The horn on the Jaguar blew.  I went to the back door of the car, opened it, and got into the car.  Kourtnee never even looked at me.  Martin said hello.  I said hello back.  Martin asked me what took me so long.  I told him that someone was talking to me.  Kourtnee still did not look at me.  Martin asked me where I wanted to eat.  I said that I didn’t care.  That was a lie because I wanted to go home.  Martin asked Kourtnee where she wanted to go.  Kourtnee said that she wanted to go home.  Martin said ok and headed out of the parking lot.  We were on our way home.

We rode home in silence.  Nobody said a word.  It was horrible.  I had never felt like this before.  I felt so guilty for acting crazy with Kourtnee.  I felt even guiltier for enjoying the fact that I was acting crazy.  I began to feel tears weld up on the inside.  I was in horrific pain and I had no way to release the pain.  I wasn’t about to let Martin see me cry.  I just sat in the back seat praying that I could hold my composure until I got home.

I was not a bad person.  I rarely ever did anything to get into trouble.  I hated getting into trouble.  I hated being chastised and reprimanded.  I had resolved to stay out of trouble as much as I could.  Of course, that caused me to be labeled a goody-two-shoes, Ms. Perfect, suck up, and nerd, but I didn’t fear those titles as much as I feared an adult standing in my face yelling at me and threatening to do some bodily harm to me.

We reached the house.  Kourtnee’s BMW was in the drive way.  After Martin stopped the car, Kourtnee quickly got out of the car.  She got in her car.  The garage door opened.  Kourtnee’s car disappeared in the garage.  Martin and I were still sitting in his car.

LaDawnya:  Man, she is pissed off at me.

Martin:  Yea, she really is.  What did you do?

LaDawnya:  I was being a stupid kid.

Martin:  That can be bad.

LaDawnya:  What am I gonna do?

Martin:  I don’t know.  I have never seen her this mad before.

LaDawnya:  You are not really helping me.

Martin:  Baby Girl, I don’t think I can help you much.

LaDawnya:  Can you drive me to the store?

Martin:  For what?

LaDawnya:  Because I asked you to and because you want me to like you because you like my mother.

Martin:  Ok, but let me tell Kourtnee first.

Martin called Kourtnee on his cell phone.  He told her that we needed to go to the store.  Apparently he got no resistance from Kourtnee because after he said goodbye to her, we were on our way.

Mrs. Jackson:  Hey, sweetie.  What’s wrong with you?

Kourtnee:  Nothing, Mona.

Mrs. Jackson:  Don’t lie to me.  What’s wrong?

Kourtnee:  It’s LaDawnya.

Mrs. Jackson:  What did she do today?

Kourtnee:  She asked Sheronda to make me leave the room today.

Mrs. Jackson:  And that’s why you’re mad?

Kourtnee:  Yes, the stuff that they talked about could have been said while I was in the room.

Mrs. Jackson:  Prissy, you are being selfish.  Everything that LaDawnya does doesn’t have to involve you.  She is not a baby.

Kourtnee:  Don’t call me Prissy!

Mrs. Jackson:  Kourtnee DeShay, do not raise your voice at me!

Kourtnee walked out of the kitchen.  Mrs. Jackson followed Kourtnee to her room.

Mrs. Jackson:  I hope I was through talking to you.

Kourtnee:  Mona, please, I had a hard day and I don’t feel like fighting with you.

Mrs. Jackson:  Ok, fine.

Mrs. Jackson walked out of the room and went back into the kitchen.  Kourtnee got undressed, changed clothes, and then laid on her bed.  After a few minutes, she got up out of the bed and went into the kitchen.

Kourtnee:  That’s not all LaDawnya did.

Mrs. Jackson:  What else did she do?

Kourtnee:  She slammed my car door, told me that I was her problem, and she said whatever to me.

Mrs. Jackson:  When did this happen?

Kourtnee:  When we were waiting at the church.

Mrs. Jackson:  Just after the session with Dr. Nicolas?

Kourtnee:  Are you trying to say that LaDawnya acted a fool with me because of what happened at Dr. Nicolas’ office.

Mrs. Jackson:  Probably.

Kourtnee:  I’m going back in my room.

Mrs. Jackson:  Where LaDawnya?

Kourtnee:  She and Martin went to the store for something.

Mrs. Jackson:  Ok.  Bye.

Kourtnee:  Why are you telling me bye?

Mrs. Jackson:  You said you were going to your room.

Kourtnee:  You are not making me feel better.

Mrs. Jackson:  Maybe you feel guilty about how you treated LaDawnya.

Kourtnee:  I didn’t do anything to her.

Mrs. Jackson:  Ok.

Kourtnee:  Mona, you are not helping.

Mrs. Jackson:  Do not Mona me!  You are being selfish expecting that child to only talk to you and depend on you.

Kourtnee:  Mona…

Mrs. Jackson:  Kourtnee, get out of my kitchen.  I don’t want to talk to you right now.

Kourtnee:  Mona…

Mrs. Jackson:  Out of my kitchen.

Kourtnee left the kitchen and went to her room.