So not the drama, p.33
So Not the Drama, page 33
“If Jessica goes along, you can,” Mina said to Jacinta.
“There we go again letting her decide how we doing stuff,” Jacinta said.
“No. We’re all agreeing, that’s it. Majority rules.” Kelly raised an eyebrow. “All!”
“Fine,” Jacinta said.
“Jessica, there’s gotta be something you feel differently about since we started,” Kelly said, looking over her shoulder at Jessica.
Jessica sat silent, her face blank.
Kelly turned back to Mina. “Mina?”
“Well ...” Mina didn’t want to cause more drama. She treaded carefully. “First, Kelly, I thought you were going to be like a pretty-girl snob.” She added quickly. “But that was literally before you ever said anything. I thought Jacinta was going to keep acting hard ...” Mina looked at Jacinta. “I was surprised you actually hung out with us that first Thursday at the Ria. It definitely helped to squash my first impressions. And I was cool with Kelly really fast since we ate lunch together all the time.”
Mina stopped and cracked her knuckles, hoping someone else would jump in so she could skip over Jessica. But Kelly pressed. “I know you and Jessica have never been friends but ...”
“All right ... well, I used to think the glams were cool, in middle school,” Mina said. She stared across the room at Jessica. “Now, I think ... well, I feel bad that your friends don’t have your back. Because everybody should be able to count on their clique and I don’t think you can.”
Jessica rolled her eyes. “I don’t need your sympathy.”
Mina continued. “Even though this has nothing to do with friendship ...” She shrugged. “I’m saying, I feel like I know you a little better ... enough to eliminate my prejudices against you.” She sat back on the chaise lounge, glad to be done. “Cinny’s turn.”
Jacinta nudged Mina in the side before scooting to the edge of the chaise. “I thought you were all about yourself. But, you’ve stepped in every time to stop me from fighting ... and only a friend would bother to keep somebody out of trouble.” Jacinta looked over at Kelly. “Even though you quiet, I respect that you stand up for yourself. So, no doubt, my prejudices against ya’ll are gone.” She folded her arms, inhaled then finished in one big exhale. “Jessica, I can’t see us ever getting along.”
“Big surprise,” Jessica said, her eyes dull with boredom.
“Even if I could get over the way you treat people like dirt, we don’t have anything in common,” Jacinta said, shrugging.
“Agreed,” Jessica said. She raised her eyebrow. “My turn?”
Kelly nodded.
Jessica leaned up in the rocker and sat near the edge of the seat.
“If eliminating prejudice means would I ever be friends or friendly to you guys, then, nope, I haven’t done that for Mina or Jacinta,” Jessica said, unapologetically.
Kelly’s back was turned to Mina and Jacinta, giving Jessica her full attention.
“At least tell us why,” she said.
“Mina annoys me.” Jessica frowned. “And do I really need to explain why I still think Jacinta is a project queen? How many times did she jump in my face ready to fight?”
“’Cause you never know when to shut up,” Jacinta shot back.
Kelly turned and frowned at Jacinta. “Okay, okay. I didn’t mean to start a new argument.”
“Look, Kelly,” Jessica said, ignoring Jacinta’s remark. “If you care at all about your status at DRB High, I can get you the hookup with the glams.”
For the first time since she’d started playing the mediator, Kelly was silent. She pushed herself to the middle of the ottoman and looked from Mina and Jacinta on the lounge to Jessica in the rocker.
Jessica sat back in the rocker and crossed her legs. The buzz of the television settled back over the quiet room.
“Feel better, Kelly?” Jacinta asked.
“Better? I don’t know,” Kelly said. “But, at least we have something to go on for our report. Are we going to put together our final presentation tonight?”
“Please, no,” Mina groaned. “Can’t we just meet up one more time. If I have to think about school one more Saturday, the entire day, my head is gonna explode.”
“Can’t we just get this over with?” Jessica said.
“Maybe Mina’s right,” Kelly said. “Let’s meet ... on Tuesday and finish everything.”
