Our Love Page 15

  "Get out of here!"

  "Is it true, Mom? Or should I even ask," I said as went with Charlie to the door.

  I turned around and looked at my parents.

  "I can't take anymore of the two of you and your behaviors. You would think from the times I had to control the two of you, that I was the parent and you were the kids. For now on, I want to act my age, and not a parent. From this moment on, you don't have a son. I'm moving out tonight."

  I slammed the door behind me.

  Charlie looked at me with a surprised look on her face.

  "Did I hear you right? Where are you going to stay tonight and every other night?"

  "I'll stay with Chris until I can find a place. I'm almost eighteen. I don't have to stay with them anymore."

  "What about money and food?"

  "I can get a job. Charlie, I don't have to live off them for the rest of my life. Besides, I was going to leave next year to go off to college. So technically, I'm moving out early."

  "Baby, maybe you should think about this."

  "Think about what? You don't understand; I need to do this. I need to finally get away from my parents' clutches and start a life of my own. As long as I can remember, I was the one who had to take care of them from their many hangovers and their childlike behavior. I just want to live a normal life. So why should I have to think about it. My mind has been made up for months about this."

  Charlie looked at me and put her arms around me.

  "You know I support you on whatever decision you make. I'm so sorry Michael. I didn't think tonight would end up like this."

  "Me either, but I knew it would sooner or later."

  As we pulled apart, my father walked outside. He went over to me and put an arm around me. Charlie gave my dad a weak smile as she went toward her Mustang. I looked at Charlie and whispered, 'I'll call you.'

  "I'm really sorry about your mother's behavior. That was uncalled for," my dad said.

  "Don't apologize Dad. She knew what she was doing."

  "Listen, I know why you want to move out. I know we haven't been the best parents, but we do care about you Mike. We would do anything for you, you know that."

  "I know Dad, but you do the wrong things for me. This is something I have to do, and nothing you, and especially not Mom, can say could can change my mind."

  "I just don't want you to make a decision that you might regret."

  "Don't worry Dad. I'm not. I'll be by tomorrow to get some of my things."

  "Where you going to stay tonight?"

  "At Chris's. I'll give you a call later." I said as went toward my BMW. While my dad looked on, I pulled out of the driveway and drove down the winding road toward the gate. I let out a long breath and sighed.

  "This is the beginning of my life, whether I like it or not."

  18. Charlie

  As I drove home, all I could think about was what happened tonight. And what could have happened. If Michael's parents didn't walk in, Michael and I would have made love. Just the thought of Michael's hands on my body made me want him even more. I couldn't shake this feeling but what I could definitely shake were his parents and how rude his mother was.

  I see why Michael wants out, I thought as I was flipping channels on my TV. The whole evening after the incident was a total nightmare, and I would be happy if I didn't have to look at his mother ever again.

  As I laid down on my bed, I started to think about what could have happened between me and Michael, and what happened between Derrick and I earlier that day. Just the way Derrick looked at me while telling me he still loved me, only made me think that he was sincere with his words. He still does have feelings for me, but I couldn't go down that road again, especially when I was so involved with Michael. I turned over on my side and noticed how breathtaking the night looked. The cloudless dark blue sky blanketed with silver twinkling stars. It looked so peaceful; it made me think about all the happy moments I had experienced so far in my life.

  As I closed my eyes to take in the ambiance of my life, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of my cell phone. As I turned over to my nightstand, I pick up my phone to find out who was calling me. To my surprise, it was Derrick. Just the name blinking on and off through the phone, my heart started to skip a beat. I don't know why I was feeling this way for Derrick, but for some reason, I didn't want the feeling to end. My palms started to become sweaty as I quickly answered the phone.

  "Hello," I said slowly.

  "Charlie," Derrick replied on the other end.

  "Why are you calling? I told you earlier today..."

  "Please Char, I just want to talk to you. I know what happened earlier today was intense, but I just needed to hear your voice, that's all."

  I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Was this the same Derrick Marberry from a few months back?

  "Derrick, don't."

  "Why are you so scared to talk to me on the phone? I understand that you're with Collier now, but I thought since I told you my feelings, you would reconsider our relationship and what we meant to each other."

  "I have been Derrick, but things are so complicated. I'm with Michael now, so there's no way anything could happen between us. And even if I wasn't with Michael, what makes you think I would go back to you?"

  "Because you love me. I can tell every time you look at me that you still have feelings for me."

  "Well that's something I'm trying to forget."

  "Your feeling is not a light switch that you can turn on and off Char."

  "Did I say it was? This wasn't a good idea to talk to you. Good bye, Derrick."

  "Before you hang up, just listen to me. I know the game is this weekend and I know it's going to be extreme, but no matter what the circumstances, I will always care for you. You were my one and only. Don't ever forget that."

  Why is he doing this to me? I thought as tears started to roll down my cheeks. I don't know what my feelings were for Michael or Derrick, but what I did know was that I was about to get into a situation that might be out of my control.

  "You were my one and only too. I'm still in love with you, Derrick."

