Faces of the Game, page 9
Back to Life
Chelle rolled over and hit the end button on her cell phone so the alarm clock would stop going off. She checked her call log, but still Chip hadn’t called back. “You have got to be kidding me man” she said aloud while rolling out of bed. It was 8:30 a.m. and her class started at 10, but as slow as she moved she knew she should hurry up and start getting ready. She went into the bathroom to brush her teeth and then she got in the shower, then she went in her closet and got a brown and burnt orange sweat suit out, she grabbed her Timberlands and laid her clothes on the bed. As she dried off, and put her lotion on her cell phone rang this time she didn’t expect it to be Chip and of course it wasn’t. It was her grandmother, “Hey what you doing?” She said into the phone, “Hey granny, I’m getting ready for class” she answered while putting her grandmother on speaker phone. “Oh, so are you ready for this semester?” “Yes ma’am, I am ready” she said smiling and putting shea butter on her face. She put on her under clothes and socks then she grabbed a tight white-tee out of her dresser and put it on. “So what are you doing today?” Chelle asked her granny as she put on her sweat suit and threw her hair up in a wild ball. “Oh nothing, just looking through the paper right now” granny replied. Chelle laced up her Timberlands loosely so they would be comfortable, and she grabbed her small Coach bag threw a pen and some lip gloss in it and told her grandmother she would call her when she got out of class. She hung up the phone and put it in her bag as well and she grabbed her notebook and her text book along with her keys on the way out the door. It was 9:26 a.m. when she looked at the clock in her car, so she knew that she was making good time since her clock was ten minutes fast. Like usual, she cruised down the highway listening to her morning show on 102 jamz and laughing with the DJ’s. As she approached the exit, she noticed that there were police cars swarming the exit. She didn’t know what was going on, but she didn’t have time to go through a license check or anything else that they had jumping off so she went pass the exit and got off at the next one. She pulled up on campus at around 9:35 a.m. she was so proud of herself for being on campus in enough time to find a parking spot without sweating and worrying. When she got into the parking lot that she usually parked in if there were any spots available, she sat and waited for classes to let out she knew that students would be coming out of the building at any moment and she got a parking spot rather quick. Hmmm, I should leave early more often she thought to herself while pulling in the parking spot. As soon as she stepped out of the door, her cell phone rang which reminded her to put it on silent. “Hello” she said into the phone without looking at the caller id. “Hey baby, sorry I haven’t called you…” Chip started before she cut him off in the middle of his sentence, “Hey, I’m about to walk into class so let me call you whenever I get some time” she said in a busy but collected voice. “Okay make sure you call me too” he said trying to sound sincere, “I will baby, just answer the phone” she said sounding calm, then she hung up. She walked into class before it started for once, she was so happy and she was already starting her day off right. Although she didn’t get the chance to talk to Chip, she was relieved since he finally called. She took a deep breath and the professor walked in, “Good morning class” she said as she opened her roll book “if I don’t call your name, see me after class” she said. She began calling the roll, and students were still walking in class, as each student entered she asked their names so she could count them present. Wow, this teacher seems pretty cool I think I am going to like her, Chelle thought to herself. The professor went over the syllabus and explained how the class was designed, what the students would learn and how it would help them to build their portfolio; she seemed like a wonderful teacher. It was always good to see a young and happy professor, which let Chelle know that she could get along with them with no problem. As the teacher continued to explain the guidelines and regulations, she sounded like she meant business but she was also a very patient teacher willing to help the students as much as she could. She dismissed class ten minutes before it was time to get out, and everyone walked out of class happy. Chelle grabbed her phone and called Ash, “Girl, he called but I had to keep my cool because I was walking to class” Chelle said as soon as Ash picked up the phone, “Call him back Chelle” Ash said. “Duh, I can hardly wait but what am I going to say?” Chelle asked. “Ask him why the F he didn’t call you back!” “Bye Ash, I will tell you how the conversation went”. Chelle took a deep breath and cranked her car up; she turned the music down, and pulled out of the parking lot. She opened her phone and dialed his number, “Hey, what’s up?” He answered on the first ring. “Hey, umm are you busy?” Chelle asked sort of nervous about how she was going to come off on him, while on the other hand he was hoping that she wouldn’t ask him about him disappearing at all. “No, what’s up?” “How in the hell are you going to just leave me at your house without saying anything, you didn’t even leave a note or anything, that was fucked up and you know it” she said without hesitation. “I had to handle some business” he said in a manipulative tone. “Oh and you think that shit is going to fly with me?” “Damn, I was gone for a day and you act like it was a week chill out, I was taking care of business you don’t need to know my every move” He responded, not eager to continue the conversation. “Well you could have said something damn Chip, I was worried and it was two and a half days not one; who the fuck taught you how to count?” Chelle spat back, pissed at his nonchalant attitude. “Man I will talk to you later, you are tripping” he said mad that she didn’t just let it fly. “No, we might as well finish this conversation now while it’s fresh on both of our minds, where did you go all of that time?” “I told you crazy, I had to take care of some business.” “Oh really, it took two whole days to take care of it?” “Yeah.” “Well you don’t need to