Teenage Love Affair (7 page)

Once we were standing next to Courtney, Asha said while pointing to Ameen, “I thought you said this clown was a thug.”

“Don't be judging people, Asha, you don't know. He could be a thug,” Courtney said and pointed to his chest. “I'ma thug.”

This whole conversation was ridiculous. “Shut up,” I barked at Courtney, as I attempted to walk up behind Ameen and she pulled me back.

“Hold up,” Asha said, “let's see how this plays out for a minute.”

“You not gon' tell me to shut up too many more times,” Courtney snapped.

“Zsa,” Asha said, “if you go over there now, all he gon' say is he was dancing with the chick. No, let's see what he does after the stanky leg.”

I couldn't believe my eyes. Ameen was straight clowin'. He would've never danced with me like that, yet he was all over this chick.

Hold it…wait…
I shook my head…
hold it, does that chick have on the Gucci boots he bought for me? Oh, my God, he gave her my boots?

I swear I wanted to drop a river from my eyes, but I knew if I started crying in here then er'body up in this spot would think my swagger was weak. No way. When I left this place I needed to be known as no joke.

After a few minutes passed I couldn't take it anymore. I felt like Ameen had opened my heart, sliced it down the middle, and pissed on the inside. I walked over to Ameen and pushed him on the shoulder. He was so busy kissing the girl that either he didn't feel my push or he didn't care to turn around.

So instead of pushing him again, I mushed him in the head.

“What the…” He spun around and looked dead in my face. He quickly wiped the lipstick from his lips and spat, “What are you doin' here? Didn't I tell you to stay home?” He pointed his fingers like a gun in my face.

“Who is this bitch, Ameen?” I pointed back into his face. “Huh.” I pushed him. “I thought you were going to church to deliver some dinners? Huh, I knew you was lyin' from the giddy up!”

“What are you talking about?!” he spat, and it was clear that he was showing off for this bird who looked at me like I was crazy. “Didn't I tell you about stalking me?” he continued. “What are you following me for? How did you get here? You walked over here? Yo, you buggin'.”

“I'm buggin'?!” I couldn't believe this. I don't know what hurt more—that he was playin' me in public or that he didn't seem to care how I felt. “You tryna front for this tramp, Ameen? You left me at your house and you driving my whip to come dance like a sissy with this rat.”

“I thought that was your sister's cousin's friend's car?” the girl said.

“Sister's cousin's friend?” I couldn't believe this. “That's the same thing he told me when he took me out in some hot-pink Corolla.”

“That was my car!” the girl shouted, and pushed Ameen.

I looked at Ameen. “You're nothin'! I swear I should spit in your face!” I raised my hand to slap him and he blocked my hit, causing me to stumble.

I straight blacked on Ameen. I swung on Ameen like crazy, punched him, kicked, and lost control. I heard Courtney and Asha say something about get off of her, get off of me, or something, and then I felt Ameen's fist slam into the side of my face and knock me over the bar stool.

Suddenly, as if a swift wind passed by, Ameen was pulled off of me, Courtney and Asha were hovered over me, and I couldn't see anything but stars.

I thought I heard Malachi's voice say, “You lost your damn mind?! Don't be puttin' your hands on her!” but I wasn't sure if that was him or not.

“You better back up!” I heard Ameen say in return.

“Or what you gon' do?!” That sounded like Samaad.

When I regained my vision and the stars faded away, I saw Malachi right hook Ameen, and it looked as if his fist was going back for more. I ran over and stood between them. “Don't hit him!” I screamed at Malachi.

“What?” he said, stunned.

“You tryna kill him!” I shouted.

Malachi, who was now being pushed back by security, said, “What you say? I could what? Hurt him?”

“Chill.” I looked at Malachi. “It's okay. I don't need you to get in it and take up for me, I'm okay!”

“You playin' me in front of everybody, right?” Ameen spat. “I'm done with you, Zsa!” Ameen tossed my keys at me and just missed my face.

“Ameen, wait!” I screamed, as everyone in the club looked at me like I was crazy.

“You know what.” Malachi walked over to me with a serious look on his face. “I never expected this from you. You letting him put his hands on you?”

“It's not even like that,” I said.

