Black and White

by Ludivig, K. R.

  “No,” he said. “You’re beautiful.” I wanted at this point to launch off my horse at him and raise hell with him, to make love to him, which was an unexpected feeling.

  I realized it was getting hard to see his face, it was almost twilight.

  “It’s getting late,” I said.

  “I should take you home,” he said. “Race you to the stables.”

  Just then he took off on his horse, dead sprint across the center of the field. It was a wide open range but I would get lost on my way there if I didn’t immediately follow him. I took off too, using the little experience I had on a horse, to get there faster.

  He got off his horse as I trailed into the stable with mine. He took off both saddles and brushed the horses, fed and watered them. His fingers brushed my hand.

  On the way back to his car, we talked, keeping the conversation casual. And then:

  “Baby, are you unsure about me?”

  “I’m unsure that you have a brain,” I said, smiling.

  “Smartass.” He paused as I opened my mouth to speak. “Don’t even say it.”

  “Fine.” After a moment of silence he spoke.

  “I meant unsure about ‘us’.”

  “No why?” I asked.

  “Because not meeting your parents, your friends…”

  “I don’t have friends remember?”

  “Still,” he continued. “You’re hiding me from the world, Katie! It’s like you’re a closet case about liking me.”

  “Okay?” I said that wasn’t the only thing I was a closet case about.

  “Is that all you’re going to say?”

  “What am I supposed to say? ‘No that’s not what I’m doing!’ and lie to you. Because that is what I’m doing I’m protecting you from being hurt. I love you and I don’t want that to happen.” I said. “Why? Are you unsure about us?”

  “NO!” he exclaimed, as if I thought something ridiculous. “That’s ridiculous.” See?

  “Why?”

  He just looked at me, warningly, or saying something like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ in his eyes.

  “Do you want me to tell them? My mom and dad I mean?”

  His eyes just said, ‘Please.’

  “Sorry.” I said. “Not yet. It’s not time.”

  “Fine,” he whined.

  He was so cute when he stomped like a little kid.

  In the car, I imagined us growing old together, getting married, having kids, living in the perfect little house. Me, a performing musicians; him, a multimillionaire business man.

  “Katie.” I turned my head to look at him and kissed him good-bye slowly. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” I smiled. I kissed him good-bye again. I got out of his car at the Lightstaff entrance, and walked to the parking lot twenty feet away. I walked to my car and pulled out my keys. The wing on my key ring glowed in the moonlight. I unlocked my car with the key remote and opened the door.

  For a moment, it was hard for me to sit there. My mind had done a complete three-sixty from twenty seconds ago. I was disappointed in myself, because I hadn’t told my mom about Chris. But no one else knew either. I loved him and for some reason, I liked his dashboard better than mine, and mine was a Bentley. I missed him now, his soft touch, his beautiful gaze, his caressing heart.

  I drove home. He’d told everyone about me, and they knew me, I wasn’t afraid. I drove right past his house, I debated on stopping but I was tired from the long day and didn’t want to prolong his sleeping time either. I waved even though I knew he wouldn’t see me.

  When I pulled up to my house and parked my car in the driveway, I saw the silver SLR McLaren. Zack’s Mercedes shined, like it had just come from the cleaners. I debated on keying it.

  “Shit!” I cursed out loud as I walked in the door.

  “…So Katie got this kid Chris to beat me up all because I wanted to kiss her…” I heard him continue his fiction.

  “Katie,” said my mother seeing me stand silently in the entry way of the dining hall.

  “Zackary,” I began, “What an unpleasant surprise.”

  “Oh Katie! This is an outrage, how could you do this to this poor boy?”

  “He tried to rape me,” I said. “That’s how.”

  “I don’t believe that; he’s such a sweet boy.”

  “I highly doubt that,” I said.

  “Why Katie? Why?”

  “Mother could you really believe this cretin over your own flesh and blood?” I asked her.

  “Why would he say it if it isn’t true?” my mother asked.

