“Girl, what you yelling for?”
“Ronnie tried to rape me.”
“I heard you the first time.”
Destiny swallowed. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but it was clearly not what her mom was serving. “This is not the first time Ma. He has tried it before and I just wanted to let you know. I’m scared Ma.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks and Destiny looked at her mother. Her mother’s eyes held something that made Destiny recoil. It wasn’t annoyance and Destiny would prefer it if it was. In her mother’s eyes, Destiny found boredom, like Destiny’s story didn’t come close to the list of things she ought to bug herself at.
“So? Damn Destiny, I thought you were smart. Ain’t that why you were given the damn scholarship? If Ronnie wants you, then let him have you. Honestly Destiny, I’m surprised at you. Where you think you gon’ get a man like Ronnie. I’m your mother and if this is about how I’d feel if you slept with the man, then I assure you, I’m more than willing to share him. See if he can get you out of that horrible mood you’re always in.”
Destiny wasn’t sure how to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. She watched her mother roll her eyes and returned to what she was doing. Destiny turned and returned to her room, making sure she shut the door behind her.
The fact was glaring at her; her mother didn’t give two hoots about her. Destiny broke down and cried for the mother the woman who gave her life had never been. She’d known it all along, but she just let herself believe that she did care, but she didn’t know how to show it especially considering all the drugs and alcohol she consumed. It was more than obvious to Destiny that she alone got her back.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
DESTINY
“Where’s your favorite place to have breakfast?”
Destiny looked at Noah, trying to see if there was a jab to his words but his face was openly curious. They were standing just outside her neighborhood, where she had requested they met. Sweet as Noah may be, she didn’t like the idea of him finding out where she lived or who she lived with. Her home and Noah were two worlds and she had every intention of keeping them separate.
“I eat at the cafe.”
“Always?”
“Always.”
Noah nodded. “Any suggestions?”
Destiny thought about it for a while, trying to remember cafés she had passed over the years that offered tantalizing aromas. Ms. Josie’s was the first to creep into her mind and without hesitation, she dropped the name and Noah had asked her to lead the way. The walk to Ms. Josie’s was filled with Noah dropping light kisses on her face and Destiny giggling. It wasn’t supposed to take that long to get to the cafe but between Noah’s hand show and Destiny excitement, it took twice as long.
Destiny pushed open the café’s door and Noah followed after her.
“Destiny, look at you,” Ms. Josie said and came over to give her a hug.
“Good morning Ms. Josie,” Destiny greeted and returned the gesture. “Hey Pepo.”
“A hug would be nice too, but ‘hey Pepo’ is fine too.”
Destiny laughed and went to give him a hug. When she looked at Noah, he had a smile on his face and she smiled at him. She pulled away from him and walked back to Noah.
“This is Noah; my friend.”
She watched Ms. Josie and Pepo exchange a quick look, and the very next minute, Ms. Josie was hurrying over to give Noah a hug.
“It’s nice to see our Destiny with a friend. The kids in her school are always mean to her, pouring their smoothie on her and everything.” Turning to Destiny, she asked, “They don’t do that anymore, right?” Before Destiny could reply, she had turned back to Noah. “I hope you’ll be nice to our Destiny and stop those mean kids from picking on her.”
When Destiny looked and Noah, his jaw was tightly clenched and Destiny couldn’t figure out why. After a while, he unclenched his jaw and smiled at Ms. Josie.
“I try to ensure they don’t do that anymore. I’m here now and Destiny’s safe.”
Destiny felt completely safe with him. Pepo nodded his head and Ms. Josie beamed at him before ushering them into a seat. Noah let Destiny order for them and she ordered everything she’d ever wanted to taste in Ms. Josie’s cafe. Their breakfast consisted of banana pancakes and coffee. The first bite tasted like heaven and Destiny ate so much that at a point, she forgot that Noah was sitting across from her, watching her eat.
Destiny wiped her mouth with the napkin resting on the table, and Noah watched her every move until she started to feel very self-conscious. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, thinking that maybe she shouldn’t have eaten so fast. But in her defense, she was hungry and the pancakes tasted so good to ignore.
“What?”
Noah shook his head. “I just realized how much I like girls with big appetite.”
Destiny felt hot all over, and so she looked down at her empty plate. Noah smiled and took a bite of his pancakes, not bothering to take his eyes off Destiny.
“So tell me about yourself,” Destiny said in a bid to take his attention away from her.
Noah chuckled lightly. “Well Destiny, what would you like to know about me?”
“Everything? Like where did you live before you came here? What’s your family like? Your likes and dislikes? Hobbies and sort? What makes you tick? Why did you guys move? Everything.”
Only Noah didn’t start spitting out replies. He was staring at her with a look she couldn’t decipher in his eyes. Finally, he cleared his throat.
“Well, we lived in Copper for a long time. We’re four in my family, me and Natalie, my mom and dad. We have a lot of relatives but they don’t live around.” Noah stopped and watched her. Destiny wondered if he wanted to add something else. He looked like he wanted to but changed his mind about it. “What about you?”
“You didn’t answer all the questions,” Destiny protested.
