Black & Ugly (5 page)

Black and Ugly

so she never tried. It's probably still in the box right now.

I thought Miss Wayne was wrong for that shit because Parade will always be black, and she will always be ugly. And that makes me feel better, 'cuz I can't imagine Jay fucking with her. But, just to be sure, I'm gonna ask Parade what she did tonight. Don't get me wrong. She ain't no competition, but I'm thinking about what they say - pussy ain't got no face. I sure hope that ain't true.

T. Styles

21

Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

3

Miss Wayne

OKAY, SOMETHIN'S REAL CONSPICUOUS ABOUT these bitches. What the fuck is goin' on in here? We all ridin'

together
in the same car, but for real ... you'd neva know.

I can tell somethin' is on Miss Parade's mind because she's picking a scab on her face and now the pink shows under her skin. I tap her on the shoulder to get her to stop, and on cue, she drops her hands in her lap. She only picks at her face when she's nervous and something is on her mind.

"Parade, maybe you shouldn't've worn those tennis shoes with that outfit," Miss Sky says, waking her out of her trance. "You ain't have nothing else to put on?" Now Miss Sky is actin' like a bitch, 'cuz she knows that chile ain't got shit in her closet to wear besides the stuff she already gave her. That don't make no damn sense. She's been raggin' on that girl ever since we were in elementary school. It's a sight to see. Just plain old pitiful. I wish Miss Parade would stand up for herself
22

T. Styles

Black and Ugly

and cuss Miss Sky out. I'll pay money to see that shit.

I've seen this girl stomp out three and four bitches at a time. But whenever Miss Sky confronts her, she becomes defenseless.

"No," Miss Parade responds, staring at the road.

"These the only ones that fit. I got some money on me, though," she continues, glancing at Sky briefly then looking at the road again. "Maybe I'll buy a new pair instead of buying an outfit for the party tomorrow night."

"Miss Parade, if you short, baby, I'll front you," I tell her.

"Thanks, Miss Wayne, but you gave me some money already."

"Well, you need to let somebody do somethin', 'cuz I ain't walkin' into that party with your hair lookin'

like shit. You look like you fuckin' homeless or somethin'. And don't ask me for no money either because I'm tired of giving it to you," Miss Sky continues as she combs through her own curly hair with her fingers, making sure each strand is perfect.

"Oooooh, bitch, what has gotten into you? How dare you make Miss Parade feel that way when you know the situation!" I yell.

I don't give a fuck if it's her car or not. I'll turn this mothafucka out.

"Yeah, Sky, you actin' a little funky today. We all goin' to the mall and if we have to, we'll put in money to make sure Parade got something tight to throw on tomorrow. What she got on her feet right now ain't
T. Styles

23

Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

bothering nobody. Now, it's a nice day. Let's not ruin it," Miss Daffany says from the backseat with me.

Miss Parade is silent as usual but stops picking her face. Miss Sky, although mad as hell, doesn't say shit else to none of us. We get to the mall and she parks the car, gets out and walks into Arundel Mills like we ain't even with her. But I want her to walk ahead so I can get the "T," or 411, from Miss Parade.

"Miss Daffany, go with her, chile. I wanna talk to Miss Parade alone."

"Okay, but you know I hate having Sky duty," she says, quickening her pace to catch up with Miss Sky.

"For me, precious," I call out, flashing a smile.

"For both of y'all," she responds, referring to Miss Parade and me.

"What's goin' on, baby? Why that bitch throwin'

you shade?" I ask as we sit down in the food court area while Miss Sky and Miss Daffany walk into Gap.

"She always does that. You know how she is," Miss Parade responds.

"And that makes it right?"

"No, but I don't like to get her upset with me. Plus, you know what I'm doing is wrong," she says as she looks down on the ground. "With Jay and all."

"That's true, baby, but Miss Thang is extra today. I am but five seconds from slappin' the sound out of her right ear."

She laughs, and I'm happy I can make her smile.

Miss Parade has a beautiful smile but shies away from compliments, so I avoid telling her as much as I like to.

24

T. Styles

Black and Ugly

"I'm serious, honey. I was gonna slap some sense into her ass," I continue.

"Don't do that. She does so much for me. I just wish she'd stop treating me all fucked up and shit, especially around y'all."

"Well, we family, baby. Like you said, we already know how the bitch is."

"But it's still embarrassing," she continues.

"Whenever she's mad at something or someone, she takes it out on me."

"Well, say somethin' then, Miss Parade. She ain't gonna stop unless you say somethin' to her. She ain't nothin' but a bully. A big ole meany with horns," I say as I hit the table. "We in our twenties, and she still doin' the same shit she did to you in elementary. I don't even see how y'all stayed friends so long. Hell, I don't see how I stayed friends with the bitch so long." I laugh.

"Eventually I'll say something to her," she whispers.

"You want me to?"

"No, then she'll really fuck with me 'cuz she'll know she's getting to me."

"Okay," I say, mad at the missed opportunity to put Miss Sky in her place, "but you don't have a clue what's wrong this time? Because by the way she actin', I'd think somethin' else was up."

"I don't know, Miss Wayne. She called me today and asked me what I did last night. I told her I saw Melvin but she picked me up and been actin' funny
T. Styles

25

Triple Crown Publications presents . . .

ever since."

"Well, did you see Melvin last night?"

"No," she says and pauses. "I can't stand his ass no more. I was with Jay for a minute. It was right before they went to the movies, too. But I don't know how she could know that."

"Oooooh. That's what it is, girl. Maybe she found out."

"Doubt it."

"Can you really be sure?" I ask, understanding why Miss Sky is so mad.

"I didn't tell her anything. I don't even want him seein' me right before he sees her. And I know Jay ain't sayin' shit. He don't even like admittin' he likes dark-skinned girls."

"You right 'bout that. Like somethin's wrong with a piece of chocolate. Hell, I'm a red man and I loves me the chocolate boys, girl." I laugh.

"But he says he isn't attracted to dark-skinned women," she responds, unmoved by my comment.

I know it bothers her that she is dark, but really, she is gorgeous. It seems like as the years go by, her cheek-bones become more defined while her eyes widen and the scars from the fights she's been in all her life start to slowly fade. If she stops picking the bumps from the slight acne problem she has, she'll feel better about herself. But no matter how beautiful her eyes are and how gorgeous her smile appears, she is always sad. Me and Miss Daffany believe that if she gets her skin together she can even be a model, but she doesn't lis-26

T. Styles

Black and Ugly

ten to us. She thinks we feel sorry for her and are unwilling to tell the truth, like her stupid-ass mother and Miss Sky. But that is hardly the case.

Her wretched-ass, jealous mother does a world of damage by telling her how unattractive she is every day she wakes up. When we were in elementary school, she came in our class and took a hat off Miss Parade's head, revealing the choppy hairstyle she gave her the night before. She claimed she was looking for the hat and didn't know Parade had it on, but all she did was torture the girl.

"I hear what you sayin', baby, but Miss Sky is wrong - just plain old wrong, chile. And that's why I'm glad you fuckin' her man. Miss Sky went overboard today, and that chile has smelled her own ass for far too long and she still don't think it stinks. So you do you, and don't worry with nothin' else."