The Only Exception

17

Letoya

Kelly walked into our dorm room and I stood up from the couch. "Kelly, can we talk?"

She looked at me and scoffed as she kept walking. Sighing, I followed her into her room. She had laid down in her bed and was staring at the ceiling.

"How long you plan on ignoring me?" I asked from the door frame of her room.

Silence followed.

I spoke again. "Kel, we are best friends. That's all. I mean yeah, we do a lot of weird shit for each other, but it's nothing that extreme. We've been besties since diapers. Is the problem really me? Or is it the fact that I'm gay for Jo?"

That made Kelly shoot up as she rose her voice. "You aren't gay for Jo! You've been gay, Toya! A woman did not just kiss you and all of a sudden you saw stars and started shitting fucking rainbows! That's not the point of this shit. The point of this is that you don't see my side of this. I waited. I've been waiting for years. Since junior damn year when I came out to my stupid family."

"Kelly, how was I supposed to fucking know that? Seriously. How?" I began to get irritated with her. "You're saying the same shit over and over but how in the hell was I supposed to read your mind?"

"What did you expect me to do?" She got out of the bed and faced me with a look of aggravation on her face.

"I don't know.... maybe text me. Maybe call me and say it. Maybe kiss me. Any fucking thing. Instead you sat like a rat on cotton with your mouth shut. Closed mouths never get fed!"

My best friend shook her head. "Get out of my room, Letoya."

"No!" I objected as I stepped further into her room. "Stop running away from every damn thing! Let's hash this out because I'm either going to leave this room with a best friend or I'm not. There is no in between Kel—."

My back hit the wall of her dorm room and my hands went pinned against my head. Our lips met and my eyes closed as they did. We moved in sync for a while before her hand went under my shirt and that's when headlights shot on in my head.

I pulled back quickly. "No. Kelly."

She let my hands go as she backed up. "I'm sorry. I- I'm sorry." Kelly turned and grabbed her keys and stormed out the dorm.

My hand ran through my hair. One thing was obvious, she didn't have shit on Jo. Absolutely nothing. I felt nothing in that kiss, but it seemed like she felt everything.

Going back to my room, I grabbed my things and packed a bag. Walking out the place, I locked the door behind me as I went to get into my car. I had to get out of that dorm. Driving to the place I knew held a sensible— well a partially sensible soul, it was a hour drive at most. I pulled into her driveway and got out as I grabbed my bag. Walking up the door, I knocked twice before stepping back a bit.

The door opened and she smiled. "Well well well, I didn't think you'd ever come back here."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm staying the night. That's cool?"

She moved the hair out of her face. "Bitch please, do I like you like that?"

"Hoe, you don't have to like me but you damn sho gotta love me. I was just asking to be courteous. Move." I moved her out the way.

Essence chuckled as she closed the door behind her. "Girl you better be lucky you my damn sister."

I smiled in response. "I know right."

"Better be lucky you the youngest too."

"Momma knew she had to save the best for last."

She scoffed. "Oh bitch, you finna get kicked out already."

Laughing at her, I sat my bags by the door and turned back towards her as I opened my arms. "Sister, I've missed you."

Essence shook her head as she walked into my embrace and hugged me back. "I missed you too, girly."

I heard little footsteps heading my way and smiled when I saw my nephew running towards me. He grabbed my leg and grinned. "TT Toya!"

"Hey Peanut." I hugged him back. "I missed you."

"I missed you too!" He yelled back happily.

My sister made a face. "Boy, it's past your damn bedtime! Get yo ass to your room Pierre! Don't make me say it again!"

My nephew quickly ran off towards his room and soon I heard his door shut. I looked up at her and she looked back as she rolled her neck. We both busted out laughing.

"You a whole clown."

She shrugged. "I don't care. His ass never wants to go to sleep and then never wants to get up in the morning. He knows my rules about bedtimes. You being here don't change shit."

I shook my head. "Ain't shit changed about you Essie. What grade is he in now?"

"The 1st, and boy is he a damn smart ass." She mumbled as she went and sat on the couch and I followed. "Now, I love you and all, and you're free to stay here as long as I have a roof over my head, but what's up? Why the sudden pop up?"

Sighing, I mumbled. "E, I fucked up."

"What's wrong? How bad we talking?"

"Bad enough to put the Luckett name to shame for the rest of our lives."

"Our?" She chuckled. "Bitch, I'm a Atkins, that's yo bald headed daddy you gone shame. Not my ass." I sent her a look and she raised her hands in surrender. "Just saying, but what's so bad that you'll ruin the name?"

Glancing at her, I spoke lowly. "No judging."

"No judging."

"You know the woman running for senator? The black lady... the first one in Chicago's history to run for senate chair?"

Essence thought it over before nodding. "Yeah, the Jackson woman. I can't think about her first name right now. I'm familiar with her campaign though. Know my woke ass loves black excellence. Why?"

My hands crept over my face as I replied. "I'm fucking her."

"BITCHHHH!" She yelled out as she pulled my hands away from my face. "Oh no! No ma'am! You not moving from this damn couch until I know every damn detail! Get to speaking!"