After Class (Janet and Aaliyah)

Chapter 25

Aaliyah

As I scanned groceries about half way through my shift, I felt a hand on my back, a man's hand. And since it wasn't the first time some grimy old dude has tried to cop a feel on me, my elbow went straight back into the offender's ribs.

  "Shit, A, what the fuck?" Pac groaned. I gasped and turned around in my chair.

  "Oh my god, Pac, I'm sorry! I grabbed his arm, but he snatched it away in anger. "Announce yourself then, nigga! Damn! Y'all niggas need to stop with all that guess who shit."

  "Anyway..." he rubbed his stomach as I turned to check out an old couple.

  "I won't never understand these young couples. Y'all fight like old folks, can't imagine what'll happen 20 years from now," the woman said.

  "Oh, we not together." I looked over my shoulder at Pac. He just sucked his teeth and looked down at his shoes.

  "Sure as hell look like it, don't it Ron?" She asked her husband. He was busy trying to write a check for his groceries.

  "Coulda fooled me," he muttered as he ripped it out of the book.

  "I told her when she's done messing with boys, come holla at man, but she not tryna hear that." Pac put his arm around me. I shrugged it off. What was he doing here anyway?

  "Keep at it, young man. They come around eventually." The man nudged his wife, and she waved him off.

  "Hold your ground, honey," she told me. They both laughed.

  "Do you all need help putting these in the car?" I asked them, getting a little irritated.

  "That would be nice, thank you."

  "Okay. Go head, Pac. You got that." I nudged him.

  "Ion even work here."

  "Go!" I pushed him toward the door. "Have a nice day." Pac grabbed the bags and allowed them to go in front of him with an annoyed expression.

I just needed to buy some time; I knew what he was going to want to say to me, to talk about. This wasn't the time, but I couldn't say nothing because I always came and bothered him at the pizza place with foolishness.

30 seconds later, someone else strolls into the double doors and causes the bell to ring. I turn to see who it is, none other than Acacia, out of her work clothes, laid back, fine as hell. I felt my body heat up as we caught eyes and she looked so surprised to see me.

  "I didn't know you were working today." She made her way to my station.

  "So you're saying you ain't come here to visit me?" I pouted sarcastically.

  "Of course not. What would I look like, bugging you on your job?"

  "Like that," I pointed to Pac who was on his way inside.

  "A, you know you ain't shit for that-" he started, before noticing Acacia next to me. "Oh, uh..."

  "Pac, this is... Acacia..." I didn't know whether to introduce her as Acacia or Ms King. But I figured since he didn't go to school, her first name would be okay. I glanced at her and she nodded, her face tinted a little red. "Acacia, this is my boy Tupac. We call him Pac though."

  "Tupac..." she repeated, trying it on her tongue for size, assessing his appearance. "What a unique name. Nice to meet you."

  He nodded in her direction. "Yeah, uh, nice to meet you." He held out his hand awkwardly. I gave him a look like, 'really nigga?' Cause he ain't never shook hands with nobody unless it was my dad. And because he always asked him to. Acacia took it reluctantly, giving me an odd look. "Pac is the one I do all my music with, Acacia, that I was telling you about?" I jumped in.