Decision Time

by Earl Sewell

  “I don’t know. I guess so,” I replied, unaware of the answer she was seeking.

  “How is that shoulder of yours doing?” Lori asked, changing the subject.

  “I can’t wait to get out of this damn sling. My shoulder is really stiff and I find myself constantly rubbing it.”

  “Really? You should let me rub it for you. I give good massages.” Lori rose to her feet and positioned herself behind me. She placed her hands on my shoulders and began rubbing them. I’d be lying if I said her touch didn’t feel good. She coaxed away a lot of the embedded tension deep within my muscles. It didn’t take long for my mind to slip into a mildly euphoric state. With my eyes closed and my chin craned toward my chest, I enjoyed the moment of tenderness.

  “Can you forgive me, Wesley?” Lori leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Please.”

  “I’m trying to,” I said.

  “I want you to know that I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make all of this up to you. And Wesley…I do mean whatever it takes.” Lori nibbled on my earlobe and placed sweet kisses on my neck, which sent goose bumps of pleasure racing all over my body.

  nineteen

  KEYSHA

  When the dismissal bell rang, I was relieved. I exited my classroom and merged into the flow of hallway traffic and listened to multiple conversations about hanging out at Mr. Submarine, the nearby pizza parlor and the highway oasis perched high above Interstate 80. While everyone was planning an afternoon of freedom from the oppression of teachers and administrators I had to hustle down to the auditorium for rehearsals. I’d been sending text messages to Maya throughout the day, giving her the blow-by-blow of what transpired between Wesley and me. Like me, she couldn’t believe Lori was a student here at Thornwood. When I entered the auditorium, Maya was sitting in one of the house seats, far away from the stage. When I spotted her, she waved me over.

  “When I got your text message I was like, ‘No freaking way!’” Maya couldn’t wait to gossip about my strained relationship with Wesley.

  “I’m telling you, Maya, I was too damn outdone when that slut showed up and wrapped her arms around him like he was her boo.” I unzipped my backpack and removed my copy of the script. I needed to review my lines before taking the stage.

  “And Lori just started groping on him as if you weren’t standing there talking to him?” Maya asked.

  “Yup. She was very disrespectful and almost got her butt kicked.”

  “We should find her and beat her down,” Maya suggested, fully willing to issue a well-deserved punishment.

  “I’m not even going to trip about Wesley and his little tramp. If that’s what he wants then he can have her.”

  “Has he tried to contact you?” Maya asked.

  “I don’t know and don’t care,” I said without any type of sorrow or sentiment toward him.

  “I don’t understand why one minute Wesley is stalking you, begging you to call him, and now he’s acting like player of the year.”

  “Do you want to know the theory I’ve come up with?” I asked.

  “Yeah, what?” Maya was eager to hear my thoughts.

  “I think Lori is doing Wesley. Giving him every exclusive, if you know what I mean.”

  “You think she’s been giving him the punany?”

  “Yes. Why else would she be acting so boldly?” I asked, arguing my point.

  “That’s messed up. I hate girls like that. Girls who know that a guy has a girlfriend and yet they still try to steal him away.”

  “You know the thing that hurts the most about all of this?”

  “No, what?”

  “He led me to believe that he wasn’t like other guys. He made me feel as if I was so special and we were perfect for each other. All the risks I took just to be with him because I didn’t want him to feel as if I’d ever abandon him.”

  “You did the right thing, Keysha. He’s the one who messed up and when he realizes it, he’ll come to you with a major sob story about his mistake.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” I replied, cringing at the thought of Wesley coming around me.

  “Hey, you two. Why are you sitting all the way back here?” Antonio asked as he walked up the aisle toward us. I smiled at him because he was looking as handsome as ever.

  “Girl talk,” I answered him with a smile.

  “Are you talking about me?” Antonio asked coyly.

  “Maybe and maybe not.” I purposely flirted with him.

  “You know there is an old saying, Keysha,” Maya whispered to me. “The best way to get over one guy is to get under another one.” I turned my attention back to Maya, who had a naughty grin on her face.

  “You are so bad,” I said, laughing at the sexual undertone of what she’d just said.

  “Mind if I sit over here with you guys?” Antonio sat down before we invited him to do so. However, I didn’t mind one bit.

  “So why haven’t you called or sent me a text today?” Antonio asked me.

  “I don’t know. I didn’t think about it.” I really didn’t send it because I didn’t want to seem like some desperate girl looking to sink her teeth into him at the first sign of hope. I wanted him to chase me a little and then see what happened from there.

  “Oh, it’s like that. You didn’t think about me at all. Not one time today?” Antonio’s ego was bruised.

  “Hmm, this sounds like it’s turning into a private conversation.” Maya rose to her feet and gathered her belongings. Before stepping away she turned and met my gaze. “Okay, Keysha girl. Don’t forget to go over your lines before you get up on the stage.”

  “I know my lines by heart,” I answered, putting her questions to rest.

