Girlfriend

21. The Truth

It's six o'clock at night and I still can't believe what happened between Cathy Jean and me. I loved it so much, I never wanted to let her go.

"Are you okay, Michael?" Mother asked at dinner.

I cleared my throat and forked some broccoli in my mouth. I hadn't eaten anything since I sat down at the table because I had thinking about our kiss.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied with a smile.

"How's Cathy Jean?" LaToya inquired.

"Yeah, how's she doing?" Randy interjected with his thirsty self.

I bit my tongue to stop myself from smiling like an idiot and nodded like nothing totally amazing occurred between us.

"She's fine."

"Good."

"What were y'all doing today because you were up there for a pretty long time," Janet commented.

Mother gave me a look and I cleared my throat again. Randy snickered like something was really funny while my sisters waited patiently for answers.

"We were talking," I said simply.

"Okay," Randy laughed, rolling his eyes.

"Mother, I swear it was nothing dirty." I had to assure my sweet mother that everything that happened upstairs was innocent before she had a heart attack.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes. I wouldn't lie about that."

"Or would you?" Randy challenged.

"Shut up!" I cried.

"Do you want to invite her to your little birthday party?" she asked changing the subject for her own sake.

"I didn't want to have a party," I reminded her.

"I said little party. Just family and friends."

"Mother, Michael and I were just thinking about going dancing that day," LaToya interjected, glancing at me.

"I'll ask Cathy Jean if she wants to go," I suggested.

"Are you sure that's all you want?" Mother asked. I know she really wanted me to have a party.

"I'm sure, Mother."

She nodded and didn't bring it up after that.

"So what's going on between you two? I mean, what were you talking about for so long?" Janet decided she'd rephrase her first statement.

"We weren't talking about anything special."

"We all know what that means!" Randy yelled with the dirtiest grin.

"Stop!" I whined, hoping my mother would say something to end this madness.

"Okay, let's change the subject." LaToya ended up being the one to save me.

"Yeah okay, but I will be asking questions about this later," Mother said with a sly smile. She knew something happened and she wouldn't stop until she knew what it was.

***
I walked into dance class and totally shifted the atmosphere of the room. Everyone watched me like a hawk as I sat down to put my pointe shoes on. It was as if I was some type of outsider. David didn't look at me at all which was okay until we had to start dancing.

"I'm so happy you decided to come back," Ebony told me with her cute little smile.

"Yeah."

"You and David can work things out. You two don't have to be friends but you should at least talk to each other," she suggested.

"I'm not talking to him if I don't have to," I firmly stated.

"Cathy Jean..."

"No, don't tell me what to do. I don't want to talk to him."

Ebony put her hands up in surrender and left me alone. People should really start doing that instead of trying to get all in my business.

"Okay, class, lets start our warmups!" Ebony announced putting on our warm up music.

David eyed me from across the room and I eyed him back. We could have a stare down right here, right now and I'd probably win.

"So, I'd like to let you all know that Madame La Deux is going to be back later this week..."

The glass erupted in groans. My heart fell a little too because I was beginning to get used to Ebony.

"...but I will still be here to assist her," Ebony finished.

Maybe that means she'll stand up for me when Madame La Deux comes back. I know she'll have comments on my pirouettes that I've been working tirelessly on. Ebony says they look great but I know Madame La Deux will have something to say.

"Let's get to work! We want to impress her when she comes back right?" Ebony asked.

No one said anything. We don't care about impressing her, we just want to make it out of the class alive.

"That should be a yes," Ebony laughed. "I know you guys don't really like her but we need to at least act like she's tolerable in front of her face, okay? Let's warmup!"

Warmups went by pretty quickly so that we could get into the real stuff, David and I's little solo dance. Ebony basically had to force both of us to do it.

"Can you two make eye contact? Please?" she requested. "You're supposed to be hopelessly in love with each other. You don't really look like it."

"Well, that's because only one of us is in love," David retorted.

"What?!" I cried.

"You heard me."

"Can you please let this go? I don't love you and you can't make me!"

"I never said I was trying to make you love me."

"You sit around all butt hurt that I don't feel the same way. I love Michael, okay!"

"I understand that."

"Then quit talking about it!"

"Quit bringing it up!"

"I wouldn't have to if you didn't play the whole 'I love you but you don't love me' card. If someone doesn't feel the same way about you it's not their fault. You ruined everything for yourself when you asked me out," I claimed, watching David get defensive all of a sudden.

"Then why'd you say yes?"

"You guys..." Ebony whispered, burying her face in her hands.

"I don't know," I mumbled.

"I thought you were really interested in me," he said. "It kinda hurts."

I didn't respond. I never meant to hurt him. But it's too late now.