Destiny

As they changed out of their choir robes after service, Destiny noticed that Treasure and Daniel were laughing over in the corner of the choir room. As she got closer, they suddenly stopped, with guilty looks written all over their faces.

“What are you two over here whispering about?” Destiny asked as soon as she got within talking distance of the two.

“Nothing”, Daniel was the first to respond, quickly bursting out with uncontrollable laughter.

“What to you mean nothing Daniel? You two are over here all hugged up together like flies on poop, I know you talking about something and I think y’all over here whispering about me! Angrily exclaimed Destiny to her two friends.

“Destiny! Yelled Treasure, her face turning red which was quite funning considering that she was just a couple of shades lighter than blue. You know that your mother would beat you if she heard you talking like that. Specially in the Lord’s house”.

“Come off it Treasure”, said Destiny. “Mama’s out in the kitchen where she always is every Sunday after service. You know that she gotta make her famous macaroni and cheese for all these hungry folks. Mama thinks that if she don’t make macaroni and cheese, then the church don’t make no money. And you know my mama ain’t havin none of that”.

“Destiny, I swear. You talk more and more ghetto since you have been hanging around that new girl Tina. You never used to talk like that”. Said Daniel, joining the conversation for the first time.

“No Daniel, I didn’t. And it ain’t ghetto. It’s just a different way of talking. It’s all about being sixteen and talking the way I want to talk instead of trying to talk all proper all the time. It aint’ got nothing to do with Tina. You guys only want to think the worse of her.
Hell, she ain’t all that bad. I just like to hear her talking cause her mama don’t make her try to talk all white like my mama do. I just get so tired all the time of sayin “yes sir, yes ma’am. I just want to say it like I feel it, like Tina’s does”.

“Daniel’s right Destiny. Tina has a mouth like a sewer. Nice young ladies don’t say the things that she does”. Treasure cut in.

“How do you know Treasure. You ain’t no nice young lady”. With that, Destiny turned and walked away, leaving Treasure in tears and Daniel staring angrily after her.

What does she know? Destiny thought angrily to herself. She’s just jealous cause Tina and I hang out together sometimes. I just want to be like normal kids and have some fun. Why does everyone make it so hard? Even Treasure and she’s supposed to be my best friend.

As Destiny turned off Michigan Avenue and onto her street, her face suddenly brightened as she could see Lonnie and some of his friends playing basketball in the distance. “Damn” Destiny said under her breath. I wish I didn’t have on this long ugly dress. How is Lonnie supposed to notice me if he can’t see me? Maybe I can sneak into the house and change before he sees me.

As Destiny ran up onto her porch and was about to turn the doorknob, she heard a deep velvety voice call out, “What’s up Destiny?” At that moment, Destiny felt her heart drop down to her feet. She knew that the basketball game across the street had stopped and that they were all looking at her.

“Damn Tony”, Destiny thought to herself. He of all people would notice her and draw everyone’s attention in her direction. Tony was Lonnie’s best friend. He was everything Lonnie wasn’t.

Tony was “light-skinned” with gray eyes that looked right through you. Lonnie was tall and muscular compared to his friend who was just as tall, but more on the skinny-side. Most of Destiny’s friends thought that Tony was tight, but Destiny just thought that Tony was lame.

For as long as Destiny could remember, Tony had been trying to push up on her. Every time she got the chance to talk to Lonnie, here comes Tony, all up in her grill. She couldn’t stand him.

“What’s up Tony”, yelled Tina as she tried once again to open the door to her house.

“Hey gurl, when a brotha tryin to holla, you supposed to act like you is interested.” Destiny, couldn’t believe it. All she wanted to do was get into the house and change her clothes, and here was Tony, clowning her again.

“Boy, aint’ nobody got time for you.” Destiny responded.

“Why you playin games with me? Tony said with more than a little sarcasm in his voice.

“We ain’t cool like that. Like I said, I ain’t trying to hear nothin you spittin.”

Destiny heard the others rollin with laughter as she slammed the door behind her. “Well I guess I won’t be making a glorious appearance before Lonnie today. Might as well go up to my room and chill”.

As Destiny walked up the stair to her room, she started daydreaming about Lonnie again. She imagined herself as his wife. She saw the two of them coming home from church. She headed into the kitchen to finish cooking the big dinner she had started before leaving for church.

Hold up, wait a minute. Why was she cooking? This was her dream and since she was married to a baller, why couldn’t they just sleep in until noon and then go out to a fancy restaurant to eat. Yeah, that sounded a lot better.

As Destiny changed her clothes, she continued dreaming about her life as Lonnie’s wife. To hell with Treasure and Daniel. They just don’t understand.