Chapter 1
Capri jumped up from out of her slumber with an odd feeling that was running all over her entire body. Her head was spinning which caused her to feel dizzy as she noticed her mouth beginning to feel watery. Her stomach instantly begins to churn as she quickly threw back the covers from off of her legs as she quickly darted off into the bathroom. As soon as she made it into the bathroom to bend over to the toilet stool all of her contents from earlier that day rapidly came rushing out of her mouth. Everything was coming up so fast that she coughed and gagged while holding onto the sides of the toilet bowl. Tears begin to form in her eyes while running down her cheeks as she set on the colorful butterfly area rug.
"Ugh...What is wrong with me? It must have been those spicy tacos that I ate from last night," she mumbled to herself as she rubbed her now empty but hurting stomach.
She whipped her mouth with the back of her hand just as she flushed the toilet stool.
"Capri! Capri! Wake up, honey. It's time for school," she heard the familiar voice of her mom as she heard her footsteps become closer to her bedroom.
Her mother walked into her bedroom as she immediately pulled back the curtains and blinds before she even noticed that her daughter was missing out of her bed.
"Capri, Are you okay sweetie?'' her mother Caliyah questioned in a worried tone as she rushed over to her aid.
"No mom. I'm not alright. I think that I have a stomach virus or something. Can't I just stay out of school for today? " Capri whined while shaking her head from side to side.
Caliyah felt her forehead to see if she had a fever. There was no fever.
"Sure, you can stay home from school. You definitely don't need to be in school sick. So do you want to go to the doctor?" She questioned as she looked her in the eyes while helping her up from off the floor.
"No doctor and thanks mom," she says as she grabbed her mouthwash, opened it, and pour some into her mouth.
She gargled for a couple of seconds and spit the mouthwash out into the faucet.
"You're welcome, sweetie. Do you need me to do anything for you or would you like some breakfast?" she questioned as she stepped into the frame of the doorway.
" No thanks. My stomach is still hurting but I could use a glass of cold water," Capri said with a half a smile.
"A glass of cold water coming up, " her mom stated as she made her way out of the bathroom.
Capri turned on the faucet and adjusted the temperate just before grabbing a pink washcloth and wetting it before washing her face. She made her way back into her bedroom and hopped back inside the bed and threw the covers back over her right before her mom walked back into her bedroom with a glass of cold water.
"Here you go, sweetie. I'm leaving to go to work in about thirty minutes so call me if you get any worse so I can take you to the doctor," she said as she looked at her watch on her wrist before kissing her on the forehead.
"Thank you and I'm sure that I will be okay. Go ahead and go to work and don't worry about me. I'll be alright," Capri assured.
"Okay but make sure that you answer your cell phone because I will be calling to check up on you during my lunch break," she said while looking her in the eyes.
"Okay, I will," Capri said just before her mom turned around and begin walking back out of her doorway.
She couldn't go back to sleep at the moment so she grabbed her iPhone 6 from off of her nightstand and unblocked it before going into her messages. She figured that her best friend Sasha would be up getting ready for school so she quickly sent her a text.
Me: Good morning chica.
Date 4/4/2015
Time: 6:30 am
Sasha: Good morning. Are you ready for school?
Date:4/4/2015
Time: 6:32 am
Me: I wish that I could go to school but I 'm sick.
Date 4/4/2015
Sasha: Sick? Aww... are you okay?
Date: 4/4/2015
Time: 6:34 am
Me: Yeah I think that I just have a stomach virus.
Date:4/4/2015
Time: 6:36 am
Sasha: Well get soon. I hope that you feel better. Xoxo
Date: 4/4/205
Time: 6:38
Me: Thanks but I'm sure that I will. Do me a favor and collect my homework assignments from my teachers, please.
Date: 4/4/2014
Time:6:41
Sasha: Okay sure. Anything for your bestie. Well, I will chat will you later cause here's my school bus.
Date 4/4/2015
Time: 6:42
Capri was going to miss going to school today plus she knew that she was going to have to make up some test that she had for today. She had studied so hard that she was sure that she would ace them both. She scrolled through her cell phone and logged into her Facebook. She noticed that she had a couple of friends request from some of her friends at school so she accepted them all and check her notifications. Next, she checked her inbox messages and replied back to a couple of her friends and family members before checking the news feed. The first thing that had caught her attention was a girl by the name of Nesha Bowden who she has known from school had posted a status saying that she would no longer be attending their school.
That was shocking to her ears so she saw that they were many votes and comments. She scanned the comments from other students at the school and also commented herself. By the time she went back to her news feed she scrolled down past some other post and see Nesha with her hands across her protruding belly.
"Oh my God! This can't be. Tell me that she is just playing some type of joke or something and is just wearing a pregnant belly or something," Capri shouted out in shock to herself before throwing her hands over her mouth in disbelief.
Instead of commenting she decided to just privately inbox her just to see if she was playing some sort of joke. After looking at pictures, videos, random quotes, and post she logged off of Facebook and slid her hand under her pillow to pull out her book. The book was by one of her favorite authors which were Nikki Turner and the title of the book was The Bank Sisters. She opened up the book while finding her bookmark and begin to read. Reading was something that she enjoyed doing and did regularly. She read for at least an hour before her eyes slowly begin drifting off into the back of her head until her lights were out.
