“Go on. Open it,” she urged, not once looking at Jamee.
Darcy glanced at her parents and then pulled at the ribbon carefully, loosening the paper as if the contents were delicate. Jamee wished Aunt Charlotte had given her the box to open. She would have torn through it in seconds.
When the paper was finally gone, Jamee saw the picture on the box. Could it be? No, people reuse boxes, she told herself. Would Aunt Charlotte be that generous?
Darcy opened the cardboard. “Oh, Aunt Charlotte!” she cried, lifting a brand new laptop computer out of the box. “Are you serious?!”
A computer! Jamee couldn’t believe it either.
“Of course I’m serious! And it’s for you, Darcy,” Aunt Charlotte said with a wide grin. “For all of you really, but I figured it might help now that Darcy is getting ready for college. These days a student who doesn’t have regular access to the Internet can’t compete! And I figured, Mattie, you could research the latest on childcare. Carl, maybe you can take some online classes so you can find a better job or something. ”
Her father blinked. His mouth stretched into a tight forced smile, but he said nothing.
“And Jamee, well, maybe when you’re serious it’ll help you improve your grades, too,” she added, as if she only half believed what she was saying.
You can keep your stupid computer and your nasty lasagna. Jamee almost yelled the words right there at the table. Mom must have noticed because she flashed Jamee a glare that froze her in her seat. Instead Jamee pushed her plate away and leaned over the table to look at the silvery screen sitting on Darcy’s lap.
Jamee had wanted a computer for a long time, but not as a gift from Aunt Charlotte. She would rather use the computers at school or the library or her friend Alisha Wrobel’s house than give her aunt another reason to act as if she was better than them.
“I don’t know what to say,” Mom began. “Charlotte, this is very generous of you, but we can’t accept this—”
“Mattie,” Aunt Charlotte’s voice grew sharp. “Don’t you even think of letting that misplaced pride of yours get in the way. These girls need a computer, and I’m giving it to them and that’s that. ”
Mom glanced at Dad. She looked as if she wanted him to decide, as if she already had too much to think about.
Give it back, Jamee nearly yelled out. We don’t need no handouts from her. But Darcy was busy touching the keys as if they were precious.
“Tell her, Carl,” Aunt Charlotte said. “You know this is good for your girls. ”
Dad didn’t move. For a second, Jamee thought he was going to refuse the computer, but then he looked at Darcy and sighed. “Thank you, Charlotte,” he said finally, as if admitting defeat. “We’ve wanted to get the girls a computer for a while now, but with bills and the baby coming . . . ” he shook his head. “We really could use this. ”
“Good. So it’s settled then. ” Aunt Charlotte smiled as if she had won an argument. “The software’s loaded already. All you’ll need is an Internet connection. ”
“We’ll take care of that, Charlotte. It’s very generous. Thank you,” Mom said.
Aunt Charlotte folded her arms across her chest. “Go on. Turn it on, Darcy. You can plug it into the living room outlet. You should have no trouble getting online. ”
Darcy dashed away from the dinner table and Jamee followed just to get away from her aunt. Within minutes the computer was connected.
“Check out SpaceBook or MyFace,” Jamee suggested. “Or go to UTube. ” Anything was better than just sitting in her aunt’s stuffy living room.
“In a minute, Jamee,” Darcy said. She sat in front of the screen and started typing. “There’s something I want to check out first. ”
Mom sat down on the sofa beside Darcy, and Aunt Charlotte hovered over Darcy’s shoulder while she typed. A few moments later, the website for UCLA popped up.
“It’s very competitive,” Aunt Charlotte said. “But they have some amazing scholarship programs. With your grades, you have a decent shot. But you’ll need good SAT scores, too. ”
Aunt Charlotte wedged herself onto the sofa beside Darcy, nudging Jamee out of the way as she spoke.
“I know. I’ve been studying for weeks,” Darcy said.
Aunt Charlotte nodded. “Excellent. Keep at it. If you can do well on that test and hold your grades, I think you’ll qualify. ”
“You really think so, Charlotte?” Mom sounded both nervous and excited at the same time.
“Absolutely. Who wouldn’t want a student like Darcy in their school?” Aunt Charlotte asked.
