Tale of Life (Essence Series #2) (4 page)

He felt nervous as soon as he shut the door. There was no supervision by parents or teachers, and there were no other cars in the parking lot—they were completely alone.               Something about her made Calloway feel innately intimidated and frightened. Her blonde hair hung loosely around her shoulders and curved around her face. She was wearing a tight-fitting long sleeve shirt and jeans. Calloway felt suddenly awkward wearing a dirty work shirt; he wondered if he smelled like onions.

She brushed a strand of hair away from her face. “How was work?”

“It was good.”

“Wasn’t that the guy from the party?” she asked

Calloway nodded. “Yes. That’s my friend, Marquan.”

She nodded. “Are you ready to go?”

“Sure.”

She started the car and pulled out of the parking lot then went through a fast-food drive-thru. They ordered their milkshakes, which Calloway paid for, and then Beatrice parked the car in a deserted parking area. Calloway drank his shake and focused his gaze out the window, not wanting to stare at Beatrice too much. He never thought he would see Beatrice outside of class, unless it was a run-in at the store or school function, and now he didn’t know how to act or what to say—it was so unexpected.

“Is Hawk giving you a hard time?” Calloway asked. It was the only subject he could think of, his biggest adversary.

“No,” she said. “He has been pretty quiet—keeps to himself.”

“Let me know if he bothers you.”

“I will.” She smiled.

“Why did you end it with him?” he asked.

She was quiet for a moment and Calloway thought she wouldn’t answer. Perhaps the question was too personal. Finally, she spoke. “He cheated on me.”

Calloway stopped drinking his shake. “
What
?” He was astounded by the news. Beatrice was one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. Plus she was smart and artistic. Why would any guy throw her away?

She nodded. “Yes.”

“That’s ludicrous,” he said. “Why would he do that?”

“I don’t know,” she said simply.

“Well, he’s an idiot,” Calloway said. “You are perfect, Beatrice. It says more about him than you.”

She smiled. “Thanks.”

Calloway was quiet. They were sitting in a car together, isolated from the world, and she was talking to him like a friend. Earlier today she had lunch with him and now she sought out his company. He didn’t know what was responsible for the dramatic change. “I have to ask something,” he said. “Why are you talking to me? You’ve ignored me since I’ve known you and now you find me interesting. What changed?”

Beatrice placed her milkshake in the cup holder and Calloway did the same. He didn’t care for milkshakes but he didn’t want to tell Beatrice that. She could have asked if he wanted to eat fried frogs and he would have said yes.

“You were the only one who defended me,” she said. “None of the other students cared. That’s when I knew you were different—special.”

“Then why did you date Hawk after he did that to you?”

She shrugged. “He’s popular and cute,” she said. “And he wouldn’t stop pursuing me until I said yes. I didn’t always think he was a jerk—he used to be different.”

“What changed?”

“I have no idea,” she said.

“Were you ever happy with him?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I guess.”

“I think you know if someone makes you happy or not,” Calloway said. He thought of Weston but he pushed the thought away—it was never going to happen. The woman was just a friend and nothing more. The sooner he accepted that, the better off he’d be.

“I suppose.”

“Well, I think it was for the best, whether he cheated on you or not. You don’t deserve to be talked to or treated like that.”

“I know,” she said. “You’re a good guy, Calloway. It’s unfortunate that more people can’t be like you.”

He felt his cheeks blush. “Thanks.”

“So, do you like me?” she asked. She turned in her seat and looked at him. Calloway met her gaze and felt his skin prickle with excitement. Her eyes reflected the light of the street lamps and her hair fell down to her chest. The darkness hid most of her form from view but he didn’t forget about how beautiful she was—it was impossible. Calloway had liked her since the beginning of high school—that was four years ago—and he thought that was obvious. He still couldn’t believe this was happening.

“Yes,” he whispered. “I’ve always liked you, Beatrice.”

She nodded. “I like you, Calloway—a lot.”

He took a deep breath and remained silent. It was hard to seem indifferent and calm when these emotions were controlling his body. He couldn’t believe this was happening—that Beatrice Reese liked him—
him
. She was the most beautiful girl in the school, who was also smart and unique—a myth. Even though she was in the popular crowd she was still special in her sweetness and charm. He still couldn’t believe this was happening.

Calloway nodded. “That’s great,” he whispered. The words stumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them and he knew how idiotic he sounded. Marquan would be ashamed of him right now—he definitely wasn’t being cool.

Beatrice leaned closer to him and Calloway felt her arm rub against his shoulder. The slight touch sent his heart into overdrive and he could feel his blood pound in his ears. Beatrice grabbed his hand and the touch made him shiver. Calloway caressed her fingers and felt the smooth touch of her skin. The flesh was flawless and warm—he could touch her forever.

When he turned his head toward her, he felt her warm breath fall on his skin and his heart accelerated. The sound of her breathing was amplified in the tiny enclosure and it resonated with the beat of his heart. Her thin fingers were soft like a fallen feather and he squeezed them gently while he stared at her thin lips, wondering how they would feel against his mouth. She pulled her hand from his grasp and placed it on his check, making his heart stop for a moment in time. The silence was deafening and loud on his ear drums. The expanse of time was different in this reality and everything seemed slower, paused. The music on the radio was stretched and
elongated, making it sound like it was playing in slow motion. Then she leaned in and kissed him.

The feel of her soft lips was like a dream; otherworldly and unreal. They were warm and wet, soft to the touch, and his lips lingered on hers for a long moment. His breathing accelerated through the heat of his kiss and he tried to calm his nerves. He had never kissed a girl before and the experience was novel to him. He couldn’t believe that his first real kiss was with Beatrice Reese, one of the most amazing girls in his school.

