1994
The new year brought on a lot. It started out simple but evolved into shit that only kids in high school considered to be life-changing nonsense.
And the first sign I recognized in our grown evolution was, boys.
With Will being the exception, we all started getting a little more chatty with the male population. Instead of walking down the hall and giving most of the guys dirty looks, we smiled, waved, and said hi.
We were out of the phase where girls and guys had cooties, and into the dating game.
We weren't even two weeks into the new year, and Aaron was already making moves to get Kay to notice him.
I was with Kaylen walking and talking down the hallway, the official school day had yet to start, and I agreed to accompany her to her locker before homeroom.
"Nuh-uh. It is January, that means it's cold, and I'm cold." Kay explained. "I'm not tryna watch Will ball on the blacktops again."
I tried to reason with her. "But it's Friday."
"We can do an indoor activity."
"Indoor activity?" I repeated, furrowing my brows.
"Yes. Indoor activity. Like grabbing burgers, or watching a movie on tape. Or going out to the movies."
"That sounds like money," I commented.
"Everything costs money. This is America."
"True."
I looked ahead, starting to pay attention to the locker numbers, knowing hers was close by. Only for my movements to be suddenly halted by Kaylen's arm extending in front of me, blocking me from moving any further. And that's when I noticed someone leaned up against her locker.
Aaron.
"I don't need to go anymore." She said, moving me to turn around.
"Are you-"
"Hurry up Nae!" She tugged at my arm urgently.
"Okay! Okay!"
"Yo, Kaylen, wait up!" Aaron's voice called out, making both of us freeze.
"Shit," Kaylen muttered, turning back around to face him, and I just followed, watching as he approached us.
"Hey, how ya doing?" He asked her with a soft smile.
"I'm alright," Kaylen replied. "Do you need something?"
"I just wanted to invite you and your girls to hang out with me and my boys. We were gonna go bowling tonight."
"Uh," Kaylen looked at me with panicked eyes, and all I could do was stare back cluelessly. This was far from my area of expertise. "Will has this basketball game we can't miss." She looked back to Aaron. "Sorry."
"Y'all can't just reschedule that or something?" He tried once more. "Will plays ball on the daily. And it wouldn't hurt to come without her." He stuck his hands in his jean pockets. "So whaddya say?"
Kaylen once again made eye contact with me, and I nodded my head slowly, in an attempt to encourage her to accept. Only for her to look back to Aaron, ignoring me. "I gotta make sure the girls are down. I can let you know by lunch."
"Okay, that's fine." He nodded. "I'll see you at lunch then."
"Yeah." She agreed, the two of us watched him walk away before I turned to her.
"I told you to say yes." I reprimanded lightly.
"I ain't wanna say yes." She snapped back.
"Why?"
"I don't like him, Nae. He's irritating. Just two months ago, he was hitting me with paper balls now he's pressing all up on me. What is this? Opposite day?"
"He's been at this for more than a day." I reminded her as she started walking ahead of me to her locker.
"We need a plan. Will needs to really push this basketball shit."
"I think it would be fun. You said you wanted to do indoor activities. Bowling is inside."
"Nae, you are honestly no help whatsoever."
An amused smile coming on my face as I watched her dig through her locker, pulling out what she needed before slamming it shut.
"Give the boy a chance. He's really trying."
"Yeah, trying a little too damn hard," Kaylen mumbled, making me push her softly, trying to get her out of such a sour mood.
She attacked back, pushing me harder. "Bitch."
"Oww!" I let out a laugh as I rubbed my shoulder gently. "Crazy."
"Quit playing around." She scolded before walking into her homeroom, leaving me with not even a goodbye.
"So, I'll see you later?!" I called out to her.
She waved me off, making me smile. I just shook my head, starting to walk down the hall, making my way to homeroom.
🖤
"He wants to go bowling." I brought up as we all sat together at lunch. "And invited all of us to come."
Nicki, who was always down for a good time, was all for it. " We should go. That sounds fun."
"It's tonight. But, we're watching Will play basketball, right Will?" Kaylen asked, hopefully looking to Will.
