Dark Like Me 2: Game of Desire

Chapter 28: Alchemy is back

"Whoa, Sirrah," He chuckles catching me in his arms. I almost melt, but then remember what I am supposed to be doing. "In a hurry, huh?"

I stand on my own. "Yeah, I guess you can say that."

"I see that. I have been wanting to talk to you about the other night." He touches my arm.

We begin to walk around. I could ask him about the rumors going around the campus. But, it seemed wrong to do so.

"What of it?" I am following him because I don't know where we are going.

"I wanted to apologize for it going wrong. I was not trying to be awkward in any way or creepy. I just wanted things to be right, so I could ask you to be my girlfriend." Shiriki says turning to me once we have reached his apartment building.

"Ask me to be your girlfriend?" I arch my brow.

"Yes."

"What?" I quaver.

"Yeah, I had a poem and all."

I did not know he wrote poetry or wrote at all for that matter. "Can I hear it?"

Shiriki grabs the paper from his pocket, opens it, and begins, "I think about you in the morning. Hoping that you find me charming. I think about you in the afternoon. Hoping that I can meet you soon. I think about you in the evening. Hoping that I can see you smiling. I think about you in the middle of the night. Hoping you understand my plight. I just cannot stop thinking about you. I just hope one day, you end up liking me too." He finishes and glares at me. I have tears in my eyes. He wipes them away.

"That was beautiful, Shiriki." I rejoice over the poem.

He smiles brightly, "I spent a while writing it and fretting over if you would love it or hate it."

"I love it."

"I am actually happy you do. Also," He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a felt velvet red small box and hands it to me.

"Christmas is not for another few weeks, Shiriki." I acknowledge looking at the felt box.

"This one does not count. This is you accepting my proposal as my girlfriend. This is me being there for you when you need me. This is me wiping your tears and showing you it will be better. This is me. . .hoping that we can build together."

My heart pounds at his speech and as I take the box, I look it over. The words of my father echoes within my mind but I know that this is my life and I deserve to be happy. And Shiriki makes me extremely happy. And if my father has a hard time accepting that, then so be it.

I open the box to find a two tone butterfly shaped Pendant necklace, 14k white and rose gold. My eyes swell in tears against the magnificent necklace. I have never been given something so superb, not even from Cole when I was dating him. Shiriki takes it out of the box and clasps it around my neck.

"Pulchritudinous." He exclaims.

"Thank you, Shiriki."

"Now, you have accepted. You are my girl. I would hate to cut this short, but I have got to get to my Quantum Mechanics Class." He says in a huff and plants a kiss on my lips.

"Okay."

"See you later, Sirrah." He runs across the campus.

Walking to my own apartment building ready to lay my head down and clearing my mind of the rumors, I am stopped by a young lady. She is a little older than I am. She has beady gray eyes, very short chestnut hair, plump build, and a vanilla cream color complexion. I and the young lady are staring at each other. I am trying to figure out why in the world is this chick standing here and who is she.

"You might not know me. I am Kimber Berry. Shiriki's girlfriend and mother of his baby." She rubs her stomach that has a slight bulge.

"I am Sirrah Winters." I introduce myself holding back a disgusted look. I do a once over at the chick standing before me. She looked like she did not take care of herself very well. her clothes were too big and her shoes were too little.

"Yeah, I have heard that you and my man have been very cozy lately. I do appreciate you and that other girl, Visellia for keeping him company while I was gone. But, since I am back there is no need to hang around him anymore." She smiles in my face.

I sigh not up for this. "As far as I am concerned. You are a thing of the past. I am the present and hopefully his future. If I and Visellia want to continue to hang around Riki, then we will. But, until he says otherwise, I would suggest you get yourself together." I push pass Kimber and go into my apartment, proud of myself.