“Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh!” Olive shouted.
“It’s going to be okay!” Sanaa said, holding on to her friend.
Olive broke free from Sanaa and ran over to the police officer and shouted, “You’ve got to let him go. You don’t understand. He was protecting me!”
The officer frowned with no remorse and said, “Young lady, this boy had a knife on school premises. To that type of violence we don’t take too kindly.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Believably (Octavia’s Ending)
Octavia had never been on the dance floor with a guy’s arms draped around her waist. She’d never been rocked back and forth with such care and concern. She had never felt so relaxed. At first she was worried about Shawn’s health, feeling that he shouldn’t even be out. However, he’d put her mind at ease, telling her he knew the significance of this dance for her and that he wasn’t going to miss it. Just as she was about to tell him how much she appreciated him for going the extra mile for her, he pulled away, all upset.
“What— What’s wrong?” Octavia asked, bummed that he’d tugged away.
He turned Octavia around and pointed to the mayhem ensuing on the other side of the dance floor. “It’s Charles. I don’t see him anywhere.”
“He probably took off with Olive.”
“No, look at Tiger’s crew. Look at everybody all in an uproar. Something’s going on. There’s policemen over there. Where’s Charles?” Shawn jerked away too aggressively and got a sharp pain in his side.
Helping him sit down, Octavia declared, “You are not going anywhere! Let me go find out what’s going on with him.”
“Hurry back!” Shawn told her.
“Willow, will you please watch out for him?” Octavia asked her girlfriend.
“Fo’ sho’. I got it, girl. Go!”
Octavia didn’t want to leave a hurting Shawn, but Willow pushed and nudged her to go. Octavia reluctantly took off towards the commotion. All the people were by the front door of the school, and that’s where Octavia found Olive and Sanaa.
“What the heck is going on?” Octavia questioned, seeing Olive being consoled by Sanaa.
Olive lifted up her head from Sanaa’s shoulder and said, “They got Charles! They’re taking him to jail!”
“For what?” Octavia asked, dumbfounded, like that was the most stupid news she’d ever heard.
“He had a knife,” Sanaa tried whispering. She didn’t want to get Olive more upset than she was from hearing the truth.
“But Tiger’s still here. Clearly, he did something too. This isn’t fair,” Olive replied, more upset anyway.
Octavia squinted. “I don’t understand.”
“Exactly,” Olive yelled, feeling no justice. “Tiger’s got some of those policemen paid. It probably is just a couple, but a couple is all it takes. It ain’t right, but it’s real. I got to get to the police station. Somebody’s gotta help me. I gotta get Ms. B. Where’s Shawn?”
Before Olive could take off to find Shawn, Octavia knew she was going to have to have it out with her girlfriend. So Octavia stood in Olive’s way and said, “Listen, this is like déjà vu in my head. Last month in the cafeteria, you and Shawn desperately wanted to have Charles’s back. We all thought Charles might get shot, but Shawn was the one who got shot a month later. He is weak. He shouldn’t even be here tonight, but he came anyway. Listen, you can’t go to him, Olive. It won’t be good for him to learn of this. He could end up right back in the hospital. Please don’t go over there.”
Olive glared Octavia’s way. Octavia’s stomach had butterflies. She didn’t want to back down, nor did she want confrontation with her friend. But if she had to show her she was serious and continue to stand her ground, she would.
She was actually surprised when Olive said, “You’re right. You make sense. I’ll get Sanaa to take me. You didn’t drive.”
“Right,” Octavia said, wishing Olive would go alone. “I’ll be fine.”
“I know, but get Willow to get Dawson to take you and Shawn home.”
Octavia nodded, but before Olive could jet, she grabbed her friend’s wrist. “But Shawn is gon’ ask all kinds of questions. I don’t wanna lie to him.”
“Well, you can’t have it both ways, Octavia. Figure it out, but don’t stress him out,” Olive asserted.
Octavia agreed. The two girls hugged. Then they went their separate ways to take care of business.
