A Love Like This (Book 1) (3 page)

I think for a moment as I cover my body in a thin coat of Satsuma orange body butter.
 
 
“
Scared of what?
”
 
 
I ask
 
as I ease
my dark brown legs into neutral colored stockings.
 

“
You know, about leaving home.
 
You have to be a little scared about going so far away.
”

“
It
’
s an hour flight from Long Beach to Oakland. I
’
m
not
going to the moon.
 
I
’
m more excited than scared.
”

I slip on a knee length loose fitting dress with an empire waist and a large purple flower painted on the bottom. It
’
s a pretty dress though a bit modest
 
for a college junior but I know I
’
ll be taken seriously.
 
I brush my hair back into place where Keisha messed it up then put on purple chunky heels.
 
I dab on mascara and apply shin
y lip gloss and a barely noticeable amount of glittery eye shadow to my lids.
 
I pack all of the lotions and toiletries from the counter in a plastic Ziploc bag then place them in my luggage.

I pick up my
purse and drafting supplies then
turn to take a look around the room.
 
I worked at a fabric store five days a week after school and nearly every penny I earned went towards decorating my bedroom.
 
It is my private sanctuary.
 
I
pee
l
ed
up the old wo
rn carpet and refinished the hard wood floors.
 
I painted the walls egg shell white with a pink accent wall behind my bed.
 
The whole room looks like a soft cloud with feather pillows, down comforters and fluffy rugs.
 
There
’
s also
a white faux fur throw on an arm chair that I found at the goodwill and reupholstered myself.
 

My favorite part of the room is a black and white print of the Stimson House in Los Angeles.
 
It
’
s a
 
Richardsonian
 
Romanesque
 
style of architecture reminiscent of a medieval castle.
 
The house was built in the 1800
and it reminds me
that buildings ar
e
 
one of the few things that
 
have
 
the capacity to last forever.
 
I sigh as I wheel my bags towards the front door with
 
Nickie
following closely behind.
 
 
My dad owns a construction company.
 
He built mom a commercial kitchen so that she could start her own catering business.
 
The house is always full of people, laughter and good food.
 

“
You
’
re going to miss this old house,
”
 
Nickie
 
says.

“
Yeah,
”
 
I say trying not to cry.
 

Uncle
 
Pookie
 
is our father
’
s younger brother.
 
Pookie
’
s
 
real name is Jermaine Peterson.
 
Everyone in my family has a nickname.
 
Most of the names are simple:
 
Nickie
 
is Nick, Keisha is Key and I
’
m baby or baby girl because I
’
m the youngest in the family.
 
However, I have no idea where some of the names originated.
 
We have
 
Pookie,
 
Dayday,
 
Koolaid
 
and my favorite
 
Nogood.
 
I
’
m pretty sure I know where the name
 
Nogood
 
came from.
 
 
Nogood
 
will steal the shoes right off your feet if you stand still long enough.

Pookie
 
is over six feet tall, handsome, intelligent and he is my best friend.
 
We can pass for brother and sister.
 
He
’
s a shade darker than me but we both inherited our Creole ancestors honey colored eyes.
 
I was the first person
 
Pookie
 
told he was gay.
 
When we were younger all of my friends thought they
’
d be the one to make him straight.
 
They relentlessly came on to him.
 
 
Wanika
 
a friend of mine from high school went so far as to show up at his house in nothing but a rain coat.
 
 
Pookie
 
politely told her that he was not interested in her or any other girl.
 
He said,
 
“
However, if I was to miraculously become straight I wouldn
’
t be caught dead with someone who
’
d wear such an ugly coat.
”

“
Look at you baby girl.
”
 
 
He takes my hand and spins me around.
 
 
“
I can
’
t believe you
’
re leaving me, who will I shop with?
 
You know I
’
m coming up as soon as you get settled.
 
I hear Halloween in the Castro District is major.
”
 

I hug
 
Pookie
 
and kiss him on the cheek then reach for
 
Nickie
’
s
 
hand and pull her in for a group hug.
 
 

“
Oh I forgot something,
”
 
Nickie
 
says rushing back inside the house.
 
 
She comes out a few seconds later and hands me a Papyrus gift bag.

We all hug again then quickly turn when we hear tires screech to a halt in front of the house.
 
Damian gets out of a silver Mercedes wearing a gray seersucker suit looking like a snake oil salesman.
 
There is something about this man that I have always hated but I can
’
t put my finger on exactly what it is.
 
 
I mean other than the fact that he
’
s an arrogant, demanding asshole.
 
He pounds on the roof of his car.
 
“
Nickie!
”
 
he yells.
 
She jumps nervously then hurries towards him without a word.
 
 
“
I
’
ve been calling you all morning.
 
Where have you been?
”
 
 
Nickie
 
stands in front of his car with her head lowered.
 
She
’
s wringing her hands and kicking at rocks on the side walk.
 
 
“
Get in the car,
”
 
He says through clinched teeth.

“
Ima
 
go talk to that
 
motha
 
fucka.
”
 
 
I catch
 
Pookie
’
s
 
arm.
 

“
You know what happens every time we get involved.
 
She
’
s going to have to decide when she
’
s had enough.
”

Nickie
 
sits in the car looking at her lap.
 
Damian smiles at
 
Pookie
 
and me.
 
 
“
How ya
’
ll
 
doin
 
today?
”
 
He says, his sparkling white teeth gleaming in the morning sun.
 

Pookie
 
glares at Damian.
 
Sudden recognition registering on his face;
 
“
didn
’
t I see you somewhere this weekend?
”
 
 
Damian
’
s smile fades.
 
He gets back in the car and speeds off.

“
Um hmm, somebody
’
s got a secret.
”

Chapter 2

 
 
 
 
 
It was a sunny eighty-three degrees
 
when
 
I
 
left LA.
 
I hugged my uncle goodbye and nearly sprinted to the ticket counter at the airport.
 
I was so excited about starting my new life as a UC Berkeley junior.
 
However, my excitement was short lived. The grey clouds and brisk air in the Bay Area instantly darken my mood. By the
 
time I
 
get to Berkeley
’
s University Hall I
’
m exhausted and my feet have blisters from the heels I
’
m wearing.
 
I park my bags in a corner of the administration building and text my sister Keisha while standing in the registration line.
 
“
Cold here ready to come home,
”
 
I type while the line slowly moves forward.

Keisha replies a few minutes later,
 
“
Girl please, all the money Momma
and daddy had to pay for you to go to UCB you better put on a
 
fuckin
 
jacket and suck it up.
”
 
 
I want
 
to tell her that Momma
and daddy paid for part of my tuition
 
but a
large portion will be covered with
student loans.

I write,
 
“
Just rude! Have you heard from
 
Nickie?
”
 

She replies,
 
“
No,
 
Pookie
 
told me what happened.
 
She
’
ll be MIA for a
 
minute.
”

A red haired girl with a spare tire and an irritated look on her face taps me on the shoulder and points to the three foot gap in front of me.
 

I roll my eyes at the girl and continue typing while moving forward,
 
“
I
’
ll talk to you later kiss those bad ass kids of yours for me.
”