Everyday Teen

Teenage Girls

It’s mid September and students are preparing for homecoming; they are not sure about the football team, because it playing the toughest team around, but they’re excited anyway. All the students know that homecoming is a popularity contest, but the least popular still have hopes of being king and queen. Amber’s brother has nominated her, and she really thinks she will win because most of the girls wish they were her; conflicted, she thinks it may also work against her.

Amber and Dana are having a discussion at Amber’s house, and as Amber primps in her hand held mirror, sporting a long weave, like it’s hers.

Amber: Girl you know homecoming is coming up and my brother is putting me in it. I don’t know if I want it, but I definitely don’t want certain people to have it either.

Dana: I wonder if everyone will vote against you though; you know you got a lot of haters, girl.

Amber: I guess it will have to be me then; I am the most likely to win because I am “fye”. Humph, half them chics wish they was me.

Dana: Well I don’t if I’m even going, but I might if somebody ask me to, somebody like Travis. I think he is finnnnne!!

Amber: What? Travis, huh?

Dana: What do you mean by that?

Amber: I mean he is not going to ask you, or maybe he might…, she snickers.

Dana: I don’t care what you say; I see him looking at me.

Amber: Well if you see him looking at you that may mean something…..

Dana: I know what you thinking, but Travis ain’t getting these goods.

Amber: I hope you stick to that; we need more like you now days. I wish I was still pure.

Dana: I don’t expect too much, he is just a man.

Amber: yea, he’ll wanna do more than dance with you at homecoming.

Dana: Well, he may get a kiss, if he lucky.

Amber: You know Brittany is going to have a fit if you show up with him.

Dana: I almost forgot him and Brit had some fling. I don’t think it was serious.

Amber: Serious or not you might not wanna cross her by going to homecoming with Travis; she might think you went behind her back and not her girl anymore.

Dana: Do you think I ought to ask her if it’s cool?

Amber: (laughing out loud) Do whatever you want.

Dana sighs and picks up her cell phone to call Brittany…

Malcolm and Dan are sitting on the porch waiting to be picked up to go to football practice.

Malcolm: Man Dan, who you ask to the dance man? I mean sure we gotta big game coming up, but the real challenge is which honey to pick out of all the fine ones at school dawg.

Dan: I don’t know man. I may just run solo this time.

Malcolm: Come on man nobody goes to homecoming alone.

Dan: You know how my parents are. If I tell em I’m going to a dance they gonna wannna meet her, take pictures, then go into the “don’t do nothing you ain't supposed to do speech.” I ain’t trying to be embarrassed by the “don’t have sex before marriage” convo.

Malcolm: You may as well take a date bret. I mean if you go by ya self then, everybody including your parents gonna wonder why you didn’t ask nobody.

Dan: I know man.

Malcolm: It’s a lose lose situation no matter what. At least if you take somebody, you might get to have a lil more than some punch, he laughs.

Teenage Boys

Dan: Whatever man. I’ll think about it; who you taking to the dance? I know you got somebody in mind.

Malcolm: I don’t know man there are just so many fine honeys at school.

Dan: Inquiring minds would like to know. Plus, I bet you in the running for homecoming king being that you practically a supa star around here; it’s gonna be either you or Travis.

Malcolm: Shoot dawg I wanna ask Dana, but she think I’m a playa or something. I keep telling her I ain’t like that, but, she just laughs. Just because the ladies love me don’t mean I’m some kind of hoe, he laughs aloud.

As the boys conversation ends their ride shows up. Travis is sitting behind the wheel of his dad’s 1977 Chevy Impala. He looks agitated, but then again, he always looked agitated when his dad drank.

Back at Amber’s house, Dana dials Brittany’s number. She picks ups on the second ring.

Teenage Girls

Brittany: Thank you for calling Brittany’s phone how may I help you?

Dana: Girl, you stupid, she says laughing.

Brittany: Hey Dana, what’s up.

Dana: Nothing much, chillin ova here at Amber’s crib. We was talking about homecoming, and I wanted to call and see if anybody had asked you yet.

Brittany: Oh so ya’ll couldn’t call and invite me ova, she says kidding. Well, Travis asked me to go with him; I told him let me think about it. He know I’m still mad about him sneaking around with that goody two shoes Victoria.

Dana: Oh, (trying not to sound disappointed) that’s what’s up girl.

Brittany: Well, Imma hit ya’ll up later; I may stop thru for a min. since ya’ll at Amber’s.

Dana: Cool. I’ll let her know. Talk to you soon. (She hangs up her cell)

Amber: So what did Britt say? Who she going to the dance with?

Dana: (sighing heavily) She going with Travis.

Amber: I told you he prolly wouldn’t ask you.

Dana: You ain’t gotta rub it in Amber.

