The classroom was vacant as always, leaving her to practice as much as possible.
Setting her belongings in the corner she traveled over to the piano. Sitting down on the bench, the door slammed.
"Are you avoiding me?"
After shaking her fist to the heavens, she turned towards him. "Are you really ditching class right now?"
"Ain't like I haven't before," he snapped, stalking over towards her. "Are you mad though?"
"Mad?" She quizzed, looking over his worried expression. She shook her head. "Why would you think that?"
"Oh, thank god!" He flung himself in her arms. Together they fell against the piano, smashing random keys. "I mean, you never said anything after I left. No calls or texts to chew me out. I thought you were that pissed.
"Will you get off of me?" She pushed him lightly. "You're smothering me."
Henry hugged her tighter. "Oh, you know you love it." Jamie began to tickle his sides. "Okay, okay," he laughed, jumping up. "Seriously though, what's happened? He ever hit you back?"
Jamie turned to the keys, as Henry settled beside her. "Yea..."
Laying his head on her shoulder, he watched her play. "Well, what did he say?"
Jamie ignored him, dragging her fingers along the keys. "Nothing."
The sudden creek of the classroom door made them both turn to the culprit. Mr. Nelson.
He glanced at the two seated at the piano as he strut over towards his desk.
Henry turned to his bestie, "I should get going..." Henry stood to his feet. "Talk later," he mumbled as he backed away. "Hi, Mr. Nelson. Bye, Mr. Nelson."
Mr. Nelson gave a small salute in acknowledgement as he fished through a folder.
Jamie sat idly at the piano. Already knowing what she had in mind to play. Don't kid yourself, she told herself.
Whipping her head towards the keys. She fumbled around with her own piece she'd been working on.
Upon hitting the last key, she released a pent up breath. For the first time, she was happy with the way it was played.
"What was that?"
She was absolutely positive he was looking at her, but she couldn't manage to make eye contact. Not after playing that. Not after knowing the inspiration behind it. Not after last night.
"It's mine," she muttered.
"It's beautiful," he replied with sincerity.
Jamie hands fell into her lap, fiddling with her finger nails. "I wrote it last night."
"Last night. Really?" Mr. Nelson joined her at the piano. His eyes roamed over her as she fiddled with the instrument. Her wild mane falling to the side of her face, blocking his view.
"You're beautiful."
"Why thank you, sir."
"Anytime, mama."
"Mama?" She looked up from the piano. "Is that what you call all the ladies ya feelin?"
He scrunched up his face, slightly taken aback. "When did I take you home? I don't recall feelin on you."
Jamie shook her head as she laughed, once again focusing on the piano. "I'm sure you'd like to...to take me home."
The instructor stood for the bench, stepping back to his desk, his hands gripping the edge as he watched her play from afar. "So, do you have plans tomorrow, after class?"
"Yup," she nodded. "Same plans I've had for the last two years, Mr. Nelson."
She figured he would have remembered by now that after school she looked after her cousin.
"I know that. I'm talking directly after. What time do you have to have him picked up?"
"At the latest, by 5:30," she answered looking up from the piano. "Why?"
"Well, what about today? Do you have to get him today?
The wind blew through her hair as they cruised down the expressway. Heading to where? She wasn't exactly sure. Did she care? Not at all.
After making a call to her aunt, she explained that she wanted to crash at Henry's for "girl time." Of course, she allowed it. Afterwards, she called Henry as she walked to the cafe a few blocks from the school, the designated pick up location they agree upon. Squealing in delight, he agreed to cover for her.
Now, here she was sitting in his black Cadillac, her head laying back against the open window as the jazz music played. The late September weather seemingly perfect. Neither too hot or too cold, which was weird for this particular time of year.
It'd been a good 35 minutes before he pulled off the highway. As they cruised down the residential streets he made a final turn into a driveway on Dakota Ave.
"Dakota," she mumbled while looking at the modest home. He snickered at the irony.
She was surprised to see the single level home. She expected, something a little more...extravagant.
Jumping out of the car, she followed him up the walkway, her backpack, hanging off her arm.
"Are you hungry? I could order something if you'd like," He stated swinging open the door.
"Chinese..."
As he stood in the kitchen, ordering their food, Jamie dove into the set of calculus equations. She wanted to knock it out so she could get down to bottom of the reason why she was here. She was so engrossed in the workload, she didn't even notice him looking over her shoulder for quite some time.
"The hell is that?"
