So fast-forward. I drove us to the party since Brittany’s car was in the shop, like always. She couldn’t keep that old ass Buick in her driveway for sh*t. Something was always wrong with it. If it wasn’t the brakes, it was the transmission. If it wasn’t her windshield wipers, it’s the head gasket. I mean damn. She couldn’t catch a break with that car.
Anyways, we pull up to the party, and to our surprise, it was crowded. The house wasn’t in the best neighborhood in Inglewood, CA. Bunch of gang bangers and hoochies, but nothing we ain’t seen before. Dejohn said it was going to be a lot of people but damn, not this many. Dejohn is the friend who is throwing this little get together. He is infamous for his parties. Back in high school, he would throw the illest, sickest, most nastiest parties. I’m talking bout parties where we were still talking about it even at the next party.
When we walk inside the party, everyone is damn near already faded. Weed, alcohol, and party favors fill the tables and floors. Just as I predicted, sexy guys and good looking girls filled his living room. But I didn’t care about nothing or no one in that party. All I wanted to know was where the hell Cashmere was.
About an hour went by and still no sign of him or Marissa. Really I didn’t give a fuck about Marissa. If she came, she came. If she didn’t, I wasn’t going to hold it against her. But she did invite herself and it would be stupid as hell if she didn’t show up, but who knows and who the fuck cares. After two cups of a blend of three different alcohols, I was tipsy. I’m a heavy drinker so it takes me a while to really start feeling the alcohol.
Brittany and I had split up. Hell as soon as she walked in the party, her ol’ ghetto ass started dancing and wandered off somewhere, but I’m not a babysitter. I’m her ride home, so she would eventually find me.
Another hour went by with no sight of Cashmere and Marissa and I was about over it. I didn’t plan on staying at the party long and now that neither one of them were there, I didn’t plan on staying that much longer. Ready to go, I began looking for Brittany. Her alcohol tolerance is a little lower than mine so I knew she was somewhere acting a damn fool. I asked Dejohn where she was, but he didn’t know. They used to mess around back in the day but Brit fucked that up when she got drunk one night and started flirting with his friend.
I’m searching and searching and still no sign of her. “Fuck,” I thought. “Where is this bitch?” After asking nearly every drunk face, I decide to relieve myself from all that alcohol. Dejohn had a bathroom upstairs in his room and since we are good friends, I am welcome to use it. I make my way up the stairs, passing couples kissing and weed papers on the floor and finally make it to his room. As I get closer, I hear laughing and someone moan. Ugh it must be some drunk hoe who met someone at the party. I had to pee so I didn’t give a fuck whose party I was intruding on. I walked in his bedroom, and to my surprise, to my fu**ing surprise I heard my name.
“Who the hell is that?” I said squinting my eyes as I turned the lights on.
Now when I tell you I almost pissed and shit my panties, believe me. And no I wasn’t that drunk. Before my eyes was Cashmere in Dejohn’s bed. No he wasn’t alone. He was with Marissa and guess who? Guess who was lying on her back while Marissa was devouring her coochie? Brittany. Yes, that Brittany. My so-called best friend Brittany.
“Syd?” Marissa said in surprise as Cashmere was hitting her from the back. “Come join us b*tch.”
The old Sydney would take off her heels and molly wop that b*tch but the new and improved Sydney wasn’t going to let this situation get the best of her. I was going to contain myself and take a couple breaths like my counselor said. My happiness ain’t worth the drama.
I walked out of that room, past the drunk and high faces, and outside to my car. I heard my name being called a couple times but I didn’t even care to look back. Too pissed to even think about saying bye to Dejohn, I just drove off. I started crying. Yes crying as I am cruising down the street.
“Wait a minute,” I thought. “Syd what the f*ck are you doing?”
“Syd you are a boss b*tch,” I thought. “You ain’t gonna let nobody get away with no sh*t like that.”
“F*ck what your counselor has to say,” I said to myself.
