Chapter 8
A couple of days have passed and it's been exactly two weeks since James and I broke up, let alone spoke to each other. I told Yvette everything that happened and she's been concerned about me ever since. Every now and then, she'll text me wondering if I'm okay about the break-up.
I'd tell her I would be if she'd stop bringing it up. She also wanted to cut James' baby-maker off, but I convinced her not to. The days were moving by slowly, and they were becoming a bore.
It seemed like everything I did was a routine: wake up, go to school, chat with friends, come home, go to sleep. I decided to break out of that habit and do something different. I went to the small outdoor cafe' that I always passed on my way to school, it's called Nina's Cafe'. When I got there, it seemed like every student from school was there....except James, not that I was looking for him....or anything...just wondering.....
ANYWAY, the cafe was very portique. There were pictures of fruit and flowers all on the walls. As soon as you walk in, there's a counter to your right and a guy standing behind it. I recognized his sandy brown hair and tanned complexion as my Spanish class neighbor. He seemed surprised to see me, but it quickly changed to welcoming
"Hey Tracey. What can I get you?" he greeted with a smile.
"Hey...." I was embarassed because I had to look at his name tag, "William. Do you come here right after school?"
"Only on Tuesday's, Wednesday's, and Thursday's. My mom owns the place, so she let me work here."
"Wow, that's nice of her. Um, can I have a blueberry muffin and some orange juice?"
"Of course," he punched it into the cash register. "That'll be $4.38." I fumbled through my purse until I found my green flowered wallet. I handed him a five dollar bill. Then he punched it into the cash register again before handing me the change. "Okay. Just have a seat and I'll be back," he smiled again before going into the backroom, mae the muffins as soon as you order.
I looked around and found a small empty table furthest outside near the gray half wall fence. As soon as I sat down, I recieved a text message from Yvette asking me where I was. She wasn't at home when I got there from school, so I wasn't there when she finally arrived. I texted back:
Just getting some air...be back soon.
A few seconds later, William arrived with my order. "Here you go," he stated while sitting it down infront of me. I thanked him and took a bite out of the muffin. To my surprise, he didn't leave. Instead, he sat down in the seat closet to my right and began to speak. "Is the muffin good?" he asked sarcastically.
I looked at him, wondering why he was sitting here and talking to me when he was suppose to be working. "Aren't you gonna get in trouble if you're mom catches you out here socializing during work hours?" I asked playfully but seriously.
He chuckled and nodded his head in agreement. "Naw, I get off in a little bit anyway, and besides, I'll just say that I'm going over the menu with you; works like a charm," he snapped his fingers to show how fast she'll believe him.
I laughed and nodded in agreement. "So, why are you here alone?" he questioned. It took me off guard and for a moment I didn't know what to say. What do you mean?
"What do you mean?" I repeated out loud.
He shrugged before answering. "I mean usually, when I see you, you're always with your friends. Why are you by yourself?"
"I just needed some alone time."
"And I guess I'm ruining that for you, huh?" he humored. I laughed in agreement.
"Not ruining," I reassured and confessed, "you're more like....interfering." We both started laughing, until we saw his grayish black 2009 Cadillac car pull up. He got out, saw me, and began walking my way.
I must've had a displeasing look on my face when I saw James, because William noticed and suddenly figured out why I'm alone. He waved his index finger back and forth from James to me. "Oh, I get it now," he seemed to realize. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see him, I just still mad at him for being a lying cheater. As James got closer, I got even more tense. When he got here, he looked at me, then at William, then back at me with an emotionless face.
There was an ackward pause until William broke it. "Okay," he began while getting up, "I'll take this ackward silence as my cue to leave. See you 'round Tracey," he said before leaving. We have to work this situation out before it gets even more out of hand.
James' eyes looked deep into mine as he spoke the words, "You're right. I did take another girl to the dance."
"That's not persuading me to believe you," I admitted while looking away from him, trying not to forgive him so easily.
