Getting Schooled (The Wright Brothers Book 1)

by Jones, Christina C

  “And I know you’re damn good at thinking about shit too hard, so I’ll take your word for it,” he laughed. “As far as I’m concerned though, we’re good. Just got some more learning and figuring out to do with each other.”

  I smiled, then pushed myself up onto my toes for another kiss.

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  thirteen.

  “Shit!”

  I stopped what I was doing to grin at myself in the mirror. I wasn’t sure what Jason was cursing about from my bathroom, but it was still a good feeling to have him there.

  It was a Thursday morning, and we actually both had class today, so we were navigating the small space of my room to get ready. We’d been dating for a month now, but this was the first intentional overnight stay during the week.

  It was interesting.

  In a good way.

  Jason was very, very organized. I’d peeked into his bag, saw how neatly it was packed, and smiled. He packed better than I did.

  “What’s wrong?” I called, carefully tying a pretty scarf around the edges of my hair. I was fluffing out my fro when Jason peeked into the bedroom, still shirtless from his shower.

  “Uhhh…”

  I turned around. Something about the look on his face made a bubble of anxiety spike in my chest. “Jason, what?”

  “That little dish on your bathroom counter…there was something in it, wasn’t there?”

  “The purple one?”

  He cringed. “Yeah.”

  I swallowed hard, trying to get my heart out of my throat. “Yes. Yes, my chain that I always wear. Why?”

  “Don’t freak out…”

  I got up so fast I almost flipped over the bench at my vanity. “What do you mean don’t freak out?! What happened!?”

  Jason sighed, swiping a hand over his face. “I… accidentally knocked it into the sink, and I thought I heard something in it, but the sink was empty, so I was hoping—”

  “What?!”

  I crossed the room while he was still talking, but I didn’t hear anything he said as I pushed him aside to get into the bathroom. Sure enough, the dish was empty, and my heart started to gallop as I looked over the counter, on the floor, in the trashcan, and didn’t see my chain.

  Tightness seized my throat, and tears sprang to my eyes as I turned back to Jason. “What the fuck happened?! The dish was on the other side of the counter, not even close to the sink!”

  “Reese, chill. I put my towel down on the counter to put on my boxers. When I picked it back up, the dish and a couple of other things slid in there.”

  “What kind of sense does it even make to put your towel on the counter, when there’s a damned rack right behind the door? That wasn’t just any necklace, Jason! It’s important to me!”

  He scowled. “Why are you acting like I did the shit on purpose?!”

  “Because it’s lost either way!”

  I scanned the bathroom one last time with bleary eyes, tuning out whatever the hell Jason was trying to say as I rummaged through the trash, dropped to my knees to check the corners, under the cabinet, everywhere. By the time I stood again, I was sobbing, and Jason was sitting on the edge of my bed, putting his prosthetic on.

  “Reese,” he called as I stormed past him, wiping my face with the back of my hand. I ignored him still, going to my vanity to look around there. I distinctly remembered taking it off the in the bathroom to shower, and not immediately putting it back on because I was rushing to give Jason time. But still… maybe I’d picked it up and just didn’t remember.

  “Reese.”

  Jason grabbed my arms, stopping my movements. I struggled to get away from him because I didn’t want to look at him right now, because that necklace was—“I can get it, princess. Calm down. Let me get my toolbox out of my trunk. Aiight?”

  I let out a deep, shuddering breath as I tried to stop crying, but still didn’t look at him. I sat down at the vanity as he grabbed his keys and left the room. A few moments later, he was back, and went right into the bathroom.

  Ten years.

  That’s how long I’d had that necklace and never, ever lost it. My father had presented me with a delicate white box at my Sweet Sixteen, and I’d been in complete awe. My first real piece of jewelry, with a tiny plaque engraved with my name, and I felt so grown up. More than his record player, more than his vinyls, more than my memories… that necklace a real, touchable thing. Given in love, in warmth, attached to one of those beautiful memories. It was a tangible connection between my father and me, and the thought of losing it… I felt like my chest had been split in half. What if it was—

  “Hey.”

