Faces of the Game (20 page)

              Naptime, the two lugged their bags into the house and dove onto the bed.  They wrestled and horse played over the left side of the bed which was right next to the bay window until they fell asleep in each other’s arms.  About four hours later Chelle rolled over, and looked out of the window, the sky was a royal blue as if the sun had set right before she opened her eyes.  She stretched and got out of bed, showered and started looking for an outfit.  Chip rolled over shortly after, and flipped on the television while he eyeballed Chelle as she searched the little corner of the closet where most of her clothes were.  “What are you wearing tonight?”  He asked as he got off of the bed.  Chelle wanted to chill, she decided to wear a fitted v-neck, skinny jeans a nice pair of B Brian Atwood suede pumps and a blazer.  She pulled her hair into a messy bun and wore a pair of diamond hoop earrings; she was on chill mode but still fly.  Chip couldn’t ask for a better girlfriend, even when she didn’t care she looked like a bag of money.  She blotted her cheeks with pink blush and applied a light layer of neutral color eye shadows, she topped off her make up with a little mascara and sat on the bed while Chip put on his crisp jeans and sweater.  Off they were to have a fun night on the town, they went to a laid back bar in Duluth before heading to the club, they went to the club where they officially exchanged numbers and started talking; they sat there and reminisced about the fun times they had had, the arguments that they encountered and how they would feel if they were to be separated.  Tears came to both of their eyes, but neither of them let their tears fall.  They felt as if they were the only two in the entire club, nothing even mattered.   

              When they got back home, neither of them were sleepy yet because of the long nap they had taken right before going out so they decided to celebrate their anniversary.  Chip was so excited to give Chelle her earrings, but he had to be silly.  He went into his room and closed the door, he placed the earrings in a leather earring box that he had, and he went back downstairs.  Chelle had his watch in her bag that was on the couch, she just pulled the small A|X bag out and sat it on the couch.  When he got downstairs, he got on one knee and pulled the box out of his hand.  “Chelle, I love you and I don’t want to be with anyone but you…” 
Oh shit, if he asks me to marry him, I’m saying no.  I mean, I would have to wait a few years.  Oh gosh, what in the world…
Chelle’s heart was fluttering, she had butterflies in her heart.  “Would you marry me?”  He asked as he opened the box of earrings, “If my situation wasn’t so messed up?”  Chelle had the biggest burst of laughter, it was a sigh of relief and she was tickled. “You play too much!”  She said mushing him in the face, and then she took time to admire the beautiful diamond earrings.  They were beautiful; she had never had diamonds of such caliber.  She gazed at them for a few moments, “I love them, they look flawless.”  “I’m glad you like them baby.”  He sat on the couch and told her to put them on.  She screwed the back of the earrings on and pulled her pocket mirror out of her hand bag and smiled.  Chelle told Chip to close his eyes and not to open them until she said so.  She pulled the watch out of the bag and slid it on his wrist, clasped the back of it and said “Open!”  Chip looked down, and his face lit up.  “I like this”, he said matter of factly.  “Now do you see why I wanted to get away from you? Psycho.” Chelle laughed and kissed him.  “Oh you hadn’t got me a gift yet? You ain’t shit, thank you baby” he said laughing.  He started tickling her, she laughed like a child.  “Come on let’s go to bed” he said, they both headed upstairs…

