“Your eye looks better. How does it feel?”
“I can see clearly now and it’s not sore anymore, so that’s good, I guess.”
I wrap my arm around her shoulder and pull her into my chest, “Promise me you will call me if anything happens.”
“Yes, I promise.”
I can’t shake an uneasy feeling I have. It must be from that dream. It felt so real.
“Okay, I gotta get going. Are you going to be alright?”
She nods in response, “Yes, I’ll be fine.”
I get up to gather my things and head toward her window until she grabs my arm and pulls me back.
“What are you doing? You can go out the front door.”
“What about your mother?”
“Duke, she knows you were here last night. Why do you think Craig didn’t bother me all night? She was watching him and keeping him distracted. In fact, she’s the one that told me you were here and gave me back my phone to text you.”
“Oh, well I guess she likes me enough to stay overnight. Ha-ha”
She slaps my shoulder as we make our way downstairs, “She’s always liked you. Come on, she’s making breakfast.”
“OMG! Can you believe prom is only two weeks away? This is so awesome!”
Melanie’s energetic announcement echoes throughout out the hall; I’m pretty sure Mr. Cerillo heard it from three classrooms down. I glance over to Taylor who’s eerily quiet today.
“Hey, man, you alright?”
He shrugs his shoulder, “I asked Raya to go to prom with me and she said no.”
Melanie shouts, “What, why?”
“She said she’s not going to prom.”
A sudden look of shock and utter betrayal is plastered all over Melanie’s face. She squints her eyes and displays a look of determination.
“I’m going to ask her why. She needs to come! It’s the best part of high school. Shhh…here she comes. Be quiet, you two.”
Taylor and I glance at each other and respond with silence.
Raya approaches us, hugs Melanie, and averts her eyes from Taylor. At that moment, Taylor grunts and walks away without saying a word. Raya blows a small breath and pinches her nose.
“Raya, how could you say no to him? You know he really likes you. And you two were going so well. What happened?”
Raya walks over to her locker and grabs her books for next class, “Look Melanie. I can’t go to prom. I’m sorry, I can’t go.”
“Why not? I can drive you to and from and have you home the next morning.”
“It’s not that. Look, it’s a long story. I just can’t go.”
Melanie’s persistent attitude threatens to escape, “But—”
“Mel, she can’t go, so just drop it.” My stern voice startles her into silence and her pissed off look burns into me.
“I just want us to be there and have a good time. It’s a moment we should all experience and cherish. I don’t want you to miss out on it, that’s all.”
Raya hugs her, “I know, Melanie. Trust me, I wish I could, but I can’t go.”
They let go of each other’s embrace and Melanie smiles, “Okay, but you can at least help me with the hair and makeup. You did such a good job for Halloween and I need your expertise.”
The girls giggle softly and walk off to their next class, but just as they are about to turn the corner, Raya turns back to look at me and smiles.
I sit in the driver’s seat and run my hands on the smooth leather cushions. I place the key inside the ignition and twist as the engine purrs to life. The smooth and visual dashboard display lightens up as all of the apps flash. I run my fingers along the “Ford” logo on the steering wheel and grin with excitement. Touching the display to turn on the Pandora Radio App, I select The Cars playlist, and immediately one of my favorite songs, Drive begins to play.
I wave to my parents who are standing in the driveway, watching as I lay eyes on my new graduation gift. My mom’s smile beams so bright and my father’s look of pride and admiration send chills down my spine. I managed to become Valedictorian and got accepted to all of my top choice colleges, with a full scholarship. My parents have always expressed their love and pride in all of my work and school activities. They’ve supported me ever since the beginning and will continue to do so. How could I be so lucky to have them?
Listening to The Cars sends images to my mind—images of her. I look at the time on the dash. She’s probably at work now. But that won’t stop me from seeing her.