  I sniffled as I looked up from my hands, and wiped my eyes. Jason was standing in front of me, still shirtless – had he gone outside like that? – holding out a dainty gold chain to me.

  An unsteady breath flooded out of my lungs, and my shoulders sank in relief. I took it from him, covered in whatever gunk hung out at the bottom of the drain, and practically sprinted into the kitchen, my hands shaking as I washed it underneath the hottest water I could stand.

  My fingers trembled as I grabbed both ends of tiny clasp, and lifted them around my neck. I tried and tried to make the two pieces connect, but my hands were quivering too bad.

  “I’ve got you,” I heard from behind me, and the ends of the necklace were gently pulled from my fingers. I dropped my hands to my sides, and a moment later, my little plaque was hanging in its rightful place at the base of my throat.

  I closed my eyes, not bothering to stem the flow of tears that escaped my eyelids as Jason wrapped his arms around me from behind, pulling me to him as tightly as he could. “I’m sorry,” he muttered against my ear, and I shook my head.

  “It was an accident. I shouldn’t have reacted like that, I just—”

  “Shhh. You don’t have to explain.”

  I turned in his arms, futilely attempting to dry my face. “But I do. It was a gift from my father, and… it means a lot to me. Maybe more than it should, but—”

  “Shh,” he repeated, using his thumbs to wipe my cheeks as I stared up into his eyes. “I get it. Trust me I do. My mother cried for days over losing an earring her mother gave her. I thought about that as soon as I saw your eyes well up.”

  “I didn’t have to yell and curse at you.”

  He shrugged. “You didn’t. And I started to make your mean ass wait, too.” I poked out my bottom lip, and he chuckled, shaking his head. “Uh-uh, put that thing away. When I realized it was about your dad though, I knew I had to go ahead and get it for you.”

  “And I appreciate it. Thank you.”

  He wiped my face again, then pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “You’re welcome. And I’m sorry for knocking it down in the first place. I probably could’ve been paying more attention to what I was doing.

  “Ya think?”

  Jason laughed, then swatted me on the butt. “So we’re good?”

  “Yeah,” I nodded. “We’re good.”

  “Good. You want to hit up Refill tonight?”

  I lifted an eyebrow. “Are you asking me out on a date, Sgt. Wright?”

  “I think I might be.”

  “On a Thursday night… don’t you have classes tomorrow morning?”

  He shrugged. “It’s the only night Dani Renee is gonna be there, so…”

  My eyes wide. “She’s back!?”

  “She’s back,” he grinned. “And since you missed her last time…”

  Jason couldn’t even get the rest of his words out before I launched into him for a hug. “Yess!” I exclaimed. “What time?!”

  “Eight,” he managed to say through my hair.

  I had a big grin on my face as I pulled away, then entwined my fingers with his. “You are…”

  “The most handsome, intelligent, funny, flat out best nigga you’ve ever dealt with?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Well… you aiight, I guess.”

  “Ah, well. You probably don’t want some l
ittle “aiight” chump taking you out then, huh?” Jason grinned as I squeezed his fingers a little tighter.

  “Fiiine. You’re… a little more than aiight.”

  “Oh, I’ma show you “aiight.”

  I squealed as he picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder to carry back into my room. We still had a little time before either of us had class, to have a little morning fun.

  And then I’d call and find out if I was even allowed at Refill.

  - & -

  “So what exactly are your intentions with my friend?”

  Oh God, here we go.

  Jason looked taken aback by Devyn’s question, and I couldn’t blame him. She was sitting across for him at our booth style table, not cracking a smile as she stared at him, with an expression that was just barely neutral enough to not be a scowl.

  “Um… I hadn’t really thought about that much. We’re taking it easy right now.”

  She sucked her teeth. “Oh, so this is just casual to you? You’re using my friend for your little freak-nasty needs, and when you tired, you’re just gonna move on?”

  “I… what?”

  “Devyn,” I hissed, kicking her under the table. “Chill!”

