This summary provides the essential details from the document in 3 sentences: The document describes tensions between four friends - Leisha, Star, Dionne, and Karen - as they wait in line for a rollercoaster ride. Dionne and Leisha get into an argument after Leisha is hit with a soda cup, and they come close to fighting. Star tries to defuse the situation so they don't get kicked out of line, but underlying issues between Dionne and Leisha continue simmering.

1. Coaster Ride
“Man it’s really boiling out here today.” Dionne dabbed her
forehead with the face cloth she had tucked into the band of her
shorts. And as usual, she used the opportunity to shake her head in
such a way that her shoulder length curly hair noticeably jiggled.
Dionne Averson, twelve years old and already in full possession of
the womanly curves most of her peers would wait for years to show
up, staunchly claimed that she did not chemically induce her curls but
that she just naturally grew “good hair”.
Leisha Thompson who stood behind Karen Green, who
followed Dionne in the single file line, rolled her eyes with
exasperation. Leisha was deemed the “smart” one of the four friends
and because of an even mix of jealousy and well-hidden admiration
of her physical beauty, disliked the arrogant Dionne. Besides, she
knew a Jheri curl when she saw one and that she surmised, was
what was really sitting on top of Dionne’s head.
As Dionne struck one of her famous hip jutting, weight leaned
forward on one leg, and breasts shoved outward, flirtatious poses for
the group of adolescent boys in front of them—who were as
expected, sneaking furtive glances at Dionne, Star and possibly even
Karen but never herself, Leisha believed—Karen, who was Dionne’s
greatest fan said,
“I know huh, it feels like it’s two hundred degrees, my hair is
gonna get all nappy.” In perfect imitation, she also swiped a
washcloth from the band of her shorts and blotted her forehead.
Karen Barnett, stick thin and flat chested with not a curve in
sight, held high hopes that if she mirrored the beautiful Dionne in both
mind and attitude, her body would get the hint and grow to copy her
physically as well. Dionne stared at Karen in a way that some affluent
people might regard an unfortunate homeless person–with an equal
mixture of indifference and pity.
Leisha glared at the both of them and her recent disapproval of
Karen flared. She used to be fond of her former timid and agreeable
friend until she'd recently turned into Dionne worshipper
extraordinaire and began believing that since Dionne received the
attention of many of the boys, perhaps she might capture the same
result.
Why does she care so much anyway? Boys are a pain in the
ass, Leisha thought as she took one of her own quick glances at the

2. rowdy group of twelve and thirteen year old males chiding and
teasing each other above them in the line. Actually she empathized
with Karen's concern. There were at least three really attractive ones
in the bunch and she craved their positive attention just as much as
any typical adolescent girl. Try as she might she couldn’t harbor the
apathy towards male affection like their friend Star, who was last in
line of their group and drifting in her own thoughts as usual.
Even and fairly tempered, instant friends with everyone she
met, and seemingly uninterested with mostly everything except
books, medicine, and roller coasters, Star Davis was the group
favorite and the reasonable “glue” that held their quartet together.
Without her amazing talent to iron out any and every conflict in
unwavering fairness, the friction that simmered just below the surface
between the three of them would have undoubtedly spontaneously
combusted.
It had been Star’s idea for all of them to come together on this
patriotic July summer day of 1983 and beg Karen’s mother to drive
them the forty miles to Four Flags Lake, the premier amusement park
that bragged the highest and best roller coasters on the east coast.
Their affection for Star was also the reason why they were
cooking in the sweltering summer heat while they stood in the longest
and slowest wait at the park on its most crowded day of the year.
The Grand Turino was touted to be the best and longest roller
coaster ride—at six minutes twenty-three seconds—in the area and
not for the faint of heart. Only the most courageous, the young, and
the not too bright dared looked forward to having their vulnerable
bodies dropped from the initial forty feet height and their necks nearly
whiplashed by the numerous curves and turns the ride had to offer.
The Grand Turino delivered its riders through these amazing gravity
defying feats amidst a constant rocking and shaking of its individual
cars even during the few straight and calm pathways, as a result of its
infamous wooden design.
As the line continued its snail pace movement and Leisha
stretched her neck to it's farthest capacity in an effort to monitor the
progress, a nearly empty paper cup of soda sailed through the air and
connected with her head. In an exclamation of pain, surprise and
embarrassment, she grasped her face where the ice remnants had
crashed against her skin.
“Right on man! You hit the f-ugly one!” A boy’s voice yelled
triumphantly.

