“I wish you would have. I’m tripping on this one, for sure. I should just buy this myself.” Kanina had the money in her purse and was serious as hell, but Monica had an order to fill.
“Don’t worry. Let them hoes have this cheap-ass bullshit. I’m gonna hook us up on some hellava dresses I saw at Saks Fifth Avenue last week.”
“That’s what I’m talking about. I wanna floss on them hating-ass bitches.”
“Dig dis here: when I get finished and we both walk into that prom, every last female in the place is gonna have her face cracked.” Monica raised her hand and waved it all around her face, imitating the thought.
“Your ass is truly crazy.” Kanina almost choked from laughter as the gum she was chewing went down her throat.
“I’m serious. Wait ’til you see them. I’m telling you, we gonna rock that bitch.” Monica grabbed her purse and jumped back out of the car into the sweltering heat. “All right then, let me run into this other store and get the rest of the stuff on the list, and we can be out. I want to get back and get rid of this gear before them busters spend my money. And God knows I need every single penny.”
“I’ll be right here.” Kanina held up her cell phone and reassured her girl. “Don’t worry, it’s on.” She knew the routine and sat back and waited for Monica to return.
It was hot as hell outside, but Kanina didn’t want to turn the air conditioner on. She wanted to hear any and all noises around her. She was completely paranoid. Everyone who walked past looked like the police to her. Monica always told her that she wasn’t built for this type of shit, and Kanina knew that her friend was right.
The clock in the car said 3:45, and by the time it read 4:15, Monica was on her way out the door with a big Kool-Aid smile plastered across her face. She opened the car door and slid inside.
“Here, girl, this is for your scary ass.” Monica was still cheesing as she threw a huge bottle of Burberry perfume onto Kanina’s lap. “All right, chick. Now let’s roll. And damn, turn on the air.” Monica pulled item after item out of her purse and pants as the two girls hit the highway. Not only did she get everything on her list, she managed to get a few extras as well.
Monica pulled out her calculator and started punching in numbers and smiling. She and her little brother and sister would be able to eat good for the entire week. She neatly folded the items on the back seat and placed them in their own separate bags. That way, any person spending money with her would have to take exactly what they ordered and not have a chance to grab someone else’s shit.
Chapter Five
It was two days before prom, and Monica still hadn’t gotten her and Kanina’s dresses. After she stole the first three gowns and word got around, every girl in school started pressuring her to get theirs. Monica barely had time to braid Kayla’s hair or get Dennis the new Jordans that came out. Nothing else seemed to matter but the grind of getting paid. Kanina, on the other hand, was starting to panic about not having a dress to wear.
“Dang, Monica, I know you said that you was gonna get us the hookup, but when?” She had a puzzled look on her face. “I don’t know what color shoes to buy or what color to get my nails done. Can you clue a bitch in or what?”
“Yeah, you right. I’ll tell you what, as soon as the bell rings, we can be out. We can swing by the mall out off the interstate, and I can grab both dresses and purses to match. How about that?”
“Thanks, Monica. You know I like to be prepared, but if you want, I’ve got enough money saved from my allowance to just buy both our prom stuff.”
“Girl, bye.” Monica frowned. “Fuck spending money you don’t have to.”
* * *
The last bell rang, and Kanina beat Monica to the car and waited patiently for her to arrive.
“Your ass is on it, ain’t you?” Monica joked as she slowly approached her friend.
“Girl, you ain’t never lied. I can’t wait.”
Monica grabbed the keys out of Kanina’s hand. “Let me drive. Your behind goes too slow.”
“Shut up, girl,” Kanina yelled out while she jumped in the passenger seat.
When they got in the car and drove off, Monica turned the radio to a jazz station so that she could concentrate. Normally she listened to rap at home when she was chilling, but she was about to go to work and wanted to keep her mind free and clear of any distractions. Jazz, with all its power, soothed her thoughts.
