Faces of the Game (8 page)

Business as usual

Chelle rolled out of bed at eight o’ clock a.m., ready to start classes again.  She leaned over to check her call log, still no call from Chip.  She started to think that maybe she had done something to run him away, but she knew that she hadn’t done anything and she was honest with him so he didn’t have a reason to ever be mad at her.  She shook it off temporarily and realized that fifteen minutes had already passed as she wondered why he hadn’t called yet.  She grabbed some underclothes out of the drawer, grabbed a tight white-tee a pair of straight legs, a pair of socks and she went to get in the shower.  As she showered she thought about how much fun she had over the past few days with her new babe.  No one had ever been such a gentlemen, no one had ever been so persistent in getting with her and no one had ever promised to do right by her with sincerity in their eyes.  She smiled and reminded herself that he would call soon, after lathering up and washing off a few times, Chelle jumped out of the shower brushed her teeth, dried off put on lotion and then her clothes.  She decided to wear a pair of orange and grey Air Max 95’s and a grey polo hoodie.  She grabbed her notebook off of the desk in the front room, and her keys off of the key ring on the way out, and she was ready to jump back into school mode.  Once she headed out of the parking lot, she realized that she had left her cell phone on the charger,
“Oh well everything happens for a reason”
she thought to herself as she continued off to campus.  She figured if she left it at home, maybe she wouldn’t check the call log every five minutes while she was in class trying to learn.  She turned the radio up and listened to the morning show, the radio personalities were hilarious she enjoyed listening to them on her way to class every morning.  As she approached campus, she realized that she only had ten minutes to get to class, it was already eight fifty.  She rode through four parking lots before she finally found a parking spot, although it was a long walk it was worth it because she hated to be late to class and it seemed like she was always the last one in no matter what she did.  “So how was everyone’s winter break?”  The professor asked as Chelle walked into class only five minutes late.  “I had a beautiful baby boy” one of the students replied; “Oh that’s wonderful, what did you name him?”  The professor asked the student.  Chelle already saw that the first ten minutes was going to be bullshit, so her mind drifted off,
I wonder if he is alright, gosh I hope nobody set him up or hurt him, I hope everything is okay. 
“Chelle how was your break?”  The teacher asked her as she snapped out of it, “Oh it was wonderful, I spend time with my cousins we all went out of town and partied” Chelle responded not really wanting to be bothered.  The professor called a few more students out that seemed to be in a zone, and then she buckled down to business.  “Okay students, you know this is the second half of PR practices and now you all have to prepare your mock media kits, if you haven’t taken PR Case Studies then you will need to drop this class and register for Case Studies before taking PR practices” Chelle opened her notebook, clicked her pen and prepared to take notes.  “The media kits are due in just one month from now, but don’t take this lightly you have a load of work to do” the professor said as she grabbed her red dry erase marker.  She listed everything that the media kits should include.  Chelle rubbed her eyes, and looked at the board as if something might disappear then she continued to write. 
Damn, I need to start on this as soon as I get home today
, Chelle thought to herself while reviewing the assignment and hoping that she made a perfect score.  “Now, have you all been reviewing while on break?”  The professor asked, everyone started laughing; “well, you know you have a quiz on Friday, I expect to see each and every one of you and I will not allow make ups this time.”  She said writing the page numbers on the board that would help prepare the students for the quiz.  “Read pages 544 through 589 and look over your notes from last semester, you all should be fine.”  Almost everyone in the class had taken the prerequisite the semester before so everyone was familiar with one another for the most part.  “Now are there any questions?”  She asked the class, no one spoke up so she dismissed class; no Chelle had something to think about.  As she walked down the steps and out to her car, her whole train of thought was different
Okay first I need to study for my quiz on Friday, I will read the book and make note cards when I get home; I can study for that until I go back to class this afternoon. 
