Chapter 4 Alejandro "I'll get at you later aright?" Marissa questioned as I led her to the front door. "Aight ma," I replied and watched her walk out and get in her car before closing the door and turning around only to run into my father who was leaning against the wall with a smug look on his face. "And who was that Alejandro?" my father asked rhetorically with an arched eyebrow. "That's my Spanish partner," I replied. "Right," he spoke in a tone that said he didn't believe me at all. "And I suppose the two of you were just studying for the last two hours?" "You've been here that long?" I questioned hoping he hadn't been. It'd be no telling what he heard. "Something like that," was his only response before disappearing down the hall. Marissa I walked in the house a little after three o'clock and immediately headed to the bathroom for a quick shower and changed into a pair of sweats before starting in on my homework. I took a break after finishing my economics work to call my hairstylist and set an appointment. Luckily, someone had to cancel and I was able to be fit in for tomorrow at 12:30, which meant I was going to have to sign myself out before lunch so that I could make the appointment. I'd just finished my work when my mother waltzed in my room. "Yes?" I questioned, somewhat annoyed that she barged in my room without knocking. "I just found out that I have to go to LA for the next couple of days. My assistant is looking into getting me a flight for tomorrow, which means you'll be on your own for the next couple of days. Your father should be home by the end of the week but in any case, you're old enough to be home on your own. I've already written up an itinerary for you-" And basically I zoned out after that. Lord, I couldn't wait to graduate and get up from under this woman's thumb. I loved my mother, really I did, but I couldn't stand her sometimes. She overdid everything and had an annoying quality like no one else I knew. That was probably why my father stayed on the road. He loved her, that much was obvious, but you could only deal with so much of her. "Are you listening to me?" she snapped. She probably just realized that I'd been quiet through the majority of her spiel. "Of course mother," I replied appropriately. "Good," she replied with a satisfied nod and turned to leave my room. "A damn near empty house for several days...whatever shall I do?" I asked myself with an indulgent smirk. "Why must we go through all of that?" I questioned Corey as I placed my right hand on my denim clad hip. "Because it's not fair that you're leaving early. You should be enduring that boring ass Biology class right along with me," he replied. "Stop being difficult and send me an e-mail with the notes and the assignments," I ordered as I stared him in the eye, thankful for the extremely high LAMB pumps I adorned. "Hold up," he replied raising his hand. "Who are you getting demanding with? You're the one who needs the favor." "And whose the one who always needs help with interpreting the shit the teacher says?" I questioned rhetorically. Corey stared at me for a minute before shaking his head, knowing I had him beat. "Exactly." Isis "So you're really not going to tell me where you were last week?" I questioned Dro as I leaned against the locker across from his. "Do I ever tell you where I've been?" was his answer. "I'm getting sick and tired of this shit Dro," I told him seriously. He played too many fucking games and I stayed with him because I loved his dumb ass but his taking me for granted was going to stop. Dro needed to realize that I didn't have to be around. There were other people out there; dudes that would treat me the way I deserved to be treated. "I'm not holding you here against your will," was his only response. "So it's like that?" I questioned. He didn't answer. He just turned his attention to the side and stared. I followed his gaze to see Marissa talking to Corey. I knew good and well that Corey had taken Alejandro's attention like that so it must have been Marissa; more specifically the cleavage baring top she wore. "Alejandro!" I hissed. "What?" he snapped. "You're so disre-fucking-spectful!" I spat. "I can't look now?" he asked. I shook my head before smirking, "I don't even know why you bother. You know good and well that you're not on her level. You're a dog Dro," I added simply, "and Marissa doesn't do guys like you. You're out of your league with that one." He didn't respond to the jibe the way I thought he would. Instead of getting all indignant or spouting nonsense about her, he turned to me and said, "Well, what does that say about you?" Marissa "So what can I do for you?" Stefano questioned as he ran his fingers through my hair. "I want a drastic change," I told him as I lightly twirled a brown tendril. "I want a Victoria Beckham-esque type of hair cut." "Hmm," he replied as he stared at my face. "And you want to keep your color?" "No. I want a change." "What do you have in mind?" I stared at Stefano for a while. I'd been coming to him for years and he always made me look and feel like a star. After leaving his chair I just knew I was the shit. His fingers and scissors were magical and so whatever he wanted was fine with me. I was like his walking billboard so he knew better than to mess me up. "That's up to you," I replied. "Really?" he questioned. "Mold me baby," I answered with a smirk. Corey "Baby I'll be there in thirty," I told Kadijah as I parked my car on curb in front of Marissa's house. "Can you stop by Cold Stone and pick me up some ice cream?" she questioned. "No problem bay," I replied before ending the call and exiting the car. I jogged towards the front door after checking to make sure I had the notes I promised Marissa and waved at one of her neighbors as I waited for someone to answer the door. Surprisingly enough it wasn't Roberta who answered the door but Marissa and I stood shocked as I saw her. The long light brown hair I'd come to expect from her had