Fast Forward

by Celeste O. Norfleet

  I gave the teacher assigned to the room the note and then took a seat next to Ursula. “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “Me? You’re the Goody Two-shoes. What are you doing here?”

  “I got caught doing some other assignment in class.”

  “What? You got sent here for that? What kind of class work was it?” she whispered.

  I smiled and chuckled. “Trigonometry in English lit class.”

  “Trigonometry? Who’s class is that?” she asked.

  “It’s from my old school. I like to keep up with them.”

  “Girl, you know you are getting weird, right?” she said, laughing. I laughed too then we both straightened our faces when the teacher looked back in our direction and cleared her throat.

  “So what exactly are we supposed to be doing in here?” I asked.

  “Contemplating our behavior and doing class work, I guess.”

  “So what are you doing in here?”

  “My stupid brother called me and my cell rang. He’s such an asshole. I told my teacher that it was my watch, but she didn’t believe me. So since she couldn’t find a phone on me, she sent me here.”

  “That’s so dumb. They sent you out of class because a cell phone rang.”

  “My idiot brother called like he had nothing better to do. He knows I’m in school.”

  “Maybe he forgot,” I said, finding myself defending him.

  “Oh, please,” she whispered. “Don’t even try it.”

  “All right, ladies, this isn’t a social gathering. You have work to do. Let’s get started,” the room monitor said.

  Ursula and I pulled out our class assignments and actually began doing our work. I had no idea what kind of student she was. I guess I presumed she was like her brother, but when I glanced over at her desk, her class book and notebook were open and she was working on chemistry equations. She was knocking them out like they were simple elementary school additions. Maybe she wasn’t like her brother.

  I began reading a Hazelhurst assignment, figuring the room monitor wouldn’t have any idea what I was doing anyway. As long as I was quiet I’d be fine. I was wrong. When the bell rang, she asked to see my English work. I didn’t have anything for her. I told her I was reading, but she didn’t buy it. She gave me a slip for afterschool detention.

  So the rest of the day wasn’t too bad. I actually paid attention and did the work I was supposed to do. Then, after school I went back to detention. My English teacher was talking to the monitor. I went and sat down. He walked over and placed an assignment on my desk. It was for another book.

  “Can I presume you’ve read this book as well?” he asked. I nodded. “Okay, why don’t you tell me what class books you read last year for school?” I listed the tenth grade books to the best of my memory. He nodded each time, seeming impressed by the list. “Okay, so since you’re pretty much past the rest of the class and sitting in my class is literally boring you, why don’t I assign you a different syllabus? I looked over your English transcripts for this year. You were reading Greek poetry? Lysistrata?” I nodded. “Why don’t we keep with that? I’ll bring in a few assignments tomorrow. In the meantime, I want you to work on this.”

  I looked at the paper he gave me. It was poetry. I had to analyze, write questions and answers then explain it as well as give examples. “Fine.” He went back speaking with the monitor. I started the assignment. I barely finished when the monitor told me that detention was over. Fine, I did my time. When I finally left the building, I was so ready to be out of there. As soon as I got outside, I opened my cell and called Terrence to vent. I knew he’d understand.

  “Hey, what up?” he said, after answering on the second ring. He seemed rushed and in a hurry.

  “Nothing, I just needed to talk,” I said.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “When are you coming home?” I asked.

  “This weekend, I hope. Why, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing. I just now got out of detention.”

  “Detention? What are you doing getting detention?”

  “Stupid teacher got pissed ’cause I was doing trig in his English class. I already knew the stupid book the rest of the class was doing. I read it last year at Hazelhurst. It’s like going over the same stuff a million times.”

  “Sometimes you just gotta deal,” he said plainly.

  “Deal? Nah, it was boring, so I started doing my trig work.”

  “You know you can’t do that. There’s no way you’d do that at Hazelhurst, would you?”

  “I wouldn’t be bored at Hazelhurst.”