  “So what did you think about that kiss?” Antonio asked, staring directly into my eyes. He smiled and then swept his tongue across his lips. I crossed my legs and folded my arms across my breasts.

  “It was okay,” I answered, not wanting to overinflate his ego.

  “Just okay?” he asked.

  “Mmm-hmm,” I answered back.

  “Keysha, you are lying. You know you felt something more.”

  “Oh, really? So you know all about girls and what they think and feel, right?”

  “I’m not going to say all of that, but I do know that kiss was more than just a kiss. It was like eating a chocolate ice cream cone on a hot summer afternoon. Every lick was…well, you know what I’m trying to say.”

  I was speechless. I wanted him to continue expressing himself, but I was still trying to get past the image of his tongue licking circles around a chocolate ice cream cone. It was difficult for me to not want to be his chocolate delight melting all over his fingers.

  “So are we still going to say our lines and kiss like that again tonight?” Antonio asked. I found my tongue parting my sweet lips to moisten them.

  “Yes.” I laughed nervously.

  “Good.” He placed his hand on my knee and I swear I could feel the heat of his hand through the fabric of my jeans. I suddenly felt like a lioness, craving for her king to continue his mating session.

  Antonio and I performed our scenes with very little direction. It seemed as if the love affair that was written down on the page had somehow manifested inside of Antonio and me. We were inextricably drawn to each other. An undeniable chemistry flowed between us. When it came time for us to kiss each other, we did, and it felt as if all of the breath in my body left me the moment our lips met.

  The director of the play loved the chemistry Antonio and I had and encouraged us to bring even more passion to the characters we were portraying. Afterward, Antonio and I walked backstage so that Priscilla, Maya and a few others could perform their parts. As Priscilla moved past me she whispered, “You kiss like a slut.”

  I couldn’t let that comment go. I’d grown weary of her snide remarks and I fully intended to nip the beef between us in the bud. I reached out for some of Priscilla’s hair, but I wasn’t close enough. Antonio held me back just in time. Priscilla met my gaze and
I could see the flames of defiance in her eyes.

  “Hey, what are you doing?” Antonio asked.

  “Did you hear what she said to me when she walked past?” I asked through gritted teeth.

  “No.”

  “She basically called me a whore and I’m going to straighten her ass out,” I said, eager to walk onto the stage for a good old-fashioned catfight.

  “Don’t pay any attention to Priscilla. You know she’s just jealous of you. Besides, I don’t like girls who fight. Especially not a girl who I want to be my woman.” Antonio placed my chin on the rim of his forefinger and gently tilted my face upward so that I could gaze at him. The passion in his eyes was unmistakable. In fact it was overpowering, and I found myself completely surrendering to his will.

  “Focus on me and not Priscilla,” he whispered as he lightly stroked my cheeks. I wanted to snatch off every stitch of clothing he had on and kiss him everywhere. My lust for him was stronger than it had ever been for any boy and I wondered if my yearning for him could turn into love.

  twenty

  WESLEY

  Lori and I hung out at Mr. Submarine until around 6:00 p.m. We talked about a lot of stuff that was going on in each other’s lives. I told her about how crazy my mother was and how my father and I were closer than we’d ever been. We talked about the hope and uncertainty of getting into a good college. We discussed some of the bizarre habits of the faculty and a few of the wild rumors floating around about teachers who were secretly dating students. When we left, I walked her home, which was without question out of my way. However, Lori had worked on me and had gotten me to calm down a little, as well as help me understand her perspective. I didn’t agree with a lot of her actions and behavior, but there was something about hearing the logic and thoughts that motivated her. Along the route to her dad’s house, there was a park. Lori, who was clearly in no hurry to return, suggested we stop and sit on the park bench for a little while longer. I agreed and a short time later, I found myself watching the bright sun duck down below the orange-and-red horizon.

  Lori began stroking my hair. “You have very soft hair,” Lori said, complimenting me on my finer grade of hair.

  “Why are girls so big on hair?” I asked even though I sort of already knew the answer to that question.

  “Our hair or guys’ hair?” she asked for clarification.

  “Guys’ hair. I mean, dudes don’t care much about hair outside of getting a fresh cut. We don’t care about what shampoo or conditioner goes into it. We just wash it, and move on.”

  “Girls look for men with a finer grade of hair to determine if they want to have a baby with the guy. No girl wants to give birth to a nappy-headed baby or at least that’s been sort of the unwritten rule and tradition.”

  “What’s wrong with nappy hair?” I pressed the issue even though I didn’t particularly care one way or the other.

  “Nothing really. It’s just a hang-up some people have. That’s one of the reasons I like India.Arie’s song, ‘I Am Not My Hair.’”

  “Yeah, that’s a cut,” I admitted as the tune began to play inside my mind.

  “So, Wesley…truthfully. What’s the deal with you and Keysha? Are you guys still dating or what?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t know where Keysha and I are. And honestly, you being here in Illinois isn’t helping me win any redemption points with her.”