3. “Hey, watch where you’re throwing your garbage, you just hit
my friend in the face!” Dionne hollered in the direction of the offending
party.
That likely would have been the end of it if Leisha hadn’t spied
the slight smirk on Dionne’s face that belied her protective words. And
that realization caused all of her contempt and jealousy to roll into a
momentous ball and spew forward. She was fed up with Dionne’s
fake-ness, resentful that Karen honored her prettiness over Leisha's
brains, and blamed Star for everything since she was the one who
had brought the stuck up cheerleader into their group in the first
place. They had been a fine little trio before and now because of
Dionne’s presence, all they did was argue.
Leisha picked up the fallen cup and hurled the remaining
ounces towards Dionne. There was too little liquid to do much
damage but she satisfactorily noticed that a few drops had managed
to stain her prized outfit.
“What’d you do that for? Damn Leisha you got that nasty stuff
on my top!” She pulled her snug fitting white cotton shirt into a
downward stretch to inspect the spots.
“Because I saw you laughing, that’s why. Don’t even try to lie.”
Leisha answered smugly. Karen spoke up, incredulous and
defensive.
“She was not laughing! She tried to take up for you, Leisha! You
didn’t have to go and mess up her clothes. That’s foul!”
“She was too laughing! I saw it! ‘Sides I’m tired of this little
heffer actin’ like she better than everybody damn else! Serves her
right!” Dionne’s temper flared in response and she took two steps
downward from her place in line to confront Leisha face to face. See,
this ugly bitch think she miss thang cause she got good grades, but
that ain’t gon’ help her when I whup her ass.
Dionne claimed a strong B average but her mother demanded
A’s because she felt her daughter should be the best at everything.
Though she studied as hard as she could, she could never make the
kind of grades Leisha received so effortlessly.
“And I’m tired of you actin’ like you better than everybody just
cause you got good grades. That’s why Aaron Johnson don’t like you,
cause you ain’t nothin’ but a ugly nerd that can’t dress!” Dionne
fashioned her thumb and index fingers into an L shape, shoved it
close to Leisha’s face, and turned them rapidly in a symbolic fuck off
gesture.

4. The boys in front of them turned to watch the exchange and for
a moment the brewing argument captured everyone’s attention within
earshot and caused a temporary amnesia of the long wait and
sweltering temperatures. A tall, lanky boy—who was one of the cute
ones, Leisha noted—covered his mouth with his hand in an ooh
gesture. When the other boys in the group followed their obvious
leader with gestures and exclamations to agitate the bickering girls,
Leisha knew she had to do something to save face.
Though these boys didn’t live in her neighborhood or go to their
school, she knew if she didn’t do something quick, her already
tremulous social reputation would be destroyed by the time they
returned to school in the fall. Humiliation and reputations had an
undeniable way of virally spreading amongst middle school children.
Besides, Dionne had played dirty by mentioning Aaron Johnson, her
source of unrequited puppy love for nearly two years. So she did the
only thing she could think of and slapped Dionne’s face.
Above them on the platform, the train of roller coaster cars
came to a halt after completing its latest run. As those people exited,
the next twenty or so excited customers scrambled into their vacated
seats. They were too far away to see the brewing feud, but since
fighting was a sure way to get banned from the ride—and possibly
the whole park with no chance of a refund—it would be notable
gossip amongst the Grand Turino crowd.
Dionne reared back in horrified recoil. Her hand caressed her
stinging cheek and tears sprung to her eyes in an even mix of pain
and humiliation. Now it was her reputation on the line and if she
backed down—though she desperately wanted to as she had just
decided that she simply wasn’t in the mood to mess up her hair and
clothes with a fight and there were fine boys watching—in front of all
these kids, she would never live it down. Dionne stepped forward and
made a show of slamming her coin purse down on the ground as
though she were ready to battle and loudly said,
“You little fuckin’, nerdy ass ugly cow, no you didn’t just smack
me. I’m about to kick your ass fo’ real!”
“Aw, snap! Fight! Fight!” The boys chanted above them while
maintaining their positions in the line. Their exciting roar focused
more of the crowds’ attention on them and caused Star to notice. She
began moving towards them to break up the latest argument but then
Karen swiftly stepped in front of Dionne and punched Leisha in the
chest.