  “You can’t just play this off like it’s a game, Kenisha. This is for real. If you want to go back to private school, you need to keep your grades up and stay out of trouble.”

  He was going on about everything he thought I needed to do and not once did he even sound like he was on my side. “You know I called you ’cause I thought you’d be on my side.”

  “I am on your side,” he said.

  “Don’t sound like it.”

  “I’m only telling you what you already know. You were wrong, and you know it.”

  “That’s not the point, and besides, now the teacher wants to give me additional assignments in class.”

  “Good,” he said.

  “What do you mean good? I don’t need extra work. I’m doing my class work at Penn Hall plus keeping up with the work at Hazelhurst. I think that’s enough. I don’t need more.”

  “Consider it a challenge. Look, I got class in about two minutes. I gotta go.”

  “Yeah, a’ight go, bye,” I said, hanging up and not giving him a chance to say goodbye. I seriously didn’t need to hear his drama. I expected him to be on my side. Instead he was siding with them. I crossed the parking lot but stopped when I recognized a car parked on the far side. It was Darien. He got out when he saw me coming. “Hey,” he said, leaning on the hood.

  “Hey,” I said, not in a great mood.

  “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”

  I looked at him standing there smiling. He was tempting, and I was pissed after dealing with the English teacher, detention and Terrence. Talking to him was a total waste of time. So not thinking, I said sure and got in the car. I sat there as he drove. The music was loud, but the windows were up all the way. I rested my head back on the soft leather and tried to relax. There was something about being here that made me uneasy. Maybe it was the whole idea that Darien was who he was or how he was.

  “How’d you know I was staying after school today?”

  “I hear things,” he said, cryptically.

  “Like what?”

  “Your mom died,” he said, totally taking me off-guard.

  “Yeah, so?” I said easily, trying to sound like I wasn’t fazed by his remark.

  “You’re hanging with TB.”

  “Who?” I asked having no idea who he was talking about.

  “Terrence Butler.”

  “What about him? You know him?” I asked. He didn’t answer.

  “I also heard that you used to kick it with LaVon Oliver.”

  “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

  “You weren’t with LaVon?”

  “Yeah, we hung out for a while, and then it was over. He calls, but I never look back,” I said, trying to sound like I got it like that. We stopped at a traffic light, and I saw a couple of girls on the corner staring at the car. I could see them, but they couldn’t see me ’cause the glass was smoked so dark. “So who are you hanging with now?” I asked, curiously, “Sierra?”

  “Told you, nobody,” he said, looking at me smiling. He had a nice smile. “I’m tired of dealing with all her drama. She may be seventeen, but she still act like a kid. She calls me all the time, always on my case wanting to talk.”

  Just as he said that, my cell rang. I pulled it out and looked at the number. It was LaVon. I started laughing. Darien looked at me. I shook my head. “It’s LaVon. We need to introduce him to
Sierra so they can both get a life and stop calling.” We laughed. It was funny, something else we had in common.

  I started talking to him about school and what happened earlier. He got it. He completely understood. Why Terrence couldn’t be like that, I have no idea. We started talking about other things as we drove around. It took twenty minutes to get to my grandmother’s house. We took the long way home.

  When we pulled in front of the house, I felt weird about just getting out like that. Talking to Darien was kind of nice. He really understood me. I grabbed my bookbag and started to open the door. “Wait,” he said.

  I stopped and turned around. Just as I did, he leaned over and kissed me. It was hard, like he really meant it. He pulled my waist to his body and held me while we kissed. When it was over, I moved back to my side of the car. I started to leave again. “You taste good,” he said, holding my hand.

  I smiled and then got out of the car. Luckily nobody was out. So no one saw me getting out of his car. By nobody I mainly meant my grandmother. She’d probably have a fit.

  twelve

  Guaranteed Happy Ending?

  “It’s a miscarriage of reality to tell children fairy tales that promise a bright and wonderful world. It’s when we grow up that we find out the world isn’t all glass slippers and royal balls. It’s more like curses and poison apples.”

