Arranged Hearts

11

        Tiana

"How was last night?" Hailey asked as they settled into class.

"Girl... Let me tell you.." Tiana started before she thought about last night's events.

Girl it's all right, baby. 'Cus it's there in your eyes, yeah. I can see that you want me ... by the way that you smile. Are you still down for me?

"So, how have you been?" Carter asked as they placed their orders. He didn't want to go anywhere too fancy because he knew Tiana wouldn't like that. He just took her to one of her favorite seafood spots... Pappadeaux's.

"I'm good." Tiana answered cooly as she played in her hair.

"No, really... How have you been?" Carter asked looking directly into her eyes. He reached over the table and grabbed on to her hand. He gave her a little squeeze to let her know it was okay to talk.

"I'm cool for right now. I just can't believe... After all that we did together... He would do that, you know?" She said wiping a tear from her eye.

"I can't say that I understand, but I do know how it feels when the person you love just wrecks everything."

"Yes! We was in a good position. There was a few kinks, but I didn't think it would be that bad. First he was the nerd, then he was the "jock", next he turned into this crazy idiot. He was constantly wondering why I was with this person or that person. It all got bad when he seen me talking to you outside class that day. He grabbed me and hemmed me up in the boy's restroom. He just kept hitting me until Jeremy came." Tiana said as she looked down.

"I'm sorry... It's all my fault." Carter said looking off. He couldn't even think about someone inflicting pain on Tiana like that.

"No... It's no one's fault but Tyler's." The waitress arrived with their food. In the corner of her eye, Tiana could see Jeremy walking in with the captain of the girl's basketball team. He was all dressed up and everything. He said something to the girl as he noticed Tiana too. He thought maybe it was a good idea to go greet her.

"Well.. If if isn't Tiana. Wassup Carter?" Jeremy said giving Carter dap.

"Just chillin' man."

"Funny seeing you here..." Tiana gritted.

"I was just here with my date. I had to come over here and speak. It would've been rude not to." Jeremy said in an obnoxious tone.

"You can leave now..." Tiana rolled her eyes as she watched Jeremy walk off.

"Why were you being mean to him? I thought y'all were cool." Carter asked.

"I'm not speaking to him right now." Tiana bluntly stated.

"Anyway...I'm glad you agreed to come out with me. We don't really talk like we used to."

"Well, Sis. Doretha King of Zion Missionary Baptist Church said I couldn't talk to her son anymore." Tiana joked.

"Don't do my mama! She just believes she knows what's best for me in all aspects of life." Carter's mom was the head of the Women's ministry of their church. She was also the new pastor's wife. Sis. King was one of those hypocritical church members. You know... The ones that had problems in their own life but loved to judge other people.

"I'm just telling you... She seen me one Sunday and told me that I better stay away from her son."

"Well... What if I said I don't want you to stay away. We need to get closer." He said seductively as he pulled Tiana's chair closer to his. Fortunately, the waitress brought their food. They sat in comfortable silence as they enjoyed their food.

"When you say closer... What do you mean?" Tiana asked shyly as she looked Jeremy mugging them. She pulled out her phone to see a text from Jeremy.

My Hitta 💯 : y'all r really close :/

Tiana ignored the message as she went back to listening to Carter.

My Hitta 💯 : so we ignoring messages now?

Tiana: so we stalking now? so we throwing stuff up in our "friend's" faces now?

My Hitta 💯 : I'm sorry...

Tiana: you're interrupting a great evening. leave me alone.

And with that, Tiana turned her phone off. She had forgot all about whatever Carter was talking about.

"Tiana.." She jumped a little as she looked up to see his face.

"Yes?"

"Are you paying attention?" Carter asked as he raised an eyebrow. He was hoping that she wouldn't lie.

"Honestly... I was but then someone who I'm not on speaking terms with texted me. I told that person to leave me alone and let me enjoy the rest of this nice dinner." She said truthfully as she stated into Carter's eyes.

"Honesty... I like it." He said.

"Anyways... I just mean I miss the friendship we used to have. Like when we were kids and we would run around the church with our heads cut off." They both shared a laugh.

"And your mama would come and pull you away by your ear."

"And yours would look at you while she motioned for her belt."

"Oh my god. I hated that belt. She always took that everywhere. She just stopped bringing it to school functions last year." Tiana said as she hung her head in shame. Carter tried to hold in his laughter but failed miserably.

"That's not funny." Tiana said as she cut her eyes at Carter.

"I'm sorry.." He said as he wiped his eyes. Tiana felt eyes burning into her as she looked out her peripheral.

"If I didn't know any better I would think he was feeling some type of way." Carter smirked.

"He is, but there's no reason to. I'm his friend not his concubine." Tiana said as she rolled her eyes.

Carter looked at her for a minute before crossing over the table and kissing her on the cheek.

"You trying to cause mess aren't you?" Tiana chuckled.

"Maybe... just a little." Carter said as they both looked over at a heated Jeremy.

 "If you wasn't so busy looking at her, this could've been a nice date." The girl said before throwing her water into Jeremy's face. Carter and Tiana sat back and shook their heads.

 My Hitta: Thanks Tiana... you really fucked up my night. 

"After that Jeremy left. Carter and I finished our food and then chilled in the park for a minute." Tiana shrugged.

"Why Jeremy acting like that? Y'all ain't together. He needs to back back like beep beep." Hailey said as she rolled her eyes.

"That is true. I ain't never had no male friend that gets mad because I talk to other guys. I got enough of that when I was with Tyler." Tianna said as class began.

Tiana never really paid attention in this class. It was just BIM. All they ever did was type up outlines on the computer. It wasn't like she actually need this class. It was just an elective. Noticing this was going to be a free day, she raised her hand.

"May I go to the restroom please?" Tiana asked as the teacher complied.

After using the restroom, she roamed the halls for a bit. It seems like everybody was out of class today. To say that they have cameras on every hall, you would think an AP would've been up here already.

"Aye, let me holla at you real quick." Someone said. Tiana didn't know anybody who would speak to her in that form or fashion, so she didn't turn around.

"Tiana, I'm talking to you." The person said again as they grabbed her arm and placed her softly against the wall.

"You..." She said as her heart fell into her stomach looking at the person before her.