Dear Artina || Keith Powers

Love Letter #1

Seeing the lock screen of his phone light up, it was a text message from his mother.

Ma 👸🏾: Morning sweetie! Remember to pick up your ointment at CVS after school.

Ma 👸🏾: Did you want me to do it instead?

Ma 👸🏾: Because I know that girl you like works there.

To Ma 👸🏾: No! I got it, I'll get it myself.

Ma 👸🏾: Oh. Well alrighty then. See you later on tonight!

Ma 👸🏾: Make sure for dinner to preheat that chicken so y'all can eat.

Ma 👸🏾: With green beans.

Ma 👸🏾: And whatever starch.

Ma 👸🏾: Oop, got that bad weather report.

To Ma 👸🏾: I'm in school mom, lol. I love you though

Ma 👸🏾: Love you too *😘*
Read: 7:43am

Tucking his phone in his pocket, he saw Artina looking over a piece of paper repeatedly. His lips etched into a small smile.

She got my letter, Israel thought as he tapped his pencil on his notebook.

"Girl, put that letter away and put it with the ones you cherish at home." One of her friends joked.

Artina smacked her lips, "Whatever. You're just mad because you don't have a boo that gives you romantic things everyday." She kissed Brandon, "Ain't that right, baby?"

"Yeah." He gave her a faux smile as he kissed her back.

Israel sighed as the bell finally rang causing the teacher to walk in and announcements to come on. As the announcements were going on, Artina looked through her backpack to find her hot pink colored pen.

"Dammit. I swore I had it this morning." She whispered whilst pouting as she looked in the front pocket.

Israel looked at the ground to see a pen in her favorite color. He reached to pick it up and handed it to her, "Here you go."

She glanced at him, doing a double take and grinned, "Thanks."

"No problem." He leaned back in his seat.

Artina put her attention back on her friends instantly pushing what happened out the way once she got her pen. Things like this always happened in first period and he would help her out, but always forgot about him because she paid him no mind.

Israel was the least of her worries.

She had her boyfriend and tiny circle of friends. Very known throughout the school and president of her senior class.

While Israel was just another student who loves poetry and president of the history club.

Sitting in an awkward position, Israel's fingers tightened around the pencil as he heard Brandon brag about the letter he didn't write-- something he always seemed to do.

Artina giggled as she tucked her hair behind her ears, "So what we doing tonight, y'all? It's Friday and I want to party till I'm purple."

"Shoot, I'm down, shorty. Let's go to Dave and Busters at 8."

Artina looked at her schedule app and saw that she had to work tonight. She groaned, "I'll just meet you guys there. I don't get off until 8:30."

Everyone laughed as Israel thought, I know, and proceeded to listen to the teacher's instructions for today's assignment.