I shift the Mustang into reverse and head to Barnes & Noble for a surprise visit. The warm sun and cool June air flutters through my hair as I open the sunroof. With prom next weekend and her birthday coming up the week after that, I know her plans of escape are in effect. I still haven’t a clue about how to change her mind to stay. How can I without jeopardizing her secret? But, I know I can’t watch her leave. Now that I know about her plans, will she even say good-bye? Or will she run in the night? Maybe I should talk to her mother? Yes, that’s a good idea. She’ll help Raya come to her senses. Without it, I don’t know if I can help her.
Creating a plan of my own, I arrive at the bookstore fifteen minutes later. Her shift should be over in thirty minutes. I can just drive her home. I make my way inside the store and head over to the café area to grab a quick drink.
With drink in hand, I make my way through the bookstore. I’ll probably find her on the floor, reading her next craze. Time and time again, she’s told me about her “book boyfriends”—from Alexander Burnham, to Remington Tate, to Mr. Darcy—and how she gets lost in their worlds.
I find her in the fiction literature/romance section, stocking the shelves and glancing at the novels, probably searching for her newest boyfriend. As she reads the back cover, her eyes widen and her smile grows with such rare joy. Her long hair falls into her face, so she combs it behind her ear as she continues reading.
I step up a little closer behind her and she turns around to see me and smiles.
“I had a feeling you were there.”
I feel an eyebrow lift up hesitantly, “Really? How is that?”
She puts the book on the shelf, “I can sense when you’re around. I know it’s weird but I can just feel it.”
“I think I know what you mean.”
Her look of awe speaks volumes. We stand there looking at each other for a few seconds until a customer interrupts our moment. Raya heads off to assist them in finding a novel and I find myself looking at the novels she was reading. Mostly romance, typical girl books, but a few do sound interesting.
“So, what’s the visit for?”
I turn to find her stocking the shelves again.
“Just came to see you and to take you home after your shift.”
I see her glance at me from the corner of her eyes, “The funny thing is, I forgot my Metrocard at home, so I would have had to walk or buy a new one. You arrived just in time.”
I laugh and shrug my shoulders, “Hey, I’m a man of many talents.”
She laughs out loud and throws a book at me, “Here, help me finish this box of books and then we’ll head out.”
I help her stock the last few books and wait for her outside so she can grab her wallet and sweater. A few minutes later, she steps outside and looks at the time.
“So, which is it? Walk or train?”
I chuckle quietly, grab her hand, and walk her to my car. I see her looking at the shiny, brick red Mustang and her eyes grow wide as I take the keys out of my pocket and click open the doors.
I hold the passenger door open for her as she crawls into the seat. “Graduation gift?”
“Yup, do you like it?”
“I love it! You’re so lucky!”
I laugh at her exclamations and shut her door. Getting into my driver seat and turning the car on, I look at her, “So, where are we headed?”
“Duke, I have to get home. You know that.”
A
frown creeps up but I won’t let that get me down, “Alright, we’ll go the long way. You can play whatever you like, except One Direction.”
Her laughter echoes through the car, “I won’t put you through that torture.” She inputs her choice into the Pandora app, selects the Florence + The Machine playlist, and Cosmic Love begins to play. I pull out of the parking lot and head to her house. Thinking to myself, I guess I’ll just spit it out.
“So, are you still running away?”
She looks out the window, “Yes. I have to.”
“No, you don’t. You can face this, Raya. Why can’t you see that?”
“Duke, I’ve already told you. I don’t want to talk about this anymore.” She ignores me as the next song begins to play.
My teeth grind but I can’t be mad at her. I wish I could just show her that she can be safe here. I let out a breath, “So, no prom, huh?”
Still staring out the window, she replies sadly, “No, Craig won’t let me. Besides I don’t want to piss him off.”
“Yeah, I understand. Still, I wish you could go.”
She turns her head toward me, “Really? Why?”
I look at the road and nervously answer, “Uhh, so we can all be there together—you, me, Mel, Taylor, and Rob. You know, the whole group.”
She looks out the window again, “Yeah, I know. Most of my wishes don’t come true.”
“I’m sorry. I wish I could change that.”
