Prime Choice (14 page)

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Authors: Stephanie Perry Moore

BOOK: Prime Choice
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My dad told me long ago,
“Son, you never want a girl who takes the chase out of the relationship. You wanna be the man, the pursuing one. Fast girls are fun, but they're the ones that cause you the most trouble. They don't know how to leave you alone, and they end up being too needy.”
I didn't know why I was remembering anything he ever told me. For the last few days, we hadn't talked at all. And I hadn't even been in the same room with my mom. I'd been avoiding her so she wouldn't sense what was on my heart.
When the phone rang again at 11:55 at night, I instinctively grabbed it and said, “Hello.”
“I don't understand, Perry. What's up? Why are you avoiding me?” Amandi asked.
The chick was wild! Just talking fast, like ninety minutes an hour, sounding like she had drunk eight cups of coffee or something. Didn't she get it? I wasn't trying to get with her!
“Amandi, look, it's late. We gon' have to talk tomorrow—”
“Don't you hang up on me! I been calling, and you ain't called me back!”
“All right, I'm listening. But I'm sleepy. What you gotta say, Amandi? Huh?”
“You sound like you're agitated with me, Perry. You told me the other night that we'd hook up again, and I was thinking about Friday night after the game.”
“But you know I got a girlfriend.”
“Friday night after the game, come to my house.”
“What? What you sayin'?”
“No, no. My parents gon' be home. My dad's a huge football fan. He's barbecuing, and I know you'll be hungry.”
“Your dad still got the grill going in October?”
“Yeah. He works at Hally's BBQ. They got the real thing. Ribs, hash, rice—he wants to hook you up. He's been on me to ask you. So, you gon' do it, or what? Can you come?”
“Sure, whatever. Friday it is,” I muttered quickly, happy to finally say whatever to get her off my back.
 
Thursday in school Amandi saw me two times and reminded me that I had agreed to see her the next evening.
When she came up to me Friday after our win, I scoured the stands looking for Tori. But I didn't see my girlfriend or her pom-poms anywhere.
“So are you following me, or what?” she asked.
“I ain't gon' be able to stay long, Amandi. My parents done set a curfew on me and everything. Plus I got a interview with ESPN early in the morning.”
“No problem. My dad just wanna meet you, that's all.” Damarius came up from behind me and hit me in the knee, bending me down and scaring me. “Boy!”
“Oh, what's up, what's up? Your reflexes ain't good?” Damarius teased.
“You gon' make me hurt myself.”
“Well, let me stop, then. I ain't got a million dollars to pay for what those knees are worth. So, what's up? You done tapped that?” he asked, as he pointed at Amandi walking away.
“Her?” I questioned, trying to throw him off.
“Look at you wit yo head in the gutter. I'm talkin' 'bout tappin' them books.”
“Oh, so now you got jokes?” I hit my boy in the arm. “Want to slide with me over to her crib? I'm just going over there to grab a bite to eat.”
“Naw, man, I'm good. I'm finished taking all my ‘down there' medicine,” Damarius said as he pointed to his zipper. “I was thinking 'bout having a party for myself tonight. Me and Ciara. It's been a long time!”
“You ain't learned nothing?”
“I'm straight for real,” he said as we slapped hands before parting.
I followed Amandi to her house. When we pulled up it was pitch-dark. No lights or nothing. It looked like nobody was in the house cooking anything.
Quickly, I jumped out the car. “What's up?”
“I think they're trying to do a surprise thing for you.”
“Surprise?”
“You are this town's biggest player.”
She wasn't making any sense, and I was so hungry. The whole drive over I couldn't wait to smack on some ribs. When we opened the door, nobody jumped out and said, “Surprise!” She just shut the door, and I couldn't see a thing. She found my lips and started heating up the place.
“Wait a minute, now. Hold up, girl. Ease back. Is your pops here? I ain't tryin' to get no shotgun to me!”
“Don't worry,” she said as she grabbed my ear.
I was trying to find the light switch on the wall, but my hand was unsuccessful. Then I pushed her back a little. I was upset.
