Choices Page 6

  “Fluffy, huh? Okay, let’s see if it works.” Denise wrapped her arms around Fluffy and sat up and looked at her roommate. “Thanks, Lena,” she said as she leaned over and gave her a forehead kiss.

  Lena felt herself getting warm. “Oh, it’s okay, I’m going to put some clothes on and leave you alone for a while.” Lena walked over to her bed and looked at Denise, who had laid back down and was hugging the teddy bear close.

  Lena smiled as she grabbed her phone and took a quick snapshot of Denise sleeping. She stared at the picture for a minute, until a message popped up on her phone.

  Missing you. Come over. It was Brandon.

  Lena grabbed her bag and headed out of the room.

  Chapter 6

  “I know you are not standing in front of my door,” Cooley said as she looked at Cynthia.

  Cynthia smiled. “Cooley, don’t be like that. I am really sorry about what happened. I was hoping we could let bygones be bygones.” She wrapped her arms around Cooley.

  Cooley pushed her off of her. “You are buggin’, for real. I ain’t even going out like that, so you can really get away from my door.” Cooley went to close her door.

  Cynthia wedged her body between the door. “Cooley, don’t act like that. I really need you in my life!” Cynthia began to cry.

  Cooley put her hand on Cynthia and pushed her from in between the door. “You are crazy. Now get away from my door!” Cooley slammed the door.

  She heard Cynthia banging on the door with her hand and foot.

  “Bitch, you can’t just quit me like that! I don’t know who the fuck you think you messing with!” Cynthia yelled as she beat on the door.

  “Psycho bitch, get away from my door!” Cooley yelled from the other side.

  “Fuck you! I ain’t going nowhere!” Cynthia continued to bang on the door.

  Cooley grabbed her phone. She knew what to do too. “Yo’, can you come down here and handle some lightweight for me?” Cooley hung up the phone and lay on her bed.

  The beating on the door stopped a few minutes later. Cooley heard two women yelling outside. She smiled, knowing what was about to happen.

  A few minutes later she heard a lot of voices and a bang against her door. Cooley opened the door to see a girl on top of Cynthia, punching her in the face.

  “Oh snap!” Cooley laughed as the girl with fuchsia hair continued to kick Cynthia’s ass. Cooley waited a few seconds before pulling the girl off of her.

  “Bitch, you better stay away from Cool from now on or Imma kick yo’ ass again!” Cooley pulled the girl into her room, leaving Cynthia on the ground.

  “Thanks, Rae-Rae,” Cooley said to Rasheeda.

  Rasheeda smiled, her three gold teeth shining in the light. “No problem, yo’. Anytime.” Rasheeda hugged Cooley.

  Rasheeda was Cooley’s thug girl, the only girl that Cooley kept around for a long period of time. Rasheeda knew about Cooley and all of her various women; they were more like friends with benefits for special occasions.

  Rasheeda looked at Cooley; she wanted to collect on some of her benefits.

  “So, what’s up, Cooley? Can you hook a girl up or what?”

  Cooley really wasn’t in the mood, but knew she should, since Rasheeda just took care of Cynthia. She walked up on Rasheeda and unbuttoned her pants. “How you want it, boo?”

  “Raw style, Cooley. I don’t need no head, I just want you to fuck the shit out of me real quick.”

  Cooley laughed. “I don’t do nothing quick,” she said as she bent Rasheeda over on the side of her bed. Cooley grabbed her man out of the drawer and strapped up. She put a condom on the dildo and headed over to Rasheeda.

  She had to admit, Rasheeda had an ass that put Trina to shame. She smacked Rasheeda on her ass as she inserted her man into her wet pussy and grabbed on to her butt as she stroked her.

  “Oh, Cool, hit it harder, baby.”

  Cooley started to pump harder and harder. Cooley smacked her on the ass. She loved to watch her ass jiggle as she stroked her. She pumped harder as Rasheeda moaned for more.

  “Shit, nigga, that’s my shit!” Rasheeda yelled. “Ohhhh shit!” Rasheeda’s body tensed up as she climaxed, covering Cooley’s man with her cum.

