Foolish
1344 Words
Finally … one up on Laurel! Graciela thought. I am free, and Laurel is trapped! Trapped in her room to think about what she’s done. You gotta love it.
Marie saw Graciela walking into the teen hangout with a huge grin and waved her over.
“Hey smiley!”
Graciela saw her sitting at their favorite table and made her way over to sit down. “Hey girl.”
“What’s goin’ on?”
“Besides Laurel irkin’ my nerves,” Graciela started.
“Here we go. What happened now?”
“Her and that damn phone is what happened … again! With her steadily talkin’ on the phone to Derek, I’ll be surprised if I ever remember how to use a phone. Ooh,” she began using Marie’s cell phone for demonstration. “What happens when I pick this up? Ooh ... I press this button? What’s that sound? A dial tone? That means the line is clear and I can call somebody? Oh my goodness!”
Marie laughed, “Are you gonna go on about this all day?”
“If need be.”
“I don’t see what the problem is.”
“Of course you don’t. You are an only child with her own phone,” she exclaimed.
“Oh, Gracie.”
“Oh Gracie nothing.”
“Onto other things, why were you cheesing so hard when you walked in here?”
“That’s the same subject, different situation. Get this. Laurel is on lockdown.”
“What?” Marie replied surprised. “Why?”
“Cuz she tried sneakin’ out the house after curfew to go with Derek to some twenty-one and up club.”
“What?”
“Yes, girl! Mom and dad snatched up her fake ID and grounded her for a month.”
“Geez. That doesn’t sound like Laurel.”
“Well, it was Laurel the other night,” Graciela scoffed.
“Oh man. That’s a shame.”
“No, it ain’t! I’m happy. I have freedom; she doesn’t. I can walk in the house smellin’ like flowers with a glow that only sunshine can leave, and she’d be jealous as all hell.”
“What kinda sister are you?”
“You might wanna throw that question Laurel’s way. Speaking of that, you know that car she got for her birthday … the one that was supposed to be used for when we’d have to go somewhere, and mom or dad can’t be able to take us? She only uses it for herself! If I wanna go somewhere, I gotta walk.”
“It’s good exercise.”
“Marie …”
She laughs, “Will you chill? I mean, you’re gonna have your own car soon anyway.”
“And see, that’s the good thing about being one year younger. The next year, I get what she got … and that’s a car!” she cheered. “And let me tell you something. If something happens to her car after I get mine, I’m not taking her anywhere!”
“Gracie.”
“What?”
They laughed more and at that moment, Paul Sams and Derek Sampson walked in. They were the boyfriends of Marie Kyle and Laurel Sinclair. Graciela saw them, and the boys started to walk over.
“Speaking of Mr. Wonderful ... look who’s allowed out of the house.”
Marie looked up as the boys finally reached the table.
“Hey, you,” Paul greeted sliding into the booth. “And company.”
“Yeah, yeah. Forget you too, Paul.”
“Where’s Laurel?”
“Nice to see you too, Derek. Oh yeah. She’s on lockdown thanks to you.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Please!” Graciela scoffed. “But she is still my sister and she got in trouble on the cause of your stupid …”
“Yo! I’ve already gotten enough lectures. I don’t need one from you.”
“Yo! Deal with it.”
“Are you mocking me?”
“Wow. Nothing gets past you, Derek.”
“You know what, sidekick?” he started.
“I got your sidekick.”
“Can you two just chill for a minute? I’m trying to get my romance on,” Paul interrupted.
“You ain’t getting nothin’ on right now,” Marie corrected. “I’m talking to my friend. You can go back to whatever fantasy you came out of.”
“Why you gotta be like that?”
“Like what? Look, I’m busy. I’m relaxing. We just got out of school a few days ago and I’m not trying to be smothered by the likes of you. Now, do you mind?”
“Forget chu! I don’t need this! You ain’t nothing anyway.”
“Honey, I will always be something. Take your self-drowning, oh so cocky self ... someplace else. Bye.”
Raising from the table, Paul shot back, “I’ll deal with you later.”
“You’ll deal with me later? Oh no sweetie. You’ll deal with me when I say you can deal with me … or rather … when I decide to deal with you. Got that?”
Paul sulked and strolled his way out of Paradise Heights while Derek followed.
“Go head, Marie! You’re the captain of that ship!”
“That’s right!” she laughed. And then slowly, her smile disappeared. “Maybe I should go after him.”
“What? No!”
Graciela pulled Marie back down to her seat.
“Why not?”
“You basically just told ol’ boy to kick rocks and now you’re ready to go after him? No.”
“You don’t think I was too mean?” Marie asked.
“Oh, and it wasn’t mean how he just plopped himself next to you all arrogant like he was Zeus king of the Gods and you better recognize?”
“Well …”
“Well nothing. Girl, that boy been doin’ that mess for years. You were just too blind to see it … but I’m glad your sight is coming to. Welcome back.”
“It’s good to be back, I suppose.”
“Well do you suppose we could get something to drink? I’m really thirsty.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
As they walked to the counter to order something, Graciela asked, “Marie, what do you see in that fool? He is such a creep, and you know this. I bet he’s outside right now tellin’ Derek how he’s gonna put you in check.”
“Are you sayin’ all this because you’re jealous?”
“Of what?” she exclaimed. “You must be jokin’. I’m just trying to look out for my friend.”
“Gracie … let’s just get the drinks and not talk about Paul, okay?”
* * *
Outside Paradise Heights … as Paul was moping along the sidewalk, Derek was laughing uncontrollably. Paul looked at him with his eyebrows slopped.
“What’s so funny?”
“You got clowned … and in public!”
“Shut up, man! I’ve got her right where I want her.”
“Which is where? From the looks of it, she’s the one running thangs.”
“I got this. Let me worry about mine and you worry about yours.”
- Writer
