Chapter 40
Lena walked over to Denise to check on everything.
“Is everything okay?”
Denise could tell that she really was concerned.
“Is Carmen okay?”
“She will be.” Denise responded.
Lena gazed into Denise’s eyes. She handed her a piece of paper. “Read this, okay.” She walked back over to her mother.
As the men’s basketball team was being announced, Denise sat down at her seat and opened the letter.
Denise,
I don’t know what has come over me. I have feelings that I have never experienced before. What could this mean, I really don’t know. All I know is that you are a wonderful woman and it took me this whole school year to realize that I have feelings for you that won’t go away. I want you to make love to me, show me what it’s like to love a woman. I can’t fight this feeling and I need to experience it, and you are the only one who I want. Tonight, our room, after the banquet.
Lena.
Denise re-read the letter three times. She couldn’t actually believe that she was reading what she thought she was reading. She was going to have Lena, the girl she had wanted all year. She was going to give it all to her, and make her realize she was the one for her, not Brandon.
Brandon’s name was called over the microphone; she turned around to hear him speak.
“I just want to say that I truly love Freedom, and my team. I have enjoyed all my years here, but I would like to announce that I am about to make a large step by entering into the draft.”
The whole crowd went wild.
Denise looked at Lena, and she could see the surprised look on her face. She obviously didn’t know he was going to make that announcement.
Just then he continued to speak.
“And with making large changes, I must make one more step, by taking the person who means the world to me with me whereever I end up, as my wife.” He walked off the stage and pulled out a little blue box.
Lena’s face dropped as he got on one knee and presented her with a ring.
Everyone was going crazy.
Denise stood up to see if she could see Lena’s response. Too many people had crowded the area; she didn’t know what was said. She heard the coach get on the microphone.
“Well, well, well, this is a wonderful occasion. Congratulations to Brandon Redding and the future Mrs. Brandon Redding.”
The crowd started to die down. She could see Lena’s parents hugging, as she saw Lena kissing Brandon. She turned around and hugged her parents. She had accepted his proposal. Denise felt her heart sink. She got up and left the room.
Something told her to go to the room and wait. Maybe Lena would show up and still fulfill the destiny that was brought upon them. She headed back to her dorm room.
Denise waited and waited.
By one A.M. she realized Lena was not coming. A piece of her heart dropped.
She walked down to Cooley and Carmen’s room.
Cooley answered the door. “What’s up, bro?” Cooley said.
Denise noticed the reflection of the television in the mirror. Cooley was watching Finding Nemo.
“Can I come in?” Denise looked at Cooley, who let her in the room. She sat in Cooley’s chair. “Finding Nemo, huh?”
“Yeah, something funny to take my mind off of things,” Cooley said as she lay back on her bed. “So what else went down?”
“Well, Lena asked me to sleep with her tonight,” Denise said.
Cooley immediately sat up. “Are you serious?” Cooley was in shock.
“Yup.” She handed the note to Cooley.
Cooley’s expression became very bleak. “Considering that you are in my room right now, I’m guessing she didn’t show up.”
“Nope. After she gave me the letter, Brandon announced that he’s going pro, and he asked her to marry him.”
“Dude, I’m sorry about that for real.”
“Yeah, well, things happen for a reason. It’s probably for the best anyway. So what happened with Misha?”
“Man, it’s over with us. I fucked up big time by calling her a bitch. But she just made me so fucking mad. It’s like I am out here doing all I can to make it work. I gave up my Cool number for her, and she’s not willing to just understand, you know.”
“Well, she has been through a lot dealing with you. Maybe she just couldn’t take it anymore.”
“Yeah, I feel ya. I guess it was kinda hard on her. Man, I was in there just yelling at her, pleading for her to take me back. I actually remembered girls who were doing what I was doing. I guess that’s karma for my ass. So I just said fuck it, I am not letting any woman drive me crazy like that girl has done to me.”
“Yeah, well, welcome to the world of loving someone.”
“Whatever,” Cooley said as she turned the movie back up.
“Where is Carmen?” Denise asked.
“With Nic,” Cooley responded. “Yeah, least someone is getting some tonight.”
“I don’t even want to know how that happened.”
They finished watching the movie. Denise could tell that Cooley was dozing off, so she headed back to her room. She opened the door to find Lena sitting on her bed.
“What’s going on?” Denise’s heart began to beat fast. “Or should I say congratulations?” She noticed the big ring on her finger.
“I guess. Um, can we talk?”
“Sure.” Denise sat on her bed; Lena’s perfume was taking over her again. She tried to remain strong.
“I am having these strange feelings, stuff I have never felt before. I don’t really know what to do about it, and I was hoping you could tell me.”
“Lena, I can’t tell you anything about yourself. You gave me this note, and I honestly admit that I was happy to get it. But you are an engaged woman, now.”
“But, Denise, I still want—”
“Lena, it’s for the best. I am not what you need. You don’t want me, you want to know if you are gay or not. You are not gay. I told you this before. You don’t need to try anything. Just marry Brandon and live your life.”
“But Denise—”
“No buts. That’s how it needs to be.” Denise got into her bed. She turned over. She didn’t want Lena to see her face, and she didn’t want to see her face either. Lena never responded back.
They both went to sleep; Denise knew things had finally changed between her and Lena.