This November

Chapter 17

What was she going to do about Malik?

She did miss his friendship, and hanging out with him all night and talking with him felt good. She did not have JaMocha and Cambrea when she lost her mom. She could not talk to Noelle about it because she was going through it as well. She was the older, stronger sister, keeping her family together. She did not like talking about it at all, so she was surprised she did with Malik.

Because she knew her parents and was close to them at one time. She never talked with Carter about them, except being sad about her loss. She did not go into detail about her feelings, nor did she tell him how her alcoholic stepfather was out of control.

She did not want to think about it.

She spent the rest of Sunday doing nothing but thinking about her life. What a mess of it she made. She missed Carter. Outside of work, she didn't see him anymore. She missed spending weekends with him. She missed being with him. She missed everything about him.

At the same time, feeling Malik next to her, aroused, she wondered what it would be like. Ten years ago she was for sure that's what she wanted. Would it only be sex with Malik, nothing else? Had he really changed?

She thought about that all week as she texted with him.

She even planned a date with him because why not? Malik was still Leek to her, and he was a good friend when they were friends. She questioned if they could only be friends, but it was worth a shot.

She had taken her extension twists out Friday night and washed her hair, putting it in a bunch of twists overnight to dry. She did not know what she would wear for this date. Keep it casual or look cute?

Since she was dressed all basic the last time he saw her, she went with cute. A white, Spring-y dress with one shoulder strap that fit her slim body and came to her mid-thigh. Making sure her body was smooth and moisturized, her toenails done, nails done, threw on some strappy sandals, and did simple make-up. She took down her twists and pulled her hair back in a chunky puff. She topped it with a gold headband.

Topped her lips with a simple, nonglossy lip gloss, and she was ready.

Malik texted her when he was downstairs. She took a breath and headed out.

Malik had stepped out of his car as he was double parked in front of her building. He was dressed in jeans and a nice fitted grey shirt that made his broad shoulders and defined chest standout. His locs her loose and fell past his shoulders. He stood there leaning against the car like he was a car model or something. She laughed at him.

"What?"

She stood in front of his tall frame. "Why are you trying to look cool?"

"Why? Did it work for you?" He gave her a sexy look, his blue eyes made her have to catch her breath.

"No."

"Well," he looked her over. "You look amazing November, white is your color. Against your skin..." He kissed his fingers giving her a chef's kiss.

She gave him a playful push. "Where are we going?" she asked as she got into his rental car. It was nice and flashy, just like him.

"A place I wish I could have taken you when we were younger. Matter of fact, I want to take you to all the places I should have when we were teens."

She groaned at him as he got in and drove off. Imagining the two of them as boyfriend and girlfriend kept her up many nights back then.

"How's Starchima?"

He already told her that she contacted him because she heard he was back in town. He told her he said very little to her and that he did not want to get back with her. Her first question to him was if there was another secret baby she should know about. Starchima was still single, surprisingly, and wanted to meet up with him.

"Told you Nov, my focus is all on you."

"And your son."

"And Anthony."

"How is that going?"

He shrugged with frustration. "I want to see my son, spend time with him, let him know who I am. I will continue to fight for that. I submitted for a DNA test and Davina said Aida's husband has to know by now that Anthony is not his. That may change everything."

"It's good you're fighting for him. He may be upset about everything at first, but he will know once you knew about him you tried everything to be with him." She studied her bright yellow nails. "My father barely made an appearance in my life until I was a teen, and then it was sporadic. He had every excuse there was about it. No money, he worked weird hours, and he was not fit to have me over...but in the end, that doesn't matter to a kid. All I needed was him appreciating me and loving me."

"Parents can fuck with us emotionally, believe me, I understand that. My mom is so toxic..." He stopped talking. "Okay, let's change the subject and not talk about that."

After that, she had nothing more to add to the conversation. This still was a bit weird to her. Talking with Malik like when they were younger.

Malik glanced her way and gave her a grin. "Thanks for agreeing to go out with me, on our first official date."

"Yeah, let's not call this a date...because we're just friends, remember."

"Sure." He rubbed a hand through his locs, focused on the road.

She had no clue where they were headed, but wherever it was it was in Illinois. He had crossed the Poplar Street Bridge to get to Illinois. She relaxed and did not question him.

"So tell me something personal about you that I don't know about, since the last ten years."

She did not want to get into any of her personal stuff, what was he really asking? She did not live an exciting life, there was not much to tell. Compared to how he lived it up first in Los Angeles and then in Atlanta, she had done nothing.

"I told you, college at NYU, a few plays out there, but then I headed back." And that was all she wanted to say about that. "And you? LA, then Atlanta. Why?"

"Atlanta is the new Black Hollywood. More film shoots there."

"Must be nice."

"Doing what I always wanted to do, so yeah."

"You must have hundreds of girls dying for your attention."

"What do you think," he said, with a sideways glance at her.

Malik had a face made for movies, what could she say? Even in high school, the plays did not do him justice. Something about the lighting just washed him away and though he could perform, the stage was never friendly to him. He always received bad reviews even though she knew he had the talent. Roosevelt did not have a film club so they weren't making many videos or movies.

She was glad he found his element now.

Finally, after a long drive, she realized where he was taking her.

"The drive-in?"

"Yeah, have you ever been here?"

The Skyview Drive-in was in Belleville Illinois, about twenty-five minutes out of St. Louis. It was an old, retro outdoor theater with two screens. She had never been there, her parents did not do things like that with them, and well, as an adult, she never thought about it.

"No," she replied. "What made you think of this instead of going to the regular movies?"

"Nothing like this experience." He paid for them to drive in and he drove around to find a spot to park. There were a few cars already there, but not many.

"You must have taken plenty of girls back in the day then, huh?"

Finally parked, he turned his body to face her. "Yes, but it should have been you. And while we're at it, I want to know all about your exes. I know you wilded out in college."

She looked down at her hands, then looked back up at him. "Want popcorn? I want popcorn."

With that, she ignored him and got out of the car. No way was she going down that road with him.