Black Beauty

Meet Latreece

Latreece rested her chin on her fist while she sat beside her grandmother and across from Principal Kerr.  

White floors, white wall. White principal, with all of its white students. Did she even belong her? Why couldn't they have stayed on the eastside and gone to a black school. All the girls here were fake as hell. Especially dumbass Shemeya. She closed he eyes and willed herself to calm down.

Calm down.

Calm down.

The one night she visits her mom and leaves her man alone, all of the cockroach-looking hoes come out of the wall trying to get at his ass.  Ugh.

Corey said he hadn't known what Shemeya planned when she wanted to talk, but he wasn't stupid and Latreece wasn't stupid either.  He knew he shouldn't have went with her, And that bitch knew he had a fucking girlfriend.

Damn Medusa-looking bitch. That's why the girl ran away.  A real woman would have stayed, fought, and admitted she'd done wrong.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Langston but we have no choice but to suspend Latreece for a week."

"But," her grandmother paused, "how will it affect graduation?"

"Assuming she's currently passing, she'll be fine as long as she turns in all her assignments once she returns." The principal looked at Latreece like she was scum and the chances of her graduating was slim. But Latreece stared back at the wrinkled woman and cocked an eyebrow. The principal had her confused with a dummy. Latreece made sure to do just enough work to keep a C average.

Granny looked relieved. All sign of stress gone. She knew her grandmother well enough to know she only cared about Latreece graduating. She was the oldest grandbaby, she had to graduate. The last thing Latreece wanted was to let down her granny. She'd stay in school, but as soon as she graduated, she'd be gone. Maybe be an actress or a model and then buy her granny a house in the middle of the country just like she always wanted.

Her grandmother nodded towards the principal saying yes mem this and yes mem that. Every few nods she'd look at Latreece with a side-eye. A gaze that said, damn you girl for making  me come up here and have to play nice with this lady. 

"My granddaughter knows better and this will never happen again," Granny said with a fake smile. 

"Well, if it does we'll have no choice but to expel her." Principal Kerr was tall and thin with a sharp nose, sunken cheeks with wrinkles around her eyes and neck. She looked like walking skeleton.

"Why isn't Shemeya here; she started this?" Latreece asked, tired of staying quiet.

"We haven't been able to track her down. Besides, according to the other students you started the fight."

"Okay can we go now?" Granny said, standing. Latreece knew Granny was trying to get Latreece away from the principal before she could get into any more trouble. Obediently, Latreece bit her tongue and stood.

Looking like she swallowed something sour, Principal Kerr took the hint and stood also. "Let me walk you out, Mrs. Langston,"  Principal Kerr said.

They walked out of the office with walls filled with diplomas and pictures with smiling innocent-looking kids and students. As if that was supposed to make her look nicer and friendlier. But the principal had never talked to any of the black students except to tell them to stay quiet or to dish out suspensions.

Principal Kerr walked them past the secretaries and to the main entrance. "Latreece, we'll see you in a week. I'll speak to your teachers.  Mrs. Langston, you can pick up her homework Tuesday morning."

"Thank you so much, Principal Kerr. I swear this will never happen again."

Latreece rolled her eyes. The sound of her grandmother cowering to the principal made her stomach churn.

The principal ignored Latreece and walked back to her office.

As soon as the principal was gone. All docility and smiles left Granny and her right eye started to twitch.

"Girl, what the fuck is wrong with you!"  Granny said as she slapped Latreece on the back of the head.

"Ow, Granny."

"You know better than start a fight at school. You know they're craving to kick as  many black kids out of this damn school as they can."

"But, Granny..."

"Don't' but Granny me."

Latreece was about to but Granny again, but then she saw them. Corey and Shemeya walking down the hall. TOGETHER. Shemeya held a bag of ice on her eye and she and Corey were so engrossed with each other they didn't even see Latreece.

What. The. Fuck.

Latreece stormed towards Shemeya and Corey. Then Corey looked up. Recognition and fear in his eyes.

"This is what you want, Corey?" Latreece said, getting up in his face. She imagined she could smell Shemeya all over him. She was so close she could see his pores. "I can't even believe I wasted my time on you."  She stepped back and pointed her finger at him. "You is a liar." Then she pointed at Shemeya. "And you is hoe. Y'all deserve each other."

She walked away then. Her heart pounded in her ears and tears streamed down her cheeks. He was her first love, but she'd be damned if he was going to hurt her anymore.

Granny stood where Latreece had left her with her mouth wide open. "You ready, Granny?" Latreece asked, but she didn't stop walking. She left the building, hoping her grandmother would follow.