Shay dipped her head back into the living room with a smile.
“Goodnight Heaven.”
…From Peasant to Princess and Back…
“Do you have everything? Come on, come on we’re late,” Shay rushed Heaven. It was Graduation Day and they were both running around the house frantic, already late from Heaven’s hair appointment. “Is Ricky supposed to be coming here?”
“No, he’s going straight to the school,” Heaven responded, grabbing her purse and her cap. Her and Ricky had been dating since Camillo’s and bowling and they had even gone to prom together. One would say that they were both pretty smitten with each other.
Shay stopped at the open door and turned around to Heaven who was dressed in a pink satin dress with her white gown opened on top. Her long hair was now jet-black again and was loosely curled and hanging down her back. She looked naturally gorgeous with a light pink shadow and clear lip-gloss.
“Wait, wait let me look at you,” Shay beamed like a proud mama. She grabbed Heaven’s cap out of her hand and placed it onto her head carefully. “Now, that’s a graduate.”
Heaven smiled wide as Shay snapped another picture.
“Please, no more pictures paparazzi,” Heaven joked, holding her hand up to her face, as they made their way out of the door.
They got into Shay’s car and did 45 on the 25 mph back streets, rushing to the Graduation. They were both glad to see so many other people still arriving along with them.
As they made their way to the school, Heaven looked around. This day had finally come and it was nothing like she had always imagined. She used to imagine only Khalil here, probably mad and swoll that she was about to go to school. Then at one point she had imagined G and all of his lavish friends being here, them heading straight from Graduation to some Island. But as she looked at Shay, she realized, it couldn’t have been more perfect.
“Nervous?” Shay asked.
Heaven looked around at all of the graduates making their way into the building with their caps and gowns and wondered how many of them had parents and grandparents that would be rooting for them.
“Nah,” She answered as they reached the door. It was time for Heaven to go inside with the graduates and for Shay to go out on the field with the onlookers.
“Well, here goes nothing,” Heaven said.
“See ya out there Hev, I’m so proud of you.”
The two girls embraced in a hug and went their separate ways.
As Heaven made her way inside, she spotted Ricky talking with one of his friends and walked over to him.
“Alright yo, I’ll holla,” Ricky said, dismissing his friend. “Hey you.”
“Hey,” Heaven sang wrapping her arm around his shoulder as he wrapped one arm around her waist.
“You ready?” He asked, excited. Ricky was ready to blow this joint.
Heaven nodded and they walked inside.
“Let’s do it.”
Walking out of the building, onto the field, across the grass, and to her seat, the thought of falling never occurred to Heaven. But as soon as her row was called and Heaven stood up and made her way to the stage, not falling became her number one priority. She tried to think of other things to push it out of her mind.
This is silly, you are not going to fall! Oh my god this is it, you made it girl. No turning back now.
“Rabar Istanbul.”
After this, is Harvard, the next step in your life, but what if I don’t make it?
“Sonia Jabice.”
What? You have to make it, you have no choice! Shay is behind you. So what you don’t have a family? Family don’t mean shit.
“Heaven Jacy.”
Why would you want your family after what they did to you anyway? You were lucky you got away, you flew away from that life Heaven. Now you have a new life.
“Heaven Jacy.”
Time to fly, fly away Heaven.
“Heaven Jacy.”
Heaven snapped out of her daydream and her heart stopped at the sound of her name. All eyes were on her. She took a deep breath and smiled self-assuringly and made her way across the stage.
Fly, fly away.
Heaven made her way back to her seat holding her diploma, and her honors that she had received. She was proud of herself. She passed Ricky as his row was making its way to the stage and gave him an encouraging smile while whispering, “I’m a graduate and you’re still in high school.”
And when his name was called she clapped and cheered loudly. Finally, all of the names were done and the moment that so many of the students had been waiting for had finally arrived.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, the class of 2007!”
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Many of the kids threw their hats into the air and screamed, Heaven did not. She found that when you worked hard to pay for something, you tend to want to hold onto it.
“Congratulations Heaven!” A few students said to her, a few months ago they wouldn’t have been caught dead speaking to her.
“Thanks.”
Heaven searched the now heavy crowd for Shay and Ricky as family and friends made their way out to the field. She passed Principal Bassett and Ms. Simmons, her old Gym teacher.
“Congrats Heaven, I know you will be doing very well in the future. It was a pleasure having you in my school.” Heaven gave Principal Bassett a warm hug for the nice words and was shocked when Ms. Simmons added, “Yes, Heaven it was a pleasure having you in my class as well.”
“Thank you Ms. Simmons,” Heaven said smiling, and then made her way to find Shay as they re-engaged in their conversation.
“Hey you,” someone said tapping her shoulder. She turned to find Ricky. She didn’t know why, maybe the overall excitement, or maybe it was him, but something made her engulf him in a gigantic hug and kiss him deeply on the lips.
“Wow.” He was stunned.
Still in their embrace, they turned to find Shay making her way to them. Her facial expression was weird though, like as if she was trying to tell Heaven something, without saying anything. Before Heaven could question it, she was able to conclude the reason and her heart skipped a beat, G was walking two steps behind her with yellow roses in his hand.
