Harlem Romance

A Little Bit Older

August 17, 1960 (4 Years Later)

Y/N

"Yes Ma I promise I will make sure to call you every weekend" I say to my mother as we saying our good byes "ok honey, and if you need anything just call me or your father and we will be here" my mother says as she cry's "I will, I got to go now...love you" I say to my mother as she cries harder into my arms, "alright Y/N this is a big step for you so don't think your alone in this" my father says as he pats my shoulder "I know dad I know" "good, now give ya old man a hug" he says as he pulls me in for a deep hug "ok Donna we got to get going, we got a long drive back" my father says as he tries to get her to calm down "Y/N baby we love you" "love y'all too" I say as he finally gets her into the car.

I'm attending Harvard University under the major of business and must I say this is very nerve racking, when I enter the campus it was all kinds of people promoting things like fraternities, sororities etc and this was all so new to me, hate that I have to do it on my own because Robert wants to take after the family business "are you interested in politicians?" a white girl with a ribbon in her head asks me "Um no thanks" I say as I smile and walk away "finally" I say as I get to my house.

"Hi I'm looking for room 206?" I ask a girl "oh yes this way" the girl says as we begin to head upstairs, it was so much going on up here, I mean girls running around, squirting water guns at each other, decorating their room, arguing etc " first semester?" The girl asks me "um yes, is it like this all the time?" I ask her as we make it to room 206 "not all the time, here we are" she says as she opens the door, I'm met with a somewhat empty room with two beds on each side "it doesn't look like your roommate's here yet, this gives you a chance to pick your bed" she says, I sit my things down on the bed to the right "l will let you get settled in...I didn't get your name" she says as I wipe my hands "how rude am I, Y/N Y/L/N" "Madison McIntosh but everyone else calls me mad, I'm your dorm supervisor so if you need anything let me know" she says "alright will do mad" I say as she smiles and walks away.

After taking in my new environment I begin to unpack, as I was unpacking I'm met with a picture of me and Robert when we were about 13 "ah Robert" I say as I seat on my bed, I was devastated when Robert told me he wasn't going to college, I was happy for him don't get me wrong but I really wanted us to take this step together "I wish you were here" I say as I hear the door began to open "oh hi you must be my roommate, well I'm Gloria Simmons and you?" "Um Y/N..Y/N Y/L/N" I say as we shake hands "so where you from Miss Y/N?" "Harlem" I say as I continue unpacking "born and raised?" "Yes ma'am, what about you?" I ask as I begin to put some of my posters from home up on the wall " Houston Texas baby" she says as she puts her luggage on her bed "oh wow, that must have been a big move?" "Yeah but I've been there my whole life, I just didn't want to be stuck in one place.. so I made the decision come to Harvard" she says with her arms in the air "that's cool, yeah I didn't want to move to far..I would just miss my family to much" I say as I get done putting the posters up "yeah I understand" she says as a knock interrupt us "Y/N?" "That's me" I say as a girl walks in "um there's someone on the telephone for you" she says as a puzzle expression comes to my face.

"Hello Y/N speaking" I say as I put my free hand into my pocket "Y/N it's me Mary!" "Mary hey, you settling in all right?" I ask her, me and Mary haven't talked since it happened.

Flashback
"I forbid you from ever seeing that girl again!" Susan yells "what? no you can't do that!" "Well I just did, I can't believe you....in my home?, I don't wanna hear it anymore. Discussion over" Susan says as she storms upstairs "Daddy she can't do this..I love her!" Mary says to her father and he slaps her "now that enough!, I try to let your mother deal with this but it's obvious you're not getting it, we forbid you to see her and if you do we will be sending you to boarding school!" Thomases says as he walks off, Mary falls to the ground and cries.

Y/N got sent to live with her parents because her grandma couldn't take the news and her parents didn't take it so well either, but they tried to understand for the sake of their child "so you like girls huh?" Keith asks "Yes, are you mad?" "No..just disappointed" he says as Y/N puts her head down "but we expected this, if you liked man I don't think that would have went to well" he says and Y/N laughs "no matter what Y/N we love you and will always be here for you" he says as he kisses Y/Ns head "thanks Dad" Y/N says .

We were 17 at the time and must I say that was the hardest school year of my life, seeing her around school but couldn't talk to her because her father was watching her every little move and then seeing Jeff trying to get at her every chance he got but she would always turn him down, he was the one that got us in this situation in the first place, I guess his little ego was destroyed when he saw us kisses in the auditorium because we couldn't go to each other's houses after school so we stayed, biggest mistake.

"Um yeah settling in just fine, what about you?" "Oh just great, my roommate is from Houston and she has a thick accent" I say as I hear her giggle through the telephone "you don't never fail to make me laugh Y/N Y/L/N" she says as I feel myself get flustered "well what can I say" "hey there's a pep rally next week and I was just wondering..if you would like to come with me? You know since we don't know anyone yet" she says as I muttered a yes "ok yeah yeah for sure, just call me and let me know" "alright, see you then" she says "see you then" I say with a big smile on my face as I hang up.

There all grown up 🥲