Terrell smiled and shook his head. “Not a problem.” He pointed at my phone holstered on my hip. “Let me give you my number just in case you ever wanna check up on her without….you know….seeming like your checking up on her. I get the impression that she really wants to feel like she can do this all on her own. I mean, I’m sure she can, but….it just never hurts for people to have your back.”
He’d figured Sam out already – stubbornness and all. We exchanged information and I continued the walk toward my car. When I looked up at Sam’s window from the walkway, she was standing there watching me. She waved with sadness in her eyes and the only way I was able to actually leave her was by reminding myself that I’d see her again in a couple months when we were both home for Thanksgiving Break.
*****
Sam
Friday, Terrell and I met up again for our tutoring session at five. Just like the week before, he came fully stocked with snacks and pop again. We ate and then studied for an hour, but spent the rest of the time playing Uno. If it wasn’t for having him around to keep me company, I probably would’ve gone crazy from boredom. He was alone most nights, too, because Maisha was usually working. And I didn’t see much of Deanna because she spent most of her time with Karl. We had plans to meet up and go out to dinner tonight, though.
At around 6:35, Terrell and I were finishing up a rematch when my phone went off. He watched me from where he sat on the floor as I got up and glanced at the caller ID. I tried my best to hide how shocked I was to see Antonio’s number come up. I’d long since taken his name out of my contacts, but I still recognized that it was him. Why on earth would he be calling me now?
I was careful not to give anything away with my facial expression – Terrell’s like a bloodhound when it comes to picking up on something being wrong. When I didn’t answer and just continued playing the game, Terrell stared. My voicemail alert chirped and I didn’t even flinch.
“You don’t need to get that?” Terrell asked.
I shot him a ‘mind your business’ look that made him put his hands up defensively.
I threw out a ‘Draw Four’. “Stop worrying about who’s calling me and pay attention to the game, ‘cause in case you didn’t notice, you’re not doing so good.”
He groaned and took four cards from the deck while I smirked.
From where he sat across from me on the rug, I could see Terrell’s wheels turning. If I had to guess, he’d be speaking his mind in five…..four…..three…..two…..
“That was your ex wasn’t it?” He asked flatly.
I kept my face blank. “Now of all the people who could be calling my –“
“Avoiding the question. That’s as good as a yes,” he interjected. “Y’all been talking or something?”
I shot him a look. “Excuse me? Not that it’s your business, but no. Antonio and I have said everything that we have to say to one another.”
Terrell laid out a wild, changed the color to blue, and then continued. “Quit being defensive.”
“It’s hard NOT to be defensive when you put your nose where it doesn’t belong.”
He was quiet….real quite. Maybe that was mean.
“Listen, I know you just wanna look out for me, I’m just not the ‘sharing is caring’ type anymore.” A flood of examples of how letting people get too close to me came to mind and validated my reasoning.
“Anymore?”
I sighed and pulled a card from the deck. “Let’s just say I’ve had my share of backstabbing friends. Since then I just keep to myself for the most part, except with Deanna, and well…..you, I guess.”
The corner of his mouth hitched into a smile and I rolled my eyes when I smirked. With a sigh I went ahead and told him about my history with Leslie, Megan, and the rest of the bunch. Two rounds of Uno later, Terrell was up to speed with the less complicated aspects of me and AJ’s history, including the part about how I’d lost pretty much every friend I had in the process.
“Now the nasty attitude makes sense,” he said casually as if it wasn’t an insult.
I laughed and reached to slap his arm. “I don’t have an attitude, I’m just selective about who I’m nice to. Keeps down the riffraff.”