Black Beauty

Shemeya: Getting Off the Bus Without Getting Her Ass Kicked

Sorry to leave everyone hanging, but I'm going to start the next story and pick up Ashley's story later when I connect the stories together. 

Shemeya jumped out of the green pleather seat, ignoring the bus driver's grunt of annoyance as he pulled the lever and opened the doors. As soon as she could, she squeezed through the opened door and hopped off the crowded bus.

While she walked through the maze of cracked concrete sidewalks, the hot Oklahoma wind thrashed her face and sweat prickled her skin.

"What's wrong with you, girl?"

Surprised, Shemeya stopped. The question had come from Ms. Jade. She stood in the open doorway of her apartment a few feet away. Shemeya's mom would have killed her if she'd done that - flies and air conditioning and money not growing on trees and all. Shemeya wanted to keep walking, but she didn't want to be rude. Jade was the only parent she babysat for who didn't pay with food stamps.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Jade asked. With her light skin and brown freckles, she didn't look anything like her dark-skinned son, Rashawn, who sat nearby on a patch of grass playing with a red ball. 

"I have homework to do," Shemeya lied, trying to focus her attention on Jade instead of the three girls walking from the bus stop. Latreece, Benita, and Aliyah were cousins and protected each other like sisters. If one hated you, all three hated you. And right now Shemeya was number one on Latreece's shit list.

"Move, Medusa," Latreece said, hitting Shemeya's shoulder as she walked by. Then as if on cue, Benita and Aliyah followed suit, almost knocking Shemeya to the ground.

"What's that about?" Jade stepped onto the sidewalk with Shemeya. "Why'd they call you Medusa?"

Shemeya blinked the sun out of her eyes and pulled her shirt away from her sweaty armpits. "No reason. Just stupid girls saying stupid things." Medusa had been her nickname after she'd started growing dreads her freshman year. The constant teasing almost made her cut them out. 

"Are they the reason you've stopped smiling?"

Shemeya arched an eyebrow. "Stopped smiling. . .  What are you talking about?"

"You've always been full of joy. That's why I like it when you watch Rashawn. He always comes back happy." Jade stepped closer. "But now your smile is gone."

My smile? Who pays attention to someone's smile? "There's nothing wrong with me."

Jade folded her arms across her chest. "I've been here for two years and I've never seen you sad. Let me help you."

"There's nothing wrong with me and I don't need help." Shemeya paused and lowered her voice. "So is it true?  Are you a voodoo priestess?"

Jade laughed. Her eyes sparkled for a moment and seemed to turn from muddy brown to red. "I don't know nothing about voodoo, child," she said in a mocking, thick Cajun accent. "But I do admire their results."

Shemeya twined a dread around her finger. "Anyways, I don't have any money."

"I don't need your money. You are one of the only people in these apartments who dares to smile." Jade placed a hand on Shemeya's shoulder. "Let me help."

She stepped away from Jade's touch. "This conversation is getting too weird, Ms. Jade. I have to go. Call me this weekend if you need a babysitter."

Shaking her head, Shemeya turned to Rashawn. "Bye, Cutie." Good luck on having a normal life with that weird-ass mom of yours. She walked the rest of the way to her apartment and up the concrete stairs. She forced herself not to look down, but once she got to the door she couldn't help it. Jade stared at her from below. From this angle, Jade's eyes glowed red.