Get Ready for War (32 page)

“What?”

“Because every time you touch me I get off focus and there's something on my mind that I've been stewing on all weekend.”

I frowned. My mouth was twisted to the side.
What does he mean, all weekend? We were laid up practically all weekend, so when did he have time to get this pissed?
“All weekend?” I arched my brow.

“Yeah, all weekend.”

“So when were you going to say something?”

“I was trying to shake it because I didn't want to believe it. I still don't want to believe it. But it's eating at me because I need to know. I asked you before would you ever lie to me. And you told me no. And I'm hoping that's true.”

Now I took a step back. “What do you mean, you're hoping?”

“Before you open your mouth with the boom-bop that I am in no mood to hear, you need to give it to me straight. Did you have an abortion?”

My heart and my nerves dropped to the bottom of my feet, forcing me to bite the inside of my cheek. I leaned from one stiletto to the next and quickly tried to figure out who would have told him such a thing.

Get it together. Stand up straight. Don't shift your eyes. Stop biting your cheek. Do not stutter and push out the very answer to set this straight.
“No. I did not.” I didn't blink an eye. I tilted my head and said, “So whoever told you that, needs to go back and get their facts straight. I told you what happened. I had a miscarriage from all the stress we were under. And furthermore, don't ever let somebody tell you something that has you questioning me!”

“Watch your tone,” he said sternly. “'Cause it's not that I wanted to believe what I heard. It's that I know you. And I know that you only mentioned that miscarriage once, and then we made love—as usual—and you were good to go. Swag was in check. And I have not heard anything else about this so-called miscarriage.”

“So you're really going to stand here and call me a liar, after everything we've been through? Oh, word? That's how we're dropping it now?”

“I'm not calling you anything. I'm simply saying that something that traumatic that supposedly happened to you doesn't seem to have affected you. That's all.”

“Knox, I was affected by it! I was depressed for three days! I shut out you and everyone else around me. But I realized I had to get on with my life. I couldn't be stuck and remain depressed; it wasn't going to change anything!”

“Oh really... ? So what were you doing in Arizona?”

My knees buckled and I swayed just a bit. I prayed like hell he didn't notice it. But I felt like a tsunami was on its way. “I wanted our baby!”

“Is that so . . . ?”

“Yes! I wanted our baby more than anything. And I didn't want any sympathy from you. I didn't need that type of attention.”

“Rich, you love attention. And that would've been the prime opportunity for you to gain attention and have more followers on Twitter and fans on Facebook. Gather more headlines, so you can have me twisted up in there with you.”

“Why would you say something like that? Is that what you think of me? After all we've been through? I don't even believe in abortions.”

“Rich, you just had one last summer.”

”Well, that doesn't mean I believe in them. But I believe in us. I believe in you and me.”

“You know what, Rich, I wasn't there. And I would hate to believe that you would make up something like a miscarriage. But, I'ma tell you like this—you need to watch the company you keep, 'cause somebody is lying on you.”

“I don't believe this!” Tears filled my eyes.

“No need to cry. We ain't beefin'. We're just having a talk.”

“I just can't believe this is happening. Do you know how many people are jealous of us? And trying to ruin our relationship?!”

“Baby, the only person who's going to ruin us is you.”

I blinked. Blinked four times. “And how am I going to ruin us? You have got to be kidding me! You, better than anybody, know how hard it's been to get my mother to accept you. And I'm not going to do a thing to mess this up. We are right where we need to be. And one thing I don't believe in is lying to my man.”

“Yeah, I hope not. But—”

“We're still stuck on a
but
?”

“No, we're not still stuck on a
but
, 'cause I'ma give you enough rope to hang yourself.” He stepped into my space, stared me in the eyes, and gently kissed me on the lips. I slid my hands over his shoulders and slightly parted my mouth, hoping for some tongue. Instead he stepped back, breaking our embrace, and said, “Let's go eat.”

I watched Knox walk out of the room and at that moment I knew that I was gon' have to cut a bitch . . .

“W
ait 'til I find that dirty whore,” Rich spat, punching her fist into the palm of her hand. “I'ma kick her as—”

I grinned inside. Spencer was finally going to get her just due.
Eff with me if you want!

