WESLEY
Lori and I hung out at Mr. Submarine until around 6:00 p.m. We talked about a lot of stuff that was going on in each other’s lives. I told her about how crazy my mother was and how my father and I were closer than we’d ever been. We talked about the hope and uncertainty of getting into a good college. We discussed some of the bizarre habits of the faculty and a few of the wild rumors floating around about teachers who were secretly dating students. When we left, I walked her home, which was without question out of my way. However, Lori had worked on me and had gotten me to calm down a little, as well as help me understand her perspective. I didn’t agree with a lot of her actions and behavior, but there was something about hearing the logic and thoughts that motivated her. Along the route to her dad’s house, there was a park. Lori, who was clearly in no hurry to return, suggested we stop and sit on the park bench for a little while longer. I agreed and a short time later, I found myself watching the bright sun duck down below the orange-and-red horizon.
Lori began stroking my hair. “You have very soft hair,” Lori said, complimenting me on my finer grade of hair.
“Why are girls so big on hair?” I asked even though I sort of already knew the answer to that question.
“Our hair or guys’ hair?” she asked for clarification.
“Guys’ hair. I mean, dudes don’t care much about hair outside of getting a fresh cut. We don’t care about what shampoo or conditioner goes into it. We just wash it, and move on.”
“Girls look for men with a finer grade of hair to determine if they want to have a baby with the guy. No girl wants to give birth to a nappy-headed baby or at least that’s been sort of the unwritten rule and tradition.”
“What’s wrong with nappy hair?” I pressed the issue even though I didn’t particularly care one way or the other.
“Nothing really. It’s just a hang-up some people have. That’s one of the reasons I like India.Arie’s song, ‘I Am Not My Hair.’”
“Yeah, that’s a cut,” I admitted as the tune began to play inside my mind.
“So, Wesley…truthfully. What’s the deal with you and Keysha? Are you guys still dating or what?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know where Keysha and I are. And honestly, you being here in Illinois isn’t helping me win any redemption points with her.”
“If she truly wanted to be with you she would have called or at a minimum sent you a text by now. Has she done that?” Lori asked, prying heavily into my relationship with Keysha. I removed my cell phone to see if I’d missed any messages from Keysha. To my disappointment she had not tried to contact me at all.
“No. She hasn’t tried to reach me.”
Lori traced the outline of my face with her index finger. “I don’t want to sound insensitive, but it’s over between you and her whether you realize it or not.”
“I keep feeling like if I could just get her to listen to me, she’ll come around. We’ll forgive each other, renew our commitment to one another and move forward.”
“You know what you need to do?” Lori asked.
“What?”
“You need to stop pining over her. No girl wants a sappy, needy guy,” Lori professed.
I frowned at her comment. “I’m not a sappy guy,” I said, shooting down her perception of me.
“Oh, yes, you are.” Lori chuckled. “You’re kind of a hopeless romantic who doesn’t realize that the love story express has derailed.”
“That is so cold.” I felt as if she was stepping on my heart.
“What’s so cold about the truth? I mean if more people would be truthful with each other we would have a lot less misunderstandings.”
“So what’s the real truth about you, Lori? Why are you in my life?”
“I’ve told you a thousand times. I believe destiny is guiding us toward each other.”
I laughed; she didn’t see her own hypocrisy. “And you call me the hopeless romantic.”
“Oh, you’re trying to bust me out now?”
“Why beat around the bush?” I asked.
“True. Why should I beat around the bush? Do you remember the first day we met at your grandmother’s house?” Lori stood up to face me and then straddled me. She then positioned herself so that her behind was resting on my lap. I instinctively wrapped my arm around her waist.
“Yeah, I remember,” I said, inconspicuously guiding my hand around the curve of her hip.
“I knew I liked you right away. You didn’t have to say a single word to me. There was something about you that I was drawn to. I was drawn to you in a way that I’d never experienced before. Now tell me the truth—when you saw me, weren’t you attracted to me?”
I thought about what she’d just said and tried to think clearly instead of allowing my lust to offer up a false answer.
“When I saw you I thought you were decent-looking. I sized you up and made some assumptions.”
“You’re beating around the bush, Wesley.” Lori craned her neck toward me and kissed me. The fluctuation of Lori’s hips against my body during the kiss shifted my thinking. I suddenly yearned and ached for her. I wanted to explore every inch of her and learn the secrets and mysteries of her body, which had not been discovered by a man. “Did you want to have sex with me when you first saw me?” Lori boldly asked.
