Mama Knows Best

"All this sexy"

One of my hands lays limply on my stomach and it's fingers slowly tracing the outline of my belly button while my other hand carelessly pushes around what is I think is peas on my untouched lunch tray. I find myself staring at a plan white space on the cements walls and I can't help but wonder if all cafeterias look like mini prisons.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Trinity, my best friend, yells as she slaps my arm. Breaking me out of my concentration. I break my eyes away from the wall and meet her eyes. Trinity is gorgeous always has been and I'm sure when she's 60 with wrinkles she'll still be a diamond in a bag of rubies.

"Um, it's nothing Tee." I sigh as she takes the seat in front of me.

I am a good liar. Which I'm not entirely sure is a proud thing to say but Trinity had a gift. She could see through even the thickest lies and the girl after knowing me all her life could read me like a book. We'd been friends since what I want to say is the day we were born. Our mother's grew up together and they were best friends just like us.

"You and I both know your lying cuz your damn nose is twitching." I cover my nose with my palm and groan as I let myself fall behind my thick wall of curls.

"Trinity, I promise it's nothing." I push but of course it's to not avail and she slowly begins to remove the golden hoop earrings she wearing in her ears.

"Alright Pepper, you gon take this ass whoopin like a bitch or man?" She threatens as she begins to point her plastic fork at me. I can't help but laugh at her halfhearted threat.

I'm both relieved and happy when Maya, the third musketeer of our group takes a seat next to Trinity at our table. It's hard to imagine a time when Maya wasn't around I remember meeting her in kindergarten when some little boy was trying to steal my juice box. Even at the bright age of five Maya had more spirit in her pinky toe than I seemed to have in my entire body.

Maya shoots Trinity a curious look as Trinity begins to put her earrings back on.

"No beating ass on my watch." She laughs already recognizing the look in on Trinity's face. Trinity rolls her eyes and sticks her tongue out like a toddler as me and Maya both laugh.

"Well, we might need to since someone is keeping secrets." Trinity hisses as she begins to eat the usual fruit salad she brings from home.

"I'm not." I insist. Maya raises her hands shushing me as she begins to examine my eyes.

"She's sulking." Trinity adds

"I am not..."

"Trinity. How you doin lookin as thick as ever." My brother interrupts as he takes a seat next to her and wraps his arm around her shoulder.

Jamel could always been a really pain in the butt but for once I was too happy to see him. Trinity scrunches her face in the usual way that means she's begining to get aggravated as she quickly pushes Jamel's arms away. Maya's face is bright red from holding her breath and trying desperately not to laugh.

"Girl stop playing you know you want all this sexy." Jamel begins as he slowly rubs his hands down his chest.

"All this sexy." Maya mocks only adding to Trinity's annoyance.

"Jamel, I'm not gonna do this with you today. So you can take 'all that sexy' somewhere else." Jamel makes a hissing sound as if he had been burned and I rolled my eyes at his feeble attempt.

"Jamel, man give it a rest." A deep voice says cutting through the commotion. I force my eyes to the ground as Jamel's best friend, Tay'Von, takes a seat next to me. I try to convince myself that he isn't there but I fail as soon as I smell his cologne and slowly my eyes turn to meet his. He's looking dead at me and even if I wanted to I couldn't deny it.

"You're supposed to be my wingman." Jamel growls as he leans to rest his head on his hand.

"Nah, I'm supposed to be your best friend so when you're making a fool out of yourself of course I'm gonna let you know." Tay argues as he slaps Jamel's head.

"Thank you Tay," Trinity smiles

"See why can't you be a gentleman like him?" Maya questions as she continues to observe Jamel's failed attempts.

"I am a gentleman," he insists "Shawty just let me take you out one time."

"So I can be another notch in your belt?" Trinity snaps folding her arms across her chest.

"First of all it's a book not a belt."

Trinity throws her hands up in the air and she groans finally having enough of Jamel's attempts to spit game and gets up to throw away her trash. Maya and Jamel quickly get up and follow her leaving me alone with Tay'Von.

"How you doin, Pep." He asks adding to the undeniable awkwardness that's already sitting between us.

"I'm fine."

I know he wants to say more. Tay'Von had always been a man with many words. I'd known Tay as long as I'd known Trinity and in the same way she and I were best friends. He and Jamel possessed the same type of relationship. There was a long time ago where we had been even closer then him and Jamel but that time had come and gone and now our friendship seemed nothing awkward and complicated.

"You kno-"He begins.

"Tay'Von, where have you been?" A musical voice questions as its owner heads towards our tables. Seconds later the one and only Aniyah was standing next to the table wearing a worried look on her face.

Tay stiffens next to me before he takes the girl's hand in his own. Aniyah has been Tay's girlfriend for the last few year she was a senior like my brother and Tay and a year ahead of Trinity, Maya, and myself in school. She's beautiful, on route to becoming the valedictorian, and she's been the captain of our school's cheerleading squad since her sophomore year. She was what everyone would say was the sweetest girl on the planet. Always willing to help and make things right, she was known by everyone and friends with many people excluded me of course. The best way I could describe our relationship was a love-hate kind of things but without the love.

"Tay'Von where have you been?" She presses as she pushes her free hand against her hip not even bothering to recognize me.

"Remember I told you me and Jamel were going out for lunch."

"But I told you I wanted you to eat with me today. So what are you doing sitting with her." She says sharply sending me a nasty look I roll my eyes and continue to ignore the once again spooning the peas on my tray around.

"Niyah, that's my homie."

"And I'm your girlfriend.

Quickly, not wanting to be anywhere near either of those two, I push myself to my feet. I throw my trash away just as their argument begins to look more heated and as I woke out the door I see Tay take another glance at me. The bell ending lunch rang just as I get out the door and it's followed quickly by a vibration in my pocket. I yanked my phone of out my worn jeans and opened my recent texts.

Trinity: Can I kill your brother?

Self: I'll help you hide the body

Trinity: This isn't over you know

Self: I have no idea what you mean

Trinity: Don't play dumb with me.

I know you hiding something

And I'll be damned if I don't find out

Aren't I lucky to have such great friends.