Nobody Like You

Six - Trouble

Before going back to class, I stopped by the soda machine to grab a Sprite.  I needed to walk off the anger I had built up in me from Fire.
"Who the hell does he think he is?"  I said to myself before popping the top on my soda and taking a sip.  I paced back and forth, taking a sip every time I pivoted to go the opposite direction. 
"Why am I even getting worked up over him?  He's a loser.  He doesn't even matter." I mumbled to myself.  I downed the rest of my soda before tossing it in the recycling bin and heading back to class.  I stood outside the classroom and took a cleansing breath.  I had to calm my nerves or I was going to snap at the sight of Fire.  The dismissal bell rang as soon as I walked into the classroom.  I shot Fire a piercing look, burning a hole through him as I walked past him.
"Is everything alright Ciara?"  Mrs. Marciano asked with a look of concern.  She quirked her eyebrows as she stared between me and Fire.
"Everything is cool."  I reassured, flashing a plausible smile.  I glanced over at Fire to see him smirking at me.  It was like he relished in my annoyance of him.  Grabbing my belongings, I threw my backpack over my shoulder as I headed towards the door with my eyes darted at him.
"Why are you looking at me?"  He asked, rising from his desk.
"I don't like you, and I'd appreciate it if you stayed the hell away from me."  I snarled at him before marching out of class.  I had never gotten so raw with a guy like I did with Fire, and from the looks of it he seemed to love every minute of it.  Nicki, Lala, and Che were standing at their lockers, which were right across from Mrs. Marciano's class, when I stepped into the corridor.  I walked over to them in silence with a mean mug on my face.  As I leaned back against one of the lockers next to Nicki's, I kept my eyes on Mrs. Marciano's door, anticipating Fire's appearance.
"What's wrong with you crybaby?  You still got an attitude with me?"  Nicki asked, playfully poking me in my shoulder.
"Oh, I have an attitude.  Just not with you."  I kept my eyes on Mrs. Marciano's door.
"Aw shit, who you mad at now?"  Lala questioned as she smacked on a Chic O Stick.  "I swear CeCe you stay pissed off.  You need to stop letting people get to you."
I cut my eyes at Lala.  "Oh hush!  I know you're not talking. You get amped up if somebody even looks at you wrong."
She paused, holding her candy to her lips.  "Whatever.  We're not talking about me.  We're trying to figure out what's wrong with you."
"We got a new dude in Mrs. Marciano's class today, and out of all people, she made me show him around the school."
Lala and Nicki shared a look of question.  "Okay, what's so bad about that?"  Nicki asked.
"He was a complete asshole.  He was texting the entire time we were out here, not paying me any damn attention at all.  Pissed me off so bad, I went off on him.  And do you know this fucker called me a bitch?"
Nicki gasped as Lala's eyes widened.  "He called you a bitch? Oh no, we don't play that shit."  Lala dropped her purse to the ground.  "Where he at?"  She glanced up and down the hallway.
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear."  I said under my breath, staring straight ahead.  "There he goes right there."  I nodded my head in the direction of Mrs. Marciano's class, and Nicki and Lala's eyes followed.
Lala stood rigid, eyebrows raised.  "Are you talking about him?"  She pointed at Fire.  I nodded, folding my arms across my chest.
"Fire?"
"Yeah."  I answered.
"Fire Trevelyan?"
"Yes!" I snapped.
Lala silently picked up her purse, and straightened her hair and clothes.  She leaned back against the lockers, acting cool and nonchalant.  More cool than she was before.
"What did you say to him?"  Nicki asked looking at Fire then back at me.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, Fire's not the type of guy to call a girl a bitch for no reason so you had to have said something to piss him off."  Nicki assured me.
"It doesn't matter what I said he – wait a minute.  How do you know that?  How do y'all know him?"  I pushed away from the lockers, standing at my normal height.
"Where have you been?  Living under a rock?  Who doesn't know Fire Trevelyan?"
"Um – me?"