After about twenty-five minutes on the interstate, dodging in and out of traffic, they pulled off at the mall exit. Monica found a space near the front and turned the music all the way off. She unfastened her pants and took her shirt all the way out. She then proceeded to pull the sun visor down, fix her hair, and put on a little bit of bubblegum-flavored lip gloss. Monica had stolen every flavor that the corner store carried. Even when she had money, she would pocket it. Stealing was fast becoming a force of habit with her. Monica was almost addicted to it.
“All right, I’m ready. I didn’t want to go all up in Saks looking a hot freakin’ mess.” Monica dumped the contents of her expensive purse in the back seat of Kanina’s car. “I need all the free space I can get.”
“Monica, please be careful. We never came out here before. I thought that you was gonna get them at the other mall. It’s only down the road. We should go there. This is where all the rich white folks hang out. You know they don’t play.” Kanina was pleading with Monica to change her mind.
“I got this. I told you that your ass wasn’t built for this type of shit, but for a bitch like me,” Monica said, “it’s in my blood. I’m gonna get it how I live, that’s a given.” She was tilting her head from side to side as she geeked herself up. “Now stop fucking with my karma and sending me bad vibes.”
Kanina knew there was no talking Monica out of going in, so she didn’t have any choice but to go along with the game plan. She was starting to sweat and feel nervous. “Monica, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to throw you off. It’s just that I have a bad feeling about this mall.”
“Listen, the prom is in less than two days. Now do your ass wanna turn around and I go into JCPenney, or worse than that Sears, to cop our outfits? Or do you want me to march my little cute ass in Saks and get us some shit that will make them bitches howl?” Monica was in rare form. She was hyped and confident in her stealing abilities.
For all of ten seconds, Kanina sat back in the seat, thinking about wearing a dress from the window at Sears, before she immediately straightened her ass up. “Girl, you know I ain’t even with that. I wouldn’t even go to that motherfucker if I was sporting that kinda gear. I put that on everything.”
“Now, that’s more like it, bitch. Now you know the routine. Keep your phone on and the door unlocked. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”
“Okay, I’ll be parked right here waiting.”
Kanina climbed over to the driver’s seat as Monica exited the car and made her way to the store entrance. Once inside, Monica quickly glanced around to see where and if she spotted any guards. She was not familiar with the layout of this particular Saks, and she had to look at the store directory. Unfortunately, the formal attire was located on the second floor. Damn!
Monica headed toward the escalator. On the way up, she made sure to take Kanina’s advice, and she started paying careful attention to all of the other customers. She knew any one of them could be an undercover security guard. Just because they weren’t all out in the open sporting a fake badge and a uniform, they still could hold a bitch damn near hostage until the police showed they punk asses up. Most of the time, the wannabe police store-bought rent-a-cops were worse than the real ones. They always had something to prove just because they couldn’t make the real police force or their ass got their teeth stumped out of their mouth by the school bully. Stealing off the second floor of the store was definitely a risk, but Monica was determined. A bitch gotta do what a bitch gotta do! she reasoned with herself as she got off on her floor.
Monica took small steps as she casual
ly strolled around all the high-priced clothes that were carefully arranged on the tables and racks. Monica, hood raised, knew she was out of her league as she took notice of the outrageous price tags. She didn’t want to overplay her hand and rush over to the gowns like she would have done in the ghetto. Taking her time and giving the illusion that she was a regular shopper and not a brazen, overzealous teenage shoplifter was always in her best interest. Monica had to play it cool.
After ten or fifteen minutes of pretending to look at silk blouses and lace handkerchiefs, Monica nonchalantly strolled to her ultimate destination: formal wear. It was filled with other teenagers her age accompanied by their well-to-do parents. Monica both resented them and felt envious of them at the same time. You could tell that they had money and were rich by her standards. Because it was prom season, that section of the store was crowded, and the sales staff was busy, trying to help as many people as possible. Monica instantly took notice of two gowns that were on a rack near the counter. She moved like a cat in and out of the displays. When she finally got close, Monica saw that both the dresses had big hold tags on them. That didn’t stop her from feeling the material and imagining her and Kanina rocking them at the prom.