“Calm down, Rich. Keep it calm, and keep it cute. Tell me what has you so upset.”

Rich punched a locker. “I wanna take my heels off and beat her in the head with 'em.”

“Wait a minute. Who are you talking about?”

“That two-faced Spencer, that's who!”

“Rich, girl, calm down for a second, and tell me what she did. And start from the beginning. I'm sure we can work this out.”

“There's nothing to work out except for my fist in her face, and my knee in her neck. She has crossed the line this time. Trying to disrupt my relationship with Knox! I don't give a damn who you are, that's grounds for a beatdown. I've fought too hard to get him, and I'll be damned if I'm about to let anyone come in between us and screw it up. There are three things I don't play with: my money, my man, and my hot wings. And I do mean in that order.”

I blinked.
Hot wings? What is this cow talking about? Whatever!

“Listen. You are going to have to calm down; otherwise you won't be able to get her the way you want to. Now what happened? Matter of fact, let's go into the lounge.”

Tears sprang from Rich's eyes as I led her into the girls' lounge. “I have been nothing but good to that girl. And this is how she repays me? Stab me in the back while smiling all in my face. The whole time wanting to destroy me. You were right. That trick is jealous! I try to be nice to people. I'm so sick of it!”

She started pacing the length of the lounge area, her heels clicking against the tiles like angry drums.

“You're too nice. I keep trying to tell you that, Rich. People don't appreciate you.”

“You're right. People are always trying to take my kindness for a weakness.”

“That's because you're too freakin' nice. Enough already.”

“You're right. From now on, I'm going to start being a selfish, self-centered
beeeyotch
who treats people the exact way they treat me . . .”

“How could she betray me like that? Why would she tell Knox I had an abortion? All jokes aside, that's not something I play with. ”

“She did what? Oh no, girl,” I said, pacing back and forth alongside of her. “Oh no she didn't. When? How did you find that out?”

“You heard me. She told Knox that I had an abortion. Can you believe that? I don't know when she told him because he wouldn't say. All I know is, he came at me with an attitude and told me I needed to watch the company I keep. And the only person who I told about that miscarriage and who knows Knox, is Spencer.”

“You really think she would do that?”

“I know she would.”

“Well, you know it couldn't have been me, 'cause I just met him.”

“Exactly. Spencer is the only one who knows him like that. So I know it wasn't you. You'd never do me like that. You're not the one who's jealous of me; that whore Spencer is. You've been nothing but good to me. The more I think about it, the more I know it was her because that night we went out for drinks she had the nerve to tell me that Knox was too good for me . . .”

I stopped pacing, placing a hand up on my hip. “She did what?”

“Yes, girl. She told me that if I didn't watch myself I was going to lose him.”

“See. And you should have cut her off right then.”

“I know. I know. But I wanted to give her a chance. You know how I am.”

“So, I know it was her. She wants my man! Stupid, delusional whore. A nothing.”

I silently smirked.

“And it's a shame because you were really a good friend to her, Rich. She never deserved your friendship. You've given her so many chances, from sleeping with Corey to turning your brother against you and talking behind your back, you've done nothing but forgive her over and over again. I would have cut her off a long time ago. When is it going to stop? Enough is enough.”

“I'm not like you, London. I have a heart.”

I blinked.

“I know you do, Rich. And it's been crushed by someone you thought you could trust.” I paused, eyeing her. “Please tell me Knox and you are still together.”

I held my breath as she dabbed tears from her eyes.

“Yes. Thank God! But I had to go into damage control. That slore really tried to do me in; tried to make my life a living hell! She knows how much I love Knox. I've always loved him.”

“Yeah, she knew. And she knew it would hurt you. And imagine the bad press it would have caused.”

She sighed. “Oh, London, please. You're going overboard. There's no such thing as bad press. And besides, lucky for her, it didn't get that far 'cause the headline would have read: Dead Whore Found at Hollywood High.”

