Day 28: The Claws Don't Discriminate (30 Days of Days)

Day 28: The Day I Had My First Fight and Why

I don’t remember the exact day, but I do remember that it occurred in the fall. 

I was in the sixth grade. 

But we have to back track…just for a brief moment.

There was this cousin that I had history with, dating all the way back to the 3^rd grade. 

He asked me...if only the writing were as neat..lol

You see, I had my first official boyfriend.   His name was Tyson.  I didn't really know anything about sex, per se.  I just know that I liked spending time with Tyson, and he liked spending time with me.  It was enough for me, and at first it was enough for him.

Here comes my cousin.  Let’s just call her Nicole.  She was deemed “fast.”  She always wore tight stuff and short stuff.  She knew a lot about sexual stuff.  She was only nine years old.

As we all were.

One day, she did something inappropriate with Tyson.  It’d be different if Tyson was resistant, but he seemed very happy with what she was doing. 

So I stopped dealing with him, and things started to become very strained between Nicole and me.

Sixth grade was no exception.

There was this guy that I was really cool with.  Everyone called him Scooter.  He and I usually sat next to each other on the bus.  We read a lot of books, so we tended to talk a lot about that. 

There was lots of speculation as to the nature of my association with him.  Were we friends or more than that?  Plus, there was even more talk because I was black and he was white, and on our bus, each usually sat with their own. 

Scooter and I were the exception.

Nicole noticed how Scooter and I were with each other.  

I wasn't sure whether she was jealous or just trying to cause ruckus.  Either way, she started making a habit of wanting to sit next to Scooter and me.  True, the seat could sit three people, but there were empty seats around her.  Scooter and I were baffled as to why she would always want to sit with us.

Since Scooter would be one of the last to get off, he would normally sit next to the window.  Since Nicole was one of the first to get off, it made sense for her to sit on the edge and for me to be in the middle (although I hated sitting in the middle).  

However, she usually chose to sit between Scooter and me, thinking it would somehow disrupt our talking to each other. 

He and I just continued to talk.  Nicole would try to chime in, but it was awkward because she normally didn't know what we were even discussing.

One day, I missed from school because I was feeling a bit under the weather.  

The next day, when I talked to Scooter, he said that Nicole had sat next to him and was trying to flirt with him.  He said that she asked him all sorts of questions about me.  I found that to be very interesting but because I wasn't into him like that, it didn't bother me.

“She thinks we’re a couple.  I didn't do much to disprove it.”

I ask him what he meant and he said he told her that he’d rather go out with a smart girl like me than a dumb troll like her.

I waited until I got off the bus, then started grinning like a Cheshire cat.  It made me feel good that he thought I was smart, yet it also threw me off, too.  Had he thought about going out with me?  That question had never popped into my head until he said it.

The day after, things seemed a bit more tense than usual.  It wasn't so bad on the way to school but as the day started winding down, things were at a fever pitch.

Scooter wasn't his usual calm self.  He actually looked very pissed.

“Did you tell people we were going out?”

“Of course I didn’t!  What are you talking about?”

“Do you remember that girl Amy I had a crush on?”

I told him that I did.  Then, he proceeded to tell me that she was going to say yes to him but because she heard that he and I were going out, she changed her mind.  

In my opinion, I thought Amy was shallow anyway and was just using that to get out giving him a chance.  

That didn't matter because I could clearly see that Scooter was hurting.

“I know you how feel about her.  I would never say anything like that nor jeopardize our friendship.”

Scooter started to calm down.  He apologized to me, saying he was just very hurt that he and Amy didn't have a shot.  Then, he and I started putting together the pieces, and all the pieces pointed to Nicole.  I decided I would have a talk with her in the morning before class.

The next morning, I went to Nicole and said I wanted to talk to her.  I asked her if she went around saying that Scooter and I were a couple. 

“I didn't say that.  He said that.”

“And when could he have said that?  I didn't get the memo.”

“The day he and I were talking on the bus.”

“Oh, the day when you were flirting with him?”

“Look, I don’t know what he told you.  All I know is the two of you aren't slick.  Always sitting next to each other on the bus, trying to play like you’re just friends.  Now the whole school knows the truth!”

“No, the whole school knows a lie because of your big mouth!  There’s never been anything between Scooter and me.  I’d greatly appreciate it if you would quit causing trouble and stay out of my life!”

By this time, a crowd was beginning to gather due to the raised voices.  Nicole was feeling a bit embarrassed.  As I was walking away, she grabbed my arm and spun me around.

“You can’t talk to me like that!  You’re just mad because no black guy wants you so you had to settle for a white one.  That’s why no one has respect for you!”

“And people respect you?  The only thing you got going for you is the outside and what’s between your legs.  Inside, you are cold, cruel and empty!”

Nicole began laughing.

“Is this about Tyson?  You are still bitter about that?  If he came to me that easily, he was never really yours anyway.  Besides, I don’t blame him for coming to me.  Who would want a four eyed, brace faced, fat blimp who doesn’t put out?”

The crowd began to laugh.  Usually, I would feel a lot of hurt.  Instead, I was feeling very cold and extremely angry.  I had never felt this level of rage before and didn't know if I could contain it.  I attempted to walk away again. 

Nicole twirled me around again and then slapped me, knocking my glasses off of my face.

Something snapped in me, and I went black.

When I came to, there were clumps of her hair in my hands.  Her neck and face were all scratched up.  One side of her lip was swollen.  I could only go by others’ accounts of what happened:

Nicole had gotten in one more slap.  Then, she attempted to grab my hair, and I went into action, pulling her hair with one hand and clawing and punching her with the other.  It was hell getting me off of her.  Some people even reported I had a sick smile on my face after the showdown.

None of this I recall.  In the two additional fights I had during school (one in 7^th grade, the other in 9^th grade), I didn't recall them either.  All I knew was that I did a lot of damage, especially to the chic I fought with in 7^th grade.

Nicole and I never fought again, but it wasn't the last time she caused trouble.  She attempted to get with the guy I was seeing in 7^th grade (unsuccessfully) and with the guy I was seeing in the 8^th grade (successfully). 

Shortly after, she got sent to another school, but around the end of high school, she has attempted to be in my life again.  I’m not sure if she even remembers all of the drama and chaos from way back then.  

It does make me wonder if it stems from her mom and my mom being rivals from back in the day, which I didn't find out until around 8^th grade or so.

Day 28, that’s a wrap!