Chapter 4 Yale #2
“Gentle is ruthless as fuck,” she said with a humorless laugh. “From what Bodhi has told me, that nigga ain’t nothing but the Grim Reaper in human form.”
I thought back to what he looked like. The way his blue eyes were devoid of all emotion, except when he looked at Consonance, made me believe what she said.
“So you aren’t interested in him?” I clarified, and she shook her head. “Okay.”
My phone went off, and I looked down to see that Amethyst had texted me, saying he was at home studying and offered to cook for me instead. I smiled and responded, letting him know that I’d have Consonance drop me off.
“Can you take me to Amethyst’s house instead of home?” I asked her as I put my phone away.
“Yep,” she agreed, then switched lanes. We had to pass his house to get to mine, so she wouldn’t have to go out of her way.
“Thank you,” I said twenty minutes later when Consonance parked in front of Amethyst’s building. I reached into the back seat to get my bag, then opened the door. “I’ll call you later.”
“Okay,” she nodded. “I’ll be at Symphony’s more than likely.”
I closed the car door, walked to the front of Amethyst’s building, and just as I got to the door, it opened, and he smiled at me.
Amethyst Stone was my best friend, and we had been friends for nearly three years.
We met by chance one night when I was there, waiting for Grant and studying for an exam in the library.
Amethyst looked down at my book and then at my assignment, giving me the answer before walking away.
I didn’t see him again for nearly two weeks, and when I did, he was at the café on campus.
He walked up to my table, sat down, and we shared a quiet lunch.
We did that for about three weeks before he finally told me his name and started walking me to class after we ate.
Sharing lunch turned into meeting for every meal in the café, and then he would walk me to class.
I don’t know when we started talking, but once we did, we never stopped, and our friendship formed from there.
I’d met Grant around the same time when he approached me one day while I was admiring his car.
I didn’t know it was his car, and was humble when he approached me.
We hit it off, and when he found out I was a car girl, he took me go-karting on our first date.
When Grant found out that I knew Consonance and Bodhi and even raced with them from time to time, he offered me a job.
I raced the cars for him at a higher payout than anyone else offered.
One night, we were waiting on a car to be brought in, and not only was I surprised but scared as shit when I saw Amethyst get out of the car.
He didn’t know I was racing with Grant, and when he saw me standing next to him, hurt, disappointment, and then anger flashed across his face.
That was the first time I ever saw Amethyst go off.
It took me calling his brothers to calm him down, and when that didn’t work, I had to call his parents.
His father was the only person who could calm him down.
“What did you buy?” he asked, taking the bag from me.
Consonance honked, and I turned to wave before turning back to Amethyst. “A dress for church and then dinner with Grant’s family,” I answered, and he nodded. Amethyst held the door open for me to walk into the building, then closed it, and we walked to his apartment. “You’re cooking already?”
“Yeah,” he answered with a nod. He set my bag by the door after he closed it, then walked to the kitchen. “Nothing too crazy. Just some turkey wings, mashed potatoes, and green beans.” He checked the wings in the oven, then went back to chopping the potatoes.
I kicked off my shoes, slid my feet into the slides I kept over here, and approached him.
Amethyst’s love language was physical touch, which was perfect because it was mine too.
I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head against his back.
Toni Braxton’s Unbreak My Heart played on his phone, and I laughed softly.
Amethyst was an R I had the answers, but they just weren’t what he wanted to hear.
“Why?”
“Because I’m not ready to talk about why I’m not sleeping yet,” I answered, and I felt him nod.
“Alright,” he said, then started swaying again.
We moved along to the music for another three songs before I finally loosened my grip and relaxed.
Amethyst must’ve been waiting for the moment I did because he stopped cooking, turned around, lifted me, and set me on the counter next to his phone.
I immediately dropped my head, and he lifted my chin. “Never drop your head.”
“I’m not ready to talk, Amethyst,” I sighed and focused my attention on his hair. It was short and curly. I reached up and ran my hand over the curls. “Have you ever grown your hair out?”
“When I was a kid, and you know that because you saw the pictures,” he replied, and I nodded. He reached up, took my hand, kissed it, and smiled at me. “You need to talk to someone.”
“And say what?” I questioned. “That I was driving in an illegal street race and hit a car that killed someone?” I shook my head. “I’ll pass, Amethyst, and this insomnia will pass eventually.”
