The Diary of Aaliyah Anderson Read online

  When I first heard that speech, I was in awe! I couldn’t believe that Dr. King was spitting knowledge like that! I couldn’t believe that he and Malcolm X, though they had different ways of going about things, were actually preaching the same message. I did research and found out that they even tried to come together before Malcolm X died! Imagine if that happened! That makes me wonder if there are more factors involved behind Malcolm X’s death. I’m going to definitely start my research on that later…

  But nevertheless, I learned something. Both Martin and Malcolm, through their trials and tribulations, still didn’t let the hate get to them or stop them from reaching their goals. I need to take a few pointers from these two great men, especially in this election!

  As I was watching a very empowering Malcolm X speech, Deangelo’s number one homeboy Dante walked into the library. That boy is all types of fine! He’s about two inches taller than Deangelo and his body is out of this world! He was swole, but not too swole. He had huge muscles, but it didn’t look like he was taking any steroids. I think he does karate or something. Plus, he has that same pretty, perfectly smooth chocolate skin that Dasia has. I’ve always had a place in my heart for the darker brothers! Now, to me, he’s not as fine as Deangelo, but he’s up there with him. It’s almost a tie!

  “What’s up, ‘Liyah?” he asked as he came up to the computer I was sitting at.

  I smiled. “Nothing, just watching some speeches so I can get ready for the big one I have on Friday at that Nomination party. I’m not trying to embarrass myself.”

  “Don’t even worry about that. You’re gonna do great. Malcolm X is the best guy to take a few notes from. He’s my favorite civil rights leader. Malcolm didn’t take mess from anybody, even the Nation of Islam. He didn’t care what anybody thought about him. That’s what probably got him killed too in the end too.”

  “So you’re saying I should listen to more Malcolm X speeches?”

  “With you trying to be the president and everything, that would be a great idea.”

  “Alright, thanks Dante. Good looking out.”

  “It’s cool. It’s cool. But aye, I need to talk to you about something right quick.”

  “Is it something bad?”

  “Oh no, everything’s good. I just wanted to ask you about your girl Allison.”

  That immediately caught my attention. I completely took off my earphones and turned towards him in the office chair I was sitting in. “What about her?”

  “You know, it seems like Allison is a real fly female and I’m really feeling her. I wanna talk to her, but I don’t wanna waste my time if she ain’t really up on black guys like that.”

  I smiled. “From what I know, Allison has never dated outside of her race, but she’s open to it. Plus, she really has something for dark-skinned brothers. Her favorite actor is Idris Elba.”

  Dante was shocked. “Are you serious?”

  “I’m dead serious! She was at my house one day and that Tyler Perry movie Daddy’s Little Girls with him and Gabrielle Union came on BET. She saw him and just immediately fell in love.”

  “Wow! So you don’t think she’ll go and diss me?”

  “Not if you come at her right.”

  He smiled. “I got that on lock for sure! I was just checking to make sure I wasn’t trying to get with a KKK member.”

  I laughed. “She’s nothing like that. I actually can see you two as a good couple.”

  We stood up and he gave me a hug. “Thanks for the heads up, ‘Liyah.”

  “Don’t mention it! Let me ask you something, though.”

  “Yeah, what is it?”

  “What was up with Latasha and Deangelo at breakfast today? They were sitting pretty close together.”

  He smiled. “Nothing’s going on with ‘Tasha and Scoop. Honestly, I didn’t even know Latasha knew who he was. Why do you ask?”

  I grinned real wide and blushed on the sly. “No reason.”

  He chuckled. “Alright, if you say so. But aye, thanks for the information.”

  “Okay, but don’t go breaking my girl’s heart,” I teasingly replied.

  “’Liyah, trust me on this one. I definitely won’t do that.”

  “Alright, I’ll hold you to your word.”

  ♠♠♠♠

  My One and Only

  Surprisingly, first and second period went very smoothly. I didn’t have any problems from anybody. I spread the word of my campaign and got a few people to commit to voting for me. I also told Allison about Dante wanting to talk to her. She was both surprised and happy.

