Free Fair-Weather Friends by Reshonda Tate Billingsley Page B

why in the world did I find myself feeling sorry for her?
    â€œWhy?” I asked after staring at her for a few minutes.
    â€œNobody even knew you and C. J. were together,” Tameka interjected.
    I cut my eyes at her. “Stop talking to me, Tameka.” I turned back to Alexis. “Besides, Alexis knew. Didn’t you?”
    She nodded.
    I was tired of arguing with them so I just threw up my arms. “That was messed up what you did, Alexis. You let Tori play you. She was just trying to hurt me and you helped her do it.”
    Alexis nodded again like a child being scolded by her parents.
    â€œIt wasn’t like that,” Camille finally said. “I think Tori’s demand caught Alexis off guard and she didn’t know what to do.”
    â€œHow about telling Tori to go to he—”
    â€œI just know you’re not about to curse in the Lord’shouse.” Rachel stood in the doorway, her hands perched on her hips.
    I couldn’t help the guilty look that crept up on my face. But I was actually grateful to see Rachel come in the door because Alexis was really starting to get to me. Now, as far as I was concerned, this conversation was over.
    â€œGood Lord,” Rachel sighed as she walked into the room. “Somebody wanna tell me what drama we are dealing with today?”
    I glared at Alexis. She was looking all pathetic.
    â€œPlease forgive me,” she said, sniffing.
    I sighed, frustrated that my anger toward her seemed to have all but disappeared.
    â€œYou know, just squash it. I know you don’t want C. J., Alexis, but that was still jacked up what you did. But I’m done talking about it.”
    I walked back over to my seat, for once looking forward to Rachel starting her weekly lesson.
    Rachel, of course, wouldn’t let up, so Tameka filled her in on everything that happened. I guess Rachel knew talking about it would only make it worse because, thankfully, she just let it drop and instead started talking about upcoming community service projects.
    I tuned her out as I began thinking of all the stuff the Good Girlz had been through. The time we took a road trip to find Angel and almost got abducted bysome psychos, the shoplifting, my search for my dad, the talk show … the list goes on. We’d been through a lot together and we’d come through it all tighter than ever.
    But I had a sickening feeling that our friendship might not be able to survive the Thetas.

15

Jasmine
    â€œJ asminium Nichelle Solé Jones! Telephone!”
    My brother Jaheim was bellowing my name at the top of his lungs. My full name. The name that I hated and he knew that I hated.
    â€œIt’s the stalker, C. J.!” Jaheim yelled. As if I asked him to be my personal message taker and screen my calls with his nosy behind.
    â€œI said, I’m coming!” I shouted back from the bathroom at the end of the hallway, where I’d been washing my hair.
    â€œWell, you’d betta hurry up because you know you ain’t allowed to have phone calls after nine. Mama gon’ beat your butt,” he cackled. I’m sure that announcement was for the benefit of C. J. I so could not wait to move out. I had it already planned. I was bouncing on my eighteenth birthday, which couldn’t come a moment too soon.
    I wrapped a towel around my hair and made my way down the hallway to the living room, where Jaquan,Jalen, and Jaheim sat around in their usual spots, playing PlayStation.
    â€œWhere’s the cordless phone?” I snapped to no one in particular. No one bothered to answer me.
    I walked in front of the TV, blocking the game.
    â€œMove!” Jaheim ordered.
    â€œI said, where’s the phone?”
    â€œI don’t know. Jaquan had it!” Jaheim yelled. “Move your big butt out the way before you make me lose!”
    I wanted to tell him he was already a loser, but I spotted the phone on the end table.
    â€œOoops!” I said as my