Our Love (6 page)

8. Charlie

My second day at Belmont
and I was actually looking forward to it. I didn't think I would adjust so quickly to coming here, but I'm glad I did. When I got home last night, I told my parents everything that happened to me. They were happy for me and even said that things worked out for the best. Things sort of went in my favor, but I still felt emptiness only Parker High could fill. I missed everything about that school. From my friends, to the teachers, everything at Parker seemed simpler.

Even though I was getting to know Belmont, I still wished I was at Parker. Maybe because Michael had something to do with it, but I was also looking forward to homecoming. As I walked down the long sidewalk to the front building, I remembered I had only a day left until the big bonfire pep rally. Kim, Brandy, and I came up with three new cheers for the weekend. Now, we had to practice like crazy to get it right before Friday. I opened the door to the building and saw Michael walking toward me. Just seeing him was the sunshine of my day. He looked good that morning. He was wearing a long sleeve blue and white striped shirt with a white t-shirt underneath and blue jeans.

"Hey," I said to him as I fell into step with him.

"How are you this morning?"

"Pretty good. I just have a long day ahead of me. I have to practice these new cheers before the pep rally tomorrow. I really hope we get this down. I don't want to embarrass us or the school."

"You won't. I have complete faith in you."

I smiled at the encouraging words he gave me.

"You'll do fine. I know you will."

"How you know? You've only known me for a day now. I could be a klutz on foot or something."

"I sincerely doubt it."

"And how do you know?"

"I watched you move. You'll do just fine."

I smiled even brighter at Michael. Even while I was at Parker, Michael noticed me.

"So, you pumped for the game?"

"Yeah. We have to have an extended practice today and a practice before the pep rally tomorrow. But I'm ready as I can be."

"That's good," I said as I went to my locker. I tried to remember the combination, but between other things on my mind, and Michael standing by me with his sexy self, I could not remember it. Just the smell of his scent made me want to melt. He was wearing my favorite men's cologne: Gucci Guilty. After a minute or two, I remembered my combination, and opened the door.

Michael watched me as I took my English and History book out and put into my tote bag. I looked at him and noticed that he was a little nervous. It seemed like he wanted to ask me something, but didn't know how to say it.

"Is something wrong, Michael?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Michael cleared his throat and sighed.

"I was wondering if you would like to go with me to the homecoming dance after the game."

I stared at Michael for a second. He is asking me out on a date! I wanted to say yes, but I already promised Eva and Ashley that I would go with them to the club that night. They were going to go with me to the homecoming game and then to the club.

"I'm sorry Michael, but I already have plans. In fact, I'm not going to the dance."

The look on Michael's face made my heart sink. I wanted to go out with him, but I didn't want to disappoint my girls either.

"That's cool. I understand."

"It not what you think though. I'm going out with my girlfriends to a club near Parker. I'm sorry."

"It's cool. You shouldn't change your plans, especially with your friends."

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head. Even though it was a long shot, I thought Michael would agree to it.

"Why don't you come with me? I know its homecoming and you're the star of the team, but I would really like it if you came."

Michael looked at me and smiled. I don't think he expected me to ask him to come with me, but it seemed like he was flattered.

"Sure. I would like that."

"Cool."

"But on one condition."

"And what is that, Mr. Collier?"

"If you come with me to the dance. Just for an hour. And then we could go to the club. That way you can experience how homecoming is at Belmont, and I can experience how things are at Parker."

I thought about it for a second and smiled. Although Eva and Ashley would be with me, I didn't think they would mind a little culture shock at a Belmont dance.

"That's only fair. But there is one problem."

"What's that?"

"My friends Eva and Ashley will be with me."

"They can come to the dance. The dance is not just for Belmont students."

I nodded my head and smiled.

"Then it settled. I'll go to the dance. "

"Okay." Michael said.

I smiled. It's good to make a compromise. Especially if it was with someone as fine as Michael.

