Cole & Jamie

May 2007

"Trish, hurry up! I still have to pick up Cole and Julian!"

When I called her earlier she said she was ready now I'm here and she's still doing her make-up. I should have known she wasn't ready when I heard her blow dryer going in the background of the call.

"Don't throw a fit," she said finally coming out of the bathroom. "I'm ready. How do I look?" She spun around, so I could see the entirety of her outfit. The short sky blue dress popped against her dark brown skin, and a small belt extenuated her small waist. She'd straightened her curly hair so it fell to her shoulders. Trish looked stunning, but what else was new.

"You look great." My phone vibrated with another text from Cole. "Cole's been texting me non-stop asking where we are."

"Tell him to chill out." She swiped a clear gloss over her lips. "Tracy will still be at her street corner when we get there."

"Be nice, Trish," I reprimanded her. I dislike Tracy as much as Trish, maybe more, but Cole always brings her around so I try my best to be nice to her.

She scoffed. "Why?" Turning to face me she says, "I don't like her. You don't like her. She doesn't like us. What's the point of pretending?"

"Cole likes her." And until that changes that is enough for me.

"Cole likes having sex with her," she replied. "That's the only reason why he keeps her around."

I didn't validate that comment with a response. That may be true, but what does it matter? As long as he keeps her around I will do my best to be nice. "I wonder if Reggie is already there."

The plan was for him to meet us at The Lot. I was surprised that he said he was coming tonight because getting him to come out with us is like pulling teeth. He prefers to hang out just one on one. I looked at myself in the mirror. I'd decided to go more casual choosing to wear a simple pair of jeans and a short sleeve top. A small pair of hoops dangled from my ears and my class ring glinted on my finger. It was cute and I was okay with that. 

"Do you think tonight's the night?" She asked, slipping on a pair of white flats.

She's been asking me this for the last couple of weeks. And the answer has always been the same. "No, I don't think so."

It's not that I haven't thought about it, there have been times when I even thought it would happen, but every time we start making out and things start to get hot and heavy he makes up an excuse to leave. And to be honest, it's a relief. I like Reggie, a lot, but I don't know if I want to have sex with him, especially with how he's been acting lately.

Trish came and stood next to me in the mirror. "Is everything okay between you two?" 

"We're fine," I answered, but I wasn't sure if it was true. Reggie has been extremely distant lately. He's canceled most of the dates we've had over the last few weeks and when we do make time to hang out he only wants to study. When I ask him if something is wrong he just says he has a lot on his mind.

I shook my head. Maybe tonight we'll finally be able to talk about it. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah, let's go get them." She rolled her eyes. "We should make their impatient asses wait."

"Let's go," I laughed.

Cole and Julian stood on the curb in front of Cole's apartments. Julian was decked out in the latest sneakers and a fresh white t-shirt meanwhile Cole was wearing the same thing he's worn to The Lot the past three weekends. I'm sorry, he was wearing a new pair of Nike's, he bought on their trip to the mall this afternoon. He called me to ask my opinion on them while they were still in the store. Pulling up to the curb, I unlocked the back doors.