16 Isn't Always Sweet

by Cassandra Carter

  “My parents are out of town until next week.”

  “Oh? Where are they?” she asked, her eyes wandering to take in her new surroundings.

  “In Vegas.”

  “Aren’t you mad they went without you? I know I would be.”

  “No. I chose to stay here. I didn’t want to fall behind and miss games.”

  “Then I take it you’re not mad they weren’t at your game?”

  “As long ago as I started doing this, I don’t expect them to make all my games anymore. Maybe a few here and there, but it really doesn’t bother me. I just go out there and do what I do.”

  “So…what’d they go to Vegas for?”

  “They went out there to celebrate their twenty-fifth anniversary.”

  “Dang, my parents haven’t even been married that long,” Jordan said, studying a large family portrait hanging on the living room wall.

  “So, are you cool chillin’ down here while I go ahead and get in the shower? Do you want something to drink or anything?”

  “No. I’m fine.”

  “A’ight.” Warren hustled upstairs, and within seconds, Jordan could hear water running. She took a seat on the couch and searched for the remote to the big-screen television, but after finding it, she found she didn’t know how to operate it. Time was passing so slowly it pained Jordan to keep still any longer. She started to give in to her mounting curiosity to explore Warren’s home, and before she knew it one foot was on the bottom stair, and then two.

  The door to his bedroom was wide-open, but she decided to leave it open just an inch. She was immediately fascinated with his room. She carefully moved about, and she respectfully admired his things as though she were at a museum. He had a shrine of trophies and ribbons on his wall to back up his history and talent with the sport of basketball. His room was sophisticated and mature in its design—each piece of furniture matched and a Ralph Lauren comforter set was smoothed neatly across his bed. His room not only looked like it came straight from the pages of a catalog, it was clean like it, too.

  Satisfied with what she’d uncovered, she headed for the door, pausing when she noticed a photo of Warren and a girl she guessed was his older sister in Halloween costume. He must have been only three or so when the picture was taken. He was chubby, and he looked miserable in his bulky pumpkin costume, but Jordan found it strangely cute.

  “Ha, ha. This is payback!” She could feel a burning sensation in her sides from laughing so hard, but she nearly choked when Warren suddenly entered.

  “Do you like my room?”

  “I’m sorry…I was just…um…” Jordan fumbled with the frame as she returned it to its rightful place on the dresser. She’d been so busy with the picture she hadn’t even noticed that the water was no longer running.

  “Oh, I see you found my favorite picture,” he said, tossing a black Dickies set onto his bed from his closet.

  “Sorry. I know I shouldn’t be in here. I shouldn’t have touched anything.”

  “Stop apologizing. Do I look mad to you?” Warren’s skin was still wet from the shower, and his curly hair sparkled with drops of water. Jordan’s mouth went dry when she let her eyes follow droplets down his toned chest to the hand holding a towel low around his defined waist.

  “What were you looking for, other girls’ phone numbers or something?” he asked while continuing to coordinate his outfit.

  “That doesn’t even make any sense. Why would I be looking for phone numbers?” She was trying to mask her emotions, but she knew how well she was doing.

  “I don’t know. Maybe you were looking for something you don’t want to find.” He twirled his finger in a circular motion, gesturing for her to turn around. She started when she heard his heavy cotton towel fall to the rug. He was only a few feet away from her back.

  “There shouldn’t be anything to find, though, that’s the whole point. And what makes you think you know so much about me?” Jordan shot back, struggling to keep her voice steady.

  “Well, there’s not, and I never said I did. I was just sharing an observation.”

  Jordan kept her eyes on the floor as she listened to Warren get dressed. She wanted to take back what she’d said. “Well…it’s whatever…. I really don’t care.” She folded her arms across her chest and stared blankly at the wall. She wouldn’t dare turn around until she was sure he was ready, but the idea to do so prematurely had popped up more than a few times. The racy image she’d worked up in her mind made her body shake.

  “Still, just to let you know…there’s nothing to find.”