Eighty Five North

              Chelle was back on the highway that she knew oh so well, but this time she was riding shot gun.  Chip drove her car back to North Carolina; his homeboy would drive his car back later that week.  She leaned her seat back and looked at the sky as they both blew cush through the tinted windows of Chelle’s car.  Chip popped in a Ross CD, and they talked about everything life had to offer while on the road trip.  When they hit South Carolina, 3 cop cars came flying down the highway doing at least 130 mph in a 65 mph zone; they weren’t close yet but you could tell they were driving fast and the sirens were faster than normal as if they were keeping up with the speed of the car.  Chelle’s heart dropped when she looked in the rear view mirror, she was so nervous her underarms started tingling.  Chip pulled over onto the shoulder quickly, sweat poured down his face the two automatically squeezed hands as tight as they could.  When the cars got closer, Chelle noticed two more cars.  She sunk down in her seat, her limbs felt like noodles; she closed her eyes and began to pray.  When she was done, she realized that the sweat combined from both she and Chips palms created a micro-pond.  They were both silent…  The police cars flew by with no hesitation, the two were relieved but not comfortable about anything.  They sat there in pure silence for at least five more minutes.  “You drive, that shit scared the life out of me” “It scared the soul out of me”; they just shook their heads and proceeded to change seats.  When they got back into the car, they looked at each other and hysterically laughed.  “You good?” Chelle asked as she adjusted her seat.  “Hell no, I’m shook, if we get pulled over I’m rolling over and going to sleep, deal?”  “Deal” Chelle said laughing.   Needless to say, they made it home safe, but that was so awkward that Chelle started to rethink everything that was currently going on in her life.  When she finally got to her apartment, she just wanted to be alone, Chelle was unusually quiet and worn out.  Her mind was racing; she couldn’t believe she was head over hills with someone who couldn’t promise he’d be there in the morning.  It made her sick to her stomach, and even worse she didn’t feel like being around him.  It was her last semester in college, and she was trying to move forward in her life, chase her dreams, motivate the younger children in her family and prove that it could be done; she wanted to graduate and get a taste of Corporate-America.  She wanted to explore young adulthood stress free, and most of all she wanted to passionately love.  The problem was, she loved Chip with all of her innocent heart… On the other hand, Chip felt bad.  He knew he wasn’t in the predicament to do anything productive, helpful or fulfilling at this moment and he wanted Chelle to be treated like a Queen every day and he didn’t feel like he could provide that at the very moment.  “Baby, I’m sorry” he said breaking the silence, the air was thick enough to slice with a butcher knife and it was understood without a word why there was such an awkward silence.  Chelle didn’t say a word, she tried to utter something but tears streamed down her face and the lump in her throat shoved the works back down her throat.  Chip just held her in his arms, a tear dropped from his eye onto her forehead and he kissed it…

              They woke up the next morning and took on the mindset that tomorrow is not promised, Chip wanted for Chelle to bear his next child; Chelle couldn’t imagine doing that to herself at her age, with no commitment and no stable career.  “Nope, let me get about ten or twelve more years under my belt” Chelle said laughing it off.  Chip felt like he needed a way to ensure that she would always be around no matter what.  He knew that he didn’t want to leave her in that predicament, but he felt like after he went to serve time he would be forgotten and Chelle would move on.  She seemed loyal to him, but time goes on and people change.  “So you wouldn’t have my baby?  You know he or she would be straight no matter what, right?”  “Of course, but not until I have my dream wedding which would be after I have established my lucrative career”  Chelle replied letting him know that she was nowhere near ready to make that life changing decision so soon.  He dove on top of her and kissed her all over her face and lips really fast, and tickled her.  “Ewe get off of me with that morning breath” Chelle said as she let out a childish giggle and trying to tickle him back.  After a few moments, he stopped and looked her in her eyes “I really do love you, almost more than I love me” “I know you do Chip, trust me I know how you feel about me”.  She looked back into his eyes sincerely, “I wish you could just stay and start over on a clean slate.”  She leaned on him as he layed on his back, her eyes scanned him from head to waist.  “Why didn’t you just stay in school?  You and B were doing so good all of two weeks, why didn’t you just stick it out for a few more semesters?”  “Well, I was bored and my money started slowing down.  I couldn’t make the moves I wanted to make when I needed to make them.  Besides, it just wasn’t for me.”  He said trying to justify why he paid tuition at a technical college just to attend for two weeks.  “Which is exactly how I know that you are not ready for a child with me, you’re not ready for adulthood” Chelle was serious, but she tried her hardest to sound as if she was kidding.  She wasn’t ready for adulthood either, but she was mature enough to know what she needed to do to get to the next level in her life. 
Guys always seem to be ten years behind when it comes to maturity. 
Chelle thought to herself as she leaned over on him and grabbed the remote control from the night stand.  As she picked up the remote, his cell phone rang silently.  She looked at him, “your phone” she said as she leaned against her pillow on the headboard.  He answered it “What’s up, oh yeah that’s straight you know where I’m at.  You already know.”  Chip chuckled at his homeboy on the other end of the phone.  Chelle didn’t ask who it was, nor did she ask what the conversation was about; she could figure out the gist of the conversation by what Chip said.  She thought about it, and she needed to know who knew where Chip was and where she lived. 
He’s smart, I’m good. If not, I know how to handle everything, but no need in me thinking like this.  This shit is starting to drive me crazy, oh my goodness. 
Tears came to Chelle’s eyes, she slid out of the bed and decided to take a shower and throw on some lounge wear.  “Babe, I’m going to Charlotte for a few to lay low, ol’ boy bringing the car to me today.”  “Cool” Chelle replied while she dried her arms and legs and put lotion on.  Chelle was so ready for him to leave simply because she was too in love with him to get any closer than she had already gotten.  She was trying to train herself to let go of him, it seemed like the hardest thing to do on earth.  Chelle was tough, and she always bounced back with no remorse, but she didn’t have the best feeling that this was going to go so smoothly.  Chip turned his ringer on vibrate so he could hear and or feel it when it rang.  They spent the next few hours talking about where they wanted to be ten and twenty years later, what they wanted to name their kids, and everything in between.               