She didn't even flinch at the sound of his booming voice beside her ear. She only sighed. "Differential calculus. Some bullshit I'll never use in my entire life."
He chuckled at her response as he studied the side of her face. "Are you almost done?"
"Just about. Give me five minutes o..." turning to him, her lips almost met his own, "...k?"
With his gaze falling to her lips, he repeated her words. "Okay."
He managed to pull himself away from her, heading back into the kitchen for a well deserved drink.
At this moment, only he and God knew what was close to happening the moment she turned to him.
He dug in the small liquor fridge, removing a bottle of Cristal. He poured half a glass, throwing it back like there was no tomorrow.
"You said you didn't drink?"
He turned to the young woman who stood at the entryway. "I don't..."
"It's just one of those days, huh?"
"Maybe," he placed the bottle back in its rightful place, before going into another refrigerator and grabbing two bottles of water. He handed her one.
"Thanks," she smiled, turning on her heels. "Do you mine if I play some music?" She'd been eyeing the vinyl collection since she arrived.
"Go for it," he obliged. "I'm sure whatever you pick you're gonna love. You know I have good taste in music."
"Yeah, yeah," she waved him off. To her surprise it was not only alphabetized, but categorized by genre. It was easy for her to find one of her biggest inspirations.
As she removed the album from the shelf, the doorbell rang.
"It's probably the food."
Jamie watched as he grabbed the food from the delivery boy, who appeared shocked yet calm as he eyed P. "Thanks, man." He handed him a hundred $100 bill. "Keep the change."
"Guess he knew who you were..." Jamie chuckled as she set the record on the player.
He placed the food on the dining room table. "Every now and again I get some completely star struck, but for the most part everyone is normal, ya know."
"Yea," she replied, before leaning back into the dining room to him. "Hey, let's eat in here."
Prince grabbed the food heading over into the cozy den, tucked away in the corner of the house. Jamie set the needle at the beginning of the record.
"Can you feel it
Touching you
Don't you feel it'
"What you know about this?" He asked her.
'My tempratures risin'
And it's not surprisin'
But when you're close to me girl
It's so tantalizin'
I can't help myself
I get so excited
Why do I act in this fashion?
Why can't I control my passion?'
"Body Heat is one of my favorite albums," she hummed to the music. "Didn't I tell you this?"
"Nooope."
Jamie opted to sit on the floor munching on her large container of shrimp fried rice. Prince on the other hand, sat back in his La-Z-Boy enjoying his meatless meal.
"Why are you on the floor?"
Jamie shrugged, before placing the box on the table. With her legs folded Indian style, she began to lay on her back. "I don't know. Why are you a vegetarian?"
"I care about God's creatures."
"So do I, but I'm still gonna eat chicken," she fired back. "I cut out the pigs, cows, and lambs, but I just can't let those birds or fish go."
Prince howled with laughter at her answer. "Think about it though."
"I did and I'm gonna stick to those birds and fish," she chuckled. "Sorry, dude."
"Can you answer my question though?" He glanced around the room. "All this furniture and you choose to lay on the floor."
"I like being a little closer to Mother Earth."
Prince tilted his head in curiosity. "You're weird."
"I've been told," she chuckled. "Know what's weirder? Me being here." Jamie watched his smile falter. "Why am I here...P?"
"Why do you desire to know me?"
Jamie turned her head towards the ceiling. "The same reason why you desire to know me."
"I never said that," he countered.
As the third track on the album began to play she closed her eyes, allowing Benard Ighner's voice to lull her. "You didn't have to. Your actions speak louder than words."
Prince looked on, watching as her stomach would expand and contract underneath her slightly ridden up sweater. Her hair was sprawled against the wooden floor.
Placing the food on the table beside him, he decided to join her. Without a second thought, he stripped himself of the black jacket and carefully settled beside her.
Almost naturally, her left hand reached for his. Instantly, he gave her his right as he moved to snuggle against her chest.
Her right hand ran through his hair, lazily massaging his scalp. Like any man would, he enjoyed her affectionate actions and slowly began to drift to sleep.
"Don't do it," she mumbled. "Don't you dare fall asleep."
"It's been a long day and you're in my home..." his voice dragged.
"So.." she mumbled, ceasing her movements. "P," she shook him lightly. "C'mon, get up..."
"Nah," he groaned into her chest. "This is nice. Nicer than I imagined it'd be..."
"Really, now?"
