Intercept My Heart

Chapter 8

A couple of weeks later

Charae had been staying with me for a little while, and things had been going pretty well, considering we were two teens coexisting in the same space. I rolled over and grabbed my phone from the nightstand. I scoffed when I noticed how many missed calls I had from Brielle and Navy. I cut both of them off completely before Sunny moved in, but neither of them seemed to be getting the hint.

Brielle kept trying to apologize, but she had no idea what she was even apologizing for. I hated mean girls, and she was exactly that. I might have understood if it was because she thought I was interested in her, but that wasn’t why she was upset. She picked on Sunny for things that were beyond her control, and I couldn’t respect that. You never know what another person had to deal with on the home front, yet she thought it was okay to pick on her.

I decided to put the bullshit behind me and get ready for the day. Charae needed new clothes, and I finally had some free time to take her to the mall for a new wardrobe. Unc kept my accounts full so I could take care of business, but there was also another account for me to play with. I figured we could tear the mall up and get her everything she needed.

After hopping in the shower, I threw on some shorts to head downstairs. I would get dressed after I had something to eat. I wasn’t a cook by any means, so I mainly ordered out, which was exactly what I planned to do this morning. As I jogged down the stairs, delicious smells invaded my nostrils. Tootie was the only person who cooked in our kitchen, but she worked in the mornings. It caught me off guard, so I headed right to the kitchen to see what was going on.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Sunny greeted me the moment I walked into the room. When she turned to face me, I stood there stuck. In her natural state, Charae was hands down the most beautiful girl I’d ever encountered. Her plump, pouty lips were the first thing that caught my attention. Followed by her radiant brown skin.

“I see you have gotten more comfortable in this kitchen.” I smirked as I watched her brush her hair behind her ears. Her innocence attracted me to her more than anything. Most girls her age were conceited and full of themselves, but she was so different. Everything about her was different and unique.

“I was hungry and didn’t feel like ordering out, so I figured I could whip up breakfast with the groceries you already have in the house—which, by the way, aren’t many. I don’t understand how you live in this big house with no food in it. You’ve got to do better.”

“Are you judging me?” I stepped closer to her, invading her space.

“N-no. I was only telling you because I think you might want to go to the grocery store. It would be a cheaper option than always ordering out all of the time. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy all of the food you’ve brought home, but I think I’m starting to gain weight from eating out so much.” She pinched her invisible belly.

“Get out of here. You look perfect.”

“Yeah, well. If I keep it up, I won’t be able to fit into any of my clothes. I barely have any as it is.”

“If I buy the groceries, are you going to cook them?” I made her nervous, but I wasn’t sure why. However, I thought it was cute.

“I-I can do a little something in the kitchen.”

“Alright, bet. Let’s hit up the store while we’re out.”

“Where are we going?”

“I figured we could do a little shopping today.”

“Oh, okay, sure.”

“You never told me what you were making.” I peeked over her shoulders to see the spread she had created.

“I made some eggs, bacon, toast, and some home fries. There wasn’t a whole lot to work with, but I think I did okay.”

“It smells good as hell. Come on, let’s eat. I want to get to the stores before everyone starts rushing in there.”

“Okay.” We sat down together, although I wasn’t expecting much conversation from her. Charae was naturally quiet, and she came off as shy most times. We ate our food in silence for a moment. Even though I had gotten her a phone, she hardly ever used it. I found it odd, being that most teenage girls were obsessed with being on social media. She never even took pictures of herself, and to me, that was a disservice. Her beauty needed to be captured and shown off.

We finished our food and then headed to our respective rooms. It only took about twenty minutes for the two of us to get dressed and ready to go. We looked like twins as she stood in front of me in a pair of sweats and a graphic tee.

“I see you wanted to copy off my style today,” I teased.

“Well, it’s not like I had much of a choice since I’m wearing your clothes.”

“I guess we’re gonna have to change that, huh?” I threw my arm around her, and we headed out the door.

This morning, the weather was chilly, so I planned to turn on the heat as soon as I got in the car. I made sure to open the door for Charae before I headed to my side. My music playlist kicked on as I backed out of the driveway.

“Put your seat belt on. You already know what it is.” I got on her almost every time she got in my car.

“Ugh, I’m tired of you and this seat belt rule.” She playfully grumbled.

“I don’t give a damn about how you feel. All I know is that you better have that shit on.”