  —MySpace.com

  It was Friday morning. There was no school because of a teacher workday. I got up early, ate, then went back to my room and took the online Hazelhurst admissions exam. It was much harder than I thought, but I think I did okay. I guessed I would find out the next week when the results would be mailed out. I felt like a heavy burden had been lifted. I stressed for days over the test. Now I’m just glad it’s over with.

  Lawn mower guy was supposed to come home this weekend. I waited all day for him to show up, but he didn’t. He does this a lot. I guess what he’s got going on at school is more important than hanging with me. Whatever, I still can’t believe that I trust that he’s going to do like he says. I finally gave up waiting and went to dance class to chill out.

  Jade was right. Going to Freeman and dancing was the best therapy in the world, particularly after taking the exam. Who needs Tubbs and Freud when I have tap, ballet, hip-hop and jazz? Seriously, dance is the one thing I can always count on in my life.

  After an hour and a half of dancing, I was exhausted. Neither Jalisa nor Diamond came, so it was just me and a few others in class. I was walking home again afterward, listening to my music and taking my time. I saw Darien’s car parked out front of Ursula’s house. I also saw Sierra sitting on Ursula’s steps talking on her cell. I was walking on the opposite side of the street, so it was cool. I wouldn’t have to deal with her. It was obvious that we weren’t going to be best friends. So ignoring her seemed the best course of action.

  Out the corner of my eye I saw Darien get out of his car. He was talking to somebody on the phone. I half smiled supposing that it was Sierra, but she kept on talking on her cell. He ended the call then turned when he saw me coming. He crossed the street to stand a few feet ahead of me then waited. At least he knows I’m alive and gives me some attention, unlike some people. He was smiling when I walked up to where he stood. “Hey, you here to see me?” he asked knowing better.

  I knew he was joking. I pulled one of my earbuds from my ear and glanced over, seeing Sierra staring me down. “Nah, sorry,” I said, still walking.

  “Hey, hey, hey, wait up. I just want to talk to you. Why don’t you get in the car, and I’ll give you a ride.”

  “I live up in the next two blocks. I can walk.”

  “I didn’t say I’d take you home. I said I’d take you for a ride. Come on, get in.”

  I looked at his car. It was seriously nice and riding inside was like sitting on a cloud. But I knew Sierra, still sitting there, would pass out. So, do I rub it in her face that Darien was taking me out in his car, or do I skip all the drama and pass? I decided to skip the drama and pass. “Nah, that’s okay. I need the exercise,” I said putting my earbud back in my ear.

  “You sure?” he asked. I nodded. “Okay, next time.”

  I waved and kept walking knowing that he was still watching me. Sierra, too. I didn’t change my pace but I kept on walking. I saw Ursula walking, coming in my direction. I smiled and stopped, pulling my earbuds out. “Hey, your grandmother told me you were at dance class,” she said. “I was just going over there.”

  “Yeah, I was,” I said, “What’s up?”

  “Listen, today’s my mom’s birthday, and she decided at the last minute to throw herself a birthday party. Want to come?”

  “Tonight?” I asked, surprised about the short notice.

  “Yeah, it’s no big deal, really. She found out that she got the night off work, and she wanted to do something. Plus she was talking about doing something to welcome Darien home again. Her friends will be upstairs, and we’ll be downstairs. It’s just going to be kids from school and around the way. It’s no big deal really, but you should come, for real.”

  “I don’t know. My girlfriends might be stopping by.”

  “Bring ’em.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked.

  “Yeah, it’ll be fun.”

  “Okay,” I said and started walking.

  “Wait, you gotta see this outfit my mom just got me. Come on. I’ll show you. I think I’m gonna wear it tonight,” she said excitedly, turning me around facing her house. Darien was leaning against his car watching us talking, but he was on his cell again. Sierra was nowhere in sight.

  I walked with Ursula back to her house, climbed the front steps and went in. Her house was bigger inside than it looked outside. There was a woman in a T-shirt and jeans wiping a huge mirror in the living room over the sofa. “Mom, this is Kenisha. She’s Mrs. King’s granddaughter from down the street.”