5. “You hit Dionne and now you have to fight me, Leisha. She’s
right, everybody tired of you actin’ like you all that cause of your
grades.” Karen’s normally gentle face illuminated a heavy red cast
through her café au lait complexion. Though amazed at the now
obvious extent of Karen’s devotion, Leisha was angry enough to
assault her as well. She reared back to deliver what she considered
to be an easy hit to Karen's slight frame, when Star grabbed her arm
mid swing.
“Leisha, Karen! What the heck is wrong with you guys! We’re
gonna get kicked out of the park and we’re almost getting ready to
get on!” Then all of the girls were talking in rapid sequence as each of
their explanations vied to be the reasonable one that would appease
Star’s rising temper and manipulate her loyalty against the others.
“Dionne was laughing when those boys threw that pop at my
face!”
“I was not! I told them to back off and then she went all ape shit
and smacked me!’
“It’s true Star, Leisha was being an ass, she just wanna start
somethin’. She always actin—“
“Look! I don’t care what happened but I darn well know y’all are
not about to get us kicked out of this line! I waited all year to get on
this ride and none of you are going to mess it up!” Star’s dark skin
glowed from her anger. Why for God’s sakes are they always fighting
these days? I know that Leesh doesn’t like Dionne, but since she
knows that Dionne’s my friend and how important this roller coaster is
to me, she could at least get along with her for once.
Leisha’s strong perception of injustice was not to be forgotten
however. Despite the reasonableness of Star’s plea, she found it
impossible to let her anger go. As the hurtful insults Dionne had
yelled rang repeatedly in her head, she ground her teeth together
with what she considered unfair treatment by her oldest friend. She
should be on my side because we’ve been best friends since fifth
grade, way longer than any of these heifers been around.
“We wouldn’t have to worry about getting kicked out if youda'
left that stuck up bitch at home. You shouldna' invited her then there
wouldn’t be no need to fight.”
“I wasn’t coming without Dionne.” Karen piped in. She wouldn’t
admit it in front of her beloved target of admiration, but she was
actually terrified of roller coasters and would have rather gone over to
the bumper cars or anything that stayed on the ground. But her fear

6. was worth it if it raised her up in the eyes of Dionne.
“Then you could have stayed home too Karen. Because you
used to be cool but now all you want to do is follow behind that bitch.”
“Who the hell you callin’ a bitch? See, I need to kick your—“
“Leisha! Why are you actin’ like this? You need to apologize to
Dionne right now. C’mon we supposed to be girls.”
“Apolo—what! She ain’t never been one of my girls! You the
one brought her fake, stupid ass around in the first place! Everything
we do, we gotta call Dionne! Dionne, Dionne, Dionne! That’s all you
ever care about these days Star! We use to go to the mall together
and to the library and just hang, but now it’s all about let’s go get
Dionne and see what she wants to do. Karen act like she can’t even
shit without Dionne and you always callin’ her like just you and me
ain’t good enough for you no more and now you want me to
apologize?
Last year, when Candy and Tory stopped talking to her after she
got caught kissing Tory’s boyfriend, she didn’t even know we existed
and now—you know what, forget you Star! I see you just wanna hang
with them and now that you don’t need help with your math, you don’t
need me.” Leisha’s tear streaked face turned around and began
walking out of the line.
“Leisha wait, wait!” Star firmly grabbed her departing forearm to
prevent her further departure.
“Aw, the little Leisha baby is jealous because Star would rather
hang with me instead of her. Star’s pretty Leisha, and hangin with
your ugly ass be messin’ up her game with the guys. Star was the
one who told me that and now I see what she means.”
Normally Dionne’s verbal assaults would have only managed to
irritate Leisha, as it was typical of Dionne to insult her looks and
exploit the fact that boys never seemed to be attracted to her, but the
last part of the slander had stunned her into momentary silence. It
was as if Leisha’s greatest fears of abandonment and loneliness had
abruptly come true. She regarded the suddenly mute Star and hoped
for a sign of the fiction in Dionne’s words.
Star’s rapidly fallen gaze seemingly gave her the answer and
again she attempted to leave the line, but though Star wouldn’t meet
her eyes, she held fast to Leisha’s wrist and dragged her upward as
the line moved forward again. Damn, now why did she have to go
and put what I said like that? She knows what I meant when I told her
that with Leisha, I don’t have to worry about boys and all their

