The Pledge (7 page)

I blushed. “Yeah, I do,” I admitted. “I still can't believe he likes me. He doesn't even mind my being in Worth the Wait.”

“Why would he?” she asked curiously.

I shrugged. “I don't know. Some of the girls who are members say their boyfriends have a problem with them being in a virgin club. Have you ever thought about joining?” I asked, realizing I had never asked her.

She laughed. “I thought about it for a minute, but I decided not to.”

“Why not?”

“It just seems to be the in thing right now. I'm secure enough in my virginity not to need a club to back my decision.”

I nodded. I hadn't thought about it like that.

We sat in silence while she worked on my hair before we finally made eye contact in the mirror.

“Are you okay?” I asked. She looked like she had something on her mind.

“Sure,” she said, tapping my shoulder to let me know she was done. I looked in the mirror, and my hair looked amazing. Candy had parted it differently, and done it in spiral curls that really complemented my face.

“This looks great,” I said, getting up to hug her. “Can you help me into my dress?”

Aunt Dani and I had settled on a navy dress and some matching heels. I wore my purity necklace, although Aunt Dani continued to try and talk me out of it. I thought I looked really good—mature but not too old—and Momma agreed when I modeled the outfit for her. Candy seemed to like the outfit, too.

“Well, I guess I'm ready,” I said, glancing at the clock. Allen was supposed to arrive at seven, so I still had a few minutes. “Do you think we should add some extra practices next week? I want to make sure we're ready for regionals,” I said.

“Sounds good,” Candy said, looking distracted.

I touched her shoulder. “Hey, what's going on with you? Are you sure you're okay?”

Candy took a deep breath. “I need to tell you something,” she said, “but I don't want you to get mad at me or think I'm trying to ruin your relationship.”

“Okay,” I said slowly. For some reason the way Candy had acted toward Allen when we saw him near the fountain flashed through my mind. I wondered if she was going to tell me she liked Allen—or worse, they had dated.

“I know someone who used to date Allen,” she confessed.

“Girl, is that what's been bothering you?” I said, and laughed. “Everybody has history. What Allen did before we dated doesn't concern me.” I picked up my purse and checked it to make sure I had all my essentials, including my cell phone and my emergency twenty-dollar bill.

“But that's just it, it does concern you—or at least it might,” she said.

“Candy, what's going on? Just tell me,” I insisted, tired of her beating around the bush.

She grabbed my hand. “Courtland, my friend said that Allen used to hit her.”

I couldn't help it. I burst into laughter. “That's your big secret? Girl, please. Allen wouldn't hurt a fly.”

“But why would she lie about something like that?” Candy asked.

I stopped laughing, realizing she was serious. “Let me ask you something,” I said. “Did Allen break up with her, or did she break up with him?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Candy asked.

“Just answer the question,” I said.

“I think he broke up with her,” she admitted.

“Just what I thought,” I muttered before looking at her. “Don't you see what's happening?”

“No,” Candy said.

“She's angry Allen dumped her, and she's trying to get back at him. She probably heard we were going together and didn't like it, so she told you that stupid mess trying to break us up so she could get back with him.”

Candy shook her head. “She's not that type of person, Courtland,” she said.

I sighed, trying to hide my frustration. I couldn't believe Candy was trying to ruin the biggest night of my life. “Okay, let's say Allen did beat her. Why did she stay with him? Why didn't she break up with him?”

Candy shrugged. “I really can't answer that,” she said. “All I know is what she told me, and I would never forgive myself if I didn't say anything and something happened to you.”

I laughed. “Girl, please, the only thing that's going to happen to me is that I'm going to go have some fun with my man.”

She gave me a sad smile. “I hope for your sake that's all that happens.”

“Is that why you acted so funky with him that night at the fountain?”

“Yes,” she admitted.

Candy's vibe was starting to mess up my evening. “Well, since I'm dressed, you can leave. I'm sure you want to get dressed for the dance,” I said, hoping I didn't sound as rude as my words felt. She was going with a group of cheerleaders, and they weren't going to leave until later.

“Yeah,” she said, catching my hint. She gathered her things and gave me a hug I didn't return. “I really hope you have a good time, Courtland.”

 

Allen arrived at seven sharp, looking good in a navy suit, white shirt and a navy and red tie. It was as though we had planned our outfits so we matched.

“Don't you two look nice,” Momma said as I came downstairs after she let Allen in.

She grabbed her digital camera off the coffee table and began snapping pictures while Daddy sat there pretending to read the paper. I noticed he still had on his police uniform, and I wondered if he had to go back to work, but I didn't bother to ask.

“Thank you, Mrs. M.,” Allen said. He leaned over and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “You look beautiful, Courtland,” he said, handing me a wrist corsage.

“So do you,” I said, accepting it.

“You ready?” he asked.

I nodded. As I was going to grab my purse and coat, Daddy stood. “Before you go, I need a DNA sample,” he said.

My mouth dropped open, and Allen looked at me, not sure if Daddy was serious. Honestly, I wasn't sure either until Momma said, “Corwin, leave that boy alone.”

I burst out laughing, and Momma looked up from the digital camera. “Oh, Lord,” she muttered as she started taking pictures.

“Daddy, you're silly,” Cory said, and giggled.

“Naw, baby, I'm crazy,” Daddy said. “Allen is a nice guy, but I want him to know Courtland's daddy is crazy, and he won't hesitate to act a fool if someone hurts his daughter.”