The ride to the mall was short but enjoyable. Charae opened up a little bit when her favorite song played in the car. Her melodious voice took me by surprise. When the song ended, I was disappointed because I wanted to hear more from her. She had me in a trance, and I enjoyed seeing this side of her.

Once we got out of the car, I grabbed her hand and pulled her along with me. The crowd appeared to be thick, and I didn’t have time for her to fall behind. Charae loved to people-watch and observe the scenery wherever we went. She would get so caught up in the scenery that we would end up being separated.

The first store we went to was the Shoe Department because I had a couple of pairs of Retros on hold. I loved special edition shoes, and I’d admit that was where a large portion of my money went. After I secured my sneakers, we went to Saks. Most girls went crazy when they stepped into this place, but Charae simply looked around as if she was out of her element.

“Do you see anything you like?” I asked, picking up a pair of jeans that I planned to buy for myself.

“I really haven’t looked. All of this is kind of out of my price range. I make decent money at the Steak Shack, but not this good. One pair of jeans would probably take my entire check,” she declared.

“Okay, well, I guess it is a good thing that you aren’t the one paying. Hey, excuse me!” I called out to one of the workers. She seductively switched her way over to me as if she thought I was trying to holler at her.

“Welcome to Saks Fifth. What can I help you with today?”

“My girl needs a new wardrobe. Would you mind helping her pick out some pieces? There is no set budget. All I want is for her to get some outfits and shoes to go with them.” The girls were always picking on her for her wardrobe, so I decided to do something about it. We were on break right now, but once she went back, I was going to make sure she shut all the haters up. She deserved to be able to walk into school with her head held high.

“Dinero, this is really kind, but?—”

“Girl, don’t you even fix your mouth to turn this shopping spree down. Come on. My name is Shanique, and I’m gonna get you all the way together. The man said there is no budget, so let’s max this shit out.”

Shanique grabbed her hand, and they were off. I went over to the men’s section to do my own shopping alone. While shifting through the clothes, my phone rang. When I saw my uncle’s name flash on the screen, I hurriedly answered to see what he wanted.

“Hello.”

“What’s up, nephew? I’m sorry it took so long to get back to you. How are things going on the home front?” I called him months ago when Charae first moved in to give him a heads-up. I thought it was the right thing to do since the house was in his name.

“Everything is cool. I called you because I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“Not now, baby. I’m on the phone with my nephew,” he told whoever was in the background with him. “Sorry about that, Money. What were you saying?” I tried my best not to get annoyed, but it pissed me off that this was my first time hearing from him in months, and he barely had time to talk.

“A friend of mine got put out of her foster home, and she has been staying at the house. I wanted to let you know?—”

“Oh, that’s straight. Damn, baby. I-I told you I was on the phone. Fuck!” I pulled the phone away from my ear to make sure that I hadn’t been tripping. I knew damn well he wasn’t fucking while we were on the phone.”

“Aye, Unc. Are you still there?” At this point, this conversation was going nowhere fast.

“Yeah, just like that. You’re a nasty little bitch. Aye, my fault, nephew. Umm, I’m cool with whatever. I sent some more money to your account. There will be plenty to get through the rest of the year. I have my accountant on notice to continue the monthly deposits, and the mortgage is paid up, so you have nothing to worry about. If your friend is in a bad way, I want you to do everything you can to help her. However, don’t lose sight of the goal here. You are college bound and headed to the NFL. Don’t fuck up your dreams for anyone, do you hear me?”

“Yeah, I hear you. I brought her to the mall so she could pick out a few outfits since she doesn’t have much.”

“That’s what’s up. Real men do real shit. Just make sure that she has a genuine heart. You are a highly sought-after young man, and women will be flocking to you in order to attach themselves to your name. Keep your heart on lock and your eyes open at all times. I love you, kid. If you need anything, you know how to reach me.” Uncle Ro disconnected before I could reply, and I wasn’t upset. It was clear that he had more important things to do; who was I to stand in his way?

It bothered me sometimes because he was the closest thing I had to family, yet he was rarely present. My friends envied my lifestyle because of the freedom I had, but I would give all of it up if I could have my family back the way it was.

I got all my items and decided to check out and take my things to the car while Charae continued shopping. Since I would be the one carrying her bags, I needed to make sure my hands were free. By the time I made it back into the store, Charae and Shanique were laughing like old friends.

“I’m telling you, girl, people would kill to have a face and body like yours, and you don’t even know what to do with it.” Shanique complimented her. I agreed wholeheartedly with what she said. Charae seemed to be unaware of how gorgeous she was. I believed it was the reason why the girls hated her the way they did. Her natural beauty was shitting on a lot of these girls, and they couldn’t stand it.

