Chapter 8: Strong Thing!!

"How was school today?" Beth asked me during dinner. I hadn't said a word about school or how my day went.

"It was great." I replied non-committally.

"That's it?" She asked incredulously. "Your first day in school in a new country and you say 'it was great'?" she was looking at me now as I picked my food. I had lost whatever appetite I had.

"Beth, you may want to give him space for now. I think something happened at school between both of them that we might never find out if we go about it in the wrong way." Mom advised. But whatever she said was like dangling a red cloth in front of an angered bull. Beth was the angered bull.

She turned to Bethany as she was eating a little too innocuously to be involved. "What happened at school today?"

Bethany looked up at her mother and in her best 'who me' gesture said; "What mom? I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't play that game with me young lady. You know very well what you did so don't sit there and give me that holier than thou attitude 'cos I invented it."

"That's very typical of you, mom. Any problem, it's Bethany that caused it. Why don't you try asking the saint over here what the hell happened." Bethany retorted. She was working up to a major blow up.

Beth turned to me and asked; "What happened Eeej?"

I looked up and around me. What do I say now? I didn't want to be in the middle of anything so I took the diplomatic way out. "Mrs. Ferguson, I don't know what gave you or my mother the notion that something happened between Bethany and I. As far as I am concerned, nothing happened only that we realize what we mean to each other. If you don't mind, I would like for us to return to our meals, please." I had given them an answer, but I haven't given them anything to work with. With that said, we returned to our dinner, but the general mood had been destroyed. That was the first indication that Dinner Time would never be the same again.

We had finished with dinner and I was in the Ferguson's sitting room watching TV. Since we hadn't got any, my TV times were limited to whenever I found myself in the Ferguson's home. I couldn't quite place what I was watching but I knew that it wasn't interesting one bit when someone came and sat beside me. Without looking, I knew it was Bethany for she was the only person that ever sat that way with me.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked in an unsure voice that bellied her emotions.

I looked at her, seeing the riot of emotion playing on her face. "Why would I be mad at you?" I asked back, feigning ignorance. I could be wicked whenever I chose to be.

"I don't know. I said some stuffs this afternoon in school and you were angry with me at the time." Women, they will never admit that they were wrong. Two can play the game.

"But I recall you just told us you didn't do anything. Were you lying?" Yeah, I know. I am heartless. Sue me.

Exasperated, she sighed. "Why do you make it hard for someone to apologize to you?"

"Sorry, were you apologizing to me? I didn't know that."

"Of course I am apologizing to you. What do you think I was leading up to?"

I was clearly tired of this cat and mouse game we were playing. "What do you want, Bethany? Forgiveness? Sure, you have it. But don't go expecting us to be best of friends anytime soon."

"But why, why can't we be best of friends again?"

"Do I need to say it out loud? You hurt me Bethany, you did. I thought that you were different, that we had something special, that you were my friend. But, I guess that I never really mattered to you, what we had, never mattered to you. Because if it did, you wouldn't be so quick to discard whatever it is that we had. So you see, I can't ever give you my heart because I wouldn't know if I can ever trust you again." My emotions betrayed me. I had hoped to go through this talk with my dignity intact, but as soon as I started, it was like the floodgates opened. Tears came down my cheeks. I said my goodbyes quickly and left.

The next day was the rest of my life. This was the expression that a friend I would meet later in life never failed to use. I am pretty an early riser, so there was no need for an alarm. I took care of my morning business and I started the rest of my life. Breakfast was cereal and milk. Give me a break; I was trying to adapt the best way I can.

"Are you excited to be in school today?" Mom tried to make conversation. I just nodded my head still swallowing the cereals. It was the truth. I was excited to go to school. Although, a lot have happened that could dim my enthusiasm, the thought of seeing Jake again was enough to get me excited. Our budding friendship had much promise.

Before mom could say anything else, the hoot of a car horn went off, signaling that my ride had arrived. I said my goodbyes to mom; "I love you mom." It felt nice to say those words. "I love you too, hon." Mom replied in a flawless imitation of a white woman. I had a grin on my face and my face was probably brighter than expected.

"Someone is in good mood this morning." Beth observed when I got into the back of the car. Bethany rode shortgun.

"Good morning, Beth, Bethany. It's good to see you both this morning so beautiful." I was going to shit them, but it was the truth. Irrespective of where I stood with them, they both were beautiful ladies. Yes ladies.

"Aww" Beth drawled and Bethany perked up, a bit. "With your tongue, young man, ladies will do anything for you. Ain't it, Bethany?" "Sure, mom. I don't know about you but I would do anything if he as much as breathed the word." Bethany said. Somehow, I knew that what she said had a deeper meaning than what we were talking about.

"Well, no body is doing anything other than to take us to school. I need to learn." I said with much light heartedness than I felt.

"Alright, if you say so. We wouldn't want to keep his Majesty from learning now, would we?" Beth replied while speeding the car up a bit. Conversation in the car degenerated to mundane issues. Maybe I haven't said it before, but I am not a good conversationist. Sure I would reply whoever asked me question and ask my own questions, but when it comes to just talking about stuffs that I call mundane stuffs, I very much prefer to keep to myself.