“Yeah, I'm sure your mother used the same excuse.”

I couldn't believe he said that. “I didn't ask for your help,” I snapped.

“It's cool, ma, 'cause you ain't gettin' it no more.” And he left me standing there.

I'm not sure, but I think the world has ended.

“Zsa-Zsa.” Courtney called for my attention. “Are you okay?” He ran his hands across my face. “You need to leave him alone. If you have to fight with him you don't need to be together.”

Courtney's advice was the last thing I needed. I was more concerned with whether or not the girl Ameen was dancing with left with him.

“Please leave him alone,” Asha said.

“Whatever.” I walked up the block, found my car, and got in. I placed the keys in the ignition, and as I turned the lights on to drive home, I noticed that one had been smashed in.

By the time I got home I could feel the side of my face swelling. I noticed my mother's car parked outside.
Dang, she would be home.
I sat in my car for a moment, and tried to think of a way to get to my room without my mother noticing. Then I remembered that I hadn't locked my bedroom window and I could climb through.

I crept through the grass, careful not to make too much noise, opened the window, and fell onto the floor.

I dusted myself off, closed my window, and walked over to my mirror. I touched the bruise that shone like a purple crescent moon along the side of my face. Just the mere brush of my fingertip caused me pain. This was crazy.

“Zsa, is that you in there? I didn't know you were home.” My mother pounded on my door and simultaneously opened it. “Cousin Shake and Ms. Minnie are here!” she said, excited.

“Ma.” I quickly turned away. “Why would you just bust in my room without knocking first?”

“I asked her the same thing about my room,” Hadiah said, “and she told me because she pays the bills.” Hadiah rolled her eyes so hard they looked as if they were going to fall out. “Leave, please,” I said to them. “I'll see Cousin Shake and Ms. Minnie in the morning, my goodness.”

My mother took a step back. “I don't have time for your attitude,” she snapped.

“You're never home so you don't know anything about my attitude! Just quit busting in my room. Now go!”

Still keeping my face turned the opposite way, I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. When I held my head back down, out the corner of my eye I could see Cousin Shake shaking his chubby body toward my room. He wore too-tight electric blue MC Hammer pants, a clingy royal blue vest that hung open and showed every beady taco-meat-looking chest hair of his, a dookey rope chain with a cross hanging from it, and L.A. Gear high-tops.

Cousin Shake's feet pounded against the floor as he took his Gazelle glasses off and plunked my mother on the side of her head. “What's taking you so long to put down the beat down? These two should be at the hospital gettin' an IV by now, talking to you like they're the mama and you're the bad kid. Don't be embarrassin' me in front of Minnie, I raised you better than that.”

“Could you all leave? God!” I raised my hand to cover the swollen part of my face and suddenly Cousin Shake yelled, “Oh, you tryna fight me?! She puttin' the hands up like she wanna throw.”

“Fight?!” Ms. Minnie, who looked exactly like a short and fifty-year-old version of New York from the series
I Love New York,
sneered.

I frowned, still holding my face. “Look, I do not have time for this.” I turned away from them.

“Now, pardon her back.” Hadiah wiggled her neck.

“Ah, hell, nawl!” Cousin Shake spat, and before I knew it he and Ms. Minnie were standing over me and Hadiah with the biggest bottle of blessing oil I'd ever seen. “You better thank God I'ma Christmas!” Cousin Shake said as he lashed that olive oil all over us, causing us both to slip and fall to the floor.

“Oooh, shaka laka bam…oooh,” Ms. Minnie said as Cousin Shake splashed us. “Shaka laka bam-bam. Please Jesus, Mary, Margret, Raheem, and Joseph, oooh, shaka laka, bam, give Shake the strength not to bust up these two disrespectful asses…oooh, shaka laka bam-bam.”

Cousin Shake splashed more oil. “'Cause Shake is home now,” Cousin Shake said. “And li'l Zebra and li'l Hawaii gon' have some respect around here!” he carried on. “I don't wanna bust,” he started to rap, “I don't bust, ah ah ah, breaka breaka one time. I don't wanna bust…I don't wanna bust disrespectfuls asses!”