"Well if you would stop being such a Myrtle Urkel book worm stuck up in the house studying all the time or get from up under Jabari's ass and come out with us more often, then maybe you would know who he is."  Nicki said.  "Fire is Che's best friend. I've told you about him before."
"I don't remember you telling me about him. I think I'd remember somebody like him."
"How could you not remember Fire Trevelyan?  Look at him."  Lala added, rounding her mouth around her Chic O Stick as she slid it in and out of her mouth slowly while eyeing Fire.  "He is so damn sexy."
She is right about that.  Look at him. Lord, please give me strength.
"He's alright."  I said in monotone.
"Alright my ass!  Girl, he is gorgeous.  Look at those lips. Mmm mmm mmm.  Just makes you want to suck them off of his face!"  Lala expressed with a lustful gaze.
"Lala, calm your coochie down.  Did you forget you already have a man?"  Nicki implied, rolling her eyes.
"And?  I can still enjoy the fruits of God's labor."  Lala watched him, her eyes mirroring his every move.
"I'll see y'all later."  I began to walk off, but was halted once Nicki grabbed me by my backpack and pulled me backwards.
"Ciara, stop acting like that.  Fire's cool, and let's be honest.  Considering how bad your attitude and mouth can be sometimes, I sure he had valid reason to call you what he called you."
"So what!  I don't care how cool he is, I don't like his ass, and I don't want to talk to him.  I'm out."
"Ciara."  Nicki pulled me by my backpack again.  "Chill out.  Just try to be nice, okay?"  Nicki pleaded.
"Whatever."
Fire made his way over to us, his eyes glued to me.  I glared up at him, hoping he would say one thing out of line so I would have a reason to flash on his ass again.
"What's up bruh?"  Che and Fire slapped five and embraced each other with a one armed hug.  "I was looking all over for you.  When did you get here?"
"I came later than what I told you.  Had to handle some business for Pops before I came.  You know how that goes." 
"Fasho.  I'm glad you back my nigga!  I don't think I could've gone much longer hanging out with these lames I play ball with." Fire chuckled softly before glancing at me.  I fixed him with a steely glare. 
"What's up Laudie?"  Nicki and Lala cheerfully greeted him, leaning into him for a hug. 
"What's up?  I see you two are still looking pretty as ever."
"Aww, check you out."  Nicki blushed horribly.  I guess he had that affect over all girls.  Nicki never blushed at complements given to her.  Che frowned at her reaction, but didn't say anything.  I was sure she would hear about it later.  "Laudie, I want you to meet my homegirl."  He sauntered over, standing directly in front of me.  "This is my best friend –"
"Ciara." He interjected, sneering at me.  "We met already."
The tension between us couldn't be ignored, yet Nicki smiled in satisfaction.  It took everything in me not to wrap my hands around his neck or scratch his pretty ass eyes out of his head.  The way he stood in front of me with his hands in his pockets and his chest poked out with that smug on his face had me fuming. 
"I gotta get to my next class.  I'll see y'all later."  I drawled before pushing my way between Fire and Lala.  I walked down to my locker, popping it open to drop my English book and grab my Calculus book.  As I changed out one book for the other, I turned to see Fire walking towards me.  I wish this he would leave me the hell alone.
"Why are you following me?  Don't come over here starting anymore trouble."  I clipped out.  He stopped two lockers down from me.  His face held no emotion as he leaned against the locker.  He looked me up and down with a look of distaste.
"Don't flatter yourself.  I just came to put this book in my locker."  He pushed himself off of the locker.  Turning the combination dial, he popped the locker open, and tossed in his book before flinging the door shut.  He sure knew how to make me feel stupid.  I faced my locker, grabbing my composition notebook out before slamming it shut.  Roughly grabbing my backpack, I threw it over my shoulder and prepared to get away from his as fast as I could before anything else aroused.
"You know what?"  He said before I could get away.  I whipped around.  "You really need to get over yourself."
"Excuse you?"