  “Are you serious? I can’t believe he wants to talk to me!” She said in second period with a huge smile.

  I smiled back at her. “Believe it, Allie. He told me about it in the library. But don’t tell him I told you.”

  “Isn’t he Deangelo’s best friend?”

  I tried to seem nonchalant about it. “Something like that.”

  She got even more excited. “Wouldn’t it be cool if we went with them? That’ll be so special!”

  I sort of half-smiled. “Yeah, it really would be.”

  Even though I talked to Dante about what happened this morning, something in me still tells me not to get too emotional with Deangelo. As I said, I’ve gotten my heart broken plenty of times before and I’m trying my best not to get hurt again.

  At lunch, Deangelo was one of the first ones in the lunchroom. He was sitting alone in a booth on the right side. I just noticed that he brings his own lunch to school. After seeing that weave floating around in my vegetable soup yesterday, I never wanted to eat in a public school lunchroom again. I decided to go over there and sit with him.

  “What’s up, Aaliyah?” he pleasantly said as I sat down.

  “Same old, same old. What you got packed today?”

  “Oh, I got me a meatless hamburger on wheat bread with some baked chips, a green apple, and water.”

  “Hold up, did you say a meatless hamburger?”

  “This hamburger is one hundred percent meatless. It’s crazy, isn’t it?”

  I laughed. “It really is! How can you have a hamburger with no meat?”

  “I don’t know how they do it, but it definitely tastes like a hamburger. Well, it really tastes better because it tastes cleaner and you don’t feel guilty eating it.”

  “So you’re trying to be a vegan?”

  “Well, I’m really trying to be more of a vegetarian. A vegan diet is too extreme right now.”

  “Is it hard to be a vegetarian?”

  “It was at first, but eight months later I’m still on it. I feel a whole lot better too!”

  I was in awe. “You haven’t had any meat for eight months?!”

  “No meat at all. I have some fish every now and then, but you can’t really count that because it’s not as unhealthy as beef, pork, turkey, and even chicken.”

  I laughed. “I couldn’t see myself as a vegetarian. That’s just too much.”

  “Honestly, I couldn’t either, but I tried it and it’s almost been a year since I’ve had meat. Are you willing to try it? It would be great if I had somebody else doing it with me.”

  I smiled. “Maybe, but are all those meatless products good? I know it’s healthy, but it needs to have some flavor to it.”

  He cut me off a half piece of the meatless patty. I just couldn’t believe that they made hamburgers that contained no meat. But, when I tasted it, I was extremely surprised! It tasted just like how he described it.

  He laughed. “It’s good isn’t it?”

  I laughed too. “Maybe I can try this vegetarian thing after all! I never liked real hamburgers anyway.”

  “Finally I have somebody to do this with. I can be like your personal trainer. You can keep me honest too, because I’ve almost slipped up a few times.”

  Once again, in the flow of the conversation, I asked him about Latasha. “What was up with you and Latasha this morning? Y’all were sitting pretty close together.” Deangelo started laughing.
I smiled. “What’s so funny?”

  “Dante told me you’d ask about her. He talked to you in the library about him wanting to talk to Allison right?”

  “Yeah! I thought it was so nice. Allison has made some bad choices in guys and I think Dante would be good for her.”

  “That would be something if they got together. He’s wanted to get with Allison for a while. But, with the thing on Latasha, don’t even worry about that. That was completely unplanned. I swear, I didn’t even know that she knew me. She acts like everybody’s underneath her because she’s a cheerleader and that’s not the type of female I like. Now Dante, once upon a time, tried to talk to her. That’s not me though. It’s good to be confident in yourself, but she’s too stuck up.”

  I smiled. “What makes you think I was worried?”

  Deangelo chuckled. “Well, why did you ask the question?”

  “I was just…give me time to think about that!”

