Wednesday

Wednesday. Hump Day. The football game was quickly approaching, and the school walls were decorated with posters and art oozing Mount Rainier Spartan pride. Coach Reynolds continued to work the players hard during practice. Mr. Nolan and Mrs. Pierre were working tirelessly to prepare the band. Larissa, Elisha, and Kendra practiced the routine repeatedly until it was perfect. It was crunch time for sure.

Kendra tried to keep her mind focused on getting the dance routine down to the T, but whenever they got breaks, she found her mind drifting off to thoughts of Jason. She could not believe she had his number saved in her phone. Yes, it was for tutoring purposes only. It's not like he gave it to her because he liked her, but still, she took it as a step in the right direction. She thought about coming up with a question about physics, just so he would text back. She loved talking to him even though she had butterflies most of the time. If only he liked her the way she liked him, she thought.

Dance practice came to an end, and as if on cue, Larissa's baby started to cry, turning the heads of the other dancers, causing them to giggle. Larissa rolled her eyes and picked up the baby, attempting to soothe it, going down a list of possibilities in her head of what it may need. Finally, she realized the baby just wanted to be held. Elisha smiled, shaking her head.

"I'm so glad I never picked that class," Elisha said.

"I'll be happy when this is over. I didn't know it would be this annoying." Larissa grumbled. "Ok, are yall ready to go? I'm super hungry." Larissa asked, tying her shoe laces.

"Yea, me too," Kendra agreed, feeling her stomach growl.

They grabbed their stuff and walked out of the dance studio.

They decided to eat at Chic-Fila. They went inside and placed their orders at the register. They took a seat at a table as the smiling teen brought their food to them.

"Thank you," they said in unison.

"My pleasure," the blond girl said smiling before she walked away.

"So what did y'all do after school yesterday?" Elisha asked.

Larissa blushed. "Nothin' much."

"Yea, right, you did something. Or someone I should say. It's written all over your face." Elisha glared at her, biting her fry.

"I never kiss and tell." Larissa smiled.

Elisha rolled her eyes. "Well, at least you got some. My damn daddy is home before I am on Tuesdays. He teaches all his classes in the mornings. And Reese's mom is home by 4."

"So what did you do then?" Larissa asked.

"We just hung out at a park and talked."

"Aww, that's cute. Communication is key." Larissa snapped her fingers.

"I guess, but it's boring though," Elisha complained, causing the girls to laugh.

Kendra was focused on eating her Chic-Fila fries. She loved their waffles fries and the Chic-Fila sauce.

"And what did you do yesterday, mam?" Larissa asked Kendra.

Kendra looked up after dipping the fry in sauce "Oh..I had tutoring."

"Tutoring for what?" Elisha asked.

"Physics"

"Hmm, I didn't know they had tutoring for that at school. I wish I would've known that when I was taking it." Elisha said.

"The school doesn't offer tutoring. Jason tutored me."

Larissa smirked while sipping her milkshake, looking at Elisha from the corner of her eye. Elisha gave her a knowing look right back before turning to smile at Kendra.

"Hmm, oh ok," Larissa said, twirling her straw.

"And what exactly did he teach you?" Elisha folded her hands, smiling and wiggling her eyebrows up and down.

"Physics," she said with emphasis, squinting her eyes at Elisha, confused by her question.

Elisha kept looking Kendra in the eye, smiling. Larissa also studied Kendra's face.

Kendra laughed. "Why are y'all looking at me like that? Y'all are weird. " she shook her head while fidgeting with a fork in her macaroni.

Elisha spoke first, "You like him, don't you?" She smiled at Kendra.

"What?! No.. he's just helping me out. He's really good in physics. "

"Mmhmm," Larissa chimed in.

"What? I dont like him!" Kendra tried hard to keep the corners of her lips straight, trying desperately not to blush.

"Yes you do," Elisha and Larissa said in unison with a straight face.

"Oh my gosh," Kendra rolled her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know what y'all are talking about. We are just friends. "

"And how are y'all friends already? It's only the second week of school." Elisha pointed out, lifting an eyebrow.

"Can you say you don't like him with a straight face?" Larissa said, rolling her neck, challenging her .

"My face is straight..." Kendra said.

"Then say it, look me in the eye too." Larissa rested her elbows on the table, leaning in.

Kendra sighed. Elisha watched Kendra intently. Kendra looked Larissa in the eye and said, "I don't l-like him" just as the corners of her mouth moved upward, causing her to blush.