“Where's the daggone light, girl? I'm hungry. I'm not here for this.”
Still slobbering on my ear, she said, “I guess I'ma feed your appetite with this. Just relax and enjoy it. You don't think I brought you all the way out here to eat dinner, did you? This ain't my house. This is my cousin's house. She works at night and is letting me use her place. Instead of being in an old cramped car, we got a bed this time.”
“Amandi, look. Turn the light on now. Now!” I said even more forcefully.
She quickly turned on the light. “I don't know why you're tripping. We were just together a week ago, and it was more magical than a ride at Disneyland.”
“That's a stretch, Amandi. I was just a brother trying to get his groove on and got caught by my girl. I thought about it and I ain't trying to go there again with you. I'm sorry. I thought you would've got it when you called me all those times, and I didn't return one. Maybe you needed to hear me say it. I ain't trying to do that with you.”
Right before my eyes, she started stripping! It was like she heard me say,
“Okay, let's do this.”
Of course that is not what I said.
“All right. I'll just see you later 'cause obviously you don't understand.”
As I opened the door and left, I heard her slam it right behind me. The situation was getting real crazy. Before I reached my ride she opened up the door and ran toward the car, barely clothed.
“You gon' walk out the door on this? Go ahead and act like a punk! You don't wanna cross me, Perry Skky! You need a second chance 'cause you already let me down once. You don't wanna mess with me!”
“You're right!” I told her. “Now you're getting it. I don't wanna mess with you,” I said sarcastically, knowing she had meant something completely different. I gently pushed her to the side and opened up the car door.
She yelled, “How could you do this to me? I thought you wanted me, Perry. I love you!”
I really had a lot to deal with. Amandi could be so dramatic. The way she was trying to force herself on me made think something was really wrong with her. Uh-uh. I wasn't going out like that my first time.
And it was my fault. I did owe her an apology. I had led her on for a week prior. But I was a different me now, and she needed to respect that and understand that I felt bad for what I'd done to Tori. As bad as I felt about what my dad was doing to my mom. The apple didn't fall too far from the tree, I guess.
When I drove off, I noticed Amandi kneel down and curl up into a ball by her cousin's door. Maybe I had been too rough on her. But I couldn't go back and comfort her because she would get it all wrong. I just had to pray for her and hate that I was breaking her heart.
10
Hearing Tough Stuff
I
'd come to the conclusion that understanding females was a stress I did not need. I mean, who could figure them out? They couldn't even figure themselves out most of the time. They were either dealing with cycles, mood swings, temper tantrums or some other form of drama. I figured it was best if I stayed my distance from them for a while. But as hard as I tried to keep away, somehow problems with a female found their way back to me.
Amandi kept trying to reach out to me. It was just annoying. Every time my phone rang, it was Amandi calling with some more junk. Studying for my U.S. government test, I was startled when my phone rang because I thought I put it on silent. Turned out, I had it on high.
“Dang, why she calling again!” I said, agitated that Amandi's number showed up on the screen.
I realized that I might as well talk to her. Looked like me trying to ignore wasn't gon' do anything. She'd just keep calling back. Her actions were close to stalking. What the heck was a brother going to have to do to put some distance between us? I guess the answer was to face her.
So I said in a bland tone, “All right, what's up?”
“I don't get a hello or anything?”
“Naw. I think we way past that. You have been ringing my phone like crazy.”
“So, you have gotten my messages?” she asked in a testy way.
“Yeah, but I haven't listened to them. But I do see that you've called.”
“So why haven't you called me back?”
“I don't think I owe you those kinds of explanations.”
“It's like that now, Perry?”
“Look, I'm not trying to be mean here. We tried, and it didn't work for me. What does a brother have to do to end this thing?”
All of a sudden, I heard this rush of emotion come through the phone. Sorta psychotic and depressed, almost scary. “I thought you loved me,” she said through tears.
“Amandi, quit trippin'! You couldn't have thought that. You never heard those words once come out of my mouth.”
“It was the way you kissed me that said that.”