Chapter 2
Capri was so glad that it was the weekend she and was feeling a lot better from yesterday that's why she had decided to go to the mall with a couple of her friends.
"Let's go inside of Aeropostale," Sasha said as she looked over at Capri, Antoinette before making their way inside of the store.
''Ooh...they have a great sale,'' Antoinette said as she pointed at the seventy percent sale sing.
She ended up picking up a flowered dress that had skinny straps and a pair of matching Bohemian sandals.
They begin looking around through the clothing racks while making girl talk.
"So are y'all going to Yasmine's party tomorrow?" Sasha questioned curiously as she looked at them back in fourth.
"You know that I'm going," Antoinette said with a snap of her fingers.
They both looked over at Capri. Capri diverted her eyes in the opposite direction as she looked over at.some of the customers that had walked into the store.
"Well...are you?" Sasha questioned as she butts her in the arm with her elbow.
Capri begins to have flashbacks of what had happened to her the last time that she had attended her friend Denise's party as she blinking her eyes to try to hold back tears. Her heart begins racing and her palms became sweaty at just the thought of it. Just then she was knocked out of her daze as she Sasha waving her hands in front of her face.
''Hello? Hello? Earth to Capri," she said as she tried to get her attention.
"Oh...no. I hate parties. Besides I don't know how to dance anyway," Capri's said with a slight chuckle.
"Aww...come on. It will be fun. I promise," Sasha said as she locked arm with her before they walked over to the jewelry section.
''You don't take me as a party pooper. You know that you want to go and hang out with your friends. It's not like you have something important to do tomorrow. Do you?" Antoinette questioned with raised eyebrows.
"Well, actually I do," Capri lied as she grabbed the gold necklace that had make-up, pumps, lips, perfume, lipstick, and nail polish charms going around it. ''
''I love this! I think I'm going to get his necklace,'' Capri said with a smile as she grabbed the necklace with a cute pair of hoop earrings.
They continued roaming throughout the store picking up an item and headed to the cash register to pay for their items. Next, they made their way inside one of their favorite stores; Victoria's Secret. They loved their undergarments and perfumes. They walked around the store and looked at the beautiful negligee and had even run into one of their other friends into the store by the name of Lashae. She was walking around in the mall with her mom and younger brother.
By the time they left out of there, they each had a bag full of underwear and perfume.
They hit up a couple of other stores including Forever 21, Rue 21, The Body Shop, Macy's, Foot Locker, Clair's, F.Y.I, and The Pretzel Shop. Afterward, they headed upstairs to the food court and decided on some pizza. They all took a seat at the table once they paid for and got their food and drinks. As soon as they set down and started eating and conversing with each other Antoinette's cell phone started going off. She grabbed her cell phone out of her purse and looked at the screen while rolling her eyes into the back of her head.
''Ugh...it's my dad. He's always calling and checking up on me like I'm a little girl,'' she said annoyed before she put on a front and answered her phone call.
''Hey daddy,'' she said with a fake smile as the girls all laughed and continued to stuff their faces with pizza.
'' There are some guys staring at us over there but you guys don't look,'' Capri said as she grabbed her drink and put it up to her lips.
But instead, Antoinette looked anyways.
''I told you don't look,'' Capri said as she kicked her leg under the table.
''Och!'' Antoinette said as she grabbed her leg as the other girls laughed in unison.
''I just wanted to see if they were cute,'' Antoinette said with a smile.
''Shhh...they are coming over here,'' Capri said as she played it cool.
She was hoping that there was nothing on her lips so she quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped across them just as they heard a boys voice.
''Hey girls. How are you all doing?'' he said with a smile as he locked eyes with Capri before glancing over at the other girls.
''Hey. We're doing good,'' all the girls said in unison as if they were triplets.
My name is Dominique and these are my homeboys Trey, and August,'' he said as he pointed to his friends.
To be honest they were all handsome boys. Dominique had this cocoa complexion, fade, dark brown eyes, plump lips, athletically built, and stood around 5'6 in height. Trey was a true definition of red bone. He had hazel eyes, pink lips, low cut with waves, athletically built, and stood at 5'6 in height. August was light skin, dark brown eyes, pink lips, box cut with fade, athletically built, and stood at 5'7 in height.
''Nice to meet you,'' Capri said shyly as she looked in his eyes before returning her attention to the girls.
''Likewise'' he said.
''So what school do you all go to?'' August questioned as he looked over at Sasha.
''What makes you think that we would tell just random guys who were just meet what school that we attend. You could be stalkers for all we know,'' Sasha said as she crossed her arms and turned up her lips.
''Sasha! That was rude. Excuse my crazy friends over here. She was just joking.'' Antoinette said as she shot Sasha a look as if she was throwing daggers.
''We all attend Cape Valley Middle School. What about you?'' Antoinette said curiously.
''So do we. So assuming that you have all heard about this big party that's coming up,'' Trey said as he looked over at Antoinette.
''Yeah, so we heard. What about it?'' Antoinette questioned.
''Are y'all going?'' Trey questioned curiously.
''Yeah we're going except Capri,'' Sasha replied as she looked over at Capri.
