The Fight by L. Divine Page A

that at all. Girl, you have to play the game if you’re going to survive one day here. This is Drama High, no matter what it says on the front of the school. If you want to walk through here every day without getting into a fight or having people hate on you all year for no reason, you’re going to have to come off that high horse you on and respect the rules of the game.”
    But I’ve learned playing games always leads to more drama, which is why Misty is always in some mess. Boys like to play games too, although that’s on a whole different level. Unfortunately, we all get dragged into a mess sometimes, especially when we think we’re in love.

6
    The Drama Begins
    â€œThey smile in your face All the time they want to take
your place, them backstabbers.”
    â€” THE O’JAYS
    B y the time I get my new schedule and get back to my locker, the hall is packed with students. Everybody’s rushing all over, looking for their lockers, saying “Hi” to their friends, rolling their eyes at their enemies. Everybody’s looking fly for their first day too, in whatever gear they got on. Even teachers are dressed up for their new students. And, everyone’s running late.
    As I close my locker door, quietly hoping I can get it open later without any help, I notice Trecee down the hall talking to this girl I don’t know and pointing at me. She’s in a powder blue sweat suit with a little navy blue tank top underneath, wearing her hair in gold-and-blue box braids to match her outfit, and big gold hoops hang from her ears. That’s just Trecee’s style: tacky. I’m wondering what she could want with me when she and her friend start walking toward me and I know I’ll find out soon enough.
    â€œDidn’t you learn not to mess with other people’s property?” she says, looking like she’s about to punch me. Her friend stands behind Trecee in a way that says she’s got her back.
    â€œWho are you talking to?” I ask, hardening my expression and ready for the fight, though I have no idea whose property she’s referring to.
    â€œI’m talking to you and I know all about you and KJ,” Trecee says.
    I can’t believe she’s stepping to me over some bullshit with KJ. I mean, first of all, I am already pissed and hurt because of our breakup, so I don’t want too much to do with him now anyway. Second of all, he can’t want her behind no way, especially not after dealing with a queen like myself. So, what she is trippin’ over is really beyond me.
    So, anyway, this broad wants to “warn me” that KJ is her man now, and I had better stay away from him. “WHATEVER!” is exactly what I say to her. She ain’t got no clout with nobody, especially not with none of the people that I know.
    You see, Trecee is one of them unnoticeable kinda girls. She knows just as well as everybody else that she ain’t cute, she ain’t smart, and sure enough she don’t dress tight. But, unlike cute girls like me and my girls, she’ll give up the cookies to just about anybody.
    I mean, I’m still a virgin and I ain’t thinking about giving up the cookies no time soon. Well, I almost did to Kalvinice, or KJ as he likes to be called, and you can see why. I mean, what the hell kind of name is Kalvinice? And then to name somebody that twice, ’cause yes, he’s a junior. Anyway, that brotha had me sprung. I was in love with him and he dogged me good, real good.
    KJ’s the most popular Black cat at school. He’s on the basketball team, and he’s pretty good. He’s cute and has mad gear, not all flashy and stuff. Just cool, just KJ. He lives in Compton, like the rest of us bused-in Black folk, and he has a car. As a junior, he applied to all of the big schools and scouts were constantly at the games watching him play. He and his best friend C Money had a lot of fun taking all the other