All That and a Bag of Chips (20 page)

This year was going to be a little different. Bryan was also bringing some of his partners to homecoming. Thank God Sinclair wasn't coming! Venice was a little disappointed that she wouldn't get to see Crimson though. Regardless, she was still planning on having a great time. The band was tuning up for the huge pep rally planned in the student center courtyard. Many students were already there to claim their spots for the rally.

As Venice walked up the steps into the courtyard, she heard Monique call out to her.

“Woo, woo, woo, woo!”

“Girl, you sure are crazy. How are you doing?”

“I'll make it.”

“If you see them, you point them out to me. Okay?”

“Venice, leave it alone. Please?”

“I can't, Monique. How long have you been here?”

“I just got here and I saved your spot. Where's Chanelle?”

“She said she was coming with Mr. Spoonie.”

“All right now. They sure have gotten close over the past few weeks.”

“He's a nice guy. He'll be good for Chanelle.”

“So where is your friend Joshua?”

“He's around here somewhere with Galen.”

About then, the girls heard the drums of the band echoing in the air. This always meant the band was on their way. The courtyard was full of students and their families, alumni, and visitors in town for the game. The majorettes appeared first as they rounded the corner. Venice thought the guys standing next to them were going to pass out. All you could hear was, “Lord, have mercy! Look at the legs on that one!”

Monique and Venice were standing upon an upper platform, which gave them a great view of the courtyard. The crowd was going wild, dancing to the beat of the band. After a short speech, the student body president introduced the starting lineup on the football team, Galen included. The cheerleaders led a cheer. The band went directly into another popular dance number. The majorettes showed their skills by dancing and kicking with the ability to still hold a perfect smile. Venice and Monique, along with hundreds of others, were really enjoying the pumped up pep rally.

It wasn't long before Venice felt someone's arms embrace her from behind. It sort of startled her but when she turned, she saw it was her boo and some of his friends. Craig hugged and kissed her neck, then said, “Monique, let me holler at you for a second.”

Monique followed Craig off to the side and asked, “What's up?”

“Venice told me what happened to you and I'm sorry. But, Monique, you need to report it.”

She folded her arms and said, “Craig, leave it alone. It was my fault.”

“You better show them to me!”

“Okay!”

About that time, two guys pushed through the crowd past her. She heard one of them say, “Hey Monique, baby. Girl, you sure know how to party.”

Monique scooted away from the guy, then another one looked her up and down and said, “Just like candy.”

They burst out laughing as they continued to walk through the crowd.

Craig asked, “Is that them?”

“Yeah.”

“Cool. Don't worry, Monique. They won't bother you or anybody else again.”

“I hope not.”

“Tell my girl I'll catch up with her later. I see some old friends I want to holler at.”

“Okay.”

Monique went back and joined Venice. She said, “Craig said he'll catch up with you later.”

“Where did he go?”

“He saw some old friends or something.”

Venice smiled and said, “Okay.”

“Venice, I noticed that you don't try to keep up with Craig. Why is that?” “Why should I? I mean a man's going to do what he wants to do regardless. That's added stress I don't need. I don't have time to try and track a man down.”

“As fine as Craig is, I would be worried as hell to let him out of my sight. I see girls all the time trying to push up on him. He's friendly with them, but they try to take his friendliness for flirting.”

“If Craig's going to hook up with somebody, I can't stop him. It's all about how far he's willing to go. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to think about him messing around. But if he does, I'd rather he told me than find out from someone else. I told him a long time ago that if he wanted to date other women, he could. Especially since I still visit Jarvis some times. He didn't want to and now that I've gotten closer to him, I don't want him to either.”

Monique smiled and said, “Girl, that was deep as hell! You need to teach that shit in the lounge at night or something. These foolish girls I hang with are always paging their men and tracking the hell out of them.”

“They just don't know, that's partly what makes them cheat. No man wants to feel like he's on lockdown or constantly under surveillance. If you give them their space, they ain't going no where. But, if you crowd their asses, they can't wait to get away from you. I've always given my men their space. Hell, I had them tracking me down and I was being a good girl.”

They laughed together and Monique saw that Venice really did have her head on straight. But, she still was torn between two wonderful men.

“Girl, Jarvis paged me about two this morning, but I couldn't call him back, if you know what I mean. Craig knew it was him, but he didn't say anything. I know Jarvis is going to be tripping when I finally talk to him.”

“I figured he would page you. He called the room first. I just told him you were out.”

Venice grew silent and admired the females on the homecoming court in their matching outfits who really looked nice. Venice and Monique agreed that it seemed like the person who spends the most money campaigning usually ends up winning homecoming queen.

When the pep rally was over, Venice and Monique started walking toward their dorm. Craig had disappeared into the crowd. Venice figured he'd eventually catch up with her sooner or later. As they walked and talked, they saw alumni, old and young, wearing homecoming, frat and sorority T-shirts, representing.

Venice said, “I'm thinking about pledging next year. What about you?”

“I don't know, girl. If one of those skanks put her hands on me, I might have to give her a beatdown.”

The two gave each other a high-five and laughed loudly as they entered their dorm lobby.

When they walked in, there stood Galen and Joshua talking to some girls.

Monique hollered out, “Ooooh! I'm telling Sidney!”

He turned and said, “Girl, go on somewhere!”

Venice went over and gave Joshua a big hug, which they held for quite some time.

He said, “Niecy, you're looking good! Galen has been taking me everywhere. There's so many fine women up here, I'm going to lose my mind.”

“Slow down, Joshua. I want you to meet my roommate.” Venice introduced them and then asked, “What are you guys getting ready to do?”

“We came over to get you and your girls. Where's dude?”