Cousin Shake grabbed me by the hand and Ms. Minnie grabbed Hadiah's hand and they pulled us from the floor. “Now come out here like you got some damn sense. Acting like you been raised by a pack of wild dogs! If you wanna be in the zoo let me know and I'll put you there. I ain't your mama, I won't miss your monkey asses! 'Cause truth be told I eat kids. Now, unless you wanna be smothered in lard and gravy and socked up with a biscuit you'll do what the hell I just told you to do.” They walked to my room's doorway. “Now come out here like we the relatives you ain't seen in a while and you missed us. And do it right, because if not I got something else for you.”

I looked toward Ms. Minnie and she had a supersized bottle of blessing oil. I couldn't believe this. My night was worse than horrible, and disastrous couldn't touch it. I'd been beaten twice, once for Ameen making a fool out of me and a second time for acting like a fool. I promise you I couldn't win, and with all of this blessing oil on me I couldn't breathe. Ugh!

“You takin' too long!” Cousin Shake started running in place and his smedium vest started to rise. “Comin' out here actin' like somebody owe y'all money!”

I looked at my mother. “Ma—”

“Don't call her. She's the one got you all messed up.” Cousin Shake turned and looked at my mother in disgust. “Told you not to name these chil'ren Zulu and Hanukah!”

“It's Zsa-Zsa,” I snapped.

“And Hadiah,” my sister stressed.

Cousin Shake frowned. “It could be Halloween and Bronx Zoo, it's still a mess. Shoulda named you Barbara and Jane, you woulda had more sense.”

“That's enough, Cousin Shake,” my mother said seriously. She was staring at me so hard that I know she noticed the bruise on my face.

“You be quiet,” Cousin Shake carried on. “Now, do what I told you to do.” He pointed to us.

Hadiah and I looked back at our mother, and she didn't blink an eye. We turned back to Cousin Shake and Ms. Minnie. These two weren't going to stop, so I gave in and Hadiah followed my lead. After the day I just had it was obvious that my life was doomed to fall apart.

So whatever. We walked over to them with our arms wide and said, “Oh, my God! Cousin Shake, Ms. Minnie.” Hadiah jumped up and down.

“It's so good to see you!” I said.

“We love you guys so much.” We gave them a group hug.

“Hey, babies,” Cousin Shake said, “you done got so big. You know Cousin Shake love ya, but he will tap dat. Now, come on and open the presents we brought for you.”

“I sure hope you like what Shake got on,” Ms. Minnie said, “because we bought you two one each.”

“'Cept y'all vests lights up.” Cousin Shake smiled.

I looked at the ceiling and took a deep breath.
Should I ask for somebody to shoot me now or should I wait until things get worse?

After a few hours passed we convinced Cousin Shake and Ms. Minnie that at three o'clock in the morning me and Hadiah needed to go to sleep. They agreed, and just as I settled into bed, my mother knocked and entered my room at the same time. She flicked the lights on. “We need to talk.”

“Can we talk in the morning?” I pulled the covers over my head. I could feel her body heat next to me, and then I quickly decided that if she lost it, I wouldn't see it coming, so I eased the covers down over my eyes and looked at her. “What is it?”

“What is that on your face?”

I was speechless for a moment and couldn't think of what explanation to give fast enough so I said, “I ran into the door.”

“The door?” She stared at me as if she could see through me. “You're lying, why?”

“You never listen to anything I tell you. Why do I have to be lying?”

She ignored my question and proceeded on with her own. “How did it get there?”

I could look at my mother's face and tell that she cared, and I thought maybe…I should tell her the truth. “Ma, the truth is that I saw Ameen and—”

“You did what?!” she screamed. “I'm so sick of you making stupid decisions. Didn't I tell you to leave that good-for-nothing alone? I'm so sick of you lying!” She continued on. “I'm the mama,” she said, not coming up for air, “I'm in charge, and I've already been where you are so I know the outcome! You don't! Did he hit you? Because if he did I'm calling the police right now.” She reached for the phone.

I must've been crazy to think that I could share anything with her. It had to be the blessing oil that had me out of my mind.

“I thought you were asking me?” I said.

“What happened to your face, Zsa-Zsa?”

“I tripped out of the elevator on my way to Ameen's apartment.”