  She kicked me right back. “Answer the question, Sgt. Wright. If you’re even actually a Sergeant. What was your commanding officers name? In case I need to make some phone calls.”

  Jason turned to me, eyes wide. “Is she serious?”

  “I’m asking the questions here,” Devyn snipped, patting her hand on the table for attention. “Don’t try to deflect.”

  Jason narrowed his eyes, and she narrowed hers too, lifting an eyebrow.

  “Captain Derek Ingram was my commander at the time I accepted an honorary discharge. No, I don’t intend to use your friend. And I don’t think what we’re doing is casual, it’s just still relatively new. Ask me in six months what my intentions are, and I’ll be able to give you a real answer.”

  Devyn’s expression slowly softened. “Oh. So you plan to be around for the next six months, at least.”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Exclusive to her? Do you fuck your girlfriend’s friends?”

  Jason curled his lip. “What? No. I don’t get down like that, and I don’t make a habit of sleeping around.”

  “Mmmhmmm. Why do you like Reesie?”

  I dropped my head onto the table, thinking about how thoroughly I was going to cuss her ass out later.

  “She already knows the answer to that.”

  I kicked Devyn under the table again.

  “I wanna hear you say it.”

  Jason let out a heavy sigh, and even though my head was down, I could feel him sit back. “I like Reese because she’s smart, funny, sexy, and not afraid to speak her mind. She’s not afraid to be absolutely herself, and be open and honest. And I feel like I can be myself with her.”

  I lifted my head, just enough to turn to him. “Really?” I asked, just above a whisper.

  He lifted an eyebrow, giving me a look like I was insane. “Uh… yeah. Duh.”

  “Welll,” Devyn said, her voice returning to the perky tone I was used to. “Congrats, Jay! As far as I’m concerned, you’ve passed the bestie-twin test… for now. Y’all cute or whateva’.” When I lifted my head, Devyn was smiling, and she winked at me as she stood up. “I’m going to get a drink.”

  Jason turned to me as soon as she walked away from our table at Refill, heading toward the bar. I’d called her to sweet talk big brother Eric into taking me off the banned list at the club – he never could say no to his baby sister – and she’d finagled her way into me agreeing to let her meet Jason.

  Finally. – her word.

  It wasn’t that I was trying to keep them away from each other, or anything like that. I was trying, desperately, not to be a weirdo. Because of our unique circumstances, he’d already met my mother, which usually wouldn’t happen until months into a relationship. I didn’t want him thinking I was trying to integrate him into my whole family, especially after the way I’d had a mini freak-out over him possibly moving. The very last thing I needed was to sabotage this by making him think I was getting too attached.

  I mean… there was a pretty good chance I was definitely already too attached, but he didn’t need to know that.

  “What the fuck was that?” he asked, leaning toward me.

  I let out a loud sigh. “That was the bestie-twin test. She said you passed!”

  “I thought you said she was “nice” bestie-twin?”

  “She is,” I laughed. “Just not during the test. Or when you piss her off. Or she doesn’t like you.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “So you two are just alike then?”

  “No, no. She really is “nicer” than me. Devyn is generally bubbly, she’s a little more talkative with people she doesn’t know. She has a sweet spirit.”

  “Where?”

  I gasped, then playfully slapped him on the arm through his sweater. “You’ll see that side now that she’s checked you out. She was harder on you because of Grayson.”

  “He passed?”

  I almost choked on my drink as I lifted it to take a sip. “God no. She hated him from the moment she laid eyes on him.”

  Jason scowled. “So why do I get grilled harder because of him?”

  “Because she’s worried about me. Worried for me. But don’t sweat it, seriously. She was a fan of yours before I was, and today just sealed that in.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  “You should,” I grinned. “You’ll see.”

  “Uh huh. You wanna get closer to the stage? I think Dani’s about to go on.”

  “Hell yes, I do.”

  We headed up front with the growing crowd, Jason leading the way. With those broad shoulders, the crowd parted easily for him and then he pulled me in front of him, tucking his arms around me and resting his chin on my head.