  “Never mind,” I said. “Mother, would you really trust him over me? You’ve known Zackary for a month and me my whole life? Could you really trust him over me?”

  “Anya, please escort Mr. Michaels to the door.” She believed me. Thank God!

  Anya trailed into the dining room and found herself without a doubt astounded by Zack’s height and strength.

  After he left, I spoke.

  “I sat down to practice, in that room with the grand piano, and Zack comes storming in like I’m his possession, he rips my favorite sweater and dents my horn. He tried to rape me. But listen to this!” I paused for her reaction to settle.

  “Are you making this up?”

  “No.”

  “Okay, go on.”

  “Chris comes storming in, rips Zack off of me and beats him up. Zack won’t ever dare touch me again. Zack beat me and Chris inflicted that same pain on him.”

  “He beat you?!” she asked, disbelievingly.

  “Yes, this cut on my lip was from when Zack punched me two days ago,” I replied.

  Mom instantly changed the subject. “So I want to meet this Chris character; I want to see if he’s a decent young man.”

  “What makes you think I still talk to him?”

  “Katie,” Mom said plainly, “Do you really think you should tell a story like he was your knight-in-shining-armor that came to rescue you and claim to not still talk to the boy.”

  “Okay you’re right.” I said.

  “Do you like him?”

  “No.” I lied. I love him. I thought.

  “Regardless, I still want to meet the boy.” She said. “Do you think you’ll like him?”

  “I don’t know, maybe.” I said. “I don’t think you’ll like him that much.”

  “Why?”

  “He’s not much like your suitors.”

  “That’s okay, I want to meet the boy who sleighed the dragon as her knight.” She was up off her chair now, pretending to slay a dragon with a pretend sword.

  “Be quiet Mom.” I commanded her.

  “Katie, are you hungry?” asked my dad, stunned.

  Up until this point my dad had remained ever-so-silent on the right side of the room. The shock of my story about Zack had frozen him.

  “Kind of.”

  “Let’s eat then,” my dad suggested.

  We ate, I showered and called Chris.

  “My mom wants to meet you.”

  “Really?” he asked surprised. “How did she find out about me?”

  “Zack was here when I got here. He was telling my mom about how I got you to beat him up because he ‘tried to kiss me’.”

  “That little fuck-tard!” exclaimed Chris.

  “Baby, I know, I told her the truth and she obviously was going to believe me over Zack. I love my mom.” I replied. “But she wants to meet the man I spoke so highly of.”

  “You spoke highly of?”

  “She said I spoke of you as a knight in shining armor.”

  “Awe, how cute!” He said.

  “Shut up.”

  “Ok.” It was quiet. Being a smartass I suppose and not talking.

  “Are you done shutting up now?” I asked him after a few minutes.

  “Yes.”

  “Thanks you.” I heard a loud noise in the background. “What are you doing?”

  “Playing Need for Speed 2 on my XBOX.”

  “Okay.”
/>
  “Hey babe?”

  “Yeah?” I asked.

  “I love you.”

  “I know.”

  “What?!” he was distraught; “I don’t get it back?”

  “No.”

  “UGH!” he dealt.

  “I love you baby.” I said out of nowhere, in my poutiest voice.

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

  I just laughed. It reminded me of Steven Michael, my very first love.

  “Katie!” shouted my mom from downstairs.

  “I gotta go.” I said to Chris.

  “Katie stay on the phone, just come down here.” She said.

  “Ok I don’t gotta go.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “My mom just called me downstairs and normally yells at me for being on the phone when I talk to her.” As I walked down the stairs, I saw my mother and father in the sitting room, my mother drinking a martini, probably her first for the night, and my father on the recliner, cigar in his mouth and a paper in his hands. His Brandy was on the side table. “Yeah Mom?”

  “I want to have Christopher over for dinner tomorrow night.”

  “She used my full name.” he commented.

  “She does that.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know.” I said, too harshly into the phone.

  “Geeze Sorry!”

  “So are you coming over for dinner tomorrow night?”