When we got to school, I thanked Beth for the ride and rushed into the school building. And as certainly as it is that the sun will rise in the East and set in the West, my friend, Jake was there waiting for me with a smile that could light up the rest of the world. I am sure my own smile equaled his. I shook his hand and hugged him in a way that spoke volume. Jake and I weren't the most expressive of persons when it comes to emotions, but when we let ourselves go, it's usually intense. The joke among our families is that Jake and I were more soul-mates than any woman we ever dated.

"How was your night, dude?" he asked after we were able to let go of each other.

"My night was great. You?"

"It was one of the best nights of my life. Mom sang my praise all through dinner and the remaining evening. Everyone in my family by now probably wants to me you. Hope there's nothing wrong in that?" He looked unsure of himself. One thing I was going to do was to build this guy's confidence up. He had everything going for him except the confidence thing.

Draping my arm around his neck, I led him to class. "My friend, if you still worry about these small things, then you still don't know me. And I hope that I can remedy that. But for the mean time, you have nothing to worry about. Do you understand me?"

He nodded. "I knew you wouldn't be angry. I just wanted to be sure though."

"And there is nothing to worry about or be certain about. If in the course of our friendship, certain responsibilities are expected of me, I'd gladly do them in the hope that if you were in my shoes, you would do the same."

He stopped us from going any further, looked at me seriously and said; "You do know that I will be here for you no matter what, don't you?" I nodded affirmatively. "I can't help but think about what you said yesterday about people you took for friends screwing you over, forgive my language. I want you to know that I would never do that."

"That, my friend has never been in doubt since forever. Now, can we get to class because I don't want to be late screwing you over." We had a good laugh. It felt good to just let go and be care free.

Classes were fun with Jake and I double teaming the class. We were having way too much fun with classes to give a damn about what people thought. I didn't even bother to look up Mike the Bull, because to me at that time, he was non-existent.

It was the period before lunch and I was gathering my books from my locker. Jake had gone to take a bathroom leak before classes started. I was busy arranging my books; when I sensed someone walk up to me. Every muscle in my body tensed and I felt an eerie feeling in the pit of my stomach. I turned and I beheld a vision.

Words can never describe how I felt when I saw this vision. No poetry can ever described what passed between us. All I can say is that it was like magic. It was like magic when I turned and beheld the most angelic face I had ever seen. It was like magic when my eyes locked into the bluest eyes I had ever seen. Those eyes that were like the ocean, calling to me to dive into them and swim to my heart's content. It was like magic when my eyes left her beautiful eyes and beheld her lush lips. Those lips that I knew where meant for kissing. It was like magic what happened between us. And that magic is indescribable.

This vision before was like that men only dream of seeing in their wildest dreams. It was like something descended from heaven above and then I knew that my path was entwined with this vision's. In one word, the vision before me could only be described as heavenly for she was never of this earth. I was completely awed by this blonde bombshell as I would later come to refer to her as. She was the one that forged my love for blondes more than any woman I had ever seen.

"Hello, you must be Evans?" Even her voice was heavenly. I couldn't speak because suddenly my throat became dry. "Well, since you obviously can't speak, who knew of any legend that can't speak, I will speak for the both of us. I am Melisa." She brought forward her hand in a handshake. I took it. Even her hand was out of this world. Something about the teasing tone of her voice told me that this was a girl that knew of the power that she held over men and she was never prudent in using it. She could tease, and the competitor in me came to bear. I would give as well as I got.

"I don't know about any legend, but if you were just referring to little ol' me, then I am Evans. Though, no one in these shores knows me by that name. People call me EJ."

"Oh, I see that your legend did you no justice. You are a wily one."

"Lady, if we are talking about wily, I think you are the wily one. Anyway, how come you came to hear of my legend?" I had my suspicions, but I wanted to be sure.

"I believe that my brother is your new best buddy. He praised you so much yesterday that I had to see if the legend is true. I guess it certainly is." With her admission that she was Jake's sister, I opened my mouth in disbelief. How could she be? Not to do my friend any disservice, but compared to this vision, Jake was nowhere in terms of looks. I must have looked funny with my mouth hanging open for she laughed and said; "wow, you do have a nice mouth, you can close it now." I snapped my mouth shut which made her to laugh again.

"Forgive me m'lady, but I have never seen any fairer than thee, oh fairy one. So if I anger thee by doubting that the master Jacob is of the same bloodline as you, then I ask your pardon." I know it was cheesy, but I was operating out of my elements. Somehow, I knew what to say to her.

"I pardon thee, kind sir as no one can seem to speak the words that you do." She curtsied and I followed suit with my own. We did really look funny trying to imitate the 14th century English lord and lady.

Jake chose that moment to come to me from his bathroom leak. "What's up, dude?" Seeing his sister, turned to her and asked; "What are you doing here, Mel?"