“I don’t like you not sleeping, Sunshine,” he said, shaking his head. “You need your rest.”
“And I’ll get it,” I said, nodding. “Until then, don’t worry about me.”
“I can’t do that, and you know it,” he laughed, shaking his head. “Pick something else for me to accomplish, and I’ll make it happen.”
“Just keep being my best friend then,” I said as I pulled him into a hug. I rested my head on his chest, and Amethyst wrapped his arms around me. “That’s what I need from you.”
“From this lifetime to the next,” he said, then kissed the top of my head.
“And grow your hair out,” I said, and he laughed.
“Alright, just for you, I’ll grow this shit out.”
“How much longer to the food is done?”
“Just gotta finish the potatoes, why what’s up?”
“I’m hungry,” I answered, and I felt him nod.
“Let me finish them up, and then we can eat, and I can study.” He kissed the top of my head again, then let me go. I reluctantly moved my arms from around him, then watched as he went back to cooking.
“You know you spoil me, right?” I asked, and he looked over his shoulder with a confused expression. “Nobody looks out for me like you do.”
“That nigga Grant probably just tripped and doesn’t even know why,” he laughed and shook his head.
“It’s different with him,” I said, shrugging. “We love each other, so he doesn’t count.”
“Damn, we don’t love each other?” he asked with a pout before turning back to the stove. “I swear I’ve been telling you I love you for the last three years.”
I picked up the towel from the counter and popped him in the back with it. “Again, it’s different,” I said. “You love me as your friend; Grant loves me as his woman.”
“Oh, is that what it is?” he asked, nodding.
“Yes, sir,” I answered with a nod. “Friendship love is different than romantic love, and you know it.”
“I do,” he agreed. “Way different.”
“Exactly, so stop playing.” I hopped off the counter and stretched my arms over my head. “I’m going to the bathroom, I’ll be back.”
“Cool,” Amethyst said, even though his attention was on the potatoes.
I went to the bathroom, did what I had to do, washed my hands, and came back to Amethyst, making our plates. He nodded to the fridge, and I grabbed our drinks and followed him to the living room. After we got comfortable and said a quick prayer, we ate.
“What do you have planned for tomorrow?” I asked in between bites of food.
“Nothing, why?”
“After I have dinner with Grant’s family, you want to go meet up to study?”
“Yeah, that’s cool,” he answered, then picked up the remote from the table and turned on the TV to a WNBA game.
“Oh shit, I thought this was earlier.” He set the remote down between us.
I knew he was doing that in case I didn’t want to watch what he’d turned on, but I was good with it.
“I’ve been wanting to see if she’s any good. ”
“Who?” I asked as I ate.
“Vine Carter,” he said, pointing to the TV. “She’s the shooting guard. Good as fuck.”
“Is your brother thinking of getting a WNBA team?” Even though was starting out with the NBA team, I knew that he wasn’t just going to stop with them.
“Who knows with Pyrite,” he answered, shrugging. His attention was entirely on the game. “If he does, he needs Vine.”
“Make sure you tell him,” I laughed. “I’m sure he’ll take your advice.
“I will,” he nodded.
While Amethyst watched the game, I watched him.
He was so calm and at peace, while I was struggling.
Not only was I not sleeping, but I was also struggling to catch my breath almost every day.
The only time I was at peace was when I was with him.
Amethyst calmed me down by just being there.
When I said he was the only person who had ever looked out for me earlier, I meant it.
Before meeting him and Consonance, I was on my own.
I wasn’t close to my family, and I kept my friends at such a far distance that they eventually walked away, but not him and Consonance.
When I tried to pull away, they pulled harder to keep me there.
It took me a while to get used to having them in my corner, but I’m glad they were there.
With them by my side and supporting me, I was good.
When I started dating Grant, they were surprised but supportive.
Our relationship wasn’t perfect, but I knew that he loved me, and I loved him too.
Quincy, bringing up the fact that Grant was planning to propose, came as a shock because we had never discussed it, but the signs were all there.
He’d started to bring up life after graduation and where he wanted to live.
He asked me my opinion on areas to buy a house and even jobs he could apply for.
Life wasn’t exciting with him, but that was something I could deal with, because it meant Amethyst was safe.
I’d sacrifice that for him because I was the reason his life was in danger.