Get It Girls (5 page)

Jessica nodded. “So, you don’t live with your parents?”

Kenny shrugged. “Sometimes, but it is so boring out there in Jersey ’cause we the only blacks in the entire area. I’d rather be in Harlem around my people.”

Jessica agreed with a smile and a nod. “What does your uncle do for a living besides owning buildings?”

Kenny’s smile disappeared as he shifted his body on the sofa. He appeared to be searching for the right words while his eyes looked up toward the ceiling. He finally looked her straight in the eyes and confessed.

“Jessica, I usually don’t tell people this, but my uncle does some bad things. He sells drugs.”

He paused to see how she reacted before continuing, but he couldn’t read any reaction.

“I mean, he’s not a bad person; he just does bad things and he tells me all the time to stay away from it because of what it could do to a person and everything.” He looked Jessica in the eye and got serious. “Jessica, don’t ever use any drugs. I know what it does to people. He took me to a shooting gallery and actually made me watch these dope fiends shoot that shit in their arms, their legs, their necks, everywhere where there’s a vein. That scared the mess out of me. I don’t do any of that because that’s how it all starts, he told me. So he gives me and buys me anything that I want, as long as I stay away from drugs and out of trouble. He told me I can be anything that I wanted, and I believe him.”

Jessica never would have imagined a person like Kenny had such morals. Every good looking boy she’d met prior to him reveled in the fact that they used drugs. “So what is it that you like to become someday?”

He didn’t have to think long about it. “A real estate developer. I want to be the biggest real estate owner in Harlem. That’s why I respect you and your parents for owning their own property.”

Jessica smiled and said, “So your uncle did teach you something good.”

Kenny smiled and nodded. “My uncle drilled it into my head for so long, I guess it stuck,” he joked. “What about you? What do you want to become?”

Jessica folded her arms. “Well, I like people—you know, helping people—so I’ll probably get into the medical field. Me and my friends are all going away to college when we graduate this year. I’m looking forward to getting out of Harlem and maybe going to an all-black college down south.”

“So, that means I’m going to have to come visit you someday.”

Jessica was flattered. They both smiled and stared into each other’s eyes momentarily, secretly hoping the night wouldn’t end.

“Jessica, I know this might be too soon for me to ask, but do you think we can see each after this party? You know, maybe catch a movie or get something to eat?”

Jessica was so excited she wanted to explode, but she held it all in. She decided to take Vonda’s advice again and separate herself from all the girls he was used to messing with.

“I’ll think about it.”

Kenny could not believe his ears again. For the first time in his life, he was baffled, yet intrigued, by a girl and wanted to get to know her even more.

Suddenly, the D.J cut the music and announced that guys should get their girls because it was time to slow dance.

Kenny looked at Jessica with uncertainty. “Jessica, you said you would dance with me later. Can we dance now?”

Jessica nodded. “Yes, I’d like to dance with you.”

He stood up, took her by the hand, and led her to the middle of the dance floor. Pulling her into his arms, they danced like it would be their last chance.

While Jessica was dancing, she noticed her friend Vonda was in the arms of her newfound love, Stevo. When she and Vonda locked eyes, they winked at each other. Then Vonda gestured with her head behind her, and Jessica saw that Lynn was also dancing and getting it on with a boy as they slow danced to the love song.

When Tiny arrived back at the party, her eyes searched around for her friends, and when she spotted Jessica and Kenny dancing in the middle of the floor, she smiled cynically and had a seat in the corner of the room and waited—waited for all hell break loose.

After they danced and chatted through three love songs, Jessica’s panties became so moist that she had excuse herself. She told Kenny that she had to go to the bathroom to freshen up. Vonda and Lynn did the same and followed her to girl-talk. They entered the tiny bathroom, locked the door, and began to scream and jump up and down for their new love interests.

“Oh, my God, Jessica. Stevo asked me out for a date.”

Lynn quickly added, “Oh, shoot, the boy that I met name is Devin and he asked me the same thing.”