Then they all started talking about colleges. The computer screen filled with images of schools and programs and financial aid forms.
She’s still got two years! Jamee wanted to say, but it didn’t matter.
Jamee never even got to touch the keyboard. For the rest of the evening, she sat in a chair at the corner of the room while Aunt Charlotte and her parents talked about Darcy’s future as though it was the only one that mattered.
“Jamee, do you have something for me?”
Mrs. Guessner stretched out her hand.
Jamee had tried all morning to think of an excuse for her teacher. The truth was she couldn’t bring herself to show her parents the test, not after the way Mom scolded her about cheerleading, not after the dinner with Aunt Charlotte.
“I’m sorry. I forgot it, Mrs. Guessner. I left it on the kitchen counter at home. My mom signed it, but I was in a rush this morning, and I didn’t put it in my backpack. ”
It was partly true at least. She did forget it, and she was late this morning. But Mrs. Guessner didn’t seem convinced. “You didn’t show up for after-school help yesterday, either,” she said sternly.
“I know, but I told you. It’s cheerleading tryouts. ”
Mrs. Guessner opened her mouth, and Jamee knew she was going to repeat what she had said the day before about cheering and good grades. She didn’t want to hear it.
“But I got my sister to help me with it when I got home,” she added quickly. Mrs. Guessner’s mouth closed and her expression changed. “Well,” she said at last. “I’m glad to hear that. As I told you yesterday, it’s very important that . . . ”
She kept talking, and Jamee tried to listen. But as her teacher’s voice droned on, Jamee kept imagining Friday and how good it would feel to look up at the bulletin board and see her name as one of the new cheerleaders. Now was the time to focus on making the squad, she figured. She could deal with her algebra grades later.
“Jamee? Are you listening?”
Mrs. Guessner’s sharp voice focused her back in the moment.
“Yes, ma’am,” she said quickly, even though she had no idea what the woman had just said.
“Bring in that signature. If you don’t, I’m going to have to call your parents—”
“I’ll bring it in tomorrow,” Jamee said, nodding. “I promise. ”
“And I’ll see you after school today?”
“Uh . . . ” Jamee hesitated. “Yeah, sure. ”
Mrs. Guessner’s face said she didn’t believe her, but the students in her next class were already coming in. “Go,” she said, waving her hand. “I’ll see you this afternoon. ”
“Can I sit with you, Jamee?”
Angel stood over her with her lunch tray in her hand. Jamee was surprised, but she tried to hide it. She hadn’t seen Angel in the cafeteria before.
“Sure,” she said. “I didn’t know we had the same lunch period. Where do you usually sit?” Jamee asked.
“Oh, wherever,” Angel said, nervously looking at her plate in a way that told Jamee not to push the subject.
“Well, have a seat,” Jamee said, glancing at Angel’s wide-rimmed glasses and noticing how they seemed a bit too big for her face. “I can’t believe I never noticed you in here before. I woulda asked you to sit here if I’d seen you. ”
“Yeah, well, this is a big school,” Angel said almost sadly. “It’s easy to disapp
ear in here. Not like my old school. ”
“Where’d you go before?”
“Mary Bethune Academy. ”
“Mary Bethune Academy?” Jamee asked. She had never heard the name. “What’s that?”
“It’s a charter school on the other side of town. Girls only. ”
“Girls only? For real? I don’t think I’d survive in a place like that,” she said with a laugh. “Seriously, wasn’t it weird? Goin’ to a school with no boys?”
Angel shrugged. “It was okay. You get used to it. Actually, I kinda miss it now,” she admitted, gently forking some spaghetti into her mouth.
“Why did you leave?”
Angel pushed her glasses back up her nose and turned the spaghetti noodles on her plate. “My parents split up,” she said simply and filled her mouth with food, her eyes never meeting Jamee’s. “Me, my sister, and my mom moved out this summer. She started working at Essentials Salon, and now I go to Bluford. ” Her voice sounded slightly higher than before, as if the words were painful to say.
Jamee remembered how hard it was when Dad left and their family was shattered. She wondered if Angel was feeling the same way, but she didn’t want to ask her. She had known her for only a day.
