Page 62 of Off the Charts
I leaned back in my chair. “I never cared about having more than one woman. It’s easy to play and gamble with their hearts just because I could. It’s lame and shows that I lack self-control if I’m being honest,” Ced looked off and I could tell he was a little offended, but it was the truth. “To answer you, I have one woman, and she fulfills so much in me that I feel like I have seventeen women in one. That’s all I need. You’re still young. One day, you’ll get there.”
“Yeah, one day I will. It sounds good, but I’m a young nigga. I got a girl for everything.” He smirked, standing to his feet. Like I knew he would, he started shooting invisible buckets. I watched him jump across my office and give me fake ass advice on women like he wasn’t but a fraction of my age. “Oh, and I started journaling like you told me to. When I get sad instead of fighting, I have been writing down my feelings. On paper, I can beat anybody’s as—behind. It makes me feel good. I appreciate you.”
That made me smile hearing that he was using my tactics. We conversed for another ten minutes before I wrapped up our session and saw him out. Since it was the second day of school,our time was limited but there were certain students I needed to lay eyes on.
The bell rang and kids filled the hallways like roaches. Leaning against the doorpost, I eavesdropped on the chatter of the students, watched them run to make their class, while others picked through their lockers and moved as if they had all the time in the world.
“Aye!” I snapped my fingers at two students who were preparing to lip lock. “No kissing in the hallways.”
“Lil’ niggas sum else ain’t it?” Shawn approached me from my right side. We dapped. “What’s up, my boy?”
“What’s good family. You straight?”
That boy smiled so damn big and from a nigga who also got some fire ass head this morning, I knew what that shit meant. We fell out in laughter without ever saying shit.
“Aye man. Life is good bro. I saw the pictures of y’all at the birthday party. Proud of you for taking our advice and going all in. Gone and give me a niece and nephew.”
“Niece and nephew?” Nick stepped out of the supply closet. My brow raised. I looked in the distance to see Desiree further down the hall. I cut my eyes back to Nick who was adjusting his tie then over at Shawn who shook his head.
“You niggas is wild as fuck,” I pointed at him, shaking my head.
“Better hope Voss don’t run them cameras,” Shawn added.
“Voss can’t say shit when she fucking Griff where they sign write-ups at,” Nick fussed. “She take me to the board, we all going down. Fuck it. Your girl pregnant, Vayce?”
“That’s how rumors get started,” I mumbled as I made eye contact with Zion who was going toward the fifth-grade hall. He threw his head up with a smile and I did the same, watching him until he was out of my sight. “She ain’t pregnant yet. Shawn was just saying that’s what he want.”
“Me too. Dess and I don’t want kids, so I’m depending on you niggas. Get to work,” Nick extended his hand while we laughed. “Let me go teach these niggas real chemistry.”
“Yeah, I’m out too. Gotta head over to the high school to make sure Beautiful gets her cinnamon roll. See y’all later.”
We all went our separate ways. The day went by smoothly and seemed to fly by. The time on the clock showed me it was time for lunch and just as I was about to lock my office doors there was a small knock. I can’t lie. I got irritated, thinking it was a teacher preparing to ask me to clean up their bullshit, but when I opened the door, everything else faded.
She stood in a simple spaghetti strap, ankle length sundress with sandals that showed her pretty lime green painted toes. Her natural hair was in tight coils that fell just below her shoulders. Jersei and beauty went hand in hand, and I was convinced this mutha’fucka could wear a piece of tissue and still be the most stunning person I’d ever seen.
“Um, I believe I have a delivery for Mr. Denver. Do you happen to know where his office is?”
I licked my lips and smiled. “Do you really want to find out?”
“I do,” she did a little dance. I grabbed her free arm, pulled her into my office, closed the door, then pinned her against the door. I kissed her throat twice then ran my tongue up until it was inside of her mouth. She moaned into it as I tasted the oat smoothie that lingered on her tongue. I pulled away to give her a second to breathe and her eyes slowly opened.
“How the fuck is it possible to miss you and I just left you a few hours ago?” I bit into her bottom lip and kissed the sting away.
She giggled. “I felt the same way. That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I took Zion a fifteen-piece wing and got you some other stuff.” I created space between us so she could collect herself, plus the lunch clock was ticking.
“Happy second day baby! I had to work yesterday, but I’m here now. This is for you,” she sang. In her hand was a bag of food, a gift basket, and two balloons that readcongratulationsandhappy birthday. “Yes, I know your birthday is in November, but they didn’t have anything else but good luck and we don’t believe in luck around these parts. We believe in blessings, so pretend that it reads, good blessings,” she ran her hands over the words.
I looked at the gift basket. There was a mug, a journal, some cards, a gift card, and some other things along with a stuffed teddy bear. The shit made my heart thump, and it increased when I smelled the hot lemon pepper wings from The Chicken Hut. She knew what I liked.
“There's so much shit in there you’ll like and a few things that will be helpful for the kids too and your lunch is in there.”
“Thank you, baby. I ‘preciate you thinking of me. I’ma put it on the shelf.” I sat back at my desk. We started talking about everything and nothing at all. It was the mere fact that we were together that made me happy.
Halfway through my wings, my appetite seemed to change. I went over to my sink, removed my gloves that came with the order, and scrubbed my hands down. I typically didn’t use gloves, but I had plans. My eyes flickered over to Jersei who was writing a love note on my dry erase board and signing her name. I scanned her backside watching the way her ass moved although she was barely taking steps. I needed that.
I didn’t remember what vinyl was on my record player, but I dropped the needle and “T-shirt” by Destiny’s Child started. Glancing at my watch, I saw there were only seven minutes before my break was over, but I only needed two.
“Miss J,” my tone changed unintentionally. Jersei turned on her toes. “Lock the door and c’mere.”
