Authors: Nikki Carter
It's All Good (17 page)
28
I
type in my password on the SAT test results site. I haven't told my mother that I can check them today, because I didn't want her to hound me about getting my score. I've already got Kevin hounding me and that's bad enough.
type in my password on the SAT test results site. I haven't told my mother that I can check them today, because I didn't want her to hound me about getting my score. I've already got Kevin hounding me and that's bad enough.
He and Ricky checked their scores earlier and they both did well. Kevin scored a 1512 and Ricky got a 1435. My friends are totally smart!
I don't know why it's taken me all day to check mine, but right now is the moment of truth. I take the mouse and click the Log In button, and close my eyes.
Just when I'm about to open them wide, Candy screams over my shoulder, “You got a 1548!”
“W-what? I did?” I ask.
Then I look at the screen and see the numbers right there in my face for me to look at. I got a 1548. Higher than Kevin and probably anyone else in my school. This is beyond awesome.
“That's so good, Gia. You'll probably be able to go to any school you want!” Candy gushes.
“I want to go to Spelman, I think.”
“Ooh, that will be hot, and I can come visit you on campus and go to frat parties. I cannot wait. Will you please hurry up and graduate!”
“I've got a year and a half left, Candy, so you can wipe the drool off your face.”
My mom comes into the living room from her bedroom. “What is all the noise about?”
“Gia got a 1548 on her SAT!”
Can I share my own news? Dang!
“Congratulations! Have you called Ricky and Kevin yet?”
“No, and Hope doesn't take hers until the spring.”
“I'm sure she'll do well too.”
I'm sure my mother can feel the arctic breeze that I'm sending her way. If it wasn't for the test results, we wouldn't even be having a conversation right now. I'm still salty about her kicking Sascha out the program for a second time, but I have launched a counterattack.
Every girl in PGP says that they think Sascha should be a part of our cotillion. She's earned it and I think she should be rewarded for not giving that jerk her virginity.
We've all decided that we will be presented together or not at all. My mom and Aunt Elena will trip if all the girls decide to boycott the cotillion. Especially my aunt, because she's invited half of the pastors and their wives from all over the city.
Sounds like a good plan, right?
Anyway, with my SAT score nailed on the first try, I can relax somewhat when it comes to picking my school. Spelman is my number one choice, but I'm open to other places as long as they have a dance squad and give me scholarship money. My mom likes Spelman because it's all girls. Right. She would.
My phone buzzes on the desk. The text says I know you told, Gia. Thanks. Valerie.
I don't respond, because I don't think a response is required. I'm not going to confirm or deny her suspicions that it was me who opened my mouth, but I am glad she appreciates me for being the goody-goody that I am.
Candy looks out the living room window. “Ricky and Kevin are here.”
My mom looks at me suspiciously. “Are you all going out?”
“Not that I know of,” I answerâwhich is readily apparent by the raggedy sweats and slippers that I'm wearing.
Candy opens the door and they storm in. “Hey, Sister Gwen. We're kidnapping Gia today.”
It's Saturday morning, so a kidnapping is not out of the question. But what, pray tell, are they kidnapping me for? I'm not in the mood for any foolishness or shenanigans. Hahaha. Just had to laugh at my random use of shenanigans. I've been hanging around Kevin and his tomfoolery for too long.
Kevin says, “We're forcing her to learn how to drive, Sister Gwen. She's beyond ready.”
My mom laughs. “I happen to agree. She's all yours. I need someone to start running my errands, going to the grocery store, and dropping Candy off at rehearsals.”
What?!?! Gwen wants me to be her personal slave and that's why she's on board with my driving lessons! I'm totally slayed by this revelation.
Candy hands me a pair of tennis shoes. “Get out!”
“Can I at least comb my hair and brush my teeth? Or do you all want to be treated to dragon-breath Gia?”
“Please do,” Ricky replies. “And do something about those funky looking sweats too.”
“Shut all the way up, boy!” I throw a jab at Ricky's gut. “By the way, in case anyone was wondering, I got a 1548 on my SAT.”
“What a geek!” Kevin says. Coming from him, I know it's all in love.
“I can't believe you scored higher than Kevin,” Ricky says.
Kevin smiles. “I was stressed about that thing. I'm glad it's over.”
I take about twenty minutes to get presentableânot exactly flyâbecause that takes more than twenty minutes. I'm rocking jeans and my powder blue Tweety sweatshirt. If I'm going to learn to drive today, Tweety most definitely needs to be in the mix.
“Let's do this,” I say.
Today is another good day for driving. It's February, so it's not like it's warm, but there's no snow anywhere to be seen.
Ricky starts the car and says, “To the park, right?”
“What? You think I'm driving down the street? Boy, quit playing.”
Kevin laughs out loud. “We thought you were gonna nail this today, Gia. You've been pretending to learn for months.”
“Whatever, dude.”
