[1] Meet the Groupies

“And action.” I point my index finger towards my seven friends while holding a video camera.

 “Jaden your up!” did this boy get dropped on his nose in the hospital? We went over this a million and one times, what does a girl have to do to get some order around here.

Jaden is tall, handsome and slim with medium length dark brown, curly hair and some serious eyebrows, he has mesmerizing medium sized, hazel eyes, his cheeks remind me of a chipmunk with a mouth full with nuts, but the real eye catcher is his deep, low, relaxing, seductive voice, it could make a girl strip on demand.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist.” He chuckles heartily, “Well I’m Jaden.” He says into the camera.

“Yes, yes we know!” everyone shouts while throwing pillows at him and I make sure to get it on camera, especially when he starts squealing like a girl maybe I could use it for blackmail later.

“Okay stop.” He yells between chuckles, “I’ll be good I promise.” He makes the ‘cross my heart’ sign on his chest, now there is the responsible and serious Jaden we know and love, “Well I’m active, creative, kind of annoying but you guys love me like that.” We all begin to glare at him jokingly for his last statement, “Or maybe you don’t.” he concludes and someone says “Thatta boy Jaden you pick up fast.” and we all laugh till our bellies hurt or at least till mine does.

Jaden continues, “What else…hmmm…I can sing, love to travel and…hmmm… oh I know! I have the greatest girlfriend in the universe.” Some of the guys begin to protest at that. Zaria, Jaden’s girlfriend, looks proud.

“Okay Z, tell us about yourself.” I offer up before we start one of our many debates.

Zaria is a mixture of Indian and African American-people think it’s weird but I think it’s cool- she’s tall, with long, dark, curly hair, she’s really pretty and has shaped eyebrows and a slightly broad nose.

“Well I have the best-test boyfriend on the planet and I challenge anyone to say otherwise.” She laughs.

 I zoom in on Jaden’s expression and just in time too because he says, “Wow how come you get best in the universe and I get best-test on the planet.” He does a pouty face; we all break out into hysterical laughter.

“An-y-way…” Zaria says dragging out the syllables of the word and ignoring her now constipated looking boyfriend, “I’m talented, occasionally brave…”

“Got that right.” I laugh from behind the camera.                    

“Oh shut up.” She says jokingly and continues talking about herself, “I’m hard working, caring and a realist.” She concludes into the camera with one of her many brilliant smiles.

I move on to Cayton who is six feet tall, slim and has a light brown complexion- basically he’s African American like ‘moi’, -that’s me in French if you don’t know- he has black eyes, his hair is kind of like a mini afro, he’s athletically built and has pierced ears.

“What about you Cayton?” I ask.

“Well……” he puts his figures on his chin and rub them in a thinking motion, “I’m stylish, wild, I love fun, I’m adventurous. I love playing football, roti, hanging out with friends, music, tattoos and……”

“Oh for god sake we just wanna know about you not a documentary!” I exclaim in a joking tone.

“Relax Rox I’m almost finished.” He counters using the nickname for my nickname which is Roxy and my real name is Roxanne.

“Well could you move it along a little faster?”

“Anything for you my love.” He laughs cheekily.

“Don’t make me pull out my pepper spray.” I say in a ‘Madea’ accent.

“You don’t scare me.” he says while impersonating ‘Joe’.

“Will you two stop it already!?” Zaria exclaims. Cayton and I start to laugh but follow her orders.

Cayton continues, “I hate people who act stupid,” he fakes coughing twice, “Roxy.” I hold my tongue to prevent me from saying something snarky in return and start our play fight all over again.

“I love art too…… so I uh guess that’s it.” He finishes up.

“Thank god.” I praise laughingly as he finishes, “Zania?” I ask.

“I thought you’d never ask.” She fakes an expression of aghast.

“How could I ever forget you my queen?” I ask in a rough British accent which has everyone cracking up.