"Honestly, I'm tryna go bowling. It's getting a little cold out here to be running around the blacktop."
"It is perfectly fine outside," Kay argued.
"Alright, cut it out," I declared, looking to Kaylen. "No one's asking you to go on a solo date with Aaron. All we're tryna do is have a good time bowling together, and I know you're down for that. Just 'cause Aaron likes you or whatever doesn't mean he's gonna be all up on you with us around."
"Exactly." Rocky backed up. "So get up and tell him we're going."
"Y'all are just mean." Kaylen glared at us before letting out a breath and pushing herself up, making her way over to Aaron's table.
"What's so bad about Aaron?" Nicki asked. "Sure, he's acts dumb but I'm pretty sure he's not that dumb."
"I mean he has a crush on Kay, he's not such a lost cause anymore," Rocky added, making us chuckle.
"Kay needs someone way more mature. Let's just hope he steps it up." I expressed.
"Well, at least he has the looks part down," Will commented, making all of us look to her shocked.
Every time we brought up liking guys, she shot it down and told us that since she was considered one of the guys, it exposed her to the other side of them.
Will claimed that every time she thought one of them was cute, they'd fart, and the thought would go right out the window.
She even shoved Tyler Cane back in fifth grade for giving her her first kiss during recess.
Hearing her compliment and not shit or joke on a guy was a moment.
Nicki leaned forward in her seat. "What did you just say?"
"What? He's shit on the court but not that bad in the face."
"Oh my Lord Jesus, it's a miracle, Will's evolving. Next thing you know, she's in a skirt." Rocky said.
Will threw a french fry at her. "Take that back."
"No."
She shot another fry at her.
"Will's got a crush." Rocky childishly remarked with a smile.
And another French fry.
"Will likes bo-"
"Bitch if you don't pipe down!" Will snapped, slamming her hand on the table, making me instantly laugh.
Kaylen returned to to us, taking a seat. "He said we're meeting in front of the alley at 5, and they were thinking boys versus girls."
"Of course they were," Will said knowingly. "We're whooping their ass easy."
"Amen." Kay agreed, the two doing our group handshake with smiles.
"So this is like a group date," Rocky concluded.
"No." I denied. "We're all hanging out."
"There's five of them and five of us. Aaron's clearly into Kay. Either Aaron's friends are that willing to let Aaron have a moment, or somebody else wants to shoot their shot."
We all looked at each other, not knowing how to feel at Rock's logical conclusion. Our heads turned to look over at Aaron's table, seeing that they were already looking our way.
"Ah, hell no. Where can I return my god damn invite?" Will demanded as we all looked to each other once more.
In our teenage heads, we had the thought in our minds and couldn't erase it. We were going on our first dates in a matter of hours.
🖤
I stood in front of the mirror and spun around in the outfit I picked out for bowling. I spent a moment pondering as I held my box braids up with my hands, debating if I should put them in a ponytail or not. I decided to leave them to hang freely and struck a pose in the mirror to get a full feel of my look.
The whole situation of hanging out with boys made me want to look my best. I didn't like anyone in Aaron's friend circle, but I still wanted to make sure I looked decent. In case someone was actually looking at me in that way. And I felt confident as I stood in jeans, a black blouse, and a jacket that I felt kept the look together.
"Why you posing like you wanna be on some magazine cover?"
I flinched as I looked to the door a bit panicked, scared by Rashad, who leaned against my doorframe. His semester didn't start until the next week, so he was still lurking around the house being nosy.
"Cause I wanna see if this outfit looks good." I expressed as I fixed the jacket on my shoulders. "I'm going bowling with the girls." I turned my attention back to the mirror. "What are you even doing around here? It's Friday night. Don't you have someplace to go?"
"I have a lady friend stopping by, so if you could please hurry up and get out, that'll be appreciated."
"Mama's not gonna like that." I pointed out, going to my dresser picking up my lip gloss, applying some to my lips.
"And Mama's not gonna know if you keep your mouth shut and let her work her double shift at the hospital in peace."
