Miss Sacrifice

Jaaliyah

The car ride with Malik was enjoyable, I didn't expect to have him so indulged in me as he was. It stuck out to me that he was very interested in finding out about my face but I had no way of telling him without crying. I remembered the slap all over again when he raised his hand to bring my face away from the window. Although I was nervous going out with Malik, it was different when I noticed we were nowhere near my house. The diner he took me to was my favorite place on earth, it was the place that I visited to pass time. There was a time where my dad had gotten too aggressive and I would take the bus and spend time at the diner. The waiters knew me well and they were all surprised to see me when I walked in with Malik, since its been so long.

I didn't speak to anyone, rather I just sat down with Malik at our booth and looked down at the menu. I already knew what I wanted to order--like I do all the time-- but I looked just for the sake of Malik.

"It's later now." He said. Malik played with the salt packets that were neatly pilled in a little box on the table.

"Oh gosh." I said. I was eager to get back to answering his questions if it meant he wouldn't ask about my face.

"Do you not want to tell me?" He asked. I felt as if I's hurt him so I sighed and thought of what I would tell him.

"I know you won't let it go." I replied.

I spotted a waiter walking towards our table and I got ready to order. Malik didn't pay her any attention when she approached and stared at Mailk with interest.

"You ready to order?" She asked. The waiter seemed to be talking to Malik rather the both of us.

"Can you give us a sec'?" He asked. The waiter looked at me in disgust and walked away. I felt small.

"Didn't make your mind up yet?" I asked him.

Malik inhaled deeply and looked at me, "Look ma, I like you. A lot, and when I saw that fresh bruise on your face the other day it made me upset. I don't like secrets and I don't want a girl like you to be in a situation like that." I opened my mouth to speak but he cut me off. "You don't have to tell me today if you don't want to but, I do want to know eventually. "

I didn't speak, afraid that he had something else to say but he didn't. He didn't take his eyes away from me instead he smiled and it loosened up the air a bit. "I'll tell."

"OK good." He said. "Now let's eat."

When the waitress came back around I ordered the lunch special, a hamburger and fries and Malik ordered a plain pepperoni pizza. She didn't look at me when she spoke but instead she took in all of Malik's features and smiled way too much.

"Would that be all?" She asked.

Malik nodded his head not paying attention to her. She noticed and walked away disappointed. the food came back in exceptional time."Favorite color?" He asked suddenly.

"Black. What about you?" I asked as I took a bite of my fry.

"Nope I ask you answer." He said.

"No fair." I said with a smile.

He laughed and sprinkled Parmesan cheese on his pizza and took a bite, "I think its too fair."

I rolled my eyes playfully and studied the way he never took his eyes off of me when he ate. It was as if he thought I was going to run away and wanted to know ahead of time. I ate all of my fries and began on my burger.

"Alright, I'll answer all of your questions, if ." I stopped and looked if he would oblige, but he didn't. "If  you tell me why you're so interested in me."  

Malik nodded, "I can do that for you."