A Red Apple

A Red Apple

By Sol

I would like to take the time
out to thank you for purchasing A Red Apple. I know you had every choice in the matter but you took a chance with my first novel and for that, I am sincerely grateful. It is my hope that you will enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Your feedback is encouraged and I can be reached at [email protected]

Chapter 1 Piper: Welcome to Texas State University

Chapter 2 B: College Life

Chapter 3 Zeke: Slipping

Chapter 4 Piper: We like to Party

Chapter 5 Zeke: Business as Usual

Chapter 6 B: Mind Playing Tricks on Me

Chapter 7 Zeke: A Booty Call

Chapter 8 Piper: Boys Boys Boys

Chapter 9 B: Date Night

Chapter 10 Piper: All Good Things…

Chapter 11 Piper: Stuck on Stupid

Chapter 12 Piper: Home Sweet Home

Chapter 13 Piper: Back to Reality

Chapter 14 Zeke: Unlikely Visitor

Chapter 15 Brianna: Envy

Chapter 16 Piper: All Play and No work

Chapter 17 B: Best Friends For Life

Chapter 18 Zeke: A New Deal

Chapter 19 Piper: Delta Pi Sigma

Chapter 20 B: My side of the story

Chapter 21 Piper: Greek Life

Chapter 22 B: Bringing the Heat to South Beach

Chapter 23 Piper: Summer time

Chapter 24 B: Expecting

Chapter 25 Zeke: Born Day

FIRST SEMESTER

I can’t believe my first day as a college student is finally here. I have spent so much of my time dreaming of this very moment. What I would wear? How I would carry myself? What organizations I would
join? But then again, I’m sure every other girl here has done the same thing or at least I hope anyway. The last thing I need is to be a social outcast. As I look around my classroom, there is one thing that is clear. I am only one of many young ladies here. And when I say many, I mean many. So how will I ever stand out?

It is nothing like high school where there was that one beautiful girl that every guy fell for. Not that I was ever that girl anyway but I always wanted to be. A girl could dream right? I am very attractive to many guys or at least they
say so. I’m about 135 pounds at 5’5 with a radiant caramel complexion. My hair is just past my shoulders and I typically wear it bone straight. On many occasions, I have been told I resemble Lauren London and on some days I can actually see it myself. I’m a coke bottle shaped girl and I have always hated that. I was always told I was too curvy to be a dancer and not stiff enough to be a cheerleader in high school. Yes, I went to a predominantly Caucasian school and as such I grew up in a very white neighborhood. My mother would always say, “Honey they are envious. These white women are having surgery to look just like us.”

Well, that is how I ended up here at Texas State University, a historically black college
in Houston, Texas. I wanted to be around young men and women just like myself and boy did I get what I asked for. I have yet to see any race besides African Americans and Hispanics. Don’t get me wrong, I’m rejoicing in the fact but it’s almost a culture shock. The language, the music, the clothing, the hairstyles all have so much flavor. Nothing is simple here, except for maybe the white Michael Kors sundress I decided to wear for my first day. The medium tan Manolo Blahnik high-heeled sandals on my feet are also runner up for bland. Although the brand names are affluent, my entire get up is modest. That’s putting it lightly… Uninteresting, dull, lackluster is more truthful. However, I am dressed like the true southern bell I am and my mother would be proud. I can hear her now, “Real Texas women dress and act like ladies dear.” But it isn’t my mother’s voice I am hearing at all; it’s someone else, a man. Oh no! My professor.

“Do you care to join us?” He asks standing right in front of me.

Oh my, he’s so gorgeous. He’s a tall, light skinned, medium built brother and has the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen. His dreadlocks are just one example of some of the flavorful hairstyles I’ve seen out here and they compliment his handsome face. He reminds me of Jason Momoa.

“Hello, anyone there?” He presses.
I think a cat has caught my tongue.

“Yes… umm, sir. I’m sorry.”
I’m sure my face is beet red because I’m blushing so hard my cheeks are burning.

“Its Dr. Zeke James,” he grins. His teeth are so white and make for a beautiful bright smile.

“Ok hi Dr. James. How can I help you?” I want to take it back but I can’t and the entire class has broken out into laughter. That greeting has become a habit of mine since volunteering for the American Heart Foundation over the summer.

“You can help yourself by joining the class in giving your name, major and something interesting about yourself.” Dr. James blue eyes are capturing me in
the moment and neither of us is letting go. “Sometime today!”

I clear my throat and stand up hesitantly because everyone is either snickering or looking like they are on the edge of their seats with hilarity.
“Hi my name is Piper Smith, I am a sociology major and umm…” I am trying to think of something interesting about myself but nothing comes to mind. “There is nothing really interesting about me.”

“I’m sure you can think of one thing interesting about yourself Piper,” Dr. James has found his way back to the front of the class and he is gazing at me
as if he can see right through me. 

“No really I can’t.” My shoulders are hunched and I
tend to do this when I am nervous.

“I wonder
why that doesn’t surprise me?” Dr. James frowns and his New York accent is thick with sarcasm. Or at least I think it sounds New York-ish. “You can sit back down now.”

I kno
w that is an insult and part of me wants to confront him right here in front of the classroom. I know better than that though. I will check him for that in the meantime and I make a mental note of it. I may be a southern bell, even coy and possibly too quiet at times but I am no pushover. How can he be so obnoxious? I haven’t done anything to him, yeah maybe I am lost in space during class but that isn’t the worst thing. Even if it is, it does not give him the right to be condescending.

Once class is over
, I am relieved. I want nothing more than to give Dr. James a piece of my mind but it would appear as though every other girl in the class is waiting in a line to talk to him about something. They are all smiles and some are even flirting. They are all so desperate. He is sexy and all but I will never wait in a line to talk to anyone. My time is far too precious and my patience is way too thin. I decide not to waste my time and head to my Range Rover to go have lunch before my 2:30 class begins.

