The Hood Princess and the Prep (Sample)

Chapter One

   I had my hands in the air and a big smile on my face. The steady flashes from the various cameras made me feel like a star. This was the day that I had been waiting, twelve long years for. and it was finally here. It felt like a dream. I looked to my left at my two best friends, my aces, my girls since the fourth grade, Nasha and Tory. By the look on their faces, they were just as excited as I was. It was their day, too.

My smile got bigger as I watched the principal approach the podium. She was all smiles, as usual. Ms. Givings was a gift to this school, and we all knew it. She had done in four short years what nobody else had seemed to do. Tame the students at Vashon High. She had also made my life easier, and she had been determined to see every senior graduate.

Not that I was a troubled student. I just always seemed to be where the trouble was. She had my back every time, constantly reminding me, I deserved better, and that she was going to make sure I became a lady. Not that anyone could do that. I put on a front for her most days, just as I did my mom. But I still had my mind and regardless of where or when, I was determined to stay me.

"And now it is with the greatest honor I present to you all the biggest graduating class since nineteen ninety six, the Vashon High graduating class of two thousand and eleven." she was clapping so hard her jaws were shaking and her smile looked like it hurt, but she was happy, and I could see tears of joy in her eyes. Vashon was not a school place for the faint of heart. It sat right in the middle of three neighborhoods that didn't like each other much. Every teen in the area went to this school. As a result, there were lots of fights. Lots of cops. There had even been a few mass fights. Ms. Givings had shut all that down.

Then, as if on cue, the auditorium erupted with applause, and our class song was coming from the speakers even louder, "Hear me coming," by Yung Joc. Looking around, you could see people dancing, jumping up and down, hugging each other. We had made it and we were coming. I hope the world was ready. I was almost knocked over as my friend's bum rushed me with hugs. "We made it," I said.

"I know, right," Nasha said, "we free."

"We out this bitch," Tory put in.

"Yes, yes," I said, tossing up my graduation cap. I scanned the crowd, looking for the most important person in my life. Where was she? I knew she wanted a picture of us all.

"Looking for me, princess." I turned around with a frown. I loved my mama more than pancakes, but I hated that nickname. She was determined to keep calling me.

"Yes, I was looking for you, and can you please stop calling me that? I'm far from a princess," I said, hugging her, "but you'll always be my queen." I kissed her cheek and gathered with my girls for the pictures we wanted. We ended up having a photo shoot, and I hadn't even noticed that a couple of other people had joined in the group.

"So, Vikki," Terrance, too hot for anyone but me, was saying. "You coming to Tony's party tonight, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, boo." I said, kissing his cheek. He wasn't my boyfriend, but he was definitely my boo, and he really was fine, fine. A little on the dumb side since the boy kept failing everything, but he was cool and easy on the eyes. I did not know how he was even graduating, because he never went to class. But here he was, so...... who was I to question fate?

"I'll see you there," he said, picking me up wedding style for a picture my mama was taking. then he walked off with his friends.

"Please tell me you going to give that boy a chance now that we are out of school, he been crushing on you for like five years," Tory said

"Yep, since eighth grade," Nasha confirmed while putting on her lip gloss.

Terrance was my crush, but he was also Nasha's twin brother. I always told my friends that I wouldn't date a guy from school because of all the hateration that was going on, but that wasn't entirely true. I just didn't want a boyfriend. As far back as I could remember, my mom had never had a boyfriend, never even gone on a date, and she was beautiful. Tall light caramel skin, almond light brown eyes, beautiful wavy hair, and she never dated. Not that men didn't try. She got hit on every time we left the house, and she always nicely turned them down. I figured I wasn't missing anything, and I wanted to focus on myself.