Kirkland Academy- Interracial Fiction

Kirkland Academy- Chapter 2

Once she had found her way from the building, Tia walked to the store near the school. Although her father gave her the number for his car service to escort her wherever she wanted to go, she didn’t want to take the chauffeured town car to the community center, preferring to take the bus, just as she had since she was a preteen in Chicago. She needed money for the bus, and the only money she had was the hundred dollar bill her father gave her that morning.

Tia decided to treat the pupils at the community center to some special treats, loading her bag up with goodies for the third and fourth graders in her program.

When Tia arrived at the community center, the young students ran to greet her before she was even in the door.

“Miss Tia! Miss Tia!” cried out several of her students, all talking a mile a minute, she could hardly understand a word as a half dozen children all spoke with her at once.

 When Tia managed to calm the students, and get them working on their lessons, she breathed out a sigh of relief as they silently attempted to solve their homework problems.

“You are a miracle worker,” said a low, male voice from behind her. Tia turned to see Marco, one of the volunteer coordinators at the center, standing cross armed behind her.

“Thanks. They’re wonderful kids.” Tia loved the group she’d been assigned, and they loved her back.

“They are,” Marco agreed as he looked over at the students. He had explained to Tia when she first arrived at the center, that he started off attending the program as a child, and had moved up to a peer mentor, eventually becoming a the volunteer coordinator, even though he was still in high school. Marco’s devotion to the center and his years of volunteering had earned him a paid position and he was proud of that fact.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I brought a treat for the kids. I brought more than enough for everyone.” Tia said before she showed him the hoard in her bag. “I got apple slices, carrot sticks, mini chocolate bars, and some juice boxes.”

“Whoa.” Marco took a step back and smiled. Her stomach did the same little flip it did when Jack smiled at her, and she tried to ignore it.

“I just wanted to get them a little something.” Tia suddenly felt shy at her over zealousness.

“This is great. I think that they will appreciate it.” Marco said, the look in his eyes made Tia’s face feel flush. Marco was definitely hot. He was tall, maybe six foot, with a light brown complexion and hazel eyes that hinted as his mixed up parentage, his goatee was sexy and neatly trimmed, and his body, although slim, was muscular and fit. Tia knew a player when she saw one, and the sparkle in Marco’s light eyes left no doubt as to his interest in Tia.

When the kids had all left for home, only Tia and Marco remained, stacking up chairs and cleaning the mess left by the rambunctious students.

“Do you live near here?” Marco asked, as they finished their cleaning.

“No. About thirty five minutes away.” Tia answered vaugley.

“How are you getting home?” Marco asked, seizing his opportunity.

“The bus.” Tia explained as she walked to the doors with Marco locking up behind her.

“I could give you a ride home.” Marco’s suggestion was not lost on her, and she could feel her body temperature rise a few degrees.

“Maybe some other time,” Tia didn’t want to be taken home by Marco. He was a temptation she didn’t need, and she wasn’t sure if he’d be more or less interested in her if he drove her to the big house in the gated community where she stayed with her father.

“Los Angeles is a dangerous place.” Marco said, trying to change her mind.

“I’ve got pepper spray, a brown belt in krav maga, and I was raised on the south side of Chicago. I’m not worried about a bus trip at five thirty on a sunny day,” If Tia was being honest, she was more afraid of being alone with Marco than the dangers of the Los Angeles streets.

“Will you at least let me walk your stop?” Marco was relentless, and Tia couldn’t find a reason to deny him this request.

Tia and Marco made small talk as he walked her to her bus stop. When he said his goodbyes, Tia noticed a black sedan situated across the street and the familiar looking man standing outside the car.

Tia checked for Marco before she approached the man, annoyance clear on her face as she went to confront him.

“What are you doing here?” Tia asked Joe, her father’s most trusted driver and friend.

“You didn’t have me come for you after school, so your father sent me to pick you up. He told me you would be here.”

“I can take the bus home, Joe.” Tia said defiantly.

“Not if I can help it,” Joe said approaching the back door, and opening it for Tia to enter.

"I don’t want to be seen here in that,” Tia said squaring herself to stand off with the formidable Joe.

"Just because Los Angeles doesn’t have the reputation of Chicago, doesn’t mean it’s a some safe, small town, Tia. This is a dangerous city, and besides, the bus is pulling away.  

Tia went to speak but turned in time to see the bus pulling away. She had half a mind to wait for the next bus, but another wouldn’t be arriving for at least half an hour. Without further argument, Tia took a seat in the back of the town car and soon she and Joe were cruising toward her father’s sprawling property.

Tia sat cross armed and silent in the back seat in the car. She was giving Joe the silent treatment, and even though she knew it didn’t bolster her argument that she was old enough to look after herself. 

I’ll be sixteen soon, Joe. I think I can take the bus alone,” Tia finally said, choosing to end the stalemate. 

"If you want, I’ll teach you how to drive," Joe said, turning to meet Tia’s eyes as they waited in traffic on the highway, "but until then, I will take you where you need to go. End of discussion."

"Fine," Tia relented, trying to hide her glee at the idea of Joe teaching her to drive.

Tia reached into her bag, pulling out her camera to snap a few shots of the setting sun as she and Joe drove deeper into her father’s beautiful neighborhood. The camera was one of the few gifts that her father lavished her with that she’d quickly grown attached to. She was almost as attached to her camera as she was to her journal. Before long, the security gate swung open as Joe drove the winding path that led to the palatial property that belonged to her father.