Zania is five foot nine, she’s slim and has long, curly, shiny, temporarily red hair, her hair is originally black- I don’t know what made her dye it though-, she has brown eyes, and her ears are pierced five times on each and her skin is a beautiful light, caramel brown complexion.

“I L-O-V-E my boyfriend Cayton,” she gives him a fat wet kiss followed by a lot of eww’s on his part.

“You know you like it.” She purrs and Cayton laughs.

“Are you gonna just make lovey dovey eyes or are you gonna do what you’re supposed to?” I ask while laughing.

“Okay, okay, don’t go all mother bear on me, the only reason we’re here is to get away from the mama and papa bears back home.” Everyone laughs at her mama bear comment and I just keep a neutral expression trying not to laugh at her ridiculous joke.

Zania turned to the camera with an innocent smile which could have fooled me, “I am really impatient, so don’t keep me waiting,” she looks at Cayton, “I’m wild, stylish fun to be around and violent so don’t break my heart.” Again she addresses Cayton with a punch to his hand and I laugh which got me a back stage pass to a full on glare from Cayton-if stares could kill- I immediately turn back to Zania.

“Control him.” I point to Cayton, “So as you were saying.” I gesture for her to continue.

“Well… I love football, roti, planting, tattoos; I adore music, art and reading.” She ends up.

“What about you Brandon?” I switch the camera into my other hand to get a good shot of his face.

Brandon is tall and muscular- which is ironic since his girlfriend Shuni (Shoe-Knee) is short (I know her name is weird)- there is not much to say other than that he’s really sexy and is African American like most of us.

“I can sing but I can’t dance to save my life.” He tries to ‘bust a move’, as the hip people say and nearly busted his head instead which has his girlfriend rolling on the floor laughing, when he finally gets over his bad dancing he continues, “ I like milk, action and horror movies, eating, family, friends and a whole lot more.”

  “You’re not auditioning for plenty of fish in the sea.” Cayton laughs out.

“Don’t make me tell Zania about the club.” Brandon counters.

“Club? What club?” Zania asks confused and I shake my head.

“Shuni it’s your turn.” I say all of a sudden not wanting Cayton’s strip club experience to get to Zania’s ears. I mean who knows what she would do, she’s a very violent when it comes to her man, she almost killed him and his cousin when they shared a kiss on the cheek just because she didn’t know who the girl was and believe me I would have been pissed too but that doesn’t mean I attack them both with a loaded gun and god only knows where she got it from. 

Shuni is short for her age and compared to her boyfriend Brandon, she looks like a midget cut in half, but I think it’s cute and cliché, she has bourbon colored skin, dark brown eyes, medium sized nose, shoulder length brown hair, small girly lips and pierced ears. She is on the thick side but if you ask me it compliments her short physique really well.

Shuni must have seen the pleading in my eyes because she immediately separates Zania and Cayton before they get into a very R rated fight, “Hey, hey!” she beams into the camera lens stopping all unwanted confrontation.

“I’m Shuni and I am a fantastic singer.” She bleats out the chorus to ‘Moves like Jagger’ while grinding on Brandon who eventually looks slightly pissed when Jaden and Zaria began to pull them apart with broad smiles on their faces. Truth is, Shuni can’t sing to save her life, she sounds like a dying cat that’s having its heart ripped out slowly right now.

“I’m kind of a tomboy but only when I’m in the mood. I like purple, pink and blue, romance and comedy are my life.” She closes.

At that moment the doorbell rings and I instantly know who it is. My stomach flips and my eyes bulge I stand rooted in my spot with the camera facing the door all eyes are on me and Zaria mouths the word ‘behave’ as if I were someone’s pet. I soon get over my shock and walk over to the couch with my camera in hand. 

Your probably thinking I sound like a love sick puppy or that I’m about to die. Well if you thought the latter you are spot on because the person about to walk through that door is my arch enemy, Trenton Reed, former high school golden boy and I say former because we have already graduated, no more spot light for him. I wonder how long it will take him to die without attention, all I’d have to do is wait it out, that way I won’t go to jail for murder.