7. stupidness. I like that she’s too smart to be worried about what they
think. I was hoping Dionne would take the hint before all that flirting
she’s always doing gets her in trouble.
They were close enough now to see the train of coaster cars
roll into the starting gates as it came to a stop with a long, sharp hiss
of its breaks. The aerodynamically shocked riders exited towards the
right as soon as the locked safety bar across their torsos was lifted.
Star noticed that one young girl cried hysterically as she held fast to
her father as they got off.
Star wanted to cry herself because she felt so terrible that
Dionne had distorted her comments in order to hurt Leisha. She
hoped that Leisha would listen to the truth of what she’d really said
once they were out of Dionne’s earshot. She really didn’t approve of
the way Dionne constantly tried to come between her and her oldest
friend. I wish I could get her to see how incredibly jealous Dionne is of
her brains and how she covers that up by flaunting the only thing she
thinks she has. But what I really wish is that I could make them all
see that being pretty and popular isn’t what it’s cracked up to be.
And though Star still valued Karen’s friendship, it was clear that
her relentless worship of Dionne had distorted her good judgment.
Out of all of them, Leisha was the one in Star’s opinion that was
absolutely indispensable. She bent close to Leisha’s ear and
whispered urgently.
“Girl, you know I wouldn’t say nothin’ like that, you know me
better than that. I only asked her to be a part of us because I felt sorry
for her when I was trying to help her write those reports for Miss
Wharton’s class. Her mom said she was going to send her to one of
those white people schools way out in nowhere land if she failed and
that’s what was about to happen and I felt bad for her, ok? You know
she can’t spell or write that good, so she asked me to help her cause
I get the best grades in English. But that ain’t never meant I don’t
want to hang with you. We've been best friends since fifth grade and
you know Dionne can’t ever come between that. Let’s just get on this
ride and have fun ok? Don’t let her get to you Leesh, like I told you
before she’s just jealous of you cause you’re so smart. C’mon don’t
be all salty, we’re supposed to be having fun.” Star smiled in an
attempt to lighten the situation but Leisha didn’t return the gesture.
Without another word she pulled her forearm out of Star’s hold
and folded it on top of the other across her chest. She stood ramrod
straight and refused to meet any of her companion’s eyes, but she

8. remained in her place in the line. Star regarded her and shrugged
knowing that she was still upset but grateful that she had chosen to
stay.
***************************
For the next ten minutes all of the girls were quiet as they
moved forward into the final feet of the infinite appearing line. By then
they could accurately predict which sets of coaster cars—the red and
blue or green and white—they would be on and how much time they
had left before their turn. They could also witness in stark detail, the
features of the face behind the amplified voice that spouted the rules
and regulations at the beginning of each cycle.
Their silence did not mean that tempers had abated however.
Dionne’s anger in particular was brewing. She could only guess what
Star had whispered to Leisha to convince her to remain in their
company. Dionne had hoped she would just go away and leave the
three of them alone, but now as usual Star had stopped her. And
Dionne hated that because she couldn’t stand Leisha having one up
on her. She needed to turn things around in a direction that was more
to her benefit. I need to find a way to get rid of her ass once and for
all.
Before she could open her mouth to initiate another verbal
assault that would hopefully lead to Leisha’s absence, Karen spoke
up with a surprising revelation.
“You know Leesh, I know you’re used to using your fists to get
your point across like your mother does to you, but we don’t do that
here.” Her tone was sarcastic and chastising as though she spoke to
a small, undisciplined child. She rolled her eyes at Leisha for effect
and then she and Dionne began to chuckle.
Star studied them and not for the first time wondered about the
true extent of their recent camaraderie, while Leisha was mortified
that Karen had betrayed her trust. She swore she would never say a
word and now she just shouted out all my business for everybody to
hear!
“Ok, you guys need to just quit it. Karen why are you agitating
the situation? Why can’t we just have a good time without all this
drama?”
“We would be havin’ a good time if you didn’t have Miss Brawler
hangin’ out with us. Fo' real Star, Karen told me all about how
Leisha’s mom beats her ass all the time and how she knocked her
down the stairs with her fists. That’s how she broke her arm that time.

