Not A Good Look by Nikki Carter

says.
    â€œYou did not kick me to the curb. I bounced you.”
    â€œThat’s right. You were mad, just ’cause I gave some other girl my number. Are you still mad?”
    â€œNaw. I’m mad ’cause you up in my face and your breath stank. Bethany, give him some gum, a mint, something.”
    Everyone at the bus stop cracks up laughing. I lift one eyebrow, challenging Romell to come at me again. He will never beat me in a war of words, but it might make me feel better.
    I guess Romell doesn’t want to take the chance of me embarrassing him further, so he gives me a dismissive shrug and walks off with his boys to the other side of the bus stop.
    â€œSo y’all were at the studio all weekend?” Bethany asks. “Are you gonna dish or what?”
    â€œNothing to dish about.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you come and get me?”
    â€œI don’t know. It was kinda last minute. Big D wanted me to come into the studio and write some songs for Dreya’s album.”
    Bethany’s mouth drops open. “Dreya’s album? Y’all tripping not keeping me in the loop. She’s got a record deal?”
    â€œNot yet, but Big D said he could get her one as soon as Truth’s first single hits number one. Maybe even before that.”
    â€œThe hook we wrote?” Bethany asks.
    I laugh out loud. “Stop playing, Bethany. The hook I wrote?”
    â€œYeah, it’s whatever. I contributed, too,” she says.
    â€œOkay, Bethany.” I refuse to argue with her when she’s being delusional.
    â€œWhat’s up with Sam? You aren’t trying to step to him, are you?”
    I pause before giving my reply. I know that Bethany likes Sam, or thinks she likes Sam, or whatever it is that she does. In her mind she’s claimed him, but nobody else operates off her logic.
    Finally I say, “He’s a great songwriter, but I don’t know about stepping to him. We just met.”
    Bethany rolls her neck and leans back. Here we go. Let the delusional behavior begin.
    â€œIs that the only reason you’re not stepping to him?” she asks.
    â€œYeah, pretty much.”
    â€œHow about the fact that I was digging him first?”
    See what I’m talking about? Delusional.
    â€œBethany, don’t start. Sam was not feeling you at all, and you know it. Why you always gotta do this?”
    This is such a repeat story with Bethany. Just about every guy that I’ve dated, including Romell, has caused drama between us. And it’s the same story every time. She saw the guy first, and I stole him. Then she has an attitude until she finds some other guy to like. It’s old, for real. I really wish she’d change the channel on that stupidity.
    â€œI’m not pressed about it,” Bethany retorts. “I just wanted you to know that I saw Sam first. He’s not even cute, so you can have him.”
    â€œBethany, we all met him at the same time, but whatever. I don’t even care what you think.”
    â€œYeah, it is whatever.”
    Bethany crosses her arms and slumps back in the seat. This is the part where she decides she’s not talking to me for all of like five minutes. This is so repetitive, like my iPod stuck on replay.
    â€œAre you going to the studio again after school?” Bethany asks. I guess the silent treatment is over. What was that, thirty seconds?
    I nod. “Yep. Dreya is set to start recording. Sam is coming to pick me up.”
    â€œIs it cool if I come, too?”
    â€œNot if you’re gonna be tripping and embarrassing me.”
    Bethany sucks her teeth and pouts. “Now you sound like Dreya.”
    â€œI’m just saying.”
    â€œDon’t be acting like I’m not a part of this group, Sunday. I’ve been in Daddy’s Little Girls since day one.” Bethany’s voice quivers as she says this, as if she’s really afraid that we’re going to leave her