I replied, “Yeah, right. That was the feeling of a brother trying to get his groove on. Don't make more out of it.”
Then she showed me another side of herself. The crying stopped, and she went ballistic. “Fine, then, Perry Skky. You think you're the world's gift of Lucy Laney High School? I'ma take you down!”
“Oh, so you threatening me now?” I asked, without backing down.
She didn't even respond. I just heard a click. So many ungodly names came to my mind for that girl. I just shook my head and left it alone.
I knew some girls didn't take rejection well, but this chick was over-the-top crazy. It was cool that she hung up on me. Wouldn't have to deal with her no more. And that would make hearing her little threat worth it. I mean, what could she do?
When my phone rang an hour later I was so relieved that it wasn't Amandi. And actually it made me smile when I noticed Tori's number.
“Hey!” I said in a real excited tone. “You been all right?”
“Perry, let's cut the fun and games. Don't act like you're all excited to hear from me.”
“Wait, but I am,” I told her in the most sincere voice I could use.
Tori said, “I just called to let you know that you wouldn't have any obligations to me anymore. I wanted you to know I was okay, and I appreciate you following me home the other night. Since you've moved on, I've decided to move on, too.”
I wondered what that really meant. Did she mean move on to date somebody else, move on and try to kill herself again or just simply move on? I didn't know what she'd do with the rest of her life, but I hoped she was excited about having it in front of her.
We both sat on the phone and held it for a minute. I couldn't respond 'cause I really didn't know what I was feeling. Sure, guys like to be the ones that end the relationship, but I didn't wear my emotions on my sleeve like that. I mean, whatever made her happy was cool. She'd finally accepted that we were over. After dragging it on for an hour, and telling her I'd always be there for her, we hung up the phone.
 
The next day at school, my name was mud. Everyone was whispering as I walked down the hall. I didn't know what I had done, so I played it cool. Finally, Justin came over and nudged me over to follow him.
“Man, what's up?” I asked. “You know what all this is about? Why people staring at me? What's going on? They staring like I just got out of jail or something.”
“Naw, man, people ain't looking at you like you into mischief. The word's out that you're scared to have fun.”
I jabbed him with the back of my hand. “What do you mean, I'm scared to have fun? Say what you gotta say.”
Justin mouthed,
okay
. “Amandi's telling everybody that you wouldn't go there with her. I don't need to fill in the blanks, do I, Perry? Dang, what's up? The word's out you're a virgin.”
He grabbed my shoulder like I was in crisis mode or something. I jerked my body away from his grasp, not needing consoling. I walked straight on to class. The snickers and the whispers got louder and louder.
I wish somebody would step to me,
I thought to myself as I turned and gave everybody a mean glare.
They was talking 'bout me over to the side in their little cliques and crews, but ain't have no guts to say nothing to my face. I held my head up high and kept moving. But now at least I knew what Amandi meant by threats. She got me that time. I didn't have to acknowledge what was going on. Let people think what they wanna think.
Walking along, I prayed.
“Lord, I know I don't talk to You much, but this just don't seem comfortable, people speaking bad things about me and all. Please help a brother stay strong, that's all. Amen.”
I knew I was going to have to pray more often because nobody's comments or actions got to me anymore that day. It was trip, though! I went on 'bout my business, cracked a few jokes, spoke to people here and there, and was my usual self. When I didn't buy into the mess, life was cool.
A couple of people actually came to me and said that they agreed with my choice. I wasn't going to say I wanted to stay pure, but I did know that ever since I turned my stress over to God, I was mentally able to handle anything that came my way. That was important.
After practice when I stepped off the football field, Amandi was waiting by the gate. I just kept on walking. Then I felt somebody push me in the back. It was Marlon.
He said, “What's up, Perry? You can't even talk to the chick? Dang, maybe she right. You is scared of her. All of us around, we ain't gon' let her bite you.”
It took all the strength I had not to knock his crooked, yellow teeth out. When I noticed how all the football players were checking out my reaction I knew I needed to respond. But Marlon got nothing from me.
I turned to Amandi and said, “You wanted to say something?”
