Pride

Chapter Nineteen

Ketara Greene

"I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know, make my wish come true...all I want for Christmas is you..."

All I Want for Christmas is You; Mariah Carey

My friend was heartbroken, two days later as Christmas rolled in. Shakyra had stopped by my place but all she'd done was mope around. Although she was excited over the royal blue crossbody bag I'd gotten her, it was obvious that her and Jay's breakup had upset her to no end.

I understood it, though. The story in and of itself angered me enough to march back to Jay's house and give him an earful but Shakyra put me off of doing so. I just didn't understand what possessed him to break up with his girlfriend over a picture. Sometimes, things got lost in context. Unless they'd been kissing in the photo, I felt like my friend deserved better than the unceremonious break up Jay had given her.

"Put a smile on, girl!" I said, tossing myself on the couch next to her, forcing a dry chuckle,

"I'm trying. I'm still hurt. How my man dumps me two days before Christmas and doesn't even call, stop by, nothing?"

"I can't say."

Shakyra sucked her teeth, "I finally get to the place I need to be and BOOM! He leaves."

I couldn't say much that I already haven't said. I supported her during her crying jags. I called him every dick face in the book when she'd gotten angry. Now, she just seemed despondent and there was nothing I could do about it.

"He looked at me like he could spit and I don't know how to take that, Kiki. Like..."

My mother walked in the living room with two cups of hot chocolate. It made me chuckle a little bit at how both of our mothers knew to bring out the hot chocolate even first thing in the morning every year.

When we were about eleven, our mothers made a deal that Shakyra and I would alternate houses every Christmas. One year would be my year and the other would be her year. Our hang out time would start on Christmas Eve. So, picture my surprise when my best friend shows up in her onesie and pigtails with tears in her eyes. It was so heartbreaking that I wanted to turn into Krampus and whip Jay with the biggest branch I could find.

Shakyra didn't want me to go there with him but the sadder she got, the less her wishes meant to me. I almost didn't like him for it. DeMarcus was starting to look like a choir boy next to him.

My mother sat next to Shakyra and pulled her in to lay her head on her shoulder.

"Oh, my baby!" she screamed, dramatically, "Who hurt that baby?!"

Shakyra giggled, despite herself, "This stupid boy."

"See that's why I keep telling you and this knuckle head to leave those boys alone! They just want your goodies. Just finish school and then stay with me and your mama and keep us company. We've sworn off men."

Shakyra sighed, "I might as well. They throw you in the trash for a picture so why not?"

"Listen, love. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. This new romance is a little over me and I never mastered the old one. I'm just saying that it'll be alright. Be sad today but tomorrow, wake up and start anew. Whatever is for you is for you."

"Okay."

Shakyra's voice was watery again and she silently cried on my mother's chest while we watched the Polar Express.

As we watched, my phone vibrated against my hip. I picked it up and felt my heart pick up speed and felt my hand tremble as the text I read back:

You told my moms you were gonna be here. Where you at?