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Authors: Ni-Ni Simone

Teenage Love Affair (4 page)

BOOK: Teenage Love Affair
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Why is she entertaining this?

“I know they won't. You know how he was when we were little.”

My mother laughed. “Don't remind me.”

“Well, he hasn't changed much, except now he has a new wife and unlike when we were young he isn't stuck in the seventies, it's now the eighties…. Oh, and the hearse still works.”

The hearse?

I couldn't take it anymore so I clicked us off the line. Hadiah looked at me. “Don't you have enough money for us to bounce and have our own place?”

I shook my head no.

“I can't believe this,” she cried. “I looked up to you and you're broke.”

“We'll survive, Hadiah.”

“No, we won't. Man down.” She wiped her eyes. “Man the hell down.”

All I could think to say was, “Don't cuss. Something will work out, but I can't allow you to cuss.”

“Cussin' is the least of our problems.” And she walked out my room.

I sat down on the edge of my bed and placed my head in my hands.

God must hate me.

3

If this isn't love, tell me what it is…

—J
ENNIFER
H
UDSON
, “I
F
T
HIS
I
SN'T
L
OVE

I
called Ameen a thousand times before I left for school that morning, and not once did he answer. Of course I was pissed, and since I had no one to take my anger out on, I barked at Asha and Courtney. “For once,” I snapped as they filed in my car on our way to school, “can you two be on time?” I looked up at Courtney, who had a hot-pink boa wrapped around his neck with the ends running down his white ruffle shirt. His red patent leather pants were Jonas Brothers tight, and all I could do was shake my head. He looked like a big ball of red grease. “And don't slam my door!” I said as Courtney climbed in the backseat and Asha, who wore Aeropostale jeans, a fitted purple tee, and matching accessories, sat in the front.

“Oh, hell, nawl.” Courtney threw the ends of his boa to the back of his shoulders. “Not this morning. Trust me; you don't want it over here.” He wagged his finger. “My mother told me off because I didn't clean my room. My daddy caught an attitude because he said I was holding my wrist limp for too long, as if he hasn't gotten the point yet. And my dog shitted on my floor, so don't”—he popped his lips—“even go there.”

“Whatever,” I said as I pulled off and we headed down the street.

Asha cut her eyes at me and proceeded to slide in a CD Courtney handed her, and within an instant Aretha Franklin's “Natural Woman” filled the car. If it wasn't for the truck behind me I would've come to a screeching halt. “What is this?!” I screamed as I turned off the CD.

“What is your problem?” Asha asked.

“Look, maybe you didn't hear me the first time,” Courtney said, “but today ain't the day. I'm PMSing like crazy and I don't have time for your foolishness. Now if you are mad at Ameen we can discuss this. Otherwise cut my damn CD back on, because if I don't hear me some Aretha this morning it's gon' be a situation.”

“Know what,” I said, turning the CD back on, “I'm not gon' even argue with you this morning.”

“Thank you for the consideration,” Courtney said as the music came through the speakers and he laid his head back against the back headrest. “You don't ever mess with a black man and his music,” he said as he closed his eyes.

After a few minutes of driving to school, Asha popped the gum she was chewing and said, “You may as well just tell us what happened, otherwise you gon' be buggin' all day.”

“I don't feel like talking about it.” I paused and then quickly decided that I needed somebody to confide in. “Me and Ameen had an argument yesterday,” I confessed.

“Why?” Courtney asked.

“Because…remember Malachi from elementary school?”

“Yeah,” Asha said.

“Well, he moved back here to Jersey, and when me and Ameen were together yesterday I saw Malachi. Ameen got mad because I hugged Malachi and said that I was showing off. He left me in the middle of the street, the car was running, I swear I was soooooo humiliated.” I intentionally left out being mushed against the window.

“Have you talked to him since then?” Asha asked.

“No,” I said somberly. “I called him but he won't call me back. And you know…like I'm just so tired of the changes.”

“You said once before that you were thinking about taking a break. Why don't you take a break now?”

I could've slapped Asha; I hated it when she threw things up in my face. “'Cause I wanna take a break when I wanna take a break, which is not now. Ameen is a good guy—”

“Who left you in the middle of the street—”

“He just has a jealous streak.”

“You always have an excuse for him.”

“I don't have to make up excuses for him. And I don't have to argue with you over my man.”

“I didn't know it was an argument,” Asha snapped. “All I'm saying is that if he has more jealous fits than anything else, then something is not right.”

