Beauty In Paradise

Chapter 2

The First Date

     It's a gloomy day today - Wet, misty, and damp with the smell of wet grass and dirt lingering in the air. "Ma, what should I do today?" I ask. She looks up over her news paper as she sits in the livingroom eating her usual breakfast and says "As for what you SHOULD do with you day - that's on you. As for what you CAN do while you're under my roof -" She pauses and says through clenched teeth, "Take yo ass up stairs and change." Then goes on to say "You know you ain't got no damn buisness wearing them hoochie momma... too tight... shown too much skin clothes." I didnt think what I had on was inappropriate for a Twentytwo year old, which was an all blue romper, hoop earrings, and black heels. So I looked at her and stated, "with all due respect ma, I'm grown and I'm only here for the weekend visiting you and Kell." With shock clear as day plastered on her face, she half whispers half yells "Jaloni!" So with the same tone I say "Tomorrow!" She looks at me and then back at her news paper and says "Fine, do as you wish." Even though I've won I still feel defeated but managed to say "I'll be upstairs if you need me."
     Layn on my bed hopen someone would call, when I remembered the guy from the park. He was about 5'9, a milkyway skin tone, had thot cut, perfect teeth, a beautiful smile and a voice that makes your heart wonna sing. So I picked up my phone and searched for number. "D'vontez... D'vontez... D'vontez? There it is." 
I push dial and the phone began to ring. By the third ring I heard a deep familiar voice, "Hello." I was shocked and lost for words. He repeated "Hello - who is this?" Finally I said "Hey its---" Before I could finish my sentence he says, "Beauty? It is Beauty, right?" Collecting my thoughts I respond, "Umm... yeah, how'd you know?" He responds with a text "How could I forget that beautiful voice?" I laugh and say "You couldn't have just said that out loud?" He finally spoke "I could have but I chose not to. When can I see you again?" I took a quick pause and let out and exaggerated huff, then said without trying to show how excited I was, "How bout now?" It would be so embarrassing if he says no. But before I knew it I heard the same click click click in my ear indicating that he was texting and finally I heard his strong steady voice say, "See you soon." Followed by one more click ending our call. As he hung up, his text came through with the directions to where he wanted me to meet him. So I text back, "Where is this address gonna lead me?" Of course I could always Google it on my laptop that's no more than a foot away from me but that takes away from the fun of it all. "Its a surprise - just be there." He responded. No questions asked I text back and say "I'll see you in 10." A quick response back, "Iight cool," and that ended our conversation.
     Running down stairs, pass my mom, in some 8in heels... I scream, "I'm going out - see you at dinner." As the door closed behind me I hear the faint voice of my mother saying, "Be careful." Before I could respond the door closed behind me. I got into my 2006 Neason Altima, that was given to me as a gift from my grandmother a few years back, and left.
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"Jaloni!" Kell screams down the hall. Tomorrow answers, "Shes gone." "Jaloni never comes and stays put ma. Why is that?" "Well baby you're just fifteen and your sister can be a little busy with whatever she does and---" Kell cuts her off. "And nothing. Family comes first! I never see her any more cuz shes gone by time I get home everytime. So where is she anyway?" Mom drops the newspaper this time and looks up to him. "The hell if I know Kell. She just ran out said she'd be back for dinner." He runs his hands over his temples and says, "Fine - if you dont know, I'll find out. I'll be in my room - call me if you need me."
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When I make this left I'll be on Flentriver Rd. and the 4th turn on my right is my destination but before I could get there I got a text message. But who could be texting me. Damn, its Kell. I wonder what he wants. I go to my messages and read, "Where the hell are you?" My younger brother Kell text me like I was his child and it shocked the hel out of me. So I respond, "What?" As I'm getting out the car I get this long response back sayn, "What my ass, Ma said you left out in a hurry. Where'd you go and why? You come to visit us - Not no niggas off the streets. You're too old to be doing this Jay and I hate not seeing you as much. You're my sister and when you say your coming to visit us that's how it should be - US. I miss you man - family comes first. Remember that." D'vontez walks up as I'm in the middle of reading the message and shaking my head. Interrupted by his voice, "Is there something wrong?" Not noticing that I was crying I look up to him wth a fake smile and say "No, everything's fine." Before I knew It his hand was on my cheek wipen tears away and askn "who texted you? You're too beautiful to be cryn." I shake the thought out of my head and the urge to wrap my arms around him, a complete stranger, and cry to him and finally say, "Nobody - just my brother but I'll be fine." He looks down at my phone and then back to me and says, "Let's call this a night - go home. Yo family needs you more than I do." He