Love at Booker T.

Chapter 7

• Simone's POV •
We were in last block for the day. I met some cool girls, who were associated with Janet. So I knew they wouldn't betray me, like 'friends' I had in the past.

I was sitting at the table. It was the end of the day, and Janet already told me they were going to start dismissing our buses over the intercom. I knew my bus number, so I was just listening to music on low volume, that way I could hear which ones they dismissed.

Then that boy Jamal came over to where I was sitting.
I knew he had first block and this block with me, but he didn't glance over, so I thought of him as just another boy.

He has a lollipop in his mouth.
"Wassup," He starts.
I wave, not bothering to talk. When you're listening to PartyNextDoor, you have to sit and listen. That's how deep & soothing his songs were. And right now I was listening to my favorite, Tbh.

"So, um, you can't talk?" He asks, biting down on the lollipop.
I take the earphones out of my ear. "I was listening to music, sorry," I reply.
"Oh ok. Janet told me you were her cousin," He says.

I trusted Janet, so she probably just told him we were related & how I had enough on my back with my home life. I didn't mind when people close to me said anything about my life, but when people you hardly know do, they start mixing up the whole story.

"Yeah." I confirm.
"Well, I'm not gone sit here and tell you I'm over here for nothing. I saw you all day, and you cute," He starts.
"And I can see how you & Janet are related. Me and Quan always has good taste in girls."

I chuckle. "Thanks," I start.
He eyes my braids and touches them..
"So you got a kik?" He asks, still sucking the lollipop.
"No. I have a phone number," I say.
He smiles. "Let me have it." He says, whipping out his iPhone 5s.

Just as I'm about to give it to him, our bus is called- I almost forgot we ride the same one. We walk down the hall together, until we get to the bus.

He sits in a seat across from me & Janet, in the back. I give him the rest of my number, and I'm thinking he saved me as a contact.

He smiles. "I'll text you later."
I nod my head yes, and see Janet coming down the aisle.
"Um.. I saw y'all talking," Janet says to me, chuckling.
"Yeah," I say.
"I gave him my number," I mumble.

"Gave him what?" Janet exclaims.
I sigh. "My number." I answer.

Janet grins. "I told you the boys here have a weakness for pretty girls."
I smile, and continue listening to PartyNextDoor.

••••

Me & Janet finally arrive at the house and I spot Trinity & Sophia doing homework together.

Both of us hug Auntie Keisha, before I walk over to them. Janet waves at her little sister, Trinity, and cousin Sophia before running up the steps.

"Hey, Soph, what ya doing?" I ask.
"Math homework. Multiplying three digit numbers to two digit ones," She replies.
"Are you understanding it?" I ask.
"Yes. Trinity is helping me understand it more and more." Sophia says.

Trinity smiles, and I smile back at both of them. "Well I'll be up the stairs with Janet. Talk to you later." I say, running upstairs, to the room.

Janet is up on the top bunk, and I hear Quan's voice. I'm sure they're face timing, so I just plop on my bottom bunk, and sit there. There's nothing to do, since I finished all my homework in class. Just as I start to drift off to sleep, my phone vibrates. "Bruh, I was just going to sleep," I mumble.

Someone is calling me. It's an unknown number. I pick up the phone, just out of curiosity, and hear a familiar voice.

Jamal.

"Aye, is this Simone?" Jamal asks.
I go to Trinity & Sophia's room since Janet was already talking to Quan.

"Yeah. You could have texted first," I say jokingly.
I hear him chuckle."Um, I guess I just wanted to hear your voice again," He replies.

I smile so hard, my cheeks start to hurt. I remain silent, still admiring what Jamal just said to me.

"Hello?" He speaks into the phone.
"Yeah, I'm here. Sowwie," I say, joking once again.
He chuckles a second time. "You betta.. um. anyways you wanna go out to eat or something Friday?" He asks.

I have no doubts about it.. Friday nights were always boring for me, so why not spend it with a friend?

"Sure," I say, having certainty in my voice.
"Ight, see you at school tomorrow." Jamal replies.
"Ok." I say, hanging up the phone.

I hold my phone & smile more and more by the second.

Who knows, Jamal could be one of my good friends in the future.
or even my first love...