"But Porsha and I had yet another stupid fight and broke up.....two days before the dance," James retorted back. Now I'm confused.
"So what are you trying to say? That Porsha made the whole thing up?" I asked, now I felt a little lost.
"That's exactly what I'm saying. Porsha and I weren't together on Halloween," he explained some more while making quotation with his hands when he said together. Lots of different questions started pouring through my mind at once. If that's true, then why would Porsha say you two were together?
"Then why would she say you cheated if you two weren't together?" I repeated out loud, copying him and making quotations when I said together.
He made sure he was at a reasonable distance, giving me some space. "I don't know," he shrugged modestly, "I guess she was mad at how fast I found a date." He sat down in the chair to my right. I felt like a fool for believing Porsha. Something in me told me not to let her get to me, but I just had to know the truth. I sat there feeling stupidity rising inside me as I sorted out the details.
"So technically," I began, still trying to get it right, "You didn't cheat?"
I felt even more stupid as I said it out loud. James shook his head as he waited for my next reaction. When he noticed I was lost for words, he took that oppurtunity to apologize. "And I'm sorry for how I've been acting in class. I'm just so use to being in a relationship where there's a lot of agruments. So when you asked about us, it just came out like a reflex," he explained.
Why did I believe Porsha anyway, knowing she doesn't like me? The question just kept trying to jump out of my mouth, but I kept it in and started my apology. "I'm so sorry James. I don't know why I didn't believed you? It's just that, her story added up, you know. And with the way you reacted and ugh! You must think I'm some kinda crazy idiot for believing her," I confessed as I was still trying to sort out the things that just happened.
I've never felt so foolish and embarassed in my life. "Tracey, I've thought you were crazy since the first time I met you," he joked while puting his hand on my cheek. "I also think you're easily persuaded if someone comes to you with the right details, but not an idiot," he laughed while letting my face go. "And?" he asked impatiently.
I gave a little laughed when I realized what he was waiting on. "And...." I chuckled. "I'm sorry for accusing you of cheating on me in the near future." We both laughed again.
"Apology accepted," he began. "Can you do me one favor though?" I agreed and waited on his offer. "If you're curious about me, just come to me, okay? I'll always be honest with you, and I have nothing to hide." I agreed while still feeling stupidity. We both got up, and I started to walk towards my car, when he grabbed my arm to stop me. "Oh, and another favor," he began as though he just remember something.
I laughed as he seemed to put his thoughts together. "I thought there was only one favor?" I humored as he was conjuring up his thoughts. He chuckled under his breathe before speaking again. He spoke in a gentle demanding voice, something I've never heard before.
"Don't compare yourself to Porsha. What you and I have is way more then what me and her ever did."
I held up my hand as if I was testifying on the witness stand in court. "Scoute's honor," I joked while I stood up. As we began walking to my car.
"So, I see you've made a new friend during our days of no communication," he asked jokingly while referring to William.
"I wouldn't say he's a friend, he's more like an associate," I reassured while opening my car door.
Before I got in the car, he spun me around and kissed me. It was much needed and it felt good to feel the warmth and gentleness of his lips again. We stood there kissing until my phone interrupted us. "Don't answer that," he said during breaths.
At first I didn't want to, but it could be Yvette with an emergency. I slowly pushed James away as he let out a deep sigh. I reached down and grabbed it out of my purse. It was Andrew, and I couldn't make it out, but there were people shouting in the background. What's that all about? "Hey Andrew, what's up?"
"I kinda need your help!" he shouted so I could hear him.
"Okay," I said unsurely. "What's going on?"
"You remember that girlfriend I was telling you and Yvette about?"
"Yeah, uh.....Tina, right?"
"Tasha."
"Tasha, right. So what about her?"
"Well," he paused. "She's sorta kinda over at my house." I was confused.
"Okay?" I asked.
He paused again so I can hear Yvette's voice in the background. "Vetty was here when she showed up and, well, know you're up to date."