“We can even do it here, after my cheer practice,” Mina volunteered. She gave Jessica a halfhearted smile. “Unless you want to do it at your house.”
Jessica shook her head. “Nope. Here is fine. One last time, right?”
Mina, Kelly, and Jacinta nodded.
The sound of the new Chris Brown came from the television.
“Oooh there it is!” Jacinta yelped. “Okay, no more homework. At least while Chris is on.” She turned up the volume.
Jacinta and Mina danced and sang at the top of their lungs. They pulled Kelly up from the chaise, holding her arms forcing her to move along with them.
As the girls twisted her body this way and that, Kelly looked over at Jessica, sitting back in the rocker, distant, and felt bad for her. She also felt bad for herself. Since Jessica made it clear that she felt the same since day one, it would probably be a long night of Kelly playing referee.
Soc
September 30, 2005
Observations by Amina Mooney
Here’s what I learned about ME:
I tend to go a tiny bit over the top about things (just a bit). When I love something, I love it to death and when I don’t love something ... well it can get ugly! Not saying that’s a bad thing but, I have to keep that in check and be just a little more middle of the road now and then.
Here’s what I learned about other people:
Having even one thing in common with someone goes a looonnnngggg way. Say for example ... hmmm ... sharing a class together (Cin, Kell, heyyy) or liking the same kind of cereal (shout out to my girl Liz and Cap’n Crunch).
Some people get too comfortable being with people who think exactly like themselves so they cut off anyone else (ahem, Jessica).
It’s not that I’m happy Jessica still hates me. I hate being hated. But I don’t care as much. I don’t need a house to fall on me. I can see she just won’t ever like me. Everybody won’t always like me (shudder). I could use some serious Dr. Phil, Oprah, or Tyra Banks psychology for that realization. On the other hand (bright-siding it for myself) the people showing me love show it to me whether I make them mad or get on their nerves or what. Didn’t think I needed a soc class to show me that ... but, sort of did. I love my peeps, they wish me well everybody else can go to ... ha-ha!
Soc
9-30-05
Jessica Johnson
I did it! I survived!
I walked through the hell of wannabes and it only left a light stench of loserdom on me. I can easily shed the stink with a weekend at the Club with Mari. I can’t wait to get back to my life! Thank God the rest of the night was spent with MTV as background. If I never see another video it would be too soon. But videos saved me from having to talk anymore—obviously Kelly’s goal. They screeched the rest of the night until Mina’s parents got home and shut the “party” down.
Kelly keeps surprising me. I can’t keep inviting her to the glams. She’ll think we’re desperate or something. But I know she’d come in handy. Who knows, maybe she’ll see for herself how stupid it is to swim the waters alone. The glams will take her in ... after making her suffer for not making the choice sooner, of course.
All I can say for this “project” is it’s over. If there is a God in Pop Heaven he will see to it that I won’t have to say a word to these girls (minus Kelly on occasion) the rest of this semester, in class or out. At least I can say I’m earning my stripes the hard way for my LL course.
Eliminating prejudice? Let me put it this way. I can be in the same room as Mina without retching. How’s that?
Sociology
September 30, 2005
Jacinta Phillips
Mina, you’re mad cool with me. This is the second time you stopped me from tearing into Jessica. Only a friend would bother to stop you from doing something you’d regret later. But man, that’s one regret I wouldn’t mind taking. Oops but sorry about the lip! You still got a little bobble head burb girl thing going on. But I think your heart in the right place.
Speaking of heart ... Kelly. I’m gonna admit this in writing only once—but I’ve never been more wrong about a person. This chick is standing up to snotty ego-power tripping chicks and even to me (and my stuff wasn’t an act, Jessica). Tonight she took on all of us at once. This is the same girl that tucked her hair behind her ear anytime you looked her way and asked her to say a peep a month ago. She called us out though. And she was right.
The project and the things Mrs. Simms talks about has changed how I look at things and at people. I’m not going all bobble head saying that everybody will be holding hands, singing Kirk Franklin gospel jams (Silver and Gold ... Silver and Gold ... I’d rather have Jesus than ... ) just kidding. Seriously, I might stop to think before I crack on somebody. BUT ... it also proved to me that some people are gonna think what they want, even if the facts say how you think is wrong. Score one for the soc class. It’s not a slam-dunk ... but it’s a three-pointer.
