Hello? Yeah… Hey, Stacy, yo, whazzup? Nah, I'm not doing anything tonight. You gotta study for the trig test? Sure, no problem. I can help you. 7:00? See you then.
Hang up the phone.
Whoa! Holy crap! What time is it? 4:15. Girl, I got things to do!
First off, it's a good thing ma aint gone to work yet cuz I snatch twenty from her purse. All right ma, see you later have a good night don't work too hard ha ha yeah I'll keep my eye on them no I aint doin nothing but studying tonight trig test no I aint worried about it I always do good okay bye now. As soon as ma's out the door round up TJ and Keely pack a fiver in their hands and push 'em off to the cheapo movies whatever's showing tonight Shrek, good, they'll enjoy that. I tell 'em to sneak into the second showing—and give 'em another five for popcorn. Save the last ten just to have a little something in my pocket.
Now, the whole house needs work but I start with my bedroom. Kick the dirty clothes under the bed and pull the blanket down far on that side so no one can see underneath. Take the candle—the big one shaped like an owl out of the living room and put it next to my alarm clock turn on my nightlight and light incense, looks good. Now the bathroom and the kitchen: I turn on all of the lights, hide the roach traps under the sinks clatter the cabinet doors and yell YEI YEI YEI YEI as loud as I can and hope that it works, any roaches are cowering far back in the walls and don't want to be coming out anytime soon. Next take a deep breath and plunge my hand into that cold greasy water, spaghetti-o's floating up on top and pull the plug—refill the sink with warm water and extra soap and watch the suds rise up tall.
Call Mattie from Rainbow Youth. Hey girl, s'up? Stacy Lindstrom is coming by tonight. Yeah, that Stacy. Nah, I'm helping her study for the trig test. Girl, you're a dog. Think what you want but we're just studying. Yeah, she's gotta know I'm queer—damn the whole school knows. Guess it pays to get good grades in math, tho. Yeah, well I guess you just have to study harder, girl. I guess you just have to apply your ass. All right, check you later.
Take a shower, get myself all soaped up with Irish Spring. Squeeze gel onto my hand and run it through my wet hair. Pull on that tank top that makes me look tough and some baggy jeans. Put a dab of Cody Wild Musk behind my ears and on my wrists. What the hell, put some under my tits, too, you never know.
Stacy Lindstrom is a girly girl and that means she'll want something sweet to drink. Bacardi would be perfect but I happen to know for a fact that the bottle in the cupboard don't got nothing in it but water. It'll have to be Vodka and Mountain Dew. Put my trig books on the table, open, like I was already studying. 6:00.
Sit on the couch—spread that afghan over the back to cover where the stuffing is coming out. Turn on the TV. Turn it off. 6:05.
Keep perfectly still. Slowly my fingers flutter across my arm back and forth until I get goose bumps. Brush my fingers lightly over my nipple. The phone rings.
Hey, Mattie. Not much. No, she's not here yet. Nah, they went to a movie. She's at work. That's right, all alone. What? Aw, shuddup, girl. You aint right in the head. Nnn-uhh. You are NOT coming over. We're just studying—chill. Yeah, I'll call you later. Ciao.
Look in the bathroom mirror. Open my mouth and look at my teeth. Check out my profile from both sides. Pull aside the curtain with one finger and look out the window at the dusky night. Sniff my armpit.
6:30. Put on that mixed tape Mattie gave me—the one with Alicia Keyes and Pink. Light a candle in the living room. Light incense. Clatter the cabinet doors again. Look out the peephole into the empty hallway.
Gather the pillows from everyone's rooms and fluff them up on my bed. Look in the mirror. Smear Vaseline on my lips and then wipe it off. Sit at the kitchen table. 6:45. Flip through the trig textbook. Wipe my palms on my jeans. 6:55. Hear a car door slam. Jump out of my seat when the door buzzer rings. Stand up, run my fingers through my hair one last time, and walk slowly to the door.