She was hoping that Capri would change her mind cause she saw that way that she was looking at Dominique.
''You aren't attending?'' Dominique questioned with furrowed eyebrows.
''Umm...Umm...I would go but something just came up,'' Capri stated as she watched her girls smile back at her.
''Well...I do hope that I could see you there. I would love to dance with you,'' Dominique said as he winked at her just as her cell phone started going off.
''Excuse me. I got to get this Capri said as she pulled out her phone and looked at the screen to see that it was her mom calling.
''Hello?'' she answered.
''Are you girls all ready?'' I'm out front of the mall waiting,'' he mom stated.
''Okay mom. We'll be right there,'' she said as they ended the phone call.
She got up from the table as she felt like she was being watched by Dominique.
''Okay girls that were my mom and she's ready for us so we got to go,'' she said as she looked over at her friends.
''Maybe we'll see you at the party,'' Sasha said as they made there was out of the food court, down the escalator, down the long hallway, and out of the entrance doors.
Chapter 3
The party was hype just like any old party that they had attended in the past. There were chaperones and some parents on the lookout just in case things got out of hand. Up All Night by Drake was booming throughout the speakers. Beautiful, colorful, decorative, disco balls hanging out of the air and decorations everywhere. There was a concession area, dance area, D.J booth, and it was packed as wolves. People were spread out and about almost everywhere.
''Oh my God, you came!'' Yasmine shouted out excitedly as she ran up to hug Capri's neck.
Ebony, Renea, Mecha, and a couple of other girls smiled and waved as they dance to the music. They all waved back.
''Thank you all for coming to my party. Have fun and enjoy yourself,'' Yasmine said while looking back and forth between the three girls.
''You're welcome,'' They all replied back in unison.
''See I told you that you would be missing out. Come on let's dance,'' Sasha said as she pulled Capri by the arm as Antoinette followed close behind.
''This is my jam!'' Antoinette said excitedly as she threw her hands up in the air as she begins swaying her hips from side to side at Ready by Chris Brown boomed through the speakers.
Everybody jumped onto the dance floor. Capri felt awkward as she shuffled from foot to foot. She had no idea how to dance while looking around nervously. That's why she really didn't care too much about attending a party. The only reason why she came was that her friends begged her to come and told her that she would have a good time.
They all continued to converse and dance through the next four songs until they finally took a break while making their way over to the concession area to get drink and food. Sasha grabbed a plastic red cup and the big spoon the was inside the clear punch bowl as she pours the contents inside her cup.
" So are you enjoying yourself?" Sasha questioned Capri.
"Yeah... it's alright," Capri said while looking around as she grabbed a plastic plate and filled it with chips.
"Oh... don't look, but Dewayne and his boys are coming over this way," Antoinette said with a smile as she took a sip from her plastic cup.
"You came," Dewayne said with a smile as he stared into the eyes of Capri.
"Yeah...I did," Capri said with a smile as Sasha and Antoinette begin conversing with Trey and August.
''Would you like to dance?" Dewayne questioned as he held out his arm.
Capri looked and him for a second as she thought about it.
"Yeah...sure," she said as they made their way back to the dance floor.
Nobody Knows starts booming through the speakers as they prepared to slow dance. They placed their hands inside of one another as he slid his other hand around her waist. It felt like the room went blank and no one was in the room, but just them as they stared into one another eyes as they slowly swayed back and forth. He pulled her closer as she laid her head on his shoulder. Just as the song was coming to an ending she lifted her head up as the stared into each other's eyes as he leaned in for a kiss. The kiss was deep and passionate as a growing feeling begin to take over her body as he slid his hand further down to her bottom. He slid his tongue into her mouth as she quickly pulled away while looking from left to right.
"Oh... I'm sorry,'' Capri said as she made a beeline through the crowd of people for the front door.
"Hey Capri...wait up," Antoinette yelled out.
"What's going on? Did he say or do something to you?" Sasha questioned curiously with raised eyebrows as she threw her hands on her hip as if she was prepared to fight.
"No. I'm just ready to go home," Capri simply replied as she took a deep breath.
Antoinette's cell phone started going off as she looked at the caller I.D before she took the call.
"Well okay. I know you may not wanna talk about it now, but something is up. Either way, I'm gonna get it out of you," Sasha stated as she stared Capri into the eyes.
"Girls that was my mom and she's on the way to come and pick it up now. So we might as well wait here outside," Antoinette said as she looked over at them.
Just then they saw Ebony's mom come up the stairs with a housecoat, bedroom shoes, and rollers in her head.
"Hey. You girls saw Ebony up in there?" she questioned as she looked them over.
All the girls look at each other before responding, "Yeah," in unison.
''I'm gonna kill her," Ebony's mom said before taking off inside the front door.
"It's going down! I just saw Ebony head upstairs earlier with some boy," Antoinette said wide-eyed.
"Oh my God for real?" Sasha questioned wide-eyed and full of shock.
"Better her than me," Capri replied with a hunch of the shoulders as she looked around as some people were leaving the party.
August, Trey, and Dewayne walked out. Sasha and Antoinette said their goodbyes and hugged both guys as Dewayne stared over at Capri, but she dropped eye contact wuthering him just as he was about to speak.