Sociology
September 30, 2005
Observations by Kelly Lopez
I think I’m all sleepovered out. New friends or not, staying home with Grand next weekend sounds pretty good to me.
I kind of lost it, tonight. I was so sick of hearing them argue and fight. There’s no way the other groups in the class went through this kind of struggle just to conclude that it’s okay if you play soccer and I like Chess, we can still be friends. Just no way. I couldn’t take it anymore. Not Jessica’s sarcasm or Jacinta’s humor. I feel like we failed this assignment. And this IS NOT about us becoming friends. We spent a month of weekends together and still Jessica only sees what we represent (Jacinta = projects, Mina = clique climber, and me = connections). I believe Mina and Jacinta have seen beyond those things in each other and in me. But the way they let Jessica get to them, just my opinion, says they’re letting how she sees them bother them. Why? Jacinta is a great big sis to her brothers and sister, Mina will be a friend to just about anybody and me ... well, I’m more than connections. Heck, I don’t have any—my parents do. So I don’t get mad when Jessica goes on about my connections. I know I’m more than that. And I can ignore the people who don’t see me for me.
I’m glad I made some friends. And I definitely feel like Mina and Cinny are my friends. I just know if all three of us tried harder we could have gotten Jessica to see things our way, too.
Hail, Hail, the clique’s All Here
“Who you wit’? Throw up your set.”
—Juelz Santana, “Dipset”
The moment Jessica’s mother’s minivan pulled into the Mooney’s driveway Saturday morning, Mina felt ten pounds lighter. She managed a polite, straightfaced, “See you, Jessica,” without any fist-pumping or happy-dancing. The second Jessica was gone, Mina made Kelly call her grandmother and Jacinta her Aunt Jacqi to beg for a very late evening pickup or, in Jacinta’s case, permission to stay out most of the day before walking home.
The whole plan almost backfired because Kelly’s grandmother was already on her way out of the door when the phone rang. It took Mina’s mom to get on the phone and assure Mrs. Lopez that yes, it was okay and the girls hadn’t coerced Mariah into letting them stay.
Once the permissions were out of the way, Mina called Lizzie, asked her to join her for pizza at Rio’s Ria around one o’clock, and then walked with Kelly and Jacinta first to Michael’s, then JZ’s. After hanging at JZ’s for a few hours, the five of them walked to Rio’s Ria.
The entire clique, except Lizzie, sat at a big table at the Ria. Mina was nervous. She had brought them together as a clique, for the first time, for a reason, and she needed to hurry. Lizzie would be here in twenty minutes. If they didn’t get down to business, things might get all crazy again with Lizzie wondering why everyone else was there before her.
“Okay, listen, I need a favor,” Mina said. “A big one.”
“No tickets,” Kelly giggled.
“No for real,” Mina said. She rushed through her planned speech. “There’s one person missing from the table and that’s Lizzie. She’s on her way. But first I wanted to know if you guys would help me plan a party for her for getting the lead in The Wiz.”
“Hmmm ... my first gray party,” Jacinta said.
“We could have it at my house if you want,” JZ said.
“Thanks, Jay. But we’ll do it at my house,” Mina said.
“Let me handle decorations,” Michael said.
“Wait.” Mina looked at Kelly and Jacinta. “Are ya’ll okay with helping? You haven’t hung out with Lizzie yet. I’m hoping she’ll get to know you like I did ...” Mina smiled. “And still like you anyway.”
“That’s wrong,” Jacinta said.
Mina laughed. “But ya’ll are cool planning with me?”
“I’m in,” Kelly said.
“Well, do you think Lizzie be cool around Raheem? ’Cause I’d invite him,” Jacinta said.
“Yeah, it’ll be fine. Lizzie cool,” Mina said. “It wasn’t Raheem that she was tripping over. It was just some stuff she and I had to work out and we did.”