Ricky says, “I have an announcement to make.”
“What?” I ask.
“I'm calling a cease and desist on Valentine's Day. It's too much pressure. I
just
had to find a birthday gift and a Christmas gift for you, Gia. Please, can I get away with a card?”
just
had to find a birthday gift and a Christmas gift for you, Gia. Please, can I get away with a card?”
Kevin and I stare at him. What kind of foolishness is this? You can't just call a moratorium on a holiday. Especially a holiday that is tailor-made for crushes. Who does he think he is?
“I don't think that's allowed,” Kevin finally says. “Am I right, Gia?”
“Ricky doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to do. If he has a valentine, then he should most probably get her a gift. That would be the right thing to do.”
Ricky chuckles quietly. I don't know why he would think that I would let him off the hook for Valentine's Day. Out of all the years that I've been valentine-less, there's no way I'm going to have a crush and still look like a lonely girl on that day.
Kev asks, “So are y'all together now? Because nobody is sure about that.”
I clear my throat and wait for Ricky to answer. He says, “Gia and I are in like mode right now, Kev. Not
together,
but I don't want her talking to anyone else, so if you've got any plans for her ...”
together,
but I don't want her talking to anyone else, so if you've got any plans for her ...”
“Yeah, right,” Kevin replies with a chuckle. “The crew is just nosy.”
“Wait a minute!” I say. “How are you trying to keep me from talking to anybody else, but you're not trying to make me your official girl?”
Ricky looks surprised. “Do you want to talk to somebody else?”
“No, but if I did, I wouldn't feel bad, because I don't have a boyfriend. I have a
good friend
who buys me stuff.”
good friend
who buys me stuff.”
Real talk. Ricky's fear of being called the “boyfriend” is excessive and unnecessary. We've already established that our world won't change if we take that step, and it's not like I'm gonna pressure him to do anything he doesn't want to do.
As a matter of fact, it's got me pretty heated right now. When Ricky stops the car and parks, I get behind the wheel. Maybe it's the adrenaline from being mad, but I'm not afraid at all.
“You ready?” Ricky asks.
I narrow my eyes, click the seat belt closed, and slam the car into drive.
“Hold up! Easy on the ride!” Ricky says.
I peel out across the parking lot and do a sharp turn at the end like I've been driving my whole life. Then I slow down, put the car in reverse, and back into one of the parking spots. I've always been afraid to go in reverse, but not today.
“Very good, Gia!” Kevin exclaims.
“I think I'm ready to drive on the road,” I say.
“You do have your temporary permit, so go ahead,” Ricky says.
Can someone explain to me why he's grinning so hard? I don't see anything funny, cute, or grin-worthy. I want to wipe that silly smile right off his face.
I pull out of the parking lot and drive down the winding road that leads away from the park. I feel my heartbeat start to race a little bit when I see the oncoming traffic. That's always been the biggest thing for me. Those other cars. What if they don't stop when they're supposed to?
“Put on your right turn signal and get ready to turn,” Ricky instructs.
“I know.”
Ricky laughs like he's unconcerned with my attitude. “Well, do it then.”
I flick on the turn signal and look out at the two-lane street. The traffic is very light because who comes to the park in Ohio in February?
I take a deep breath and then ease onto the street. I take us up to the speed limit and cruise there. In the immediate distance, I see a red light.
“Okay, Gia. You see the red light up ahead, so just ease on the brake and start to slow down.”
I follow Ricky's instructions now, because I've never gone this far before! I'm driving! I'm at a red light and I'm on the street with other cars!
Sweet!
Sweet!
“Take us back to your house,” Ricky says.
“You sure?”
“Yeah. You got this.”
I totally do have this. And even though I'm still mad at Ricky for his indecisiveness, I'm glad he pulled that out of the box today. Because I'm driving now! Look out, pedestrians!
29
“W
hat did you get Ricky for Valentine's Day?”
hat did you get Ricky for Valentine's Day?”
Hope whispers in our super boring government class.
“The same thing he got me. Nothing. He wants to skip Valentine's Day this year.”
“Hmmm ... that's not what I heard.”
“What do you mean, that's not what you heard?”
“You know I'm on the sweethearts committee this year, and we're delivering carnations all day today.”
“Ricky got me a carnation?”
“Well, I can't say for certain, but if I was you, I'd get him one too. They're still selling them in the hallway.”
Hope wouldn't say this if it wasn't the absolute truth. She plays games sometimes, but not on something like this.
“When are the flowers being delivered?” I ask.
“Starting fifth period. They're a dollar apiece.”
I raise my hand and ask for a bathroom pass. It's not an untruth! I will go to the bathroom while I'm out there.
I walk up to the rally girls' “Sweethearts” table with my dollar out. One dollar seems like an awfully cheap valentine, so I pull out another one. I'll get him two.
“Who is this for?” rally girl Chloe asks. “Ricky Freeman, right?”