My favorite.
“Hey, we finally found you,” Shay said, giving Heaven a warm hug. “Congratulations…I had no idea he was coming,” she added in a whisper.
‘Congrats Ricky!” She added.
Ricky thanked her but was more focused on the energy between Heaven and G. He had an idea who he was and he was a little annoyed at the way Heaven held her head down bashfully and blushing, as G looked at her with blatant admiration.
“Congratulations baby girl,” G said in his deep baritone voice as he stepped up to Heaven and hugged her tight. Even while hugging Shay, Heaven had held onto Ricky’s hand, but when G hugged her, she found herself wrapping both arms around him and melting into his embrace. Damn he smells so good.
Heaven had almost forgotten how fine G was, as he stood in front of her in his jeans and black tee, arms tattooed to the fullest and wavy hair and goatee shaped perfectly. His diamond bezel watch glistened off of the sun and all of the days and nights that they had shared came flooding back into Heaven’s young mind. He leaned close to her ear and whispered to her, “Damn, I miss you.”
Heaven felt herself getting misty eyed but held her composure as she took a step back into Ricky’s space.
“Thanks guys,” she answered coyly as G studied her. She was youthful and beautiful, like the Heaven he had seen in Khalil’s living room. Something about her shined, and he wondered if he had made a mistake. He looked at Ricky now holding her hand and felt a surge of jealousy. It only intensified his contemplation. Who the fuck is this nigga?
“You guys wanna get something to eat, like a celebratory lunch or something?” Shay awkwardly suggested, interrupting everyone’s thoughts.
“I could eat,” G retorted quickly, knowing that Shay was talking to Heaven and
Ricky.
Oh my god, what is wrong with him? Is he jealous? Heaven wondered to herself. She studied G’s body language and subtle but intense glares at Ricky and could definitely conclude it. Yup, he’s jealous.
“I guess,” Heaven obliged, knowing that she was walking into a death trap. A whole lunch with G and Ricky may be too much to bear. Ricky looked at her as if he were expecting her to decline but gave his approval as well, shit if Heaven was going anywhere with this nigga, he would be there too.
“Aight, that’s cool.”
As they made their way to the parking lot, Heaven and Ricky walked a step behind Shay and G. When Ricky gave Heaven that ‘what the fuck’ look again, she just shrugged her shoulders.
As they reached Shay’s car, Shay and Ricky suggested that Heaven pick the place but G continued to walk to his car, which was just a few feet away.
“G wait!” Shay yelled behind him as she saw him climbing in his car. “You don’t even know where we’re going?”
Heaven looked on puzzled as to why he didn’t stick around to see the place they were heading, maybe he changed his mind. The thought relieved her and upset her at once. Ricky looked on hoping that G had changed his mind and decided to take his black ass home. The sight of his stunning and luxurious car made Ricky’s blood boil. But G just smoothly rolled down his window and shouted back, “I do, Bonefish.”
“What?” Shay yelled, not hearing him clearly. G started his Maserati and pulled up next to them. He turned down his music and spoke to Shay without taking his eyes off of Heaven.
“I said, Bonefish. Bonefish Grill, over on 22. It’s Heaven’s pick… right Heaven?”
Right Heaven? There he was again, with his bold ass, talking to her as if no one else were around. Heaven wanted so badly for it to not be her pick, but it was. And he knew that it was, and even if it wasn’t, G was spell binding. He could have said Mickey D’s and Heaven would have agreed.
“Uh-huh,” she murmured softly, staring into G’s eyes while in a trance but then she quickly snapped out of it. “I mean I, I do like Bonefish. Bonefish is fine, we can do Bonefish.”
She grabbed Ricky’s hand and gave him a comforting smile out of guilt and G was furious.
“Cool, I’ll meet yall up there.” And with that, G vigorously sped off in the high school parking lot.
‘He’s buggin.’ Shay thought to herself.
“Okay, so Ricky, you riding with us?” Shay asked.
“Nah, I’ll drive my car too,” he answered, hesitantly making his way to his car.
“Okay,” Shay and Heaven answered in unison but when Ricky saw Heaven getting into Shay’s car, he shook his head.
“Heaven?”
“Huh?” She answered, one foot in Shay’s car. Shay looked back and forth between them and knew Heaven’s head was all clouded and felt bad for her, and for Ricky. She butted in.
“Um Hev, why don’t you ride with Ricky, I’ll follow you guys.”
Heaven finally got it and felt inept. Poor Ricky was about to go to lunch with the grown ass man who had his high school girlfriend tongue-tied and in a daze, and she didn’t even want to pull up to the restaurant with him.
“Oh, yeah, of course. I was just getting my…” She looked down and saw Shay had a small bottle of Bath and Body Works lotion resting in the cup holder. “My lotion, I needed my lotion. I’m kinda ashy.”
Shay giggled and Ricky wasn’t buying it, but he let it go and just looked at her as she made her way to him. She was so beautiful to him. He knew in his heart and in his mind that he really cared about Heaven, since ninth grade he had looked at her as perfection. So if this dude wanted her back, he would have to put up with a fight in Ricky’s eyes.
