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Breakfast was quick,
fast, and in a hurry. It wasn’t quiet, though. The foursome was chatty...they were all friends now.
Wanda had taken all she found in form of breakfast foods: some quick grits, a few slices of bacon (no, she hadn’t cooked the bacon butt-naked) and some bologna, the four eggs left in the carton, and toasted all the remaining slices of bread. She had sweet thoughts while putting each slice in the fancy toaster. Firstly, she knew she’d always have crazy memories every time she’d see a slice of bread, and secondly, she had to wonder what female had bought two college men a girlie-modern toaster.
Ryan asked, “So, y’all gotta go to work?”
“Yeah,” Kennita said softly. The joy fell out of her suddenly. She wanted to stay there a while.
Wanda looked at her watch, 11 a.m. “We have to be there at 2. We need to get home and change.”
“So where did y’all park,” Al asked.
“Across the campus, somewhere.”
“Somewhere, huh? Damn. Well, at least y’all will be able to walk off the grub.”
“What, you not gonna walk us?” Wanda demanded.
“What, y’all need us to walk y’all back to your car?”
Al didn’t get an answer, he got glared at instead.
“Great. Don’t worry about what I might have to do today and shit.”
“You ain’t got shit to do, playboy,” Ryan said. “So come on and let’s give them a walk.”
“Damn...” Al fell back in his seat. “I gotta wonder, pimpin’, how did you get whipped when you ain’t get none?”
“Don’t you fret much over the answer, homie.”
The guys walked the women to their car in the fresh, warm late morning air. That Saturday morning on JBC campus was quiet. Wanda and Al led the way quietly while Kennita and Ryan were in the rear still talking and laughing. Al was thinking that if Fleshia saw him, he wasn’t going to hide. His plan was to just beat the living shit out of Ryan for talking up walking the girls.
Finally they reached the Wanda’s ride, in a lot damn near a mile from where the dorms were located. The car sat as if waiting patiently for its master.
“Damn, this the hooptie? About time. I thought y’all parked in South Carolina!”
“Shut up,” Wanda said. “Where’s your car?”
“The Mercedes dealer is holding it for me until I get my shit together.”
“Right.”
Al pinched Wanda’s bottom as she pulls away from him. She unlocked the doors with her key alarm pad.
“Give me a kiss good-bye,” Al said.
“Don’t be begging.”
“Girl, you better give me something for this long ass walk.”
“Lazy thing. We gots ta go,” Wanda snapped.
“Okay,” Al said dismissively. “See y’all.”
Wanda popped him good on high on his arm. “What, you in a rush to see us go?”
“Oh, no baby. No. Just, you ready to go so I am trying to let them know you serious.”
“Don’t get hurt out here in the open air, now.”
“Right, right. I’ma calm myself right down.”
“Stop.”
“Come here,” Al said and snatched her into his arms. Wanda was grinning. And instantly they were kissing like a Marine and his wife before going off to war.
Kennita was nervous. She waited, hoped for a good-bye kiss.
There was hesitancy, and it was freaking her out. What was he struggling to say, to do?
“I really had a fun last night,” he finally said.
“I am glad. I had a good time with you. Getting to know you.”
“Yeah, I turned out to be okay, didn’t I?”
Kennita had to smile. “Yes, you came out on top.”
Ryan nodded. “Just tell me the truth, you like me.”
She was blushing so hard her teeth were getting chilled. “You cool,” she finally said.
“I want to be able to call you.”
She dug into his pocket and took possession of his cell phone. She opened it and tapped her number and saved it. She turned the phone to show him she has put it under her name, Kenni.
“You know I like that name.”
She said, “Do I get your number?”
“Sweetheart, you can get all my digits. The cribo, my momma’s house in the Bronx, the burner, all of them.”
“You being silly.”
“I need to ask you something, on the real.”
He had her undivided attention.
He swallowed, and said, “I want you to be my woman.”
My God, Kennita thinks. Hand to her chest, he holding the other and keeps her balanced.
“I want to see you, spend time with you, and be your man.”
Her mouth came open to reply but she caught the words in her mouth. Did he mean sex, or did he mean with him as his woman, as his sweetheart, as his girlfriend?
“Do you want to be with me?”
She had to say something...Wanda was ready to go...All eyes were on her. She said what she thought, what was on top her mind. “I’m scared,” she said in a crack voice.
“Just tell me you feel the same way and we have fun with this.”
She nodded before she could respond. “I want to be with you.”
“I need you to say yes.”
“I thought I did,” she giggled.
“Oh, what the fuck? She goofy now?”
“Shut up over there.”
Al laughed, “She told you, baby!”
“Shut up.”
“Come on,” Ryan said, “I want my yes.”
“Yes, baby.”
The baby added on knocked Ryan back on his heels. He swallowed and came back with, “Then you are my lady and I am a happy man.”
She laughed at an absurd thought, “I never dated a younger man.”
“Me neither.”
“Fag,” Al said.
“So, I’d be wrong if I call you as soon as the car pulls off?”
“If you want to, call me.”
“Baby.” Al mocked his partner, “I ain’t calling for two days”
“And you wrong. You will call. You will have serious withdrawal when I drive the fuck off, buster.”
“You trippin’, for real.”
“And you whipped, so shut up. Ah, hooker? Your ride is going.”
Kennita was nervous all over again. She had waited, hoping for a good-bye kiss that would make her float.
Wanda fired up the engine and a booming rap song came on.
Ryan sighed, “You better go, your girl is ready to be out.” He smiled. He saw she was looking to him, he can finally tell she wanted a kiss, and the time was right.
Ryan moved in, he planted a kiss and her mouth opened as he retreated.
She sighed as if in pain.
Ryan took the hint and went back in for a real smooch.
She came to him this time. She pushed up on her toes and kissed him without their bodies touching.
“Dang, get a room!” Wanda snapped from the driver’s seat. “Y’all kissing like virgins!”
Softly, Ryan said, “Good-bye.”
She grinned mistily up at him “Good-bye is forever.”
“I’ll see you later then, I guess.”
“If you want to.”
“I want to.”
“Anytime you want to.”
“ALL RIGHT, ALL FUCKING READY!” Wanda screamed. “Y’all had all fucking night. We gots to go.”
Kennita smiled, “We gots to go, my ride said.”
“Right. I’ll call you.”
“Please do.”
After a short kiss, Kennita got in the car.
Wanda absorbed her friend’s blush. “Good kisser, huh?”
“My toes are still tingling.”