9. She didn’t fall off no bike like she said, her mother did that to her.
Karen was there and saw it all. Now she thinks that’s the way you
solve things by hitting. She could have got us all kicked out the park
Star and then what? My daddy told me you have to watch the
company you keep.
“Yo’ daddy! Yo’ daddy ain’t nothing but a damn crack head
Dionne and everybody knows it! I saw him on Jefferson with all the
other druggies high out of his mind at two in the afternoon! Now tell
me I’m lyin’! You walk around here like you all cute and better than
everybody else and you got a damn drug addict for a daddy! I bet he
out gettin’ high right now! And Karen, you bitch! Since you tellin’ my
mother’s business, let’s talk about your whorin’ mother who’s sleeping
with the Pastor behind your father’s back. She try to act like she all
Christian and shit when she know she ain’t nothing but a goddamned
ho’ and you probly’ gon’ turn out just like her!”
Even with the mortified, hurt looks on their faces, Leisha could
barely stop her tirade because she was so angry and frightened at
having the greatest secret of her life publicly revealed. If it gets out
that my mother looses control sometimes and hits me a little too hard
even though I deserve it, they gon’ take me away from her and I’ll
have to live with ‘people who will beat you way worse and not give a
shit about it’ as Angela Thompson was fond of saying.
Why the hell would she just blast me out like that after I told her
what would happen and she swore she would never tell, and she
claim she ‘sposed to be my friend! Deeper than the result of this
exposure however, was Leisha’s horrifying deep-seated fear that
what Dionne and Karen said was true. She had hit Dionne first
because it had felt like her only option and it had felt good and
satisfying to do it. Besides her bitch-ass deserved it.
Without seriously considering the consequences of her actions,
but roiling with emotions from her betrayal, Leisha lunged at Karen
and shoved her forcibly before anyone else had time to react. Karen
hit the concrete hard and the twist of pain in her face made Dionne
and Star wince. Star hurriedly moved to collect Karen off the cement
floor, her sympathetic words drowned out by the roar of the coaster
train taking off on its last ride before theirs. In just a few minutes, the
other train would return and board the next twenty passengers in front
of them and soon after they took off, it would finally be their turn.
While Karen stood under Star’s comforting assistance, Star
glanced around at her companions and wondered why they were

10. being so mean towards one another. She took stock of the belligerent
and defiant look on Leisha’s face and the satisfactory smug look on
Dionne’s and she finally accepted that the friendship between the four
of them was over.
“I should’ve punched you in your damn big ass mouth.” Leisha
spoke between clenched teeth and Karen shrunk back. All of her
previous bravery had dissipated when she’d been injured from
Leisha’s angry push. Karen cradled her wrist in her other hand,
hoped it wasn’t broken and tried not to cry with her pain. She looked
to Dionne for sympathy, but she ignored her plight and stared fixedly
at Leisha.
None of the girls noticed as a blonde haired man dressed in a
security outfit, approached and stared at them with a quiet scrutiny.
“There’s no pushing and shoving in the line ladies, do it again
and I’ll have to dismiss you from the ride.” Star put on her most
charming smile and spoke politely.
“Oh, my friend just fell Sir, we weren’t pushing. She just tripped
and fell.”
“I got a report of some girls fighting and using foul language,
that wouldn’t have been you ladies now was it?” All four girls shook
their heads in false innocent unison.
“Oh no sir, somebody was mistaken. We were just horsing
around. We’re not fighting at all.” Then the guard focused on Karen
and noticed the way she favored her forearm.
“You okay? You can’t get on if you’re hurt.” Karen was afraid to
open her mouth and talk lest she burst into tears and then he would
know what was up. On the other hand it was also a good way to get
off of the terrible ride without jeopardizing her friends’ opportunity and
besides, her wrist was hurting her terribly. Her mind made up, she
moved towards the guard when she felt a hard pinch on her backside
just above her kidney. Wincing she looked back to see Dionne give
her an unmistakable look.
“She’s fine mister. Karen, tell him you’re ok so we can get on.
It’s almost our turn.” Karen’s desires were not willing to override the
coveted Dionne’s, so she mustered all of her strength and smiled.
“I’m ok.” She quietly lied. The guard stared at them a moment
longer and then he retreated back into the throng of the crowd.
“That’s good Karen, I knew you were better than Miss brawler
there and wouldn’t get us all kicked off the ride. Besides we can both
kick her ass after we get off or maybe we should throw her over the

