Prologue #5
Every weekend since school started, Rashawn and Essex would come up.
I was having the time of my life exploring and learning myself.
Essex and Rashawn took me shopping, and I rebuilt my wardrobe.
I discovered that Abercrombie jeans fit my body the best, and I even snagged some cute church clothes to replace the oversized dresses my mother bought me.
The first weekend after Rashawn gave me oral sex, I swore him to secrecy, and he complied.
I knew I was asking him a lot to keep our relationship hidden from Essex, but he did it for me.
We were absolutely smitten with each other, and surprisingly, Rashawn never pressured me for anything sexual in return.
I was anticipating the day Rashawn tried to move past giving me oral sex, but it never happened until a decade later.
Essex and Victoria were deeply in love, making it easy to keep our escapades hidden. The couple would want alone time, which would leave time for me to spend with Rashawn. Rashawn had family in Tallahassee, making his cover easy as well.
“I really like you, Elise. More like, I love you.” Rashawn professed, wiping the remnants of my nectar from his lips.
His confession caught me off guard, but that didn’t stop my lips from curling upward.
I stopped searching for my panties and leaned down to peck his lips instead.
My favorite thing to do. The door creaking open sent us scrambling.
Rashawn pulled my skirt down while I felt around the bed for my panties.
When Rashawn knocked on my dorm room door, I was supposed to quickly gather an outfit for tomorrow, but one thing led to another, and my skirt was up, and my panties were discarded.
“Elise Marshay Hunter!” My father’s deep baritone sent me into shock.
I froze in place, my eyes widened, and my mouth ajar.
My heart pounded in my chest, and I wished I could disappear.
I thought we were rushing to get decent before Faith came through the door.
I never expected my parents to be right behind her.
Faith turned around with an evil smirk and rushed back out of the room after hitting me with the yikes face.
“I knew you were lying when you tried to explain away that picture, but I had a sliver of faith that we at least raised one child to walk the righteous path. This was Essex’s doing, wasn’t it?
You don’t answer your phone for a month, and Faith told her mom that Essex and Rashawn are up here every weekend!
You’ve taken something so sacred and treated it like it meant nothing, giving it away to trash,” he spat, eyes glancing over at Rashawn when he put the emphasis on trash, then they were right back on me. “You’re a disgrace.”
“Alright, pastor, I’mma suggest you brang ya voice down when speaking to her and respect both of us. Elise ain’t a disgrace, and I’m definitely not trash.” Rashawn slipped out of bed and slipped his feet back into his shoes.
“Son, please leave my daughter’s room before we have a problem.”
“I’m not leaving the room. Now we got a problem, what’s up?” Rashawn laughed, stepping in my father’s face.
“Rashawn!” I finally snapped out of my trance and spoke up.
“You ain’t nothing but the devil.” He pointed at Rashawn’s face, then looked over at me. “And I’m not raising a whore daughter who…”
POP!
Rashawn swung on my father in the midst of his rant, knocking him in the jaw.
My father flew back into my roommate’s bed, and my mother’s shrill screams alerted the entire floor that there was an altercation taking place in my dorm room.
Rashawn reached back and grabbed my hand as my mother rushed to console my father.
He was light bright, and the punch left a mark and cracked his glasses.
I scooted out of the bed and allowed Rashawn to lead me out of the room.
“If you walk out of that door with him, I’m pressing charges!” My father raged, fixing his shattered glasses on his face.
I planted my feet, ceasing my movements, and Rashawn looked back at me. “I don’t give a fuck about that. I’ll take the petty battery charge.”
“Can you pay for her college fees? Are you selling enough drugs to afford that?” My father interjected, pulling my attention away from Rashawn.
“You need us, Elise. No matter what lies that thug filled your head up with. You need our annual signature on those financial aid forms. We pay what your financial aid and scholarships don’t cover.
What, he bought you a phone and gives you money for food and whore clothes? ”
Rashawn lunged at my father, but I held him back.
“Rashawn, it’s okay. I don’t want you to get in any trouble, and I should face the music,” I murmured, my eyes trailing to the ground.
“You don’t have to take his bullshit. Me and Essex told you we got you and we’ve had you thus far, right?” Rashawn grasped my face in both hands, forcing me to peer into his somber eyes.
I knew I was hurting Rashawn, but my parents were right.
That type of financial pressure was too much to place on Essex and Rashawn’s shoulders.
My knowledge of what they did for money was very limited and riddled with hearsay, but I was smart enough to know they were into something that could land them in trouble.
“I love you, Elise. I’ll do whatever I gotta do to make sure you finish school. I put that on me.” He patted his chest, a soft clink sounding as his palm brushed against his Jesus piece.
Lifting my hands to cup Rashawn’s cheeks, I stood on my tippy toes to peck his lips. I savored the moment because I knew deep down inside that the relationship we wanted to grow had come to an end.
“I love you, Rashawn,” I placed my forehead against his and took a deep breath. “You need to go. I’ll be fine.”
“You’ll always have my heart, Elise. I know you have to protect that halo,” he whispered back, and then planted a kiss on my forehead.
The agony behind Rashawn’s eyes wasn’t missed, and I prayed he could read the torment in mine. We’d grown close; he had helped me grow in more ways than I even realized, but I had to make the hard decision to protect my future.