~

Half the day
had passed, and now it was time for our extended cheerleading practice. After receiving more work from all my classes, I was beginning to wonder if I was going to able to do anything this weekend. But I figured if I stayed up late tonight and if I did some work after the pep rally on Friday, I'd be fine. As I was stretching on the grass, I noticed Kim and Brandy were coming near me. They sat down beside me and started to stretch as well.

"Word has it that you and Michael going out this weekend," Brandy said.

"How you know that?"

"Please. This school is a magnet for gossip. Before long, the whole school is going to be panning you two as Belmont's new super couple," said Kim.

If they knew that I was going out with Michael, I wonder who else knew.

As I got up, I started to stretch my arms some more and touch my toes with my fingertips.

While I was doing my arm stretches, I started to talk to my two new friends.

"Do you all want to go out with me Saturday? Michael and I are going to a club near Parker."

"I don't know; should that be your first date?" asked Brandy.

"Nah. I was going out with my friends, so I invited Michael. It's a group outing, so you two free to come."

Brandy looked at Kim and the two nodded their heads in agreement.

"That's cool." said Kim.

"Yeah. We're so tired of the Belmont crowd."

I smiled at the two beautiful light-skinned girls in front of me. I knew that Saturday was going to be a good day. Not only was I going to see Eva and Ashley, but I was enjoying the day with the guy I'm feeling and my two new friends. Life was getting better by the minute.

So I hope.

After our two hour practice
,
we had down most of the new material we learned, which was a good thing. As I walked out of the locker room, I was hoping I would see Michael standing by my car again like he did the day before, but to my disappointment, he was not outside. During Chemistry class, we finally exchanged phone numbers, so maybe I would call him tonight.

As I was driving down the street toward my house, Eva called asking me how was life at Belmont. Instead of talking to her on the phone, I decided to tell her everything at our favorite hangout, Chester's, which was near Parker. I had a lot of homework, but I figured seeing my best friend for an hour wouldn't hurt. As we sat at our favorite booth, I ordered a cheeseburger and a Sprite, while Eva ordered a BLT sandwich with some fries and water. As we waited for our food to arrive, I started to talk about what been going on with my life in the past two days.

"So much has happened in just a short time," I told Eva as I sipped on my Sprite.

"I see. How is the school? Is it swarming with preppies? Or is that a figment of my imagination?"

"You're on point. It is that. But it was not what I thought. I thought it was going to be this school that had stuck up brats and barely any blacks. Now the part about the stuck up brats are true, but there are more than ten blacks who go there."

"I bet they're stuck up too," Eva said as she drank her water.

"Probably so, but the ones I've encountered are pretty nice. In fact, I've invited two of the cheerleaders with us to Range Saturday."

"Really?" Eva said disappointedly. I could tell that she was not going to like who I was bringing from Belmont.

"Don't worry Eva. They're real cool. They remind me of you and Ashley."

"No one can duplicate us," Eva said.

I laughed. "You right. But you'll like them both."

"Well if you think they are cool, then I'll give them a chance."

"Great."

"Are there any fine guys there?"

"Yeah. Actually, I met someone yesterday. I invited him with us Saturday, too."

"Oh really. Who is this guy?"

"His name is Michael, and he is really nice. Not only that, but he is Mr. All-American. The boy is in every activity you can think of at Belmont. And he is so popular; everyone there treats him like he's a celebrity."

"Sounds like my type of brother," said Eva as she bit into her BLT sandwich.

I looked down to my plate and sighed.

"Well how does he look? Is he dark-skinned, light-skinned, what?" Eva said in a rush.

"Well neither. He's really fine. He's about my height, but taller. He has the most amazing eyes you could look into, and he has blonde hair that is so shiny and gorgeous..."

Before I could say anything more, Eva nearly choked on her fries. She looked at me with her light brown eyes wide.

"He has blonde hair? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were saying that Michael is white."

"Actually, he is." I said smiling.