been cut just above shoulder length and had been dyed jet black. "Your mother is going to fucking kill you," I told her as I entered the house. "Well she'll either get over it or get therapy," she replied with a shrug of her shoulders as her bare feet slapped against the marble floor. "So where's my notes?" "Here," I replied and handed her my spiral notebook. She nodded for me to follow her as she flipped through the book for the appropriate date. "So when is your mother coming home?" I asked as she laced my notebook on the photo copier. "She's not," she replied with a smirk. "Say what?" "She's out of town on business and so she won't be here tonight." "Word? Uh-oh, house party!" "Uh-uh," she interrupted my party dance as she stood straight and smoothed her white tee over the waist of her shorts. "I'm not have a grip of folks in here fucking up my house." "Come on. You have to throw a party," I tried to convince her. "No I don't," she reiterated as she handed me back my notes. "Besides, it's not even as if I get along with too many people anyway. The last thing I need is people I don't like roaming around my house. You want a party so much, you throw one." "I just might...here," I snapped before grabbing my notebook and running out of her room. "You would throw a party at a venue you can't use," she called out after me. Marissa "Roberta!" I called as I carefully pulled my silk tunic over my head, as to not get any of my make up on the garment. "Yes mam?" she questioned as I smoothed the top over my gray skinny jeans. "Have you seen my teal and tangerine thong Giuseppe's?" I questioned as I pinned my earrings through my ears. She didn't answer, she just walked into my closet and plucked out the box and handed it to me. "What would I do without you Roberta?" "Get caught," she replied knowingly before leaving the room. Roberta and I were tight and had a mutual understanding. If she looked the other way when I did my dirt I made sure she had a nice bonus at the end of the year. On top of that, I gave out great gifts and treated her as a person whereas my mother just saw her as the hired help. Obviously her loyalty would be to me before my mother. I was about to slip my phone into my patchwork clutch when it buzzed to signal an new text message. As I read the message, I could hold the urge to suck my teeth. Because I was apart of student government, I had to stay back for a meeting that concerned the panning of the school's winter social. Honestly, there was no need for me to even be there. All we were going to do was give the task to the planning committee anyway. I made a quick chore of finishing my shake and sprayed on a little perfume before slipping an elaborate floral shaped ring on my right index finger. After double checking to make sure I had everything I would need for the day, I cut off my bedroom light and walked out of the house. "I know you said you were serious but I honestly didn't think you'd go this drastic," Amanda replied as she ran her hands through my short hair. "It's cute though," I defended as I spun in my locker code. "Yes but you have to admit that it's a huge change from what you had before," she replied. "Your mother is going to flip." "For all you know she might like it," I told her even though I knew the chances of that was slim to none. Amanda gave me a yeah right look and leaned against the locker beside mine as I grabbed the things I would need for my first period. "So you know the Winter Social is coming up," she started. "Do I," I replied grudgingly. "Why you gotta say it like that?" "Because I have to stay back today to go over that nonsense," I replied as I slammed my locker closed. "It's not going to be that bad," she replied as we made our way down the hall. "Have you figured out who you're going with?" "Not really," I answered with a shrug. It wasn't as id I'd have a hard time finding a date anyway. Some dude was always trying to get with me to prove he could accomplish with no other guy at the school could. I was the resident good girl and all around prude. If they only had an inkling of the truth, they'd die of shock. "I need to find out what I'm going to wear though," I said more so to myself than her. "You and me both," Amanda added as we walked in class. "I have to do it soon too because after I make sure I'm good, I have to do the same for Marcus." Today was Friday and I hadn't had anything planned. Normally I went to the Boys & Girls Club to tutor but this student government meeting went and fucked that up. Might as well shop. "I'm going to head to The Forum after I leave here," I informed her. "Can I tag along?" she asked excitedly. "I wouldn't have mentioned it if you weren't invited," I told her. "Cool. We just need to stop by my house so that I can hit my parents up for some money," she replied with a broad smile. "Alright," I replied with a shrug before taking my seat and preparing myself for a boring lecture. Alejandro "So I was thinking about wearing red to the formal," Isis continued to rattle on about the social. If I ever had a daughter I was going to teach her not to be like Isis. It was as if none of the shit I did mattered and quite frankly I had no respect for her. She got with me thinking that she could change me and I was worse than before we became official. At least then I somewhat hit what I did and now there was just no need. She knew I wasn't faithful and wasn't trying to be but her ass wouldn't leave. It's like damn, what do I have to do for her to get a fucking clue? "Nah," I replied easily as I left the table to grab a bag of chips from one of the vending machines. "What do you mean no?" she questioned as she followed me. "You're passing English Isis," I reminded her, "so I'm pretty sure you know the meaning of the word." "But I've already found the perfect dress," she whined. "And you can still wear the dress. I, however, will not be wearing red," I replied with a shrug as I took my seat. "Tu pendejo," she muttered to herself.