Beep! Beep!...
The horn blew as Antoinette's mom pulled up into the driveway as all girls made their way to the vehicle and hopped inside.
"You girls have fun?" Antoinette's mom questioned as she backed out of the driveway.
''Yeah,"... They all said in unison.
"That's good," she replied.
Sasha was playing Bubble Bash on her cell phone as Capri just stared out of the passenger side window.
Minutes later they were pulling into her front yard as Capri grabbed the door handle and opened up the door.
"Thanks. See y'all later. Call me tomorrow Sasha and Antoinette," Capri said as she got out, closed the door, and waved, goodbye.
She made her way down the cemented walkway to the front door as she slid her key into the lock and turned the doorknob.
"Mom? Dad? I'm home from the party," Capri yelled out as she looked around the living room. No one was in the living room so she looked inside the kitchen, but it was also empty.
She made her way up the stairs as she heard the sounds of smooth jazz playing through the stereo. She was just about to knock on her parent's bedroom door when she heard her mother's voice shout out.
''Give it to me! Right there!"
Capri could hear the headboard banging and the bed squeaking as she bypassed the door. She then quickly headed inside her bedroom while closing her door behind her from the embarrassment of catching her parents having sex.
Capri grabbed her remote control and popped on her stereo as she made her way over to her dresser as she pulled out her pajamas. She quickly stripped out of her clothing, threw them in the hamper, and slid on her pajamas. She pulled the covers back in climbed inside of her cozy queen-sized bed. Within minutes her eyelids rolled into the back of her head and she was out like a light bulb before counting sleep in her dreams.
Chapter 4
The whole classroom clapped their hands seconds after Janae had just read a poem titled Dreams by Langston Hughes.
"That was amazing Janae. You did a wonderful job! " Mrs. Wooten stated with a warm smile as she looked her into the eyes before diverting her attention back to the classroom.
Capri looked around nervously as she begins to wring her hands as she felt her heart thump into her chest. She closed her eyes and swallowed the lump that had formed into the back of her throat as she let out a silent prayer.
"Please don't let me be next," she mumbled to herself just as she opened her eyes, but when she did she noticed that her teacher was looking right at her.
She just knew that it was too late and that she would be called next. The assignment was to read out poetry by one of their favorite poets that were meaningful to them.
"Capri, would you like to go next? " Mrs. Wooten questioned her with raised eyebrows as she took a seat at the front of her desk.
Her palms got clammy as her eyes scanned the classroom to noticed that everyone was staring at her just as she swallowed a load of saliva. Capri looked down at her blank paper while realizing that her mind went blank as the classroom fell silent. She had actually challenged herself to remember her favorite poem without even writing it down, but her nervousness was getting the best of her. She slowly stood up from behind her desk while making her way to the front of the classroom. Capri opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She closed her eyes and inhaled then exhaled as the words begin to flow through her brain and out through her mouth as she begins.
-Phenomenal Woman-
By: Maya Angelou
"Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.
Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need for my care.
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me."
By the time that she had finished reciting the poetry, she received a standing ovation from the whole classroom and the teacher just as the bell rang for class dismissal.
"Class dismissed and no homework for today but make sure to study for your test Friday," Mrs. Wooten stated as the class stood up from behind their desk while grabbing their items and book bags.
Just as she grabbed her things she heard her name being called.
"Capri. I see that you have great taste," Mrs. Wooten said with a smile.
"Thank you," Capri replied.
"Maya Angelou is one of the greatest poets of all times also one of my favorites also. You did an amazing job and you should be proud of yourself. We have a pet rally that also consists of a talent contest coming up within the next two weeks and think that you should consider entering, " she says as she gathered up her papers on the desk.
''Oh my God, I would love that! Thank you so much,'' Capri shouted out in awe.
Capri walked out of her classroom and the first person she noticed was her best friend Sasha waiting for her beside her locker.
''Hey bestie,'' she said in her usual chipper voice.
''Hey,'' Capri simply replied back.
''What are you smiling about?'' Sasha questioned curiously.
Mrs. Wooten said that I should enter the talent contest for this poem that I had read by my favorite author Mya Angelou in class,'' Capri said with a smile as she put in her combination to her lock before popping it open while opening up her locker.
''Aww...That's awesome Capri! Yeah...you should and I will be right there hopping and holler your name the whole time'' Sasha shouted out in excitement.
''Girl you are crazy,'' Sasha said as she placed her books into her locker and grabbed a composition book and her math book before closing her locker as she closed the combination lock before sliding her items into her book bag.
''Well enough about that. What do you have planned for the rest of today?'' Sasha questioned as they walked side by side down the hallway.
''Mmm...I'm not sure. If I can get all my homework done I'm going to ask my parents if I could go to the skating rink tonight,'' Capri stated as they passed by a couple of the local jocks in their school.
''For real? I was just gonna say that I missed going skating. Remember we use to go all the time. Especially every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday night. We should go,'' Sasha said with a smile as she made eye contact with Makel.
''Yeah...I remember. Okay...I will ask my parents once I get home and I'll call you and let you know what they said,'' Capri said.
''Girl Makel is so fine!'' Sasha said as she turned around to look at Makel as they make their way down the stairs.