  Deangelo smiled. “Well, Aaliyah, know this: even though we’re just friends, I wouldn’t ever do you dirty like that. Why would I go behind your back and be cool with somebody you’ve had problems with for this long of a time? I’ve heard about the beef you two have. Really, she’s been hating on you ever since 3rd grade?”

  “Yes! We’ve had problems since elementary school.”

  He shook his head. “That’s a shame. Haters are a trip though. And trust me, she has a lot to be jealous of you for. I just wanted you to know that I’m loyal. If we were going together, I wouldn’t disrespect you by talking to another female. Straight up, you’d be my one and only.”

  I grinned while blushing. “You know you really didn’t have to say all that, right?”

  He smiled, looked into my eyes, and licked his lips real sexy. “I know, I was just giving an example.”

  After a few seconds of awkward silence, Allison walked over to our booth with a salad. “Hey you guys! Am I interrupting anything?”

  “Oh, naw, Allison,” I quickly replied to her, knowing exactly what she was thinking. “We were just casually talking.”

  Deangelo winked at me and said, “You sat down at the right time too.”

  I looked behind me and smiled. Dante had just come out the serving area and was walking over to the booth we were sitting in.

  Allison saw me smiling and laughed. “Am I missing something? What’s going on?”

  “You’re gonna see in a second, Allie,” I told her.

  Dante then came over and gave Deangelo some dap. Allison started grinning wide, like how she gets when D’s around. He then turned his head to our side of the booth.

  He nodded his head. “What’s up, ‘Liyah?” I grinned and waved. He finally turned his head to my girl and grinned. “Aye Allison, can I talk to you about something real quick?”

  She nervously smiled and said, “Sure, Dante,” while getting her salad and walking away with him.

  After I watch them leave, I turned to Deangelo and said, “Wow, that was really something, wasn’t it?”

  “Yup, that’s why I said it was perfect timing. What do you think’s gonna happen?”

  “They’re gonna end up hooking up. Like I said, Allison doesn’t really make the best choices in guys. A personality like Dante’s is definitely something different that she’s never seen before. Plus, you heard the saying, ‘Once you go black, you never go back.’”

  He grinned. “You crazy, ‘Liyah!”

  I laughed and held up my hands. “I’m just saying!”

  “I hear you. What do you mean when you say Allison doesn’t make the best choices in guys? I don’t understand what you mean by that.”

  I smiled. “I’ll tell you about it tonight on the phone.”

  He laughed. “Why can’t you tell me now?”

  “We don’t wanna run out of things to talk about!”

  After I said that, Deangelo looked into my eyes and smiled. “You’re something else, Aaliyah Anderson.”

  I grinned and teasingly said, “Don’t worry, I know!”

  ♠♠♠♠

  ‘Kiyah, the “Dating Expert”

  After the day ended, I managed to catch up with ‘Kiyah as we waited in the car pool area. She usually takes the bus back to the eastside, but after what happened last week, her mom has started coming from her day job at Geico to pick her up. Even though it’s a strain on Mrs. Livingston, with her working two jobs and everything just to provide for Jakiyah and her two other children, she made the sacrifice to make sure that ‘Kiyah stays out of trouble. The messed up thing is that ‘Kiyah always seems to stay in trouble. It’s sad seeing how ‘Kiyah acts with her mom going the extra mile for her.

  “See, man, I told you about Deangelo! He’s good people. You really need to go on and lock him down before somebody else tries to pull his fine self. You saw how close ol’ girl ‘Tasha was on him this morning,” Jakiyah said to me after I told her about our conversation at lunch.

  “He told me about the whole entire situation with Latasha and said it was nothing to worry about.”

  “He’s saying that now, but you know how these females are around here. We always want what we can’t have. Somehow word got out that Scoop is trying to talk to you, so Latasha’s pushing up on him. She was probably doing that just to get you heated anyway. Now, some more girls could suddenly get ‘interested’ too. That’s why I’m saying you need to go on and make it known that he’s yours before somebody else catches his eye.”

  “’Kiyah, I told you I’m not trying to hop into a relationship right now. I just wanna take it slow and feel things out a li’l bit. That’s just how I am.”

