The Best Days

Chapter 13

Finals came and went in a flurry of scantrons and papers. I wrapped up my biography paper on Professor Levy and submitted it on the Friday before exam week was over. Levy had warned me that just because the paper was on him it didn't mean he'd go easy on me. If anything he might be even more critical. I gave it my best shot but I was still a bit wary about how I'd do considering his grammar nazi ways.

After my last exam that week I'd taken the shuttle to the mall to pick up some Christmas gifts for my friends. Everyone had to clear campus for the winter break and most of my friends would be leaving town by the weekend so I had to get my presents ready in advance. I thought carefully about what I'd get each of them since there was nothing I hated more than unpractical gifts. I debated getting Gavin a lump of coal but it seemed those kinds of things were hard to come by in South Florida. Anyway I finished my shopping in record time. When I got back to my dorm room I'd watched a video on wrapping gifts and carefully packaged each one, taking my time to write each name in swirly script. I was pretty pleased with myself when I was done. Perhaps I'd found another talent.

When I was finished I delivered the gifts to Erika and Haley who would be leaving campus first. I made them swear to wait until Christmas to open them. But I could already tell that Haley was only going to make it until she cleared my line of sight. I was pleased greatly to receive a couple of gifts of my own. A small professionally wrapped box from Haley and a gift bag from Erika. I hugged them both and waved as they got on a charter bus to head further south.

It was a first for me, receiving a gift from friends at Christmas time. The holidays were usually pretty dead at my house but that year I'd at least have a couple of gifts to look forward to.

I wouldn't be going home for another day since me, Kendra, and Gavin had a training session for KidzCorner to attend before we could even start volunteering. I guess they wanted to make sure we would be a good match to work with children.

Before I went to bed that night I'd reminded Gavin that we had to be there at 9:00am. I made sure of it. He said he got it and to stop nagging him about it so I left him alone after that. My roommate Cody had already bounced for the weekend so I'd invited Kendra to stay over the night. Me and her hardly got to spend time alone together. So we'd make a night out of it. She had some movie that I absolutely needed to watch and I'd supply the popcorn.

I'd tried to invite Gavin as well but allegedly he was going out somewhere with Ryan. Some kind of end of semester club party. So he wanted no part of mine and Kendra's girl's night.

Hmph, I didn't really want him there anyway.

I was wrapped tight in my comforter facing the television. The mood was set for movie watching, lights dimmed, popcorn popped, and lots and lots of pillows. Kendra was sprawled out in front of me, remote in hand, maneuvering through the DVD menu screen.

"I still can't believe you've never seen Brown Sugar." She clicked at a few buttons on the remote but nothing seemed to be happening.

I fought the urge to take it from her and do it myself. "Is it really that weird?"

She clutched her chest and gasped. "This a classic black girl movie, Jenny. A cinematic masterpiece. Sanaa Lathan? Taye Diggs?"

Sanaa Lathan? I knew her! "I saw that other movie with her in it." I said trying to salvage my rep, "Love & Basketball."

She let out a sigh of relief, seemingly satisfied by my response. "Okay, you can have back your black card but just know you're on probation." She went back to abusing the remote, yet still the previews continued to play.

Must. Fight. The. Urge.

I tore my eyes from the remote in her hand. "I'll do better from now on." I paused to think it over, "I suppose now's not the time to tell you I've never seen Friday?" I really meant to watch all those movies to support my Black people but then there was school.