Jade
When you’re talking to me, like just having a regular conversation you can tell I have an accent, but when I get pissed I’ve been told you can barely understand what I say. Apparently that’s what happened when Barbie and Ken almost hit my damn car. When they drove off Toi and Nikki had to calm me down, while Raheem and Trey were calming Martez.
“I knew there would be comments like that, but I didn’t think they’d say some shit like that on the first day and to our fucking faces,” Toi said still popping her gum. “Plus Barbie’s boyfriend damn near rammed us and her orange ass is asking if he needs school security, bitch please!”
“Shit, what’d you expect? A fucking welcome wagon or some shit. They don’t want us here Toi! Coach Johnson told me and the rest of the players that the only reason Valley welcomed us with so called “open arms” is because with our players and their resources, they’re damn near guaranteed championships. Championships equals more funding for the school, ya dig”, Martez angrily explained.
I wasn’t really surprised by what Tez said. I mean I pretty much figured there was a reason why Valley had just up and volunteered to take us Central kids. I tried to shake what Tez had said along with my damn near wreck off, and started walking through the now dispersing crowd toward the schools entrance. Halfway to the door Nikki tapped my arm to get my attention.
“You straight mama?” she asked. As much as Nikki zoned out on everything around her I could always count on her to be there for me or notice if something was up with me. It had always been like that between us. I’d met Nikki when I had first moved here from Jamaica. When we moved here I was really self conscious about my accent so I tried to speak as little as possible. When I walked into my classroom on about the third or fourth week of school the first thing my teacher did was pull me to the front so I could tell everyone about myself. I had no choice but to speak. I didn’t say more than four words before the class burst out laughing asking why I sounded funny. Nikki stood up at only 10 years old and screamed at them to shut the hell up. She smiled grabbed my hand and said I could sit next to her. The rest was history. We had been best friends ever since that day. So it didn’t surprise me that she was the only one to notice that I was upset.
“Yea girl, I’m cool.” I smiled, looped arms with her, and grabbed the doors handle.
Now Valley was huge on the outside and the inside didn’t disappoint at all. Everything about this school just screamed money, money, and more money. As we walked farther in I dropped Nikki’s arm and we all noticed a big bulletin board in the middle of the corridor that read:
All Former Central Students to
The Gymnasium.
- Your new principal Dr. Green
“Looks like we do get some kind of welcome,” I said grabbing Tez’s hand leading my friends and boyfriend in the direction the arrow pointed.
When we stepped through the doors leading into the gym my jaw damn near hit the floor. It looked like a professional gym. I’m talking bleachers up to the ceiling, beautiful court, and what I assumed was a new paint job. I could tell Martez was happy about where he would now be playing ball because he dropped my hand and his face let up. This also told me that he had gotten over this morning’s commotion in the parking lot.
“Damn! These rich ass white folks wasn’t playing when they said they wanted championships.” He laughed slapping hands with Trey and Raheem.
“You ain’t lying son!” Raheem barked in his heavy New York accent. “Yo, I think imma like this school, ya feel me.” He said turning to face Trey.
“Hell yea my nigga,” Trey laughed dapping Raheem up.
“Aye Toi you gonna be my cheerleader or what shorty?” Raheem said grabbing Toi’s hand.
Now Toi has had a huge crush on Raheem for the longest, but she likes to play games to much to just give the boy a chance. It was obvious he liked her just as much as she liked him, but my girl was stubborn and liked to be chased.
“Nigga please!” She giggled still popping her gum as she walked up the bleacher steps behind me and Nikki.
“Yea whatever ma. You gonna be begging to be my cheerleader when that NBA money starts rolling in.” Raheem said as he and the rest of the boys sat down on the bleachers behind us.
Looking around I could see all my classmates from Central filing in and taking their seats in the stands like the rest of us. I figured the administration had figured they’d given us enough time to talk and get settled because there was suddenly I voice coming from the speakers overhead. I looked down to the center of the court to see who I presumed was Dr. Green, my new principal.
“Welcome students. These unfortunate circumstances have brought our communities together as one. I along with the rest of the administrative staff welcome all of you to Valley High. We understand that there may be some difficulty with the transition and we completely understand. If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to stop by the front office, or any of the other administrative offices throughout the school. We urge all of you to get involved here at Valley. After all this is now your school. Let’s have an amazing year. Go Panthers!” Dr.Green’s voice boomed through every speaker in the gym.
Dr. Green seemed ok I guess. After his little speech he kept smiling and walked out, leaving the rest of the administrative staff sticking around trying to herd everyone in the right direction. We got all our stuff together and headed out.
