A Love Like This (Book 1) (5 page)

“
It
’
s ok, you alright?
”

“
Yeah just need to----
“

I sit up and see that Sarah is on her knees with her head resting on the foot of her bed.
 
I get up and help her into bed.
 
I take off her shoes and cover her with a quilt.
 

“
You
’
re a good friend Lisa,
”
 
Sarah says.

I don
’
t
bother correcting her.
 
I put a plastic bag inside a metal trash can and place it near the top of Sarah’s bed
.
 
I climb back into bed and a few minutes later I hear S
arah throw up
.

“
What the hell have I gotten myself into,
”
 
I say.

The next morning I wake up early, step into my fluffy slippers and open the curtains that I hung the night before.
 
Sarah makes a low guttural sound and pulls the blanket over her head. I make my bed, shower and start the tedious process of pulling my hair into a bun that makes my almond shaped
 
eyes look like tiny slits in my
 
face.
 
I dress in leggings, an asymmetric tunic and Robert
Clegerie
 
Virgo over the knee boots that I found at a thrift store. I nudge Sarah when I get back into the room.
 
She is flat on her stomach sprawled across the bed drooling onto her pillow.
 
She stirs mutters something about chicken anarchy then opens one eye and squints up at me.

“
Hey you,
”
 
She says in a sing song voice while stretching.

“
I just want to make sure you
’
re ok.
”

“
Don
’
t worry you won
’
t have to stage an intervention. I
’
m not going to be coming home drunk anymore,
”
 
she says.
 

“
I
’
m not worried.
 
You
’
re old enough to take care of yourself.
”

Sarah rolls onto her back and sighs loudly.
 
“
It
’
s just that Kinsley broke up with me last night just because I gave Todd a blow job.
 
I mean how insecure can he be,
”
 
she waves her hand in exasperation.
 
 

“
Uh I
’
m
 
gonna
 
head off to class.
 
I
’
m glad you
’
re ok.
”

Sarah continues,
 
“
I really liked him and he broke my heart.
”
 
 
A tear drops from Sarah
’
s eye and rolls into her ear.

“
I can
’
t believe I
’
m about to say this.
”
 
 
I put my thumb and forefinger on the bridge of my nose and close my eyes tight.
 
 
“
Sarah guys don
’
t usually like to think of other guys
 
shlongs
 
in their girlfriend
’
s mouth.
 
They
’
re kind of weird that way.
”

Sarah looks at me as if she
’
s considering the validity of this statement.
 
“
You
’
re honest, I find that refreshing.
”

“
Alright, I
’
ll see you later and since we
’
re being honest please don
’
t forget to brush.
 
It smells like a woodland creature died in your mouth.
”
 

Sarah puts a hand in front of her mouth and blows.
 
 
“
Blah,
”
 
she says and gags a little.
 
“
Honesty, I love it.
”
 

I shove my new journal into my leather messenger bag and leave the room.
 
 
I stroll across the quad looking at the ground not really seeing
 
any one
 
or
 
anything around me. I keep up a good stride past protestors, people passing out flyers and a few guys who are clearly pledging a fraternity.
 
I know it
’
s ridiculous to think that I can spend a whole year in seclusion but I figure if I just keep my head down and stay focused on my work I
’
ll get through this year without incident.
 

I
’
m the first to enter the class.
 
The lecture hall in the Architecture and Economics building is bigger than any I
’
ve ever seen.
 
I find a seat directly in front of the white board.
 
Next, I place three sharpened pencils, a yellow legal pad and a pink mini laptop on the desk in front of me.
 
I sit with my hands folded on the desk until the silence in the room is broken by a loud growling,
 
“
shoot,
”
 
I say clutching at my stomach.
 
I tap my nails on the table and check the clock on the wall.
 
It
’
s 8:33. If I leave my things I might have time to run to the cafeteria before class. My stomach
rumbles a second time
louder this time.
 
I slump down in my chair. Visions of the fried chicken my mother cooks at least once a week and the peach cobbler and collard greens Keisha makes every time one of her kids has a birthday party dance around in my head.
 
 
I wipe the corner of my mouth where a little drool escaped
 
then
 
take out my phone to call my mom.
 
Dana answers on the first ring.
 
 
“
Hey mom,
”
 
I say excited to hear her voice.
 

“
Baby girl,
”
 
She exclaims in an animated slightly out of breath voice.

“
What are you doing?
 
Why do you sound like you
’
re running?
”
 

“
Girl, Keisha
’
s
 
got me at this pole dancing class.
 
I
’
m trying to keep it tight for your daddy and nearly broke a hip.
”
 

I bite the inside of my bottom lip to keep from laughing.
 
 
“
Momma
please
 
stay
 
off the pole.
”
 
 
I let my head fall onto the desk.
 

“
I
 
gotta
 
go baby I
’
m up next,
”
 
I hear a loud hoop followed by a thud and then the call disconnects.

I bang my head on the desk again as the visions of peach cobbler are replaced by a picture of my 5
’
0 tall mother twirling around on a pole with her
 
ginormous
 
backside dragging behind her.
 
“
Stripping mother and an insane roommate what
’
s next?
”
 
 
I
’
m consumed with
 
my thoughts and don
’
t
’
 
realize someone has walked in the room.
 
I lift my head and right in front of me is the most beautiful man I
’
ve ever seen close up.
 
He
’
s well over six feet tall with a broad muscular chest.
 
 
He
’
s wearing Ralph Lauren chinos and a crisp white button down shirt.
 
He places his book bag on the floor then eases his massive frame into the seat next to mine.
 
My stomach growls again.
 
 
“
Damn it!
”
 
I say.
 

“
Hungry,
”
 
He asks.
 

“
Way to state the obvious,
”
 
I say then squeeze my lips shut before another smart ass comment escapes.

His lips part into a mischievous smile and my hunger pangs are replaced by butterflies.
 
 
“
I didn
’
t get a chance to introduce myself yesterday. You walked away in such a hurry.
”
 

I look down
 
at his brawny chest and my eyes widen with recognition.
 
 
“
You
’
re the big lump.
”

He extends his hand,
 
“
Or you can call me Tucker which ever you prefer.
”

I shake his hand.
 
He smiles at me again and I feel all squishy like melted butter.
 
I don
’
t pay much attention to white guys.
 
I
assumed
if
a white guy was
interested in black women
she
would
have
be statuesque with long flowing hair and light skin.
 
Since I
’
m
5’ tall on a good day and my hair rarely flows
I
’
m sure he would never be attracted to me.
 
But
still
this man is beautiful and I find it hard to look away from his dark blue eyes, dimples and that square
 
cleft super hero chin.
 
I subconsciously lick my lips. I
’
m sure lusting after one guy won
’
t lead me down a path of destruction.
 
The class quickly fills with students and a woman resembling a turtle in wire rimmed glasses stumbles up to the white board.

“
I
’
m Dr. Katz and this is
 
The Social and Cultural Basis of Design. Let me start by introducing my student teacher for this course Tucker Bradley.
”

He leans over and whispers,
 
“
You
’
ll have to let go of my hand now.
”

“
Shit, I
’
m sorry,
”
 
I say feeling mortified as I
pull my hand away.

He stands and takes his things to a desk in front of the class.
 
 
“
Tucker just completed his doctorial thesis and he will periodically take over the lectures for this course," Dr. Katz says.