handle that type of business then, sounds pretty dangerous.” “Oh so now you’re telling me what to do?” “No, I am making a reasonable suggestion.” “Okay, well I am sorry.” “That’s it? You’re sorry? Wow, you don’t care see that’s why I didn’t want to involve myself with someone like you I knew this would happen eventually” Chelle said so upset now that she was about to shed a tear. “Man I know you ain’t about to cry” he said feeling guilty. “No, I’m just frustrated and you don’t have a good excuse you are basically telling me something to shut me up, you must think I’m stupid.” Chelle said now letting her mind wonder, creating all types of scenario’s in her head. “You probably were with that hood bitch Kiki or that dike as bitch Mo but it’s cool, I got you.” “How…what, who man who have you been talking to? Who put that bullshit in your head?” “Nobody, that’s just how I feel” Chelle responded glad that she could shock him out of the blue. “How you know about Mo anyway?” Chip asked Chelle as he scratched his head and threw on his Jordan sneakers so he could go to her house and make it up to her the best way possible. “Umm, didn’t I tell you I know everything? Nigga I know every fucking thing.” “Well, I’m on the way over there if that’s alright with you.” He said hoping she wouldn’t turn him down. “Na, I’m going to be busy all day long, sorry maybe some other time.” She said crushing his feelings. “Whatever, I’m on the way anyway.” “You can come over here all you want, but I don’t have to open the door.” “Please, I said I was sorry damn.” He said now frustrated as hell, he hopped in his car and almost forgot to let the garage door up he was so upset. Damn - I have to get it together, - I really like this girl and I can’t let her go this easy. What if she is done with me that quick, what if she is frustrated and can’t deal with me, oh God what do I tell her? I need to come up with a good story but I’m not a good liar, I don’t think. Maybe I should just tell the truth and get it over with, she might respect me more… hmm, and that’s what I will do just tell the truth. We should have an honest talk, I wonder if she will go for it? Oh gosh, I just don’t want to loose her or make her feel like I don’t care about her. He talked to himself the entire way to Greensboro, not once did he touch the radio. He debated on whether to tell the truth or lie over and over again. He finally concluded that he would tell the truth and test his chances, he figured that she was the type that would respect that more than him making up a good lie; and he was right. Once he got off of the highway, he called Chelle to make sure she was still at home. He was so relieved to find that she was home, and she didn’t sound as pissed as she was before. She opened the door before he got to the steps and she looked at him as if her eyes could pierce through his heart. “What’s up?” He said as he walked up the stairs. “What’s going on?” She said and rolled her eyes and trying to hold her smile in at the same time as they walked into her apartment. “So… give me what you’ve got.” She said waiting for him to let the lies roll off of his tongue. “What do you mean?” He asked afraid to even start the conversation. “Just be honest with me, remember we promised to keep it real with each other no matter what.”
She reminded him. “Well, my baby mama was tripping like hell trying to come in the house. She popped up at like 6:30 ringing the door bell, blowing up my cell phone and all of that and I didn’t want her to come in and try to start something with you so I left with her.” “Oh really? Where did y’all go?” Chelle was pissed now, realizing that he had been with this bitch for the past couple of days. “We went back to her house, man she is crazy as hell she told me that she had an interview the next day and she wanted to go get something to wear. She snuck and took my phone and car keys with her and didn’t come back until the day after that, that’s why I couldn’t call you.” “Okay Chip, being the fact that she is crazy as hell I can trust you 80% until I find out different. That just doesn’t sound too right but I guess I have to believe you.” “Please believe me, she did and she was tripping so hard when she came over that I could only imagine what she would have done if she came in my room and saw you sleeping so peacefully.” “What would she have done?” “Who knows, but I will make sure the drama never touches you because I know you have zero tolerance for drama.” He reached over and hugged her tight and continued to explain himself. “I like you so much, I just can’t imagine letting you go over some shit like this she set me up.” Chelle pushed him off of her and rolled her eyes again, then she picked her cell phone up to call Neese. Chelle and Neese talked for an hour while Chip sat on the couch wondering if he was going to get the cold shoulder the whole time. “So that was the business you had to handle?” “Yes! That was the business, look I didn’t have to tell you the truth but we are suppose to have that understanding and you know it ain’t shit between me and her so don’t even trip.” “Whatever Chip, do what you do because trust me I didn’t lose any sleep and the same way you disappeared, I can do it better.” Chelle said as she sat down at her desk to study once more for her quiz. “Let me see those note cards.” Chip said as he walked over to her and pulled up a chair beside her. “They are my study cards, why do you want to see them?” “Just hand them here” he said taking them out of her hand. He quizzed her for almost two hours until she knew all of the information on each note card, then he offered to take her out to eat. Chelle was so amazed at how much he really cared about her, she went in her room and laid out an outfit to wear. “Where are we going?” She asked him. “You want Outback?” He asked. “Yeah, that’s fine.” She took a quick shower, put on her black and silver vest, a black long sleeved tee shirt and some straight leg jeans and a pair of black cowboy boots with swarovski crystals on the sides of them. She let her hair down and threw her diamond studs in her ear, after that she was ready to go. “Oh wait, let me get my ID” she ran back into her room and picked up her grey and black Ralph Lauren clutch, threw her driver’s license, lip gloss and keys in it and motioned him to come with her.