She turns to look at me and smiles, “Duke, you are a one-of-a-kind. Don’t ever think that you’re not enough. Because, trust me, you are.”
I glance at her and grab a hold of her hand, “Enough for you to stay?”
And with that, she lets go of my hand, turns away, and stares out the window in silence for the duration of the ride.
Duke
The sounds of the car stereo blast loudly as I drive toward the mall. I have about five hours until prom starts so that gives me two hours to find a gift. Racing to the mall, I find a parking spot and head to my destination. I arrive at the store in only a matter of minutes. Hopefully, I can find what I’m looking for. I glance at the jewelry locked inside the glass displays. Rings, necklaces, bracelets, dog tags, and earrings sparkle in the shining ambiance.
“Is there something I can help you find, Sir?”
I look at a female jewelry consultant wearing a name tag that says, “Mandy.”
“Hi, Mandy. Yes, I’m actually looking for a birthday gift. She’ll be eighteen and I would like it to be special and original. Maybe a charm or a pin?”
She glances around the store and taps her chin while she thinks. “Hmmm…what are your girlfriend’s hobbies?”
My hands innocently raise up, “Oh, no. She’s not my girlfriend, just a really great friend.”
Her suspicious look threatens my confidence, “Sure, whatever you say. What does she like to do?”
Thinking about Raya’s hobbies, I realize that I can’t think of anything. How do I not know this? I’ve known her for nine months. Come on, Duke, think. Then the idea comes to me.
“Sing. She likes to sing.”
“Okay, she’s a musician. Does she play any instruments?”
I shake my head, “Not that I know of.”
The rolling of her annoyed eyes rubs badly on me and I have the urge to give her a piece of my mind and walk out this damn store, but this is for Raya, so I stay. Mandy walks over to a few silver chains locked in a display and points at one. The little tag attached to it says, ‘white gold 14K, 20” seamless rope’ with a price of two hundred twenty-five dollars.
I growl quietly and glance up at Mandy, “Yeah, this is not original. It’s just a plain necklace.”
“I’m aware of that, but we can create a custom pendant to attach to it.”
Now she’s got my attention. “Okay, is there a catalog that I can look at or can I just give you an idea? How long does it take to make?”
“It usually takes five business days, so definitely put your request in now and you can browse our current designs and we can work from there.”
Forty-five minutes later, the custom order is placed. I have a feeling she will absolutely love it. As I grab my receipt from Mandy and head out of the store, my phone starts to ring. Taking it out of my pocket, I see Melanie’s name illuminate the screen.
“Hey, Mel. I should be over there to get you by seven. Is that good?”
“Hey, baby. Yes, that’s fine. Have you heard from Raya today? She’s supposed to do my hair and makeup but she hasn’t called me back yet.”
Panic starts to build as I begin to run to the exit. “No, I haven’t spoken with her today. What time was she supposed to come over?”
“She’s twenty minutes late and I’ve already called her three times with no answer.”
I make my way out of the mall and jet to the Mustang with phone in hand. The sounds of heavy breathing travels into my phone’s speaker.
“Duke, are you running? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I climb into the car, rev up the engine, and head straight toward Raya’s house.
“Oh, Duke, hold on….yeah, she’s calling me right now. I got to go. See you soon, love.”
The line went dead before I could even respond. Shit, that scared the hell out of me. I stop at a red light and slowly begin to compose myself. Breathing deeply in and out, I loosen my grip on the steering wheel. This is too much for me to handle. The time on the dashboard displays three o’clock. Time to head home and get ready for tonight.
Spraying on the last spritz of cologne, securing the cuff links, and straightening the hair strands, I head downstairs to be greeted by my parents. My mother already has tears in her eyes along with the camera and my father laughs behind her.
“Aww, Duke, you are so handsome. Honey, can you believe how much our son has grown?” Her arms immediately open and she pulls me into her, squeezing tight.
“Yes, darling. I’m sure Duke would just want to head out now. Don’t squeeze him too hard, love.” My father pats me on the shoulder. “Have a great time, Son. Please be careful and be safe.”