''You have been liking him since like when now? Grade school. I thought y'all would have been hooked up by now. You gonna keep staring at him until you break your neck trying to come down these steps,'' Capri said with a playful chuckle.
''You trying to crack jokes huh?' But real talk my mom won't even allow me to even date a boy until I'm at least sixteen,'' Sasha said with a side-eye as she elbowed her in the arm.
''Well your mom is better than my parents cause my dad said that I couldn't date until I turn fifty, but my mom said that my dad was just joking and he meant eighteen,'' Capri admitted.
''Fifty! The girl that is too old. Your eggs would have been dried up by then. You won't even be able to have babies by then,'' Sasha said as she busted out into laughter as they exited the double glass school doors.
''Eggs?'' Capri repeated as she laughed along with Sasha.
''Yeah... your eggs in which a boy fertilizes with his sperm.
''Ugh...too much information Sasha,'' Capri said as she shook her head from left to right in disguise.
Her friend would say some of the dearness things. You would never know what would come out of her mouth whenever she talks. Sasha cell phone started going off as she reached inside of her purse and pulled it out while strolling through her cell phone. Antoinette and a couple of some other cheerleaders walked over their way with their cheerleading uniforms on.
''Hey, what are you doing up here? I thought y'all had to report to the gym as soon as school let out,'' Capri questioned.
''Yeah... we do but Alecia always meets with her boyfriend Alfonzo after school ends. Plus we have a going away game today so we want to be back until late,'' Antoinette said.
''Oh okay,'' Capri said as she looked back to see that Alecia was locking lips with Alfonzo.
She just couldn't believe that Alecia was bold enough to kiss him in front of the school and in front of everybody else. Wasn't she scared that somebody would tell her parents? Well, it wasn't her problem. She wasn't the one who was doing anything wrong so she sure wasn't going to have anything to do with it. Capri was caught in her own thoughts that she didn't even realize that her mom had pulled up in front of the school until she heard her name being called.
''Capri! Capri!'' Her mom shouted out as she honked the horn to get her attention.
Capri looked over to see her mom before hugging her friend's goodbye before walking over towards the vehicle.
''Hey sweetie,'' her mom says with a smile as she looked her into the eyes before diverting her eyes over to the kids in the background who were either still waiting on rides, standing in from of the school, or headed to the back to load up on the buses of the basketball going away game.
''Hey mom,'' Capri said as she turned around to look out of the passenger side window.
Capri spotted out two of the couples kissing and one of the guys had his hands on his girlfriend's behind as they walked off together.
''School had definitely changed from when I use to go. Isn't there supposed to be a teacher or principal standing out here with you all?'' Her mom questioned as she threw her car in drive.
''The assistant principal use to but I don't know what happened. The principal is out back where the buses are loading,'' she replied.
''Well, I know that if I were any of their parents I would have put a good whooping on all of them, fast girls and boys. You haven't been hanging out with them have you?'' Her mom questioned as she pulled out onto the road before quickly glancing over at her with raised eyebrows.
''No...mom I haven't,'' Capri lied.
She knew that if she told her mom that they were her friends that she wouldn't hear that last of it. They continued to converse for the next fifteen minutes until they made it to their destination; home.
Chapter 5
"You mean to tell me that you ran out of the party because he kisses you," Sasha stated as they walked down the street to the CVS pharmacy.
The pharmacy was only a couple of blocks down from their house, plus they needed the exercise away way.
The weather was nice and besides, it's not like they had anything else better to do after they had gotten out of school.
Sasha's mom had sent her down the street to go pick up a couple of things for her and her medication.
"Yeah...I just felt kinda awkward. I don't know," Capri replied.
"Awkward? That's a word that I have never heard of referring to kissing," Sasha said with a chuckle as a car ride by and honked the horn.
" It's hard to explain the feeling. I mean I like him and all, but have you ever had the feeling that something that felt so good was so wrong?" Capri questioned as she looked over at her.
"Yeah...you mean like when I stole some money out of my mom's purse. I knew that it was wrong, but I wanted that new Jordan's bad and she wouldn't buy them cause I had made one bad grade," Sasha replied.
"Well...yeah kinda. I guess you can say that" Capri agree.
"Well if kissing a boy feel that kinda awkward I wanna experience my first kiss," Sasha said with a chuckle as she made kissing noises with her lips.
"Stop it!" Capri said with a smile as she playfully hit her on the arm as they had finally reached the pharmacy.
"About dang on time. My legs were killing me," Sasha said just as they entered the glass doors.
"Are you serious? It wasn't even that far. We run around the football field during gym class at least three times and it's further than we walked," Capri joked.
"Yeah...don't remind me," she replied as they scanned the aisles.
Sasha picked up a two-liter Coke, chips, milk, and bottle vitamins before heading to the back of the store to pick up her mom's medication.
After receiving her medication and paying for it they continued to look around for a little bit longer as they made their way over by the makeup aisle.
"My mom won't even let me wear any make-up. She says that I'm too young to have my face all painted up like a two-dollar hoe, but I can't help it though cause I love to make up!" Sasha said excitedly as she picked up a shade of pink lipstick.