"And what about Daddy?"
"Pop is coming home, heating up a plate, and going with Uncle Patrick to some comedy club. The house is free."
"I canceled my plans," Calvin announced as he walked past my bedroom door.
"Well, you better remake 'em!" Rashad instantly commanded, moving from my door to follow after him.
"Who is this girl, anyway?" I heard Calvin ask.
"None of your business. Get out the house."
"That's how you're asking me?"
I tuned them out as I checked the time. The plan was to meet at Nicki's house, then the two of us would walk together to meet up with the rest of the girls. It was almost time for me to leave, so I packed up my purse with my essentials before making my way out of my room. My brothers still were going back and forth when I walked into the living room.
"Alright, I'm leaving," I informed.
"Go walk Nae to the bowling alley. That's a great opportunity." Rashad told Calvin.
"I'm not gonna walk Nae to the bowling alley."
"Why not?"
"Cause that's not how I'm tryna spend my Friday night."
"Calvin, I will literally pay you to leave this house."
"Ight bet, slide me a 20, and I'm gone:"
I just opened the front door, letting myself out with a smile. It was a typical Calvin move to finesse Kelly or Rashad to get his way in the end.
"I want you back home by 10!" Shad shouted after me.
"Yeah yeah." I responded before making my way across the street to Nicki's, knocking on the door.
"Hey." She smiled once she opened the door a moment later, shutting it behind her. "I like that top."
"Thank you. I like yours."
"Thanks."
The two of us stepped off her front steps and starting the walk to Rocky's, the halfway point where all of us were meeting.
"How are you feeling about all this?" Nicki asked me curiously. "Y'know the group date thing?"
"Umm, I'm okay," I admitted. "I don't really like any of Aaron's boys for that to be a thing. I just hope it goes well for Kay."
"Why is she trying so hard not to like him?"
"Cause she doesn't know what to do with all the attention. Little does she know that hanging with Aaron is just opening all the doors for dudes to come at her left and right."
Nicki shook her head with a smile. "Can't believe she doesn't know she's the pretty one."
"I know!" I instantly agreed with a short laugh. "Well, I hope she keeps the same attitude 'cause I will not let her get like 12th-grade Tiara."
Her face scrunched up at my words. "Eww."
"I know."
"And she was so pretty." She frowned.
"Yes, she was. She lost all credibility when she got caught getting into some stuff in the back of the bleachers."
Nicki just pulled a disgusted face once more, shaking her head. "It's a damn shame. She was so pretty."
"Yeah well, the face can't always hide those ugly ugly deeds."
"Ain't that the truth."
From the outside looking in, we could observe and pick and poke at what we were, and were not gonna be like when it came to the older girls that ran around our side of the city.
We had our Loudmouth Lindas and our 12th-grade Tiaras. We also had our wholesome girls, who demanded they be approached with respect. And our girls who weren't at all focused on the games high school boys had to offer.
From the different talks Kelly and I had, I knew that actually being in the realm of dating boys was a whole different ball game than looking on the outside. It was easy to slip up, fall, and catch feelings. And in the end, it wasn't as simple or perfect as you were led to believe.
So, as much as I wanted to encourage Kaylen, I also wanted to look out for her.
It was then I knew that all I needed to be focused on was having a good time with my girls and whooping the boys in some bowling. Not checking for which one of Aaron's boneheaded little friends stared at me too long.
🖤
We were the loudest ones in the bowling alley that night. 10 teenagers going head to head in a fiercely competitive game of bowling that brought out the trash talk and all. It was a miracle that we never got kicked out. But halfway through the night, it wasn't hard to notice we were providing some sort of entertainment to the people around us.
"Come on, Rock, you got this." I encouraged, clapping my hands together, watching excitedly as she went up to bowl.
"No, she don't." One of Aaron's boys, Brian, denied.
"Boy, shut up," I snapped, looking in his direction. "We're coming up there. You ain't gonna stay winning for long."
"She ain't gon do that much."
