Chubby Chicks Rule Page 15

  “It’s forgotten,” Tamia said dismissingly.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Jessica asked, trying to figure out how her friend had gotten so cold hearted.

  Tamia slammed down her lipstick and whirled around to Jessica. “Don’t you get it? I don’t want to be like you. I don’t want to be fat. I hate being fat. I hate fat people. I hated myself when I was fat. I will never ever go back there. Accept it and leave me alone.” She grabbed her items and stalked out the bathroom.

  Jessica glanced at the clock it read two o’clock in the morning. She pushed back the covers and swung her legs over the bed and stuck her feet into her favorite flannel slippers. Her robe was next before she made her way down to the kitchen.

  She reached into the cupboard and pulled out a frying pan and plopped it on the stove. Then went over to the industrial size freezer and pulled out a pound of bacon. While the pan was heating up she went into the pantry for a super size bag of Doritos, since Nora knew that was one of her favorite snacks, she always kept at least four bags in stock.

  As soon as the pan was hot enough she threw in practically the whole slab of bacon. When it was cooked just right, she scooped them out and placed them on paper toweling to drain. By the time they were cool, she had the bag of Doritos on the table and a big glass of lemonade right next to it. Her stomach growled as she sat down at the table.

  Tamia’s voice reverberated in her head. “I hate myself too sometimes,” she muttered sadly to herself. As she stuffed bacon wrapped Doritos into her mouth.

  “So how’s your friend?” Samantha asked. Jessica had filled her in on Tamia’s secret eating problem.

  “I don’t know, she won’t talk to me. I can’t believe she’s bulimic.”

  “That’s the price people pay trying to fit in. Sistas don’t play the binge and purge game, we have more sense.”

  Jessica cocked her head at her friend. “Yeah like right. Black girls might not be the majority, but they do it just as well. Even men do it.”

  “Really?” Samantha asked, amazed. “Well this sista is not going to be throwing up any food, I love it too much.”

  “Me too.” Jessica giggled.

  “Ewww look who’s coming this way.” Samantha jutted her chin and Jessica turned around to see Marco swaggering toward them.

  “I wish he’d leave me alone,” Jessica complained.

  “Tell your boyfriend, he’ll take care of it.”

  “I don’t want to get him involved. He’ll kick Marco’s butt or probably try to kill him.”

  “We can’t let that happen, we don’t want another Black man in the system,” Samantha said half-jokingly.

  “Hey whassup?” Marco asked.

  “Hey,” Samantha said.

  “Can I holla at you?”

  “Sure. What do you want?”

  He glanced at Samantha. “In private. It’s a personal thing.”

  “Um, sure. I’ll be right back,” Jessica said to Samantha before getting up and following Marco. They walked past several students and a flight of stairs before he stopped and pulled her into a dark corner. “So what do you want?”

  Jessica glanced nervously around, it was as quiet as a monastery and there were no students in sight. Jessica felt the wall at her back. Oh shit!

  “I just wanted to thank you for helping me out. I ended up getting a C in math.”

  Jessica looked frantically over his shoulder. “Congratulations. That’s awesome!” She tried to ease past Marco but he pressed in closer.

  “Yeah awesome! Because of you shawty I wasn’t kicked off the basketball team.”

  “Yeah, the team did really well,” she said as she stepped to the left and he matched her movements. “I um got to go. I told Matt that I’ll meet him.”

  “Matt’s cool, he’ll be all right.”

  Jessica shook her head. “I don’t think so. We’re supposed to hang out and he doesn’t like me to be late.”

  “I won’t keep you that long,” Marco said as he stroked Jessica’s face. “You know, I haven’t forgotten about our kiss.”

  “It was just a kiss,” Jessica said in a calm voice, but her heart was beating faster than a perp in a high speed police chase.

  “Yeah an amazing kiss,” Marco answered. “Wanna do it again?”

  Jessica shrank against the wall. “No!” She protested. “Matt will kill me and not only that he’d be so hurt if he’d ever find out.”

