Second Chance (6 page)

Authors: L. Divine

BOOK: Second Chance

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As I run around like a dog chasing its tail, I notice Stan and Dan, campus security, watching Jeremy. I look over toward Jeremy and see what they see: Jeremy gives what looks like a cigarette to the dude. I want to warn Jeremy, but it's too late. Stan and Dan close in on them, and all I can do is watch.

I'm Your Pusher

“In this life one thing counts/In the bank large amounts”

âLUDACRIS

A
fter Jeremy and his friend were handcuffed and led to the office, I went to class as if nothing happened. I didn't tell anyone in class, not even my home girl, Alia. She's the coolest White girl I've ever met, and she's on the same track as me, so we have most of our classes together.

“Hey, Jayd. Is everything all right? You look a little pale,” she says, turning around in her seat to look at me. She's a pretty girl with long, blond hair, usually streaked with multiple fluorescent colors, and dark blue eyes. She's on the girl's volleyball team, although I think she should play basketball. What's the point of being six feet tall and not ballin'?

“I'm fine, girl. Just tired of the drama,” I respond, telling the truth without giving up too much info.

“Well, you're not only in the wrong school; you're in the wrong class,” she says, referring to our fifth period drama class, which is actually my favorite class of the day despite how I feel at the moment. Our teacher, Mrs. Sinclair, is pretty cool. She's so wound up in her personal life she doesn't bother us too much about assignments. As long as we look busy, she leaves us alone. The only time she gets serious is when we have a show to put on. Other than that, drama class is like a free period. Chance and I usually kick it, but he's not here today. I wonder if he's with Jeremy.

“Alia, have you seen Chance today?” I ask, knowing she'd know. She's secretly had a crush on him since last year. But, she's definitely not his type. He's not into punk girls, although I think they'd make an adorable couple.

“I saw him earlier, but he hasn't made an appearance in class yet. Want to check the theater?” she asks.

“No, that's okay.” The one thing about South Bay is it's got hella money. Not only does this school have a full drama program, including a stage crew class and five drama classes, it also has a state-of-the-art theater, boys' and girls' dressing rooms, and the rehearsal room, which we use as a classroom. Most of the students kick it in the theater, but even the drama clique has subdivisions.

The drama stars, who think they're the only talented ones, hang out on stage, practicing monologues for auditions or just playing around. The wannabes hang out in the audience, watching the stars to learn a thing or two, I suppose. And then there are the talented ones, who hang in the classroom and just chill until we have to work. This last subdivision includes Matt, Chance, Alia, Leslie, Seth, and myself. We're usually chosen to perform in short skits and plays. The stars are always the leads in the musical productions, mostly because their parents are the financial sponsors for the drama program.

“Hey, Miss Jayd,” Matt says, strolling into the room accompanied by Leslie and Seth, all tardy as usual.

“It's a good thing Mrs. Sinclair doesn't take roll,” Alia says as she gets up to give them each a hug.

“Now, you know she's way too busy deciding between her old husband and the new one to be bothered with us,” Leslie responds. Mrs. Sinclair and her husband, Mr. Sinclair, the senior economics teacher, have been the most popular teachers' couple for years, or so I've heard. But lately Mrs. Sinclair has been coming to school driving a fancy little Porsche, which doesn't belong to her or her husband. She's also showing a little baby bump, and we all know Mr. Sinclair ain't the baby daddy: she slipped and told the entire class he had a vasectomy last year and she was upset about it. I guess she found a way to get over it.

“Hey, have y'all seen Chance?” I ask as Matt and Seth each take a seat in the empty row of desks in front of mine.

“Actually, Chance called me a few minutes ago and told me he wouldn't be here; he had something to handle,” Matt says, reclining back in his seat for his afternoon nap.

“Why are you so worried about Chance? I thought you and Jeremy were kicking it pretty hot and heavy these days,” Seth says, looking at me with a silly grin. He can be so annoying sometimes, like the White little brother I never wanted.

“Shut up, Seth. I haven't seen him all day and needed to talk to him about something.” I would try him on his cell, but our cells rarely get a signal down here in the dungeon. This is the last classroom on the west side of the campus and is right off Pacific Coast Highway. We call it the dungeon not only because of its location, but also because it's the only classroom that has no intercom speakers, which connect all the classrooms through announcements from the main office. I don't know if it's because of all the stage equipment or what, but our cells rarely work in here.

“We're going to sit outside and soak up some sun,” Leslie says as she and Alia head to the outside benches. These White girls are serious about their tans. “Want to come, Jayd?”

“Uhmm, no. I'm cool,” I say. What the hell do I need with a tan? Sometimes folks don't think before they speak. But, she's being nice, so there's no need to clown.

“What do you need to talk to Chance about? I'm here if you need to vent, baby,” Matt says, sitting up in his seat. But something about his look tells me he already knows why I'm concerned.

“You know, don't you?” I ask.

“Of course I do. You think my boy's going to get busted and I'm not going to find out about it immediately?” Matt says with a big grin across his face. Damn, news travels fast around this campus. I wonder if word's got back to South Central yet. If so, I know Misty and KJ are ecstatic.

“Yeah, we're tighter than the gay mafia,” Seth says, and he should know. Anybody can look at Seth and know he's swinging on both sides of the fence.

“Well, how come y'all so cool? I'm freaking out about what just happened, and y'all act like it's nothing,” I say, socking Matt in the arm for being so coy about what he knows.

