Breathe.

11

"Maybe I should go." Kelly went to stand and walk away.

Daya had a point, if Janet was anywhere near this school Kelendria wouldn't even be sparing me a glance yet alone a conversation. This was weird for her to be doing and I had started to question it myself at this point.

"Don't let me run you off. Sit back down, I just needed to let you know that much. Finish your conversation with Toni." She got on her phone and tuned out our talking.

I looked at Kelly who was simply staring at Z and I's book bag. "What?"

"You look... different." She mumbled and I noticed that she kept touching my backpack. "Happier maybe. You aren't wearing a hoodie or anything. You look nice Toni."

My appearance was different today, I decided to take Fessa up on her advice and not wear a hoodie today. I just had on a plain white shirt with red trims and some jeans. I was far from dressed up but to my usual dressing, this was like a Grammy's designer gown, so I took the compliment.

"Thanks." Zendaya grabbed our bags when she noticed Kelly's movements and slid it over to our side of the table.

"No problem." Her phone began ringing and she looked down and spoke to us. "I'll catch up with you all later. I gotta take this." She stood up and walked away.

Z put her phone down and talked to me. "Janet must've been ringing for her."

"Be nice."

"That's Ryan's job. Not mines. I was surprised she even fought. She isn't like that. I'm the hot head, not her."

"And you said you two are best friends?" I questioned to be sure.

"Yeah. We are. Since we were 5. What about you and Nafessa?"

"It's her first year here so we just met."

"And you two are already that close? That's dope."

"Yeah. It is." I nodded in agreement. "She's the hot headed one out of us."

"I could tell from that first swing to Shawn's nose." She joked lightly.

"I'm surprised Ryan isn't the hot headed one out of you two. That yank back to Janet's head was crucial."

She chuckled. "Usually she corners it more than that but her boyfriend and her have been going through it. So she was on edge. Plus her little girl group."

"Girl group? She sings?"

"Yeah. It's a group called Take 3. They broke up though."

I nodded. "Oh okay."

"She sings really nice. You should listen to her sing. What about you?"

"I sing and draw." I mumbled. "You?"

Zendaya smiled. "I dance and act but you sing? Sing something."

I hated being put on the spot sometimes. Chuckling, I questioned. "Sing what?"

"Anything. You write your own songs?"

Nodding, I answered. "Yeah and Kenny and I used to write some."

"I'm interested. Sing anything."

"Uh." I dug in my backpack and realized I didn't have my song journal. "Maybe next time. I don't have my journal on me today."

"Alright, I'm gone hold you to that Toni." The bell signaling that lunch was over rung and Daya and I stood up to leave.

My phone buzzed and I saw it was Nafessa.

Fessa
Aye, watch out for Kelly, word on social is Janet and Shawn got her watching you and Z now.

The message made my face furrow and when I looked up at Zendaya, I saw that she was reading a message of her owns. We met eye contact as she asked me, "Bitch, did we get hoodwinked?"

"I think so." I mumbled back as I looked around and searched for Kelly.

"Aye. Didn't she touch our backpacks?"

I grabbed my bag strap from my shoulder and swung it back around my body. As I opened it, I looked inside and saw something inside of it. I grabbed it and showed Zendaya. "What's this?"

Zendaya grabbed it and threw it away quickly. "It's weed. Why would she put weed in your—." We heard some commotion and soon heard a dog barking. "Your bag smell like it?"

Sniffing my bag, I nodded. "Nothing but it."

"Hell nah. This a set up. And this is when we dip." She opened the side door and we slipped out as the rest of the crowd walked past. "Imma beat that girl up next time I see her. On my dead cat."

"I don't know why she does this. She only does it because she loves Janet and Janet and Shawn are best friends. It's not even her at heart."

"I don't care why she doing it, imma beat her up. Mark my words. We could have gotten expelled for that! I'm telling Ryan. Come on. Let's go pick her up."