by J. Nichole
Just as I finish packing, Monica comes through the door looking extremely unhappy. “Monica, girl, are you okay? You look like your dog just died.”
“I don’t think I can do this shower situation for too long. It was cold and disgusting.”
“I would say you will get used to the shower, but to be honest you won’t. But it builds character.” I laugh. “When you are old and gray you’ll be able to tell your grandkids all you went through.” I sound like a used car salesman trying to sell her on our horrible situation.
“Oh, you have jokes. I see you have a bag packed. I know we just met, so I hope you don’t mind me asking. Where are you going?”
“I don’t mind. I’m actually sorry I’m leaving on your first night here. I’m headed over to Chris’ house.”
Monica’s mouth drops. “And you are staying the night?”
“You won’t miss me too much, will you?”
“I will. But I don’t blame you. I’m sure his apartment has to be better than this place. I imagine any guy with an apartment can convince a freshman girl to stay the night.”
Smart girl. She’s only been here for a day and she’s already come to the same conclusion as me and the girls. “You are quick. I hope I’m back tomorrow before your parents head out. If not, I’ll catch them next visit.”
Before I walk out, I make sure Monica knows where to find everything. A few girls are in the hallway as I leave. Everyone looks excited to be back on campus. I’m sure many of these smiles will fade when we start class on Monday.
Luckily, I’m not outside long before Chris pulls up. I’ll never get used to walking out with my overnight bag. Feels like a hoe walk.
With my head held high, I walk towards Chris’ car. If the other girls standing in front of the dorms think I’m a hoe... I might as well own it.
Chapter 23
Taking a seat in the car, I turn to give Chris a peck on the cheek. He has on a Polo sweater. Different than his hoodie and gold boots.
I give him a confused look and say, “Chris, you’re dressed this late at night?”
“We haven’t been on a true date. Before class gets started I thought we would catch a midnight movie.”
“Oh yeah? What are we going to see?”
“Good question. I figured we could just roll up to the theatre and get tickets for whatever has a midnight showing.”
“I see you really thought this out.” I say with a touch of sarcasm.
“Ouch. Just when I thought I was doing something good.”
I didn’t mean to offend him. “I’m sorry. It’s a good thought. We just may be watching something like Harry Potter.”
“What? Are you saying you aren’t a Potter Head?”
“A Potter Head?” Looking at him as if he is speaking French. “A who?”
“A Harry Potter fan.” He says this confidently, as if everyone should know about a Potter Head.
“Not at all. Either way, I am excited about going to the movies. It’s been a while since I’ve been actually. How was your frat meeting?”
“It was straight. Getting things in order for the spring semester. I’m still tripping about this being my last semester in undergrad.”
“I’m glad you will be around for another year. Christmas break was tough. Not seeing you on campus will be hard.”
We park at the movie theatre. Chris leans over and kisses me on the tip of my nose. He hops out of the car and opens my door.
“You are pouring it on strong tonight. I could get used to this.” I wink at Chris, and he smiles. We lock hands as we walk into the theatre.
Luckily, some mystical movie like Harry Potter isn’t the midnight showing. We buy tickets for Gangster Squad. I’m not a mafia movie fan, but it will have to do. The theatre is fairly empty. We pick seats in the second to last row.
Throughout the movie, Chris is constantly whispering in my ear about how he can’t wait to get me back to the apartment. I finally tell him it’s not a date if we skip out on the movie. Although I’d much rather skip the movie, I like the idea of being out on a date with Chris.
As we exit the theatre, Chris tells me next time we will have dinner and a movie. I’m too tired to eat anyway. I can’t wait to climb into his comfortable bed.
Music is playing when we get into the apartment. Sounds like his roommates are here. Chris leans into my ear and whispers, “I’ll meet you in my room. I’m going to holla at my roommates real quick.”
While I wait on Chris to come into the room, I change into a nightgown. To drown out his roommate’s hardcore rap music, I connect my phone to his speakers. Kisses Down Low starts playing. I lie across the bed and wait for Chris.
