Black & Ugly (24 page)

Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

20

Sky

SEEING HOW BAD DAFFANY IS fucks me up. We have our problems, but I've never wanted to see her like this.

If I hadn't left my jacket the night they pissed me off, I'da never known she was there ... half dead. The slightly-opened door scared me and I knew immediately that something was up.

I walked up on a half-opened door when I was younger. I'll never forget what I saw.

~~~~

I was ten years old and was on my way to my favorite uncle's house. Unlike the rest of my mother's side of the family, Uncle Rickie always told me how pretty I was. Everybody else on my mother's side hated on me. They hated on both of us. They'd say shit like,

"Just 'cuz you light don't mean you pretty." See, they are brown-skinned and believe that if you are light-skinned, you think you're cute. It ain't my fault most light people are pretty. It's just the way it is.

It hurts me a lot because my cousins get all the love
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from the family because of their brown complexions.

But Uncle Rickie showed me the attention he knew I wasn't gettin' from them. He'd kiss me on my lips and tell me I was the prettiest niece he had. It wasn't nothin' for him to come home with a big-ass Toys "R" Us bag filled with stuff
only
for me. "Give Uncle Rickie a kiss," he'd tell me and I'd give him the biggest kiss I could.

Uncle Rickie was always affectionate like that but my mother, who if you asked me was just jealous, said it wasn't appropriate for him to kiss and hug me that way. What way? I used to cry because I didn't understand why she wouldn't let me show him how much I loved him. He never lifted my skirt or any of that other shit you hear about on TV. All he ever did was show me he cared about me. I would sit on his lap and he'd read me stories while telling me how I pretty I was in my ear.

I didn't know Uncle Rickie was into drugs. I just thought he was rich. It was through him that I was introduced to fashion. He'd give me any designer label I asked for and even the stuff I didn't. He kept me up on all the latest gear so every Saturday, like clockwork, I'd go to Uncle Rickie's. He lived in the same complex.

So, rushing to be with my favorite uncle on Saturday was very important to me, something that I always looked forward to doing. But one day I walked up on his building, eager to tell him about the beauty contest I won in school because I knew he'd be happy for me and give me a present. His door was slightly open.

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I pushed it farther and saw clear through a large, gaping hole in my uncle's head. I was terrified and couldn't stay by myself for months. My mom would pay Miss Wayne or Daffany's mom to let me stay with them until she made it home from work. I never got over how it felt to see my uncle that way. I still have nightmares now.

~~~~

Approaching Daffany's apartment gave me similar feelings. She was beaten so badly that I couldn't see her face because it was covered in her own blood. Daffany really needs to get protection if she's gonna stay in that game. She really needs to get someone to look after her when she's turning tricks, but she wants to do everything herself. She wouldn't even be open to the idea of working with someone. Maybe when she comes around she'll see that she needs me more than she thinks she does.

"Whoever laid her tracks did a damn good job," Jewel says as we look at the back of a girl who is talking to the hospital receptionist. Her hair moves every time she does. It's bouncy and it makes me wanna throw some long tracks up in mine.

Although I'm far from gay, I have to admit that she has a nice body, too - almost as sexy as mine. And I'm feeling that new Louis Vuitton purse she's sportin'. It's the same one I want. I will definitely have to tell Miss Wayne to cop that for me.

He's kinda stingy sometimes, though. I always figure since he's stealin' anyway, he should give me a good
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deal or maybe even throw in two purses for the price of one, but not him. He'll say they're special order and he's already giving them to me as cheap as he can. I know he's into me hard because of Jay. Sometimes he's more worried about what's in my man's pockets than I am.

"Ain't that the Manhattan GM by Louis she's rockin'?" Jewel asks.

"Yeah, girl," I tell her. "I need that purse in my life."

She turns and walks in our direction and I'm furi-ous when I see the girl we've been jocking for the past few minutes is Parade. Ooh! I'm heated. Her hair looks good and she's wearing a fresh pair of Evisu jeans with the matching fitted tee, topped off with the oversized belt and a new pair of Fendi boots. BITCH! Miss Wayne's a bitch, too. I bet he ain't charging Parade for none of that shit. I know she couldn't've gotten it from nowhere else.

"Hey, girl," Parade says as she walks over and hugs me, wearing the same perfume that now grosses me out. "How she doin'?"

I return a fake-ass hug and reply, "I don't know.

They won't let us in since we're not family."

"We are family!" she yells, looking like she's getting ready to cry. "What the fuck they mean? They don't have no idea how close we are," she says as she takes the seat right next to me. "Hey, Jewel."
Silence
.

I knew Jewel was gonna do that on account of me
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telling her I think Parade is after Jay, but I didn't tell her that I wasn't sure if he wanted her, too. It's too embarrassing to think the thought, let alone say the words. I mean ... Jay wanting stinky lil' Parade, who always jocked my style, is unbelievable to me.

"
Okay
..." Parade says, ignoring Jewel's rudeness.

"Where's Miss Wayne?"

"He downstairs getting something to drink," I answer, still not trying to talk to her too much.

I'm still tryin' to figure what she told Miss Wayne and Daffany about the night of the murder. Even though the cops only asked me a few questions, I'm not sure if I can trust her.

"Who did your hair?" I ask.

"Carol," she responds, excited that I notice. "You like it?"

"It's okay. She shoulda tightened up the front a little more, but it's okay for you," I utter, trying to carry her.

She puts her head down and I can tell I got to her.

I need to keep Parade in her place. I don't want her thinking she's better than me because if she wants to be in my league, she will have a helluva lot of work to do.

"Good one," Jewel whispers real low. "That bitch still not better than you."

"What the fuck you just say?" Parade lifts her head up and looks at Jewel.

Jewel doesn't move. Her eyes grow two sizes too big because she didn't think Parade heard her. She's also scared to death of Parade, knowing all the stories I've
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told her about how she always has my back and is quick to stomp a bitch out.

"Nothing ... uh ... I ain't say nothing," Jewel states.

I don't want to say anything, but Jewel is embarrassing me a little. Now Parade will know that I roll with a punk-ass bitch.

"Oh you said somethin', bitch," Parade says as she takes off her earrings and puts them in the purse I'm hatin' her for. "Don't eat your words now, bitch. I ain't feed them to you yet."

I'm so happy to see Miss Wayne get off the elevators with his pink Capri set and matching heels that I don't know what to do.

"Miss Parade!" he yells, reaching out for her.

Parade takes her eyes off Jewel for one second to greet him and then coldly lays them back on her.

"You look beautiful, girl. My baby looks like a model, don't she, Sky?"

In my opinion she looks
okay
but she can't win no contest.

"Thanks, Miss Wayne," Parade says while looking back at Jewel. "Let me tell you somethin', bitch. I don't know what Sky's been tellin' you, but I take that shit from her 'cuz I love her. She's like family. But don't you think for one minute that I won't put my foot in your ass, quick. Believe that."

"Maybe I ought to leave," Jewel responds.

"Maybe you betta, chile," Miss Wayne adds.

"I'll call you later, Sky." Jewel rushes toward the elevator. I know she's happy it's open.

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