  “We just have to make sure that he never finds out,” Marco drawled as he teasingly traced his thumb over her mouth. Jessica tightened her lips. “Come on, don’t fight it Jessica, you remember how our kiss was, it was magical. If your parents hadn’t come home when they did, no telling what would have happened.”

  “Nothing would have happened!” Jessica spat out and clamped her mouth shut.

  “Oh, I don’t believe that,” Marco said as he took two steps to Jessica. He pressed himself against her and she felt his hard dick pressing against her.

  Jessica’s eyes widened with fear and Marco grinned. Suddenly his gorgeous face that she had admired so much was as ugly as a rattlesnake. “Believe it. Now I really have to go,” she stated firmly before she grabbed his arms, which were like grabbing steel pips and tried to shove him aside. But he didn’t budge. “Marco, please move. I’m glad that you passed your class. But I really got to go,” she pleaded and wished that someone would stop to help her. The few students who walked by them averted their eyes, thinking the couple wanted privacy.

  “You still have some time,” Marco said while grinning down at her. Jessica’s heart thumped against her chest as his eyes darkened to a muddy brown and he pressed his mouth against hers. Her scream bounced off her lips and slid down her throat. Beads of sweat popped out on her forehead as she struggled against him trying to get away. This man will hurt me if I don’t get away.

  “Jessica? Marco?”

  Marco jumped away from her so fast that it looked like he bounced off her. “Yeah man whassup?”

  “Matt!” A sense of relief poured through Jessica. Matt’s here.

  “What’s going on between you two?”

  Jessica ran to Matt’s side. “Oh baby. I’m so glad that you’re here. How did you find me?”

  “Luck I guess. What’s going on here?” He repeated.

  “Yo dawg I’m sorry, but your girl she’s been sweating me for a minute.”

  “What!” Jessica shrieked. “That is so fucking not true!”

  “I’m sorry man. All I wanted to do was thank her for helping me bring my grade up. And the next thing I know, shawty’s pulling on me and stuff and ordering me to kiss her.”

  Jessica saw doubt flashing across Matt’s face. “That’s a lie, baby. He was attacking me, if you hadn’t shown up I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

  Marco sauntered to Matt and wrapped his arm over his shoulder. “Dude who you gonna believe. Me, your partner you been hanging with since first grade or this chick who you’ve known only a few months? Dude, you’ve got drawers older than y’alls relationship.”

  “That’s right Matt who are you gonna believe. Your so called best friend who wanted to tutor your girlfriend and had a freaking fit because you wanted to watch or your girlfriend who’s your true best friend?” Jessica asked then shot Marco a glare.

  “I don’t know what’s going on,” Matt said while shrugging off Marco’s arm. “First you were sweating Marco then you decided you liked me. Now I find you two together stuck in a corner like two rabbits.”

  “Matt! Couldn’t you see what was happening?”

  “Dude?” Marco asked with a smirk.

  “I need to dip.” Matt turned around and hurried down the hall. “I need to think about this.”

  “Think about it? You don’t even know what happened?” Jessica called after him.

  “Later!” he yelled in response and kept it moving.

  Jessica glowered at Marco. “Don’t you dare say a word to me. Don’t you even dare!”

 
; Chapter 28

  Gimme a cll wen u gt dis msg, Jessica texted glumly into her phone.

  “Dude hasn’t called you back yet?” Samantha asked and Jessica shook her head then stuck her hand in the bag of Doritos. “That’s not going to help. Now you’re going to have cheese breath and a broken heart.”

  “I know,” Jessica replied sadly as she dropped her handful of chips back into the bag and swiped her hands on her jeans, leaving behind a layer of orange that’d hopefully come out.

  “At least you’ll see him in The Mack’s class.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been seeing him for the last two classes and he’s been avoiding me like I was a two-day old douche bag.”

  “True dat, true,” Samantha answered. “But it’ll be the last day of school. He can’t ignore you. Because if he does who’s he gonna spend the summer with?”

  Jessica snorted. “He’ll be okay. Have you seen the way the girls been chasing him since he lost all that weight. You’d think he was a movie star the way they’ve been swarming around him.”

