The Girl Next Door || J. Cole & Taraji P. Henson

T h i r t e e n

Taraji -

The next morning I woke up and took care of my hygiene right before grabbing my books and heading out my dorm. My room mate was asleep after partying all night long. I shook my head and walked down the hall towards the vending machine. I grabbed a dollar and put it in the machine pressing the button for a granola bar.

Once I got my granola bar in a matter seconds it was gone. I walked out the dormitory and onto the campus. It was a beautiful day today and I was feeling myself.

I pulled out my phone deciding to tease Jermaine with a selfie. I sent him a few pictures and a few moments later I received a text from him.

I smirked at his text as I walked further down the campus. "Im checking my phone I don't remember sending you a text so I can't see why your smiling so hard," Winston smiled as he walked up to me.

I chuckled and put my phone inside my jacket. "Yeah well your name isn't Jermaine," I said as I opened my granola bar.

"Who's Jermaine?" He smirked. "My boyfriend," I replied. "Boyfriend," Winston said in his thick Nigerian accent. He had a wild look, that I honestly couldn't read.

By his instant change of attitude I could tell he was upset but I honestly didn't care. Winston was a nice guy but I belonged to one guy and his name was Jermaine.

I wasn't going to break our pact, I promised him I wouldn't cheat or hurt him. Besides there was no other man who I loved more than him.

"Hey so uh, I remembered you said you were a huge fan of Maroon 5, their coming this weekend for the lapooza, tickets only cost five dollars it's this Saturday, you wanna go?" He asked smiling from ear to ear.

"I want to but I can't, I'm going home this weekend to spend time with my boyfriend he's performing and I wanna be there to support him," I replied as I opened the door to the Y building.

"Come on this is a once in a life time show they won't be back until next year," he smiled.

"The that's when I'll go, look Winston, I'm sorry, I need to set some things straight, I have a boyfriend. I'm in a committed relationship, so whatever you got going on in your head isn't going to happen, I'm sorry," I replied as I walked away from him and into my class.

I looked back and he sucked his teeth right before walking away. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I found my seat and pulled out my phone sending Jermaine a text. I wondered if he was doing this same thing back home. Was he turning bitches down for me?

Jermaine -

"Okay sweetheart if you need anything let me know, your man sent your medical records, social security card everything, if you need something call me I'll be down the block," Mama Bernice replied.

"I think I got everything I need mama thanks," I replied as I threw my back pack on my back.

"Alright sweetheart," she replied and she drove off. I took a deep breath and looked up at North Carolina College. I looked around and smiled. Nodding my head in agreement I walked up the steps and into the double doors.

This was were I belonged. I walked through the front door and there was two people greeting everybody. "Hi, Welcome to North Carolina College, welcome to our admissions day!" The blonde haired girl smiled.

I nodded my head at her right before, I began walking and followed the blue signs on the wall. I looked at all the paintings and pictures of people who had attended this school before me.

I walked down the hall and got lost all of a sudden. I started trying to walk back around but the other hallway was blocked off.

"Excuse me," someone called out. I turned around and saw a gorgeous girl, light skinned, short. She looked to be about 5'2, maybe weighing one twenty five. She had two long neat French braids flowing down her hair.

"Hi, I'm Melissa," she smiled as she extended out her hand.

"Jermaine," I said shaking her hand. Just then my phone buzzed and saw I had a text from Taraji. I put my phone back in my pocket.

"You look like your lost you must be lost here," she replied.

"Yeah I'm looking for the admissions office, and I got lost," I replied looking embarrassed.

"Don't be embarrassed it's your first day, your new here. I'm a student here but I work in the admissions office, come on let me show you were its at," she smiled as she walked in front of me.

"Damn," I replied as I checked out her rear end. She had a nice apple shaped ass. I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my neck.

"Here it is, you walked passed it," she smiled as she opened the door and we went through.

"Caroline this is Jermaine, I found him in the hallway he was looking for the admissions office do you want me to set him up or you got him?" She asked.

Please let her take me. I prayed silently. I didn't want to be stuck with the gray haired old lady with the mole on her lip.

"You can take him in pretty busy anyway," she said waving her hand.

Thank you God. I smirked as I adjusted my back pack. "Okay Jermaine right this way," she smiled. I followed her into her little cubicle and sat down. She sat down at her desk and I gave her my ID and social security card.

Once I got registered, she took my to the testing center and I took my compass test. I was shocked that I scored really high on my test and was able to pass the remedial classes.

"wow you're really smart I've never scored this high on the math section, you can actually go right into math 119," she smiled impressed.

"Thanks," I said as I watched her type up my schedule. She went with me to purchase my books as well as get my Id. She was real funny, kept me laughing, I didn't mind have a conversation with her. That's about it, just a conversation, I wouldn't dare cross the line, even as good as she looked.

"Thanks Melissa for your help," I said as I walked towards the double doors.

"your welcome, so I'll see you on campus?" She smiled as she extended her hand.

"Yeah, I'll see you around," I smiled, she smiled back causing my heart to speed up. Just then I could hear the honking of a car and looked to see Mama and April. They both was being nosy sticking their heads out to see how I was talking too.

I chuckled and walked down the steps. "See yah," I replied. "See you," she smiled. I walked over to the car and opened the door.

"Who was that lil hussy?" Mama Bernice asked. I couldn't help but chuckle. "Melissa she helped me with my schedule and stuff," I replied.

"Mm that's all she better help with," April said looking back at Melissa. I smirked shaking my head as I looked back up at Melissa. She was cute and all but they didn't have to worry, my loyalty was with one woman.

I wasn't worried about nobody else, I just hoped like hell my woman was keeping her end of our pact. I wondered day and night, Was she turning niggas down for me?