Tulip was nervous. Wait. No. She was more than nervous. She was so riddled with anxiety that she flipped and flopped in the extra long twin bed that she got up and reorganized her already organized closet. She couldn't get Jasper Young out of her mind. His soothing melodic voice and southern gentleman charm fueled multiple dreams that freely glided down the spectrum of funny and sweet to erotic and romantic. The man was a drug and she was a fucking addict.
Damn! Tulip cursed her present mental woes as she walked to the student parking lot to meet the very person that captivated her thoughts.
"Tutu, are you hearing me?" Will's parental tone pulled her out of her contemplation.
"Yes." She held out the 's' longer than needed as she stepped over the crack in the sidewalk. "Don't worry about me."
Will huffed like a furious longhorn. "I'm your elder. All I do is worry."
"You're confused. The word you want is 'older'."
"It's the correct word. I'm the elder in this situation." Humor was in his tone but he was serious. "Which is why, you getting in a car with some stranger is not sitting well with me."
She sighed as she waited for a car roll through the intersection before crossing the street, "I've done my due diligence. I'm not a child. Brianna's mom is a detective for HPD. She ran a background check. He's clean. Safe."
"Or—" Will paused and she knew he had a slick comeback. "He could be a smooth criminal."
She shook her head playfully as a giggle slipped past her lips. "Okay, Michael Jackson."
"I"m serious, Tulip. Just because someone doesn't have a record doesn't mean they're harmless. You watch CSI."
"Not anymore."
"When?"
"I don't know? Warrick died and so did my desire to watch." She finally reached the student parking lot and began searching through the sparse area for his car. "Southland's my new obsession."
How difficult could it be to spot a black F-150? It was hard as shit. She had a momentary lapse and forgot Texas was truck country. Silverado's, Sierras, F-Series, and Tacomas surrendered her in reds, blues, and black.
"One character dies and you write off a show." He tsked. "Really?"
"Absolutely." She scanned her eyes over the abundance of trucks from two-doors to four. Some with grill guards and some with fancy rims. She didn't ask if he had any of those things on his truck. She did a turn to see the vehicles she passed upon entering when a honk promptly stopped her. Her revolution halted but her sundress kept moving, giving the world a flash of her upper thigh. He sight moved to the direction the noise traveled and a smile threatened to curve up her glossed lips but she fought the urge. She didn't need him knowing she was eager to see him in the flesh again.
Get it together. She tightened her grip on the phone and let out a breath. "I have to let you go, Will."
"Call me when you get home. I mean it."
"I will." She affirmed sauntering toward the black truck free of a grill guard and stylish rims. A green and black tassel hung from the rearview mirror which would've been helpful earlier but she digressed. "See ya."
"Later." He replied before she hung up. Goodbye and bye were two words no longer in their vocabulary. They brought up memories the siblings didn't wish to revisit.
She slipped her phone in her dress pocket with a happiness warming her chest. She loved the guy but her brother worried too much. He had nothing to fear. Jasper Young kept his nose clean, as was apparent from the report Brianna's mom gave her a day ago. He had a speeding habit but after a defensive driving course he'd learned. So, she wasn't going to fret about the one flaw. She was going to have fun. Tonight was going to be magical. She knew it.
Her gait slowed as she neared the truck and just like that the fire blazing inside her fizzled out. A girl appeared from behind the truck to claim the spot in front of him. She left no space between them as she linked her fingers behind his neck.
Tulip's smile was gone when she reached the front of the truck. "Hi." She waved at the pair awkwardly.
"Hey." His smile brightened up all his gorgeous features which hurt her just a little more. "You ready?"
She nodded. "I am." She looked at the girl still leaning into him. "Hi. I'm Tulip."
"Mia." She gave a quick wave. "You're pretty."
"Thanks," Tulip said lowly unsure what was actually going on. "So are you."
It was a lie. She was with her coal-black hair held back in a clamp, cut-off denim shorts and crop-top showing off her belly button ring letting the sun kiss as much of her butterscotch skin as possible. She was effortlessly beautiful without makeup and a stunning smile. She knew why she was Jasper's girlfriend.
Bitch you fine, too. Her conscious asserted. She knew it. His loss. Too bad he was already boo'd up.
"We need to hit the road." He gave Mia a quick kiss before she pulled away from him.
"Have fun ya'll," Mia said before strutting to her Kia Sportage two rows back.
Tulip opened the passenger door, "Your girlfriend's sweet."
"She's not my girlfriend." He corrected sliding under the steering wheel. "We're friends."
"Friend?" Tulip was thankful for her long legs as she climbed into the cab, "You always kiss your friends."
He turned the key in the ignition, starting the car. "Only the special ones.
"Hmm." She watched him intently to see if he was joking but no mischief lingered on his features. He was being honest. She didn't know what to do with that. He had special friends he kissed. So, was he a player or not.
"I got snacks for the ride." He gestured to the bag sitting between them. "Your Hot Fries are in there."
She pulled down the plastic bag to see them amongst the contents that were two drinks and a variety of candy. "You didn't have to."
"I wanted to." He shifted the gear to drive. "What's a road trip without goodies."
"It's just a forty-ish minute drive. Maybe more with traffic." Her smile was back. She didn't know if it was from the bag of chips she just opened or the charismatic driver. "This isn't a road trip."
"We're going from Prairie View to Houston. Across city lines. It's a road trip." He fed the engine some gas and pulled out the parking spot. "Find us some music TC. Be my DJ, please." He handed her his iPod.
She slipped the device out of his grasp. "My pleasure."
Do you think Jasper is a player based on his kissing of 'special friends'?
What do you think will happen to Tulip's crush after learning about Mia?
Do you cancel shows after they've killed off a character you love?