"I said you really need to get over yourself.  This whole hardcore act you got poppin' off is not attractive, and it's a big ass turn off."  He said coolly.  "And that fucked up attitude of yours will potential get you fucked up."
"Are you threatening me?!"  My eyes were wide.
"I don't make threats.  I'm just telling you some shit your parents should've taught you.  Not too many dudes will be forgiving as I was when it comes to your attitude.  The shit's a turn off, and you need to correct it."  He slowly walked over to me.
"Who said I was trying to turn you on?"  I asked.
Fire grinned.  "You don't have to say anything nor do you need to try.  Naturally, you are.  Lucky for you, I like girls with a little feistiness in them.  However, you have more than I'm used to, but I can fix that." He folded his bottom lip into his mouth, lustfully drifting his eyes down my frame then back up again, meeting my eyes.
I paused.  Why was he so alluring?  His intoxicating gaze let me know he wanted me.  I was caught in his gaze for a moment before pulling out of it.
"Well, I'm normally not like that.  You brought it out of me."
He scoffed.  "So what are you saying?  I brought out the worst in you?  That can't possibly be all the worst that's in you."  Fire commented sarcastically.
"I have feeling you bring out the worst in everybody you come in contact with."  I retorted.
"How about you cool out on trying to be such a bad ass and try to be nice to me?  I mean, we've only known each other for what – an hour and a half and we're already each other's worse enemy.  Quite frankly, I think you owe me an apology."
"An apology for what?"
"Let's see.  You snatched my phone out of my hand while I was on an important call and then you hung up on the person I was talking to.  You damn near lost your life for that, but I let it slide.  Then you called me a low life wanna be gangster, which I resent.  I've never been a low life or a wanna be.  I'm the prototype that other niggas copy from."
"Okay?  And you're saying that to say what?"
"You were hella rude to me for no reason.  So I think I'm more than worthy of your apology."
I let out a dry laugh.  "Ha!  Good luck with that.  Because there will be an ice storm in the deepest pits of hell before I apologize to you for anything."
Fire moved closer to me, his eyes locked with mine.
"I like you."  He said with a lustful flint in his eyes, licking his juicy lips.
"Is that so?"
"Yeah.  A lot.  It's funny, because I'm not usually that interested in girls to the point of liking them.  I have them around for a purpose or two and then I send them on their way.  But you.  There's something about you that piques my interest.  I'm curious for you."
Fire was good, I had to admit.  What he didn't know was that I felt the same way he did.  His aura screamed trouble, and red warning lights were flashing all over him warning me to stay away.  You would've thought it would've been easy to overlook Fire, and brush him off like he was one of these other teenage lames.  It wasn't.  I mean, I couldn't stand his ass.  So why was I even entertaining his obvious bullshit?  In the short time I'd known him he had become a major pain in my ass.  As I stood there staring deeply into his crystalline eyes, I kept telling myself, "don't like him" and "hate his fucking guts because he called you a bitch."  But no matter how loudly and forceful I screamed those words in my head, they were quickly diminished with every second I looked at him while he looked into me.  With every moment his peppermint breath fanned my face as he spoke his words of subterfuge, I was drawn to him.  The shit scared me, because no one ever made me feel that way except for Jabari.
I cleared my throat.  "Hmm, too bad you can't satisfy your curiosity."  I quipped.
"And why is that?"
"I have a boyfriend, which means I'm off limits."  I turned to walk away, ready to get out of the conversation before it went too far.  Before I could take my first step, Fire grabbed my wrist stopping my stride.  I turned to face him.  It felt like lightning struck through my body as I savored the feeling of his hand on me.  Damn, why couldn't I have met you three and a half years ago?
"And?  What does that have to do with me?"
I glanced down at his hand still wrapped around my wrist then back up at him, meeting his curious gaze.  He subtly let my wrist go, making sure to let my hand slip between his fingers.  This guy was no amateur.  He knew exactly what he was doing to me.
