The Cost Of Deceit

Chapter 5

Ruby, Maya and Francine began to explore the East Side after school. Lucille tagged along, but she wasn't necessarily invited. As the three walked down the sidewalk, Lucille tried to find a spot where she could walk along with them. They were sure not to make such room.

Lucille figured she needed to impress the girls. You know, so they could see how delicious she truly was. "You know, I was spending time with Elmer Worthington today."

The mention of his name made Francine's heart flutter. She wondered how Lucille of all people was with him. When would it have even happened?

"Just because you almost stumbled right on your face in the court yard in front of him doesn't mean you spent time." Ruby rolled her eyes. Lucille screwed up her face as a reaction.

"No, I mean it was just him and me. Together in the hallway." Lucille bragged.

"Talking about what?" Maya asked Lucille. Now she has the girl's attention. They all stopped walking to listen.

"He wanted to make sure I was settling into the school well." Lucille patted her stiff, hot-combed hair. "You know, I think he likes me."

"I don't know about that Lucille." Ruby began to walk and so the rest of the girls walked along with her. Francine wasn't sure if Lucille was telling the truth or not. All she knew is that if it were true, somehow her feelings would be hurt. She wondered why she felt this way over a boy she'd only met for a few moments.

Francine's thoughts were interrupted when she locked eye contact with a man across the street. He seemed to be an East Side resident, he was white after all. He didn't look happy to see the girls taking a leisurely stride along the store front.

"I know our school is over here now, but Ruby are you sure it's a good idea we should be here?" Asked Francine. "I still think we should be home by sundown."

"It's broad daylight. Why are you worried about sundown?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know, Ruby. Even I was second guessing hanging around this side of town." Maya chimed in.

"You guys are such babies! Don't you see? They can't harass us. We attend Eastview. We're students." Ruby went on to say. "And the police are on our side. It's their job to protect us just line they said when we started school."

"It's their job to protect us in school. Not necessarily otherwise." Francine kept pushing. Ruby gave Francine the dirtiest look possible.

"Francine, we are some of the only black girls in our class. And I know we stick together and have a good time, but if you're going to be such a drag we'll have to drop you." Ruby placed a hand in her hip.

Francine looked to Maya, who seemed guilty due to Ruby's behavior. But she didn't say a word. Lucille was silent as well, even though she too felt bad about what Ruby was saying.

"You're the darkest girl out of all of us. Stand down, you're lucky we even want to be seen around you." Ruby laughed. For a while, she laughed all alone. "Oh come on, what is wrong with you guys? It's true. Even Lucille is light skin!"

That last comment had Maya chime in to laugh. Lucille still looked guilty.

"Let's go and get some milkshakes." Ruby suggested. They all went to a nearby ice cream parlor. As the girls walked inside, they saw two people sitting different tables. When they realized the girls were there to actually order something, they all stood up and left.

The girls felt ashamed at such a reaction. But Ruby wouldn't allow herself to acknowledge it. Instead, she continued on to sit at the counter in the ice cream parlor. The other girls stood behind her, afraid to take a seat.

"Come on, now." Ruby invited. Reluctantly, the other girls joined her on either side at the counter. The man behind the counter was wiping it down with a rag. He didn't say a word to the girls.

"Maybe we should scram." Whispered Maya to Ruby.

"Give him a moment." Ruby whispered back. The man still didn't even look up at the girls. Instead he picked up his rag then turned his back to them, handling things in the back.

Outside, Elmer was walking down the street. He stopped in front of the ice cream parlor to look at his reflection in the window. With a cigarette between his lips, he whipped out a fine-tooth comb and began to comb back his hair. As his fingers gripped the curl he often placed on his forehead, his eyes adjusted so that he could see inside.

That's when he noticed the girls sitting at the counter. He looked at each of their backs, then noticed only one had her hair in a perfect bun. That was Francine. Giddy to have found her on that side of town, he quickly finished fixing his hair at lightening speed then hurried on inside. He was so eager to get inside, the bell attached to the door rang at an alarming volume.

All of the girls looked his way at once. The color left his face for a moment as he froze in the doorway. Especially seeing that Francine noticed. Still, he pulled himself together and got back his suave exterior. He walked a very theatrical walk, one that Elvis himself would be proud of. Then he took a seat at a table behind the counter.

He glimpsed over at Francine's back, then quickly looked away when she tried to glimpse back at him over her shoulder.

The girl he hadn't noticed was Lucille, who was nervous to see her crush. She sat facing forward, her face as serious as ever.

"Well, go talk to him Lucy." Ruby egged on. "That's your boyfriend, ain't it?"

"We haven't made things official." Lucille said nervously. The other girls laughed, which gave Lucille the courage to do the unthinkable. "Well alright then, I'll go talk to him."

Elmer was more in his own world, trying to decipher how to sit in his seat to look like a stud. He wanted to look good for Francine, who he opened would be looking over at him. He heard footsteps coming his way and figured his charm worked.

When he looked up to find it was no other than Lucille, he lowered his face and slightly shielded it. Lucille could hear the other girls whispering amongst themselves.

"Hiya, Elmer." Lucille said with a loud laugh.