said this almost as if he'd read the messages but I know he didnt. I guess I was in my thoughts too long because he broke my thought process by sayn "Beauty." I didn't answer him so he repeated "Beauty did you hear me?" I shook it off and finally said, "Huh, oh... yeah, I did." And before I could stop myself I invited him to my house and said, " Would you like to come over for dinner? My moms cooked and my little brother's furious with me." With a half smile he says, "I'd be honored." He holds out his arm slightly bent and gestured for me to take it while saying, "After you." So take it. On the way to my car he started askn me questions. He broke the silence, "Soooooo - you're Twentytwo right?" I look at him like duh and say, "Yep." He continues, "Do you have a middle name?" As he went to open my door I looked at him with confusion, "Of course, who doesn't?" He smiles and says "Well, what is it then?" I think about that question then respond "What's to middle name? While you worried bout mine." He drops his head and responds as I pull off, "If I tell you mine do you promise to tell me yours?" Just as I was about to respond Kell texts me, "When you comen home?" I look down to phone and respond back "I'm in the car now so dont rush me and dont text me back cuz I wont respond." I look back up to the man next to me and say "Now... where were we?" With a big smile. He smiles back and simply says, "Middle names." So I glance up at him then back to the road and say, "Oh yeah - I give you my word." Half smiling and half laughing he says, "You already know it. D'vontez is actually my middle name." With confusion all over my face I say, "Oh, um - what is your first name then?" He pauses for a second then goes on to say, "You first. You know my middle name so what's yours?" Eyes wide and focused, I say, "Mah'kari." He jolts his head back and says, "Again - different. I like it though. Now to answer your question - My first name is Gecory. I have two middle names which is why I can see why you thought my first name was D'vontez. My full name is Gecory D'vontez Terrell Banes." Without responding to what he just said I look to him and say "We're here. You're about to meet two of the most important people in my life - please dont embarrasse me." He brushes my hair out of my face and says "I'll behave. Parents usually love me anyways." I glanced back at him and started to say, but you dont know my mom. Before I could get a word out he was at my door. He opened it and said, "After you my beautiful princess." We walked up my driveway in silence. The lights were off and the door was unlocked. I opened it, turned on the lights, and yelled "Mom! Kell! I'm home!" I got no response and immediately got a weird feeling in my stomach. I looked back at D'vontez, who looked confused and said "Somethings not right, my brother just text me and asked me when I was coming home. I told him I was on my way - why would he leave?" He looks at me, still confused but manages to say two words "Call him." I shook my head and made a face, then said "I can't, he doesn't answer his phone. So I guess ima text him." Heres goes nothing "Kell where the hell are you and Tomorrow?" This fast ass little boy gone text me back. "Out." So I look to my friend and say "I guess the night belongs to us - are you hungry?" He shakes his head no but goes on to say, "Is everything ok? Can I ask some more questions? And this time I'll answer them too, Deal." I look up to him and smile "Deal. And everything's fine." Its just something about him that attracts me to him... Damn this man is fine. Interrupted in mid thought he says "Iight... So, Do you have a favorite color? If so, what is it?" I lick my lips, rub my chin, and think for a long second before responding "Actually that's a good question I never looked at this being my favorite colors but I guess in a sense Blue and Neon green are my favorite colors. They are two beautiful colors to me. What about you?" He responds quickly, "Red and black. I rep my colors. Cant you tell?" He grins and runs his hands together as he says "I think we're getn somewhere---" He stops, walks to the door, and says "Let's get some fresh air - just sit on yo porch since I cant meet the fam today." I follow behind him, sit on my porch, and point to the night sky. It's been a long time since I've sat down and just simply watched the stars. It felt good. It was a change. I smile, breaking the silence I say, "I use to watch the stars with my grandfather when I was younger and just stopped for some reason. It's so beautiful." He looks at me and says, "Just like you." I look to him from the stars and say, "I guess that makes two of us." Before we knew it we had spent, just about, the whole night talking, laughing, and exchanging stories. So far I've learned that when he was younger he was the only child but at like 3 be became an older brother. He went on to say that he is now an older brother of four. He told me more than I can explain. So I told him I was the only child up til I was seven on my moms side. Then my younger brother was born. But I was the youngest of four on my dads side. "I gotta go - I gotta catch a bus back to my car and head home. I had so much fun and learned a lot today. Get some rest baby." He gave me a half hug and kissed my cheek. I was speechless and again I was left there watching a fine specimen of a man walk away.