“How about you answer the ones I answered to make it a fair game and then we’ll play twenty questions?”
Destiny looked thoughtfully at him, “Alright. I’ve lived in Aqua Vale all my life. I don’t have a lot of family and I live with my mom and step-father.”
Destiny wished she had another relative. Maybe her life wouldn’t be so messed up if she had someone other than her mom raise her up. She definitely wouldn’t have Ronnie leering at her and making inappropriate advances, she most definitely wouldn’t be treated as trash at Havana Academy. Her relative would care for her, she’d meet some guy and… Destiny looked at Noah. The idea of being with someone other than Noah didn’t appeal very well to her. Noah was looking at her with an expression that told her she wasn’t alone anymore. She just needed to believe it.
They played twenty questions for a while longer, ignoring the customers that poured in and out of the shop. She found out Noah had to ace his tests in order to get his car, his mother was a stay at home wife and his father was a business tycoon. What she loved more was how Noah had described the relationship between his parents. It wasn’t the description she loved more than anything, it was the way he looked at her like he wanted the same thing for them. Destiny saw no need lying, she wanted the exact same thing. He liked sports and fast cars. He loved moon-gazing, the feel of the night’s air on his skin and above all, he liked her.
That had made Destiny hotter than she had ever been. Shy and unsure of what to do next, she stared at her lap until Noah started asking his questions. She told him as little as could about her family, making up for it with information about her likes and dislikes. She couldn’t describe what Ronnie and her mother had as a match made in heaven and she couldn’t even give him a look because whatever it was her mother had with Ronnie, she didn’t want it. Especially since Ronnie had zero idea on how to stay away from anything in skirt, including his step-daughter.
If Noah noticed how very amateur she was at dodging his questions, he didn’t let on. Rather, he suggested they had to get a move on if they were going to do much today.
Despite her protest, Noah refused to split the bill. He said she needed the money more than he did and Destiny’s mind imagined her mother telling her to use the little she had to buy groceries.
“Ever been to a fair?”
“No.”
Noah stopped walking before they got to his car. “What? That’s unacceptable. We’re going to the Aqua Vale fair. That goodness they’re having.” He opened the door and all but threw Destiny in. He circled and got into his seat, clicking in his seat belt and Destiny quickly did the same.
“That’s really not necessary,” Destiny said. To be honest, a lot of people have never been to fairs in their lives but Noah didn’t seem to care.
“Trust me honey, it is absolutely necessary. Think of all the things to see, to eat. Trust me, it’d be impossible to not have fun.”
“But I’m fine though.”
“It’s a whole day’s date. Whatever would we do again?”
Destiny rolled her eyes. “We could go see the museum.”
“Good idea, fairs are better in the night. More calm and beauty.”
Noah took a left turn and drove down to the museum. Destiny watched him; she wasn’t sure what else to do. When Noah noticed her eyes on him, he gave her a quick look before looking back at the road.
“What?”
“I don’t want you wasting your money on nonsense.”
“Are you happy were going to the museum?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m not wasting a dime.”
***
Three hours later and Destiny realized a very important thing about herself, she loved a sport that wasn’t running. It wasn’t just any sport; it was soccer and never in her life had she screamed that loud when someone scored a goal. Beside her, Noah was going on about how the game was rigged. He was on the losing team. After staring at ancient artefact for almost two hours, Noah had suggested they visited the town’s stadium to see what was going on there and they had met this match. It was a local match between two high schools. High schools that didn’t measure up to Havana. To make things interesting, Noah had said they both pick a team and the person in the losing team had to give the other a piggyback ride. Destiny was having the time of her life.
The team she was supporting scored another goal and Noah looked very ready to go tell the coach what he thought of the team’s play. According to Noah, they lacked coordination, team spirit and the most important of it all, the skill to actually play soccer. Annoyed, he asked if they knew there was more to the game than just chasing the ball around.
When the game ended, Noah stayed seated, looking very gloomy and Destiny sat beside him trying to control her laughs. People were leaving the stadium but Noah didn’t seem to give two hoots, and Destiny felt bad that he was taking the loss to heart.
“You know you don’t have to carry me right?”
Noah didn’t reply, he said nothing for the longest time and as the crowd reduced, Destiny began to worry. He wasn’t supposed to be this upset because it was a team he didn’t know. He just stumbled upon them. The reason he was upset was beyond her. Noah laid his head on her shoulder and Destiny sighed.
“I don’t even get why you’re upset.”
“I’m not upset. I’ll give you the piggyback ride, but right now, let’s wait for everyone to leave so I can kiss you.”
Destiny drew a sharp breath and she felt hot even though the stadium was cold. Unable to help herself, she looked around the stadium in hopes that no one overheard. But Noah didn’t seem to care, his head rested on her shoulder and his eyes were closed. Destiny was aware of her beating heart, and she could almost swear that Noah heard it too.
“Is everyone gone? They should be because your heart’s struggling in there. It’s calming me. I love the sound of your heartbeat.”