"It has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with me.  I'm not sure what type of girls you're use to, but I'm not the type to cheat on my boyfriend."  I looked him up and down.  "Especially not with guys like you."  I declared.  "Even if I was single – I wouldn't go for your type anyway."
Fire cocked his head, staring at me with a quizzical expression.  "And what type is that?"
"Thugs. Gangsters. Bad boys.  The type of guy my mother warned me about.  She says guys like you are only good for creating babies and problems, and God knows I don't want any babies and I have enough problems already."
"So, you're just gonna put me in that box, huh?"  Fire deadpanned.
I shrugged my shoulders.  "Am I wrong?"
"Actually you are very wrong.  I'm no thug, and I'm only a bad when I need to be."
"So you're a gangster then?  You didn't deny that part."
"I get gangster when necessary.  Otherwise, I'm just as normal as you."
Fire was a lot of things, but normal was not one of them.  Before he could say another word, a finger tapped him on his shoulder.  He turned around and there was Tiffany.  Her abundance of titties looked like a booty was on her chest, and they were bursting out of the top of her dress.  The violet cashmere piece was so binding and short, if she bent over even a centimeter, she would've been ass out – literally.
"What's up Fire?  You can't speak to nobody now?"  She questioned with a smug smirk.  Her expression quickly faded once she noticed me standing next to him.  She coldly glared at me before averting her attention back to Fire.  Tiffany was such a coward.  She wouldn't talk shit to me unless her minions were around.
"What do you want?"  Fire asked coolly.
"So, it's like that now?"  Tiffany asked, taken aback by his vibe.
"What do you mean?  It's been like that, Tiffany.  You already know I don't fuck with you nor do I care to speak to you.  You don't have shit to say to me and I sure as hell don't have shit to say to you."
Disappointment covered Tiffany's face.  "Fire – babe, how many times do I have to say I'm sorry?  I didn't mean for shit happen the way that it did.  I mean, what was I supposed to do?!  You just – "
"Tiffany, I'm really not trying to hear shit you got to say.  Your words have no validation with me, so save you breath.  You can tell me you're sorry ten thousand times, and I still won't hear you."
"Fire, please don't be this way with me."  Tiffany pleaded.  "Baby, I know I messed up, but I don't know what else I can do to make you see how apologetic I am.  I've been miserable without you."
I snorted as I bit down on the insides of my lips to keep from laughing in her face.  Was she serious?  Tiffany had seen more penis than a pair of NBA basketball shorts.
Miserable my ass.
She cut her eyes at me, flaring her nostrils as she flexed her jaw.  I didn't feel bad for her at all.
"I don't care.  Stay miserable." Fire retorted.  He took a step towards her.  "What you did was foul.  It was unforgiving, and there is no coming back from it.  I want you to hear this and hear this good.  Me and you been over and we will never be together again, in this life or the next.  So any hopes or dreams or ambitions you might have brewing in that little brain of yours about us – erase that shit.  It will never fucking happen.  Now get out of my face."
Tiffany eyes watered and her chin trembled.  She whipped around and stormed down the hallway, disappearing into the library.  I shook my head at how pathetic she was while condescendingly smiling to myself.
That's what her thirsty ass gets.
"Hold up.  You and Tiffany use to go together?"
"Yeah.  So what?" Fire asked, quickly lifting his shoulders and then dropping them.
"You definitely wouldn't have a chance with me then if you were with her."  I implied with a smirk, completely disgusted by what was just revealed.  "I don't want her sloppy seconds."
"First of all, let me put you up on something mama."  Fire slid his chiseled arm around my waist and pulled me into his rock hard body, erasing all proximity between us.  "I'm not anybody's sloppy anything."  He said smoothly.  "Tiffany was a mistake.  She is a mistake I will never make again.  But you wanna know what I think?  I think that you believe you're too good for me, when in fact I'm too good for you.  You've never met nor experienced anyone like me before, and it scares you.  You're afraid of me."