  Rasheeda stood up and pulled her pants up. She smiled at Cooley, flashing her golds again. “Holla at you later,” she said as she walked out the door.

  Cooley laughed. That’s the best thing she liked about Rasheeda—she knew how to get her nut and roll.

  Carmen stood in front of the Chi Theta informational board. She admired the beauty and elegance that came with the Chi Theta name. Ever since high school she wanted to be in Chi Theta. There had never been another sorority for her. Hopefully next semester would bring her into the Chi Theta sisterhood.

  “So you like the board?” Stephanie Williams, a senior and Chi Theta, walked up and asked her.

  “Oh, yes it’s beautiful.” She didn’t want to seem too eager, but she also wanted to make sure she knew she was interested.

  “So are you planning on going out for rush?”

  Carmen knew how to answer this question. She had heard horror stories of women who let the sorority know they wanted to join, and they instantly would start receiving phone calls asking for all sorts of favors. The bad thing is, usually those girls didn’t make it into the sisterhood.

  “I haven’t decided yet,” she said with ease, trying to sound unimpressed.

  “Well, you should. Chi Theta’s a wonderful sisterhood.” Stephanie walked away from her.

  Carmen was hoping she left a good impression.

  She heard her phone buzz.

  The spot, 10 P.M.

  It was her secret lover. Butterflies started to form in her stomach. She had been waiting all day for that message and she finally got it. She headed back to her dorm to get ready for the night.

  On the way to her dorm her phone rang. It was her mother.

  “Hello, Mother. How are you?”

  “I’m fine, Carmen, but I am wondering why I haven’t heard from you in over two weeks.” Carmen’s mother was very overprotective of her. She expected Carmen to check in every day.

  “Mom, I have been busy, school is kicking my as . . . my butt”

  “Oh really? Well, I hope you are doing good, and staying out of trouble.”

  She knew her mother meant staying away from gay people. Carmen loved her mother and she had to admit that she was making progress, but she still had negative opinions of the gay community.

  Carmen worked overtime to try to show her mother the positive side of the life. She joined positive groups in the community, but her mother considered it promoting an unhealthy lifestyle. When she volunteered at the children’s hospital with a group of lesbian volunteers, her mother made it clear that she didn’t have to volunteer with gay people. Why not just volunteer.

  “I am doing fine; actually I was just looking at the Chi Theta information board.”

  “Well, I hope you aren’t promoting your lifestyle on campus. They will never accept you, if you are.” Her mother also thought that letting people know she was gay was a one-way ticket to never succeeding. Whenever Carmen didn’t get a job, it was because she was gay. Her mother even pulled her rainbow sticker off of her car because she didn’t want her advertising her lifestyle at their house.

  “Okay, Mom. I have to go. I am heading into the library,” she lied. She just didn’t like where the conversation was going.

  “Oh, baby, good-bye.” She hung up from her mother mentally drained. She tried to not let her get to her, but it was habit.

  She received another text.

  Did you get the last message?

  She smiled and typed. Yes. She knew what she was doing was a little forbidden, but she couldn’t stop. She was actually happy and she didn’t want it to end, so she couldn’t tell Cooley or Denise. They would never let it go on. She headed up to her dorm room; she wanted to look very special for the night.

  Chapter 7

&
nbsp; “Hey, stranger,” Denise said as Lena walked into the room.

  “Hey. I know it feels like it’s been forever, huh?”

  Denise threw on a wife-beater. “Yeah, but it’s understandable. It’s late in the semester and all.”

  “Tell me about it.” Lena looked at Denise’s tribal tattoo. “You know I was thinking about getting a tattoo. What do you think?”

  “For real? I know a person if you want to,” Denise said. “Did you ask Brandon?”

  “I don’t have to ask Brandon’s permission to do anything,” Lena said as she sat on her bed.

  “Yeah, okay,” Denise replied sarcastically as she answered the familiar knock at their door.

  “What’s up, man? Damn! Hey, Lena-licious.” Cooley smiled and stepped past Denise as she attempted to flirt with Lena.

  “Hi, Cooley.” Lena smiled back. She was used to Cooley’s flirting. It was flattering.

