Someone Like You (Jacquees)

Chapter Forty-Two

     I walked out to the picnic area with my textbooks. My mom had a really important conference that she had to attend that required her to drop me off at school earlier than she normally would. I had missed one day of school because of the day that Khalil hit me and I had two hours before school started. I remembered that I had an important exam in math and chemistry class so I thought this might be a good time to study. About 5 minutes into my studying I could hear somebody walking over. I didn't bother  looking in front me to see who it was. It was probably some other student who came to school early.

"Are you seriously studying?" said a familiar voice.

     I looked in front of me and saw Willie standing in front of me with his hands in his jacket pockets. I shrugged and put my pencil in my chemistry book to save my spot as I closed it.

"I have two exams today. I'm just trying to insure that I get a good grade"

"Why didn't you just study at home?" he asked.

"I planned to but my mom had something important to do at work and she had to drop me off early" I said rolling my eyes.

     I tried my best not to show it in front of her but her work schedule really bothered me at times. She lived and breathed becoming a lawyer. Dad told me as I got older that her job was one of the main reasons why they were having problems. The better she was doing at work, the less time she had to spend with us.

 "Why are you here so early?" I asked him.

"I just came to get my stuff out of my locker since I'm not gonna be here for a while"

"You got suspended, huh?" I asked.

     He nodded and sat down across from  me.

"For two weeks. But like I said, I don't really care. At least I'm not expelled like that other fuck nigga"

     I nodded. It was true after all. It could have been worse.

"Thanks again for doing what you did though, Willie"

     He smiled.

"It was nothing" he said looking at the ground.

     I ended up forgetting that I even had to study because I got caught up in talking to Willie. It was fun to listen to him talk. His vocabulary was so colorful with all of these different cuss words he used. Sometimes, he made up his own words like "fucktard" and "dumbshit". I would always laugh at words like those and he would shake his head and apologize. It was kind of cute to me. I ended up finding out a lot about him.

     He told me that he was on the football team which I had no clue about. When I told him that, he gave me a confused look and rolled up his sleeves exposing his toned and muscular arms.

"How else would I put these babies to good use?" he asked with a smile.

     I giggled and rolled my eyes at how conceited he was.

"Anyway, I'm trying to get a scholarship for college. I'm really trying to go pro"

"Cool" I beamed.

"Thanks. But what about you? What do you wanna do when you get out of here and stuff?"

     I put my hand on my chin trying to think. I really didn't know what I wanted to do after high school. Every time I wanted to do something, another aspiration took over.

"I don't know. We'll cross that bridge when we get there" I said.

     I also discovered that his father Willie Travis Sr. was in the school's hall of fame for most touchdowns scored in one season for the school's football team. I knew who Willie Travis was. Dad talked about him all the time about how he was the greatest football player in the world. He was the quarterback back in the 1990s for the 49ers, my dad's favorite football team. He's retired now and is in the NFL Hall of Fame. Now he helps out the team to train the rookies from what Willie is telling me.

"Coach is always kissing my ass because of that. He hopes that I'm anything like my dad" he said rollling his eyes.

"Well are you?" I asked.

"No, I'm not trying to be like him. I wanna be better. He used to never have time for me with his job and everything. Hell, he barely has time for me now. I can't remember the last time we actually had a fun or deep conversation. Then when he found out about the fight that I got in two days ago, he didn't even car about the fact that I had gotten suspended. He cared more about word getting around that the all star Hall of Famer, Willie Travis, has a violent ass for a son. That's how it's always been. He doesn't care unless his name is being shitted on" he said shaking his head.

     I decided to tell him about my mom to prove that I knew how he felt in a way. It made him feel a little bit better. He told me that his mom had died giving birth to him. We were more alike then I knew. One of our parents died and the other one works too hard to hang out with us. It made me feel better about my situation.

"Are you going to Jacquees' party?" I asked him.

     He nodded with a smile.

"And from what I hear, it's going to be pretty turnt" he said.

     Our conversation was interrupted by a ring on his phone. It was a text message I assumed because he didn't put the phone up to his ear.

"My dad is wondering where I'm at. I should go" he said getting up. "Hey, are you doing anything on Saturday" he asked me.

"No, I'm grounded and I will be for a while" I said rolling my eyes. "Why?" I asked.

"Because I wanted to take you out somewhere" he said putting his hands in his jacket pockets again.

     I couldn't help but to blush.

"Like a...a date?" I asked.

"Eh...you could think of it that way if you want to" he replied with a smile.

"I'll uh...I'll try to see if my mom would let me" I said.

     I was a stuttering mess!

"Well in case she does, would you let me know?" he said sliding a piece of paper toward me.

     I nodded with a smile.

"Aight. I'll see you around, Ma" he said and walked away.

     I watched as he approached a blue Porsche. It was expected that he would have a car of his own considering the fact that his dad used to be some hot shot football player. I unfolded the piece of paper he gave me and it had his name and number on it. I couldn't help but smile at it. Maybe Willie was going to be my chance at moving on.

As the saying goes "The best way to get over an old man is to get under a new one". What do ya'll think about Nicole and Willie? Could they be a thing? How do you think Que is gonna feel? The next chapter is coming VERY soon so stay in touch!

                                                                                                                                                                        -Bailey