  “Hi, happy birthday,” I said. Then it hit me, I had no idea what I should call Ursula’s mom. Ursula’s last name was Dean and Darien’s last name was Moore.

  “Hi, Kenisha, thank you. Are you coming to Darien’s party tonight?”

  “Yes, I think so.”

  “Come on, it’s upstairs,” Ursula said.

  “Ursula, did you vacuum that downstairs like I told you?”

  “You told Darien to do it.”

  “I told you,” her mother insisted.

  She looked at me and rolled her eyes to the ceiling. I knew the feeling. Housework wasn’t exactly my favorite thing to do either. “I’ll do it after I show Kenisha my new outfit.”

  Darien walked into the house and stood in the living room, “Do it now, Ursula. I don’t want this place looking like a pig sty tonight. Darien can show Kenisha to your room. Then he’s going to drive to the store and pick up a few things for me.”

  “Fine,” she huffed, “I’ll be right back.”

  “Darien, show Kenisha to Ursula’s room.”

  He smiled and headed up the stairs. I followed. From what I could see, there were four bedrooms upstairs. Darien went to the one at the back of the house. As soon as I walked in I could tell that it wasn’t Ursula’s bedroom. I stood in the doorway. “Come on in,” Darien said. “I just need to change so I can go to the store.” By the time he finished the sentence he had already taken off his shirt. I stood there looking.

  He had a nice body. I guess I wasn’t exactly surprised, but I, for real, never thought about it. Whenever I think about a guy’s body, I think about lawn mower guy and the first time I saw him at my grandmother’s house. Remembering him standing at the shed still put a smile on my face.

  “Why don’t you come in,” Darien said.

  Okay, the last time I was in a guy’s bedroom is when I foolishly decided that I was going to give LaVon my virginity. It didn’t happen, but I did find out that he was seeing my ex-friend, Chili. Why do all guys’ bedrooms look alike? Just like LaVon, Darien had big gaudy trophies everywhere. It was like they were trying to prove their manhood by
displaying them. “No thanks, I gotta go. Tell Ursula that I’ll see her later.” I turned to leave.

  “You coming tonight?” he asked, walking to the open door.

  I shrugged, him standing there with his shirt off started to make my stomach tingle. “Maybe, I’ll think about it,” I said.

  “You should come.”

  He was too close. I looked away then down, seeing a big scar on his shoulder. “What happened? How’d you do that?”

  He started laughing. I looked at him. It was like I just told the funniest joke ever. “What’s the joke?” I asked.

  “Ask your boy,” he said offhandedly, smiling cryptically.

  “My what?” I asked.

  “Darien, Mom wants you downstairs. She has her list, and she wants you to go to the store now,” Ursula said, coming up behind me as I stood just outside Darien’s bedroom door. “Come on, Kenisha.”

  I gave him one last questioning look then followed Ursula.

  We went into Ursula’s room two doors down from Darien’s. It was closest to the stairs, and she left the door open. I sat on the bed with my back to the open door and grabbed a magazine that had been tossed on the floor. I waited as Ursula pulled out a couple of shopping bags and began pulling clothes out. She held up a shirt smiling. “What do you think?” she asked.

  “I like it,” I said. I did, ’cause I bought one just like it a few months back. She pulled out another two shirts, a pair of jeans and a jacket. They were all nice, but I really wasn’t paying much attention anymore. Darien said something about one of her shirts while standing in her doorway. He and Ursula started talking. Well, more like bickering. Then she told him to shut up and get out of her room. She turned her back to hang up the jacket. I knew Darien was still there, and I knew he was looking at me.

  I started flipping through the magazine, trying not to pay any attention to him. A few minutes later I heard Ursula’s mom calling to Darien. He walked away, and then I heard him talking downstairs. I exhaled slowly. Him standing behind me like that was starting to make me nervous. I don’t know why.