"Well honestly I hate to agree, but your mom is right. We're only thirteen even though we both turn fourteen this year. That's a little on the young side to be wearing makeup. I don't really care too much for it even though I love me some lip gloss. Gotta keep the lips popping," Capri said with a smile as she picked up some red strawberry kiwi lip gloss.
" Make-up just makes me feel cool and older. I hate looking so young. All of my friends are so immature and I'm so different from them. I'm into fashion, make-up, pumps, hair, and nails," Sasha stated as she grabbed two lipsticks, a black eyeliner, and a compact eyeshade.
"If your mom catches you with that in your face she's gonna beat you until you're black and blue," Capri warned while shaking her head from side to side.
"She wants," Sasha simply stated as they turned down another aisle, but was shocked to see one of their classmates, Nesha Bowden, with a protruding belly.
"Hey, Nesha the girls both said in unison as they looked down at her stomach.
" Hey y'all, " Nesha said back dryly as she diverted her eyes down to the floor as if she was embarrassed.
"I haven't seen you in school in a while. I had almost forgotten what you looked like," Capri said while trying to make light of the awkward situation.
"Yeah... It's been a minute," she replied as she held onto the baby bottles and pampers.
"Whatcha' means you haven't seen her at school in a while? Don't you see her big bel....," Sasha barely could get out before Capri nudged her in the side of her arm with her elbow.
Nesha just stared at her as if she wanted to say something but decided against it.
"So...do you know what you're having?" Capri questioned curiously.
"Yeah... I'm having a boy. I'm actually due next month," she said.
"Next month. It looks like you're about to burst now. How much bigger are you supposed to get?" Sasha questioned wide-eyed.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! I don't know, but that's at least what the doctors told me," she said.
"So when you have the baby are you coming back to school?" Capri questioned curiously.
"Umm...I don't know. For now, I'm getting homeschooled. Not sure if going back to school would be a good decision for me. I bet all the kids know by now, but we will see," Nesha said.
"You're probably right," Sasha agreed.
"Well I'll see y'all around cause my grandma is waiting outside in the car," she said as she darted off towards the front of the store.
"Okay...bye," they said in unison.
"Grandmother? I thought that she stayed with her mom," Sasha questions with furrowed eyebrows and a wrinkled forehead.
" She does. Well, at least I think that she does. Maybe her grandmother just drove her here, " Capri stated.
"Or maybe her mom kicked her out when she found out that she was pregnant," Sasha replied.
Capri thought about it for a minute and just hunched her shoulders.
Seeing Nesha had gotten Capri to thinking. So many thoughts were going through her head all at once. She had just realized that she hadn't had a period in over two months. She looked over at Sasha before speaking.
"So what do you think about Nesha being pregnant at thirteen?" Capri questioned curiously as she looked over at her as they headed towards the front of the store.
"For one that's her problem and not mine. For two she shouldn't be doing what grown folks do. For three she should have had the common sense to not even go there with a poor. Now her life is gonna be a living hell. That's a shame," Sasha said all in one breath as she shook her head from side to side in disappointment.
Sasha looked to the side of her cause she didn't hear anything from Capri. So she turned around to look behind her to see that Capri was standing on an aisle. She turned around and walked over beside her.
"So what made you ask me that questioned?" She asked her while noticing that Capri didn't comment back.
"Capri, what are you staring at?" Sasha questioned as she followed her eyes to see what she was looking at on the shelf.
Capri picked up the pregnancy test and stared at it before flipping it over to the back.
"What! A pregnancy test. When? How? You can't be. Nooo!" Was the last thing that was heard as her screams echoed throughout the store.
Chapter 6
"Oh, my God Capri.!What is taking you so long? What does it say?" Sasha questioned impatiently.
"Hold on, hold on. I'm coming. Give me a minute, " Capri says as she busted out of her bathroom door as she stepped inside of her bedroom.
She looked up to see Sasha sitting on the foot of her bed with a worried look spread across her face.
''Is it doing anything yet?" Sasha questioned as she got up from off of the bed.
''It says wait for like five minutes, " Capri replied as she continued to look at the stick that was in her hand.
"I swear that this seems like the longest five-minute wait ever," Sasha says as she exhales while rolling her eyes up into the back of her head.
Sasha sits back at the foot of the bed and crosses her legs.
Capri sits the pregnancy test down on her nightstand as she sits down in her computer chair behind the desk. Flash floods of memories begin to take over her head.
That day that she was invited to one of her friends Denise's birthday party. She remembered hanging out, conversing, eating, dancing, and drinking some fruit punch. Something about that fruit punch didn't taste quite to right. Maybe somehow someway someone had spiked the drink. Seconds later her stomach starts to churn so she told her friend that she would be back and rushed up to the bathroom upstairs.
By the time she had made it up to the bathroom and had thrown up all over the place she heard a door close and footsteps behind her. When she turned around she had seen a blurry vision of a boy due to her steady flow of tears. She remembers the boy saying something to her and the rest of what happened seems to have been one whole total blur.
The screaming, horror, hurt, pain, tears, agony, and rape that she had endured was like something that she had never experienced before.
"Capri! Capri! Your test is reading positive. Oh my God! What are you gonna do?" Sasha shouted out as she shook Capri out of her daze as she started jumping around like a chimpanzee.
