A Chance for Growth

I'm only asking once.....

1 week later....

Terrence sped walked to his locker. He was on a schedule now. The first few classes of the day he had with Taraji. Walking around school with her till lunch. After lunch they had one more class together and the last two they had separate classes.

After school he hightailed it to his locker, put his stuff away and waited for her at her locker. As he threw his textbooks inside he felt someone staring at him. Turning his head to the right he peeped a fast moving JJ and Rashad approaching him.

"Tee so we hitting homecoming tommorow? I got a date this year." Shad asked as Terrence pulled out two tickets. His friends eyed his hands and looked up at him with disbelief.

"Ahhhh shit! Which shawty you going with? Is it Chantel? Abby? Ooooo....Naw it's Jessica she been eyeing you since freshman year." JJ mused punching his friends arm repeatedly. Terrence swatted his hands and chuckled nervously.

"Actually I was kinda taking Taraji." He mumbled closing his locker. His friends grinned.

"Yooo....so you do like yo...What was that? Sister right?" Shad teased. Terrence shoved him making his way down the hall. His friends laughed behind him.

"Hey bro! Wait up!" JJ called as the rushed to catch up with him.

"Chantel been talking about this Drive in happening tonight. You down to go?" JJ asked popping open a fresh bag of chips. Terrence shrugged keeping his eyes peeked for Taraji.

"Well they bringing green. Everyone gotta bring some and then we gonna roll up and keep a rotation." Shad added with a grin.

He was a pot head in the making. Terrence spotted swaying hips. His eyes followed the body up and landed on Tarajis smile as she talked to some dude near her locker. He frowned ignoring his friends, his jaw clenched on instinct.

He couldn't really explain the feeling in his chest. It kind of burned in a way. His hand clenched on his backpack strap. Vivid images of ramming the guys head into a locker flashed across his mind. Gruesome right? He blinked shaking his head, he didnt like that feeling.

He watched the guy reach up move a strand if her hair. Again the images popped up. Taraji chuckled swatting his hand. Her smile was friendly but tight. She was getting uncomfortable. He quickened his steps bumping people hard in the hallway.

"Taraji!" Terrence barked, her head snapped to look at him. A mixture of confusion and fright from being called so suddenly on her face.

"So homecoming? I know it's tommorow, but you know I've been nervous to ask." The guy spoke ignoring whoever called her. Her eyes glanced over his shoulder.

"Uhhh...." She started, but was cut off.

"She got a date." He snapped bumping the guy as he passed. Standing in front of him Terrence got a good view of the side. He was one of the varsity football players, a well known one at that, Eric Jones. He humped and dumped. Terrence would be damned if he let that happen.

"Watch it bro!" Eric growled sizing Terrence up. Pushing Taraji behind him he stepped up.

"Back off. She. Got. A. Date. You hear me?!" Terrence spat through clenched teeth. A slow crowd started forming. Taraji stood behind Terrence confused at his behavior, she'd he lying if she said it wasn't hot.

'When did he get so...bad?' She thought lightly biting her lip.

"What's going on here?" A teacher snapped stepping into the circle witnessing a heated stare down.

"Nothing, Mr. Hall." Eric spoke giving Terrence a glare. Terrence met his eyes with one much harder. That burning had spread like wildfire. His blood felt heated. Veins making themselves known in his arms.