This is exactly how I plan on spending my Friday night: watching reruns and stuffing my face with food. I have two friends that are too preoccupied right now to hang out with me, so I'm going to kick it by myself. Unlike my friends, I hate going out. I have plenty of fun while staying in the house and watching television all day. Some people may call my life boring, but I call it peaceful. I don't see the fun in going out to parties because it's just not my scene. Both of my friends, Tamara and Ethan, smoke weed and drink alcohol. They have never pressured me into doing either one because they know it's not my thing. I'm grateful that they are considerate of my choice. They are true friends.
When my parents and I make it home, I go into the kitchen to find myself a snack or two. I grab a bowl and pour some hot chips into it, before grabbing some popcorn and also pouring it into the bowl. Hot chips and popcorn are the best combination ever; it's the best of both worlds. It's quite unhealthy, though. That's never stopped me from eating it before.
"Why you eating all that? I told you I was gonna cook something to eat in the car." My mama shakes her head, walking into the kitchen.
"I can't wait that long." I shrug my shoulders.
"I swear y'all eat snacks up like it ain't nothing." She snickers.
"Aye, I don't eat more than Devin." I raise my hands in defense. "That boy eat like it ain't no tomorrow."
"Your daddy said Fergie was staying, right?" She asks me.
"Yeah." I nod my head.
"Okay, I gotta make enough for all five of us then."
"Just let me know when the food done, I'll be in my room." I grab the bowl off the counter and walk out of the kitchen to my bedroom.
I plop down on my bed, turning my television on. Reruns are my favorite things to watch because they never get old. I like to record the old Disney and Nickelodeon shows, so I can go back and watch them whenever I want. I scroll through the list of recorded shows and click on That's So Raven. It's such a classic. Disney doesn't make shows like this anymore, although I wish they would. Around the same time the show ends, I hear Fergie and Devin arrive. It's kind of hard not to hear two rowdy teenage boys. I'm surprised my mama hasn't snapped on them yet for being too loud.
I grab my empty bowl and make my way to the kitchen again. Devin and Fergie are no longer in their football attire, but I can tell they haven't showered yet. They're stinking up the kitchen.
"Y'all stink." I scrunch my nose up in disgust.
"We did just finish playing football. I didn't know we was supposed to smell good." Devin rolls his eyes.
"Y'all better take a shower before y'all eat." My mama says.
"What you making?" My brothers asks.
"Chicken Alfredo and fried chicken."
"You make the best fried chicken." Fergie hums.
He loves when my mama makes fried chicken. If he's over here whenever she makes it, he will eat the whole batch. I don't know if it's the lack of seasoning in his household, but he sure loves the food in ours.
"Thanks, Fergie." She laughs.
I put the bowl into the dirty side of the sink and take a seat at the kitchen table. I try not to stare at Fergie while he's in an engrossed conversation with my brother. There's just something about him that I like a lot. Maybe it's his curly, brown hair or his green eyes. I can't help myself as my eyes trail over his back. Maybe it's his personality. I don't know, maybe it's Maybelline. I laugh outwardly at my own joke and everyone stops to look at me like I'm crazy.
"You weird." Devin says.
"I'm funny." I state.
"Anyways, I'm gonna go get in the shower first, bro." Devin says to Fergie before leaving out of the kitchen.
"Alright, I'll just wait in the living room." Fergie stands up and walks out of the kitchen, as well.
I have to walk through the living room to get to my bedroom, so I try to act as cool as possible while passing Fergie. To my amazement, he says something to me, which leaves me standing in the middle of the living room.
"No plans tonight, Tatianna?" He raises his eyebrows.
He is the only one who calls me by my full name. My family and friends call me Tati, which is my nickname. Tatianna has always seemed like a mouthful to me, so I've always told people to call me by my nickname for short. I don't mind when Fergie says my full name, though. I like the way it rolls off his tongue and the way he says it like it's of importance to him. Calling someone by their full name constantly is a sign of respect. I was hoping it's a sign of affection, but I know that's not the case with him.