“Damn, this is the shit,” she mumbled under her breath. “I can see us in these bitches already.” She was in deep thought when she was calmly interrupted.
“Hello, dear, can I help you with something?” The aging saleswoman was very polite and cordial as she addressed Monica. “Do you see one that catches your eye, sweetheart?”
Monica was immediately thrown off by the lady’s demeanor. She seemed like someone’s grandmother. Monica gave her a weak smile. “Um yes, ma’am, I do. I think I like one of those two, right there.” Monica stumbled over her words while pointing to the dresses with the brown tags on them.
“I’m very sorry, sweetheart. Those are on hold for our special VIP customers. We have a few more that you might like and would be better suited for you. Please follow me.”
The lady guided Monica over to the side of the formal department that was obviously less expensive. The clothes and displays lacked the amount of care put into those sprawled out on the “in” side of the store. When Monica saw the way the garments on that side were hung, she rolled her eyes and immediately caught feelings.
Who do this old bitch think I am? Doesn’t she know that this is a fucking $500 purse on my arm? I ain’t wearing this cheap shit to my prom!
Monica started going through the countless tacky, discontinued gowns, and she gave the old hag the phoniest smile that she could half-ass muster up. Monica’s mind had kicked totally into “I don’t give a fuck” mode, and the game was on.
“You take your time looking at these on this rack, and I’m sure you can find something a little bit more suitable for a girl like you. They’re on clearance. Maybe the markdown can help you.”
The saleslady’s nice, grandmotherly manner soared from kind to low-key insulting in a matter of seconds. No sooner than the saleswoman was out of Monica’s sight did she laugh at the thought of the young girl being able to afford the lavish gowns she originally pointed out. Imagine that. Why would she even waste her time dreaming about that gown? She could never save up enough at that McDonald’s job she probably works at to buy a $3,500 Christian Dior gown.
Back on the other side of the store, where Monica had been systematically ushered to, she had to think quickly. She had to have those dresses now, point blank. It was the principle of the situation. Monica rubbed her sweaty palms on her blue Eddie Bauer slacks and proudly marched back to the side that she had just been banished from. The two expensive gowns were hanging there and seemed to be calling out her name. Monica was pissed off and determined to reply. Recklessly and most certainly with no signs of remorse, Monica boldly snatched the two gowns off their hangers and stuffed them into her purse.
Fuck that old bitch. They on hold all right! On hold for my black ass! Monica stormed off and headed arrogantly to the escalator and stepped on. She was on a mission and couldn’t care less about who or what was around her. It was as if she had a receipt in her hand and couldn’t be questioned.
When Monica got off the escalator, the doors to freedom were just a few short steps away. I don’t know why that old bitch acted like I couldn’t have afforded some dresses like this. Monica patted her purse and held it snugly against her body as the automatic doors swung wide open. She got out to the parking lot and saw Kanina flash her lights twice. Monica was almost home free. She felt a sense of relief, imagining all her classmates sucking her socks when they saw her and Kanina in their prom dresses. It was on. Damn, I made it. Don’t they realize I can’t be fucking faded? She had a devilish smirk on her face. Them motherfuckers can’t stop me!
Monica started taking big strides as she took notice of Kanina’s face dropping. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, all hell broke loose.
“There she is. That’s her right there.” The old saleslady who’d pretended to be kind was now screaming at the top of her decrepit lungs. “She had to have taken them. Get her.” Within a matter of seconds, the group converged on the brash, unpolished thief, Monica.
“Miss! Excuse me, miss! We need to talk to you for a minute,” one of the men explained in a loud, boisterous tone. Three huge security guards were starting to surround Monica. There was nowhere to run. She was trapped, and she unsuccessfully tried to flip the script.
“I don’t know what the fuck you want,” she yelled. “Now leave me the hell alone.” Monica was infuriated and continued to act as if they were truly unjustly bothering her.
