Indigo Summer by Monica McKayhan Page B

funny a few minutes ago?” “Something like that,” I said, pulling my math book out of my locker, and then slamming my locker shut.
    â€œDon’t start tripping, girl,” he said, and then grabbed me in a semi-headlock. “Lots of girls like me, but I’m with you. Remember?”
    â€œYeah, I remember,” I said.
    â€œThen don’t start trippin’. I can have any girl I want in this school, but I chose you.”
    â€œI know,” I said.
    But that green-eyed monster, called “jealousy,” would probably rear its ugly head again. Going out with a boy like Quincy, I was sure of it.
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    Instead of practicing a routine, we did squats and exercises with our legs. I was confused; I thought this was a dance team. But we weren’t dancing, we were exercising. If I wanted to exercise, I would’ve tried out for the basketball or volleyball team. Kristal must’ve been thinking the same thing, because she raised her hand and asked Miss Martin the question that was lingering on the tip of my tongue.
    â€œWhat’s up with the exercises? I thought this was a dance team,” she said.
    â€œThis is a dance team,” Miss Martin informed her.
    â€œWell why are we working out like we’re playing sports or something?” Kristal went on to ask.
    â€œYou don’t think dancing is a sport?”
    â€œWell…I don’t know…” Kristal stumbled. “I guess it is.”
    â€œIt absolutely is,” Miss Martin said, and I was glad I hadn’t asked the question, because Miss Martin suddenly got an attitude. “If you have a problem with strengthening your legs before dancing, you’re free to leave.”
    â€œI’m cool with it,” Kristal said.
    â€œAnybody else got a problem with the way I conduct dance practice?” Miss Martin looked around at all the faces in the gym. Girls who were grateful just to be on the team. We weren’t about to mess that up.
    â€œNo,” we all said in unison.
    â€œGood,” she said. “Now give me ten more squats.”
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    After several sets of squats, we practiced our routine for the upcoming event, which happened to be halftime at the Homecoming game. It would be our first performance as a team, and we didn’t have much time to practice. Miss Martin blew her whistle and we lined up in the center of the floor of the gym. When she asked us to team up with a partner, Tameka and I chose each other. Tameka was beginning to fill the void that Jade had left when she moved away. She was funny and had me laughing all through practice. And even though she lived in another part of town, and rode a different bus, we found ourselves trying to figure out how to get together that weekend.
    â€œAsk your mama if you can spend this weekend at my house,” she said after practice, “and then we can go to the mall on Saturday and find our dresses for the dance.”
    â€œI’ll see. But my parents don’t usually let me spend the night with people they don’t know.”
    â€œWell beg them, and plead with them,” she suggested. “Clean up your room first, and maybe they’ll go for it.”
    â€œNow that might work,” I said. “I’ll ask and let you know.”
    â€œCool.”
    â€œWho’s taking you to the dance?” I asked.
    â€œJeff Donaldson,” she said, wiping sweat from her forehead as we both headed outside to look for our parents. “He’s on the football team with Quincy. They’re friends. You’ve seen him. He’s fine, tall, dark and muscular.”
    â€œOh, yeah, I’ve seen them together,” I told her.
    â€œWe’ve been going together for about a year now,” she said, smiling. “He gave me this.”
    She held her hand out and showed me the silver promise ring on her finger.
    â€œOoh, that’s pretty,” I said. “What he give you that for?”
    â€œIt