  Carmen walked in the room behind Cooley. “Yo, what’s up, people? I got an A on my Econ paper, so let’s celebrate. So where are we going tonight?”

  “Well,” Denise said, picking a shirt out of her closet, “Lena here wants a tattoo.”

  “Really?” Cooley grinned. “Yo’ man gon’ be okay with that?”

  “Why do you all keep thinking that I answer to Brandon? I am my own woman.”

  “That’s right, girl.” Carmen gave her a high-five.

  “So what’s up then? We going to get inked?” Cooley asked.

  “Dat’s on Lena.” Denise smiled.

  Her dimples caused Lena to blush.

  Lena smiled. “Let’s do it.”

  The tattoo shop was more like a hangout spot; more people were there just to kick it than actually get tattoos. Lena felt herself getting nervous as she looked through the tattoos on the walls.

  “So, what do you want to get?” Denise asked.

  “I don’t know, something small, maybe a heart. How bad did yours hurt?”

  “They didn’t. I have a high tolerance for pain.”

  “I am scared as shit.”

  Denise looked into Lena’s eyes. “Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand.”

  Denise and Lena gazed at each other. Denise felt her heart beating fast. She knew she had fallen for Lena on day one.

  “Yo’, you getting tatted or not?” Cooley said, breaking their moment. “Dee, you gonna get something?”

  “I was thinking about getting the Ankh on this arm or maybe a cross,” Denise said, patting her left bicep.

  Carmen joined them. “Oh no, don’t get a cross, but the Ankh would be hot. I am getting my Cancer zodiac sign on my back.”

  “Cancer power!” Lena squealed. “I’m one too. Maybe I will get my zodiac sign too.”

  “Well, how about we all get our zodiac signs?” Carmen said.

  “I don’t want that punk-ass shit on me,” Cooley said.

  “Why? What’s your zodiac sign?” Lena asked Cooley.

  “Me and my bruh are sexy Scorpios. You know what they say about Scorpio and Cancer.”

  “No. What do they say?” Lena questioned.

  Cooley laughed. “Lena, I don’t tell, I show.”

  “Maybe I should get Brandon’s name. I think he wou—”

  “Hell no. You bet not!” Cooley said. “Don’t put no nigga’s name on you. Girl, please. That’s like the number one rule. Do you think he would get your name on him?”

  “I don’t—”

  “Hell no, he won’t. Why? Because you aren’t his wife or his baby mama. You are still replaceable.”

  “OK, on that note I think I am going to get my Ankh and I am going to go first.” Denise sat down in the chair.

  Lena watched in amazement while Denise got the large tattoo, which covered up a nice part of her biceps.

  Denise didn’t flinch. She got her grandmother’s name going across the arms of the Ankh.

  Denise noticed the look on Lena’s face.

  “See, I told you it doesn’t hurt.”

  “Whatever.”

  Lena heard Carmen shouting obscenities from the other chair. She was finished in 15 minutes with a small Cancer sign on her lower back.

  Cooley decided to get her labret pierced; Lena had to admit that Cooley looked good with it.

  Denise’s tattoo was finally done; she admired it in the mirror.

  “That is hot,” Lena said.

  “You like it?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, it’s your turn.”

  Lena sat down in the chair. The tattoo artist laughed at her trembling body.

  “Give me your hand.” Denise smiled.

  Lena grabbed Denise’s hand and looked in her eyes; suddenly she didn’t feel scared anymore.

  Lena dropped them off at the dorm and headed to Brandon’s room. The athletic dorm was always filled with groupies on weekends. She walked around to one of his teammates’ rooms. Lena saw Brandon sitting on the bed next to a girl. The girl moved over when she saw Lena’s angry face.

  “Hey, baby. I wasn’t expecting you.” Brandon jumped up; his teammates turned their attention to the drama.

  “Well, that seems obvious.” Lena folded her arms.

  “Come on. Let’s go to my room.”

  “Let’s not.” Lena turned around. “Enjoy the rest of your night.” She walked off, leaving Brandon calling her name.

  She turned around to see him running up to her.

  “Baby, don’t do this.”