Destiny wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so instead of replying, she looked around and saw they were the last two in the stadium. Destiny’s feet tingled and she licked her lips. She had been thinking of Noah kissing her the entire day, but now, she wasn’t sure how to tell him they were alone. She didn’t want to seem desperate, but Noah had asked, hadn’t he? Destiny looked down at Noah to find him looking at her. His grey orbs gazed up at her and Destiny felt her breathing become fast. Her chest was hammering loudly and she didn’t care if Noah could hear it.
Before Destiny could form another thought, Noah lifted his head and touched his lips to hers. Destiny’s eyes fluttered close and Noah pulled away.
“Relax,” was all he said and went back to kissing her. And this time, Destiny relaxed. Her hand went to Noah’s head and pulled him closer to her. Noah followed and Destiny hated that the stadium chairs didn’t give them more space. He bit her lower lip and Destiny opened her mouth to let him in. If kissing was a dance, their tongues were efficient ballerinas. Noah pulled her over to sit on his lap, and that wasn’t the most comfortable position Destiny had found herself, but she was past the state of caring.
They both froze when Noah’s hand touched her stomach. He pulled away with the both of them breathing like spent swimmers.
“We should go,” was all he said and Destiny nodded in agreement.
Destiny removed herself from him and adjusted her shirt. Boy was she glad she wore trousers. Before she could walk away, Noah held her hand and stood up.
‘You’re a fantastic kisser and I owe you a piggyback ride.”
He carried her to the car and let her in. Destiny wasn’t so sure she wanted to go to the fair anymore. Dusk was upon them and Destiny wanted to spend the entire evening with Noah, alone.
“Besides your house, where else do you go to stargaze?”
Noah looked at her. “The fair?”
“I don’t want to go.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DESTINY
Destiny could think of a million places she’d rather be, a trillion things she’d rather be doing, and a gazillion things she’d rather hear. Instead of something else, she was listening to Megan. She wasn’t sure how, but Megan had cornered her with her little minions by her side and Destiny had absolutely nowhere to go. Among her minions, Destiny saw Stella looking smug and she couldn’t, for the life in her, figure out why.
“Now Rags, tell me why you think you can run around with the new kid?” Megan asked, admiring her new nail polish.
Destiny pressed her lips together. “I don’t understand.”
Megan sighed and looked up from her fingers to look at Destiny. “What were you doing at the stadium with Noah?”
Destiny didn’t know why but she froze. People saw her with Noah and it wasn’t the friendly type of people. It was someone who could ruin her if she desired it. She wasn’t sure if her and Noah were dating but there has been a lot of kissing, and if she was being honest, she loved it. Their date, as it was renamed, had happened yesterday. She had more fun with Noah than she had ever did in her life. Stargazing had led to something more. They did more than kissing and hands down, Destiny could admit that was the best night of her life. There had been a lot of kissing and kissing had led to something more. She had let Noah take off her shirt and the things she had only heard of had happened to her. But Megan was staring at her with a look that was questioning her audacity.
Megan released a sigh. “Listen Rags, I understand you think someone like Noah could be with someone like you. He’s way out of league and you’re definitely not the type of person he’d end up with. If we’re being sincere, you and Noah are like Justin Bieber and Ursula James together.”
Destiny raised her head, confusion evident on her face as she asked, “Ursula who?”
Megan gave her a fake smile, “My point exactly. Noah needs someone he can take home to mama and I’m not saying anything you don’t know when I say that someone isn’t you. For all you know, Noah might be using you, a bet maybe,” Megan looked around and hushed everyone before leaning in to whisper into Destiny’s ear. “You didn’t hear it from me.”
Destiny froze in place. Her head was spi
nning round. Her mind willed her not to think of it. Noah wouldn’t do that; he wasn’t that cruel. He really liked her, he had said so in front of Cathy and Kimberly. Or else Megan was lying and Noah really liked her. Destiny shut her eyes.
“I really don’t know why she’s surprised. It’s Noah for crying out loud. He’s way too hot for you, he’s too hot for me. He’s out of my league and you’re way below me. I thought you were smart, do the math,” Destiny recognized the voice as Stella’s.
The bell rang and while Megan and her friends walked off to class, Destiny stood rooted in her spot unable to move. In a second, she was spinning and running out of the school. Outside the doors, she had no idea where she wanted to go. Against all reasons her mind tried to push her way, ruining her perfect attendance record, her scholarship, Destiny stopped. She really didn’t want to miss school because Megan said something that might very well not be true.
She sighed and turned back to the doors. She stepped into the empty halls and walked down to her class. She pushed open the door and everyone looked up. Her eyes met Noah’s and she watched the look of relief on his face get replaced by something that bordered on confusion and anger. She took her seat before him and didn’t respond when he asked if she was alright. From the corner of her eyes, she saw Megan smile a little. When she looked at Natalie, she had a genuine look of confusion on her face.
For some reason, Mrs. Baker didn’t make any remark about how late she was. Instead, she had shot her a look of understanding and let Destiny take her seat before returning to marking the attendance.
“Are you okay?” Noah’s voice came from behind and Destiny rolled her eyes but said nothing. He kicked the chair and asked again but Destiny was slowly approaching the edge. She tried her best to ignore him but Noah couldn’t take ‘leave me alone’ as a reply, so she snapped.
Destiny: BWWM High School Romance Page 12