  “Stay focused girl. Remember chubby chicks rule!” she yelled. “Keep that in mind and the world is yours.”

  “But—”

  “No buts, Jessica. If you want him back you’re going to have to tell him exactly what happened. And remember you rule.”

  Jessica walked into The Mack’s classroom and sat in her regular seat next to Matt. She wasn’t sure if he would show up for the last day, he had been ignoring her all week and he hadn’t been coming to lunch. Right before the late bell rang he strolled in.

  Jessica watched as he walked confidently into the classroom. While she and Samantha had probably gained weight over the school year, fifty pounds of fat had melted off Matt leaving behind a cuddly young man.

  He looks so good in his shorts but you won’t catch me in those. She glanced down at her capris.

  He slid into his seat, reached into his backpack and pulled out a notebook. All this was done without him acknowledging that she was sitting less than five feet away.

  “Pssst,” Jessica called to Matt but he ignored her. “Matt!”

  He sighed but looked in her direction. “What?”

  “I want to talk to you.”

  “What are we doing now, sending smoke signals?”

  Jessica’s mouth dropped to the floor. “Why are you being so mean?”

  “Jessica and Matt, is your conversation much more interesting than what I’m saying? Because if it is, please share, I’m sure the whole class would love to hear it.”

  “I don’t have anything to share,” Jessica mumbled.

  “Me neither,” Matt chimed in.

  “Well be quiet and listen to what I have to say. One more word out of either of you, you’ll be punished. And don’t think that just because this is the last class of the year that you can get away scott free, I can assign you to summer school. So it would behoove you to keep your eyes on me and shut up! Now we’ll have our final weighing. Everybody line up against the wall, then please step up when your name is called. Matt!”

  Matt sauntered to the front of the class and confidently stepped on the scale. The Mack consulted her clipboard then glanced at Matt. Jessica detected a hint of a smile and she nearly fainted, The Mack never smiled at them. “I’m impressed, you’ve lost fifty pounds. Keep up the good work young man.” Gazes met in amazement and shock, this wasn’t The Mack who insulted them at every opportunity, or The Mack who tested their willpower, or The Mack who had the nose of a bloodhound this person was actually nice.

  “Samantha!” Samantha strolled up to the scale and The Mack raised an eyebrow. “Do you need to take anything off?”

  “Nope,” Samantha replied with a grin. Summer was here and Samantha was dressed for it. Wearing a khaki mini skirt, red halter top and strappy heels, she looked like she was dressed for a night out at the club instead of a day at school.

  “Well hop on.” Samantha studied her nails as The Mack read her weight. “Two hundred and ten pounds!” she exclaimed. “You’ve gained weight. What the hell have you been doing? I’m going to personally write out a diet for you to follow during the summer. Hopefully you’ll lose some of that weight. Go back and stand against the wall.”

  Of the students who weren’t laughing heaved a sigh of relief, this was the Ms. McKenzie they were used to.

  “Chubby chicks rule,” she muttered under her breath as she passed Jessica. “Don’t forget it.”

  “Yeah, remember that and you’re life is gravy.”

  “Jessica.”

  Jessica took a deep breath. Chubby chicks rule. Throwing back her shoulders she sauntered to the scale.

  “Step up!” The Mack instructed.

  Jessica’s confidence melted away as soon as her feet touched the scale. Please don’t announce my weight. Please don’t! “Two hundred and five pounds.” She narrowed her eyes and studied Jessica. “You gained too. For some reason I thought you were going to lose.” She shook her head, disgusted in her student. “Step off.”

  “Chubby chicks rule!” Samantha hissed as Jessica skulked by.

  The rest of the class was spent with Jessica throwing sideway glances at Matt. As soon as the class ended, Jessica popped out of her chair and chased after Matt. Samantha sauntered to her locker, she was going to meet Sean.

  With Matt on her radar Jessica cut her way through the crowd until she was within arm’s length. She reached out and grabbed his hand. He whirled around and snatched his hand out of hers. “What?” he spat out.

