LITMIR.BIZ

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up my face as if I had suddenly caught the scent of a dead animal, I said, “No.”

      “You have to help.” Keysha’s insistence surprised me.

      “What?” I shrieked, certain I had heard her wrong.

      “We have to help her.” Keysha spoke as if I had a moral obligation to do so.

      “So let me get this straight. Thirty minutes ago you got into a scuffle with Viviana, and now that some other girls are about to beat her up, you want to go help her?” My words were filled with sarcasm. Keysha’s harebrained idea was one for the books.

      “I know I sound crazy, but I have my reasons for why I think we should lend her a hand.”

      “What you’re saying doesn’t sound crazy, Keysha. It sounds insane. Have you turned bipolar on me?” I gawked at her in frustration.

      “Maya, listen.” Keysha once again placed her hands on my shoulders, then met my gaze. “I know you’re really ticked off with Viviana, and you have every right to be. Deep down you want to see her suffer for destroying your relationship with Misalo. Trust me, I get that.”

      “Viviana suffering isn’t a harsh-enough punishment.” I spoke from a bitterly cold place in my heart.

      “I truly get it, Maya,” Keysha repeated, trying to reassure me.

      “Then why are you trying to convince me to help her?” I angrily asked. The very thought of Viviana brought my blood to a boil.

      “Remember how much I used to hate Priscilla for ruining my prom dress, sleeping with my boyfriend and getting pregnant by him?” Keysha reminded me of some drama she’d had to deal with in her past.

      “Oh, yeah. I’ll never forget how you wanted to kill Priscilla on sight.” A sour expression spread across my face.

      “Remember how I was forced to save her life when she nearly drowned?” Keysha said.

      I recalled the incident. Alex, an eighth grader who had a crush on Keysha, shoved Priscilla into the pool after she and Lori had tried to beat her up on the pool deck. Alex was only trying to help when he did it, but Priscilla could not swim and nearly drowned.

      “I could’ve easily allowed her to die, but I set aside my animosity and did something I never thought I would do. I rescued her. I learned something when I did that,” Keysha stated.

      “Oh, really? What did you learn?” I asked, wondering what revelation she’d come to.

      “Forgiveness, Maya. I had to forgive Priscilla before I allowed myself to save her from certain death,” Keysha whispered.

      I raised my voice and said, “Well, I’m not ready to forgive that slut. She can burn in hell for all I care!”

      “You don’t mean that,” Keysha said.

      Refusing to take back my words, I said, “Yes, I do.”

      Keysha sighed disappointedly and asked, “Where did you say she was again?”

      “At the park not too far from here. Why?” I asked, sensing that Keysha was about to do something foolish.

      “I’m going to help her,” she said, opening the bathroom door. Keysha walked out of the bathroom and I reluctantly followed. When we reached the family room, Keysha paused in front of her younger brother, Mike, who was sitting on the sofa texting.

      “Mike, I need your help,” Keysha interrupted him.

      “How much money do you have?” Mike asked, momentarily glancing up from his cell phone.

      “Okay, I need a favor then.” Keysha rephrased her request for assistance.

      “Girl, you know that I don’t like handing out favors, especially to you.” Mike once again began thumbing a text message.

      “Stop being a jackass, Mike,” Keysha snapped at him. Mike looked up. He glanced at me then back at Keysha. Sucking air between his teeth, he asked, “What kind of favor?”

      “We need you to help us break up a girl fight,” Keysha said in a hurried voice. “Now come on, before it’s too late.”

      “Whoa! I like watching girl fights. I wouldn’t want to break one up. I’m not the type of guy you need for that job. I will come along to watch, though,” Mike said.

      “You’re such a typical guy. I don’t even know why I bothered to ask you,” Keysha fussed at her brother.

      “You’re starting to sound like Sabrina now. Nag, nag, nag, nag!” Mike spoke with a very annoyed voice.

      “Whatever,” Keysha said, then headed toward the door. I couldn’t let her go alone so I trailed behind her.

      “I swear, I don’t see why or how Sabrina puts up with him,” Keysha griped as we hurried to the park.

      “Jeez! Would you slow down? My knee is killing me,” I complained.

      “I’m sorry,” Keysha said, slowing down her hastened pace. At that moment, we were both startled by the sound of a car horn blowing beside us.

      “Hey, I was just on my way over to see you, Keysha,” said Wesley as he pulled up alongside us.

      “When did you get a car?” I asked, admiring the cute white Volkswagen Jetta.

      “It’s my dad’s. I have my license now, but I can only drive it locally,” Wesley admitted.

      “Good. Can you give us a ride to the park behind Maya’s house?” Keysha asked.

      “Yeah, hop on in.” Wesley was more than willing to take us wherever Keysha wanted.

      “What’s going on at the park?” Wesley asked curiously. Wesley and Keysha used to date a long time ago. Now they were just good friends, although I got the feeling Wesley was interested in hooking back up with her.

      “We’re going to break up a fight,” Keysha informed him.

      “For real?” Wesley glanced over at Keysha as she got situated in the passenger seat. I was in the backseat admiring the interior of the car. The convertible top was down and the sun felt really good on my skin.

      “I would look so cute in this car,” I spoke aloud. I was hoping to distract Keysha and make her forget about assisting Viviana.

      “Yeah, really,” Keysha said as Wesley sped toward the park. He got us there in less than two minutes. When we pulled up, we didn’t see Viviana or any other girls.

      “The police probably came and broke it up already,” I said with a sense of gratification. In my heart, I hoped Viviana was someplace unconscious with her nose smashed in dog crap. I was angry and that emotion gave my heart the permission it needed to blacken my thoughts, even if only for a moment. If I ever did see Viviana in a situation where she was injured and helpless, I knew I would be the first person to offer help.

      “Pull over, Wesley,” Keysha ordered. Once Wesley parked, the three of us got out of the car. We looked around, but saw no sign of Viviana or the pack of girls she claimed were attacking her.

      “Is that her over there?” Wesley asked, pointing to a girl who was coming our way. She was cutting through the grass from the opposite side of the softball field.

      “Yeah, that’s her,” I confirmed. She was walking lethargically. Keysha and Wesley began moving in her direction. I stayed put and rested my behind against the car.

      “Are you coming?” Keysha looked over her shoulder at me.

      “No. I told you my knee hurts.” I offered up what I’m sure Keysha considered a lame excuse. I shifted my weight so that all the pressure was placed on my good leg.

      “Maya, don’t be like that. From what I can tell, it looks as if she could really use a hug.”

      “Fine,” I agreed, walking

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