I opt out of meeting my girl Brianna for lunch because I want to be alone. Besides, college is not off to a good start for me and I don’t want to rain on her parade. She has already texted me about some cute boy in her art class she has met. Brianna is different from me, though we both come from money. She is outgoing and the life of the party whereas I haven’t been out since I made i
t to our dorm 2 weeks ago. I have however managed to daydream about how cool my life could be and Skype my big brother Thomas every day. Thomas is in his last year at Michigan University and hoping to be drafted into the NFL soon. He is such a cool cat and always has been. He is a great brother too because although he is busy with his own going ons, he always makes time to listen to me rant and give me good advice. This time I won’t call him though because I am starting to feel more like a burden to him these days. He never says it but I can read between the lines. How many times can your big brother ask you, “Have you met any new friends?” or, “I love you baby sis but you need to get a life,” before you actually take a hint?

I am just about to take a bite out of m
y chicken sandwich when I see him, Dr. James. I lose my appetite for my food instantly but I am still hungry. The hunger I have now is different, throbbing and carnal. This deep longing is further south and it aches. I have never felt this way before and I want it to go away. Well, not exactly go away but I know I can’t go down this route. What route? What am I saying? I am a virgin, he is much older than me and as he said I am mind numbing. At least he implied it during his lecture. He is walking towards me and the sensation between my legs is growing more powerful with every step he takes. He looks so professional and hot in his black slacks, green button up Polo shirt and black, Gucci pointed toe shoes. His dread locks fall on his shoulders and he uses one of his hands to tuck a stray behind his ear. I see all of these movements but my eyes are glued to his groin area like a lioness stalking her prey.

“So,” he sits his tray down at my table. “Is this seat taken?”

“No, but there are other tables around,” I look at the many free tables to exaggerate the fact. But then my eyes divert back to the dick imprint in his slacks.

“Would you like me to take a picture and send it to you
?” He laughs.

“Huh? Oh… no I was just umm…you know enjoying the scenery?”
I shake my head and try to be as casual as possible.

“Right,” He nods. “What scenery would that be?”

He is staring me down like a hawk and what can I say. I am caught red-handed staring at his you know what. I can’t be honest because how inappropriate would that be? I look up at him and his eyebrows are raised and his mouth is slightly ajar. If I didn’t know any better, I would assume he is giving me the look but I do. I know better, this asshole is waiting for an answer and I’m not very good at lying.

“You really want me to answer that Dr. James?”
I’m almost certain he doesn’t want to hear the truth.

“I don’t ask questions that I don’t want an answer to. I also hate to hear ignorant remarks such as I don’t know or there isn’t really anything interesting about me so please don’t bother to say anything if that is all you have to say.”
He states.

The nerve of this damn man
is outrageous. If he wants answers, I will give them to him and I’m feeling brave all of a sudden. “I think we both know what I was looking at
Dr. James
. Oh yeah, and before I forget, don’t ever blast me in front of the classroom like that.”

“Excuse me?” He laughs at me as if I am a joke. “I try not to make assumptions because although I am
a man of many talents and I do mean many...” He says allowing his eyes to drop down to my breast and then back up to my face. “I’m not a mind reader. My classroom is just that, mine and if you don’t like it you can drop the course.”

“What is your problem? I haven’t done anything to you. So what, I was daydreaming, is that a crime?”

“I just appreciate a woman, excuse me, a student, more when I have their full attention.” Ok he is definitely flirting with me.

“You have my full attention now, what are you going to do with it?” I lick my lips and that longing comes creeping between my legs
again. I don’t know what has come over me.

“Listen,” He shakes his head and grabs his tray. “Don’t throw yourself at a man, it’s unbecoming. And for the record I rarely, if ever, go for the bone.”

I watch him walk away and I can literally feel the humiliation spreading across my face. I hadn’t meant throw myself at Dr. James but something came over me. Something about his presence made me feel sexually powerful yet weak all at once. Sure, he looks young and approachable but it’s more than that. Something encouraging I think. Or maybe I am changing but I don’t know how or why. If so that is a bridge I will have to cross when I make it there. I just hope I make it there soon because my morals and values feel like they are being tested in the worst way.

The rest of my day goes by smoothly. My other instructors are kind enough and I make a few acquaintances. After plucking out a few guys who have shown more than a friendly interest in me, I end up with two female kindred spirits whom I clicked with immediately. I can’t wait to get back
to my dorm room to tell my best friend Brianna about my eventful day.

“Hey B
.” I sit down on my bed to take off my shoes. “How was your first day?”

“
Giiirrrlll it was the bomb dot com,” Brianna starts. “So I met the finest guy ever, the one I was texting you about earlier in my art class. Remember?”

“Duh how could I forget crazy girl?”

“Whatever,” she uses her two thumbs and index fingers to make a W sign. “Anyway, as I was saying. His name is DJ and he is a junior so he is way more mature than some of these little boys up here. He is a tall, dark skinned brother with a charming smile. Oh and girl his eyes kind of look Chinese…”

Most of what she is saying goes through one ear and out of the other because I am too busy thinking about Dr. James. I want to drop his class but I need the course so I decide against it. I will just have to suck it up and keep a low profile or something. Maybe if I sit in the back and never participate he will forget about our improper run in earlier. Yeah I’m going to try that in his class on Wednesday.

“He is an Alpha Theta and his fraternity is having a meet the greeks party at their frat house tonight and we’re invited.” B is so happy I can’t say no.

“Party time,” I throw my hands up in the air to show my excitement. It is bogus but false motivation is always better than no motivation.