I shook my head and looked at Allen, whose eyes widened as Daddy plopped down in a recliner, grabbed a handful of peppermints from the bowl on the table and started eating them with the wrappers on. After a few seconds he spit them out and grinned.

“I'm just messing with you,” he said to Allen, who looked relieved.

Daddy grinned, and I relaxed. Daddy excused himself, and Allen and I stood posing for pictures. I was relieved when Momma said the memory card was full. She started deleting pictures, and I used the break to get out of there.

I gathered my purse, and Momma called for Daddy.

“Corwin, the kids are leaving. Come say goodbye,” she said.

I went to the hallway mirror to check my makeup, stopping short when I saw Daddy's reflection over my shoulder. I turned around, not believing what I was seeing.

Daddy looked a hot mess as Momma would say. He had a necktie around his head like a scarf, his shirt was half out of his pants, his belt was wrapped around his leg and he'd somehow managed to put a sock on over his shoe.

When I thought we were free to go, he turned to Allen. “I need to talk to you,” he told Allen, and I groaned to myself. I thought we were going to get away without him saying anything more.

“Yes, sir,” Allen said.

I gave Momma a look, and she shrugged. She had already given me the talk about behaving myself like a Christian young lady, spending an hour talking about why abstinence was the only sure way of not getting pregnant or getting an STD. I had tuned most of it out. The girls in Worth the Wait had already told me she'd do that.

It wasn't that I hadn't thought about having sex with Allen because I had, but I knew it wasn't something I was ready to do anytime soon. I was really serious about the vow I had taken to stay a virgin until I got married, and Allen was cool with it.

Daddy and Allen stayed gone for about ten minutes. When they came back, Allen winked at me, letting me know everything was okay, then he helped me into my coat.

“You guys have a good time,” Momma called, while Daddy stood next to her with his hand resting on his gun. “Allen, have my baby back here by eleven.”

I turned and looked at Momma. We hadn't discussed my curfew, but I had assumed it wouldn't be so early. I mean, granted she had given me a little leeway since I had to be home by ten-thirty when I hung with my friends and Aunt Dani would be there for part of the night, but I figured she would at least let me stay out until midnight since it was homecoming and my first date.

I thought about saying something, but Allen took my hand and squeezed, telling me to let it go. “Not a problem, ma'am.”

“Courtland, do you have that stuff I gave you?” Momma asked. It took me a second to realize she meant the twenty dollars, and I nodded.

“Good,” she said, kissing me. “Y'all be careful and have a good time.”

Momma and Daddy stood in the doorway until we pulled away in Allen's father's Mercedes.

“Where's your car?” I asked, looking around as though his Ford Explorer would appear. He had gotten it shortly after he had started coming to visit me when his other car broke down, but I had yet to ride in it since Momma wouldn't let Allen drive me home from school. Hopefully all of that was about to change now that we were on our official first date.

“I figured we needed something a little more special for this occasion,” he said. “You don't like this car?”

“Man, are you crazy? It's beautiful,” I said. “Thank you for making this night special for me. If I forget to tell you, I had a wonderful time tonight.” I had heard Julia Roberts say that in the old movie
Pretty Woman,
and I decided to claim it as my own.

“Anything for my baby,” he said, and I smiled.

“So where are we going?”

“Don't you want to be surprised?”

“Not really,” I said, although I loved surprises. “I've been trying to think of where it could be since Daddy said we could go out.” I looked at Allen and grinned. “We're on our first date. Can you believe it?”

He smiled, and his dimple, appeared. “I've been dreaming about this day for months,” he said.

“Really?” I said. “That is so sweet.”

“No, you're so sweet.” He grabbed my hand and kissed it, then we held hands all the way to the restaurant.

When we arrived at the Empire Club, my mouth fell open. “Are you kidding me?” I asked. The restaurant was one of the most expensive in Birmingham. Momma had told me one time that they printed the menus without prices, and that if you had to ask how much something was, you couldn't afford to eat there.

Allen laughed. “You know I had to make sure I did this thing right. Come on.” He grabbed my hand after he gave the valet the keys, and we headed inside.

There was a man who looked vaguely familiar standing at the front entrance. Allen walked over and shook his hand, then waved me over and introduced me.

“Courtland, this is Miles King, the head coach for the Atlanta Sentinels.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, shaking his hand. “I knew you looked familiar. I've seen you on ESPN a few times.” I didn't add that Allen had told me he was interested in signing with the Sentinels. I vaguely remembered hearing players weren't supposed to deal with coaches when they were being recruited. I looked at Allen with a question in my eyes, but he just smiled.

“So what are you doing here?” Allen asked.

“Randy's mom was rushed to the hospital, so he asked me to come here tonight in his place.”

“Who's Randy?” I asked.

“He's a trainer I met this summer during camp,” Allen explained. “I didn't know you guys knew each other.”

“He's my frat brother,” Miles said. “I hope it's okay that I came. I don't want to get you in any trouble. I can assure you that I'm not planning on talking about basketball at all tonight. I can't wait to see the young lady you have to introduce to me.”

I breathed a sigh of relief that Allen hadn't known about Miles coming, then studied Miles. He actually was a nice-looking guy. He looked like he was my parents' age, in his late thirties or early forties, and he sported a low fade and a mustache. I figured Aunt Dani would like him.

“Where's your aunt?” Allen asked me, checking his watch. “Our reservation is for seven-thirty.”

As though she was waiting for someone to mention her, Aunt Dani breezed through the door.