“Can Angel come?” Jacinta said.
Mina winced. “What if Angel ... you know brings trouble?”
“He wouldn’t do that,” Jacinta said.
“Who’s Angel?” Michael said.
“Raheem’s friend,” Mina said. “Look. Okay we’ll talk guest list later. Here’s the thing. Homecoming is in two weeks. I want to have the party next week. So we gotta get the word out fast.”
“I think I can get a DJ,” Kelly said.
“Hold up,” JZ said. “I need to weigh in on this.Ya’ll might pick some dude only playing that Top 40 mess.”
“Why don’t we send out invitations online,” Michael said. “You know word will spread quick if we just drop dime with the right people.”
Ideas circulated around the table as excitement mushroomed. Bickering over music, guest list, and décor broke down any shyness anyone might have felt from being thrown into the motley crew of planners.
The noise of friendly arguing was music to Mina’s ears. She had brought old and new together without her world imploding. Well, she still needed Lizzie for a true temperature check. But so far so good.
“Mina tell him that’s corny,” Jacinta demanded.
Michael fixed Jacinta with a hard look. “I know she didn’t just call my stuff corny!”
Mina shook her head. “See, I knew ya’ll would fit right in.” She looked at the clock. “I’ll be back. I want to catch Lizzie before she walks in.”
She left them to yammer about the details.
The O’Reilly’s Toyota Camry pulled up to the curb as she walked out of the Ria. Mina waved to Miss Marybeth.
“Your mom is bringing her home, right?” Lizzie’s mom said.
“Yes. See you, later,” Mina said.
Lizzie hopped out of the car. “Where are the guys?”
“Already inside.” Mina wrung her hands, a sheepish grin on her face. “Confession.”
Lizzie’s eyes rolled. “This isn’t another ambush is it?”
“Sort of,” Mina winced. “But a good kind.”
Lizzie craned trying to see inside the Ria. It wasn’t too crowded. But it was still early. The Ria would have its usual Saturday traffic jam of bodies by three o’clock.
“Who’s in there?”
“I’m having a party for you,” Mina said.
Lizzie frowned. “Now?”
“No. I mean, I’m planning a party for you. A little welcome the new Drama Diva type thing,” Mina said.
Lizzie groaned. “Lila will love that.”
“This is my way of saying sorry I was a diva and congratulations,” Mina said.
“What’s the catch?” Lizzie said, still peering into the restaurant.
“Jacinta and Kelly are helping to plan it.” Mina stood still, waiting for the reaction. She stared Lizzie in the eye waiting for a flinch, wince, or squint to give away anything.
“And they’re okay with it?” Lizzie said.
“Yes,” Mina gushed. “We’ve already started planning. I wanted you in on it too so you wouldn’t start getting all suspicious and crazy.”
“Umm ... yeah, that’s more like you than me.” Lizzie arched her brows. “Remember your surprise thirteenth party and how you drove me crazy trying to figure out what was going on?”
Mina’s shoulders shook as she laughed. She’d been a nutcase. Her mother vowed to either (1) never throw her another surprise party or (2) do so without telling Lizzie so Mina would have no one to pester. Lizzie nearly lost her mind trying to keep Mina in the dark.
“Okay, yeah that’s totally me. But are you okay with it? This is a good chance to see if you need to use that veto or not,” Mina said.
Lizzie had her fears about the friendship. But Mina was trying awfully hard to make it work. The least she could do was try. It could be worse. Mina was never short on plans. This was the least painful yet.
What Does It Matter What We Thought Then?
“I gotta shake it off. Gotta make that move.”
—Mariah Carey, “Shake It Off”
Tuesday evening Mina, Kelly, Jacinta, and Jessica sat in Mina’s sunroom planning for their final presentation. The room was quiet. No one seemed to know how to start.
Mina gazed outside at the trees. The leaves, starting to turn a rich gold and red, shone through the dark evening. She daydreamed about the party. It was only two days away. With Lizzie at her side, yesterday she’d invited Craig and he said yes. It was all she could think about.