“Did you used to cheer at your old school?” Jamee asked instead.
Angel shook her head. “No. We didn’t have cheerleading, but we did have a step team. I was an alternate last year. I might have made the team this year, if things had been different . . . ” She sounded suddenly sad. Jamee tried to change the subject.
“Is that where you learned to chant out the steps?”
Angel looked confused.
“You know,” Jamee explained. “Right, right, left, kick, slap, clap, stomp—”
“Oh, you heard that?” Angel laughed.
“Yeah, that’s how they taught the routines there. Sorry if it bothered you—”
“No,” Jamee shook her head. “It kinda helped me—”
“Oh, you gotta be kidding me,” a voice rang out behind them. Jamee turned to see Vanessa. She stood over Angel’s shoulder with Kym and Renita on either side of her. Each of them held a tray with plates half-full of spaghetti. For an instant, Jamee wondered if they were going to dump them on Angel.
“So you two are eatin’ lunch together now?” Kym asked as if she were disgusted.
“So what, Kym?” Jamee asked. The older girl rolled her eyes.
“We’d join you, but our friends are sitting over there. ” Vanessa tossed her hair toward a table full of girls dressed in jeans and tight T-shirts.
As soon as Jamee and Angel looked in their direction, the table erupted in laughter. Jamee had no idea what they were saying, but she knew it was mean. Angel knew it, too. Jamee noticed that Angel seemed to shrink inside herself. She looked as nervous and scared as when Jamee had seen her for the first time.
“You all ready for today?” Jamee asked, trying to change the subject.
“We’re ready. I think the bigger question is, are you ready? Whatcha think, Angel? You gonna show us more of them foot stompin’ moves from yesterday?” Vanessa asked.
“No, she’s gonna be like ‘ I’m ready, Coach’, ” yelled Kym, blaring out the last few words in a mock imitation of Angel’s voice from the day before.
Kym and Renita burst out laughing as Angel’s face sank. Jamee thought the skinny girl was about to cry, but instead, she stood up and gathered her tray.
“See you, Jamee,” Angel said softly and walked away.
Jamee stood up and watched her go, feeling guilty as Angel rushed out the cafeteria door.
“See you in a few hours, Angel!” Vanessa added sweetly, though her voice meant the opposite.
“What did you do that for, Vanessa?” Jamee asked, staring hard into the older girl’s heavily made-up face.
“Relax, girl. We’re just playin’ with her, that’s all,” Vanessa replied innocently. “Why you sounding like Darcy all of a sudden?” she asked, shaking her hair.
“What do you mean?”
“Look, Jamee. Everyone knows Darcy is all into school and whatever,” Vanessa said as if what she described was beneath her. “But I always heard you were different, the kind of girl who knows how to hang. You’re not like Darcy, who stays inside and skips parties to do her homework. You’re for real, hookin’ up with Bobby Wallace and all last year. That’s serious!”
It sounded to Jamee as if Vanessa was insulting her and complimenting her at the same time.
“What do you know about me and Bobby Wallace? And my sister?”
Vanessa just laughed. “C’mon, girl. Wake up. You’re in high school now. Everybody knows about you and Bobby Wallace. And that whole running away thing. And how you hooked up with Dez on the Fourth of July. ”
“Yeah, I heard she was makin’ her own fireworks with Dez that night,” added Kym.
“See?” Vanessa asked with a wicked smile. “Girl, you got a serious reputation for a freshman. That’s nothing like your sister. I mean I heard she barely let Hakeem Randall hold her hand, right?” She chuckled a little as she glanced at her friends.
“What are you trying to say?” Jamee asked, suddenly protective of her sister.
Vanessa shook her head as if Jamee had asked her a stupid question. “I’m sayin’, don’t act like you’re all perfect, Jamee. You ain’t no better than the rest of us. Maybe you’re even a little worse. ”
RING!
The bell announcing the end of the lunch period blasted overhead. Vanessa and her friends turned away and headed toward the door.
“See you at tryouts!” Vanessa added. Her voice almost sounded friendly, but Jamee knew not to trust it.
