She looked at the guy before she glanced back at me. “I wasn’t planning on it, but I’ll meet you guys there. Is that cool?”
“Yeah. I’ll see you later,” I told her and walked off.
When I reached my car, I hopped in, started the car, and suddenly, a hand went around my mouth. I began to panic as I tried reaching for my gun until I heard Dio. “Mars, I taught you to be quicker than that. Your gun should have been ready,” he gritted as he removed his hand.
I took a quick glance in the rearview mirror, staring at his ass sitting in my back seat. “What the fuck do you think this is?” Dio gritted.
“What the fuck are you doing back there? Lucky I didn’t shootyour ass.” I scoffed. “And why are you out here like I Spy Private Eye?”
He shook his head. “First, nigga, you got to be quicker than that. Second, why I’m back here is beside the point. I’ve been texting and calling you. So, it’s like that now? You’re ignoring me.”
I laughed. “Dionysus, please. It’s you who’s acting funny. I’m not playing this game with you.”
His phone went off, causing him to look at it. “Shit. I got to go, but let me find out. It’s yo’ ass and that nigga’s ass, on God.”
He leaned forward to kiss me, and I pulled away. I could see the disappointment in his eyes, and I was disappointed too. He hopped out of the back seat, crawled between cars until he was at the far end, stood up, and walked back onto the campus grounds. Now I knew some shit was up, and I was going to find out what it was because if it had to do with another female, it was his ass and hers.
APPLE
PRESS PLAY
The arena was packed as me and the Gray and Gold sat only a few rows from the court. I didn’t think so many people would come out, but I guess it was only right to show up for the first home game. This was one of my favorite parts of being a member of a sorority in which we were respected. We had all eyes on us. The first couple of days were crazy being in Covana, but this was a highlight. As the music grew louder, I stood and began one of our line moves, and my sisters followed. The Deltas and AKAs showed their moves, and they, too, were on the same side, but in different sections. The Greeks owned the HBCU campus, and everyone knew it.
As the arena grew more packed, we chanted, threw up our hand signal, and ended it with a clear, crisp. “Yee-ee-oop!”
The Gray and Gold rocked our bodies cutely to the music as we were showing off. We swerved our hips, rocked our hands, and did dainty stomps in between.
“Yee-ee-oop!”We repeated.
It was the moment that each sorority and fraternity the school had to offer showed out in some way. It was the hype the basketball team needed, being that their star player, Xavier, was going to besitting on the sideline the entire game. I watched as his face showed how irritated and envious he was not being on the court.
As the game was about to start, they announced who would be singing The Black National Anthem, and when they said Dean August, I almost cringed.I hope she can sing.Everyone stood as she walked out proudly onto the court. She glanced around the arena, taking in every single section inside.
She cleared her throat and belted the first few lines of the song, and it started off well, until her voice cracked. I watched as people were trying not to laugh, and the basketball team snickered at her voice. The girls and I looked at each other, and to make her feel good, Reagan blurted. “You’d better sing, Dean August!”
That really boosted her confidence, and her eyes closed as she went to town. Her off-key crooning sounded jazz-like. Although it was embarrassing to us, I knew to her that the moment felt like everything. It made me wish I could turn an embarrassing situation into something good so easily. Dean August had something about her that I loved and hated. She was the definition of doing what was right. She provided this line of ethics that we all should have been following, but we were young. Some were ready to take accountability, and some were not. I was caught in the middle. My hope was to get the intern position and learn more from her.
However, until then, tonight was about enjoying what TSU had to offer and the games with school pride, shit talking, and battles of which sorority does it the best was all I could focus on in the moment.
PERCY
Since the line wasn’t able to go to the game, we were told to stay on campus. I knew it was because I missed the delivery of the flowers, and although Jesaiah told me shit was cool, I knew it wasn’t. To avoid dealing with the guys, especially Dio, I decided to head to the library to see if I could catch Royce. I tried texting Phoebe, but she said she was at the game. By the time I got to the library, I noticed it was closed.
Since I wasn’t ready to call it a night, I decided to go to the only place I knew was probably as lively as the game tonight, and that was Hawks Chapel, or at least that’s what we called it. Hawks Chapel was the centerpiece of the campus. Some called it the study space, others, the student union. I called it the place where the people who had nowhere to go hung out.
As soon as I entered the building, my line brothers were in there. Quan and Chris were play-fighting, Brian and Jeremiah were making a dance video, Joshua was practicing moves as if he were a drum major, while Dio was in the corner studying.
There were a few more students around, but everyone was doingtheir own thing. I found a small spot in the corner, trying to avoid them niggas, but when they saw me, it was clear they had shit to get off their chest. “Oh, now the nigga knows how to show his face,” Quan started.
I eyed him. “Where were you?” Brian asked.
I didn’t know whether telling them about my daughter was worth it. I mean, shit, it wasn’t like any of these niggas could help me, so what was the point? However, I knew what I signed up for. I really had no excuses and didn’t want to share why. “I…I,” I began to stutter.
Dio turned his head to look at me, “That pussy got yo’ tongue tied.”
The guys burst into laughter. Jousha waved Dio off. “I swear you’re always coming up with something to say, Dio.”
His eyes darted toward Joshua. “Of course I do, Gizmo. Especially when I’m stuck in here with all y’all corn balls.”