  Brandon, what the fuck were you doing? Is that the kind of bitch you want?”

  “No.”

  “Then why was she all over you? Do you not respect me at all?”

  “Bab—”

  “Fuck it! How about I just break up with you now so these scandalous bitches can have you?” Tears rolled down Lena’s face.

  “Baby, it wasn’t like that.”

  “And to think I was about to get your name tattooed on me. I guess I am still replaceable, after all.”

  “Baby, you not—Wait, you were going to get my name tattooed on you?”

  “Yes, but I didn’t, ’cause of shit like that.” She turned around and showed him the little ankh in the middle of her back.

  Brandon wiped the tears from Lena’s face. “Baby, I love you. You are the only woman for me. Those bitches don’t mean anything. And I am going to prove it to you. Just let me prove it.”

  “Do whatever you want, Brandon. I am going home.”

  Lena got in her car. She cried the whole way home.

  “Lena, what’s wrong?” Denise jumped up when Lena came into the room crying.

  “It’s over. It’s over.”

  “Lena …”

  “I go over there to show him my tattoo, and he practically has a bitch sitting in his lap.”

  “Lena, come on. Are you sure?”

  “Yes, I am sure. I am so glad Cooley talked me out of getting that tattoo.”

  “Lena, you know how women are. They are just hoes.”

  “Right, Dee, I know that a bitch is going to try anything, but he should have known better. I just want to go to sleep.”

  Denise wanted to beat the hell out of Brandon, but she knew it wasn’t her place. She turned the TV onto Will and Grace. Lena called Denise her “Will.”

  Two hours later there was a knock at the door. Denise opened it to see Brandon standing there.

  “Is Lena here?”

  Denise opened the door.

  Lena sat up in the bed. “What are you doing here?”

  “Lena, you are the only one for me. There was only one way I could think to show you.” Brandon pulled his shirt off.

  “Brandon!” Lena put her hand on the large cross on his biceps. Her name was tatted above it. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him.

  Denise felt sick to her stomach.

  Chapter 8

  Denise awoke to the sound of the phone ringing at 4:23 A.M.

  “Hello,” she answered, pissed that anyone would be calling so early.

 
“Baby.”

  She could hear her mother’s voice on the other end. She instantly got knots in her stomach.

  “Tammy, what’s wrong?”

  “Dee . . .” her mother started sobbing.

  Denise knew right away it was Mema.

  Denise’s whole body went numb; she hung the phone up and instantly started crying.

  She picked up the phone and called Cooley. There was no answer. She called Carmen’s phone. Also no answer. She started to panic; she needed to get to the hospital and didn’t know who else to call. There was only one other person she could try.

  “Hello.” Lena sounded groggy.

  Denise could hear Brandon cursing in the background. Denise couldn’t speak; she just started to cry.

  “Lena.” As soon as Denise got her name out, she broke completely down.

  “Denise, Denise.” Lena’s heart started beating fast. “Denise, please talk to me. What’s going on?”

  “Mema . . .” That was all Denise could say; nothing else would come out.

  “I’m on my way.” Lena quickly got up and put her clothes on.

  “Oh hell no! Where the fuck are you going?”

  “Baby, she’s my friend. Something is wrong with her grandmother; I have to go to her.”

  “Where is Cool or that other girl? Why she got to call you?”

  Lena had started to notice Brandon’s sudden insecurities when it came to Denise.

  “Brandon, not now okay. Don’t do this. She is my friend, and I am going. I’m sure if she called me there was no other person to call.” She kissed Brandon and walked out the door before he could respond.

  Denise and Lena ran into the hospital. She found her mother standing in the hallway, crying.

  “Tammy,” Denise called as her mother looked up.

  “She’s holding on, waiting on you.”

  Before Tammy could finish her sentence, Denise ran into the room. Mema was lying in the bed; she smiled when she saw Denise’s face.

  “Dede,” Mema whispered.

  “Don’t talk, Mema.” Denise shook her head to tell Mema not to leave her. Tears rolled down her face. She could hear the heart monitor going slower and slower.

  “Dede, look in that drawer, and stop all that crying. Remember I’ll be watching you.” She moved her head.