP track, and I always hear about the tougher rules from both her and Mickey. They think I’ve got it easier because I seemingly have more options, but, like the saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover.

  “Yeah, but we have a sub today,” she says and instantly I know it’s Mr. Adewale, the fine-ass sub who’s been working here for the past couple of weeks. Damn, I wish I had her class today. “And check it out. Nigel, Chance, and Jeremy are playing a game of basketball against KJ and his boys. You’ve got to come watch.”

  “What the hell are they doing that for?” I say, obviously more out of the loop than I realized. I missed kicking it with them at lunch because I was rehearsing in drama class, and nothing seemed unusual at break.

  “Because they’re boys,” Nellie says, pulling me in the direction of the main gymnasium instead of to the back area where the dance studio, Olympic-sized pool, and weight rooms are housed. I have a good view of the football field from my class, but the outside basketball courts are on the other side of the building, which is where all sparring matches are held, unless it’s raining, like it’s supposed to do this afternoon.

  “Yeah, but don’t they have football practice now?” Chance and Jeremy are seniors and elected not to have classes the last period of the day, especially since they aren’t athletes. They’d usually be at the beach right about now. It’s mid-November and getting cooler, making surfing uncomfortable I suppose. But still, a game against KJ is tantamount to suicide and I can’t imagine the fun in that.

  “Yeah, but Mr. Donald had a meeting
, so the team just has to run drills and lift weights today. But, they all got into it in fourth period today, arguing about some stupid shit,” Nellie says, shaking her head at the painful memory. “KJ challenged Nigel to a game of one-on-one and Nigel accepted, but it quickly turned into three-on-three when Del and C Money wanted in on the action. Chance had Nigel’s back, making Jeremy an honorary team player, of course.”

  “Of course,” I say. I can’t believe two of my exes and Rah’s best friend are all about to engage in a basketball game. And I wonder what they were arguing about in the first place. “How did this all start again?”

  As I step into the gymnasium, the bell rings loudly above our heads. I see Jeremy, Chance, and Nigel on the opposite side of the courts, practicing their free throws. I know Nigel’s jump shot, but I’ve never seen Jeremy or Chance ball.

  “I can’t remember exactly, but I know it had something to do with money,” she says. I hope it isn’t about KJ placing bets on me and Jeremy’s break-up. Before I can continue my questioning, Mr. Adewale comes out of the boy’s locker room in a blue and gray Adidas warm-up suit. Damn, he looks good, and he’s much taller than I remember.

  “Hey y’all,” Mickey says, entering the gymnasium, tardy as usual. “Have they started yet?”

  “Not yet,” Nellie says, following my eyes across the court. “Jayd, what are you looking at?”

  “My future baby-daddy,” I say, amusing my girls. I try to make eye contact with Mr. Adewale, but he’s got eyes for his clipboard and whistle only.

  “I know you’re not talking about that nappy-headed teacher, are you?” Nellie’s not into natural hair at all. Whenever I wear my hair in Afro-puffs, she clowns me for a week straight. “Jayd, please tell me you don’t like dreads.”