For the rest of the day, Jamee couldn’t quite shake what Vanessa had said at lunch. It was bad enough the way she had treated Angel, but Vanessa seemed to be doing something else, too.
What did she mean about me? Jamee asked herself. What was she trying to say?
Jamee wasn’t sure. Nothing Vanessa said was a lie. She had kissed Dez at the Fourth of July cookout last summer, and she had gone out with Bobby Wallace last year. But Vanessa made it all seem worse. Did Jamee really have a reputation at Bluford? Was it as bad as Vanessa said it was? While she didn’t want to be like Darcy, she didn’t want to be what Vanessa suggested, either.
“Hey, Jamee!” Dez yelled from across the hallway at the end of the day. Jamee was heading to tryouts when he walked up beside her, dropped his heavy arm on her shoulder and leaned in for a kiss. Jamee turned her head just in time so his lips pressed against her cheek.
“What’s the matter?” Dez asked. He looked hurt and surprised at the same time.
“Nothing . . . I just . . . ” she shrugged, shifting away from him slightly. “Everyone’s looking at us. ”
Dez glanced over his shoulder. The hall was almost empty. The few students near them were rushing to their lockers or darting into classrooms. Jamee realized that no one seemed to be looking at them, but she still felt they were.
“Since when did you care ’bout that?”
Jamee looked up at Dez. He was taller than most of the freshman boys and not bad looking, with dark brown skin, deep brown eyes and white teeth. Jamee knew most girls thought he was handsome, but with Vanessa’s words still in her mind, she didn’t feel lucky to be his girl right now.
“I’m late for cheerleading, okay?” She started walking more quickly. Unsettled by Vanessa’s comments, Jamee realized that she had forgotten to take the back hall toward the locker room. Instead she was near the front of the school and would pass Mrs. Guessner’s classroom. She knew she could turn around, but that would make her late, and she would have to explain it all to Dez. Instead, she hoped she could rush past Mrs. Guessner’s classroom without the algebra teacher seeing her.
“I’m sorry. I guess I’m just nervous,” she said. It was true, but Jamee knew that wasn’t the only thing she was thinking. Vanessa had made her feel strange about Dez in ways she couldn’t explain to him, at least no
t now.
Dez rolled his eyes at her comment. “Nervous? C’mon, Jamee. You know you’re gonna make it. At least, I know you are. And after you’re done, we goin’ to the park, right?”
Jamee sighed. She didn’t feel like hanging out, but she couldn’t think of an excuse.
“Okay,” she agreed. “But just for a little while. ”
Dez gave her a bright smile and leaned down to kiss her again. Jamee let him peck her once on the lips, then pulled away.
“Jamee?” Dez asked, looking puzzled. “What’s up?”
You got a serious reputation for a freshman. Vanessa’s words taunted her.
“Nothing. I just have to go,” Jamee said. Now wasn’t the time to talk to Dez about all that. “See you at the park. ”
She walked quickly down the hall, scuttling past Mrs. Guessner’s room. She thought she was safe until she looked back over her shoulder. Mrs. Guessner had just stepped into the hallway. Her eyes locked on Jamee’s but instead of calling her into the classroom, the teacher just shook her head and closed the door.
The locker room was quieter than yesterday. Jamee could feel the tension in the air. It was as if the reality of how much they all had to learn and remember had settled over everyone. Jamee looked around. There weren’t as many girls, either. Some had already dropped out.
Amberlynn smiled when Jamee eased past her but kept her focus on tightly tying her shoelaces. Jamee didn’t feel like talking anyway. Her mind was swirling with thoughts about Vanessa and Angel, about what she wanted to say to Dez when they were finally alone, about the way Mrs. Guessner shook her head as if Jamee was a lost cause, about home and how she felt increasingly like an outsider there.
“Stop it! Come on! Give it back!”
The cries interrupted Jamee’s thoughts. Something was happening in the next row of lockers. The girls involved were hidden from view, but Jamee thought she recognized the voices.
“What’s that all about?” Amberlynn murmured, crinkling her brow.
“Stop it! Stop it!” the girl in the next row yelled again. Jamee put on her shorts and hurried to see what was going on.
Pretty Ugly Page 4