When Chris walks in the room, I open my eyes and give him a faint smile. He hears the song on the radio and laughs. I pat the bed beside me, signaling him to lie down. Before I can blink, he has his clothes off and is lying beside me.
“I can get with this song, although I’d rather you be into Ciara’s song.”
I turn to face him... “What Ciara song?”
“That Ride song.”
“In due time... I can’t guarantee you I’ll be able to outdo her moves in that video though. She did the damn thing.”
“I’m sure we can get you there. Now sit back.”
I do as I’m told. Chris gets up, grabs my legs, and slides me to the end of the bed. My legs are spread, and he begins to kiss from my inner knee up my thigh. I lean my head to the side and watch him shower my legs with kisses.
Just when I can’t take the anticipation anymore, he removes my panties. Thank God I shaved. His tongue begins to work its magic. Before I reach my climax, he pauses.
Chris looks up at me and says, “Are you ready to change songs?”
I sigh, and as much as I want to have sex with him. I’m still not ready yet. I slowly shake my head. “No.”
He shakes his head. The moment is gone. He sits beside me. “Laila, I keep thinking you are ready, then we get to the point, and you back away. Maybe we should chill until you are ready.”
I’m shocked. This is the first time Chris has mentioned chilling out. “You’re right. I don’t want to frustrate you.”
“You’re not frustrating me. I will admit, I am ready, though. But I can wait. Just not like this.”
We agree to chill out on the foreplay. I really need to think about this situation and consider if I will ever be ready to have sex. But for tonight, I’ll be satisfied with cuddling beside him.
“Grab the pillow, let’s go to bed.” Smirking I hand Chris a pillow. He places it between us.
As we get comfortable, Chris opens up about my virginity. “This is different for me, babe. The women I’ve been with in college have all been experienced. I told you I had a lot of one-night stands. I’ve never waited this long to have sex with anyone...ever.”
As I listen to Chris, Nicole’s voice starts to play in my head: ‘If you don’t give it up to him soon he’s going to leave you alone.’
“I told you I felt you were different, and waiting comes with the territory. The tease just keeps me horny as hell.”
“I appreciate you respecting my decision. Do you ever have the urge to go get some on the side?” I wince while I wait for him to answer. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked.
“If I still wanted to mess around I wouldn’t have asked for a commitment. But before you start to get paranoid, let’s talk about something else. Tell me about your roommate.”
He’s right about that, too many questions will have me doubting our relationship. “She’s nice, her name is Monica. She’s younger. Sixteen, turning seventeen in a few months. I think we will get along. I’ll introduce her to Jennifer and Nicole soon.”
“Damn, sixteen. That’s jail bait.”
“That’s what I told her when she asked if you had friends. I told her I would introduce her to some freshman guys.”
“Yeah, my dudes would be too old for her. Did you bring a church outfit?”
“Not really. W
hat time does church start?”
“There is a ten o’clock service. Maybe you can take a shower here then go back to the dorm for clothes.”
I hadn’t really planned on going to church, but I definitely need to. “We can do that.”
“I have to keep my promise to your folks, your mom especially. She gave me that look when she told me I need to take you to church.”
“We better go to sleep. Wake me in the morning?”
“Yeah, good night babe.”
Chris wakes me up around eight o’clock. I slowly get up and get in the shower. I’m really not a morning person anymore. When I finish, Chris tells me to come out and eat breakfast before we leave to get my clothes.
While eating breakfast, his roommates come out and speak. They both have on slacks and button down shirts. “Do they go to the same church as you?”
Chris nods his head. “We don’t often do things together, but that is one thing we make sure we do almost every Sunday. Like your mom, our mothers told us, after all the partying we do, we better be in somebody’s church on Sunday.”
We finish up our breakfast, then head to the dorm. Chris waits in the car. I try to quietly enter my room so I don’t wake Monica, but to my surprise, she is up, sitting at her desk.