Shuni opens the door and behold the he-devil himself. He immediately looks for me and sends me a smile and I reply with a death stare.

Trenton and I have a strange history. He’s the type of guy who acts like an angel by day and bangs the cheerleading squad by night well all of the squad besides Zania, Shuni, Zaria and I, obviously my girls were off limit being his friends’ girlfriends otherwise no girl was safe, well besides me of course I wouldn’t let him touch me. Since then he made it his sworn duty to torture me until I give in which will be never.

Trenton is good looking, or so I’m told, when I look at him I see the devil’s spawn but the delusional ones see his caramel complexion, short brownish hair, grey eyes, muscular body and six foot two inches height.

What I see is his arrogance, cockiness, and dislike for girls who reject him �"exhibit ‘A’- and of course attitude towards women. He treats them like disposable phones one minute they are the most important thing ever, then their either crumpled or in the trash. What a jerk!

“Miss me?” he asks looking into my eyes, I hide a blush. I mean even though he’s a complete jerk I can’t deny that he’s F-I-N-E.

I succeed in not letting my blush show and with the most snarky voice I could muster I reply, “I’m sorry are you finished screwing the little league football team, I would really hate for such an angel like you to get in trouble for child harassment.” I plaster a fake smile on my face and I feel the camera being removed from my hands, good thing too because I would have thrown it after him when he says, “Actually I was with Jessica, but the whole time I was thinking about you.” And he even has the audacity to add a wink.

That was it! I got up from the couch with only one intention, hurt Trenton. I run for him which was something no one expected so I have the element of surprise on my side. Trenton and I always bicker but never in my life have I ever wanted to strangle him as much as I do now crush aside.

Jessica is a junior at our high school, I am her mentor, I love her like a sister and to think he had his filthy hands on her sent me ballistic even though I know she’s not in California it still makes me mad. He could have had any other s**t but Jessica is not his toy.

As soon as I get close enough to hit him I am pulled back with excessive force, I struggle to break free but it is as impossible as trying to lift my house.

“Let me go.” I snarl.

“It was just a joke.” Trenton laughed, which only made me angrier but when his words sink in I stop struggling.

“Should I let her go?” Cayton asks slackening the death grip on my hand.

“I’ll behave.” I say, out of breath. There is silence and then finally he lets me go and Zaria takes Trenton and I to one of the hotel bed rooms, while she and the others talked outside.

I sit on the bed and Trenton sits on the floor. My friends and I came to California for the summer before we have to go back to San Francisco for our senior year. It is a gift from all of our parents but we know better than to think that they aren’t stalking us somehow. If I was a parent with a son or daughter alone with their friends especially ones of opposite sex I would have a secret camera too.

I avoid Trenton at all costs and mercifully the door soon opens and my friends all gather inside the huge room but I could care less about the scenery I just want to know what the hell they were talking about.

“We decided on a dare for both of you and I know you remember our rules on dares.” Zania says. How could I forget? I think. We all decided that we would never back down on a dare as long as it doesn’t threaten us or our health we even sealed it with blood so it is a huge deal. I was so young and naïve back then how could I have not seen this coming.

“I never backed down before, right.” Trenton says and I just stare.

“My aunt told me once when she couldn’t stand a girl in her class the guidance counselor had them together twenty four o, and they realized how much they had in common and eventually became friends.” Zaria starts and Jaden continues.

“So for the rest of the trip here we dare you two to be a couple.” I am about to protest profusely but then I think it over. This could be my chance to torture Trenton give him a taste of his own medicine. Without another thought I say, “Why not?” everyone stares at me but quickly gets over it and looks to Trenton. I could see he is having the same thoughts I am. This is gonna be too easy.

“I accept.” He answers shortly after.

“You two do know you have to share a room since there are only four rooms and eight of us.” Jaden clarifies. I don’t show how much that statement bothers me, too late to back out now.

“Sure whatever, not like, Trenton hasn’t slept on the floor before.” I smirk. Trenton will finally know how it feels to be teased. Life is so sweet.