I nod. “Do I get to put a note with it?”
“Yep. What do you want to say?” Chloe asks as she takes out her glitter-pink marker to write.
May I object to the pen being glittery and pink? I would prefer blue ballpoint for the note I'm sending.
“Umm ... I guess just put, âfrom your good friend, Gia.' ”
Chloe scrunches up her nose. “That's all?”
I nod. “Yep. That's it.”
“Okay.”
Chloe whips out that pen like she's some kind of Picasso and writes the note in big curly letters. And then she has the audacity to put a heart over the I in my name. A simple dot would've been more than sufficient.
Chloe then hands the note to another rally girl and says, “Here. We've got another one for Ricky Freeman.”
Another one? Another one! Wow. I see why he's trying to avoid Valentine's Day.
By the time I make it back into the classroom, I'm seething and Hope can tell. “What's wrong with you?” she whispers.
“Mr. Playa has a whole stack of flowers getting delivered to him.”
“So what? Ricky's been having girls chase him for like
ever!
”
ever!
”
“It's just that he wanted to cancel Valentine's Day this year. He said he didn't want to exchange gifts. I'm thinking he's tapped out buying for all his other crushes.”
Hope rolls her eyes. “Girl, bye! He's tapped out spending all of his money on you. He went broke throwing your birthday party and he bought that little butterfly at the jewelry store.”
“Well ...”
“Are you a gold digger, Gia?”
“What?”
“I'm just saying. Here's something else for you to think about. Ricky might be getting a lot of carnations, but how many did he send?”
I shrug. “I don't know.”
“Well, I do. And there's only one girl getting anything from Ricky today.”
I sit back in my chair and smile. “For real?”
“Yeah. Gia, you're so spoiled, it's ridiculous.”
“I am not.”
“You are, but it's cool. As long as Ricky likes it.”
“Did Kevin send any flowers?”
Hope nods. “He got some too, and not just from Candy.”
“Get out! Candy sent him a carnation?”
“Yep! If you weren't so busy being wrapped up in your own dysfunctional crush, you'd see that they really dig each other.”
I'm not that wrapped up in Ricky. I've known for a long time about Candy liking Kevin and vice versa. I was the first person to know, in fact.
“You know who else got a bunch of carnations?” Hope whispers.
“Who?”
“Sascha. She got a whole dozen of them from Chase.”
“Eww! He's gross.”
I can't believe he's trying to get back with Sascha after what happened in the hallway. I wonder if she's going to take him back. Honestly, I wouldn't put it past her, but I hope she's feeling powerful right about now!
Two hours later, it's sixth-period Trig and I'm stoked about getting my Valentine's Day flowers from Ricky. I'm just glad that he and Kevin aren't in this class with me.
I tap my pencil on the desk until the inevitable rally girl sticks her head in our door.
“Mr. Roscoe,” rally girl Chloe sings, “I've got a special delivery.”
Every girl in the class perks up, even the ones who got a delivery last period, because Chloe has a huge bunch of carnations in her hand.
Mr. Roscoe rolls his eyes and lets Chloe into the classroom. Guess he's not romantic. He's probably getting his wife a protractor for Valentine's Day. Boo, Mr. Roscoe.
Chloe walks up to my desk wearing a huge smile on her face. “Happy Valentine's Day, Gia.”
Then, she hands me the entire bundle of carnations. There's got to be at least fifteen here.
“Are these all for me?” I ask.
“Yep. Somebody's sure crushing hard on you.”
Wow. Now, I feel completely bad for only buying two! So much for the moratorium.
I take out the card and read the note. It says, “Hope these make you smile. Your BFF, Ricky.”
I'm so not one of those girls who cries when I'm happy, but I feel a tear in the corner of my eye. I wipe it away quickly before anyone sees.
“If all of the romance is done,” Mr. Roscoe says, “then we can get back to work.”
Ha! Maybe he can get back to work, but I'm not going to be able to concentrate on anything for the rest of the day!
Â
Kevin and Ricky are already sitting at our lunch table when Hope and I arrive. It's pizza day in honor of the holiday, so I'm about to score some. I drop my bag and start toward the line.
“I got your lunch, Gia!” Ricky says. “Happy V day.”
He pushes a tray into my spot. Yummy. There's a little card on there too. A www ... a valentine.
I open it and it's a little kid's card. Dora the Explorer is on there saying
“Vamanos !
Have a Happy Valentine's Day.”
“Vamanos !
Have a Happy Valentine's Day.”
“You are so corny, Ricky.”
“You're smiling.”
Kevin asks, “Hope, who's your valentine this year? You've been super quiet on the crush scene.”
“No crush for me. I'm just chillaxin' this year.”
The tiny smile on Hope's face tells me she's hiding something. She's keeping a secret and methinks it's a secret crush.
She better be glad that Inspector Gia is burned out right now or I'd be all up and through her business. Because that's what I do!
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