"Boy please, I am not – "
"Yes, you are."  Fire interrupted.  "It's written on your face.  You're just as curious about me as I am about you.  The only difference between us is that you're not hard to read, and I'm a closed book.  And that's what scares you.  So it's not a matter of me NOT being able to satisfy my curiosity for you...it's obvious you're afraid to satisfy your curiosity for me."
Our gazes were intertwined, making me feel tremors in my chest.  My breath hitched in my throat as I gazed deeply into his translucent eyes that glinted with seduction and hunger.  My pum pum had a mind of its own as it pulsated in my panties.  My virginal mind filled with kinky, nasty thoughts of Fire licking and sucking every inch of my young teenage body.  Thoughts of his pretty lips pressed against mine made me salivate.
"What's up CeCe?"  A familiar voice said, shattering my thoughts.  I trembled at the sound of Jabari's voice.  I quickly pushed myself away from Fire.  My feet felt like they were anchored to the floor, and my stomach dropped to my ass.  Surprisingly, Jabari had a smile spread across his face when I turned around.
"What's going on here?"  He asked as he came and stood next to me.  Jabari smiling after seeing me in the arms of another dude meant he was pissed.  I prayed with everything I had that he wouldn't go off on me.
"Hey – babe.  Um, this is – "
"I know who he is."  Jabari cut me off.  It felt like he was staring into my soul as his eyes darkened.  My legs shook uncontrollably with fear, and my heart was pounding like a drum.  His smile grew wider as he sensed my fear.  He swiped his eyes from me to Fire.
"Well, well, well."  Jabari emphasized, wedging himself between me and Fire.  Fire frowned, taking a couple of steps back.  "Fire Muthafuckin' Trevelyan.  I didn't know you came back in town.  What's been up with you baby?"  Jabari extended his hand out towards Fire to shake his hand, but Fire left him hanging.  He glanced down at Jabari's hand, still holding his hands in his pockets as he sneered at Jabari.  The look of seduction he had in his eyes diminished and pure hate took over.
"Oh, it's like that? Okay."  Jabari said as he drew his hand back.  "You look good homie.  I see you still shinin' and flashin' and shit.  You still think you that nigga, huh?"
Fire glared at Jabari, still not saying a word.  The tension between the two of them was thick. He flicked his eyes to me.  "So, this is your boyfriend?"
I awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck, nervous as hell.  I parted my lips to speak.  "That's right."  Jabari cut in.  "I'm her boyfriend, which means she's off limits to any nigga that tries to step to her."  Jabari narrowed his glare at Fire.  "I can't just let niggas try to come and take my girl from me.  You know all about that, right?"  Jabari questioned with a patronizing smile.  Fire's face hardened under those words, as if they pinched a nerve in him.  What did he mean by that?  And how the hell do they know each other?! 
Fire softly chuckled, the anger was still apparent through his cold glare he held on Jabari.  "Same old pathetic, I wanna be down ass Jabari.  Because I'm in a good mood today, I'm gonna let your little sly ass remarks slide.  Usually I would break niggas jaws for talking to me sideways like you just did.  You know all about that – right?"  Fire questioned with a smile.  Jabari bit down on his bottom lip, flaring his nostrils.  I looked back and forth between Jabari and Fire, wondering in the back of my mind what the history was with the two of them.  I never really knew of Jabari having beef with anybody, so to see him and Fire exchanging words had me curious.
Fire focused on me, smiling softly as we exchanged gazes.  "I'll see you around, pretty girl."  He said as he tapped the bottom of my chin before sliding between me and Jabari.  I couldn't help but to watch him as he smoothly strode down the hallway.  He walked with such confidence, and he owned the atmosphere.
"Are you enjoying the fucking view?"  Jabari snapped, bringing me back to attention.
"What?"  I asked, playing dumb.
"So you just gonna watch that nigga walk away while I'm standing right here?  What you like him or something?"  Jabari seethed.
"Wha – no!  I don't even know him!"
"Oh, you seem to know him pretty well while you were all up in his face, letting him grab all on you and shit."
