“Reggae, it was a cool date, and he has a wonderful personality.”
“This sounds boring.”
“I know right?”
“You know what fine… you don’t have to tell me, I’m going to bed, peace.”
She gave me the peace sign and departed to her room.
“Night, boo.”
I waved my hand at her as I sat in the living room and day dreamed about him. The first things that popped in my head, was how would he kiss me when the time comes? Would he make love to me and be gentle? How would he hold me at night? How would I feel during all this? I was anxious to know. I lay on the couch and thought about what would happen next. I wanted those feelings and moments to manifest and last forever. As I kept daydreaming about him, the memory of my father took over my mind. I didn’t know how my mind switched from daydreaming about Celius to my dead father. I cried when I suddenly realized, I wasn’t daydreaming anymore, I was actually dreaming. I woke up crying in the middle of the night knowing my dad was not there to talk to about Celius. I got up and went to my room and put on a movie to clear my mind from thinking about either of them. I struggled with the thoughts, but I finally won when I fell asleep.
Chapter 9
I woke up the next morning looking forward to seeing Celius but I forgot that I had a project due. That didn’t matter though; nothing mattered at that time. All I wanted to do was see him. My attitude on my project could be summed up by my own words, “It’s Saturday anyways so I have till Monday to get it together.”
I lay in my bed waiting for his phone call that likely would come later on in the day; if he were to call. I left my room and went to the living room feeling hopeless, I couldn’t think of anything to do. I decided to wake Reggae up to go do some early shopping.
“Wake up,” I said rocking her back and forth.
She sighed and said, “Go away,” with her eyes still closed.
“No, come on we should go shopping now and do what you wanted to do.”
“Girl, it’s too early for this shit. Leave me alone,” she turned the other way and I kept shaking her to get up.
“But I have something to do later in the day.”
“You never have nothing to do so stop lying and go back to sleep,” she grabbed her alarm clock to see what time it was, “It’s only 8:00, go back to sleep Ella.”
“It’s not that early Reggae, come on I want to go to the mall.”
“We’ll go later now leave me alone!”
“We can’t go later, I might have a date again,” I said with a grin on my face showing excitement. I had forgotten that she wasn’t supposed to know how excited I was about him.
“Awww really?”
“Yeah girl, now you have to give me another makeover but this time I need to wear something casual but still sexy.
“Wait is that why you wanted to go to the mall now so you wouldn’t have to go with me later?”
“Ummm, maybe?”
“Such a trader, now go away!”
“Come on Reggae we got to go shopping for me!”
“Damn you annoying me right now!”
“Please?” I gave her my puppy face.
“See that don’t work for me.”
“Come on Reggae this is really important to me.”
"I know it is, so is my sleep.”
“Come on please, I’ll owe you,” I kept rocking her.
“Ok, give me one more hour then I will be up.”
“Ok fair.”
“No it isn’t fair. This is you having your cake and eating it at the same damn time, so enjoy this while it last ‘cause you’re not going to keep waking me up for him and won’t even tell me what happened.”
“I will tell you what happens today.”
“Yeah… yeah… sure, whatever, now go away while I get my hour of sleep on,” she took a good glance at me and said, “Did you sleep with your outfit and makeup on?”
“Ummm, yeah,” I said as she shook her head.
“You are such a tomboy.”
“Why? I have on a dress so that don’t make me a tomboy.”
“You slept with your dress on and didn’t even wash off your makeup. You know that will break your face out crazy girl.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that,” I said.
“I know you didn’t, man I got a long way to go to transform you into a full woman.”
“Yes you do, because I have no idea.”
“Ok, can you can give me my hour now?”
“Whatever,” I said as she turned the other way and started her hour of sleep. I was surprised she even made a deal with me. The worst thing you could ever do to her was to wake her up early in the morning when she had nothing important to do. She was even late to her morning classes, yet would still pick the earliest classes so she could have the rest of the day to hang out. I couldn’t help but wonder how she managed to pass her classes being late to class every day. I went into my room to watch TV knowing there was no way, shape or form that I was going to fall asleep due to the anticipation of meeting up with Celius. I laid in my bed with my TV on as I grabbed my phone to check the time when I saw the unexpected; a missed call from Celius and a text message saying, ‘Good morning and sorry if I called you too early, just wanted to hear your beautiful voice. Well, looking forward to seeing you and hearing from you beautiful,’ my face turned fire engine red as I called him back.
“Hey beautiful,” he said when he answered on the third ring.
“Hey!”
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing, I just got up.”
“I know I was supposed to see you later today, but I want to see you now,” he said.
I froze with excitement, but I took control over my emotions.
“I do too, but I have to be somewhere with my roommate today.”
“Oh ok, that’s what’s up, I can respect that.”