I snickered. “Bottom line, she knew it would hurt you. Think about it. She never wanted you to have any friends other than her. She was always catching attitudes, always calling and checking in on you, and always questioning your whereabouts. She wanted to keep you all to herself. That's what jealous whores do. Been there, squashed that. And that's why she wasn't at lunch today or at her locker this morning because she knew what she did. But you had to see Spencer for yourself. That trick can't be trusted.”

Rich's chest was heaving and her hands were balled up by her sides.

“And that's why I'm going to beat her face in. And give her the beating that her mother was too neglectful to give her.”

“Now wait, Rich,” I said, placing a hand on her shoulder, causing her to stop in her tracks. “Remember what happened the last time you went to beat someone up,
we
both ended up in jail. Let's play this one smart. You don't want to beat her down to where you end up being locked up and sued again. But she definitely needs to get it.”

“And I'm going to give it to her.”

“No, this is what you have to do—”

Rich cut me off. “I don't want to hear anything about keeping it calm and keeping it cute. That trick wasn't keeping it cute when she told Knox them lies on me.”

We both paced the floor again.

“Girl, nothing but lies,” I said, secretly grinning. “I'm so hurt that she would stoop so low and do you like this. Seeing you hurt, hurts me. She was dead wrong for doing that. And that's why I'm saying, enough of the niceness. Enough of being kind. You have to get at her without putting her on defense. Don't let your emotions get in the way, either. The best way to slay an enemy is with a smile. Get her away from that purse.

“Pretend to be real nice and sweet, then reel your hand back when she least expects it and slide her face across the floor. Sling that slap from your gutter roots of Georgia. Leave your business card in her face. Then stare her down, and let her know. And don't be doing too much talking, preparing her for the smackdown. You step up to her face. Sling her with words. And then you strike!”

Rich stopped in her tracks, taking pause, then narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “You know what? That's
exactly
what I'll do.”

I smiled as the bell rang, unlocked the lounge door and stepped out.

 

“Mmmhmm . . . there she goes right there,” I whispered as Rich and I walked into our finance class. Spencer was sitting up in the front row of the class. “Remember the plan. Keep it cute. Not too many words. Strike from the guts of Georgia, and take her face off.”

Rich didn't say a word. She kept her eyes locked in on her target.

“Excuse me, Spencer,” Rich said, trying her best to stay calm. “Can I talk to you for a minute in back of the class?”

Spencer eyed Rich up and down. “No, we can talk right here because once Mister Donte starts class I'm not going to do any talking. The last time I slipped out of class with you, I missed out on all the information I needed, so how can I help you? What do you want?”

Rich batted her eyes, then gently swiped Spencer's bang over her forehead. “All I want to do is apologize. We've always been good friends, haven't we, Spencer?”

She turned her lips up. “Uh-huh ... you're right. We sure were. Until London came along and you changed.”

Rich tilted her head and lowered her voice. “Oh, wow . . . so sorry you feel that way. But you're right. I have changed.” She gathered her weave into a ponytail. “I'm smarter. I'm wiser. And I know who my real friends are.”

Spencer batted her lashes. “Oh, isn't that special. So you're finally coming to your senses now.”

“I sure am. I'm finally able to see you for who you really are. Nothing but a hating slut who likes to dig through garbage, but then again . . . you are garbage.”

“Wait a minute, Rich . . .”

“No, you wait a minute—”

I cut Rich off, clearing my throat and making slicing motions across my neck, gesturing for her to cut it short and smack her way to the point. I sat on the edge of my seat, waiting for the action to unfold.

Next thing I knew, Rich reared her hand back from the guts of Georgia just like I told her, and slapped Spencer so hard that spittle flew out of her mouth and she stumbled out of the desk. And hit the floor.

The classroom went on mute. Dead silence!

“Aaaaah!” Spencer screamed, clearly caught off guard.

Rich slipped out of one of her six-inch pencil heels and held it over her head as she stood over Spencer. “Unless you're looking to die, you will shut your mouth and leave me and my man alone! Don't you
ever
as long as you breathe cross me! Because the next time you do, I'll be dancing on the dirt over your head. Every time I see you, slut, it's on! Now hit the floor with that!”

As the cameras clicked, I smiled. “Well done. Now let's get out of here. You've had enough for the day. Drinks on me.”