*** Later That Evening ***
They sat down in the restaurant, both of them silent as they were the whole ride to Outback. “So, what did you mean that’s why you didn’t want to talk to someone like me?” Chip asked breaking the silence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Chelle said knowing she had just said that a few minutes before. “So, what took you so long to talk to me I don’t want a half ass answer either I want to know why you were so hesitant.” He asked Chelle hoping to initiate a long conversation. “Okay, all my life I always said I never wanted to date a drug dealer or anyone who dealt with any of that type of stuff. I always tried to talk to the school boys, you know the opposite of you. They never really treated me the way I felt I should have been treated so I finally decided to talk to you, and you are just like the rest of them.” Chelle said crossing her arms. Just then the waitress came to take their order. As soon as they ordered their drinks and food, Chip said “No I am not, I told you the truth but I can’t make you believe me. You never said exactly why you never wanted to date a dude like me either, what makes me so different from a school boy?”
Flashback: “Your lifestyle is dangerous Chip, I don’t like dangerous situations. Whatever my dad was involved in caused our house to get shot up, someone tried to kill my daddy and I was there. I was four years old, old enough to remember what bullets sound like when they rip through the walls, what it feels like for your mother to rock you to sleep with her hand over your mouth telling you to be quiet while you try to prepare yourself to never see your daddy again. My daddy lived which obviously means that his work on earth wasn’t done yet, but he could have been dead and he still has a bullet wound that will never go away. I had to move in with my grandmother for a lot of years while my parents got everything straight, I have no idea what exactly went on all I know is I lived with my grandmother from the first to the fifth grade. I often thought that I would never see my parents again. I had nightmares about people walking with me holding my hand telling me that everything would be alright. When they moved to Winston, I remember sleeping in their room one night and someone knocked on the window. I looked out of the window and someone had a gun pointing at me. Do you know how fucking scared I was? I promised myself that I would never date a street guy, I always made sure I learned as much as I could in school because I knew that an education would take me further than anything else. Even now, my parents both work good jobs and I’m glad to have an imaginable lifestyle, things aren’t perfect but it’s good. I want to provide security for my children. It’s so much more to it but that’s the essence of things. I would never want to create that type of atmosphere to raise a family in.” Just then, the waitress came to bring their food and drinks. “That’s why I hate robbers with a passion. That is why I am always paranoid that someone is following me. That’s why nobody ever knows where I stay. I have lived my whole life scared that someone is after me. It goes deeper way deeper than it seems, man that shit is crazy.” Chelle finished and sat back to stared at him, she was just getting comfortable with the things from her past that haunted her, and to get them off of her chest made her feel some sort of deep relief. “Now I see, dang that’s crazy. I feel you though I always said I would never do any drugs or be an alcoholic because of my dad. I turned around and did the shit anyway, but I always have and always will take care of my children they are my everything. My dad was sorry when it came to taking care of some shit, I promised I would never be like that and so far I haven’t. My dad would call my mother out of her name when he got drunk and high or whatever it was that he did. They would argue about bills and everything all of the time, I always thought he was a lousy ass nigga if you ask me. I never ever wanted to be anything like that, that’s why I do what I do because I don’t ever want to struggle. I want to give my mother everything that she needs, I refuse to ever have a female want for anything. I will never ever call a woman out of her name no matter what.” He said reflecting back on how his father treated his mother. They ate their food in silence for a few moments realizing that they both hit sensitive subjects. Then they continued their conversation. “It’s okay, I am not going to do this shit forever. I want to stack my money and own a few small businesses.” Chip told Chelle. “What type of businesses?” Chelle asked. “I want to own a laundry mat, and a gas station.” Chip sounded like he didn’t have a stable plan, Chelle was willing to help him come up with a more reachable plan. “Why don’t you start with one thing at a time.” Chelle suggested. “I don’t know how to get it started. I have the money I just don’t know what to do.” He explained to her. She explained to him the different types of business grants and loans that he could apply for and how it would work, but first he needed to get a job. It seemed like the word job startled him or something, she couldn’t understand it. “When was the last time you had a job?” She was curious if he had ever worked. “When I was twenty-one I had a job, that shit didn’t last long that was my first and last job.” Chelle shook her head what am I going to do with this nigga, he doesn’t want to work but he wants to treat me like gold. He tries to tell me the truth because he is trying something new this time; he wants to make me his wife. I refuse to sleep with anything illegal under the same roof, I will not marry a man without a job, and he has a lot to think about. Chelle refused to ever work up a sweat because of a nigga and his stupidity, so she didn’t give it any more thought. She concluded the conversation by saying, “when you are ready, let me know I will help you get it by any means necessary.”
