Julia's Man

2. The New Girl

A.N: Patois will be italicized but if there's confusion, I'm more than happy to clarify in the comments. Comments and votes are welcome. Thanks for reading!  Also, Happy New Year! 

2. The New Girl

The sky was a blanket of gray. I couldn't tell whether there were clouds up there or not, all I knew was that the sun wasn't coming out anytime soon.

I was somewhat in awe of the weather man's accuracy. Back in Jamaica, I knew to expect hail whenever he predicted sunshine and hellfire when the forecast claimed there'd be rain.

Monday morning was cold and dim.

And wet.

Light drizzle beaded on my hood as I reached into Patsy's car for my knapsack. She'd parked near one of the scattered puddles decorating the parking lot and I'd done some gymnastics just to avoid soiling my new shoes.

But who woulda expec' pothole fi deh a big big farrin?

Mi shoulda wear the wata boot dem, I thought to myself as the mental image of the over-the-knee boots Pasty had gifted me conjured itself in my head. Even though mi know a frien' she did a beg when she gimme it.

I sucked my teeth and she threw me an amused glance over her shoulder from behind the wheel. "Are you sure you have everything, Kathy?"

"It's just Katherine," I reminded her curtly, not bothering to hide the detest I felt for my apparent nickname. "And yes, Patsy. I do."

"It's Patty or Patricia," she said.

I could tell she was annoyed. Well, that made two of us. Not only was the weather unpleasant on my first day of school, but I was sleep deprived and sourly disappointed. My sleeping pattern was a complete mess that was out of my control—that was on me—but as for my disappointment, that was all on Patsy.

'Bout she name Patty, I thought to myself. Patty sell a Mother's, Tastee and Juici-beef. An' she av di heart fi try call me Kathy and Kat. Mi nuh trus' puss an' "cattie" ah side-chick.

Anyways, I knew better than to assume that school in America was like its portrayals on TV—

Dat a common sense!

—but I'd expected to at least ride the Magic School Bus. I mean, in mentally preparing myself, I thought I'd ride in one of those hideous, yellow, farrin school bus deh. I was actually looking forward to it.

Well, it wasn't to be. Julia said she wouldn't be caught dead riding the school bus, and so I found myself in the backseat of Patsy's car. I'd never known envy as I did this morning when sweet, little Gracie waved goodbye from behind the windows of the magic school bus.

Gracie was a kindergartner, so she still had a few more year of sweetness in her. She was such an angel, the complete opposite of Julia. Only time would tell if that kid was a jacket Patsy threw on Everton.

Julia obviously hav some ah dutty Everton inna she suh Grace can grown up an' stay bad too. But mi supposed to have some a di crosses blood inna me too an' mi cool suh it coulda guh either way fi real. Plus, Patsy nuh suh bad herself.

No sooner had Patsy driven off before Julia dropped the façade of the adoring sister. She looked down her nose at me and said, in no uncertain terms, "I don't know you and you don't know me. Got that yardie?"

But God! Ah who really tell dah gyal yah say nobody wan' hitch up backa she? She nuh know say ah me one born? Come ah gwaan like har shit mek patty. An' ah who she ah call "yardie"?