“I didn't want to let on in front of the girls. You know how y'all like to talk. Besides, there's no need to worry about Jeremy; he can take care of himself. And, if he can't, his dad can.” Matt has a good point. These rich boys have a whole different set of laws. I wish I could holla at my girls before school's out about what happened with Jeremy, but right after drama class I have to head clear across campus to dance class, and then to the bus stop. I don't think Jeremy will be able to take me to Compton today after all. I'll just have to wait until I get home to get this off my chest.

“Girl, you just lucky they didn't put your ass on lockdown with him,” Nellie says, putting her two cents in the three-way conversation between her, me, and Mickey. I barely walked in the door before my cell began to ring.

“For real, Nellie. You just know they would have loved to pin it on you, Jayd,” Mickey says.

“I'm still in shock he's a dealer. Jayd, did you know Jeremy and his crew were our local drug cartel?” Nellie asks, sounding as judgmental as ever.

“No, Nellie. I didn't know that Jeremy and his friends were involved in any kind of illegal activity,” I say sarcastically, while putting my backpack down on the hallway floor. That damn thing's too heavy.

“Look, y'all, don't overreact. I want to call Jeremy and make sure he's all right before I start judging the boy,” I say, rushing them off the phone.

“Judge the boy about what?” Mama asks, coming in from the backyard.

“Oh, nothing, Mama. Nellie and Mickey are just hating on Jeremy as usual,” I say, trying to redirect Mama's BS detector. I'm not telling anybody around here about this.

“No, we're not. You better tell Mama the truth, Jayd,” Nellie tries to shout through the phone loud enough so Mama can hear her.

“Your girls have your best interests at heart. Listen to them sometimes,” Mama says, passing me in the hallway to go to her room. Sometimes she likes to play devil's advocate.

“I'll talk to y'all later,” I say, finally hanging up the phone.

“Jayd, what was that all about?” Mama asks while hanging her outdoors work dress on the closet door. I guess she wasn't satisfied with the answer she got. Ready to settle in for the evening, she changes into her multicolored housedress. Mama looks tired and worn down, like she's had one hell of a day filling client prescriptions.

“Nellie and Mickey were just teasing me about Jeremy, that's all. Mama, you feeling all right?” I ask her as I walk into the room. I place my backpack by my bed and sit down on the foot of her bed. “You don't look so good. Have you been taking your herbs,” I ask, getting up to get a closer look at her. I worry about Mama sometimes. She works too hard and frets too much, not a good combination.

“Jayd, get away from me. I'm fine, just a little tired, that's all. Have you seen Bryan today?” Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since Monday afternoon, and he's usually my morning companion. He must have a new woman. When any of my unclesâor my grandfather, for that matterâhave a new girlfriend, we don't see them for a couple of days straight. Maybe even a week or two, if it's serious.

“No, Mama. I don't know where he is. Knowing him, he's fine, though. He's bound to check in sooner or later.”

“Why do boys have to trouble you so? You never know what they're doing or the company they keep,” Mama says, picking up her Bible and opening it to the Twenty-third Psalm.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want ... ,” she reads aloud, holding her brass Rosary in her right hand and the Bible in her left.

“He leads me beside the still waters ... ,” Mama continues in a trancelike state. Maybe I should be praying with Mama for Jeremy. He's in some serious shit. And I don't think his charming smile or irresistible wit is going to be enough to get him out of this mess. South Bay High has a “zero tolerance” policy about weapons, drugs, sexual harassment. You name it. I don't think Jeremy's White skin or money will be enough to get him out of this.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me ...” I join Mama, praying for both Jeremy and Bryan. I wonder if I could make a charm bag for Jeremy that would help with his situation, but first I need to talk to him and see what's really going on.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life ... ,” Mama says.

I rejoin her with an “Amen.”

“I've been out back all day doing work for other people and haven't done any work for myself. I hate when Bryan stays gone like this. All the boy has to do is call and let me know he's okay,” Mama says, taking a bag of loose herbs from the nightstand and putting them in her empty water glass.

“Jayd, could you please get Mama some water?” she says, handing me the glass.

“Sure, Mama. I'll be right back.” On the way out the room, I grab my cell from my backpack so I can call Jeremy while I have a free moment.

“Hello,” Jeremy says.

“Hey, it's Jayd. Are you okay?”

“Hey, Jayd. Yeah, I'm cool. Are you good? Hope you didn't get too scared. I was just about to call you,” Jeremy says, sounding genuinely concerned about me.

“Yes, I'm fine. How are you? What did they do to you?” I ask.

“They just said I have to appear at some stupid hearing on Friday with the principal and the Special Circumstances counselor to see if they want to file charges against me.”

“You mean to tell me they didn't arrest you?” I ask, filling up Mama's water glass as slowly as possible. Unbelievable. If he'd been KJ or Del or some other Black boy, his ass would've been in jail already. I place the glass full of the thick herbal concoction on the kitchen counter while I catch up with Jeremy. By now Mama's probably watching the news or something.

“Naw, Jayd. I only had a joint on me, and they can't prove I put the rest of it in my locker, since it's technically public property. And, because my attorneys weren't present when they searched it, we have a pretty good defense. Don't forget, my dad's rich and has powerful lawyers. This is a walk in the park for them.”

“But, I thought you said your dad was an honest man,” I say.

“So, are you saying I deserve jail time?” he asks, sounding a little hurt.

“No, of course not. I'm just teasing, silly. You know I got your back, baby.”

“Yeah, I know. But why would you think they'd arrest me? It was just a joint,” Jeremy says, sounding like it's no big deal.

“Well, it's my understanding that South Bay doesn't play, no matter who your daddy is. But, I guess I didn't know who you were, until now,” I say.

“And, who am I?” Jeremy asks, goading me.

“You're the man lucky enough to be in Queen Jayd's favor,” I say, feeling the power of my words.