There was silence for a few seconds then he asked, “So what time am I picking you up?”
“Like three.”
“Damn that’s a long time to wait to see you, but you’re worth the wait.”
“Awww that’s sweet, thank you.”
“Anything for you baby, well I will be seeing you at three then.”
“Ok,” I hung up the phone and attempted to run to Reggae’s room almost forgetting my leg was still in a brace; needless to say I tripped.
“Ok get up, we got to go now.”
“Oh my God go away,” she spoke with the annoyance I knew was brewing in her.
“Come on please? He’s going to be here at three so we got to go shopping now and do whatever we got to do and be here way before three so that you can dress me up again.”
“Ugh I don’t like you right now, you’re about to make me lose it,” she slammed her face back in the pillow and wasn’t budging.
“Ok, I promise to leave you alone after today so come on, let’s go get dressed, we got to go.”
“Liar, you will never leave me alone unless you stop talking to him and besides, the mall is not even open yet.”
I ignored the comment that almost bruised my heart then said, “But by the time we get ready, it will be open so come on!”
“Ugh, I’m really going to have a hard time liking your new boyfriend.”
I loved the sound of that, but still I replied, “He is not my boyfriend,” I said with less emotion hoping he would be but I knew everything was too soon to make it official.
“Whatever, just go away.”
“Fine but you got to get up.”
“Ok, fine,” she turned to finally look at me as she displayed her blue eyes that always look so warm even when she gets mad.
“Wait, you not even dressed yet?”
“I know, we got to get dress at the same time.”
“Ugh, I thought I was weird.”
I skipped out of her room with excitement and headed to my closet looking for something I could wear. I picked out some tight jeans and a white tee shirt. I tied u
p my hair looking forward to another makeover. Once we got to the mall, I was already ready to go. My body stood with Reggae, but my mind was far away from her. I unconsciously made it obvious I was ready to go. I wanted her to spend time making me over even though Celius & I were just going to the park.
I said, “When are we leaving again?” she looked at me and rolled her eyes and kept shopping.
“Ok fine, I’m not going to talk about it anymore. But don’t you need time to do my hair and makeup?” I said sounding selfish.
“What time is he picking you up again?”
“Three.”
“Ella it’s only ten and it don’t take that long to do hair and makeup you know? And what happened to us seeing a movie today?”
“Reggae you know we wouldn’t have time for that, I promise I will spend all day with you tomorrow after homework.”
“Yeah sure, do you have an idea on what you want to wear?”
“I don’t know; what should I wear?”
“It depends on where you going,” she said.
“The park.”
“A pair of pants and a tank top will be nice.
“Isn’t that too plain?”
“A pair of pants and a tank top,” she said again ignoring my comment.
“Ok fine, but u got to make sure I’m cute.”
“You’re already cute.”
“Well you got to make me extra cute.”
“Damn, calm down I got you. Now we got to shop for you real quick, then we can go get you dressed.”
“Ok, ok thank you,” I gave her a huge hug with her back facing me.
“You owe me big time.”
“Oh trust me I know,” I smiled along with her half fake smile. We picked out a blue tank top with a pair of black shorts which I was contemplating on.
She asked, “What about this?”
“No, I don’t want to dress like that just yet.”
“Ella it’s just shorts. I’m not asking you to wear lingerie and walk in the park with him, and besides it’s hot outside.”
“You don’t think he will think of me differently for wearing shorts.”
“Shut up, you’re being too paranoid of what he thinks.”
“I know but you know I don’t like wearing shorts anyway.”
“I don’t know why because you have nice legs.”
“But it’s just too revealing for my brace.
“Ok I’m done talking to you. Now we’re getting these shorts and you’re wearing them.”
“Ok mother,” she rolled her eyes and walked to the accessories section as I walked behind her to pick out accessories to match my outfit.
She picked out a few things and paid for the items then we proceeded home for my makeover. I tried making conversation with her while she was working on me; she would answer each one of my questions very quickly; obviously because she wasn’t in the mood to talk to me. I turned my head towards my phone to see that my mother was calling. I picked up because I was in a good mood.
“Hey mommy!”
“Hey sweetie, you sound like you’re in a good mood.”
“I’m ok what’s up?”
“Nothing I’m just checking on you.”
“Thank you mommy.”
“You’re welcome and the house is on the market for sale now, we will be getting another one soon.”
“Ma, don’t do that, I was just angry when I said that and besides I don’t want to let go of any memories we all had in that house whether good or bad. I want to keep them all.”
“Awww sweetie, thank you, because I really like that house but you’re more important to me than anything.”
“Thank you, mommy for always trying to make me happy.”
“You’re my baby and there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
“Thank you mommy and I love you.”
“I love you too honey.”
“Ok I got to go mommy, Reggae is giving me a makeover.”