              “What’s up, I’m out here” his homeboy said into the phone.  Chelle was happy and sad all in one breath.  She was hoping that it wouldn’t be her last time seeing him, she couldn’t wait to let the eyes in the back of her head rest as her emotional status was a whirlwind.  They gave each other a long drawn out hug and a passionate pop kiss.  They said their I love you’s and Chip was leaving out the door.  “Call me once you make it there.”  “It might be a few days, and probably a new number.” 

Final Semester

              Christi walked into class about two minutes after Chelle, “Chelle!  Where have you been?”  “Girl where do I start?”  Chelle said looking at Christi with exhaust in her eyes.  “You can start over a bottle of wine, at the house tonight around 10:30?”  “Sounds like a plan, what are we cooking?”  Chelle wanted to know.  “I don’t know girl, let’s go to the grocery store and find something good to cook.”  The Professor walked into class, “Good morning, hope you all had a wonderful Christmas break.”  She continued by going over the syllabus and explaining to the students what she expected out of them.  This was the last semester for most of them, they had a lot of work to complete but there was no better feeling than to know that they were earning their degrees from an accredited historically black university with a prestigious reputation.  Chelle looked over the syllabus and highlighted the book name that she needed along with the materials she would need for class.  This was an online class, but the teacher did require three meetings which was the first day, the day of mid-terms and the last day of class which was fine with the students. 

              “We need to go in half on this book though, when do you want to get it?”  Christi said to Chelle as they packed their things and prepared for the end of class.  “You already know I’m ready, we can go to the used book store on Battleground when we leave.”  Chelle said.  “Ok cool, who’s driving?”  “You” Chelle laughed.  “Come on, let’s get it”.  They walked out of class and discussed their schedules for their last semester at their beloved University.  They talked so much junk about A&T but when it came to it, they were proud to be Aggies.

              “Hey, what’s going on?  How was class?”  Chip said into the phone.  “Good, I’m on my way to the bookstore with Chris right now.”  “Who your home girl?”  Chip said terrified for a moment that Chris could be a dude.  “Yes, who else?” Chelle said shaking her head.  “I don’t know you tell me?”  He said in a smart tone.  “Whatever, what’s up babe?”  “Nothing, lock me in.”  “I got you, love you” “Love you too”.  They hung up the phone.  “Who was that Chip?”  Christi said laughing.  “Duh, what you laughing at?”  Chelle said smiling.  “Because you can’t get that silly ass grin off of your face” Christi said laughing even more.  They both giggled, girl he is so nerve wrecking.  “Yeah, yeah” Christ ended with a giggle.  “Do you have classes for the rest of the day?”  “Nope, do you?”  “Nope.”  “Let me call Nefi and see what time she gets out of class, if she’s even out of bed yet.”  Christi said sarcastically.  They planned to spend the rest of the day dissecting their used book and highlighting important facts according to the semester outline.  “Ok, let’s go back and get your car and then meet me at the house, cool?”  “Yeah that’s fine.”