  “Yeah, since your parents are conservative, what should I wear?”

  “Nothing,” I replied.

  “Smartass.” He said, “I would if it were just you and I there, but not while your parents are home.” I heard him laugh silently.

  I laughed. I would have said the same thing.

  “I hope he likes guns,” said my father from his chair.

  “I do,” remarked Christopher. “Oh hey! Next weekend is my aunt’s wedding, will you go with me? She actually invited you.”

  “She invited me but doesn’t know me?”

  “Yeah. We’re a really close family.”

  “Will you be in a tux?”

  “Unfortunately because I’m a groomsman.”

  “Yeah I will, what should I wear?” I said sarcastically.

  “I don’t know. You pick. Don’t wear black though.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I like it when you wear bright colors.”

  “Ok.” I said. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Okay, I love you.” He said, awaiting my reply.

  “I love you too.” I turned my head ever so slightly so no one would hear me.

  “Good night.” He said.

  “Night.”

  I closed my phone.

  The next day I convinced my mom to not give Chris the third degree at breakfast. I think he might start to hate me if they did. Around dinner time, I heard the doorbell ring. The ladies’ maids made it there before me.

  “Hi, I’m Christopher Black. The White’, I think they live here, are expecting me.”

  “Anya, go set the table or drink wine.” I said to the maid’s up and down. He was wearing a DC t-shirt and a red and gray DC sweatshirt with black pants and DC skate shoes.

  “Wow.” He said, looking at my attire. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thank you.” I walked down the stairs in something other than my school uniform.

  I sat on the couch that faced away from the stairs next to Katie. The house was too big and glamorous. Maybe bringing me here was Katie’s way of telling me that I wasn’t for her. My life didn’t fit in hers.

  “Umm…” said a small voice. “Who are you?” she sounded disgusted by my appearance.

  I stood to shake the woman’s hand.

  “I’m Christopher Black ma’am.” I said politely. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  She must have been Katie’s mother. She had Katie’s lips, Katie’s build, her hair, her straight teeth, her incredible hands and my God those hips.

  A man about my height walked into the room, very distinct, not a large man but very broad and very strong trailed into the room. He was holding some kind of liquor. “Who is this boy?”

  “Christopher Black.”

  “Oh,” the tone of his voice was disappointed. I wasn’t surprised.

  “Dinner’s ready.”

  “Alright!” I followed Katie’s ‘Alright’ into the dining room. I pulled out a chair for Katie and then scooted her closer to the table.

  “My daughter tells me you’re quite the hero,” said her mom.

  “Really?” I looked at Katie as if I didn’t know. “What does she say?”

  “Certainly she’s told you.”

  “I’m not stupid enough to embarrass myself that much, especially with what you said about him.” Katie said.

  I laughed silently to myself. Katie smiled, her teeth glimmering in the terrible chandelier light. I wondered why people have chandeliers.

  “Do you love my daughter?” her father asked, unfreezing at the end of the table.

  What was I supposed to say to that? I looked at Katie, trying to hide the fear. Then I just answered honestly, “Yes sir, I do, very much.” I made it as formal as possible.

  Katie’s face was in awe at me. It read, I can’t believe you just admitted that to my father!

  “Good,” he said. “Where do you go to school?”

  “Jefferson High School, sir.” I cleared my throat.

  The maids brought out our dinner, chicken breast with rice and broccoli. Katie must have begged for this, I knew it was her favorite dinner.

  I just stared at my plate, wow!

  “Jefferson?” he questioned.

  “It’s the school across town,” I said, reminding him of where I lived, where I grew up.

  “Katie will you help me with dessert in the kitchen?”

  “Sure?” Katie sounded skeptical of her mother.

  Ten minutes later, her mom returned with an apple cobbler and ice cream. Accept we hadn’t finished eating the second course yet.

  “Where’s Katie?” I asked.

  “In the kitchen,” she said. “She’ll be out in a moment.”