"I didn't – "
"Don't fucking lie to me Ciara!  I was standing there the whole time y'all were talking.  Do I look stupid to you?  Don't fucking try to play me for a fool bitch!"
Jabari roughly grabbed my arm, pulling me quickly alongside of him.  My heart was pounding, as I tried to break free from his grip.  Immediately, I made a quick plan to make a run for it as soon as we reached the corner of the hall.  Preparing for the takeoff, Jabari gripped the back of my neck, shoving me into the girls' restroom.  Stumbling into the restroom, he pushed me before kicking open one of the stall doors and throwing me in.  We stood face to face in the cold steel gray restroom stall.  I could feel the air passing roughly through his nostrils on my face.  His light brown eyes darkened with repugnance as he pierced me with his glare.  My body was rigid and shuddered as I parted my lips to plead my case.  Before I could release any words, Jabari drew back his fist and threw a punch to my nose.
Stumbling backwards and falling down onto the toilet, I let out a piercing scream that echoed against the walls.  Tears streamed down my face as blood drained from my nose onto my plump lips.
"Why you gotta keep tryin' me Ciara?  Huh?  You must like when I beat your ass, 'cause you always do some dumb shit to make me wanna fuck you up!"
"I didn't do anything."  I cried.  "We were just talking, that's all."  Blood continued to drip from my nose as I wiped my nose with the sleeve of my cardigan.
"Bullshit!"  He shouted.  "I was watching you the whole fucking time.  You let that nigga grab all on you.  Stop lying to me you fucking whore."  The sound of his hand colliding with my face echoed off of the walls.  I let out a short screeching scream, holding the spot he slapped me in.  My vision was blurry from my waterfall of tears.  Suddenly, Jabari gripped my neck, digging his fingernails into the sides of my neck.
"Are you tryin' to break up with me?"  He asked, his voice cracking between his words.  "Is that what you're tryin' to do?  You tryin' to leave me so you can go get with that nigga?"
"No."  I strained to talk through his tight grip.  "I don't want him Jabari.  I only want and love you." 
I had hoped that the sincerity in my voice would make Jabari feel at least an ounce of sympathy for me.  Maybe make him realize how much he was hurting me and want to apologize.  My words meant nothing to him.  I knew better.  Jabari never sympathized for anything he ever did or said to me.  He said that was his way of showing me how much he loved me.  I didn't know everything, but I knew that me having a bloody nose, a sprained finger, or a bruised arm every other week was not considered love.
"Shut the fuck up.  You love what I am, you don't love me.  You better act like you know what it is Ciara.  Like I told you before – the only way you will leave me is in a body bag or if I let you go.  Until then, you belong to me.  I own you bitch.  And if you tell anybody about this, you'll get it worse next time."
Jabari released the grip he had on me, and stormed out of the restroom.  I stood in the stall for a few moments, sobbing to no end.  How could he treat me so low?  I grabbed some toilet paper from the roll on the wall and walked over to one of the oval mirrors that were lined along the wall of the restroom.  I gasped at the sight of blood smeared under my nose and on my lips from me attempting to wipe it away.  The right side of my face was red and slightly welted from his slap.  I buried my face in my hands, crying uncontrollably. 
"God, please watch over me.  Protect me and give me strength."  I whispered, looking up to the ceiling.
In that moment, I knew my relationship with Jabari was on its last thread.  My love for Jabari was strong, but I couldn't go on letting him tear me down, day after day and beating me to a pulp every time he felt like it.  I was better than that.  The only problem was that I didn't know how to escape him.  I desperately wanted out, but the fear of what he would do if I tried to get out of our relationship is what kept me in it.  After cleaning my face up, I grabbed my things and left out of the restroom.  I went about the rest of my day with a smile on my face as if nothing ever happened.  I should've won an Oscar for all the times I put on a happy face and acted like my life was all flowers and rainbows, knowing good and damn well it was full of chaos and bullshit.  Sadly, I had mastered this façade from the very first time Jabari hit me.  On the outside, I looked like a bag of diamonds, but I was broken, shattered, and torn internally.