  Jordan turned around to see Warren standing directly in front her and looking fine in perfectly pressed shorts, a crisp white tee and jacket. He covered the goose bumps on her arms as he rubbed them for warmth. He stared into her eyes to convey his seriousness before extending his hand toward the door, motioning for her to lead the way.

  Over a platter of chicken strips and french fries at a local waffle house, Jordan threw her head back and burst into a fit of laughter for what felt like the hundredth time that night. She appreciated Warren’s not trying to make a move on her at his house and remaining a gentleman. It seemed that there were no catches with him—he really was a great guy.

  Jordan picked up another french fry from the dish they shared, and Warren watched her, smiling widely. “I know I never told you this, but you have the funniest laugh I’ve ever heard.”

  Jordan acted as though she was about to throw a fry his way and giggled when he dodged nothing. She washed down the potatoes with a sip of soda, and then made sure to reestablish eye contact right away in an effort not to be distracted by his good looks. Sitting so close to him, knowing he was watching her every move, Jordan was nervous and elated in equal measure.

  “Tell me, do you believe the things Adrienne told people about me?” she asked, suddenly feeling bold.

  “I thought that was pretty obvious by now,” Warren replied.

  “Hey, you never know. I just don’t want you to get the impression that I’m easy, because I’m not,” she said firmly.

  “If I thought you were easy, I would’ve been trying to fuck you, Jordan.” Jordan’s eyes grew large, and she was openmouthed at his blunt language.

  “Well, you want it straight, don’t you?” Warren chuckled. “All I’m saying is, if I was just trying to hit, you would know. I just had the perfect opportunity to seduce you, if I’d wanted to.”

  “Seduce me? You sound like a lame soap opera.” Her laughing soon ceased and her brow furrowed. “Why didn’t you?”

  “Because, maybe I like you and I want to get to know you, make sure you’re not just messin’ with me to get back at Adrienne.” He was being a bit of a smart aleck, but Jordan could tell he meant what he said. He noisily stabbed at the ice in the bottom of his cup with his straw.

  “And maybe I like you, too…” Her smile vanished. “But can you say you noticed me before? Things used to be…different.” She left her comment vague, not wanting to paint a vivid picture of her former self. As she posed her question, her eyes probed his, and his warm hands softly caressed hers.

  “I’ve always noticed you. Adrienne got in the way of me getting to you sooner.”

  “How so? I mean, I know once she said she was feelin’ you, I looked the other way. But that was still your decision to give in to her.”

  “And that’s my mistake. But that don’t mean nothing and this isn’t about her or anybody else. This is about us.”

  “We’re here. Right on time.” Warren’s car came to a stop in front of Jordan’s house. It was quarter to twelve, which meant she had at least fifteen minutes to spare.

  “Thank you so much. I had a lot of fun.” Her voice was groggy, and she clutched a white styrofoam carton of dessert to go.

  “Yeah, me, too. Do you want me to walk you to your door?”

  She didn’t hesitate to answer. “No. That’s okay.” She had to avoid a good-night kiss, even though she fantasized about what it would be like. It
wasn’t that she wasn’t open to something as innocent as a kiss, she just didn’t know how.

  “What’s wrong with you? You’re cold again? I don’t even have the air-conditioning on,” Warren said, noting another wave of goose bumps. “Here. How about this?” He took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. “Better?”

  “Yeah, thanks.”

  “Can I call you tomorrow when I get home from practice?”

  “Sure. I’d like that.” She smiled, her hand already on the door handle.

  And that was when it came. The moment she had been sure she steered clear of. Warren’s eyes were lower than usual, and an uncomfortable silence only added to the pressure. Jordan held her breath as Warren leaned in for a kiss with his eyes closed, and in her distress she jumped out of the car and slammed the door before he could reach her.

  “Good night!” she called to him over her shoulder as she shuffled across the street, nearly falling on her face. She had her key ready when she reached the door, and as she turned it in the lock, she looked back to see Warren pulling off looking confused. She sighed and stepped into the house, knowing she faced a sleepless night ahead.