Calloway moved his lips against hers and felt her suck on his bottom lip gently. His breathing grew heavy as the rush of emotions washed over him and ruined his logical thought. He felt his body sever in half, separating him from the man he knew every day, and becoming someone who was just living in the moment. The emotion he was feelings was powerful and spellbinding. He didn’t want this kiss to end—ever.

He grabbed her face then slid his hand to her shoulder and then down her arm. His kisses became more passionate the longer he felt her lips on his. He sucked on her upper lip then felt her small tongue inside his mouth, making him shake with uncontrollable bliss. Suddenly, he thought of Weston and the kiss she gave him in the back seat of Easton’s car. The thought of her made him halt his movement. This wasn’t fair to Beatrice—he couldn’t think of someone else why he kissed her. He broke their embrace and pulled away.

She stared at him in the darkness and ran her fingers through his hair, enticing him to come back to her. Calloway considered returning to her welcoming lips but pragmatism took hold.

“I think we should take this slow,” he whispered. He kissed the top of her hand and held it in his own. “We should be friends first. I hardly know you, Beatrice.” In truth, Calloway didn’t want to pursue this relationship when he still had feelings for someone else. He knew those feelings would disappear eventually, but he didn’t want to start a commitment to someone under those terms. Weston was just a dream—a fantasy—and he had to let her go.

Beatrice leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. “Okay,” she whispered. She didn’t pull her hand away from his and Calloway didn’t release his hold. He liked Beatrice immensely—had since the day he met her—and was elated this was happening.

“I—I liked it though,” he whispered.

She smiled. “Am I your first kiss?”

“If I said yes, would you judge me?”

Beatrice kissed him again. “I think it’s cute.”

“That’s a relief.” He smiled.

“I can teach you.”

Calloway felt his cheeks redden at her words. Beatrice was beautiful and extremely alluring. The idea of kissing her again made him shiver. He would be lying if he said didn’t want it to happen again. “I would like that.”

Beatrice grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her shoulder then leaned into him. He felt her head against his torso and wondered if she could feel his erratic heartbeat pounding wildly in his chest. They sat together in companionable silence as they stared at the deserted parking lot. Calloway still couldn’t believe he was holding Beatrice in his arms. He wondered how his friends would react when they found out. They were already upset that he forgave her but how would they feel when they knew Calloway and Beatrice were friends and dating? He could imagine the livid look on Easton’s face.

“I need to warn you about my friends,” he said. “They might give you a hard time.”

“I assumed they would,” she said. “I understand.”

“I’ll tell them to knock it off,” Calloway said. “But I can’t control them.”

She kissed him on the cheek. “I know, Calloway,” she said. “I hope Hawk doesn’t harass you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “I’m used to it. Besides, it’ll be nice not to be teased about being poor. Now Hawk has an actual reason to be upset. It’s a good change.”

She laughed. “I guess that’s an improvement.” She sat up and looked at the time. “I should probably go home since it’s a school night.”

“That makes two of us,” he said.

“Where do you live?” she asked.

“You don’t need to take me home,” Calloway said.

“I don’t mind,” she said. “What are you going to do? Walk home?”

“Thanks,” he said.

Beatrice drove down the street to his house. He wondered if Beatrice would comment on his small home. She probably lived in a mansion. Her father was the owner of a major pharmaceutical company. There were no doubt that her father would never approve of him—he decided not to think about it.

She parked in the driveway and they sat together in the darkness for a while.

“Thank you for taking me home,” he said quietly.

“Sure,” she said. “Thanks for the milkshake.”

He nodded. Calloway looked at her for a moment. He reached out and touched a strand of her blonde hair and felt the silk between his fingers. “I’ve always wanted to do that.”

She smiled. “Now you have. You can add it to your list.”

Calloway laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight.”

Calloway leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Goodnight.”

When Calloway walked into the house he went straight to his room and fell on his bed with a smile on his face. He couldn’t believe he kissed Beatrice, and now he couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot. He closed his eyes and found sleep immediately. It was the best night of sleep he ever had.

The Grin of Fools

“You’ve been smiling like an idiot all morning,” Breccan said as they walked to campus. “What’s your deal?”

Calloway felt the strain in his cheeks from the constant pull of his muscles because his face had been fixed in a permanent smile since the evening before. When Aunt Grace noticed his grin during breakfast, she just assumed he really liked his pancakes and eggs.

Beatrice was the center of his thoughts, to exclusion of everything else, and his focus never deviated from the events of the evening before. The memory of last night flooded his mind and he recalled the feel of her lips—they tasted like chocolate.

Breccan glared at him. It was obvious Calloway was ignoring every word he said. “Are you listening to me?”

The vision of Beatrice evaporated. “What?”

“What’s wrong with you?” Breccan asked. “You’re a completely different person. Did you take one of dad’s valiums?”

“No,” Calloway said. “I saw Beatrice last night.”

Breccan stopped walking. “What? Where did you see her?”

“She came into Togo’s last night. When the store closed, we got milkshakes then she drove me home.”

“So, you went on a date?” he asked.
“With
Beatrice
? The heartless girl who let you get stomped on for months?

“We were just hanging out.” Calloway smiled.

“We hang out all the time and you never smile like
that
,” he snapped. “What happened?”

Calloway walked toward the school grounds and passed the flag pole at the entrance to the campus. The winter morning was cold but the warmest it had been all year. The light jacket was enough to keep Calloway comfortable. “Well, we did kiss—a few times.”