“I guess you’re right. I’ve never been into hair and makeup because I’ve never had the money to buy it. I’ve been watching a bunch of YouTube videos on how to do certain things, but it all seems so complicated. Besides, it’s not like I have anywhere to go anyway. No one invites me anywhere.”

“Well, you can always come hang out with me and my girls. There are a few clubs that will let you get in with a fake ID and shit. You’ve got to learn how to let your hair down and live a little. We only have one life to live. Don’t spend it with your head buried in the sand. Here, I’ll put my number in your phone and call myself. My friends and I are hosting a summer bash next weekend. I’ll even come pick you up, so you have no excuse not to go.”

“Okay. What should I wear?”

“Girl, don’t even worry about it. I’m gonna help you find the perfect bathing suit that’s bound to shut the whole party down. I’m telling you, girl. With looks like yours, you are gonna have everybody staring and whispering!”

Her advice made me uncomfortable, but I wasn’t sure why. Charae wasn’t my girl, and she was free to do whatever she wanted. However, I hated the idea of her being taken advantage of. The niggas out here didn’t care about her being fragile when they had their sights set on something they wanted. Charae deserved to be with someone who would take care of her heart, and the boys our age weren’t mature enough for that. All they cared about was getting their rocks off. She needed someone who would take care of her heart as well as her body.

“Hey, are you almost done? If not, it’s cool. I can give you my card while I head over to the food court.” Charae jumped when she heard my voice, while Shanique stood there with a smirk on her face.

“Oh, umm. I?—”

“We’ll take the card. We’ve still got to get some shoes and accessories to match her outfits, along with a couple of bathing suits for the summer.” Sunny glanced between the two of us as if she was afraid of what I would say.

“Alright, no problem. Text me when you’re ready, and I’ll come right back so I can grab your bags.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’m gonna grab a slice of pizza to hold me over until it’s time for us to get some food later.” I planned for us to get dressed and go to a restaurant. She never left the house, and I figured she could use the fresh air. Plus, it would give me some time to really get to know her.

“Wow, this is so nice.” Charae observed the setup in the restaurant. I couldn’t care less about any of this shit. The only thing on my mind was eating. We spent about two hours in the mall, going from store to store. I ended up having to make three separate trips to the car to unload the things we bought.

In the beginning, Charae was shy, but over time, she warmed up and began grabbing whatever caught her attention. She copped a few pairs of shoes, but I made sure that she had a few pairs of designer sneakers as well. Right now, she wasn’t certain of her style, but that would all change with time. The smile on her face was more of a reward to me than anything. It felt good to do something nice for someone outside of myself.

“Come on, girl. Those decorations aren’t going anywhere.” Once again, I took hold of her hand as the hostess greeted us. A waitress came shortly after and ushered us to our seats. I wanted to take her somewhere a little more upscale because it was something she hadn’t experienced before.

“Here are your menus. I’ll give you a few moments to look it over. For now, what kind of drinks can I start you off with?” We rattled off our drink orders, and she wrote them down before walking off. I watched as Charae flipped through the menu with a pensive expression.

“What is that face for?”

“I don’t see any prices on this menu anywhere. How am I supposed to pick what I want without seeing how much it costs?” I chuckled at her innocence.

“This kind of restaurant doesn’t put prices on their menus because if you come here, they expect you to have money. Everything on there is expensive, so you might as well get what you want.”

“Oh. What happens if you spend more money than you have? Do they make you wash dishes or something?” I burst out laughing in response to her questions.

“I’m not sure. I’ve never had those kinds of problems before.” I chuckled, watching her stare at the menu in awe. It was clear that she hadn’t experienced this kind of life, and it honestly made me want to spoil her even more.

We laughed and got to know each other through our dinner. I ended up getting a T-bone steak with garlic mashed potatoes and parmesan-crusted asparagus. The portions were better than I expected, so I planned to take the rest of my food home. Charae, on the other hand, barely had any leftovers, which made me happy. It told me that I had made a good choice for us.

“Damn, girl, I see you don’t mess around. Most girls act like salad is the only thing they can eat on a date. You’re not shy at all.” I expected her to laugh with me, but instead, a look of embarrassment flashed across her face.

“When you don’t know whether or not you’ll get to eat day to day, you tend to appreciate food a little differently.” Her shoulders shrugged as if she hadn’t laid a major bomb on me. I was aware that Drake’s parents placed a weird cut-off time on their fridge access, but I never imagined it was deeper than that.

