• Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. I repeated this to myself as I tried to walk on the balance beam. I’ve tried so many times but failed. This time I was determined to do this. Don’t be clumsy, I yelled in my head. As soon as my left foot touched the beam I began to lose my balance. I soon fell right on my face. “Crap!” I yelled out. “I’ll never make it into Drakenson with bad balance!” Drakenson is a performing arts school. I can’t sing and I am a horrible dancer so my last hope was to try to be in gymnastics. I really do not want to go back to Henderson high. That school is full of ghetto people. I mean seriously. Drakenson is my last hope if I want to get into a really good college. I’ve always wanted to go to Harvard. You know somewhere I can get a great education and get a head start on a good career. I sighed as I stood up. My face felt as if it was broken. I’ve fallen on my butt so many times it was numb. My dad came in and laughed at me. “What’s so funny?” I asked him trying real hard to give him an evil glare. “You look constipated.” He smiled. “Well my face is broken.” “I bet it is. Why don’t you just stop and come downstairs so you can eat lunch.” “Alright.” I walked downstairs into the kitchen and sat at the marble table. My dad placed a plate with a peanut butter sandwich cut diagonally in the middle with a side of the curly cheetos. Yummy! I chomped down my lunch and as soon as I was done my dad placed a cup full of kool-aid in front of me. “What, no ice?” He sighed and grabbed my cup and walked back into the kitchen. He put three cubes of ice in the cup and handed it back to me. I sipped on the kool-aid and when I was finished with that I ate the ice. I don’t know why I do that. It’s like an addiction or something. I don’t know I’m weird like that. Instead of going back into my room to fall off my balance beam, I sat in the living room and watched my favorite episode of spongebob that I recorded last week. Even though it’s a re-run I can still watch it and laugh. My dad stayed in the kitchen and washed dishes. I looked outside the window and seen a whole lot of kids playing outside. This made me really wish that I had friends to play with. The only friend I have is a boy named Demetri and he left a month ago to go with his grandparents for the summer. So I’m here all alone with no one but my dad to hang out with. Which really sucks. Summer will be over in a few weeks and Demetri will be back in four days. He said he’s going to have a party at his parents’ house while they are out for the weekend. He said he’s going to invite me. So that’s one thing to look forward to. “Why so glum my little plum?” My dad asked as he sat down next to me on the couch. “Nothing really dad.” “I know you better than that Mykelle. I brought you in to this world.” “Well actually mom did.” “Well she couldn’t have done it without me. I mean you got to give me my props.” I smiled. “Yeah. I know dad. I learned all of that in 6th and 8th grade. You know in sex education?” He rolled his eyes. “ I wasn’t the one who approved of that.” “Any ways dad changing the subject.” “Okay.” We sat there watching spongebob in silence. But in about 5 minutes dad broke that silence. “So Mykelle can I ask you a personal question?” “I guess so dad.” I sighed preparing myself for whatever embarrassing question he was getting ready to ask. “Why do you not have a boyfriend?” My dad was so involved in my personal life. He wanted me to experience everything. Well almost everything. He says I’m to young to experience sex yet. But I don’t blame him. I do not want to end up like those girls on that TV show sixteen and pregnant. “Well I guess I haven’t found that one guy yet dad.” “Oh.” “Why are you so worried about me having a boyfriend?” “Well I just wanted to ask. You don’t have any guy friends at all. I just want to make sure you aren’t lesbian.” “Dad! I’m not lesbian! And besides I do have a guy friend.” “Demetri doesn’t count. He’s more like a girlfriend.” “Just because Demetri is gay doesn’t make him a girl. He still has a boy body part dad.” “Yeah but he acts as if he has a girl body part.” “Jeez dad! Why do you have to insult my only friend?” “I’m just saying Mykelle.” “Well if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all.”