“Good morning, Monica. You’re up early.”
“Good morning. I didn’t expect you back this early. You just missed my parents. That’s the only reason why I’m up this early.”
Thank God, her parents are already gone. I really didn’t want to explain my whereabouts this morning.
“Headed back early is probably best. Traffic may be pretty bad with other parents going back today.”
“Right, that’s what my dad was saying.”
“Are you okay? When my parents dropped me off I was sad for a while.”
“Yeah, I’m good, actually. Maybe because it’s early. It hasn’t completely registered with me yet. Where are you headed?”
“I’m going to church with Chris. But I didn’t have a church outfit with me.”
“What? He goes to church. He doesn’t have a younger brother?”
I laugh at her comment as I throw on my dress and heels. I tell her when I come back today I’ll introduce her to Jennifer and Nicole. We exchange phone numbers and I tell her to call me if she needs anything.
Pulling up to the church, First Baptist of Tallahassee, I turn to Chris. “I think every city has a First Baptist.” He laughs as we get out of the car. We quietly enter the church to find seats as the choir sings a lovely praise song. Looking around, I see that most of the churchgoers are young, college students. I spot Chris’ roommates a few pews in front of us.
As the pastor begins his sermon, Will you pass God’s Test, amens and hallelujahs are sung in response to the message. Chris is fully engaged, nodding his head and clapping his hands. I listen carefully, and even shout amen as the pastor encourages us to stay motivated, even during our toughest trials.
By noon, we are receiving the benediction. I’m glad we weren’t in church all day. Chris smiles as we settle into the car. “Did you enjoy the service?”
“I did, and I was surprised to see all the young people.” “We are in a college town, and I’m sure most of them hear the same thing from their mothers that we do. Let’s go to brunch.”
“Sure.” This isn’t going to help my muffin top.
Unlike most of our meals, we aren’t picking up food. We are seated in a cozy booth at Harry’s Seafood. After we order, we talk about the church service.
“This was the first time I brought a female to church with me. It was a nice change.”
“I’m honored, and I’ll be sure to tell my mom you kept your promise and got me to church.”
The food arrives, and the smell is divine. When I take my first bite, I close my eyes and softly moan. Opening my eyes, I glance at Chris, who is staring at me with a devilish grin. As I devour each morsel of food, I make a conscious effort to listen to Chris as he reminisces about his freshman roommate.
“Harry’s Seafood is on my list of best restaurants in Tallahassee. This meal was delicious. What are your plans for the rest of the day?” I ask Chris as he pays for the bill.
“I have a few things I need to do to get ready for class tomorrow. I’m glad you aren’t taking those crazy early classes this semester. We can spend more nights together.”
“You’re right about classes. I learned my lesson quickly. I won’t distract you today, though. I promised Monica that I would introduce her to the girls.”
Chris gives me a serious look. “Don’t ever consider yourself a distraction in my life.”
I grab his hand and say, “Aw thanks. I appreciate that.”
Passing through the lobby of the restaurant, I hear a high-pitched voice say, “Chris! Hey, how are you?”
We both turn around to face the girl who looks strangely familiar. “Hey, Courtney. I’m good. Let me introduce you to my girlfriend, Laila.” Courtney? Where do I know her from?
I step forward and reach out to shake her hand. She doesn’t take my hand. Instead, she gives me a strange look. I glance at Chris. He shakes his head. “Nice seeing you, Courtney.”
He takes my outstretched hand and guides me out of the door. As soon as we are outside, I say, “Chris what was that all about?”
He smiles. “Obviously, the sermon delivered was for us. Are we going to pass God’s test?”
“I hear you. But who was that? She obviously wasn’t pleased to see me.”
“I told you, I’ve had my share of flings in this town. She was one of them. Like many of the others, she wanted more than what I was offering at the time. I’m sure, introducing you as my girlfriend caught her off guard.”