“Oh wow sounds interesting, ok sweetie call me later.”
“Ok mom,” I said and hung up.
Reggae worked on me without really saying anything. After her nuisance of singing and torturing me with the hot iron, she held in her hands, she finally said, “Ok I am done."
I looked in the mirror and saw my transformation again. It’s amazing how she does it.
“Awww Reggae, I love it! Thank you, thank you. Thank you!”
“I know,” she said as I hugged her.
I then went straight to the room to get dressed for my date. I had less than an hour left as I put on my clothes as quickly as I could. Afterwards, I sat patiently for him trying not to mess up my hair, face or clothes.
“So you just going to sit still like a pole stick till he gets here?”
“Leave me alone, I’m not trying to mess nothing up. I want him to see me just like this.”
“Oh my God you such a nerd!” she laughed.
“A careful nerd at that,” I smiled.
“Sure!” she went back to her room as I waited.
It was past three o’clock as I constantly looked at the phone to make sure I wouldn’t miss his call. He finally called and I answered on the first ring which took him by surprise.
“Oh wow that was quick,” he said.
I responded back, “I was about to use my phone when you called. But anyway, where are you?”
“Sorry I’m on my way now, you ready?”
“Yeah.”
“Ok good, I should be there in a few.”
“Ok see you then.”
I crept to the mirror looking at myself from head to toe. I looked like a woman and felt like a woman, and wondered how much of a woman I would be once I wasn’t wearing the brace anymore.
The phone rang as I waited for the third ring before picking up this time.
“Hello.”
“Hey I’m outside.”
“Ok I will be right out,” I walked towards the door nervous, hoping the day would go as planned.
“Bye Reggae!”
I walked outside slowly, hoping he was not watching me as I walked towards him; sure enough he had a big smile on his face as he got out of the car to open the door for me again.
“You look beautiful,” he said as he pulled me closer to him and gave me a hug. I blushed harder than I ever had before.
“Thank you,” I said before I made it inside the car.
“So how was your day today?” he asked as we drove.
“Wasn’t that bad, what about yours?”
“It was painful.”
“Why?” I asked with concern.
“Because I was waiting for time to go by so I could see you,” I laughed at his remark.
“I see which is why you came late huh?”
“What had happened was…”
“Save me the excuse!” I said as we both laughed.
“Ok, I am sorry for being late.”
“It’s ok, so what park are you taking me to?”
“Paradise.”
“You too funny, no seriously what park?”
“Paradise.”
“There’s a park called Paradise?” he looked at me with surprise.
“You don’t know the park named Paradise for real?”
“No because there isn’t one,” I said smiling having the feeling he was still in his joking mood.
“Ok, it’s better showing than telling.”
“Yup, because I think you’re joking.”
“What if I’m telling the truth?”
I just gave him a look as if to say, ‘I will see when we get there.’
We drove five miles then saw a big board that said Paradise. I immediately put my head down then burst out with laughter. “Oh my God I have never heard about this before.”
“I can see, and I’m going to save your punishment for later.”
We parked and then walked slowly into the park holding hands as the breeze blew peacefully between us. Even though I had the braces on my legs I was ok wi
th the walk. The day couldn’t come any sooner for them to be removed. He gave me a personal tour of the park then surprised me with a picnic that was already set up with a man standing right next to it in a black suit. Apparently he was some kind of security guard because once we got there, Celius gave him some money and he went away. The picnic was by the water side where the fish were jumping up and down in the water. Birds were flying so beautifully, the weather was great, and everything seemed so perfect. I felt so special and loved as I sat across from him with only the food separating us. He opened the basket and pulled out macaroni and cheese, cornbread, chicken, watermelon, with a bottle of Paluzzi Moscato D’Asti white wine, that I had never seen before.
“I wanted to make more but I was running out of time.”
“You made this?”
“Of course! What, you didn’t think I could cook?”
“No, not that, you just don’t look like the type that would cook for a female.”
“You’re right I don’t, except for someone special like yourself.”
“Awww, that is really sweet thank you,” I said blushing.
“You’re welcome. So tell me about you,” he said while serving us food.
“That’s easy, well as you know my name is Ella, Ella Reed, I am from Tracy, California and I moved to Georgia.”
He looked at me waiting for more, but I said, “And that’s it.”
“There’s got to be more about you, you know you can open up to me, plus you on punishment, so you got to answer every question I ask in full.”
“I did.”
“So how about how you grew up, your mother, father, something?”
“My father is dead.”
“I know and I am sorry about your loss. What about your mother?”
“To be honest my mother and I don’t really get along, so really, I don’t know much about her.”
“It’s ok if you don’t want to talk about your family, but you are still not off the hook; now tell me a little more about yourself.”
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