    Chapter 2 the day of the party

    “Hey girl.” Demetri said over the phone. “Hello Demetri.” “What are you wearing to my party?” “Well that I do not know. What are you wearing?” “Girl I’m going in my usual drag.” Demetri is a drag queen. She doesn’t like to be called gay so he moved from California to Florida where he dresses like a girl. He really looks like a girl too. “I think you should go in something sexy. Like some booty shorts and a real tight short shirt that doesn’t go past your belly button. And then you should wear like one of those clip on belly button earrings.” Demetri said. “I do not want to look like a whore Demetri. Maybe you do but I don’t.” He laughed. “Listen there will be a lot of boys there. Hot boys. And you know you need a boyfriend girl. So why don’t you just wear something real sexy so you and I can get a man.” “Are you inviting all gay dudes?” “Of course not! I know your coming so I invited a few straight ones. Well at least I think they are straight. I guess you’ll just have to find out.” “Okay whatever. So anyways what time is the party?” “Well I was thinking that it should start at seven and end at about eleven thirty.” “When do your parents come back?” “Tomorrow at three.” “In the morning?” “Nope in the afternoon. That gives me time for an after party.” I smiled. “Okay well I’m going shopping. Are you coming?” “Duh. You know it girlfriend. When, Where and what time?” “Right now if you’re up to it” “Meet you in 10 minutes.” “Alrighty then.” “ Love ya.” “Love ya too.” I kissed the phone and hung up. I ran downstairs into the living room where dad was watching TV. “Hey dad. Demetri’s coming over so we can go shopping for her party tonight.” He looked up at me and said, “Okay.” I ran back upstairs and opened up my closet. “Lets see. What to wear.” I pulled out a red strap t-shirt some jeans and my favorite pink Chris Brown jacket. I stripped down to my bra and panties and pulled on the clothes. Just as I was putting my shirt on Demetri came in. “Eww girl. Cover those double Ds up.” “Oh shut up your just hating because mine are real and yours are fakes.” I slipped my arms through my Chris Brown jacket and slipped on some flip-flops. “Gurl you’re going to have to let me borrow that jacket. That’s my man on that jacket.” “Gurl no. That’s my husband.” I smiled at her. “Whatever. Anyways the party starts in a few hours. Let us go darling.” I nodded and we walked downstairs. “Hello Demetri.” My dad said. “Hello Mr. Peirson. Oh and um please call me Sonique.” “Oh. I’m sorry Sonique.” My dad gave me a look that showed disapproval. “Oh yeah I forgot to tell you that didn’t I?” Demetri I mean Sonique asked me. “Yes you did. I’ve been calling you Demetri for forever.” “Yeah well now it’s Sonique.” We walked out the door and we hopped into my car. “I can not wait till my mom gets me a car. She’s being so whorish about it.” “My dad bought me this car.” My car is a yellow Camiro and I love it a lot. I put the key in the ignition and we drove out of the driveway. Sonique turned on the radio and we started listening to 94.1. “Hey do you still have that CD?” She asked me. “Yeah.” I pressed the play button and we started listening to Lil Wayne. I really don’t like him or any other rapper but Sonique hates my rock music. She told me that I am a black girl and that I should listen to black girl music. I only listen to rap when I’m around Sonique. When we finally reached the mall I found a great place to park and we walked inside. The mall wasn’t full of people like it usually is and that’s real great. “Ooo gurl. Do you see that dress over there?” Sonique asked me as she pointed to a pink strapped dress that looked like a prom dress/ wedding dress. It was horrific and pretty at the same time. “No, no, no that dress is horrible.” We walked around the store looking around until I found this pretty outfit. “Hey Sonique isn’t this cute?” It was a red top that said, “ Hot!!!” and a jeaned skirt that on me probably didn’t go past my knees. Over the shirt was a jeaned jacket that didn’t go past the boob area. “Do you have leggings?” she asked me. “Yea. Probably.” “Well if you don’t you can wear those black boots. That would make you look so cute. Are you going to get that?” I nodded. “But first I want to see how it looks on me.” I grabbed it and walked to the nearest fitting room and stripped. There was a mirror on the side so after I pulled on the clothes I looked at myself. My dark brown eyes behind my black glasses and my long black hair pushed behind my ear. My skin is a caramel color and I’m pretty tall. As I looked at myself in the mirror I noticed that my boobs look really big in this top. “Hey are you ready in there?” Sonique asked. “Yeah.” I walked out and Sonique looked me up and down. “So do you like?” I asked her. “Gurl you look sexy! Strike a pose mamasita!” I put my hands on my hips. Sonique pretended to be taking pictures with a camera. We laughed. “Alright super star diva let’s go find me dome clothes. I can’t have you looking better than me at my own party.” I went back into the dressing room and put my original clothes back on. We walked around the whole store in circles. And then finally, after what seemed to be an hour Sonique gasped. “What?” She stopped in front of a really pink dress that looked really short on the mannequin. It was frilly on the bottom and had a lot of sparkles. “Ooo sparkly.” I said. We searched on the rack below the mannequin for Sonique’s size. When she found it she ran into the nearest changing room. While waiting outside of the room a couple of boys walked past me and whistled. I smiled. “Hi boys.” “Well hello there.” A litlle white boy with long brown hair and eyes to match it said. The white boy was wearing a white baggy t-shirt and some jeans with a pair of black addidas. “My friends and I would like to know what cloud you fell of off my little angel?” I smiled. “Please. And I’d like to know where you got that corny pick-up line from? I would suggest you not use it again.” “Ouch. Hot and fiesty.” I rolled my eyes. “Can I have your phone number sweet thing?” the same white boy asked. “If I give it to you will you go away?” “Yes.” “Well hand me a piece of paper please.” “I don’t have any paper but here’s a pen. Right it on my hand.” I grabbed the pen and he held out his hand. I wrote the number and handed him the pen back. “Thanks. Honey Bun.” “Okay now go away please. I’m awaiting my friend.” The group walked away. Sonique walked out the dressing room in the dress. “Oh my god! You look sexy. Turn around.” She twirled around. Remember when I said she actually looks like a girl. Well this dress really makes him look a girl. I mean he has the perfect legs and the perfect eyes for this dress. Her eyes are a light brown and her skin tone was a little darker then mine. “Okay well I want this dress so let’s go buy our stuff.” “I feel a burning sensation in my pants where my money is.” “Oh hush I have the money to buy it. Calm down.” I smiled. “I’ll pay for my stuff. You pay for yours.” “Sounds like a plan.” She went to change back into her sweat pants and her black t-shirt. We walked to the counter andpaid for our clothes. My outfit was only 30$. Soniques dress was 55$. We walked out the mall and went back to my car. I dropped Sonique off at her house and went back home to get dressed for the party.