I can’t pretend that Brittany was just the greatest friend I’ve had. Just like every friendship, we had our ups and downs. To be honest, we had more downs than ups. How could I forget about high school? High school was one of the best times in my lives. I was caption of the cheerleading squad, captain of the volleyball team, and dated one of the most popular guys in high school. Darrell Patterson. He was the greatest thing to ever happen to me…at least back then. We dated our sophomore year until almost the end of twelfth grade. Every girl was jealous of our relationship. Shit if I was them I’d be jealous of me too. He was captain and quarterback of the football team and just as sexy as can be.
I can’t bring up high school without mentioning another important factor of my high school career…Brittany. We had went to the same elementary, middle, and high school together so we were around each other damn near seven days a week. So when she accidentally (well now that years have passed, I know it’s not an accident) broke us up, I was nothing less than shocked.
One day after school, just like every day, I went to Brittany’s house. Her mom was cool ass fuck so she didn’t mind her having boys over…and to top it off, she worked a night shift. Even though me and Darrell’s relationship seemed perfect, it wasn’t. We had broken up for a month because he was in Tiffany, from fifth period English, inbox on Facebook talking bout she looked good in her shorts that day. We took a break, but were on the verge of getting back together. Well, Brittany had tried to hook me up with her homeboy Sammy from church. I agreed because I really didn’t want to think about Darrell, even though I did anyways.
Straight after school I went to Brittany’s house because she invited Sammy over to watch TV. Me and Sammy we’re chillen in the Brittany’s room watching TV, and Brittany was in the kitchen with a dude she was talking to. While me and Sammy were cuddled up, the door burst open. Guess who it was? Nope, not Brittany or her mom. It was Darrell. Yes, my ex Darrell who wanted to come over to apologize to me. I guess Britt had forgot she told Darrell he could come over to surprise me with flowers the same day Sammy was supposed to come. Who does that? Obviously this bitch. I didn’t want to think she did this on purpose, but that wasn’t the only time Britt would do some shady shit. People would come telling me she would talk shit about me, but I didn’t believe it. Well, I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to believe my bestie would tell people I was broke and living in a one bedroom with two brothers with a mom on drugs, but I was proven wrong. She used to give me lunch money when I was hungry, let me watch TV at her because we didn’t have cable, and give me clothes she couldn’t fit anymore. I thought she loved me.
Even though my life was a shitty ass mess, I still managed to get good grades and attend college. Now I attend USC and she’s working at a beauty supply place. People would always tell me she was jealous of me, but I didn’t realize til now. We have our bad times, but I thought we were past that. She apologized for trying to slander me, but is back to her old ways I see. Now I was about to school this bitch on who she isn’t supposed to fuck with.
And just like that, I was making a U-turn back to that party and to whoop some ass. I dangerously swerved every car that came my way. I was starting to feel that drink. Either I was getting a little more faded or my adrenaline was on ten. I marched my ass back in his house. I tied my hair and took my shoes off and was ready to punch some b*tche.
I walked up the stairs and swing open Dejohn’s door. Just like I suspected, they were still there. Damn no one even came to check on me. Not even Brittany. Some best friend right? Brittany was putting on her clothes while Cashmere was taking pictures in the mirror. I heard the bathroom sink running so Marissa must have been washing away her hoe-ness.
As I head over to grab Brittany by her cheap ass weave, Dejohn runs up the stairs yelling “Five-O, Five-O,” as in the cops were coming and if we were drinking underage or had weed on us, we should hide or sneak that shit somewhere.
Before I could do anything, Cashmere was running out the room, pants halfway up. Marissa was rushing out the bathroom, naked, blunt in hand. And Brittany…Brittany was standing beside the bed looking stupid as f*ck. I gave her one last look, that look of “this isn’t over yet b*tch,” and ran downstairs.
Thanks for reading baes. I hope you enjoyed my ratchet rant. Check back for more short stories and thanks for supporting. 🙂
By: Simone Grant
Tavis Smiley on Maya Angelou