“Yes,” I answered as she sucked on my bottom lip.
“Then you are destined to unlock my treasure and enjoy the fortune that awaits you inside of me.”
By the time I arrived home it was close to eight in the evening. I was thankful neither my dad nor grandmother were there to ask a bunch of questions that I didn’t feel like answering. I went to my room, undressed and took a long shower. When I was done, I put on some sweatpants and my Thornwood T-shirt. I went to my room, rested on my bed, and replayed what had taken place between Lori and me. Admittedly, I was confused. My lust dominated and tortured my devotion to Keysha. I grabbed my cell phone from the nightstand and sent a text message to Keysha.
Wesley: Hey U.
To my complete surprise and utter shock she returned my text.
Keysha: Hey U back.
Wesley: What R U doing?
Keysha: Wuz talking 2 Mike. Now N my room doing homework.
Wesley: R U mad @ me?
Keysha: I wuz but not anymore. U have a new girl. I’m over it. I have moved on.
Wesley: It’s not like that.
Keysha: Yeah right. I am not stupid.
Wesley: I didn’t say u were.
Keysha: QQ.
Wesley: Shoot.
Keysha: Y is Lori at Thornwood?
Wesley: She had to leave after her house got shot up.
Keysha: What????
Wesley: Some gangbangers shot up her house b-cause she was a witness.
Keysha: Witness 2 what?
Wesley: Her boyfriend shot me.
Keysha: WTF?
Wesley: I no. It’s complicated.
Keysha: Sounds like u have a mess on ur hands. So now U R in 2 gangster girls?
Wesley: Y R U trip n? U should trust me.
Keysha: I did and U broke my heart. Can’t let dat happen again.
Welsey: I’m sorry. I really am.
Keysha: It is what it is.
Wesley: I want 2 C U again.
Keysha: 4 what?
Wesley: b-cause
Keysha: Nope. All U R gonna do is play me.
Wesley: U don’t believe dat.
Keysha: QQ.
Wesley: Shoot.
Keysha: is she giving u the punany?
Wesley: No.
Keysha: Yeah right. I bet she want 2.
Wesley: QQ.
Keysha: O now U got questions.
Wesley: Yes. Do U love me?
Keysha: In what way?
Wesley: The same way U did when I left.
Keysha: QQ.
Wesley: How R U gonna answer a Q with a Q?
Keysha: Do she love u?
Wesley: In what way?
Keysha: WTF Wesley? Answer the damn Q.
Wesley: What do U want me 2 say?
Keysha: How about the truth?
Wesley: Y R we talking about her? We should talk about us.
Keysha: QQ.
Wesley: What?
Keysha: Y did U let her interrupt us at my locker?
Wesley: I was surprised 2 C her. I didn’t know she was here.
Keysha: U R lying 2 me.
Wesley: No I am not.
Keysha: Yeah right.
Wesley: QQ.
Keysha: What?
Wesley: When can I C U again?
Keysha: I don’t have time 2 C U.
Wesley: Y not?
Keysha: I have practice.
Wesley: 4 what?
Keysha: I made the drama club. Got the lead part.
Wesley: Really? Congrats. Did not no dat. Can’t wait 2 C it.
Keysha: QQ.
Wesley: Yeah?
Keysha: How is ur shoulder?
Wesley: Good getting better every day. I C a doctor later in da week.
Keysha: So do I.
Wesley: Y what’s wrong?
Keysha: Folks R making me C a shrink b-cause of U.
Wesley: Huh?
Keysha: I ran away from home 2 C U and U had dat be-huch there kissing all over U and U made me feel really stupid.
Wesley: I did not no U ran away from home 2 C me.
Keysha: Dat is how deeply I used 2 love U. Now I got 2 C a damn shrink b-cause my folks think I am crazy and bipolar.
Wesley: I’m sorry. I did not no.
Keysha: Well now u do. I told my dad our love wuz 2 strong 2 B broken.
Wesley: I still do love U Keysha.
Keysha: Ne-grow please! I heard dat u wuz @ Mr. Submarine getting a rub down!
Wesley: What U got spies now?
Keysha: Well iz it true?
Wesley: QQ.
Keysha: What?
Wesley: Can we just start over?
Keysha: I already have. TTYL.