Finest City Dreams

Chapter 19: Differences

It was a couple days before New Years. Literally the end of December. 2003 was quickly approaching. Charles was leaving for New York. He was going to be spending his New Years there. Charles would be appearing on Dick Clark's Rockin New Years Eve program. A couple of Charles's boys that he grew up with would be flying to New York from Atlanta. Charles and Savannah were still not talking to each other. Savannah hadn't changed her mind about not going to New York. Lately, she had been confiding to Lauryce and Chafonda about Charles's behavior.

Savannah was on the phone with Lauryce. Lauryce would be going along to New York to Charles. "All he has to do is apologize to Mr. Bautista. That's it! But he can't even do that. Stubborn ass!" "Savannah, do you want me to talk to him?" "You can try. Maybe he'll listen to you." "I'm gonna talk to him on the plane ride there. I hate seeing you guys like this." "I hate it too." Savannah's voice started to crack. "I still love him." "I know you do. You guys need to talk without the yelling and name calling." "Yeah one day." "Well girl, I gotta finish packing. Gotta real early flight tomorrow." "I know. Have a safe flight." "Thank you. Love you bestie!" "Love you too!" Savannah hung up the phone and started sobbing. She would cry herself to sleep.

The next day Lauryce would be leaving on a plane to New York. It was New Years Eve Eve. Lauryce boarded the private plane. Charles was already seated with headphones on his ears and a notepad and pen in his hands. Lauryce sat in her seat.                                                                            

After takeoff, about 30 minutes later, Lauryce got up from her seat and walked over to where Charles was seated. She plopped down in the seat across from him. "Okay, so what's it gonna take to get you to apologize?" Charles looked up from his writing pad. "What?" Charles sucked his teeth. "Man!" "I'm serious....you need to apologize to Mr. Bautista." Charles shook his head. "No, I don't." Lauryce scrunched her face. "Yes you do." Charles rolled his eyes. "I am so sick and tired of hearing about your stubborn ass! Savannah is an emotional wreck. And as her best friend, I have to be the shoulder she leans on. That girl loves you." Charles wasn't trying to hear it. "If she loves me, why is she taking that dude's side? She's supposed to have my back." Lauryce sighed and shook her head. "And she does have your side! Chuck, you have to remember something, Savannah is studying criminal justice. And what is the main rule that you always hear. You are innocent until proven guilty." Charles nodded. "Yeah I know."

Charles had a question on his mind that he wanted to ask Lauryce. "Ya know, I've never asked Savannah this, but what made Savannah want to study criminal justice?" Lauryce looked at Charles with raised eyebrows. "One name....Andrew Cunanan." Charles scrunched up his face. "What!? The guy that's buried at the cemetery near where I grew up?" Lauryce nodded. "Please explain!" "Well Savannah became interested in the crime spree that this guy was committing. And once she found out that he was a San Diegan....oh, that did it for Savannah. The girl followed the case from beginning till the end. She drove me nuts talking about that case!" Charles shook his head. "I really thought you were gonna say that the O.J. Simpson case had her interest." Lauryce shook her head. "Nuh-Uh! We were too young for that case. Savannah had zero interest. But with the Versace murders, she was 13 going on 14 when all that went down. A little bit older and a little bit wiser. Savannah was really hoping that they were gonna catch that guy. But we all know how that ended." Charles nodded with a smirk. "The houseboat!" "So now you see why she's so dedicated to school." Charles looked down in thought. "School was never for me. I had a difficult time when I was in school. Either I was going to be an athlete or a musician. And well, you know which one I became." Lauryce shook her head. "The both of you are so different yet so alike. Crazy!"

Lauryce stood up to head back to her seat. "Just think about what I said. If you love Savannah, you'll do anything not to lose her." Lauryce winked at Charles and went back to her seat. Charles sighed while looking out the window. He sat there for most of the flight in deep thought.