Chapter 1 The Fabulous Five

Fall 1997

"Smile and say cheese !" Tracey Sanchez said as she positioned the camera in front of five eager and energetic freshman girls. They smiled and posed for the camera. Two stood on the end with a hand on a hip, leaning in towards the three girls in between them. While the next two on the inside end stood with an arm on the shoulder of the girl between them. The girl in the middle happened to be the daughter of the proud parent taking the picture, Tanesha Sanchez .

"Click !" A flash of light went off indicating that the picture was taken. Tracey threw the camera in the back seat of her Mercedes SL500 and then returned to the five girls who no longer had eager and energetic looks but now looks of desperation as they awaited to start their first day of high school.

"Are you done yet?" Tanesha asked rolling her eyes and showing irritation. Tanesha's mom let her get away with any and everything without reprimand or at the least a verbal warning. She could get away with murder if need be. Tracey said her goodbyes before quickly leaving. Tanesha then flipped her jet black hair over her shoulders and asked, "Ya'll ready?"

Linette Luciano, being Tanesha's right hand woman, answered,"You know it!" Linette then pulled down her Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses over her eyes and proceeded to walk into the building behind Tanesha as the other three followed in her steps. Inside the building all eyes were on them. Jealous glances were shooting from every girl in sight while their boyfriends were staring at them with lust filled eyes. They were the center of attention from there on out and not one girl or group could compete with them. And if they even tried to . . . well they'd get dealt with.

x x x

Winter 2006

Her fingers traced the outline of the frame as she stared at the picture of her and the 4 people she grew to love over the years. As she reminisced about the fun memories she had with them and the love in her heart for them, a tear fell from her eyes. The tear drop fell on the figure of her best friend and confidant, Tanesha Sanchez.

"Miss. Louciano, can you tell me about your relationship with the women in the picture that you have in your hand?" The well dressed lawyer stood before her in the largely packed courtroom. 

"We were all best all best friends . . . " She responded as she looked towards the lawyer and then back at the picture.

"Thank you. Now can you please tell the jury and I how you all came to be best friends?"

"Well, Tanesha and I were best friends since 4th grade. We went to the same private school all through out elementary. We met Kris, Cashelle, and Kiara the summer before 7th grade and we immediately clicked. Ever since then we were inseparable. All through high school they called us, The Fab Five. We were indeed fabulous," Linette responded never taking her eyes off the picture.

" I see. So you agree that the defendant, Kris Parker, was your best friend?" The state appointed lawyer, Mr. Wilson questioned her all the while stating the obvious.

"Yes. She was." Linette answered while lowering her head.

"Well how did this come to be?"

"The same reason why we're all here today. Kris killed Tanesha," She began to ball tears into her hands as her head stayed lowered.

“That’s a got damn lie and you know it!” Kris yelled jumping out of her seat. The courtroom erupted in mayhem as they started yelled across the room hysterically at each other. Lawyers and gaurds made failed attempts to calm both women under the Judges’ order.

“Order! Order in the court!” Judge Mason violently slammed his gavel down in hopes of getting his courtroom back under control.

“What do I have to lie about Kris? Everybody knows you envied Tanesha. Stop lying! You killed her and we both know why,” Linettes’ reply caught the attention of the entire courtroom. Mr.Wilson approached Linette and asked her the question everyone present in the courtroom wanted to hear the answer to.  

Kris Parker's lawyer, Mr.Davis stared intensely as if burning a hole through her with his eyes. Then back at Linette, listening attentively, hoping the next thing she said wouldn’t hurt the case against his client anymore than it already was struggling.

“Miss. Louciano, what exactly do you mean by that? " The entire room fell silent.

Waiting. 

Wanting. 

Feening her answer.

Linette hesitated and fell silent to the question at hand. Judge Mason became irritated. “Miss. Louciano, answer the question.”

Linette shifted in her seat as her eyes darted around the room. “Tanesha slept with Kris’s boyfriend, Andrell, not even a month before she was killed. Everyone knew Kris hated Tanesha for it but envied her even more. Kris tells me she’s going to talk to her one on one about it. And then the next day Tanesha was found dead." Linette became overwhelmed with tears. She shed tears for Tanesha Sanchez, for her parents and for what had happened to the Fab Five. And finally she shed them for what was to come.

Once again Kris was infuriated. “If that was the case wouldn’t you be dead also? You fucked him through out our relationship! Like I didn’t know!” She leaped up from her chair and almost across the table that she was confined behind for the duration of the trial. It was obvious that she had anger problems, which made her the primary suspect.

Judge Mason banged his gavel three more times, “That’s enough! One more outburst from you and I’ll hold you in contempt of court!”

“Hold me then! None of you care about what I have to say anyways!” Kris yelled enraged, crying hysterically putting her hands behind her back. The gaurds were then ordered to take her away.

Back in the holding cell Kris contemplated a suicide attempt over and over again. Ever since she was questioned about Tanesha's murder things have been hectic for her. Before she could follow through with committing suicide Mr.Davis stormed through the doors leading to the holding cells in rage.

“What is going on! When were you going to mention that you went to see Tanesha Sanchez the night before she was found murdered?”

"Honestly, would you still believe me if I did tell you?" Kris replied, head held down low.

He cleared his throat, "Miss. Parker you need to be straight forward with me on everything if you want to have a chance at winning this. Now start from the beginning and tell me everything. Leave nothing to the imagination."

Kris lifted her head slightly, "Do you believe that I didn’t do this?" Fresh tears began to swell in her eyes. Mr.Davis sat down beside her, lifted her head up inside of his hand and wiped her streaming tears from her cheek.

"If I didn't believe you I wouldn’t have came to you wanting to defend you. I would hate for another beautiful woman to go to prison because of something she didn’t do. Now tell me what happened."

Kris' sad demeanor vanished as she smiled, shed one last tear and began to tell her story.