Chapter 1
Dionne
ran into her house and straight to the kitchen to pour herself something to
drink. She had to catch her breath. Dammit! If she wasn't so fat she wouldn't
have to run this hard all the time. Drinking her water she kicked off her shoes
and continued on her way to her room.
Dionne plopped herself on her bed. Shit! She didn't know why she let Jordan talk her into things all the time! She didn't want to go to the stupid get together. Yesterday, Dwayne had told her to come when he gave her a ride home, but she refused. She had always been uncomfortable at these things. She closed her eyes, wincing at the times when her parents used make her stay upstairs, while her sister got to stay downstairs for the reunions. It was as if the were ashamed of her.
She
shook her head, ridding herself of thoughts she knew wouldn't get her anywhere.
Dionne turned her head and looked at the small clock hanging over her bed. She
only had 2 hours to get ready. She had
a feeling that tonight wasn't going to be a good night, at least for her.
C.K. ran up the stairs, daddy had told her to tell
D.A. that they would be having company. But she didn't think D.A. would want to
come down. C.K. frowned, D.A. didn't
like staying with them but she hoped she didn't leave. Auntie Dee, had told her
that D.A. had come from a foster family. Whatever that was.
D.A. could hear C.K. coming up the stairs and
opened the door to see her cousin standing there. Damn, the child was loud.
"What do you want?"
C.K. looked taken aback to see her cousin already
had the door open apparently waiting for her. "How'd you know I was gonna talk
wit you?" C.K. raised her eyebrow in speculation.
D.A. rolled her eyes. Why did this child, feel that
she had to know everything? "I heard you C.K. Now what do you want?"
C.K. looked confused for a moment, like she'd
forgotten why she had come to see her. Her eyebrows lifted as she remembered.
"Oh yeah, daddy said people are coming for dinner, so you have to get ready."
D.A. grimaced. Fuck! Why did they have to have
company tonight? She was already having PMS, she didn't need this shit! "Tell
him I'll go stay with Dee for dinner."
C.K. shook her head. She smiled, she had told daddy
D.A. wouldn't want to stay. "Daddy, said you had to be ready or he's gonna come
upstairs, and you're gonna be in trouble . . ."
D.A. hung her head in defeat. Ice knew she didn't
like fuckin' get togethers.
". . .and
Auntie Dee's coming anyways, so you can't go to her house."
"Alright, I'll be down soon. Do you need me to help
you get something on?"
C.K. shook her head. "Nuh uh, I can do it all by
myself."
D.A. rolled her eyes again. The last time she had
let Carla dress herself, she had come out of her room wearing purple sandals,
and her little bra top. Carla, tried to wear as little as possible. She smiled,
her cousin sure thought she was hot stuff for a five year old.
" Ok how 'bout this C.K., I'll just watch you ok .
. ."
C.K. narrowed her eyes as D.A. pushed her into the
room with her. Maybe she wouldn't be able to wear her bootie shorts
tonight
Jordan parked his bike in the driveway, and walked
into the house. He had to phone Dee, as
soon as he got in, to make sure she was coming tonight. He frowned as he
thought of her obsessive need to exercise. Fuck! It was all her parents fault,
oh yeah and don't forget her sister for belittling her every chance she got.
Jordan walked into the kitchen to see Kia
straddling his cousin Flex. He groaned. "Holy shit! Don't you guys know to go
to your room to do this shit!!"
Keeping his eyes closed, Jordan could her Kia
laughing. He opened the fridge and grabbed a beer.
Kia got off of Flex and sat in the chair next to
him. "Flex baby, I think we embarrassed yo' cousin."
Flex rolled his eyes. Knowing he'd seen worse when
it came to Jordan, but deciding not to mention it. "I'm pretty sure he can
handle it!!"
Jordan smirked and opened his eyes. He knew exactly
what Flex was talking about. "Yeah whatever next time, go to your room." He
jumped up on sat on the kitchen counter facing them.
"Is Dee here yet?"
