Chapter 14
Flashback – A Week Later – Prom
“You don’t seem excited about prom. What’s going on with you?” Keno, Lynx’s father, asked him.
“I’m good, Pops.”
“You’re not, but I won't force you to talk about it.”
Lynx had just finished getting dressed, and his father was tying his bowtie for him. Keno was right; Lynx wasn’t excited about prom, but he’d make the best of it.
“I asked someone to prom that I didn’t really want to go with, but I’m a man of my word, so I’ll see it through and make sure she has a good time,” he told his father.
“Why did you ask her?”
“I reacted too quickly to something I found out.”
Lynx hadn’t shared his growing feelings for Fateema with anyone in their circle but thought some may have sensed the recent change. Comments were made occasionally, but no one ever came right out and asked him. Fateema seemed to be clueless about Lynx’s attraction to her.
“Care to share what you found out?”
“Not really.”
“What does Fateema think of the girl you asked?”
Lynx shrugged. He didn’t think they had beef, but they weren’t friends. “I don’t know. She’s going with my date’s ex.”
“Okay. Now we’re getting somewhere. Is that the news that caused you to react too quickly?”
A minute passed with no reply from Lynx as his father finished tying his bowtie. He wasn’t ready to admit his feelings for Fateema out loud… not even to his father.
“Thanks for your help, Pops. We should head over to Fateema’s for pictures,” Lynx said, not acknowledging his father’s question.
Lynx had always been quiet and kept to himself, so Keno didn’t press his son to answer. He figured he would come to him if he needed advice about dating or anything else.
As planned, their group met at Fateema’s house to take pictures.
Keno and Frasier noticed how Lynx’s mood changed when Rodney showed up.
He inserted himself into the pictures as if he were part of their friend group, and Lynx didn’t hide his annoyance.
Rodney’s need to be the center of attention was evident, and it was what Lynx disliked the most about him.
Coincidentally, Lynx and Tatiana arrived at prom at the same time as Fateema and Rodney. When Tatiana saw Rodney with Fateema, her whole mood shifted. Lynx didn’t like seeing them together either but wanted positive memories from prom, so he kept the mood light.
“Fateema is sitting at Rodney’s table so Tati can sit in her seat,” Adam whispered so only Lynx could hear him.
Lynx nodded and looked around the ballroom until he spotted his best friend. She looked beautiful in the dress they’d chosen, and he wanted nothing more than to be in her presence, making her laugh until her eyes watered, and she fussed at him for making her ruin her makeup.
“Let’s grab Fateema and take our group pic with the photographer before the line gets too long,” Octavia suggested.
Lynx leaned toward Tatiana and whispered in her ear. “Do you want to come with me to take a group picture with my friends? You’re welcome to join us.”
“That’s unnecessary, but I don’t want to sit here alone, so I’ll come with you.”
“I’ll go get Fateema, and you can meet me over there if you don’t want to see Rodney.”
She shrugged. “It’s fine.”
While the rest of their group went to get in line for pictures, Lynx and Tatiana headed to the table where Fateema sat with Rodney and his friends.
When they arrived at their table, Lynx asked Fateema, “Are you taking the group picture with us?”
“What’s up, Tati?” Rodney asked with a smirk before Fateema could reply.
“Fuck you, Rodney,” Tati replied, rolling her eyes.
“Why you mad? We had a good thing going until you dumped me,” Rodney barked defensively.
“In what world is lying and cheating on someone a good thing?” she spat, folding her arms across her chest.
“At least I tried to hide it and didn’t flaunt it in your face,” Rodney said.
Fateema frowned at his nonchalant admission of guilt, and it didn’t sit well with her.
“Hold up,” Lynx interjected. “We didn’t come over here for this. If y’all still need to hash things out, do it some other time.”
“I’m sorry, Lynx. You’re right,” Tatiana agreed.
“Bunny, are you taking pictures with us or not?” Lynx asked.
“Bunny? You have a pet name for her?” Rodney questioned.
“I’ll be back,” Fateema told Rodney, dismissing his question.
Lynx, Fateema, and Tatiana walked away from Rodney and his friends before Rodney could say anything else to get under anyone’s skin. When they made it to the line with the rest of their group, Fateema felt the need to address the elephant.
“Tati, I hope—”
“Stop. Whatever you’re about to say isn’t necessary. We aren’t friends, and you don’t owe me any loyalty.”
“I know, but—”
“Seriously, Fateema. It’s fine, and so am I. You need to be careful with Rodney, though.”
“Umm, okay,” Fateema replied, shocked by Tatiana’s forwardness.
Fateema quickly forgot about the exchange and enjoyed being in the company of her friends while they waited to take pictures. When it was finally their turn, they had a ball. After about ten different group poses, some silly and some serious, the photographer told them he had to move on.
“Wait. Tati, c’mere,” Lynx called out.
She’d stood by watching Lynx and his friends have fun taking pictures. Her so-called friends stopped talking to her when she broke up with Rodney and didn’t even acknowledge her when she stopped by their table with Lynx.