"I'm pregnant? What? I'm pregnant! I don't know what I'm going to do," Capri said in a state of shock as she sighed.
She shook her head from side to side while tears started sliding down her cheeks.
Just then there was a knock on the bedroom door before the doorknob turned and his head stuck through the door.
Capri quickly wiped her face and grabbed the pregnancy test and stuffed it under her behind.
"Hey, sweetie, and hello Sasha. How are you doing?" He questioned as he walked over towards her to give her a hug.
"Hello Mr. C," Sasha said with a smile.
"Hey, daddy. I'm doing good," she says with a fake smile.
"That's good, but you look like you were crying. Is everything okay?" He questioned as he slid his finger down the side of her cheek to wipe away the tear.
"I'm okay. My allergies and sinus are just acting up from earlier today when I was outside, " she lied.
"Okay... As long as you are okay. Just make sure to take some of your medicine to clear all of that up. I was just gonna tell you that your mom had made some Reese's Pieces cookies. Would you two like some?" He questioned.
Sasha looked over at Capri and shook her head up and down yes.
"Yeah...sure," Capri replies with a hunch of her shoulders.
"Okay, I'll send your mom up with the cookies, " he says as he turns around to exit the bedroom.
Soon after he had left the bedroom Sasha looked over at Capri.
"Capri, you've never told me that you've had sex. When was this? Who was it with and why didn't I know all of this?" Sasha says all in one breath.
Capri looked around from left to right as her eyes for as big as saucers. She placed her pointer finger to her lips.
"Shhh! What are you trying to do get me caught up or something? I'll tell you, but not right now. Not here," she says.
"Oops, sorry," Sasha says just as Capri's mom walked into the bedroom with a plate full of cookies.
"Well, here you go, girls, and enjoy, " she says as she placed the tray full of cookies down on the bed.
"Thanks, mom. We're going to take this outside in the back. Do you happen to have some of that good lemonade of yours made?" Capri questioned.
"Yes, sweetie I sure do. I'll go take out of the refrigerator and get out some cups for you. Just stop through and get it on your way down," she says as she makes her exit out of the bedroom.
Capri grabbed her cell phone and her laptop before shutting off her radio. The girls made their way out of the bedroom, descending the stairway, and into the kitchen.
Sasha grabbed the pitcher and the cups and the made themselves more comfortable under the gazebo. It was big, nice and roomy. A trampoline was to the left. The patio was connected to the back porch with a huge grill on the side of the house. The swimming pool, basketball court, and tennis court were located further in the back.
Capri pours them some lemonade while Sasha crunched on some cookies.
Once settled Capri exhaled as she nervously looked around to make sure that no one was around and that she wasn't anywhere in-ear range.
"Okay, now I can answer your questions. Do you remember Denise's party that I went to a while back?" She questioned.
"Yeah, .what about it?" Sasha said curiously.
"Well, there was a reason why I'd never liked attending parties. That's why you and the girls had to nearly beg me to go to that last party cause I had a bad experience," Capri admitted.
"Bad experience? What had to experience? What happened? " she questioned.
Well, All I remember was conversing with friends, eating, dancing, playing games, and chugging down an awful drink during a truth or dare game."
Sasha's eyes widened in shock, but she didn't say not one word. Capri continued.
"I think someone had spiked the drink. It upset my stomach and I ended up throwing up all over that bathroom. I barely made it to the toilet stool."
"Dang, that's crazy!" Sasha shouted out.
"That's not the worse part. What happened is someone came into the bathroom while I was in there and rapped me," Capri finally came out and said as she almost choked on her drink.
"Oh, my God Capri! Are you serious? This can't be true. Did you tell anybody? We've gotta tell your parents. I'm so sorry that this happened to you," Sasha said as she slid over closer to her and hugged her to console the best way that she knew how.
"No! We can't tell my parents. We just can't, " Capri said in a panic.
"Okay, okay, but we've gotta do something. You're gonna keep getting sick, eating more, sleeping more, and gaining weight. You can't hide it forever. And what about the boy?" Sasha questioned as she stared at her.
"I know, I know. I just need a little time to think about this. I need to process this all. I don't know what I'm going to do about my parents or how to go about even telling them. They may even look at me differently. As far as the boy I have a faint memory of who he is. My vision was so blurry and I was about out of it that I don't even know who he is," she says full of self-pity and embarrassed.
The girls both continued to converse about the whole situation as they brainstormed. Capri couldn't believe that she was even pregnant at thirteen. She was still a teen. A teen who wanted nothing more than to enjoy her life, friends, school, and her overall childhood. Having a baby would somehow affect that all. She would become the talk around school, town, church, and everywhere else that she went.
Sasha felt pity for her best friend and there was nothing that she could do about it other than just being there for her. Offer her advice and to tell her what's right. Encourage her to speak to her parents. Or to maybe even consider some sort of counseling. She knew that it would be a whole lot of things that would be changing within months. Their relationship maybe even different, but she was determined to remain a good friend; his best friend no matter what.
Capri looked over before speaking what was on her mind. She grabbed her hands and squeezed them.
"Sasha, make me one promise."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"Promise me that you won't tell anybody. Not your parents, no one at school, no one period," Capri stated seriously.