  CHAPTER 15

  “Isn’t this one hell of a way to start my week! What does he see in her, anyway?” Adrienne grumbled. She was leaning on Michelle’s locker, only feet away from where Jordan and Warren stood. Classes hadn’t started for the day, and the two were openly flirting.

  Standing around Adrienne, Farrah, Kenya and Michelle were discussing their plans for the night of Spring Fling, describing their outfits to each other in painstaking detail. Adrienne’s nonstop trash-talking was causing Farrah to miss some vital details, and she was tired of straining to hear.

  “Ugh! Oh my God, Adrienne, that shit is too old! Life moves on,” she hissed over Adrienne’s shoulder.

  “What’s wrong now?” Michelle sighed.

  Farrah nodded toward Jordan and Warren, who were doing nothing but talking at his locker. He stood in front of Jordan, his back to the crowd and his hands pressed against the wall around her face. He would occasionally whisper something in Jordan’s ear that would make her laugh, but to anyone but Adrienne the scene was no big deal.

  “I wish I would be stuck on some nigga. Warren ain’t even all that cute.” Kenya turned her nose up in the air in disapproval. She was growing tired of Adrienne’s endless interruptions which always brought up the same old topic.

  “For real, Adrienne, hop up off Jordan’s nuts. We don’t like the bitch, either, but you don’t see us up here talking about her all the time day and fucking night, do you?” Michelle snapped.

  “Whatever,” Adrienne said glumly.

  “So it’s time to let it go. Who cares if they’re together now? What, you’re not still messing with Maurice?” Farrah more said than asked, as though she already knew the answer.

  “No. I am. We’re going to Spring Fling together.” It hurt Adrienne to turn away from the budding couple she was trying to destroy, but she forced herself to face her friends. She knew Jordan liked Warren; why she hadn’t seen it all along, she wasn’t sure. Now she knew that even though she’d found a new man, her feelings for Warren meant that Maurice didn’t really stand a chance.

  Bitterly, Adrienne remembered the way Maurice had looked at Jordan in the hallway all those mornings ago. Jordan hadn’t even noticed, but the attraction in his eyes hadn’t escaped Adrienne. As soon as his girlfriend, Sandra, had called it quits, girls had started lining up at his door. But he hadn’t been seeing anyone regularly, and there were few whispers about his even talking to anyone more than once.

  Adrienne had pulled it off and snagged Maurice for herself, and she felt that she held a small victory over Jordan. Her joy hadn’t lasted long, though. What she’d just seen blew her so-called accomplishment out of the water. And to make matters worse, Adrienne had given it up to Maurice on the first date, just to seal the deal. But when she mentioned a relationship, he tried to put her off with an adventurous tale of “secret lovers” keeping their rendezvous on the “down-low.”

  Impatient with his games, she’d insisted he take her to the Spring Fling, and he’d reluctantly agreed. “He asked me a couple of days ago,” she said.

  “Hmm, that’s not what I heard.” Michelle faked her concern to mask her teasing.

  “And what the hell is that supposed to mean, Michelle?”

  “Never mind.” She sighed. “I’m about to go to the bathroom.”

  She announced where she was going as though it were important. Kenya, Farrah and a very reluctant Adrienne followed like sheep. It was a rule to never go anywhere without the other girls in their exclusive circle.

  “Wait.” Michelle stopped Adrienne in her tracks. “Adrienne, could you stay here and watch my locker for me? You know my lock is broken.”

  “But…it’s been that way all week.”

  “I know.”

  She and her friends walked off, laughing and undoubtedly talking about Adrienne.

  Adrienne felt neglected as she stood alone at their designated territory in the hallway. At first she thought she was glad to be rid of the distraction, but in no time the loneliness set in, and to hide her hurt feelings about being abandoned, she was beginning to display signs of her temper. Nothing could distract her from keeping tabs on her exes now.

  Yet, as angry as she was, Jordan and Warren were oblivious. She was becoming more heated by the second as she watched Jordan having a good time. She hoped the bell would ring any minute, but time seemed to drag. She knew that if she didn’t cool down soon there was going to be trouble, and she was sent over the edge when Jordan handed over what she assumed to be a gift.