  I clapped and cheered with everybody else when Dani came on stage, looking beautiful with her cinnamon-colored locs and deep brown skin. She talked to the intimate crowd a little bit while her band did their last sound adjustments and stuff. And then the music started, and she began to sing, in that raspy-sexy, sensual voice of hers.

  Ain’t no easy ways to be in love,

  Sometimes you play the fool.

  It’s love and war, push and pull,

  And you try to play it cool.

  When it’s right, it’s right,

  when it ain’t, it’s not

  There’s no one perfect rule.

  You can play the game, and win or lose,

  Sometimes you get schooled.

  Jason pulled me a little tighter against him, brushing my hair aside to kiss my neck. We stayed like that, swaying together to the music until Dani took a break, and we headed back to the table.

  I groaned a little as I spotted Devyn’s ex-boyfriend, Malcolm, seated at the table with her, speaking way too close into her ear. Malcolm wasn’t necessarily a bad guy, but I wouldn’t call him good either… at least not for Devyn.

  I tried to fix my face into something that at least resembled a smile, but a few feet away from the table, my efforts got wiped away. I’d glanced up, and to my right, not looking for or at anything in particular, when my eyes fell on Grayson and Olivia.

  Hmph. Trash sticking together.

  I looked away almost as soon as my brain registered those words, hoping not to invite conversation—or confrontation. But that was obviously too much like right, because the next thing I knew, they were making their way over.

  “So I see I was right about you and GI Joe,” Grayson sneered, with Olivia peeking cautiously around his shoulder.

  I couldn’t even get my mouth open to respond before Jason’s hand on my shoulder halted me, and he stepped between me and Grayson, folding his arms. “Listen, man… I’m trying to have a good time with my girl. Everybody has moved on, let’s just leave it that. No problem. And trust me… you don’t want that to change.”

>   Grayson’s face wrinkled into a scowl. “Man, who are you supposed to b—”

  He didn’t get the chance to finish that sentence before Jason grabbed him by the collar, snatching him forward. It was such a subtle move that barely anybody in the semi dark club looked up.

  “Nigga are you deaf?” Jason asked, his voice low, and edged in danger. “This ain’t a problem you want. Find something else to do.” Jason shoved him backwards, out of our space, and then turned back to me as Grayson and Olivia… went and found something else to do, I assumed.

  When we got back to the table, I wasn’t even thinking about Devyn and Mal. I snuggled close to Jason in the corner of the booth, and he pressed a kiss to my forehead.

  “Don’t sweat that shit, aiight?” he asked, tipping his head to look me in the eyes. “Not letting them mess up our vibe.”

  I smiled, and shook my head. “Absolutely not.”

  And… we didn’t.

  Instead of thinking about old news, I focused on the current happiness in my life. Malcolm left the table, Devyn warmed right up to Jason, and before long, we were laughing, talking, and having a good time.

  As it started approaching ten at night, we left. Jason and I had classes in the morning, and Devyn had an early shift at the county hospital – one of her last, since she’d gotten the job at University Hospital, and would be starting in a few weeks.

  Jason and I held hands as we walked downtown, heading back to his car. He was telling me about this internship he’d applied for with a major car manufacturer, when the sickening crunch of metal on metal wedged in my ears, turning my insides to jello. I stopped walking and whipped around, my eyes bulging when I saw two cars smashed together, in the intersection Jason and I had just crossed. Nausea swept my stomach, and I clamped my mouth closed, trying to hold myself together.

  “Reese? Reese, you aiight?” Jason’s voice made me turn away from the jumble of metal, as other people began to gather in the intersection. In the distance, I heard sirens, moving closer. It wasn’t until Jason squeezed my hand that I actually blinked. “You okay, princess?”

  No.

  “Yeah,” I said, forcing myself to smile even though my mouth felt like it was full of sawdust. He pulled me along, and I followed, though I felt like I was in a haze. In the car, he lifted his eyebrows in surprise when I told him I didn’t want to go home, that I’d rather stay over with him. Still, he obliged.