  ~

  After the incident with Derrick the night before, I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide from the entire world. I couldn't believe I let my emotions get the best of me and told Derrick how I truly felt. I had heard on TV talk shows and soap operas that people could be in love with two people. I always wondered how could that be, given the fact that loving two people is totally impossible. Well now I believe that theory is possible. I guess it is as simple as giving my heart to two men. Two men that I felt could be the person I could be in love with forever.

  As I looked at my cheerleading pom-poms, I started to think about both Michael and Derrick and how they made me feel as a person. The two are so similar, due to their popularity; yet they are different with their personality and style. As I started to take deep breaths, Brandy walked by me with a concerned look on her face.

  "Hey, girl. You've been sitting here for the past twenty minutes. The game's about to start soon and we need you to do some last minute practice."

  I looked up at Brandy and smiled.

  "Sorry girl, I just had a lot on my mind."

  "I understand. I know it is hard for you to face your old school today. I mean this is the biggest game in both schools' history."

  "That's just the half of it," I said getting up.

  "You want to talk about it?"

  "No, but thanks Brandy," I said as I walk past Brandy. I wanted to talk to Brandy about everything that was going on between Derrick and me, but I couldn't because she was friends with Michael.

  As the two of us went out toward Robinson Stadium, we met up with the rest of the cheerleaders to do some last minute practice on our routines. As I started to stretch, I noticed the Parker cheerleading squad also on the field practicing. All the color started to drain from my face as I saw Eva and Theresa looking at me. I looked at them and turned my head toward my squad. I could
n't break down. My squad needed me. As I was about to give my team the "game speech," I observed Eva walking over to me. I tried to act like I didn't notice Eva while I was talking to my squad.

  "Just have fun out there today, okay." I said as I gave one of my brightest smiles to my talented group.

  The girls all smiled at me as they watched Eva standing behind me. I turned around and smiled at Eva.

  "Hello, Eva."

  "Hi, Charlie."

  "Listen, I'm busy so..."

  "I know you are, but can we talk for a few minutes."

  "Can we talk later?"

  "Please Char."

  I gave a long stare at Eva and realized that whatever she wanted to tell me, it was important.

  I looked over at Brandy. She nodded her head in approval and Eva and I started to walk toward the benchers.

  "You want to talk, so talk."Eva looked at me and started to clear her throat.

  "I never thought I would be nervous to talk to my best friend."

  I looked down toward the dirt ground and sighed.

  "I thought we were ex-friends Eva?"

  Eva looked at me and smiled.

  "I never thought we were. Did you?"

  "To be honest Eva, yeah I did. You made me choose between you and my man. How am I supposed to feel after you basically threw me off your property?"

  "Char, there were so much going on at the time in my life, and when I found out that you were with Michael, I felt like everything in my life had changed."

  "Changed how Eva? You know that you and I are best friends for life. No matter how things are in our lives or who we're dating, you will always be my girl."

  Eva looked at me with sad eyes. I looked at Eva with tears in my eyes. I wanted to go up to her and give her a big hug. But something in me told me that I should not let my heart be fooled again.

  "Char, I'm so sorry for everything that has happened. If I could turn back time, I would in a heartbeat so you and I would not be fighting. When I found out you were dating Michael, everything in me changed because I felt like our friendship would not be the same. Not only were we not spending the remaining of our senior year together, but the idea you were in a relationship made me realize that we wouldn't be spending so much time together. I want things between us to go back to normal. I miss talking to you. Not only are you my friend, you're like a sister to me. I love you."

  I went up to Eva and wrapped my arms around her. I started to cry as Eva was crying on my shoulders. Just the idea that Eva and I were talking was a breakthrough to me. I missed my best friend.

  Eva pulled away from me with tears streaming down her face. She looked at me and smiled.

  "So you forgive me?"

  I looked at Eva and started to laugh.

  "Of course, girl."

  As we were laughing, I noticed Theresa was walking over to us with a disappointed look on her face. I looked over at Theresa and smiled.

  "Well, well, if it isn't the wicked witch of Parker. Shouldn't you be 1000 yards away from me via your parents' arrangement?"

  "Honestly Charlie, I could care less what you do now since you're no longer at Parker."

  "Are you trying to say you banned me from Parker on purpose?" I sarcastically asked.

  I knew that was Theresa's plan all along that she wanted me gone from Parker, mainly because I was a threat to her. Of course her parents went along with it, which was just as ridiculous as the elaborate scheme she cooked up.

  Theresa rolled her eyes at me.

  "Isn't this cozy, Charlie and Eva are friends again. It must be true that friends can overcome anything."

  I looked at Theresa with a smug look on my face while Eva looked angrily at Theresa.

  "Of course friends can overcome anything. That what true friends are."

  Theresa looked at me and smiled.

  "You have no clue what I'm talking about, do you?"

  I looked over at Eva, who looked at Theresa with evil eyes. When I see Eva with that look, it only means one thing: Trouble.

  "Why don't you mind your own business, Theresa?"

  "I will, but don't you think your girl should know the truth? I thought if you two were friends again, maybe whatever secrets you two have should be coming out to the forefront."