“I was with him for a minute in the courtyard until he saw some of his friends and disappeared. I guess he'll page me or something when he gets a chance.”

Joshua looked at Venice and said, “Don't trip Venice. It's homecoming.”

“Whatever! Do ya'll want to get something to eat?”

“I do, but I don't know about Galen.”

“Let me go up to the room for a minute and I'll be back down.”

Joshua went back to staring at all the women. “I'll be right here when you get back.”

Venice laughed and said, “Don't get into anything.”

He grinned devilishly. “I'll try.”

People were everywhere. Venice and Monique waited for the elevator, but it was taking too long so Venice decided to take the stairs.

“Monique, I'm going to take the stairs and stop by Chanelle's room to see if she wants to hang with us. I'll be up shortly. Okay?”

“See ya! Wouldn't want to be ya!”

Venice knocked on Chanelle's door, but didn't get an answer. She must've still been hanging out with Spoonie. Venice took the stairs to her floor and when she entered the room, Monique was on the phone.

“Here she is now. Do you want to holler at her?”

“Is that Bryan?”

Monique said, “It's your rod!”

Venice took the phone, “Hello?”

“What are you doing?”

“Getting ready to go get something to eat with Joshua. Do you want to come?”

“Sure! Are you meeting him somewhere?”

“He's waiting for us in the lobby with Galen.”

“I'm on my way. Hey! Are you going out tonight?”

“I'm not sure. Are you?”

“Some of my partners want to go to some party.”

Venice told Craig to go ahead and hang with his boys if he wanted to. She told him that she was going to stay in that night.

Craig asked, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Craig. Now I'll see you in a minute. Look, would it be okay if Joshua hangs with you tonight. I know Bryan and his boys are going to end up no telling where. Joshua would have more fun with you and your friends.”

“Sure, Venice, but if you want to get together, I can tell them I already have plans.”

“No, I want you to take Joshua out. You've been hanging with me all week.”

“Okay. I'll see you in a minute.”

As she hung up, the phone rang again and Venice answered, “Hello?”

It was Jarvis. He angrily asked, “Oh, you can't answer my pages now?”

Venice was speechless for a moment, but she was finally able to say, “I'm sorry, Jarvis. It was late.”

“I don't give a damn what time it was. It never stopped you from calling me back before. Where were you?”

Venice became agitated. “Don't ask me something you don't want to know the answer to.”

“It doesn't matter anyway. I know where you were and what you were doing. I'm tired of this shit, Venice!”

“Jarvis, don't do this right now! You know how I feel about you. That's all that matters.”

“The hell it does! The first chance I get, I'm coming down there and getting this settled for once and for all.”

Monique could see that Venice was getting upset. “Don't come down here starting anything, Jarvis!”

“See ya!”

He slammed the phone down in her ear. Venice just stood there and quietly hung up the phone.

Monique asked, “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine. Thanks for asking. Let's go. I'm going to leave Chanelle a message on her phone so she'll know where we are.”

Monique said, “Joshua sure is cute!”

Venice solemnly said, “Everybody's cute to you, Monique.”

They left the room to meet the guys downstairs.

After meeting back up in the lobby, Craig leaned over to Monique and said, “Those guys won't be bothering you or any other girl any more.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know. Now forget about it.”

Monique did feel reassured and decided not to inquire any further.
Craig didn't notice Venice's mood was off, but Joshua picked up on it the moment she walked back into the lobby. He decided to be nosey later.

 

Moments after slamming the phone
down, Jarvis stormed out of his room. He had to get it out of his system. As much as he loved Venice, she was driving him completely out of his mind. He was dying a slow death knowing another man was putting his hands and everything else on
his
woman.

When he pushed the door of his dorm open, he nearly knocked Lydia to the ground. Luckily, she was able to step aside at the right moment. Lydia was an attractive, dark chocolate sista with long, shapely legs. Her southern accent stood out among the majority of the students, as well as the microbraids that hung midway her back.

“Oh! I'm sorry, Lydia. Are you okay?”

“I think so. Where are you going in such a hurry?”

Lydia shared a class with him and she was about the only female on campus who didn't seem to be chasing him. They had spent some time together studying and working on class projects, but that was as far as it went.

“I needed to get some air. Where are you headed?”

“I was coming to see if you wanted to catch a movie or something.”

“I don't know, Lydia. I wouldn't be much company right now. I've got a lot on my mind.”

She put her hands on her hips and asked, “Who is she and what did she do?”

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he answered, “It's personal.”

Locking arms with him, she said, “In that case you could use some cheering up, so let's go and I won't take no for an answer.”

“Okay! Okay! You win this time.”

They went to the movies, but Jarvis could not forget the heated argument he'd had earlier with Venice.

Back on campus, he walked Lydia to her room.

“You want to come in, Jarvis?”

“Nah, I don't think so. I'd better be getting back. Thanks for inviting me to the movies.”

Lydia walked right up to him and pressed her body into his and said, “I won't bite.”

She took him by the hand and led him into her room.

An hour later, Jarvis was sitting on the edge of the bed with his hands over his face. “Lydia…this should've never happened. I was angry and hurting and I let things go too far.”

Pulling the sheets over her naked body, she said, “I'm not sorry. I like you, Jarvis, and I would like to get to know you even better.”

He stood up and started getting dressed. Rubbing his hand over his short, wavy hair, he softly said, “I'm in love with someone else, Lydia. I don't want to hurt you, but this could never happen again.”

“If she really loved you, she wouldn't have hurt you like this.”

Jarvis came over, sat on her bed, and kissed her on the cheek. “You're a good friend, Lydia, and I want to keep it that way. Just friends. Okay?”

“What's so special about her? You have her name tattooed on your arm and still she hurts you.”