  “If she truly wanted to be with you she would have called or at a minimum sent you a text by now. Has she done that?” Lori asked, prying heavily into my relationship with Keysha. I removed my cell phone to see if I’d missed any messages from Keysha. To my disappointment she had not tried to contact me at all.

  “No. She hasn’t tried to reach me.”

  Lori traced the outline of my face with her index finger. “I don’t want to sound insensitive, but it’s over between you and her whether you realize it or not.”

  “I keep feeling like if I could just get her to listen to me, she’ll come around. We’ll forgive each other, renew our commitment to one another and move forward.”

  “You know what you need to do?” Lori asked.

  “What?”

  “You need to stop pining over her. No girl wants a sappy, needy guy,” Lori professed.

  I frowned at her comment. “I’m not a sappy guy,” I said, shooting down her perception of me.

  “Oh, yes, you are.” Lori chuckled. “You’re kind of a hopeless romantic who doesn’t realize that the love story express has derailed.”

  “That is so cold.” I felt as if she was stepping on my heart.

  “What’s so cold about the truth? I mean if more people would be truthful with each other we would have a lot less misunderstandings.”

  “So what’s the real truth about you, Lori? Why are you in my life?”

  “I’ve told you a thousand times. I believe destiny is guiding us toward each other.”

  I laughed; she didn’t see her own hypocrisy. “And you call me the hopeless romantic.”

  “Oh, you’re trying to bust me out now?”

  “Why beat around the bush?” I asked.

  “True. Why should I beat around the bush? Do you remember the first day we met at your grandmother’s house?” Lori stood up to face me and then straddled me. She then positioned herself so that her behind was resting on my lap. I instinctively wrapped my arm around her waist.

  “Yeah, I remember,” I said, inconspicuously guiding my hand around the curve of her hip.

  “I knew I liked you right away. You didn’t have to say a single word to me. There was something about you that I was drawn to. I was drawn to you in a way that I’d never experienced before. Now tell me the truth—when you saw me, weren’t you attracted to me?”

  I thought about what she’d just said and tried to think clearly instead of allowing my lust to offer up a false answer.

  “When I saw you I thought you were decent-looking. I sized you up and made some assumptions.”

  “You’re beating around the bush, Wesley.” Lori craned her neck toward me and kissed me. The fluctuation of Lori’s hips against my body during the kiss shifted my thinking. I suddenly yearned and ached for her. I wanted to explore every inch of her and learn the secrets and mysteries of her body, which had not been discovered by a man. “Did you want to have sex with me when you first saw me?” Lori boldly asked.

  “Yes,” I answered as she sucked on my bottom lip.

  “Then you are destined to unlock my treasure and enjoy the fortune that awaits you inside of me.”

  By the time I arrived home it was close to eight in the evening. I was thankful neither my dad nor grandmother were there to ask a bunch of questions that I didn’t feel like answering. I went to my room, undressed and took a long shower. When I was done, I put on some sweatpants and my Thornwood T-shirt. I went to my room, rested on my bed, and replayed what had taken place between Lori and me. Admittedly, I was confused. My lust dominated and tortured my devotion to Keysha. I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand and sent a text message to Keysha.

  Wesley: Hey U.

  To my complete surprise and utter shock she returned my text.

  Keysha: Hey U back.

  Wesley: What R U doing?

  Keysha: Wuz talking 2 Mike. Now N my room doing homework.

  Wesley: R U mad @ me?

  Keysha: I wuz but not anymore. U have a new girl. I’m over it. I have moved on.

  Wesley: It’s not like that.

  Keysha: Yeah right. I am not stupid.

  Wesley: I didn’t say u were.

  Keysha: QQ.

  Wesley: Shoot.

  Keysha: Y is Lori at Thornwood?

  Wesley: She had to leave after her house got shot up.

  Keysha: What????

  Wesley: Some gangbangers shot up her house b-cause she was a witness.

  Keysha: Witness 2 what?

  Wesley: Her boyfriend shot me.

  Keysha: WTF?

  Wesley: I no. It’s complicated.
>
  Keysha: Sounds like u have a mess on ur hands. So now U R in 2 gangster girls?

  Wesley: Y R U trip n? U should trust me.

  Keysha: I did and U broke my heart. Can’t let dat happen again.

  Welsey: I’m sorry. I really am.

  Keysha: It is what it is.

  Wesley: I want 2 C U again.

  Keysha: 4 what?

  Wesley: b-cause

  Keysha: Nope. All U R gonna do is play me.

  Wesley: U don’t believe dat.

  Keysha: QQ.

  Wesley: Shoot.

  Keysha: is she giving u the punany?

  Wesley: No.

  Keysha: Yeah right. I bet she want 2.

  Wesley: QQ.

  Keysha: O now U got questions.

  Wesley: Yes. Do U love me?

  Keysha: In what way?

  Wesley: The same way U did when I left.

  Keysha: QQ.

  Wesley: How R U gonna answer a Q with a Q?

  Keysha: Do she love u?

  Wesley: In what way?