I sucked my teeth. “When you get a steady man you give me advice.”

“And when you get a man,” she snapped, “you let me know.”

“Can you two retreat to your corners?” Courtney tapped his finger on the back window as I pulled into the school's parking lot. “And look at Jesus and His disciple.”

Asha and I turned and looked out the passenger side window at two dudes parking their motorcycles next to us. When they took their helmets off, I realized that one of them was Malachi. He had on a pair of black Tims, slightly baggy True Religion jeans, a white tee with a skull in the center, and a black leather jacket. He held his helmet in his hand, leaned against his bike, and stared at me.

“Why are you blushing?” Asha tapped me on the shoulder.

“Please, don't even play me like that.” I rolled my eyes, “I am not blushing, that's only Malachi.”

“Daaaaannnng,” Courtney said, “two snaps up and a fruit loop…would you look at li'l daddy here.”

“And who is that other hottie?” Asha asked.

“I don't know.” I hunched my shoulders, looking at the guy standing beside Malachi. I had to admit even in the midst of being pissed that the guy was a cutie: deep chocolate skin, spinning waves, almond-shaped eyes, and a goatee. “He is cute, though.”

“I called him first,” Asha said. “Now introduce me.”

“Didn't I just say I didn't know him?”

“Go find out who he is from Malachi,” she said to me, and then turned to Courtney. “How does my breath smell?” She blew air into his face.

“Oh, my.” He placed his hand over his nose and fell back against the seat. “I've been shot with dog poo.”

Asha playfully punched Courtney on the arm. “This is serious and you play too much.”

Courtney laughed. “It smells ai'ight, but your lips need a li'l gloss.” Courtney handed her his clear MAC gloss. “And how do I look, I look okay?” he asked.

“And who gon' be checking you out?” I had to ask.

“I just want to be in the atmosphere.” Courtney took his pocket mirror from his pageboy bag, flipped it open, and batted his lashes at his reflection.

“You know what,” I said, “I'm cold on this.” I got out the car and I could hear Asha whispering, “Introduce me.” I closed the door behind me, walked past Malachi and his mysterious friend, without speaking. Stank, I know, but so what? I was pissed and when my love life isn't right the whole world shuts down.

Once I walked through the doors the bell rang, and I headed to homeroom class. If only I could have gotten the memory of my fight with Ameen and the aching feeling to have left my stomach I would have been cool.

By the time the bell rang again, I'd slyly texted Ameen a thousand times but not once did I get a reply. I placed my phone back in my purse, wrote down the homework assignment, and headed to my locker to get the book for my next class.

I stood at my locker, exchanged books, and when I looked in the mirror that hung inside of my door I saw Malachi's reflection behind me. Don't ask me why but I was blushing like crazy.

“Crime to speak, ma?” He placed his head on my shoulder, pressed his cheek against mine, and looked into the eyes of my reflection.

“No, speaking is not a crime but stalking is,” I snapped.

I shook my head. There had to be a law against a man being this fine. I swear this dude was knocking me off my square. I diverted my eyes from his reflection and he stood up straight.

I did my best not to be nervous as I tapped the ball of my stilettos on the tiled floor, closed my locker door, and turned around to face him. Malachi slid the tip of his index finger through my belt loop, pulled me toward him, and kissed me on my forehead. “Damn, look at you.” He joked. “You sweatin' already.”

“Whatever.” I waved my hand while praying that he couldn't hear my heart thundering in my chest. “I'm starting to get concerned, why are you following me?”

Malachi laughed. “I go to school here.”

Why the heck am I nervous?
“Isn't it a little late?” I rolled my eyes. “The first day was last week.”

“What's with you and the attitude? And what's up with eye action—chill with all that. That ain't even for you.”

He's right, I am being a li'l extra…but still.

He stroked my cheek. “Or are you mad because I made you wait so long. My apologies for holding up our life together, but I'm back now.”

Was it me or was this cat bold? Didn't he have a girl? Or better yet, didn't I have a man?

“Malachi!” A loud male voice called him from down the hall, and immediately I took a step back. Instead of letting my belt loop go, Malachi held on to it.

“Yo.” His friend nodded his head at me as if to say hello, then he said to Malachi, “You know li'l ma over there?” He pointed.

Instinctively I turned around and noticed that he was pointing to Asha. “That's my homegirl.” I butted into their conversation.