"Nigga shut up, you're the one not doing much." Will pushed his shoulder. "C'mon Rock!"
All of us watched in anticipation as the ball rolled down the lane.
An instant scream came out of my lips when our girl successfully got a strike. I jumped up and did my handshake with Will before making a face in the boys' direction. "Annnddd. What's up?!" I boasted, happily dapping up Rocky.
"Never count the real ones out." Kaylen smirked.
"Whatever. It was a lucky move." Aaron waved off. "Y'all ain't win."
"Yet." Rocky smiled, holding her hands up for a double high five, Nicki and Will slapping them happily. "Oww, God damn." She shook out her hands, the corner of her lips turning downward.
"Sorry." They instantly apologized.
"And that's exactly why we're winning," Zeke spoke up confidently. "Boys are just better than girls."
"Oh, here we go with this bullshit," Will spoke, lazily taking a seat. "I can beat you on the court, in ya math class, and in bowling, and you still wanna go on with the nonsense."
"Tell 'em, Will." Kay encouraged.
"Oh, that's nice but everybody and they Mama knows your brothers made it very clear that we gotta go a little easier on you on the blacktops. Ever wonder why you ain't get no rough contact? 'Cause you can't handle it. Sports is just a man's game, baby."
Will was quick was a comeback. "You won't fight me though, so you can shut the fuck up."
Zeke snickered at the thought. "I'm not gonna fight a girl."
"Why? 'Cause I'll beat you?"
"No, 'cause hitting you would be considered abuse." That just made the rest of the boys laugh.
I rolled my eyes at their immature way of thinking.
"Okay, that's enough," Kaylen remarked, getting the attention her way. "Shut up, and let's bowl. I'm ready to win."
And that's what we did, the girls and I gloating about it all throughout our pizza afterward. The night ended on a positive note, all of us laughing and joking around, the food killing our little rivalry.
We all made our way out of the bowling alley intent on going our separate ways, only for Aaron to pull Kay to the side to talk in private. Leaving the rest of us to stand on one side of the parking lot, watching and waiting.
We were at the place to be on a Friday night. Kaylen and Aaron were like a seed in the crowd with the number of people swarming around. We had a roller rink, movie theater, and bowling alley all on the same street, so people were naturally around. Loud music blasted out of someone's car speaker, and I found myself bopping my head along to a song off of Ice Cube's latest album as I people watched.
"He so likes her." Raquel observed. "Right Brian?" She looked at him knowingly.
"I- I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to fight a smile from coming on his face, confirming our suspicions.
I nodded slowly. "Uh-huh."
"And y'all are that nice that you came to help him get a girl?" Nicki asked, looking to the rest of them. "What's in it for you?"
"We just wanna help our boy out," Zeke explained. "He's been feeling her for a while."
"Huh," Rocky nodded, and we just turned our attention back to Kaylen and Aaron just in time to see him place a kiss on her cheek. Leaving Kay to walk back over to us as he nodded to his boys to walk to him.
All of us exchanged looks, trying to fight our smiles.
"Don't say anything." She warned through gritted teeth, pointing at us, not even stopping as she walked right past us, getting a head start on the walk home.
"What were y'all talking about?" Nicki asked excitedly, catching up with her hooking her arm with hers.
"Nicki."
"He kissed you."
"Shut up."
"You liked it, didn't you." Rocky teased, and the rest of the girls couldn't help but join in on the jokes.
Walking down the street, I took in the environment of the night, spotting a couple familiar faces around. A smile came on my face when I spotted Calvin in the roller rink parking lot sitting on a hood of a car with all of his friends.
But something else also caught my attention. Not that far away was Quincy, with his friends and a girl hugged up all under his arm.
"Aaron is just an annoying ass boy. Ain't nobody out here looking for a boyfriend." I heard Kaylen say, shutting down the jokes, bringing me back to the conversation I was supposed to be in.
Despite her words, I just knew it wasn't the last time we were gonna have this talk. Whether it was about her, Nicki, Rocky, or Will.
The boys were getting bold, and they were everywhere.