  I didn't know what Theresa was talking about, but whatever it was, it was making Eva extremely upset.

  "Get the hell out of our face, Theresa. In fact, why don't you do what you do best and bone a football player, or something."

  Theresa looked at Eva and smiled.

  "I guess that's something we both know something about, don't we?" she asked.

  "Now let's go, we have a game to perform," she said as she turned around and started to walk back to her squad.

  I looked at Eva with a confused look on my face.

  "What was that about?"

  Eva sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

  "You know how Theresa is. She's a bitch."

  "Did you sleep with a football player? Who was it?"

  "You don't know him. Listen, I better go before Theresa starts spinning her head around. But I'll call you. Maybe we can do something after the game."

  "I wish I could, but Michael and I are going to the Imagine Dragons concert tonight."

  Eva's expression changed when I mentioned Michael's name.

  "Okay. Well give me a call later."

  "Of course,"

  Eva looked at me and grinned.

  As I watched Eva walk back to her squad, I couldn't help but to think about what Theresa said and the look on Eva's face when I mentioned Michael. If I didn't know any better, Theresa was talking about Eva and Michael.

  What am I thinking? Michael and Eva don't even know each other, I thought to myself as I looked over at the band getting ready to perform.

  "Come on, Char. We need to get ready!" Brandy yelled from across the field.

  I shook my head at the thought of Eva and Michael and ran over to my team.

  Michael

  The big game is finally here. This is the game that decides our fate in the playoffs. As I look out at the field, I realized how many people were out to support us. Chris came over to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

  "You ready, captain?"

  "As ready as I'm going to be," I said as I looked at Charlie and the cheerleading squad. Just the way Charlie looked in her cheerleading outfit made me have feelings I should not be having right now. Chris looked over at Charlie and smiled.

  "Focus man. You know you need to concentrate on this game."

  "I know. I won't let y'all down."

  "I know you won't. Let's go and kick some Parker ass!" Chris yelled as he ran out onto the field.

  I put on my helmet, and the adrenaline started to kick in as I ran out onto the field. Just hearing the crowd screaming, the band playing Belmont's fight song, and the cheerleaders waving their pom-poms in the air with enthusiasm, made me glad to be a part of my team. As I was about to go over to my teammates, I looked over at Charlie again, who looked at me with a seductive glance. I couldn't wait for tonight so I could celebrate our victory with my beautiful girlfriend. I smiled at Charlie as the game was about to begin. I looked over at Parker's team and saw Derrick staring at me like he wanted to rip my head off. I would be so glad when this game was over, so I wouldn't have to look at Derrick's face again.

  As the referee came out onto the field, he asked for both captains to come up to the center to do the coin toss. I went onto the center with a look of disappointment on my face. I really did not want to stand close to Derrick, but I had no choice.

  Derrick looked at me and smirked.

  "May the best team win," he said as he extended his hand out to me.

  I looked at him with annoyance.

  "Yeah," I said as I waited for the referee to begin.

  "Parker, what's your call?"

  "Heads, of course," Derrick said with a cocky grin.

  I rolled my eyes at the last remark. What a jerk!

&nb
sp; As the referee called the game, the quarter went down on the ground, revealing the side as tails. I smiled at the revelation and looked at Derrick.

  "Maybe you should have chosen tails," I said as I ran over to my team.

  As the game began, my team made the first points right out of the gate. The score became 7 to 0 after Chris kicked a field goal. I knew this game should mean something to me. I mean this was our biggest game of the season. Either we win and go off to the championship, or we lose and go home. But while I was standing out on the field with my teammates, as the band was playing the school's fight song, and the crowd was going wild, I realized the thrill was there at first, but now it didn't matter if we won or lost, because my heart was not in it. In fact, I think my heart hadn't been in the game for a long time.

  As I looked over at the other end of the field, I noticed Charlie was relentlessly waving her pom-poms in the air with the biggest and brightest smile on her lips. Maybe Charlie was the one who changed my perspective of life, but whatever it is, I felt like throwing the game by leaving the field.

  After the first half was over, Belmont was leading; 14 to 7. While the band and the cheerleaders were performing, my mind started to wander about everything that had happened to me in the past few weeks. I felt like my life had been a roller coaster since Charlie came into my life. I'm not saying having Charlie in my life is a bad thing; it's just that everything that I knew about my life was suddenly changing. I no longer stayed with my parents, I had this big secret regarding Steve that I needed to tell Charlie about, and then there's Danielle, who every time I see has some sort of expression on her face like she wanted to seek revenge on me. I know I should not worry about Danielle, but she does know about Brandy and me. And then there's Eva. No one can ever find out that Eva and I slept together. Good thing she and Charlie are no longer friends. I don't know if I could stand it if they still were.

  As the second half approached, we were back on the field and ready to finish the game against Parker. There was one reason why I wanted to win this game... And that is to shove it in Marberry's face. As we were preparing for the kick off, Derrick came up to me with a smile on his face.

  "I have to admit, you did good for yourself. Your team is ahead and you have a pretty girl to go out with after the game."