As soon as Shawn saw Octavia coming, he struggled but still stood up. “Where ... where is he? What ... what’s going on with him?”
“I’ve arranged to get you home.”
“What are you talking about? Where’s Charles? And look, don’t feed me no bull.”
“You don’t need to get upset, Shawn.”
“Octavia, I like you. You know that, but this is my family. I’m not a kid.”
“Yeah, but you’re hurt. If you get upset, you could end up back in the hospital. Then how could I live with myself, knowing you would not have even been here if you didn’t have to escort me tonight?”
“If something’s happening to Charles and I don’t know ... ”
Seeing his temples swell with anger, Octavia conceded. “Okay, okay! He’s gone to jail.”
“What!?” Shawn exclaimed with disdain.
“But we can’t go there. You gotta go home,” Octavia stated. She looked at Willow. “Could you please help me?”
“Shawn, you can’t even stand up, man. You ain’t gon’ do Charles or nobody any good. You can hate me forever, but I’m not having you dropped off at jail.”
“You know what? Just get me home.”
Willow talked to Dawson. They got Dawson’s car, and the four of them drove to the group home. All the while they were driving, Octavia sensed Shawn’s anger towards her. She wanted to beg him to understand, but at the end of the day, she knew it was better that he hate her for the rest of her life than she allow him to stress himself into a coma. When they got to the group home, no one was there. Ms. B had already left.
“See what you’ve done? I’ve missed them. I should have gone to the jail,” he snarled at Octavia.
“I’m sorry you’re mad at me. Understand this is what Charles would want. Why can’t you go relax like we all need to do? Charles wouldn’t want you stressed.”
Shawn rolled his eyes and said, “You don’t even know Charles. You don’t know what he’d want. I’m supposed to be there for him. I’m supposed to have his back. If he’s in jail, I’m supposed to be in jail too.”
“You took a bullet that was probably for him! You took that! You’ve already done enough! You can barely even stand now. You shouldn’t have been out at all. What if something happens to you, Shawn? Finally, I get a guy who comes in my life and cares about me, and you think I wanna just let you go out and get in harm’s way? Are you serious? I care about you, can’t you see?” Octavia said in an emotional way.
Sensing how much she cared, Shawn took her in his arms and held her tight. “I’m sorry. I’ll settle down. I don’t have any doubts that you care about me. Not only are you telling me so, but your actions are showing it so believably.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Earnestly (Pia’s Ending)
“Mom, wake up!” Pia shouted the night of the Valentine’s Day dance.
She didn’t know what kind of drugs her mom had taken, but she was unresponsive. Pia knew she wasn’t dead because she had a pulse. But Pia was scared.
“What did you give my mother?” she yelled at Jim as she pounded on his chest.
“Oh, I love you feisty! But I’m getting what I paid for tonight! Your momma can’t, so I’m taking it from you,” Jim said as he pushed Pia down and started ripping off her pants.
Pia wrestled to get Jim off. However, he was too fat to move. Pia used her determination and wits. As soon as Jim wiggled to undo his pants, Pia squeezed him in the groin. He squealed and rolled off. Seizing the moment, she got up and dashed out of the house. She ran so fast into the stre
et she nearly got hit by a car.
The car screeched to a stop. That’s when Pia noticed Stephen from school in the driver’s seat. She frantically howled, “Help!”
He left his car in the middle of the road, came over to her, and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jim came charging out of the house. “You get away, boy. She’s mine!”
Stephen moved Pia behind him. He knew he was going to have to do what he hadn’t done a couple months before, and that was stand up for the girl he cared about. He wasn’t going to let anyone violate her again. He dared the drunk slob to try him.
“Told your momma you was fast anyway,” Jim blurted out, backing down before he headed back inside.
“I can’t stay here tonight,” Pia cried out, placing her head on Stephen’s chest.
“Don’t worry. I got you,” Stephen said as he hugged her.