She finally made it back to her car, she hopped in and headed home until her next class which wasn’t until one o’clock, so she had time to study, eat and relax for a few moments before heading back to campus.  She turned the music up a little, her song was playing she sang to the top of her lungs because she knew no one could hear her, “I asked myself over again, what am I doing wrong, to make you stay out all night and not think to call, wondering what she has on me, to make you not think to call oh” she sang snapping her fingers and shaking her head.  The song continued to play, and she continued to sing until she came up on her exit to get off of the highway.  She turned the music down just a notch remembering that it was still early in the morning.  She went home and threw her books down on the desk and headed towards the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and decided to take out the turkey bacon and a wheat bagel.  She put a few slices of turkey bacon on the George Forman grill, threw her bagel in the hello kitty toaster and went into her room.  She instantly grabbed her phone and saw that she had two missed calls; she opened her phone and checked the missed call list just to see that Ash and Neese had called her. 
What do these bitches want?
  She said to herself as she called Neese back to see what was going on so early in the morning.  “What up young blood?”  Neese said trying to sound all cool and shit, “What bitch, I thought Chip would have been calling not you” Chelle said.  “Daaannnggg, nothing, never mind, call me when you get it together” Neese responded shocked that her favorite cousin sounded like she woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  “Na, what’s up little dude, I was joking I’m just sort of mad because I haven’t heard from Chip” Chelle said reassuring Neese that she had nothing to do with Chelle being cranky.  Chelle went back into the kitchen, got her bacon off of the grill and grabbed her bagel.  She got the honey nut cream cheese spread and apple juice out of the refrigerator as she was ready to talk to her cousin and eat her breakfast.  “Girl, my teacher is tripping, this bitch just gave us two chapters to read and a take home test to do” Neese said, - “Girl that ain’t nothing, wait until you hit them hard major classes, we got a media kit due in four weeks and it has like twelve different assignments in it, and we have a quiz on Friday” Chelle said.  “Girl, I know these classes are killing me and so is Ryan, girl do you know this nigga heard that I was using him for his money, wow I really care about his simple ass and he is acting like he believes it after all we have been through.”  “Honestly Neese, you should tell him that every good relationship will have haters, tell him that if you were using him you would never do nice things for him, besides you got your own money.”  “Chelle, don’t you think I said all of that already?”  “Well I don’t know what to tell you girl, Chip just vanished into thin air literally; that nigga just left me there yesterday without saying a word while I was sleep”  “Girl shut the fuck up!?”  “Yes girl, I am pissed but two can play at that game”  “What you going to do?”  “I don’t know yet, but it’s going to be good.”  “Well child, when you figure it out let me know”  “Alight youngin, you know I will.  I will call you later on, study hard, love you.”  “Love you too cuz, bye” with that, they hung up.  Chelle called Ash back as she continued to eat her breakfast, “Hey girl what’s up?”  Chelle said when Ash answered.  “Nothing, did he call yet?”  “No girl, I need a master plan to pay his ass back, I am pissed”  “I know you are what are you going to say?”  “I have no idea, I should just act like nothing ever happened”  “Na, then he’ll feel like he can always do that and nothing will change”  “True, so what should I do?”  “Ask him about it first, then take it from there”  “I guess” Chelle responded, wondering how the whole conversation will play out.  “So, what’s on the agenda for today?”  Ash asked Chelle.  “Girl, I have to get to this school work you know it’s a beast” “Girl me too, I got too much homework” “Tell me about it, how is my cousin?”  “Girl, that nigga acting up he didn’t come home last night until four in the morning, I was knocked out”  “Oh lord, where was he?”  “He supposedly fell asleep at his uncles house, girl I don’t know where that nigga was at so he is in the dog house, I ain’t cooking all week”  “Hahaha, you are stupid” “No, I am serious he can’t keep disappearing and expect for everything to be all good”  “Girl don’t do him like that, eating out every day don’t be trying to break my cousins pockets bitch” “Girl bye, a couple of meals every day for a week won’t faze him, maybe next time he will think about it before he decides to stay out all night”  “I know that’s right child” Chelle said cosigning her home girl’s decision.  They both laughed for a few moments, then Los called Ash on the other end, “girl I will call you back, we talked him up” “alright”, with that they hung up.  Chelle took her paper plate and her empty apple juice bottle and threw it in the trash can.  She logged onto the computer so she could check her e-mail, she deleted half of them and read the rest, and she logged off and signed onto Facebook to check her messages. 
