Tinder, Love and Care

4. Avoiding

"So, how was it? Girl, I'm practically dying for the tea." Divine spoke as she sat down at the table for our usual lunch.

It was one of the main ways to ever actually see her during the school week between all of our work and school schedules.

"Hi, Divine, I'm good, how are you today?" I responded.

"Hi, Hyacinthe, I'm good, but I would be even better if you told me about Justice's fine ass." She smiled, and I frowned while Olivia snickered at us both.

"It was fine." I mumbled as I stabbed at my salad.

"She's avoiding him." Olivia told Divine.

"I'm not avoiding him!"

"He asked you to go on a hike this weekend, and you've been trying to come up with an excuse to get out of it."

"Oh no, hiking ain't for me. Sweating my hair out is out of the question." Divine shook her head at the idea. She'd recently gotten a silk press, and she was religious with her scarves, shower caps, and bonnets.

"Exactly!" I exclaimed and turned to Olivia in victory.

"Your hair is in braids." She said as she gave me a deadpanned look that made me groan and drop my head on the table.

"What was wrong with him? Is he one of those weird people that wants you to take shrooms and get naked and cover yourself in paint and run around in the park?" Olivia and I looked at each other in alarm and confusion before turning to Divine.

"That was weirdly specific." Olivia said as she eyed Divine, who I'm sure would be blushing if her skin didn't hide it.

"I saw it in a show once... I definitely didn't just make that up."

"Um, well, to answer your question, no he didn't want us to do drugs and paint ourselves and run around buttnaked in the park." I answered.

"So, what's wrong with him?"

"Nmfsing." I mumbled after hastily filling my mouth with food to avoid giving her the answer.

"What?"

"She said nothing." Olivia responded and rolled her eyes.

Why was the world against me today?

"You mean to tell me that you've been avoiding that man and nothing is wrong with him? If I wasn't so proud of you for going, I'd reach across this table and shake some sense into you. Actually, I'm still considering it." Divine said, pointing her fork at me while she spoke.

She had a point. Justice was exactly what I asked for, all wrapped up nice with a bow on top. He was... everything. And that was the problem.

"It went too well."

"What?" Olivia questioned.

"He was perfect! He was even more pretty in person,--"

"Yes, Lord!" Divine cheered.

"He grasped my chin like in the movies, he read me like I was his favorite book, and then he dropped me off and promised not to send me dick pics!" I rushed out.

"All of that sounded like heaven except the last part. I mean he must have that thang on him. Do he walk like it's heavy?" Divine questioned.

"Girl, you nasty as hell." Olivia said with a scrunched up face in humored disgust.

"I'm just trying to live vicariously through one of y'all, and you 'my man' me to death, so Hyacinthe is my only option." She responded, shrugging before turning back to me. "What's wrong with him being perfect?"