Then they turned their attention back to their homegirl Jessica and she also nodded and said, “He said he wants to go out with me too.”

The three girls hugged and jumped up and down a little more.

Vonda suddenly had a fantastic thought. “Oh, shoot! Maybe they can be our dates to our prom.”

The girls were temporarily frozen in place until Jessica said, “They say dreams do come true if you only believe.”

They all squealed and said, “I believe, I believe.”

They finally managed to pull themselves together, regain their composure and fix their faces and clothing. After a brief inspection of one another, they were ready to seize their men. When they opened the door, the first thing they noticed was that the music was no longer playing and the lights were turned on. The second thing they noticed when they stepped into the living room stopped their hearts. It was Mrs. Jones. Jessica’s mother.

The whole room was silent. When Mrs. Jones spotted her daughter, she walked straight up to her and said, “You lying whore,” then slapped her viciously across her face.

Everyone in the room shuddered and cringed as her mother continued beating her while they walked out the front door. Sadly, everyone in the room began laughing loudly as Lynn, Vonda and Kenny stood by and felt responsible for her unfortunate incident. They were heartbroken.

Tiny however, stood in the corner reveling in Jessica’s misfortune with a wicked smile.

T
he incident at the party would long be remembered as a disaster, and the Jessica situation became the talk of the town. Jessica was so embarrassed that she became withdrawn and shallow and wanted nothing to do with the outside world—even Kenny. The fact that her mother put her on a two-week punishment suited her just fine, because, she thought, the fewer people who saw her face, the better.

Vonda and Lynn suspected Tiny had a hand in sabotaging their big evening. She denied everything at all costs, but they didn’t believe her. Even though they still allowed Tiny to roll with them to school, she was treated like an outcast, especially from her longtime friend, Vonda. For the next few weeks, the four still went to school together, but none of the three girls said a word to Tiny.

Tiny felt really bad because she knew she took it too far this time. She knew that something had to be done to make up for her selfish behavior, but she didn’t have a clue how to make things right.

During that time, Jessica’s heart craved to see Kenny, but she could no longer face him because of the incident that left her so embarrassed. So she simply made up her mind to forget about him because he wouldn’t want to see her either.

One day, the girls exited the building right after school let out, and there stood Kenny Duboise, in the flesh. Jessica was so surprised that she could hardly breathe, or move, for that matter. He stood proud and tall as soon as he saw her step out of the school. Jessica regained her composure and proceeded toward him. Vonda, Tiny, and Lynn stood by, watching it all unfold. In front of him now, Jessica smiled uneasily, still pretty much embarrassed about what had happened at the party. She was unsure of what to say and was glad when he finally spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence lingering around them.

“Hi.”

She asked, “How are you?”

He nodded and repeated, “I’m good, I’m good.”

They both found it awkward for the moment until Jessica asked, “What are you doing down here?”

“I came to see you.”

She searched his beautiful face. “I mean, how did you know where I went to school? I didn’t tell you what school I went to.”

Kenny gestured to her three friends who stood behind her and said, “Tiny told me.”

Jessica was taken aback for a moment turned and looked at Tiny.

Tiny nodded back.

Kenny asked, “You think we can ride home together so we can talk?”

Jessica looked back at her friends, who must have read her mind.

Vonda walked up to them and said, “Hi, Kenny.”

He smiled and answered, “Hey Vonda, how you doing? I hear Stevo is taking you to your prom. That’s nice.”

She blushed and nodded. “Yeah, he said he was going to take me.” Vonda turned toward Jessica and continued, “Yo, me, Tiny, and Lynn gonna go ahead and go down to 34th Street to check out some shoe stores for the prom. We get up with you tomorrow, ok?”

“Ok.” Jessica gave her a hug.

The three girls waved to the couple as they passed by, then suddenly Tiny stopped and walked over to Jessica but, avoided eye contact.

“Jessica, I’m . . .” She turned speechless and awkward until Jessica said, “It’s all right, Tiny. Thanks.”