Stephen pointed toward her zipper. She hadn’t even noticed that her clothes were mangled. As she fixed herself, she got in his car.
“Shucks, my cell is inside. I can’t go in there. Please just take me to Willow’s!”
“Okay, but they are at the dance.”
“She went to the dance? I hadn’t even talked to them in a long time. What am I thinking? I can’t go over there.”
“They were worried about you. You can use my phone to call. Trust me, they need you. It got crazy.”
“What do you mean?” Pia asked, getting worried.
“I don’t know all the details, but I got a hunch your girls will be getting together tonight.”
Stephen took Pia over to Willow’s house, but she wasn’t home yet. They stayed in Stephen’s car and waited. Stephen asked, “You okay?”
Frustrated, Pia said, “Heck naw, I’m not okay. You know I was raped by your basketball buddies. They’re walking around scot-free like they’ve done nothing.”
“All you’ve got to do is say the word,” Stephen declared. “I’ll back you up.”
Pia threw up her hands. “But for what? For you to get ostracized? For them to dismiss my claim because I waited to tell? Forget it. You’ve helped me enough tonight. Thank you for being there.”
“Does your mom know her boyfriend is like that?” Stephen blurted out.
Pia pondered for a moment and then decided to let down her guard. She said, “Yes. She doesn’t care. I was locked in my room, and I thought I was fine, but I heard some stumbling. I heard her talking, then she wasn’t talking anymore, so I came out to make sure she was okay. She was passed out! I don’t know if he slipped something in her drink to get with me, or if she just doesn’t care. She didn’t believe me when I told her last time. Or even if she really does know what’s going on, as long as we get a dollar to pay the rent, she’s fine. What a great mom I have.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. It’s hard trying to make it out here. People just doing the best they can. But you’re strong.”
“So strong that I’m all torn apart.”
“So what? You’re surviving. You’re making it through. Just like with basketball, you might get down some shots, but you don’t give up until the buzzer rings. You’re still in the game, Pia.”
“Urgh, I don’t need any kind of lesson right now.”
Stephen shook his head. He wanted to pull her close and tell her all would be alright. However, he could tell he was pushing her away.
“Sorry,” Pia said, seeing his head drop. “I didn’t mean to snap. You’re just trying to help me.”
“I was hoping you’d be at the dance tonight,” he said, trying to connect.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I got all spiffy so I could give you a twirl. Olive told me she thought you were home.”
“So you just dropped by?”
“Crazy, right?”
“You don’t have to feel bad, ya know.”
“Bad about what?” Stephen asked her.
“Feeling like you’ve got to be my hero now because you didn’t stop those guys from raping me.”
“Well, I can’t turn off how I feel. I didn’t man up then. I won’t make that mistake again. I promise you that,” Stephen emphatically stated.
“I believe you.”
Pia was so happy to see Willow pull up in Dawson’s car. Willow said goodnight to Dawson and thanked him for taking her to the dance.
When Willow got out of the passenger’s side, Octavia popped out from the backseat. Pia ran over to them and explained all that had happened.
“You’re staying with me,” Willow said.
Pia was so grateful. Without a stitch of clothes, toothbrush, or anything personal, at least she had a place to lay her head for the night. Willow’s friendship meant so much.
“Sorry I’ve been distant, but ... ”
“You’ve been trying to take care of you,” Willow said.
“I’m glad you knew we have to stick together so we can help take care of each other.”
Pia went and told Stephen she was okay. He asked if he could call her sometime. She said she wasn’t sure. He seemed like he didn’t want to take no for an answer, but he drove away anyway.
“He likes you,” Willow said when Pia came back to her friends.
“Can’t even focus on that. I was almost raped by my mom’s boyfriend.”
Octavia chimed in, “The night’s been tough. Shawn wanted to end up back in the hospital.”
“Yeah, but you talked him out of it,” Willow said.
