A Greek God In Harlem (5 page)

Percy was now holding Donyelle, who was crying into his chest. Tanya turned to Morris, whom she knew was the culprit. 

Morris sighed, "Look teach'. This is between me and Donyelle... y'all handle your business. I'll handle mine." He said, chewing a piece of gum and looking bored.

Tanya glared at him, "You made it my business when you decided to bring your drama into the classroom! This is not Jerry Springer." She said this while glancing at Donyelle as well.

Then 
she
 appeared by Morris' side. Julianna. She looked straight at Donyelle and started in rapid English mixed with Spanish,
"Look chica. Morris can make his own decisions. You're not his wife or anything. Clearly, he prefers to read the script with me, not with you."

This is when Morris spoke up, "Look guys. I didn't say I 
preferred
 to read it with Julianna. I just think... we all need to change it up a bit sometimes." He said this as he looked guiltily at his sobbing girlfriend. He knew he had already crossed the line when she spotted him stroking Julianna's hair as they rehearsed.

Donyelle had seen this and flown off the handle. Women. Morris shook his head.

Donyelle frowned, "Whatever Morris. You just like rubbing it in my face. You like her, I can tell."
The whole class was awkwardly silent by now. Was the 'IT' couple about to break right there and then? Over Julianna? Damn. They watched intently.

Percy tightened his embrace around Donyelle as he looked from her to her boyfriend. He had not signed up for this. He looked to Tanya for help but all she was doing was standing there, glaring at Morris. Perhaps Donyelle had not reacted in the right time and place, but that was damn disrespect, how Morris was going about things.

Julianna placed her hand on Morris shoulder, who shrugged it off. He didn't want to incriminate himself further.

"Look Donyelle. All I'm saying is, we spend 
every
 waking hour together. Why can't we just have different acting partners? You're seriously overreacting."

And with that, an embarrassed Donyelle broke free from Percy's strong comforting arms and ran out of the crowded but silent classroom. Julianna flipped her hair and giggled at Morris, in a 'did-you-see-that-mess' kind of way. 

Then Tanya ran after her, but not before throwing Morris and Julianna a look.

Percy let out a deep breath, "Okay everyone. I think you oughtta' pick up the scripts you've been throwing all over the place and head home. Class is done. See you tomorrow." Julianna blew Percy a kiss as she left the room. He ignored it.

"
Morris
 stays behind," he said as he saw Morris get ready to leave. 

Morris gave Percy a sour look, "What?! What did I do? I got basketball practice son. She'll get over it."
As Morris flung on his backpack and started to walk out, he felt a strong hand grab the bag from behind and he almost fell backwards, as some girls laughed at him.

Percy said it one more time, "We need to have a small chat. Man to boy." 

Morris turned around and Percy was giving him a steely look. The college boy's shoulders slumped. If looks could kill. Damn.

Tanya ran after a sobbing Donyelle into the school parking lot, 

"Donyelle wait!" she called. Donyelle turned around and all Tanya heard was, "Tell Morris I'm dropping out. Of school. Me and the baby."

Tanya stopped in her tracks and stood still in shock, watching Donyelle run down the street.

Percy removed his reading glasses and told Morris, "Sit down." 

Morris sighed and found a seat. He looked up at Percy, who was sitting on the teacher's desk.

"This is my first class with you guys and this is how you repay me?" Percy started, half-jokingly. Morris breathed out. Percy continued,

"I was about to blow a fuse on you just now, but I'll give you a chance to explain yourself."

Morris could tell his teacher was forcing himself to remain calm. Judging by the size of his body, Morris was glad Percy wanted to keep calm. 

"I'm waiting..." Percy calmly said. Morris leaned back in the chair. Did he owe this white dude an explanation? The guy had just come into the school today, he didn't know shit. Who did he think he was?

"Look dude, as I said, it's my business. Why don't y'all just leave me and my girl alone?"

Percy looked at his watch, as if becoming impatient.

"I could send out a disciplinary letter to your parents for your behavior today. Would you like that?"

"What?!! Dude it was Donyelle wilin' out not me. Geez. Why's it gotta' be me to pay for that shit?"

Percy shrugged, "You're the guy. And something tells me this is about more than flirting with other girls." 

Morris narrowed his eyes at the teacher. Damn, this guy was good. But he would not give in. It wasn't his business, about the baby. So Morris didn't answer.

"Are you ready to be a dad?" Percy asked. The look on Morris' face was that of a guy who had just peed on himself. What the hell? How did this teacher know about the pregnancy?!!

Percy saw this look and remained focused on reading Morris's mind.