Amber: Come on girl he looking to get some after the dance anyway. Shoot Britt been giving up the goods to him, (she snorts) so he know by asking her he can get what he want.

Dana: What you saying D?

Amber: Don’t get it twisted; I’m not saying she easy…Its just they have already been there ya know?

Dana: I know, I just thought…well it don’t matter. Anyway Britt said she may come thru.

Amber: We ought to head to the mall and find some fly dresses to wear to the dance when she get here.

Dana: That’d be cool.

Amber: Hey I got an idea. Why don’t you go to the dance with my bro? I bet he dying to ask you.

Dana: Malcolm! What make you think I’d even go there?

Amber: Every time you ova here he can’t keep his eyes off you, and then when you gone it’s, “Did D say anything bout me” and its D this and D that. He get on my nerves.

Dana: I don’t know. Malcolm is cool and all but, he ain’t Travis. Plus, he look like he got too many girls.

Amber: Come on D, and Travis don’t? Look let’s be realistic; you got about as good a chance as kicking it with Travis as I got being the valedictorian. Zip to none, (she says this almost in anger)

Dana: Dang Ambie why it got be all that?

Amber: I’m just keeping it real. You don’t have a chance, trust me I know.

Dana: You acting like you like Travis or something. Wait, hold up a sec, do you like him?

Amber: Naw, I’m just saying from experience, dudes like him only want one thing, and when they get it, you nothing; they throw you to the side like trash.

Dana: Why all the attitude, what you hiding?

Amber: Nothing, I’m just saying, the only reason Travis keep going back and forth with Britt is cause she the captain of the cheerleading squad. You know it’s cliché, but the quarterback of the football team and the captain of the cheerleading squad almost always hook up.

Dana: Uh huh. Why you getting all hostel? I think you have had something with Travis. Spill!

Amber: Aight, I’ll tell you but if you so much breathe a word to Britt. Let’s just say I’m not the only one she’ll hate.

Dana: Come on girl this is me you talking to.

Amber: Me and Travis kinda hooked up over the summer. It was one time thing but, every time I saw him after that, he blew me off. First, I thought he was just feeling guilty, but then he started treating me like crap.

Dana: That’s messed up. Dudes is so trifling. But, when Britt finds out, she gonna flip… (Brittany walks in as Dana finishes her sentence)

Brittany: Imma flip about what? She asks.

The two girls look at each other confused…

Teenage Boys

Malcolm, Dan, and Travis are in the locker room after football practice. They have already showered and are dressing getting ready to go home.

Malcolm: Aight Travis, what’s going on this time? (He says this looking at the dark shade of purple around Travis’s left eye)

Travis: Man, when is something not going on. The ol man gets drunks sparks a fight and throws punches. One day Imma knock his head off.

Malcolm: Yeah we know how he gets.

Travis: He’ll act like nothing happens after he kicks my ass; give me the keys to the car and goes back to watching T.V.

As the two guys are talking, Dan finishes dressing, and heads out to the parking lot to make a phone call.

Dan: (on his cell) Hey, what’s up? Oh cool. If you not busy, you wanna pick me up behind the store by my house in about 20. Aight. I’ll see you soon. (He hangs up, sighs, and waits for the guys by Travis’s car in the parking lot.)

Back inside the locker room at school the boys are still talking.

Malcolm: Man I know you gotta tough situation, just think though it won’t last. You gonna get a scholarship one day and move. With your record, you could prolly go anywhere and to any college dawg.

Travis: I know man; I just wish sooner was closer than later. Yo, where Dan go?

Malcolm: I think he went outside to wait on us. You know how he is about ya dad man. He gonna want you to go talk to his pops or something.

Travis: I don’t want everybody up in my business man, so he can cancel that. Let’s ride.

As the boys leave they see Dan waiting by the car. They all get in and ride in silence. As they near the convenient store near Dan’s house he speaks.

Dan: Hey man just let me out here; I’ll walk the rest of the way. I wanna stop in and get a couple of things.

Travis: You sure man? We could wait.

Dan: Nah I’m cool, thanks.

Travis stops the car and let’s Dan out. He grabs his gym bag heads into the store. The guys drive off. Inside the store Devin buys two sodas, two bags of chips, and a box of condoms. As he leaves the store, he sees a familiar car and starts to walk toward the back of the store. As he nears the car, the window rolls down and someone speaks.

Person in car: Hey baby you need a ride?

Dan: (Smiling) You crazy, unlock the door, so I can get in.

The door clicks, and Devin hops in. Behind the wheel is a tall sleek figure with a smooth chocolate complexion and full lips. The lips are glossed over, and as the figure smiles pearly white teeth emerge.

Dan: Hi Antwone, let’s get outta here.