Tiny looked up in Jessica’s eyes and said, “Jessica, I may not always be there for you when you want me, but I will always be there for you when you need me.”

Jessica nodded and they embraced. As soon as they pulled apart, Tiny ran off and caught up with Vonda and Lynn.

Jessica turned her attention back to Kenny and said, “Well, it looks like it’s me and you.”

He smiled, took her by her hand, and walked slowly toward the train station headed to Harlem.

**********

Over the next couple of weeks, Jessica and Kenny were together almost all the time, as he met her at the train station on 135th Street and Lenox daily. Even though they hadn’t been together long, it seemed like a lifetime to Jessica and she felt totally comfortable whenever she was around him. On this particular day, he asked her the ultimate question as they stood in front of her parents’ building.

“Jessica, we been seeing each other for a while now, right?”

Jessica smiled and nodded, not sure where he was going with the conversation.

“Anyway . . .” He paused briefly and looked down at his feet. “I was wondering if you’d like to be with me. You know, be my girl.”

Jessica was stunned. It was as if she was outside herself watching a movie. She was totally taken by surprise by the question. She knew Kenny liked her, but she never expected him to ask her to be exclusive so soon. She continued to search his face to see if he was joking, but there wasn’t a hint of anything remotely close to being funny. He was serious.

He looked into her eyes and said, “Jessica, if you say yes, I’ll make you this promise . . .” He looked at her with all the intensity in the world and spoke in French Creole. “Mwin fe promes poum pa janm few mal, mwin pap janm few kriye, mwin fe promes poum pa janm baw kou. Se promes nan fon kem pou jistanm mouri!”

Jessica didn’t understand a word he was saying, but it sounded beautiful.

“It means, ‘I promise I’ll never hurt you, and never make you cry, I promise to you that I would never hit you, cross my heart . . .” He made a cross sign on his chest. “And hope to die!”

That was it. He’d stolen her heart forever, and there was no way for her to resist any longer. She knew from that moment on that he would play a major role in her future.

She said, “I just have one requirement if I was to say ‘yes.’”

He immediately grew fearful, praying he could live up to her request. “What is it?”

Jessica smiled. “Will you take me to my prom?”

He chuckled. “Yes, I would love to take you to your prom.” Kenny took Jessica in his arms and swung her around off her feet. When he let her down they looked into each other’s eyes and slowly kissed for the very first time. They were in love.

**********

The week leading up to the prom, all the girls made heavy preparations for their big day. Even Jessica’s mother seemed excited and helped her prepare for the big day by taking her shopping at Macy’s. She bought Jessica an extravagant evening dress with coordinating shoes and accessories.

This is definitely going to be a night to remember, Jessica thought. She was with the right friends, the right man, and in the prime of her life. She knew that after that night she would no longer be a little girl. She would become a woman, and nothing would stop her.

T
he evening of the prom, the girls felt it would be better if they got dressed together and got picked up from Jessica’s parents’ house. Mrs. Jones invited the other parents over so they could experience and take pictures of their daughters’ monumental moment.

Jessica had asked Kenny earlier if he could get one of his friends to take Tiny to the prom. He agreed and got one of his friends from the neighborhood named Calvin. Kenny even paid for Calvin’s tuxedo, just so he could keep his girl happy. Tiny had never met Calvin before and was driving everyone crazy, worrying them all to death about if he was ugly or cute.

The time finally arrived when the doorbell rang. The gracious host, Mrs. Jones quickly walked over to answer the door. She looked back toward the other mothers before smiling and opening the door.

Standing at the door was Kenny, who was dressed to the teeth in a black tuxedo with a corsage in his arm. He flashed a bright smile. “Good evening, Mrs. Jones. My name is Kenneth Duboise, and I’m here to take Jessica to the prom.”

Mrs. Jones was taken aback by the handsome, well-mannered young man. She thanked him and graciously invited him and the other boys, who had walked up behind him, into her home. The other young men introduced themselves as they entered and Mrs. Jones went about introducing them to everyone parents. Jessica’s mother excused herself and told them she would tell the girls their dates were there.