"I, I don't know what you're talking about..." Morris stuttered. He didn't want to be associated with being the father or the baby...of any baby. Not now. Even if it 
was
 his.

"Oh but you do. Donyelle is pregnant and you've got to start thinking about the baby's future, which will involve both you and the mother. Trying to flirt with other girls and going for basketball practice is not gonna make the baby go away."

Morris narrowed his eyes at Percy. Had Donyelle confided in him? That was some major betrayal right there.

"Donyelle told you all this?" he asked tentatively. He would have a proper word with her later. Going around telling people she was pregnant. Chick had no brains.

"No. But the fact remains, you're gonna be a father soon. I need you to start finding out what semesters Donyelle would like to take off, whether she needs aid of any sort and what you'll be doing to ensure she keeps reading despite the situation," Percy explained. 

Morris was still wondering how the hell Percy had known. It's not like he was a superhero of some sort.

"Dude I ain't doing all that. The baby might not even be mine!" 

Suddenly the weather outside started to change. The clouds turned grey and started to move very fast.

It started to drizzle. Morris let out a "Huh?" as he turned towards the window.

He looked back at Percy who was now looking at him with a more than deathly look,

"That baby is yours. And you're going to be a part of its life. No matter how idiotic I find you, Donyelle needs you right now more than she needs anyone else. Are you going to do as I say? Or not?" Percy cracked his large knuckles.

Morris gulped and looked at the door. If this dude decided to attack he could make a run for it. He looked back at the professor and said in a resigned voice, "Whatever. Yeah I'll talk to her, about the baby."

The weather started to clear again.

"Tell her this is not the end of her run here at Mount Sinai so she should not even think about dropping out. I'll prepare special assignments and test days for her. Tell her that."

Morris rolled his eyes. Was this guy just trying to make him feel guilty? Being all husband-like towards Donyelle. 

Morris spoke up, "Look dude. You're just our teacher. You're not her boyfriend, I am. I'll decide where we go from here..."

Percy shrugged, "You better watch your mouth around me. Donyelle is a very beautiful girl who has her whole life ahead of her. Whether you decide to take this baby as a blessing or a curse, she'll always have support from the school."

Morris shook his head as he walked out, "Okay. I hear you. I'll talk to her. I guess I've been acting this way since she told me she was pregnant yesterday. I don't know how you found out, but can you keep this between us?"

Percy got up from the desk he had been sitting on and nodded. Morris asked one last question,
"Do you have a girl teach'? I mean, what would you do if you were me?" 

Percy hesitated to answer,

"I did. Have one. I lost her. Now I'm trying to find her again. She was my queen. Just as Donyelle should be yours."

Morris prodded on, "Trying to find her again? Where did she go?"

At that moment, Percy spotted Tanya standing at the door behind the class, staring at him. He smiled at her but her eyes were glassy. She was holding herself and just staring ahead. Morris took this as his turn to leave.

When he had left, Tanya slowly walked towards the man seated on the front desk, looking at her confusedly.

"Did you catch up with Donyelle? And on the same note, did you do track in high school?" He asked lightheartedly. Tanya simply broke down right there and then.

Percy panicked and stood up, walking fast to where she was and embracing her. She was now sobbing profusely and saying, "I see myself in her. So much."

Percy looked down at her beautiful tear-stained face and the clouds turned grey again. Why was Andromeda crying?

He wanted so badly to capture her lips, but she had to tell him what was wrong first.

He wiped a tear away from her soft caramel face and waited for her to speak.

Later on that evening, Tanya sniffed and took another sip of her coffee. She sat back in the chair and looked up at the sky. She was currently on the rooftop of her apartment and the evening sky was becoming a darker shade of blue.

She looked at the tall man standing near the edge, looking out at the dilapidated borough. He looked back at her and caught her staring at him. 

She gave him a shy smile and he winked. Percy had brought her back home after the Morris-Donyelle ordeal and she had led him up here. 

Neither of them knew why, but it felt right. Them being up here, the both of them, alone.
Percy looked down at the drink he was holding and sighed. What a long first day.

Tanya noticed his exhaustion and gestured for him to come and sit down with her. There were two chairs after all.
All the way back home, she had refused to indulge any bit of her past to him including what might have caused her to cry for Donyelle so much.

In an apartment across them, they could hear 
Let It Flow
 by Toni Braxton playing. It was a soothing sound, one that Tanya so desperately needed. RnB ballads, intertwined with the sound of distant police sirens, were a sound that Tanya had grown accustomed to whenever she sat on the rooftop.