"Oh my gosh, I knew it!" Elisha pointed her finger at Kendra. "I knew it"

Larissa laughed. "It's ok if you like him. Just admit it. "

Kendra decided to just be honest with them since she failed Larissa's test. In this moment, she couldn't stand them, laughing to herself at their antics. They knew her well.

Kendra sighed. "Ok, he's cute and stuff, but..."

"But what?" Larissa asked.

"He's.." Kendra hesitated.

Elisha and Larissa stared at her, waiting for her to finish her sentence.

"He's white," Kendra said, looking down for a moment. She felt guilty for speaking those words. Personally, it was not as big of a problem as she let on. She had to admit she was afraid of what people would think or say, mainly her family, if she dated a white boy. They were not racist at all, but she dreaded the teasing that she would get from them about dating a white boy. But they teased her anyway, for being so into school, for being shy. People would always find something to tease you about regardless, she thought to herself. But the other issue that loomed over her was she didn't know how Jason felt about her or if he was into black girls at all.

"And?" Larissa said. "So?" Elisha said, both of them speaking at the same time.

Kendra smiled nervously.

"I know it shouldn't be an issue and it's not, I'm just...it's something new for me but I can't help how I feel..."

"Aww, my sis has a crush..." Larissa smiled, looking at Kendra.

" Aww, I know sis, it's ok that you like him. He is cute." Elisha nodded. "And don't worry too much about the stereotypes, he may be packin" Elisha raised her eyebrows.

"Packin' what?" Kendra asked, with a confused expression on her face.

Larissa choked a little on her Sprite and started to laugh.

Elisha looked at Larissa and smirked and shook her head, looking back at Kendra.

"Girl...you are such an airhead sometimes."

Larissa began to laugh harder, causing a white family eating at a nearby table to look at her.

"Packin' what?" Kendra asked again.

Elisha began to speak, "Girl his d--"

"Ok! Ok, I get it" Kendra interrupted her embarrassed and laughing at Elisha's bluntness.

Larissa was leaned over on her side laughing and holding her stomach.

"Look at this girl!", Kendra laughed at Larissa. "And by the way I'm not worried about that"

Elisha looked up from Larissa laughing hysterically, to look at Kendra and raised a confused eyebrow.

"Have you lost your virginity yet" Elisha asked. "Because once you do, size will matter to you."

"That part" Larissa said sitting up from her fit of laughter to cosign what Elisha said.

"And I'm so lucky to have a.." Elisha said dreamily.

"TMI !" Kendra cut her off again raising her hands. "I don't want to, nor do I need to know".

"So Larissa what's the tea on the papi chulos, do they be packin?" Elisha asked.

"Uh uh, classified info boo, don't worry about what my man got, focus on Reese" Larissa read Elisha.

"Oop! Well excuse me mamacita" Elisha leaned back, looking Larissa up and down.

"She don't play about David," Kendra laughed.

"Let's just say..he puts me to sleep every time" Larissa spoke lowly, nodding her head.

Kendra's jaw dropped in shock, causing Larissa to giggle.

"Dang ok," Elisha said.

They all laughed at their silliness and how they could always find a way to make each other laugh till their stomachs were hurting.

They left Chic-Fila and Larissa dropped them home. Larissa pulled into her driveway and saw Danielle leaning against the passenger side of a black car as this black guy stood in front of her talking. From what Larissa could see, he was flirting with her and whispering in her ear causing her to giggle like a school girl. Larissa parked the car and got out, locking it.

"Hey," Danielle said, turning to her."You're home late. Where were you at?"

Larissa hated when Danielle tried to play "big sister" even though she was her older sister. Larissa felt like half the time she had to watch Danielle, but nowadays, she was out and about, living her best adult life, while Larissa spent most evenings after school home alone until 8 o'clock.

"Me and my friends went to Chic-Fila." Larissa kept it cordial, not wanting to embarrass her sister in front of her lil boo. She began walking to the front door, getting closer to where her sister and the guy were standing.

"Oh, you didn't bring me nothing back?" She joked, feigning a shocked expression.

"Anyway, this is my friend Brian. He goes to school with me. Brian, this is my little sister Larissa".

"Hi, Nice to meet you" he spoke.

"Hi, nice to meet you too" Larissa smiled, hoping that this one would be worth her sister's time.

Larissa took in his appearance. He was brown skinned. Nice teeth, nice smile, good height, and dressed nice. He had swag. She tried not to be too judgemental, but he looked like a playa. Like he sold girls dreams all the time, but she chose not to judge a book by its cover, knowing that her own man, David, could be judged to be the same way. You never know with these boys until you give them a chance. Ugh. She lucked up with David and hoped her sister would soon meet someone and luck up too.