  She smacked her lips. “Come on, girl, you know that’s straight up b.s.! You weren’t tryin’ to ‘take it slow’ or ‘feel things out’ when you found out Xavier Johnson wanted to get with you. Or how about when Brandon Roberson at Hillman said he wanted to talk to you? You sure didn’t wait then.”

  I sighed. “’Kiyah, why do you always have to bring that up? That’s in the past and I wanna keep it there. I don’t wanna be reminded of those two wannabe players every time we talk about Deangelo.”

  I knew ‘Kiyah was just trying to get me to understand how valuable Deangelo is, but bringing up my exes 24/7 isn’t a great way to help me see her point of view. I’ve had a number of problems and hang-ups with male figures in my life. Look at my strained relationships with Elijah and Jeff. Look at my relationship with my “father”! She really needs to consider how that makes me feel instead of attacking me with it every time.

  She sighed. “Girl, I’m sorry, but I just want you to understand how much of an opportunity you have with Scoop. He’s a great guy! Didn’t Tay tell you the same thing last week? With how arrogant he is, that should tell you something.”

  “Come on, ‘Kiyah, let’s talk about something else. How about Dante talked to Allison today?”

  When I said his name, ‘Kiyah’s whole attitude changed. “Hold up! You mean dark-skinned, swole, sexy Dante?”

  “Yeah, he came and got Allison from our table to talk to her at lunch. It was so sweet! I think they’ll be a good couple.”

  Instead of being happy for Allie like I was, ‘Kiyah smacked her lips and started complaining. “Man, that’s some b.s.! I see which way he goes now.”

  I was confused. “What do you mean by that, ‘Kiyah?”

  “He likes white girls! Dante is a li’l sellout, just like the rest of them. I guess he couldn’t handle a sistah like me.” She said “sistah” with a li’l bit of soul.

  “Hold up! I hear a little bit of jealousy. Did you have a thing for Dante?”

  She smacked her lips and put her hands on her hips. “First of all, I’m not jealous. I always liked Dante. He even tried to talk to me back last year, but I gave him the ‘friend’ treatment. That’s why you need to go on and claim Scoop to make it known that he’s yours. If you don’t, a white girl will steal him, or worse.” She said that last part with an attitude.

  I rolled my eyes. ‘Kiyah was thinking too m
uch of the situation. If I knew she’d act like this, I wouldn’t have told her. Everybody’s always trying to bring race into the mix. If Dante does Allie right, and Allie does Dante right, why does it matter what color they are?

  ♠♠♠♠

  Shaking My Fear

  “You know something, ‘Liyah? I just can’t believe I’m here!” D excitedly said to me as we sat in the Hot 97.3 newsroom doing homework. He continued on, “I’m doing something that a good amount of the guys my age will never do, and that’s live out my dreams. I’m not trying to brag or anything, but it’s just so special to me. You know what I’m saying?”

  I smiled and nodded. D seems like he’s on a whole entirely different level than everybody else when it comes to his knowledge and thought process. You can learn so much just from holding a conversation with him. Another thing about D is that he’s always so positive and forward thinking.

  He continued his statement, “But I still feel like there’s something I need to do to, and I think I’ve finally figured it out.”

  I was curious. “What is it you want to do?”

  “I wanna go on and publish one of my stories, whether I self-publish it or send it to a publisher. It’s just something I’m thinking about, since I’m on the radio and I can promote my stuff.”

  “That’s a great idea, D! You should do it. Don’t you have enough money saved up to self-publish?”

  “I got more than enough saved up.”

  “Well, finish up the story and I’ll find out how much it costs for editing and all that. You know you have a free cover designer, right?”

  “Really! Where?” D teasingly asked.

  I smacked my lips and smiled.

  “But on the real, ‘Liyah, I got you. We’re a team. If I decide to make this ‘investment’, we’re gonna do it big.”

  “I’m down if you are.”

  D smiled. “I’ll keep that in mind, li’l sis. But, what’s going on with you? What are you doing over there?”