A Necessary Struggle: Fall Semester

Part 38

It was Lela's off day and the last place she wanted to be was at Jolt but they all agreed that it was neutral territory. Neutral territory was what they needed to have this conversation but Lela knew deep down the backdrop didn't matter, things were going to explode no matter what.

Alyssa was no more the sour cream in their pound cake of friendship. No, her sour cream was kept way past its expiration date and was a rancid, clumpy concoction. A far cry from what they use to be.

Larry had new music humming in the background as he trained the new barista. The morning rush had died down as the owl clock in the corner ticked past eleven. Just a few late risers fluttered in and out not paying attention to the four young women sitting around the round table in the back. The roundtable, Harmony's idea, honestly the girl watched King Arthur one too many times. Or maybe she had the right idea. Lela wasn't sure anymore. She only knew one thing; the events that unfolded in the Yellow parking had broken them.

"I had to write it." Safiya expressed sitting between Lela and Harmony, probably for her own protection.

"You had to." Alyssa seethed out the words staring at Safiya as if she could shoot blades from her pupils. "You had to tell the entire campus I was raped!" The statement drew eyes over to their table.

"Well, if everyone didn't know they do know," Lela spoke as Larry flashed a stern look at her. "Let's keep it down. The whole world doesn't need to know our problems."

Safiya readjusted herself in the chair, "I didn't use your name. I said, Anonymous Student." She fiddled with the string attached to the tea bag. "It wasn't me that made I scene. I reported a story, assigned to me. People need to know who the dean's son is."

"Why?" Alyssa's eyes flew on the article displayed on her iPad in the middle of the table. "It happened to me. It's not anyone else's business."

"He's a rapist." Harmony finally spoke. "That needs to be persecuted or he'll do it again."

Alyssa rolled her eyes, "I don't care what he does."

"What do you care about?" The words came out of Harmony's mouth before she knew it. "Cause it looks like you're giving up."

"Those are Quinn's clothes, aren't they?" Lela motioned to the sweatshirt with the word soccer sprawled across it in bold white letters.

"Sweatpants and flip flops; a ponytail, and glasses." Safiya pulled the little thread tight around her finger. "I didn't say you don't rock it but...you said glasses were the creation of Satan. So, what are you doing?"

"I'm doing what I do." Alyssa uttered looking pass them watching the growing line at the counter.

"She's doing what she does!" Lela slapped Safiya's shoulder. "And what the hell is that!"

"Oh! I know!" Harmony raised her hand like a student in class, "Fake study, guzzle coffee, skip class and get no sleep. Newsflash, Lyssa! This ain't Smallville. You're not a meteor freak! Humans need sleep!"

Alyssa pushed the glasses over the bridge of her nose, "I sleep!"

"Then tell it to your bloodshot eyes!" Lela shot back.

"I'm going to need you ladies to bring it down," Larry ordered with a stern gaze at Lela like she could control them. "This is a place of business. Y'all are my best customers but—"

"I got it," Lela told shooing him away.

After Larry scuttled off, the girls studied their drinks like they would have a mid-term on the ingredients.

Alyssa pulled the green tie from her onyx hair, "How dare ya'll attack me." She slowly breathed out with fire searing her words. Her almond eyes rose to Safiya, "You're pregnant for a married man!" Then she looked at Lela. "You fucked my ex-boyfriend for months!" She scrolled her eyes over to Harmony. "And you have too much drama for all of us, you MIA bitch. So, don't sit there and tell me that I fucking changed!" She stood up kicking the chair back. "I was raped and he's in my class so hell yeah...I...fucking.... skip it!" She yanked her purse off the floor. "And until ya'll have had a man enter into you without permission then tell you...you like it, don't tell me how I should act!" She reached into her purse pulled out a couple of rolled up bills and threw it on the table before dashing off.

"I hate to say it—" Safiya stood up. "You were right."

"I don't want to be right." Harmony roughly wiped her face. "I want her to be alright." She toyed with her necklace looking out the window in the direction Alyssa traveled. "I have been MIA."

"And I'm pregnant for a married man." Safiya placed her hands behind her back. "How do we fix it?"

Lela shot a quizzical look at Safiya's belly, "You can't fix having a baby for un—" She bit her tongue almost slipping up and calling him Uncle Carter, the moniker she grew up using. They blankly stared at her unaware. "Carter's baby but I know someone I can talk too."

"Who?" Harmony asked.

"A friend," Lela answered pushing the chairs under the table forgetting she was off the clock. "More like family but she'll know what to do." Lela weakly smiled.

Well, Alyssa didn't hold her tongue. Do you think she was right to air all their dirty laundry or was that a plea for help? Will this affect their friendship?