one
MAYA
âHey, Maya. Snap out of it.â Keysha popped her fingers a few times in front of my eyes before she placed her hands on my shoulders and shook me.
âYou look like youâre standing at the corner of Confused and Stunned. Is Viviana still on the phone?â Keysha asked. I had arrived at her house not too long ago and had been in the bathroom talking to her. Keysha had insisted that I come even though Iâd injured my knee. I had gone to watch my ex-boyfriend, Misalo, fight Carlo, another guy I had sort of been dating. The fight had turned into an all-out brawl that involved everyone who had come to watch Misalo and Carlo beat each other senseless. My knee had gotten injured while running for safety when the fight got out of control.
âHello? Why are you glaring off into space like a disoriented zombie?â Keysha clapped her hands several times.
I flinched and said, âIâm sorry.â I placed my cell phone in my front pocket.
âWhy didnât you confront Viviana on the phone about her wicked ways?â Keysha asked, as to why I had not forced my evil cousin, Viviana, to own up to what she had done.
Keysha and Viviana didnât exactly like each other, which was cool with me because I hated Viviana more than saints despised sinners.
âShe was being chased,â I finally answered.
âChased? By who?â Keysha asked as I thought about whoâd want to beat Viviana down besides me.
âA group of girls. Through the park not too far from here. Viviana screamed into the phone and begged me to come and help, and then her phone died.â
âSeriously?â Keyshaâs eyes questioned whether my words were true.
Nodding my head, I said, âYeah.â Then I glanced down at my knee, which was tender, so I began massaging it.
âAre you going to help her?â
I met Keyshaâs gaze and wondered why she had asked a question she already knew the answer to. I had absolutely no desire to aid my deceitful cousin.
Scrunching up my face as if I had suddenly caught the scent of a dead animal, I said, âNo.â
âYou have to help.â Keyshaâs insistence surprised me.
âWhat?â I shrieked, certain I had heard her wrong.
âWe have to help her.â Keysha spoke as if I had a moral obligation to do so.
âSo let me get this straight. Thirty minutes ago you got into a scuffle with Viviana, and now that some other girls are about to beat her up, you want to go help her?â My words were filled with sarcasm. Keyshaâs harebrained idea was one for the books.
âI know I sound crazy, but I have my reasons for why I think we should lend her a hand.â
âWhat youâre saying doesnât sound crazy, Keysha. It sounds insane. Have you turned bipolar on me?â I gawked at her in frustration.
âMaya, listen.â Keysha once again placed her hands on my shoulders, then met my gaze. âI know youâre really ticked off with Viviana, and you have every right to be. Deep down you want to see her suffer for destroying your relationship with Misalo. Trust me, I get that.â
âViviana suffering isnât a harsh-enough punishment.â I spoke from a bitterly cold place in my heart.
âI truly get it, Maya,â Keysha repeated, trying to reassure me.
âThen why are you trying to convince me to help her?â I angrily asked. The very thought of Viviana brought my blood to a boil.
âRemember how much I used to hate Priscilla for ruining my prom dress, sleeping with my boyfriend and getting pregnant by him?â Keysha reminded me of some drama sheâd had to deal with in her past.