With watery eyes she said, “I just wanna apologize. I know you heard that I had been saying some stuff.”
“You talking about the rumors you spreading on me? You think I'm affected by that?”
“I know you're not, baby. I just wanted to get your attention.”
“Look, I told you the other night at your cousin's house that we tried it, and it wasn't working for me. But if spreading lies and saying whatever about me makes you feel better, that's on you. Don't think that me hearing this stuff is going to make me wanna get with you again. I had empathy for you when I was at your house, or whoever's house we was at. But right now, I don't care. Take it however you want, but leave me alone.”
I walked away, and she was clearly devastated. The guys started laughing around me and that wasn't my intent, either. I wasn't trying to embarrass her, but honestly, it wasn't like I really cared if she was hurt. That's what she gets for trying to play me.
 
“Man, man, man. You ain't gon' like this,” Damarius said as he came up to me before practice the next day.
“What's up, man? What's wrong? Somebody done spread another rumor on me, huh?” I joked.
“It ain't about you, dog. But you will care.”
Putting on my cleats, I turned and said, “What you talking about?”
“It's Tori.” Damarius paused before saying more. “Word's out she and Marlon ...”
He didn't even have to say more. The way he looked at me seemed like something naughty was going on between them. I just shook my head, letting him know that I didn't believe that.
“I'm serious, dog. You know I wouldn't come to you with no junk.”
I knew Tori told me a couple of days ago that she was moving on but there was no way in the world that she would quickly give up her beliefs for that chump. I kept getting dressed for practice. My boy thought I should be tore up, I guess.
So I said, “Why do people always try to rattle me? Try to get under my skin? Try to make me believe stuff I know is impossible. Last time I checked, two plus two does not equal three. I don't believe what you're saying.”
“All right, fine,” Damarius said as he grabbed his helmet.
“Marlon himself told me, and he was way too explicit with it. He told me he was gon' talk to you about it. I told you because I don't want you to lose it out there on the football field. I mean, we got a big game this weekend and we can't afford to get sidetracked. Our two receivers gotta be in sync.”
“I don't catch any balls from him,” I said angrily. “And I wish he
would
come to me talking some mess about him and Tori. Might as well get smacked down. Contrary to what anybody thinks, I ain't no punk. I don't have time to play games with him or you. I mean, come on, D! You my buddy, squash some stuff for me. Have my back. Why I gotta handle your business and mine? Can't you pull your own weight sometimes?”
After I angrily said those words and opened the locker room door, I wished I could take it back. I wished I hadn't said what I said to my friend. But dang! He liked drama like a female. And I wasn't about all the negativity.
Everybody was warming up on their own. As soon as I squatted down to stretch, Marlon came over, whispering in my left ear. “I could tell you some stuff about Tori that would blow your virgin mind.”
It was on then. I took off my shoulder pads and shoved him straight into the ground. I was about to jump on him and pound his nose in so hard that it'd be worse than broken when I was finished with it. But someone stepped in between us.
I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't even know who it was until Damarius pushed me back and said, “All right, man, I was trying to tell you. He's crazy. Don't give me credit, but I do have your back. I done already got you taken to the office once with the cheating thing, now be sensible. If you think it ain't happen with him and Tori, let it go. Make it seem like it doesn't matter.”
Everything Damarius was saying made complete sense. That's exactly what I was thinking earlier. Why did I stand so hot and bothered, acting like a maniac on Marlon?
Coach Robinson came on the field and said, “What's going on here? Boys, get yo behinds up and stretch. Now the whole team gotta do more laps 'cause of y'all foolishness. Now you get to do some suicides and extra laps 'cause of somebody else's mistake, and it's about daggone time that you run some laps for me, anyway. Football is a team sport.”
When we got off the field, it was another scene that stopped me dead in my tracks. Tori was standing there oohing and cooing over Marlon. He ran straight up to her and kissed her in front of the whole team. I just walked right past them, couldn't even look at them.
“Oh, so you see it's true, now, huh? She left you for me.” Marlon said, trying to rattle me up again.

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