  “Maybe I should go see her, see if she’s ok?”

  “No that won’t be necessary,” said her mother, “she’s fine.”

  Katie would not leave me unless she were dying in there would she? I automatically got up and walked through the kitchen door. There Katie was sitting on the floor crying her eyes out.

  “Baby,” I whispered. “Are you OK?”

  “I warned them they wouldn’t think you’re ‘suitable’ enough for them,” she said, “if you want to leave then you can. I understand if you don’t want me anymore.”

  “Katie.” I cradled her in my arms. “I’m sorry but you can’t get rid of me that easily. I love you, no matter what, unfortunately.” I cracked a joke.

  She smiled. Then she did something I never thought she’d do.

  “Mom, Dad,” she said trailing out to the dining room. “I love Chris and if you can’t accept him then I’ll just have to…” she stopped. “Move out.”

  “Fine, do whatever you like.” They said together. “I didn’t expect you to act so carelessly Katie. You’re just like Ben.”

  “Huh?” she looked astounded. I was puzzled. Who was Ben?

  “Katie,” I turned to her. “Who’s Ben?” She ignored me.

  “Mom?” She asked.

  “It looks like you’ve made up your mind about the boy, we can’t do anything about it if you want to be with him,” said her mother.

  “Seriously?” Katie blurted.

  “Well if you love each other then we’re not going to pull you apart. That’s the way love is,” said her father. “That’s like pulling your mother and I apart too.”

  Her mother just smiled at her father.

  “Just do us a favor and take it slow, I don’t want a grandchild yet.”

  “Yes, don’t worry Mrs. White, we will take it slow,” I said squeezi
ng Katie’s hand. I turned to her and kissed her forehead in front of her father. I caught the death glare only too soon.

  Chapter Five: Wedding

  Linda and Troy’s wedding was in an hour and it didn’t look like Katie was showing up. I knew she would do this. We had only been going out for a damn week and she was bailing out on me. But I didn’t think she would. Would she? I might have to break it to Linda and Troy that my girlfriend couldn’t even damn call and tell me she wasn’t coming.

  “Chris.” Said Brandon, Troy’s son, my new cousin.

  “Yeah dude?” I shook my head at the fact that Katie still wasn’t here.

  “Isn’t that Katie?” he asked. Brandon would know but he was blind. He went to school with Katie. He was a freshman.

  “Dude Katie’s not here.” I said. But when I looked I saw her.

  “That is her.” He said.

  “Dude.” I said.

  “Yeah?”

  “She looks gorgeous.” I felt frozen in time by Katie’s entrance. She was wearing a royal blue evening gown. It hit every curve in her body and accentuated body parts I didn’t know Katie possessed. I looked her up and down. The dress went to the floor. At her feet were a pair of silver studded sandal heals. She held herself beautifully. In Katie’s left hand was her handbag, which she probably carried a debit card and touch up lip gloss. Sad that I actually know that and about her shoes.

  “Hey!” she said. She met Linda at the door. Linda was probably going out for a smoke with my mom.

  “Katie!” Linda said. “You look gorgeous.”

  “I wanted to dress up for your wedding day.” Katie always was so kind.

  “You look too pretty for my wedding. You didn’t have to dress up.”

  “Chris did.” She said eyeing me.

  “Chris was a groomsman.”

  “Yeah. I couldn’t top you though. You’re absolutely stunning!” Katie made it a point to say that the loudest.

  “Well go join the party!” Invited Linda. That was my cue.

  “Katie you look amazing.”

  “Good enough to eat.” Said Linda winking at me, making it obvious.

  “Linda.” I said, warningly.

  “Oh come on Chris, you cannot tell me that you don’t love this sweet thing already?” she said.

  I was pretty sure that I didn’t love Katie. At least I think I didn’t, even though I told her parents that I did. I hadn’t known her long enough. I knew that I liked her a lot though and seeing her in that gorgeous royal blue evening gown… Damn! Her hair was pulled up into two white sticks. They looked like sticks.