  “I just wanted to talk to you Matt, you don’t have to treat me like I killed somebody.”

  “Whatever,” he said before turning on his heel.

  “I’m sorry. Come back and talk to me,” she pleaded, she held her breath when he didn’t stop, but exhaled when he stopped then pivoted and backtracked to her.

  “I’m only doing this because I want you to leave me alone. Let’s see if there’s any empty classroom around.”

  They walked in silence as they peeked into classrooms until they found an empty one. Both noticed but neither mentioned the fact that this was the same room Matt had asked her out in a few months ago.

  “So talk,” Matt ordered as soon as he sat down.

  “Why are you acting like this? I didn’t do anything,” Jessica insisted.

  “I trusted you. You wanted to tutor him, I let you do it. You practically drooled every time he was within your sights, I ignored it. But I won’t ignore you kissing him.”

  “I wasn’t kissing him,” Jessica said. “He was attacking me. And if you hadn’t shown up, I think he would’ve really hurt me.”

  “How could he have attacked you with hundreds of students walking around Jessica? That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “No it doesn’t, but that’s what happened. I didn’t do anything. I care about you Matt. How can you trust him? And not me?”

  Matt thought for a second then answered. “Marco’s been my boy since kindergarten, he’s always had my back. So I don’t understand why he would want to throw dirt on me.”

  “He’s slinging a big mud ball at you,” Jessica muttered. “I got you too. I know that you haven’t known me as long as you’ve known Marco, but damn Matt I’m your girl, not him.”

  “Was my girl.”

  Jessica sighed then tried again. “Why can’t we forget everything and just enjoy the summer?”

  Matt snorted. “I’m not going to enjoy the summer with someone who’ll cheat on me with my best friend…hell, I mean my former best friend. See ya, Jessica. Enjoy your summer.” Matt pushed away from the desk and strolled out the room.

  Chapter 29

  A wad of food that Jessica had promised herself that she wasn’t going to eat, settled at the back of her throat and threatened to push itself out at any moment. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she mumbled.

  And the Justin Timberlake song reverberating through the room didn’t help the situation. The whole area was chaotic, with over twenty teenagers in various
stages of dress, forty different outfits, and over two dozen pairs of shoes, and enough make-up to paint a high-rise, Jessica felt as though she was riding a seesaw.

  Samantha wrapped an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “Yes you can. Girl you’re going to go out there and show everybody how beautiful you are. Remember chubby chicks rule!”

  “But I’m not a Zero,” she muttered and glanced across the room. Chloe, Tamia, Brittney, Morgan and Hayden were glamed up, iced up and thonged down as though they were getting ready to go to the prom.

  “You’re right, you’re not a Zero. You’re a ten. You’re a freakin’ ten and that’s the best there is. Believe that.”

  Jessica’s eyes misted. “Thanks. Thank you so much. I needed that.” She squeezed Samantha’s hand.

  “No prob. Go get dressed.”

  Jessica walked over to the clothing rack and pulled off the first one with her name pinned to it. A denim mini-skirt, a black cami and a sheer poncho and strappy heels. My body isn’t made for this. She studied it.

  “You’ll look nice in it.”

  Jessica pulled her eyes away from the outfit to find Tamia standing next to her. She had been so engrossed in the clothes that she didn’t notice her standing next to her. “You think?” Jessica asked, and wrinkled her nose when she saw that Tamia had on the identical outfit. “I’m not wearing this now. Not after seeing you in it.” Jessica hastily returned the outfit to the rack.

  “Wear it, you’ll rock it.”

  “But you look so much better in it than I do.”

  “But you have the curves to fill it out. Look at me.” Tamia stuck out her behind. “There ain’t no junk in my trunk,” Tamia said and Jessica burst out laughing. This Tamia reminded her of her best friend. The one who stayed all night at her house and they ate Oreo cookies, the one who used to go Christmas caroling with her, and the one who used to have slumber parties at her house.

  “Thanks, Tamia,” Jessica said softly. “I guess that I will wear it.” Jessica grabbed the outfit.