11. side when we get to the top.” Dionne was the only one to giggle at
her own joke as they all looked at her with varying emotions on their
faces. “God you guys I’m just playin’! I would never do nothin’ like
that, she ain’t worth it no how.”
“I’d like to see you try it bitch.”
“Oh, don’t think I won’t, and heiffa' you got one more time to call
me outta my name, and I swear I will beat your ass before you even
get on this roller coaster!” Dionne’s voice had risen again and
attracted the attention of the group of boys in front of them who
should have been on the car that had just taken off but they had held
back in order to ride on the same train of cars as the girls, as this was
the type of entertainment they could not miss.
“C’mon then!” Leisha reared up again and moved around Star
towards Dionne. But Star had finally had enough. She let go of
Karen’s arm and grabbed Leisha’s tee shirt roughly. Standing
between the two girls she looked back and forth between them.
“Both of you knock it the fuck off!” Dionne stared in wonder
because she had never seen Star so angry.
This is it, now Star is surely going to stop being Leisha’s friend
once and for all. She saw with her own eyes how violent she is when
she slapped me and then again when she pushed Karen. Instead,
Star took Dionne by surprise again. “Look Leesh, after today we’ll go
and hang out, just you and me, ok? But you know how much I’ve
been waiting to ride this coaster and if you guys keep fighting, we’re
gonna get kicked out of the whole park and I’ll never get to come
back and ride it ever. I know you’re mad and you should be, but just
chill out for now and I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
It was the pleading and desperate tone in Star’s voice that
broke the dam for Dionne. She understood in that moment the real
reason why Star had ever befriended her in the first place. She knew
that all of Star’s friendliness and acceptance into her group of friends
had been for only one reason—her silence. Dionne’s realization of
Star’s false friendship and her binding alliance with the smart and
successful Leisha rose to a pinnacle and she spoke loud enough for
the group of boys and everyone else within a few feet to hear the
words she had sworn to Star she would never say.
“Star does It with her own father. I saw them when I went over
to her house last spring. She said they do it all the time. They was
doin' the nasty right there on her bed, and Star was actin’ like she
liked it. She was makin’ noises and everything. She ain’t so goody

12. goody. She’s a nasty skank of the worst kind and I don’t know why I
ever wanted to be friends with her. Bet you didn’t know that about
your precious little Star did you Leisha?” Dionne jutted her hip out to
one side and crossed her arms in front of her chest in a challenging
pose that dared anyone to deny her revelation. Silence ensued
amongst the nearby crowd as they stared wordlessly at Star.
For a moment it was as though time itself stood still. Mouths
gaped and eyes seared accusingly at the hopelessly shamed Star as
though she were doing the depraved act right there in front of their
eyes. All thoughts and reason instantly fled from Star’s mind and left
her with a still and empty slate in its place. So, it was without
satisfaction, regret, or even contemplation that she did what she did
next.
In those last few moments as the crowd stared and the girls’
long awaited coaster train plummeted towards them with a loud
clanging of metal, it dropped its speed in preparation for the end of
the line.
But it didn’t slow down enough. As the last of the breaks
engaged for their inevitable completion, a pretty, carmel skinned girl
with her questionable chemically treated hair billowing in the wind,
sailed gracefully into the air and landed directly into the path of the
reduced, but far from stationary first car of the roller coaster train.
Star’s arms remained outstretched from the mighty thrust she
had just given. As the surrounding crowd screamed in horrified
reaction when the front end crashed into Dionne’s unconscious body,
Star wore an expression of satisfied resignation. But in fact, her mind
had turned completely and utterly blank and would never be anything
again at all.
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[Type text] Bennett-Gandy