“What do you mean by that?” I could feel my temper getting the best of me.

“I don’t want to make things worse. I’ve already said enough.” The fear in her eyes pissed me off even more. What the hell had they done to her to make her so scared to tell the truth?

“Naw, that isn’t good enough for me. Tell me what you meant by that. Were they starving you over there?” Instead of answering, she nodded and then dropped her head so I couldn’t see her eyes. My ears were hot with anger and frustration.

“Did Drake know?” Drake and I had been boys since kindergarten, but if he knew about this shit and did nothing, our friendship would be on the line.

After the abortion, I caught Drake’s dad behind the factory where he worked. I beat his ass unconscious, leaving him to bleed out on the concrete. Drake called me distraught about someone hurting his pops, but he had no idea it was me. I made sure to wear a hoodie along with a mask and gloves. The fact that people saw his ass as a victim pissed me off because he was far from it.

“I don’t know. I mean, he was there, so I don’t see how he wouldn’t. However, I really don’t want to cause any trouble. I promise this isn’t that big of a d?—”

“Don’t ever fix your mouth to say some dumb shit like that. It is a big fucking deal. They had no right to mistreat you, especially when the government paid them to provide for you. That includes making sure you eat every day. What they were doing was illegal and inhumane. Why didn’t you say something earlier?” My voice rose, and I noticed Charae had begun to tense up.

The waitress came right on time and asked if we wanted any dessert, and I left it up to Rae. I wanted her to get the full experience, even though I no longer had an appetite.

“Go ahead and get what you want,” I urged, noticing her hesitation.

“Would it be possible to get it to go?” she asked. I felt guilty for ruining dinner, but I hadn’t expected things to take a turn, and they had.

“Of course. What can I get for you?” The waitress took her order and then came back with the check. Charae’s nosy ass tried to peek over to see the total, but I tucked it as I handed the waitress my credit card. I was ready to get out of here, but I wasn’t sure how to handle this new information.

When Charae got her dessert, I gathered both of our bags and held her hand as we stepped out of the restaurant. Her hands were clammy. I still had no idea why I made her so nervous. I opened her door, then jogged over to the driver’s side. Once I got settled in my seat and turned my playlist on, I began to process what happened tonight. Charae was such a beautiful soul, inside and out, and I hated the idea of someone hurting her. It caused a rush of anger to flow through me. I’d never been close to Drake’s family. However, you couldn’t have paid me to believe they were so evil.

“Are you mad at me?” Charae whispered as we drove around the city. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to take her home or try to take her to one more spot. Her question caught me off guard, and it made me check myself. The last thing I wanted to do was make her feel like I was against her. None of this was her fault, and I didn’t want her carrying any unnecessary guilt behind this bullshit.

“No, baby girl. I’m upset, but I promise you’re not at fault. I wanted to take you to one more place, if that’s okay with you.” I refused to allow the shit with Drake and his family to ruin our night, so I decided to put it off for now, before I ended up taking his life the next time.

“Umm, okay. I’m fine with that.”

My thoughts were all over the place as I drove, and I needed a moment to sort through them. Charae had gone through so much, and I wasn’t sure how to help her. As mature as I might be, I was still only eighteen myself. Not to mention the fact that I would be graduating in June, which meant I would be moving. I planned to attend Douglas University, which had one of the best football programs. My plans had been laid out for me since I was young, and I worked too hard to let anything stand in my way.

On the other hand, I was going to make sure Charae had everything she needed. I pulled up to the place that I wanted to take her to, and she turned in her seat and looked at me with questioning eyes.

“What are we doing here? I don’t know how to skate,” she rambled.

“It’s cool. You’re gonna learn today.” Her eyes were filled with fear, but I would fix that. My dad told me he met my mama at this very skating rink when they were teenagers. I always told myself that when I found a girl that I cared about, I would bring her here. Since I would never have the opportunity to introduce her to them, this would be a way for me to connect two worlds.

I planned to ask Charae something important, and this seemed like the perfect place to do it. I got out of the car and then rushed to her side to open the door.

“Fix your face. I got you.”

Grabbing her hand in mine, we headed into the building. Once we got our skates on, I watched Rae’s eyes widen as she watched the people glide around the rink. As a young boy, I thought it was cool to watch the pros do all kinds of tricks. I told myself if I practiced enough, I would be able to do the same one day. Then my parents died, and I avoided any and everything that had any connection to them.