I nod at him, “I will, Pop, as soon as Mom lets me go.”
My mother slaps my back in response, “Shhh, Duke. I’ll only have this moment once and I’m going to relish it. Come, take a picture with me.”
She releases me and I groan with annoyance, so she slaps my shoulder. “Duke, stop being a party pooper. Let’s take a selfie for my Facebook profile.”
My father and I immediately burst into laughter and I almost buckle over from the vibrating stomach cramps. We look up to see my mother staring at us with such intensity while her foot steadily taps the floor.
“Are you done? Here, let’s just take it.”
She gives me the camera and I place an arm around her waist and pull her close into me. I raise my hand and place my finger on the shutter button, “Smile, Mom!”
And with that, I press the shutter button as she says, “Cheese!!!”
“Wow, Mel. You look gorgeous.” Her stunning long legs glisten in the light as her light pink dress sways back and forth. It’s short—above the knee—and strapless. The bust area contains a beaded sparkling sequence that reflects when lights hit it. It’s pretty freaking awesome.
“The dress is short. I thought prom dresses were floor length.”
“Some are, but I wanted a short dress. I loved this one and it fits absolutely perfectly.”
“Yes, it does.” She truly is a beautiful woman and any man would be lucky to have her. At that moment, I realize that I’m not that guy. I’ve always cared for Melanie, and always will, but I can’t be with her anymore. Breaking her heart will kill me, but I hope she understands.
After taking a few pictures together for her mother’s album, we head out and drive to the venue, Marina Del Ray. Melanie opens the passenger side visor to look at her makeup one last time.
“Wow, Raya really did a great job! It loo
ks so natural!”
“How come she wasn’t there with you?”
Reapplying her gloss and then closing the visor, she looks at me, “Her mother called her home.”
“Oh, okay. I would have taken her home before the drive.”
“She said she was fine with the train.” Melanie touches the dashboard, changes to the Pandora App, and selects The Lumineers radio. Listening and signing along to Ho Hey, she smiles at me as I drive to our destination.
I park the car in the lot and already see a few students heading inside to the party. Melanie squeals in the seat next to me and it causes me to laugh. She smiles brightly and hops out of the car. I get out, walk around, and offer my arm for her to grab.
“Milady”
She slaps my arm but still takes it afterward, “You know no one speaks like that anymore, right?”
We walk inside and a banner that says, “Prom: Under the Stars, 2014” greets us at the main entrance.
“I know, but it’s still nice to have manners.”
Melanie sees a few of her girlfriends taking pictures together and lets go of my arm to scurry off with them and join in. I watch the four of them laugh, squeal, smile, and shout during the unexpected photo shoot. Probably about thirty self-portraits were taken; most of them with the girls blowing kisses to the camera or winking at it. I see Taylor inside, standing alone by the side entrance, so I motion to Melanie that I’ll be with him for a while. She nods her head in response as she continues her photo shoot with the girls.
I stroll up to Taylor, “Hey, man, I didn’t think you’d come tonight”
He shrugs his shoulder, “Yeah me, neither, but I figured I might as well make an appearance.”
I pat his shoulder and pull him toward the dining table, “Come on, let’s go grab something to eat while the girls are occupied.”
Fifteen minutes later, the girls finally find us and Melanie pulls me onto the dance floor just as the D.J. starts to play, Don’t you Worry Child by Swedish House Mafia.
Melanie shouts, “I absolutely love this song!!”
I place my hands on her hips and pull her close as we sway along to the beat. Her head bops up and down and she smiles with excitement and joy. I look around to see the dance floor filled with students raising their hands in the air, anticipating the sick beat drop. Melanie throws my arms above my head, and as the beat finally drops, the crowd yells with excitement as the song quickens in pace. Everyone flails their arms in the air and jumps up and down, bumping into one another as the song continues to soar throughout the room. I hear Melanie sing along as she wraps her arms around my head.
Little Things Page 8