“Yo, hook that up,” he said to me, and then he looked back at Malachi. “Dawg, you see li'l shortie-rock? She pretty as hell, and man, she thick like a mug.”

“And your name is?” I asked.

“This is my cousin, Samaad,” Malachi said. “And Samaad, this is Zsa-Zsa.”

Samaad smiled. “Oh, you're Zsa-Zsa? Heard a lot about you. Now, be a good in-law and hook that up.”

In-law?
That threw me for a loop. I stared at Malachi, and he fingered the ring dangling from the gold chain around my neck. “I see you missed me.”

I took a step back. This was too much. I held my index finger up and told Samaad, “Give me a minute.” I walked over to Asha, who was talking to Courtney. “My fault,” I said to them. “I know I was buggin' earlier. I'm sorry.”

“Yeah, you were buggin',” Courtney said.

“Exactly.” Asha twisted her lips, and I could tell she was pissed.

“Awwl, Diva.” I hugged her. “Don't be mad, you know I love you and you're my best friend.”

“Whatever.” She laughed. “Did you do the hook-up?”

“I didn't have to. He walked over there to Malachi already sweatin' you.”

“Daaaang,” Courtney said, “that's what I'm talkin' about. What did he say?”

“He was like”—I smacked my lips—“‘who is shortie over there?'”

“And you're sure he wasn't talking about me?” Courtney asked.

“You get a li'l carried away sometimes.” I shook my head. “Asha, he's waiting on you.”

“Waiting on me? He better come over here. I am not”—she twisted her lips—“walking over there looking all easy and greasy. He has to come to me.”

I gave her a high five. “And you know this.”

I walked back over to Malachi, who was still standing next to Samaad and now Staci, who had worked her way in front of Malachi's locker. I couldn't help but suck my teeth. “Look,” I said to Samaad, “my homegirl thinks you're cute but you know we don't run up on men.” I looked over at Staci. “We ain't all thirsty.”

“Who you talking to?” she snapped.

I ignored her and continued talking to Samaad. “Anyway, my friend's name is Asha, and she's expecting you.”

“Good lookin' out.” He smiled and left me standing there. Before I could walk away from Malachi and Staci, who had her face twisted, the bell rang again and everyone headed to class.

 

For the next three periods straight all I thought about was Malachi. Something was terribly wrong with this because I was supposed to be heartbroken over Ameen, not contemplating cheating. The problem was my heart kept forgetting what my mind wouldn't let go of.

I needed desperately to get back on track so I could maintain my focus: getting Ameen back.

I was in English class, and for the first time since school started I completed my classwork without the interruption of my vibrating phone letting me know Ameen was calling or sending me a text message. Utter silence was coming from my Prada bag, and I swore my love life was M.I.A.

By the time I got to chemistry, I was thinking and rethinking what I could've done differently about my baby …and then suddenly, as if a light autumn breeze had come my way, Malachi and I were on his bike riding in New York—Central Park—kickin' it and holding hands, eating cotton candy and laughing at each other's jokes. We shared a soda, and just when he'd asked me to be his girl is when the bell rang and I realized I was daydreaming about the wrong man.

This was a hot mess!

It was lunchtime and I felt out of my mind. Ameen had yet to call me back and just for GP sake I walked to the side door and peeked outside, only to see nothing. Damn.

I walked into the cafeteria and thought I could cry my heart out to my best friends, but they were both preoccupied. Asha and Samaad were sharing a secluded corner and Courtney was arguing with this dude named Otis. “How you gon' get mad,” I heard Courtney say to Otis.

“'Cause somebody think you sexy? Don't that sound crazy to you? I have a right to my opinion.”

I definitely wasn't about to become part of that conversation; besides, Courtney could hold his own. Instead I stood in the lunch line and grabbed a salad and a bottle of water. It's not that I was on a health food kick, it's that I didn't have an appetite, so there was no need to waste much money. I walked toward an empty table and “You don't see me sitting here?” floated my way. It was Malachi, and there was no way I could fight back the smile on my face, so I let it go. I walked over to the table where Malachi was and sat down.

“Why do you seem so mad at me?” he asked as I started sipping my water.

I blew air out the side of my mouth. “You really don't know?” I tooted my lips.

“No, and don't give me a riddle, I don't want to guess, I just want to know so we can move on.”

For some reason tears danced on my tongue but I was able to fight them. “I don't wanna talk about it.”

“We're not twelve anymore.”

BOOK: Teenage Love Affair
11.49Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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