It wasn’t until last year that I finally worked up enough nerve to come back to this place. The atmosphere, the music, and the sound of the wheels against the floor unlocked so many memories I attempted to bury. It used to cause me pain, but I realized that if I didn’t acknowledge it, I would never heal. You didn’t ever get over the loss of a parent, but memories didn’t have to be a weight, either.

“Come on, scary girl.” We stood at the entry of the rink as people passed us by. Her hands were slick with sweat from how nervous she was.

“Do you trust me?”

“With my life,” she proclaimed with no hesitation.

“Then you know I’ll never do anything to cause you pain. And if for some reason you do fall, just know that players fuck up too,” I teased, leading us to the center of the rink. Rae gripped my arms for dear life, so I turned to face her.

“Relax, baby. Trust yourself. A lot of people think your movements are controlled by your feet, but really, your core and hips are what make the movements so fluid. Let me show you.” I released her hands and proceeded to skate around her. “It’s all in the hips. As long as you have this part of your body centered, you’ll be fine.”

“Oh my God. Why am I moving? I didn’t want to move!” She shrieked when she felt herself moving backward.

“They are wheels, baby. They are gonna move. Now, when you want to come to a stop, you have to point your skates inward like this. I attempted to show her, but the panic in her eyes made me go after her. With arms locked around mine, I decided to take her around the rink for a few laps. I moved her in front of me with my arms wrapped around her waist and my skates directly behind hers.

“All I need you to do is keep moving your feet with mine. I’ve got the rest.” The DJ switched to a slow jam, and I smirked when I remembered the song. My mother sang it on Saturday mornings when she would get up early to clean. The music blared through the speakers as we glided together. Charae rested her back against my chest. The longer we went, the more comfortable she became.

“Do you want to try to go on your own for a little bit?” I asked, but she shook her head before I could even finish the question. Honestly, I enjoyed the connection between us, so we continued skating together for two more songs. I spun her around a couple of times, and she allowed me to do so with no complaints. She even cracked a smile at the end.

We headed over to one of the tables, and I assisted her with removing her skates. We sat in the booth together, watching the OGs do tricks in the center of the rink. A few couples were doing the same thing we had done, and I could tell she enjoyed watching them.

“What made you want to come here? I would have never taken you for the type.”

“Are you stereotyping me?” I pretended to be offended as she laughed.

“No. Well, maybe a little. You always seem so… hard. The only time I see you happy is when you’re playing football, and even then, you’re cussing people out.” This time, we both laughed.

“Damn. Am I that bad?”

“I don’t mean it in a negative way. I guess I’m learning there is more to you than what you allow people to see. You have a lot of layers.”

“Is that a problem for you?”

“No, not at all. I have layers too. Plus, you’re my only friend, outside of Ciera, so I can’t really judge you.” The term “friend” felt like ice being thrown on me. It never bothered me until now because I guess it was because I was coming to terms with my feelings for her.

“What if I want to be more?” Charae had me completely out of my element. Vulnerability didn’t exist in my world, not on the field and damn sure not in the streets. Yet, I didn’t mind putting myself out there for her.

“What do you want to be?” I found myself getting lost in her pretty brown eyes. They always carried sadness in them, but I could see something else inside of them now.

“I want to be your man. I don’t want to just be friends; I want you to be my everything.”

“If you knew how broken and fucked up I am, you wouldn’t feel that way,” she replied solemnly.

“Your heart might be broken for the moment, but I can fix it.”

“And what if you can’t?”

“My pops told me nothing is impossible for a Sutton man, and his word hasn’t failed me yet.” That earned me a smile from her as I took her hand in mine. “It’s no pressure on my end. I don’t want you to feel like you have to say yes because we live together, either. I’m gonna be here for you regardless, but I want to make my intentions clear. I want you to be mine.”

“I’m scared,” Rae whispered with tears in her eyes.

“I’m not here to hurt you. I have a hard time letting people in, so I get where you’re coming from. While I may not know your whole story, I’ve seen enough to know your heart is fragile. All I’m asking is for you to take a chance on me. Let me love you in the way that I know how, and we can help each other learn to trust.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, what?” I needed her to say the words so I knew we were on the same page.

“I’ll be your girl. Just promise to be careful with me.” I lifted her up and placed her in my lap. Her head rested on my shoulder, so I kissed her forehead.

“I wouldn’t dare do anything less.” We stayed in that position for another hour until we decided to head home.