One man grabbed her arm, while the other one snatched her purse out of her hands. “What is this, young lady?” He pulled the two dresses out of her purse and shook his head. “Did you pay for this? Where is your receipt?”
She was busted. After a few moments of struggling to get free from the guard’s strong grip, Monica finally gave in and stopped resisting the inevitable. The real police were pulling into the parking lot, but Monica still wasn’t fazed.
“Do whatever you gonna do. I ain’t scared.” Monica spat directly in the saleswoman’s face as she was being handcuffed. “That’s for being so rude.”
Kanina was frozen in shock as she watched her best friend being practically thrown in the back of the police squad car and driven away. She sat in the parking lot, in total silence, for close to an hour, in denial over what had just taken place.
Damn, she thought as she finally pulled off. How was she gonna tell Dennis and Kayla? She had no earthly idea what to do next. Kanina knew off the jump that informing Jenette would be like talking to the wind. She couldn’t care less what happened to Monica or anyone else who wasn’t the dope man. Kanina drove home in silence and prepared herself to confess to both of her law-abiding, hardworking parents what exactly she and her best friend Monica had been doing and, regretfully, the outcome of their actions. Hopefully, they could help Monica. One thing was for certain: both girls would miss going to their senior prom. Kanina would more than likely be put on some form of punishment, but it would not be as harsh a penalty as what Monica was facing. “This is so fucked up.” Kanina bit her lower lip nervously as she pulled in the driveway of her suburban home.
Chapter Six
“All rise. The Honorable Judge James P. Thorton presiding.” The bailiff waited respectfully until the judge took his seat on the bench. “Please all be seated.”
Case after case was called in the crowded courtroom before she heard her name called.
“Monica Howard, case number 781921H, will you please approach the microphone?”
“Yes, Your Honor.” Monica made her way front and center and found her way next to the inexperienced public defender who was assigned her case. Monica had already made a deal and was ready to face the music and accept the consequences of her actions.
“You are being charged with grand larceny in the amount of seven thousand dollars, which is a felony. Do you understand the charges against you?”<
br />
“Yes, I do.” Monica frowned.
“How do you plead, Miss Howard?” The judge had a grim and stern look on his aging face.
Monica hung her head as she mumbled her response. “No contest, Your Honor.”
“Can you please speak up in a tone that can be heard by this courtroom, Miss Howard?”
“I said no contest, Judge Thorton, sir.”
“Are you clearly aware of what you are saying to this court today, young lady?”
“Yes, sir, I am.”
“All right then, let’s proceed, shall we?” The judge glanced over every document that was placed in front of him, and he nodded in agreement. “Can each lawyer please approach the bench?”
After a few formalities and a pile of papers being signed, Monica’s fate was decided. The young girl would spend the next fourteen months at a prison for women offenders, which was located far north of the city limits. That was that, point blank, done deal.
When Monica was led out of the courtroom, she saw Kanina’s parents holding Kayla’s hand and Kanina wiping her eyes. Monica had one phone call when she got arrested, and she placed that call to Kanina’s mom, Mrs. Cooper, begging her to take care of her sister and brother until she was set free.
Jenette was not a factor. Living her life as she did, Jenette could barely take care of herself. No one had seen or heard from her in three or four days. Dennis opted not to leave home and Jenette. The wayward teen promised Monica that he would go to school and do the right thing. Dennis reassured everyone that he could hold himself down and take care of things on his own. Considering her present situation, Monica really didn’t have any true say-so. She had to go with the flow and hope for the best.
* * *
On the bus ride to prison, Monica thought about the prom that she missed as well as the graduation ceremony she couldn’t attend. Tightly closing her eyes, Monica imagined each and every person in the auditorium cheering and applauding for her. She’d worked four hard, long years and wanted badly to walk across that stage with her peers. Monica felt as if she had earned that privilege. Now she had been robbed of it.
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