At least he is honest, but maybe too honest. I feel my heart sink. “Knowing you had flings is one thing. I guess seeing them is totally different. Something I don’t think will ever be easy.”
“You’re right. But I’ll always be honest with you. You have nothing to worry about. And I apologize for her being rude to you.”
I nod my head and follow him to the car. I don’t want this chick to ruin what started out to be a beautiful day. I check the attitude that is starting to form. The ride to the dorm is nearly silent.
Chris senses my reservation and says, “Laila, as much as I would love for you to never run into any of my past, it’s inevitable. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? I don’t want this day to turn out bad for you.”
“Chris, I understand that, and honestly, I was upset. But it’s not your fault. Today isn’t ruined.”
“Can I see a smile?”
I smile and lean over to kiss him on the cheek.
“That’s what I’m talking about. Enjoy your time with your roommate today. Call me later tonight?”
“Thanks for taking me to church and lunch. I’ll talk to you later.” I get out of the car and head up the steps to the dorm. When I get to the door, I look over my shoulder and see Chris is still there, looking up at me, smiling. I wave, then walk through the door.
Chapter 24
Walking to my room, I can’t help but think about Courtney. I know her from somewhere. At least, Chris introduced me, but I’d rather not run into any of his old flings.
When I open the door, Monica is lying across her bed with a magazine open. She’s so tall that her body nearly stretches across the entire bed.
She looks up at me, her small eyes shining brightly. “Finally, I need to get out of this room… badly.”
Feeling bad, I cringe. “You haven’t been in here all day have you?”
She sits up in the bed. “Something like that. I went back to sleep for a while, then got dressed. I didn’t really know where to go. I was hoping you would be back soon.”
“Let’s get out of here.”
Each room we pass, I try to give Monica as much information about the girl who lives there. “She’s a theatre major, over dramatic.” I point to the RA’s door. “If you ever have to
complain about anything, come to the RA.”
“I was really nervous about starting in the middle of the year. But I’m glad God blessed me with you as a roommate.” She gives me a half hug. “Tell me about Jennifer and Nicole.”
I don’t want her to pre-judge them, so I give her few details. “After you meet them, let me know what you think.”
Jennifer lets us in the room and introduces herself to Monica. We make ourselves comfortable at their desks. Nicole waves and introduces herself. Then she starts drilling Monica with questions, and Monica sits back and answers each question, going into detail about starting school early.
“And what about you, give me the goods. Now that you know everything about me.” Monica laughs.
Nicole gives Monica a run-down, then tosses a pillow at Jennifer. “Your turn.” It doesn’t take long before the girls are comfortable with Monica and we are all laughing and talking.
Looking back and forth from Jennifer to Nicole, I ask, “When is the last time you talked to Mark and Jody?”
Jennifer smiles and says, “Actually, I spoke to Mark over the break a few times. I’m supposed to meet up with him sometime this week.”
I’m glad Jennifer has someone to make her smile. She’s a sweetheart and deserves a nice guy like Mark.
Nicole rolls her eyes. “I’m glad you still talk to Mark. Maybe you can ask him about his punk ass roommate, Jody.”
Narrowing my eyes I say, “Whoa, what’s that all about?”
“I didn’t talk to him at all over the break.” She smacks her lips. “No surprise really. We didn’t end the semester on great terms. But how about this Negro had the nerve to text me yesterday asking when we could meet up. Basically, the conversation led to him saying he wanted to, excuse my language Monica, fuck.”
All of our mouths drop. My eyebrows arch in surprise and I say, “Damn, Nicole. I’m really sorry to hear that. I know how much you wanted to be more than his fuck buddy. But like I said before, a guy’s commitment is all about timing. If he doesn’t have his mind set on chilling out, no woman can change that.”
“You’re right, Laila. Shame on me for wishing for more. It’s cool though. I’m going to be done with his ass. I made sure to tell him that.” She looks at Monica for a minute. “Besides, he could have been the one who gave me that shit.”