"I promise that I want to tell a soul," Sasha agreed as she threw up her right hand in the air to swear.
They have each other a heartwarming hug.
"Thank you," Capri simply said with a smile.
"Capri, But I can't promise you that if you never remember who this boy is that I want to whoop his butt," Sasha said as she stood up and threw her fits in the air and started punching the air as if she was giving him the beat down.
Capri just looked at Sasha as they both busted out into laughter.
Chapter 7
Capri was in her bedroom messing around on Snapchat talking with a couple of her friends and posting up some videos. She just loved the doggy filter and the princess filter with the flowers. She made her way off of her bed towards her radio, but just as she was about to pop in on she heard her mother shouting out her name.
''Capri! her mother yelled out from downstairs.
She was sitting in the leather sectional in their living room with her husband by her side.
''Coming,'' Capri shouted out as she made her way out of her bedroom, down the hall, before descending the staircase.
When Capri walked in from of her parents she automatically knew that something was wrong judging by their facial expressions. She looked down and in her mom's hand was her diary. Her eyes got wide as saucers. Right then in there, she knew that her secret was out as his mouth dropped wide open in shock. She couldn't believe that her mom would snoop into her diary.
''Capri, do you have something that you need to tell your mom and me?'' his father said as he stared her into the eye.
Capri was nervous as she shuffled her weight from foot to foot. Her parents were staring at her as if they were peering holes through her soul. There was no way that she was going to lie to her parents; she couldn't. It's not like they couldn't read right through her anyway.
''Mmm...well I'm pregnant,'' she admitted as she dropped eye contact with her parents as she looked down at the floor.
''Pregnant! But you're only Thirteen!'' her mother shouted out in anger.
''Calm down honey,'' he says as he rubbed up and down her arm.
He bit down on his lower lip and his eyebrows dipped low as a crease of wrinkled were across his forehead. Trying to hold his composure and his anger before her overrated and things took a turn for the worse. This was his baby girl and he just couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"I know mom but it's not my fault. It isn't,'' Capri said.
''What's not your fault? That you had sex with a boy, that you got pregnant, or that you tried to keep it a secret from us,'' her mom said angrily.
Her dad just looked between the both of them as he waited on Capri's reply.
Capri just threw her hand on her hip and shook her head from side to side.
''Who told you to snoop into my dairy anyways?'' she mumbled underneath her breath.
"Excuse me?'' her mom says as she stood up from out of her seat. She was about to slap the shit out of Capri, but her father caught her hand in mid-air.
'' Now, Capri you know better than to backtalk to your mom. We didn't raise you to be like that and you know it, young lady. Your mom asked you a question and you better answer her missy before there be a problem and you don't want that,'' he fired off.
Capri rolled her eyes into the back of her head. Her parents were tripping and that is why she didn't tell them because she knew that they wouldn't understand and would blame her as always.
''Roll them eyes again and see if you have any to roll when we are talking to you,'' her mother skulled.
''Okay...do you remember that party that I attended like two months ago with my friends?'' Capri questioned.
She just wanted to get this talk over and done with since her parent had already ruined her privacy.
''Yeah...what about it?'' her parents replied in unison.
'' Someone had spiked the drink, but I didn't know it. My stomach begins to churn so I headed up the stairs to the bathroom. I hurried inside so quickly that I had forgotten to lock the door. I didn't want to throw up all over myself. Seconds later I heard footsteps and I thought that it was one of my friends coming to check up in me, but it wasn't it was this guy,'' she paused for a minute and swallowed hard before she found herself to be stumbling over her words.
Her eyes begin to fill up with water as tears began to slid down her cheeks
''A guy? Oh...my God!'' her mom shouted out in horror as he hands clench across her chest.
''Go ahead sweaty,'' her dad said as he tried to comfort her.
''He... he raped me!'' she shouted out as she busted out into loud whimpering.
Her tears, hurt, and pain could be felt throughout the room as her parent's eyes became misty.
''Oh sweetie, why didn't you just tell us?'' her mom questioned as tears slid down her cheeks once she pulled her close.
Her father was speechless as he joined in as they all stood there and consoled each other.
Minutes later after everything had calmed down she had gotten up enough nerve to tell her parents the whole story of how everything happened and how she could only remember bits and pieces of what happened or even who the guy was that had done it to her.
''There has to be something that we can do. We need to go to the police and take out some charges,'' her mom advised.
''That would be a good idea sweetie, but she doesn't even remember what the guy looks like or know his name. It's not like she knows where he stays,'' her father says.
''I think that we should just take her to the hospital just to make sure everything is okay and we can just take it from there,'' her father stated.
''Capri go upstairs and get your things. I wish you would have told us about this as soon as this happened so we could have immediately taken you to the hospital. They could have been able to get a sample so that at least we could have caught this son of a bitch!''
Her mother was running and her dad not to get into it with her when her feelings took over and got the best of her. Her father looked at his wife but didn't say not one word as she headed upstairs to get her cell phone and her purse. The first thing that Capri did was sent her best friend Sasha a text message letting her know that the secret was out of the bag. She wished like hell that she didn't write down her secret in her diary, but now it was too late.
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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 28.07.2015
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