"Nah, my friends went out. But they went to a party, and that's not my kind of thing." I shrug my shoulders.
"Yeah, I know." He chuckles. "I remember me and Devin invited you to a party once and I had to take you home because you weren't enjoying yourself."
"Oh my gosh," I place my hand against my forehead, "please don't remind me."
"Me and Devin were just gonna play the game and watch movies all night, if you wanna join."
I really want to say yes, but I don't want to seem thirsty. Even thought it's a little too late for that.
"Why didn't y'all go to that party everybody been talking about?" I switch the subject.
"Partying isn't fun anymore. I have my whole life to do that. I can live without partying for one night." He shrugs his shoulders. "And you didn't answer my question."
"Yeah, sure." I only agree because I know he won't leave it alone.
"Good. You know you don't have anything else to do anyway." He jokes.
"Shut up." I grab the nearest pillow off the couch and throw it at him. He dodges it, of course. He can thank his quick, athletic reflexes for that.
"I'm just speaking facts." He chuckles.
I sit down on the couch, at a respectable distance away from Fergie. I grab the remote off the coffee table and turn the television on—which reminds me that I should probably go turn mine off—and I feel Fergie looking at me.
"What?" I turn my head to the side to look at him.
"Did you cut your hair?" He narrows his eyes.
"No, it's just shrinkage." I roll my eyes.
"What?"
"It's too much to explain." I shake my head.
"Clearly, I got nothing but time." He looks at me, as if he's waiting for an explanation.
"Shrinkage makes hair look shorter than it is, especially when it's wet or has hair products in it." I grab a coil from my fro and stretch it as far as possible. "See."
"That's cool." His eyes widen in amazement. "Can I touch your hair?"
"No." I scoff and he looks hurt. "It's just that I don't like people touching my hair."
"Girl, I'm not just anybody." He smirks and I burst out laughing.
Because I've known Fergie for such a long time, I am completely comfortable around him. He's like family to us. I know his bad habits and everything about him. Sometimes I feel like it's wrong to have such strong feelings for him when he sees me as his little sister. Not to mention, Devin would freak out if he knew that I liked Fergie. Some things are better left unsaid.
When he laughs along with me, he tilts his head back and closes his eyes. Briefly, my eyes scan over every detail of his face. He's beautiful. And not just physically; he has a beautiful mind too. I've never met a guy like Fergie before. He's such a nice guy. I have no doubt that he'll go far in the future, whether it be academic or sports wise.
"Damn, What is taking Dev so long?" He groans. "It doesn't take much to get in the shower and get out."
"Eh, my showers are at least thirty minutes long." I shrug my shoulders.
"See girls take forever to do everything." He rolls his eyes.
"Not for real." I shake my head. He's kind of right, though.
After both boys finish showering, we all eat dinner. My family doesn't have a traditional dinner, though. We eat everywhere else but at the dining room table. My daddy goes to eat in his office because he has to finish some paperwork, my mama goes to their bedroom—because she's allowed to eat in her room but we're not—and I eat in the living room with Devin and Fergie. We watch about three movies before we decide to call it a night.
Normally, Fergie crashes on Devin's bedroom floor, but he decides to sleep in the living room on the let out couch. Devin goes to his room and it's only a matter of seconds before I hear his loud snoring through the door. I haven't taken a shower since this morning before school, so I grab some clean clothes and start the shower. When I get out, I grab my towel off the rack and start to dry off my legs first.
That's when the door swings wide open.
My eyes widen when I see Fergie.
"Ah!" I yelp, quickly wrapping the towel around my body.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" He turns his head away, but still holds the door slightly ajar.
"Why would you come in here if the door is closed!?" I groan.
"Why would you not lock the door!?"
"I thought the door was locked!" I look at him in horror. His head is still turned away. "Get out!"
"Sorry." He says in a rushed voice and closes the bathroom door.
"Ugh, my life sucks." I mumble to myself, slapping a hand against my forehead.
Fergie just saw me naked.
•••
Picture of Tatianna at the top.