“Okay Shay, we’ll see you up there,” Heaven said, as everyone got into their cars and made their way to the lunch at Bonefish Grill.
“All I know is Harvard aint ready for Heaven. Them preppy white kids better watch out for her ass, she been in training for them since freshman year,” Ricky joked, biting into his shrimp. Everyone shared a laugh excluding G, who just looked at Ricky contemptuously as he took a forkful of his Longfin Tilapia. Ricky and Heaven were seated across from he and Shay, with Ricky being directly across from Shay, and Heaven, across from G.
“So you knew him since freshman year?” G asked Heaven who was stunned into silence by G’s question, almost just because of the blatant rudeness of it. It was as if Ricky weren’t even there. She slowly chewed her Salmon and nodded her head.
“Yeah um, we didn’t go to the same middle school, right?” She asked Ricky softly, showing how she wanted, and needed to include him in this conversation. She felt as if she was the last person standing in a game of dodge ball, and G was the ball.
“Nah,” was Ricky’s only reply.
The meal carried on with many uneasy moments like that and after a fight over the check between G and Ricky, which of course G won when he just threw the money down on the table and made his way to the door, Heaven’s torture was finally ending.
“Well, thanks G…for lunch,” Heaven generically said, trying not to make eye contact while walking swiftly to Ricky’s car. “Shay, I’ll see you back at the house.”
Ricky had already climbed into the driver’s seat and was shuffling through his CD’s, waiting on Heaven to close the door.
“Okay, bye Hev, bye Ricky,” Shay shouted to them. She turned to G and crossed her arms across her chest. “Now what the fuck was that about? And where’s ya cousin, how come he cant call nobody back?”
G heard her but didn’t respond immediately, he was livid watching Heaven get into his car, but what could he do? So he just responded to her ‘thank you’.
“Anytime baby girl.”
As Heaven and Ricky made their way out of the parking lot, she saw Shay and G still standing there talking. There goes the love of my life, Heaven admitted to herself. Will I ever get over him?
They made their way onto the highway as Heaven just stared out of the window watching the stores pass her in a blur.
Who does he think he is? Coming there, putting on that show? He’s the one that kicked me out. Does that mean he wants me back?
“Where do you want to go?” Ricky finally broke the silence.
“Oh, I don’t know. Wherever.”
Ricky hated the way the mood was going but decided that he would fix it.
“Let’s go to my house, my mother aint home.”
Heaven turned to him with a forced smile knowing that she was letting her emotions show through her actions.
“Your mama aint never home,” she laughed. Ricky chuckled, glad that she was herself again, as they made their way to his house. Little did Ricky know, was that even though they had left G back in that parking lot, he was still with Heaven. He was in her heart, he was in her mind, and he was in her soul.
He was with them in the car as they drove, he was with them on the couch as they watched a movie, he was with them in the bed as Ricky tried to go past the kissing stage with Heaven, and he was with them when Heaven told him that she wasn’t ready.
“Ricky I cant, I’m not ready for that yet.”
Ricky was disappointed, he felt rejected. But he knew Heaven was worth the wait. So after a few more hours of kissing and touching, Ricky drove Heaven home.
“I’ll call you later,” Ricky said, staring into her pretty eyes that seemed to glow in the darkness, as they sat parked in front of Shay’s.
“Call me when you get home,” Heaven answered, feeling sorry that she had Ricky waiting on her. She liked him, she really did, but she couldn’t give him her body with her heart being somewhere else.
“Okay, I’ll call you when I get home.” Ricky brushed his thumb across her cheek.
“As soon as you get home,” she smiled, pecking him on the lips, she needed to keep her mind off of G, and when she talked to Ricky, it helped.
“As soon as,” he answered, kissing her fully on the mouth. Heaven smiled opening the car door, and made
her way out of the car, waving at Ricky pull off as she walked up the steps. When he turned the corner she turned around to go inside.
“So he doesn’t even wait for you to get inside the house before he pulls off?”
This is not happening.
Heaven turned to find G standing in the street, looking like a dream. She couldn’t move, she couldn’t breathe, she managed to say.
“How long have you been here?”
“Come here,” was his only reply. She found herself walking down the stairs and straight to him. She was under his command. When she reached him he stepped close to her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead.
“I forgot to give you your present.”
Heaven was captivated by his very presence and it showed in the wide grin plastered across her face.
“Well, where is it?”
“In my car.”
“Well, where’s your car?”
He turned and started walking down the street, and so she followed, her heels clicking on the dark concrete which was only illuminated by dull streetlights.
No words were spoken between them but there was a sense of comfort there, familiarity, ease.
They reached his car and G disalarmed it as he opened the driver side door and reached in. Heaven stood in the street nearby anxious to see what he had for her.
“I think you should get in,” G suggested, as he climbed in the driver seat.
Heaven took a deep breath and waited for a minute but then hesitantly climbed inside the car.
“G, come on, what is it?”
He turned on the car lights and unlocked his glove compartment; Heaven knew that he always kept it locked. When he opened it, he took out some papers and handed them to Heaven. She opened them slowly and began to read but it all looked like gibberish to her.
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