¿Usted realmente desea ir allí hoy?
She looked at me for a moment and shook her head. "¿Por qué es usted uniforme con mí? Used no me ama obviamente."
I stared at her while I chewed my chips before responding. "La pregunta mejor no debe se porqué estoy con usted. ¿Debe ser porqué todavía está usted con mí? ¿Si usted sabe, o se siente como si, no le ame porqué todavía está usted aquí?"
She looked down before looking up at me pitifully and said, "Porque aunque usted no puede cuidarme para mí suceda estar en amor con usted."
I felt bad for the way she felt but then she must be a masochist. There had never been a moment where I pretended things were more than they actually were. She can never say that I laid there and whispered fake shit in her ears because that wasn't me. All day, everyday, I was Alejandro and I didn't pretend to be anything but what I was. Isis knew who and what I was front jump so I couldn't pity her. She put herself in this predicament, not me. "¿Mana que entonces se parece ser un problema personal, no muchacha del bebé?" I asked rhetorically.
Isis I watched Alejandro walk out and fixed my face as soon as he turned the corner. The man was a fucking brick wall but he WOULD love me. I'd invest too much damn time to give up on him. Sure, he had commitment issues but besides all of that he was the ideal catch. He was fine, that much was obvious, with a body that left nothing to be desired. Add to that the fact that he was great in bed and came from a wealthy family. Ideologically speaking he was the perfect person to build with. People thought I was stupid or a lovesick puppy for staying with him but I wasn't any of those things. What I was, was determined. Marissa "So this year we're doing a Winter Wonderland theme," Kevin replied excitedly as he passed pictures around. "Well the budget hasn't changed so as long as you can fit all of this within that, we're good," I replied, hoping that this would be over. I had shopping to do damnit. "About that," Nicole, another member of the planning committee, replied. "I think we should do a fund raiser because the $3,500 budget isn't going to do." "That's more than adequate," Principal Jones threw in. "Not really," Michael threw in as he motioned for us all to look at the paper he'd handed us. "To rent a Pavilion at Caesar's Palace from 8pm to 11pm with the hotel catering is going to cost $2300 and we haven't even decorated yet." "Well find somewhere cheaper," the principal ordered. "Where else do you think we're going to find the space to accommodate 2,100 students?" Michael asked her. "Add to that, we're getting a discount since my uncle is the manager." "That still leaves you with fourteen hundred dollars Michael. I'm pretty sure you can decorate and get a DJ with that much," I replied. So he won't be able to make this huge extravaganza like they'd planned, big deal. "Of course I can decorate the pavilion with $1,400," Michael replied and sneered at me. "But it won't be what I had in mind. What kind of Winter Wonderland will we have without snow?" "A Vegas wonderland," I replied with a forced grin. "I guess we're going to be here all night," Michael replied, "because that won't do." Oh hell no we weren't either. I had places to be. "If you want to have a fund raiser, then have one," I replied and Michael flashed a smile of success, "but the funding for that is coming out of the party budget so make sure that you can cover what you spend and the excess you need upfront because you will have to make due what you have." Michael looked a bit put out at that but he knew it was either that or nothing. He nodded and I gave a glance at Kareem, our student body president, and the principal. Principal Jones nodded so Kareem sat up straight and closed his phone so that he could end the meeting. The planning committee could discuss the Winter Social amongst themselves. "Thanks for taking the lead in there," Kareem replied as we left the classroom that had been transformed for our meeting. "Um-hmm," I replied. Kareem was a good guy and a great student body president but I'd heard from a very reliable source that his girlfriend was pregnant. He had other things to worry about right now and I'm sure that the winter social wasn't high on his list of priorities. Kareem and I went our separate ways; he exited the building while I went down to the gym to grab Amanda. I knew good and well she was in the weight room shooting the breeze with Marcus. She better be ready to go because I was ready to do some damage with my charge card. |