Deliverance (Fem x Stem)

11

Lilliana Morst

"So how many days are you staying?" my mother asked me, concern in her voice.

"Just for a few. Classes are sort of weird right now because of the flooding." I hated lying to my mom but I didn't want to tell her I had been kicked out of the college because of a dumb mistake I made. My family was harsh about graduating from high school and college, I didn't want to paint myself in a bad light nor her. Because if there was one thing I learned, black families were obsessed with appearances.

Hopefully Teyanne would have everything together by the time those few days staying up in Houston with my mother expired. Even thinking Teyanne's name left a bitter taste in my mouth. I had to quickly pack and take everything I could with me. I didn't have a car, I didn't have money. And I'd be damned if I asked Teyanne for a ride.

I was just another broke college student trying to get my education and hopefully forge my way into the adult world. Then here comes Teyanne with her imperfect words and her coy smile.

I knew you were trouble when you walked in.

I had hauled the last of my things into the Lyft when I saw a familiar car pull up to my dorm. I almost growled, stopping myself from slamming the trunk of the vehicle shut. The driver mindlessly texted on her phone so I stormed up to Teyanne. I had half the mind to key this shit up, but I didn't have anything in my hands to damage it.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

"I was going to offer you a ride anywhere you need to go," she told me, the little smirk that she seemed to always wear now replaced with a little frown.

"Well, I already spent what little of money I got on this ride, sooo..." I trailed off, attitude thick in my voice.

"Well, I'll pay for it. Get your stuff and put it into my car," she told me, going up to the Lyft driver's window. "What if I don't want to?" I asked, huffing. I still went around to the trunk and glanced at Teyanne's low car, wondering how the hell all my stuff and us would fit in there. "This is so damn stupid," I grumbled to myself. I swear this shit felt like it was out of a bad dream.

Teyanne walked back up to her car and helped me stuff my things in. We finally got into the car and I had two large bags on my lap and she had one bag on hers. "Where to?" she asked calmly.

"Houston," I told her in a challenging tone.

She looked like she regretted offering me a ride for a moment, then pulled out of the lot. "Address? Put it in my phone." She handed me her phone and I happily imagined chunking it out of the window. I calmed myself down and typed my mother's address in. It wasn't right to just be angry with Teyanne, it takes two to tango, or whatever they say. This was equally our fault, this just happened to be her family that turned my life upside down.

A very influential family, at that.

"Who are you going to stay with?" she asked me, attempting at small talk. The radio wasn't on and the car was air tight, our surroundings passing by us quietly. "My mother," I sighed, leaning my elbow against the door. "I'll probably be up there babysitting for cash until I can figure out what college I'll go to."

"I got you covered," Teyanne told me seriously.

I didn't say anything to that, playing with my hair as I tried to get over myself. Teyanne was losing a lot here too, it just sucked. "Where will you be going?" I asked her, turning an air vent towards my face slightly.

"Uhh, I'm staying at my house," she seemed to be lost in thought, "but I can't be seen around town. My mom came and told me."

I nodded, watching as we left Christiano. It was crazy, but I had been growing to love the small little town. Some part of me had imagined me getting my little degree and finding a husband in college and having children and being the perfect family. But then I fell for a woman, and now I'll probably never have my degree, and my imperfect-wanting-to-be-perfect relatives will probably shun me for being a drop out. Or rather, a kick out.

"I'm sorry for being hard on you. I know yeen mean for none of this to happen," I apologized quietly.

Teyanne threw up her hands, letting out a cry of what I think was joy. My heart skipped a beat for a second until she had her hands placed safely back on the wheel. "Thank you! I felt like the bad guy. I didn't start liking you just so that we could both be shunned by this close minded town. It wasn't intentional."

Time seemed to still as she glanced over at the side mirror near me and ran her tongue across her white, slightly uneven teeth. She looked back at the road and I stared down at my lap slowly, wondering what had just happened.

I had went from furious to intrigued.

"Maybe I could just stay in a hotel," I said, boredly tugging at my bra strap with a sigh.

Teyanne glanced over at me at this time, her breathing quicker. "I'll pay for it," she promised.