“Can I get a couple of poses with my date?” Lynx asked the photographer.
He obliged, and as they posed for a few pictures, Fateema watched. To her surprise, she felt a pang of jealousy when she realized Lynx didn’t ask her to take pictures alone with him.
“Wow, don’t they look good together?” Meaghan asked.
Fateema agreed with Meaghan’s observation but didn’t want to admit it. “If you say so.”
Before her friend could respond, Fateema walked away and returned to the table with Rodney and his friends. The waitstaff had just begun serving the salads, so her timing was perfect.
“Took you long enough. I thought you ditched me for your friends,” Rodney said.
I should, she thought.
“The line was long. You should’ve come with us, and we could’ve taken our picture.”
“Maybe later. I’m hungry.”
Fateema frowned but didn’t respond. She was already regretting accepting his invitation to prom and ditching her friends, but instead of admitting it to them, she’d see it through.
An hour later, dinner was over, and the dance floor was packed. Tatiana had declined Lynx’s offer to dance, so they sat alone, watching everyone else.
“Listen, this really ain’t my type of thing, but it’s the only high school dance I’ve attended.
This is the last big event of high school before graduation, and I don’t want to look back on tonight with regret.
Is sitting around moping what you want your memories of senior prom to be? ” he asked Tatiana.
“No, but—”
“You said you broke up with him because he cheated on you. Why are you sad about losing a nigga who would do something like that?”
“I don’t know. I just… he’s the only guy I’ve ever been with, and even though breaking up with him was the right thing to do, I’m still sad I got played the way I did.”
“Well, I’ve never dated anyone seriously, so I can’t relate to how you feel. What I do know is I wouldn’t let anyone ruin my senior prom. Let’s dance.”
Lynx didn’t want to leave her sitting at the table alone, but if she’d declined his offer to dance a second time, he would head to the dance floor to join his friends, and that was precisely where she’d be.
Thankfully, Tatiana stood and took his hand, letting him guide her through the crowd. A line dance song began to play as soon as they stepped onto the dance floor. For someone who would be labeled as antisocial by most, Lynx could dance.
“Do you know this one?” he asked and received a nod in response.
Lynx pushed Fateema to the back of his mind and enjoyed his time with Tatiana and his other friends. He even managed to put a smile on Tatiana’s face. An hour later, they were tired, hot, and sweaty.
“You want to go to the concessions and get something to drink?” he offered.
“Umm, do you mind if I wait for you at the table? These shoes are killing me.”
“No problem. I’ll meet you over there.”
While Lynx and Tatiana made the most of their night, Fateema did the same. She’d forgotten about Rodney's earlier comments, and once they’d eaten dinner, he was nothing but a gentleman. He pulled her onto the dance floor, and they danced until the prom court had to be announced.
“I’ll be right back with a bottle of water for you,” Rodney said after walking her back to their table.
“Thank you.”
When Rodney and his friends arrived at the concession window, his obnoxious personality returned.
“Man, she is putty in my hands,” he told his friends. “I probably won’t have to ask for the pussy. She’ll be begging me to take it.”
“Fateema doesn’t seem like the kind of girl to give it up on the first date,” Vincent said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her with any guys besides her friends.”
“I have ways of getting what I want.”
Unbeknownst to them, Lynx stood in front of them and heard every word. It took a lot of restraint for him not to turn around and punch Rodney in his mouth. After receiving two bottles of water, he rushed back to Tatiana.
“Here you go,” he said, giving her the water before sitting down.
“Thank you.”
Lynx couldn’t get the conversation he overheard out of his mind and had no idea how he would tell Fateema. No matter what, there was no way in hell he’d allow her to leave with Rodney tonight.
“Hello,” Tatiana sang while waving her hand in front of my face.
“What’s up?”
“I’ve been talking to you. What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing.”
“You don’t have to tell me, but don’t lie.”
He sighed and nodded. “You’re right. I do have something on my mind, but you may not be the right person to talk to about it.”
“I understand.”
Adam, Joaquin, Meaghan, and Octavia returned to the table. The girls held their shoes in their hands as they flopped into the chairs. All of them looked hot and sweaty.
“This DJ is nice. He’s playing all the good songs,” Octavia said.
“He is. Can y’all go get us some water?” Meaghan asked Adam and Joaquin.
“We aren’t your dates. Go get it yourselves,” Adam told her.
“Y’all are so rude,” Meaghan responded.
“He’s rude, but my mama taught me to be a gentleman. I’ll get some water for y’all,” Joaquin said before walking away.
“You need to take some pointers from your friends,” Octavia told Adam.
“Like I said, ain’t neither one of y’all my girl. What I look like treating you like you are.”
“But we’re your best friends, Adam. Just wait. You’ll miss us when we’re gone.”
Adam shrugged off Meaghan’s comment, and Lynx shook his head. Their banter was a short distraction from the conversation he’d heard between Rodney and his friends. He hadn’t figured out how to handle it, but he would come up with something before it was time to go.