TREVANTE ONE SHOTS - THE COLLECTION

UNEXPECTED RENAISSANCE

I was in my junior year of college when I met Tre. A totally different person; stuck up, condescending and exclusively committed to my artistic pursuits. I felt disconnected from my culture but connected to my ancestry. Unable to find beauty in the mundane everyday stuff that makes black beautiful. Guess surburbia and privilege can do that to a person. My mother decided to take a sabbatical and my father being a Dean organized my special permission to have a roving semester. I was never interested in my mother's mystification of the south or how she spoke about it with all its lore.

I was mortified to hear my cousin Toya didn't know what to do with her life. But tapping into my inner artist I listened anyway considering it might be good inspiration for some work. While both of my parents went to survey some family land Toya painted my face.

"You ever been to a college party?" She asked.

"Of course... I'm in college" I stated obviously making Toya snicker.

"You're a real bitch you know that. But still you my cousin - that's what this family does they judge me. But you see, I'm a real bitch, I'm not gonna let you go out sad in whatever this shit is. Aren't you supposed to be an artist?" She asked the real deal from then. "Is it avant garde or some shit I don't understand?" She added making me smile.

"Some shit" I nodded.

"Yeah well you ain't about to wear them rags around me. What size are you?" She asked.

"12"

"I'm sure my mama got something laying around that looks better than those rags. Cause I bet you're into that classist sustainability bullshit too huh?" Toya snapped.

"Yes I am, but I think it should start with the corporations and the rich. The lower classes naturally practice many sustainable methods." I acknowledged.

"Good, then you ain't all the way air headed" she commented pulling out a dress.

"I'm not a scholar I'm an artist" I clarified.

"They make y'all pay for that too? Any of those niggas in museums degreed up?" Toya asked smug as always.

"You'd do well in intellectual circles." I commented putting on the dress and denim jacket.

"And you're about to tear up this party" she smiled looking at me in disbelief.

The ride to campus was short and we could hear the music from the house once we got out the car. I'd never been to an HBCU before. I especially stayed away from fratboys. I watched as people greeted Toya with familiarity.

"Who's your homegirl?" One of the guys asked. Clearly high ranking in the sorority by his confidence and posturing.

"Met her at the hair store, you said you want pretty girls" Toya justified omitting our familial relations, taking his hand and disappearing. It wasn't until about an hour or so later that she returned and him and a few other guys got into line that I saw Tre. His movement in the stroll caught my eye and so did his arms. He had this elegance and the way the light his his skin was perfect. I didn't realize I was staring until he was beside me. I got a closer look at his biceps .

"Tre, like what you see?" He introduced and I snickered wiping my eyes at his confidence.

"You crossed the room" I noted.

"I thought it was the right thing to do with you staring so hard" he commented. He kept talking but my mind was wrapped up on all the pieces I could create with him as the subject. My final project was on black version of renaissance art.

"What does your penis look like?" I asked interrupting him with a raised eyebrow.

"Wow, you came in with Toya right? That happened pretty fast" he swallowed as his air of confidence deflated slightly.