As the three walked towards the house, Sanaa and Olive pulled up. The girls were excited to have another sleepover. It had only been a couple weeks since the last one, but they needed more girl time to talk after all they’d been through that night. They realized they didn’t have much faith in a lot going on, but they decided they needed to have faith in each other and believe in something. After they were steeled, they reflected on their craziness.
Willow said, “I want to read y’all something. I shared this with Sanaa when y’all were here the last time. It’s crazy because that Leah girl ... ”
“Who?” Olive asked.
Willow said, “The girl who’s dead who keeps writing us. She claims she used to be on the swoop list at another school, but she got so sick of everybody that she committed suicide over it.”
“How could a dead girl write?” Pia asked.
“I don’t know, but we’ve got to find out. I do know she had good points in both letters.” Willow showed them the note. “We’re on to something with this whole faith thing. We already said we were going to clean up our acts. Now we got to believe life is going to get better. And I’m sorry I pulled away over the petition y’all didn’t tell me about.”
“Yeah, and I pulled away too,” Pia admitted.
“No worries, that’s over. Now, my problem is what’s gonna happen to Charles,” Olive said. “He’s locked up for the night, and there is nothing I can do.”
“You can stop worrying and believe he’s going to be okay,” Sanaa said. “I’m going to believe I’ll find the courage to tell Toni the whole story.”
“You can,” Willow said, “And I’m excited to believe in me. It’s not what people say about me that controls my outcome, but what I learn from my tough times that make me wiser.”
“I get that,” Olive uttered. “I know revenge won’t solve anything. And I’m believing I can get the ones I care about to understand that too. Thanks, Octavia, for really looking out for Shawn. Sorry I doubted you’d be good for him.”
Octavia reached out and hugged Olive tight. “I always thought you had to conform to be with the ‘in’ crowd. I now know when you believe in something bigger than yourself to work it out, things will work out. You all like me for me.”
Pia listened intently and needed to share. “You all are making me stronger. Not sure what’s going to happen with my mom and me. My world is upside down, but I wanted to turn to you all for help. I believe in us.”
The rest of the night the girls cried, laughed, and shared even more of their hearts. All wasn’
t right in their worlds, but for the moment, because they had each other, all was right in their hearts. They all were thankful their friendship was true, genuine, and budding earnestly.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
On your knees ... we all can use some humility. If you’re having trouble believing in yourself, get some faith! Placing your hope above propels you forward. Here’s gigantic thanks to the folks who keep me believing in myself.
To my parents, Dr. Franklin and Shirley Perry, thank you for allowing me to believe in my dreams. You helped me to know with God all things are possible. To my extended family, thank you for telling me to believe in my talents. Your help in spreading the word about my books means so much. To my assistants Ashely Cheathum, Alyxandra Pinkston, and Candace Johnson, thank you for believing in deadlines. Your work ethic is a blessing. To my dear friends, thank you for helping me believe I’ve got worth. Your friendships make me wiser. To my teens, Dustyn, Sydni, and Sheldyn, thank you believing in my values. Being your mom makes me desire high standards for your lives. To my husband, Derrick, thank you for believing in our love. These last twenty years I’ve been your Pud, you’ve surely been there for me. To my readers, especially the kids in Jackson, GA, who gave me the idea for the series, thank you for believing in what’s right. Your care for others helped me to see the true need for these books. And to my Redeemer, thank you for believing in me. When I get down, you always show up and show me my writing career is in Your will. Thank you for that gift.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
STEPHANIE PERRY MOORE is the author of more than sixty young adult titles, including the Sharp Sisters series, the Grovehill Giants series, the Lockwood Lions series, the Payton Skky series, the Laurel Shadrach series, the Perry Skky Jr. series, the Yasmin Peace series, the Faith Thomas Novelzine series, the Carmen Browne series, the Morgan Love series, the Alec London series, and the Beta Gamma Pi series. Mrs. Moore is a motivational speaker who enjoys encouraging young people to achieve every attainable dream. She lives in the greater Atlanta area with her husband, Derrick, and their three children. Visit her website at www.stephanieperrymoore.com.