He could sense the sarcasm in her voice. He could already imagine her face. Still he had to see it for himself. He fell to the side to look at her, propping himself up on his elbow. Sure enough, she stared back at him with her lips in a pout.
Maybe it was the music, maybe it was the joining of their hands, maybe it was how she appeared to him in that moment but he found himself going in for the kill.
A peck is all he anticipated she would allow, but the moment he pulled away she leaned forward, kissing him yet again. This time their lips touched longer.
Jamie pulled away, falling back against the floor, the heat rising to her cheeks. This is really happening.
He eyed her for a moment before going for it once more. With his left hand now cradling her cheek, he deepened the kiss, brushing his tongue against her lips.
For a moment she contemplated the possible consequences of their actions. Although it was only a little tongue, she was certain it could lead to other things.
How they got there, neither were entirely sure and no one questioned it.
Hovering above her he brushed the hair out of her face revealing the fresh, young, and delicate flower that had yet to blossom. That alone was the reason why he hadn't already taken her. She needed time to grow, time to open up on her own terms. All he wanted to do is be present during the journey. To be apart of her experience.
"You should stay the night..."
"No," she shook her head. "You should take me home."
After all, they only just acknowledged underlying feelings.
"It's whatever you desire, mama." His thumb ran across her cheek. "You really wanna leave?"
"No, but I can only stay for so long." She studied his face before her dark pools roam down his neck, then to his chest. "I didn't think you'd be hairy."
She'd taken off his shirt as they explored each other's mouths at the foot of his bed. In turn, he removed hers before laying her back on the queen sized bed.
"What did you expect?"
Jamie shrugged bashfully, "I wasn't expecting anything. I never thought we'd be here. So, my mind never really went this far." She leaned forward, pecking his lips.
His eyes were sealed when she pulled away. "When is it?"
"Huh?"
"Your celebration day?"
"August 23," she replied running her hands over his shoulders down the his chest, before settling on his waist. Gently, she tugged at him. "You can lay down."
Prince shook his head. He'd been propped up the entire time between her legs.
"You," she pecked his lips. "Can," she repeated her actions as she tugged him again, those not so innocent desires clouding her judgement. "You can..." she captured his lips, taking as much control as he would allow.
Once she realized he'd lost focus, she wrapped her legs around his waist latching her feet together behind his back.
Feeling her against him, he went on autopilot. The friction from the grinding of their hips, drove them both up the wall.
With the beads of sweat forming on his forehead, he would have thought he was already inside of her running a marathon.
Yet she was silent, with the exception of her panting. It pushed him to grind harder. He wanted vocals, he needed vocals and after much effort, he got them. It was those same vocals that brought him back down to Earth.
"No, no," he managed to protest. "Let go," he groaned nuzzling his head into her neck. "Please," he croaked.
Jamie rubbed the back of his now moist hair, as she released her hold on him.
He was quick to jump up from the bed, darting straight for the bathroom.
Jamie got up from the bed, looking for her cellphone. Last place she remember having it was in the den. Calling the familiar number, she was met with his sometimes annoying voice.
"Why are you calling me? Is the dick not good or something? Lord, I still can't believe you're there with him."
"No, it's not that," she whined. "I think I may have upset or something. He just got up and ran to the bathroom and I just," she nibbled on her nails. "I might have fucked up..."
"Well, what in the hell did you do?"
Jamie walked over to the fridge for another bottle of water. "Well," leaning into the fridge she grabbed two bottles. "We kinda made out and then, shit," she sighed closing the fridge. "I don't even know how we ended up in his bedroom."
"Wait, what?" Henry squealed. "Did you just say bed--"
Jamie ended the call as soon as she heard his feet shuffling against the hard wood floor in the hallway.
As he entered the kitchen, she dropped her head. "Umm, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, you know, push you back there."
"Didn't mean to what?" He asked grabbing a bottle from her. Jamie couldn't look at him. "You didn't mean to react in the way normal folks do when they are sexually aroused?"
Jamie bit her bottom as she looked everywhere but him.
He reached out the her, his exquisite fingers grabbing her chin. "Don't get shy on me." He gave her the once over. "Especially while standing in front of me like that."
Jamie looked down, realizing she was topless. The realization only deepened her embarrassment.
He stepped closer, closing the space between them. With the close proximity, she noted the height difference. It was the first time she'd seen him flat footed and there was a good three inch difference.
"I'm taller than you," she giggled.
He playfully rolled his eyes at her. "C'mon let's get you home."