  It was just Warren’s size, and she laughed at Jordan. She was tricking on Warren, and that was why he was acting the way he was. Adrienne was sure she had it all figured out now, and wondered why she hadn’t thought of that possibility sooner herself. If it was all a scam, there was hope she and Warren could give things another try. She would do anything to make him happy, but for whatever reason, he couldn’t see that.

  However, when Warren put his hand up to refuse the jacket and made Jordan put it on, Adrienne’s jaw dropped to the floor. She could feel her heart breaking beneath her anger as she watched Jordan turn to admire it in the mirror hanging on the door of his locker. Adrienne sucked her teeth at Jordan’s appearance. It still blew her mind how the two people she’d once held so close to her heart had gone on to find love and happiness. She couldn’t understand how they could be so content without her. Warren actually wanted her, Jordan Wright, of all the girls in school, to rock his clothes for everyone to see.

  Adrienne recognized that he was staking a kind of claim on Jordan by giving her his jacket, and she had had enough. After all, Adrienne was the true victim in this situation. Warren had used her for a “favor” and dissed her after it was all said and done, moving on to her best friend?

  Adrienne used the last of her lip gloss before approaching them and swallowed hard before tapping Warren on his shoulder. This was the ultimate test, but if she could get Warren to ignore Jordan and pay attention to her, even if for a moment, it would be worth it.

  “Hey, boo, how you been? I haven’t talked to you in forever. What, you don’t know nobody no more?” Warren looked disappointed to turn around and see her. She played up a false, sultry tone when greeting him, but she shot Jordan an intimidating once-over from head to toe and rolled her eyes. “Jordan.”

  Jordan’s jaw was tight, and she ignored Adrienne’s greeting.

  “What do you want, Adrienne? I know you saw us over here talking,” Warren said.

  “Why do you have to be so fucking rude? I ain’t do nothing to your ass!” Adrienne snapped.

  “Hey, I’m about to go,” Jordan whispered, but Warren pressed his hand against her.

  “Naw, hold up.”

  “And, you! I should fuck your ass up!” Adrienne’s voice rose to a rage-filled scream, and she grabbed for Jordan like a wild woma
n.

  “Uh-uh, you better get the hell on with that fighting shit.” Warren puffed his chest out, bumping Adrienne back a step as he shielded Jordan by standing between them.

  Adrienne knew he was not going to move, and unlike Jordan, she hadn’t been at all surprised when he’d come to Jordan’s defense. The two girls locked eyes for a moment, and when the bell rang, a small group of curious onlookers hung behind. Clearly embarrassed, Adrienne broke their stare and took off down the hall. Jordan moved to pursue her, but Warren grabbed her by the hand before she could get far. He led her in the other direction, a soft kiss on the cheek serving as a worthwhile distraction, but a distraction nonetheless.

  The sun was beating down on Jordan’s back as she searched for her bus. Beads of sweat were already beginning to form on her forehead, and she’d only been exposed to the stifling heat for mere seconds.

  As she continued to make her way past the rows of buses, she toyed with the straps of her book bag. She couldn’t stop thinking about the performance Adrienne had put on that morning. She couldn’t help wondering what would’ve happened if Adrienne had gotten ahold of her. What if Warren hadn’t been there? What would Adrienne have done?

  Nevertheless, she didn’t want to dwell on Adrienne’s escalating threats. Neither one of them had gotten into a fistfight their entire lives. Not even Adrienne with her smart mouth. She’d always had the bad habit of speaking before she thought, and she’d somehow managed to avoid the consequences all these years.

  Beep! Beep!

  At the sound of the horn, Jordan turned to see Warren cruising slowly beside her.

  “Ay! You want a ride home?” he called to her over his music, and gestured for her to come along with a wave of his hand. “Get in.”

  Jordan hurried around his silver car to the passenger-side door. A slight breeze blew his lightweight oversized jacket against her legs. Warren tried to brush off his sexual thoughts, but catching a flash of her denim shorts every once and a while was the only thing that made her not appear naked underneath.