Hello Chelle, how are you? This is G.J. I went to middle school with you, I don’t know if you remember me but I have a few businesses now.  I was on Facebook and I see that your major is Public Relations; I hope school is going well with you.  I was wondering if you would like a position with my company after you graduate.  We offer competitive benefits, and we are conveniently located in Charlotte, NC.  Please let me know if you are interested, I look forward to speaking with you.
  She read the message to herself twice before letting it sink in,
I remember this dude, hmm I wonder if he is serious let’s see… Hello Mr. J. G., I certainly do remember you; you had a button business in middle school.  So what type of businesses do you own now?  What exactly would I be doing? Where in Charlotte is your office located?  I could come and check it out, oh and by the way school is going great I just made the dean’s list and I am graduating next year.  Hope to hear from you soon.  Thanks, Chelle. 
After responding to his message, Chelle wondered how he stumbled across her profile, but she didn’t worry about it for too long she just concluded that he saw her picture on someone else’s profile and clicked on it.  She checked her other messages and logged off the internet.  She grabbed a highlighter pen, her book and a stack of index cards she sat in her round chair next to the computer desk and opened her book.  She turned to page 544 and began reading, as she came across important info she highlighted it.  Once she was done going through the pages reading and highlighting everything that she needed to, she made note cards.  She labeled them on the front and wrote three or four bullets on the back with important facts that related to the main topic on the front of the note cards.  Before she knew it, it was two-thirty,
Oh shit; I have to go to class
.  She threw her book on the desk, along with the note cards and the highlighter, she grabbed her notebook, cell phone, her Gucci bag and her book for her next class, she then grabbed her keys, closed the door behind her and jetted down the steps.  She hopped in her car and pulled out of the parking lot hoping that she didn’t get to class too late.  She popped in her Beyoncé CD and jammed to it while on the highway.  “I think I’m ready, been locked up in the house way too long, it’s time to get it, cuz once again he’s out doing wrong, and my girls are so real, said it’s been a minute since I had some, he’s been acting up, but he won’t be the only one” she sang her heart out, she loved to sing while driving even though she sounded horrible, when the music was blasting she blended right in.  It made the ride seem a lot shorter, plus she always related the lyrics in songs to her own personal life so she always felt the songs on a personal level.  She pulled up on campus and circled the same parking lot three times, and then she saw a car pulling out, so she put her turn signal on.  Someone else was waiting on the same parking spot, but she was determined to get it, the car that was pulling out cut their wheel the same way Chelle’s car was facing, so it was easy for her to just pull in right after that.  Chelle grabbed her book and threw it in her bag and then she grabbed her notebook, as she stepped out of the car she got her lip gloss out and begin putting it on as she closed the door.  “Stupid bitch!”  A guy yelled out of his window, “Get over it fag, it happens every day!”  She spat back.  “You know I was waiting for that parking spot!”  the guy yelled, Chelle just laughed at him and walked off,
hmm nice caddy, but he’s such a fucking lame, who gets that heated over a fucking parking spot, I thought he was going to kick my ass for a second.
She kept walking and then she remembered to put her phone on silent before walking into class.  She looked at her phone, it was 1:12 already, and she knew her professor was going to give her a dirty look so she just prepared herself for it.  She cut her ringer off and walked into the class room.  “Come in and have a seat, tardiness is a terrible interruption” the professor said as Chelle closed the door behind herself. 
Damn my bad, I almost got tackled over a parking spot she needs to chill. 
Chelle was already frustrated and for the teacher to tell her to come in and sit down, that just made it worst.  “Now back to what I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted” the professor said and shot Chelle a nasty look, Chelle just looked back at the teacher with no expression.  “If you came in late, you will have to see me after class for a syllabus” the professor added, as she continued to explain the syllabus to the class.  “Now, we will go around the class and introduce ourselves; lets starts with the late comer” Chelle stood up, “Hi everyone, my name is Chelle, I’m from Winston-Salem, North Carolina I am a junior and my major is Journalism and Mass Communications with a concentration in Public Relations.”  She sat back down and looked at the young lady beside her, the rest of the class introduced themselves one by one, Chelle grabbed her cell phone to check the missed call log, but there was no missed call.  “Young lady please put that cell phone away, that’s so rude” the teacher interrupted a student right in the middle of her introduction just to call Chelle out.  “Yes ma’am” Chelle said and she put the cell phone back in her bag.