Flex looked at the time and shook his head. "Nah,
but she should be here soon . . ."
D.A. came down the stairs C.K. trailing behind. "
Who should be here soon?" She said, while looking in the fridge for a beer too.
Flex smirked at D.A. " Nice try, Alicia!" He
reached over and grabbed the beer from her. " Dee's coming soon."
D.A. narrowed her eyes and she freezed. She turned
slowly around to face Flex. "Don't call me that." she stated very softly. As
quickly as she had come in she left.
Everyone turned to look at Flex. He shrugged and
opened his eyes in amazement at the quick change in D.A. "How the hell was I to
know she didn't like to be called that."
Kia chewed her lip thoughtfully. She wondered why
D.A. had really snapped like that. "Hmm, that seemed a little shady even for
the brat. . ."
C.K. lifted her arms up to Jordan. He picked her up
and sat her on his lap.
C.K. looked pointedly at her uncle. "I don't think
D.A. likes you anymore."
Jordan smiled. "I don't think so either, but how
'bout I go find out. . ." He jumped down with C.K. and put her down in Kia's
lap.
Flex looked at Jordan's retreating form. "I wonder
why she did that?? What do you think K?"
Kia smiled as she tickled C.K. Not looking up she
mentioned, "I think you should let it rest, she'll come around soon enough."
Dionne heard the phone ring as soon as she was
heading out the door. Damn it! She was on her way, though it would probably
take her 20 minutes to get there on the bus. Mental note Hernandez, buy a car!
She quickly ran back into the room and picked it up on the last ring.
"What?" She answered breathlessly.
Dwayne held the phone with one hand and used his
other hand to swerve through the streets of Miami. His brakes screeched as
another car went through a red light as he was turning. "Fucking, asshole!"
Dionne pulled her ear away from the phone when she
heard Dwayne curse. "I was just heading
out the door. . ."
Dwayne turned onto Pender St. He parked right outside Dionne's house.
"Alright, I'm outside, hurry up!"
Dionne breathed an annoyed sigh. "I didn't ask you
to pick me up Ice. I could have just as easily taken the bus."
Dwayne smirked as he heard his nickname. She always
used it when she was upset with him. "Yeah well, thought this would be faster,
I was already at Tony's and I knew how long it took you to get to the house on
the bus."
"Whatever, you could have at least asked if I even wanted
a ride. I'm comin' out." Dionne grit her teeth. He was so frustrating. She
hung up the phone, grabbed her sweater and headed outside.
Dwayne narrowed his eyes at Dee's outfit. She was
wearing loose black jeans and a dark purple full length sleeved top, with a
high neck. She didn't look like she should be livin' in Miami.
She stepped into the car and uttered a barely
registered hello. She turned her head to the window. Then she noticed the car
wasn't moving.
She turned her head back to Dwayne. "Why ain't we
movin'?" She could feel him studying her.
Dwayne wondered if she knew how attractive she
could be if she didn't dress herself down and purposely fade into the
background all the time. "Are you
cold??"
She frowned, what the hell was wrong with him? "No,
why would you ask that?"
"'Cause you look like you are."
Dee looked down at herself, noticing the high neck
sweater and dark jeans. Embarrassed, she blushed and turned away. "Yeah well. .
. Can we just drive already??"
Looking at her once more, Dwayne noticed the blush
and amazed that she could still manage to do it. Half to himself, he uttered something under his breath. "You're
nothing like your sister."
Dionne turned her head quickly, not wanting to
believe her ears. She always knew she wasn't pretty, it had always been the big
family curse. She knew she wasn't a beauty like her sister had been, it was as
if every time she tried to let that part of her life go, it always came back to
haunt her.
Softly she murmered her response. " I know, thank
you for reminding me." Slowly she turned herself back to the window.
Dwayne narrowed his eyes at her answer. What the
hell did she mean by that? He could feel her drawing herself back into her
shell. The one she used so successfully to hide herself. Making his face blank and his voice toneless
he told her that they had better start cruisin' or they'd be late.