"So you're telling me that you crossed over to the other side? I thought you said you would never date a white guy?"

"What difference does it make, E? Yeah I might have said that in the past, but Michael is a really nice guy. Besides, what's wrong with trying something new?"

"Nothing, but I would have never thought you would go that way."

I looked at Eva and rolled my eyes.

"Listen, I don't expect you to like my choices, but if you're not going to support me on this, then whatever. It doesn't matter to me. Besides, this is our first date, and it not really a date because we're going to a club. So if you going to judge, then go ahead."

Eva looked at me and smiled.

"Why are you smiling? I didn't say anything funny."

"I know. It just that you never seemed so defensive over someone, not since Derrick."

I shook my head at the mention of my ex-boyfriend. Derrick Marberry. He was my first love. At one point. We started to date in our freshman year at Parker. We were inseparable. We could not go anywhere or do anything without the other. He was so fine, with his light colored skin, and hazel eyes, he was definitely a magnet for the female population at Parker. We dated on and off for a while, but after the many girls who tried to get with him, and his pressuring for me to have sex, we decided to break up a few months ago. Well that, and the fact that I caught him in the girls' locker room kissing all on Theresa the skank. That was the real reason why I couldn't stand Theresa. The fact that she stole my man, and because she really is a skank. No one knows the real reason why we broke up. Even my parents don't know why.

"Don't mention his name again," I said as I threw my napkin on my plate. I suddenly lost my appetite. "Sorry girl, I didn't mean to get upset with you."

"It's fine. It just that I know how much you liked Derrick. He even asked about you today."

"You actually talked to him?" I asked furiously.

There is one rule Eva, Ashley, and I made, and that was to never talk or associate with our exes. As I saw it, Eva broke that rule.

"I wasn't trying to. He saw me at my locker this morning and came up to me asking me how you were doing. He even told me that he would be at Range Saturday. So I'm just giving you a heads up since you're bringing your new man there."

"Technically, Michael is not my man. Yet."

"Whoever he is, if Derrick sees you, he will certainly be looking; because he wants you back Char."

I looked at Eva and sighed.

Fine time for Mr. Romeo to try to get me back. Well this time, that was not going to happen.

~

After I got home,
I went right to work. I finished a paper for English, and worked on some math homework. Three hours later, I was about to work on my Spanish assignment, when my cell phone started to light up. I looked over at my nightstand, and picked it up from the charger. I looked at the caller ID and realized it was Michael. As my hands started to become sweaty, I slowly pressed the "talk" button.

"Hello?" I said softly.

"Hey. You busy?" he asked in his sexy voice. Just hearing his voice made me tingly all over.

"Sort of. I'm doing my Spanish assignment right now."

"Oh. Well I don't want to bother you."

"You're not," I said quickly.

"I know you have a lot of work to do since you transferred, so I'll let you go."

"Don't. I have been doing homework for three hours now, so I could use a break."

I could tell Michael started to smile as he continued to talk.

"Actually, I didn't want to talk on the phone. I was hoping I could see you tonight."

A smile started to form on my lips. He couldn't get enough of me, just like I couldn't with him.

"I don't know. It's kind of late." I said as I looked at my clock on the nightstand. It was eleven p.m.

"I understand it's a school night and all, but I can't stop thinking about you, and I wanted to see you."

As I looked at the clock again, I knew my parents were already fast asleep, so I didn't have a problem sneaking out. Besides, I really wanted to see Michael too.

"Let me give you the address to my house."

"Cool."

As I gave him my address, I also told him to meet me in the back of the house so no one would see him. As I hung up the phone, I quickly went into my closet and pulled out a sexy but classy outfit. Even though I was probably going to see Michael for only a few minutes, I wanted to look my best. As I changed into a pink off the shoulder sweater and dark blue jeans, I went into my purse and pulled out my MAC Pushglass in Wet, Wild, Wonderful. When I started to apply it on my lips, I realized someone was whispering outside my window.