“Pops, I got this.”
“Alright. I’ma take your word. For now. Just remember what I said.”
I nodded, before heading upstairs, with a bunch of shit on my mind.
Summer
After Harlem left, I stood in the foyer, thinking. Truthfully, seeing him made me realize that I wasn’t in love. He was just…cool. Handsome with a bright future. So, I’d been sensible when choosing him…but much like the books I used to sneak and read said…I wanted a love that set my soul on fire…although actually having that might be more than I could handle.
Anyway, as I attempted to clear my head, I found myself examining the gifts he’d bought me. I’d sent him a gift card for Dick’s Sporting Goods via mail, and he’d questioned why hadn’tI delivered it in-person. I told him that I’d been busy running around with my mama, so I ordered the gift card online. He didn’t seem to buy that, but hey.
Nevertheless, as I dug into the gift bag, I saw that he’d bought a YSL perfume set, equipped with the perfume, travel bottle, and lotion. And then there was a Louie keychain.
I don’t know. Up until recently, I would’ve given him all the praise for getting those gifts, considering that he was a 17-year-old high schooler. But now…the gifts felt impersonal. No thought behind it. Nothing about it was personalized, highlighting how he knew me. It was just random things that I could’ve easily grabbed for myself.
Anyway, after leaving the bag in the living room, I headed back upstairs. Once I was ambling down the hallway, I saw Breeze exiting his room.
I was smiling, until he tried to stroll past me. I grabbed his forearm. “Where you going?”
“Mannn,” he drawled, before jerking out of my grasp.
“Man, what?” I grabbed his arm this time.
“Summer, don’t you got a nigga to tend to?”
Sucking my teeth, I aggressively pulled him into his room, and closed the door behind us.
“Okay, now what the fuck is the problem?” I released his arm.
“You.” He glared down at me.
“Me?” I pointed at my chest.
“Yeah.” He angrily nodded.
Looking at him, I could tell that he was heated, as his skin had reddened.
I narrowed my eyes. “So, you’re mad at me, because Harlem showed up with my Christmas gifts?”
He sucked his teeth. “Fuck you and that nigga. You was probably down there, kissing him and shit.”
I shook my head. “I wasn’t.”
“Yeah, but you going down to his house, remember? To fraternize with ya in-laws and shit.”
I gulped, as my clit thumped. I knew that I shouldn’t have been so turned on by his jealousy. It was a gleaming red flag. Toxic shit in the making. But clearly Ms. Kitty lived for this type of drama.
There stood Ricky Tymaine Ferris Junior. Aka Breeze. The smoothest, most handsome boy in the school. The nigga who used to have me so scared that I’d avoid eye contact. And when he tried to holler…I clammed up. Rolled my eyes. And pretended to be disinterested.
Back then, I was silly. Didn’t know myself. And was intimidated. I could admit that now. I’d been secretly crushing on him, just like all my friends. So, to have him feeling a way about me dealing with somebody else gave me this indescribable excitement.
“So, you don’t want me to go to his house, Ricky?” I used his real name for the first time.
He stared at me with intensity. “No, I don’t.”
I nodded. “Are you mad at me?”
“Yeah.”