    2 hours later
    I was all dressed and ready to go. I had on the outfit I bought earlier, some big hopp earrings and my black boots. My hair was in a ponytail with two curled side bangs. My dad walked into my room. “Hey there.” “Hey dad.” “I just came to tell you that your curfew is 11:00 and don’t-“ “Do anything I’ll regret. I know dad.” “Okay just making sure. Other than that have fun.” He kissed me on my cheek. I walked past him and ran down the stairs. I went outside and got inside my car. I then drove off.

    Chapter 3 At the party
    I knocked on the door and waited. The music was already blasting and the party wasn’t even supposed to be started yet. It’s only 6:45 pm. I knocked even louder and Sonique answered the door. “Oh hey girl. Come in. Come in.” I walked inside the house and she lead me to the kitchen. Her kitchen was bigger than my whole room. There was a gourmet stove and a whole lot of cabinets over it. There was also a counter right smack dab in the middle of the kitchen. On it was a punch bowl that I’m pretty sure wasn’t filled with punch of any kind. “Take a drink girl. Some of the boys are here. Most of them are straight so I can’t get my hands on them. I saved them for you.” “Okay. Thanks I guess.” “That’s what home girls are for right?” “Sure.” I grabbed one of the plastic cups beside the punch bowl and grabbed the ladel. I poured the liquid in my cup and swished it around. I took a sip and my eyes started watering. That is real strong! I walked into the livingroom where there was a bunch of boys surrounding Sonique. There were four boys just sitting looking all bored. I could tell that they were the straight ones. They looked up and my mouth dropped. Those were the same boys that were hitting on me in the store. “Hey boys look who it is.” The brown haired-one said as I got closer. “Oh great. The dude with the horrible pick-up lines is stalking me.” He laughed. “I do have a name you know?” “Okay then what is your name.” “Josh. Josh Sanders. And what about you you pretty little princess?” “First off I’m not a princess. And secondly its Mykelle.” “Mykelle Sanders. Doesn’t that have a certain ring to it?” “No. Not really.” “Ha. But it will. Here let me introduce you to my friends. This is Jake.” He pointed to a shy looking blonde-haired kid with really deep blue eyes. He was also very pale. Jake was cute in a kiddish kind of way. He said a very soft “hi.” “Hello Jake. Nice name.” “Thanks.” “And that over there is Brandon.” He pointed to a kid with short black hair that barely went past his ears. He had a huge diamond earring in his left ear. His eyes were a weird purplish grayish color. His eyes just caught me. He was fairly tan like he used to live in California. He was the hottest of them all. “Hi.” I said very cheerfully. He just looked at me and smiled. I walked over to him and sat right next to him. “I like your eyes.” I complimented. “Of course you do.” What does he mean by that? “What do you mean?” “Of course you love my eyes. Everyone does. You’re not the first girl who’s said that and you won’t be the last either.” What’s up with this dude’s attitude? “Yeah. So where are you from?” “Listen why don’t you just get up and walk back over there with Josh or Jake? Okay?” “Ad why should I?” “Because I really do not want you all up in my air. So please get out of my bubble.” “Fine. Whatever.” I got up and sat next to Josh. “Don’t mind him he’s a jerk at times.” “I can see.” Josh began talking about something. But I wasn’t paying attention. I just kept thinking about Brandon. What is his deal? I was trying to be nice and he just shut me down. Josh just kept talking aand I pretended to listen, nodding my head when neccasary or saying,” Oh wow.” And when he laughed I made a horrible chuckle. At about 7:30 the party actually started. A whole bunch of people came rushing in. The music was raised higher and there was loads of talking. “Do you want another drink?” Josh asked me. “Nah. That stuff is real strong. I haven’t even finished my first cup." I showed him my almost full cup.