Page 4 of Krash & Bern

He smiled. “You’re the only one who calls me that.”

“I know.”

“Good evening, Mrs. James.” Krash greeted my mother.

“Keyshawn. I appreciate you offering to take my baby to her first homecoming dance. I trust you’ll keep an eye on her.”

“Of course. Bern is always in good hands when she’s with me. I’ll knock anybody out behind her.” To emphasize his point, Krash jabbed at the air a few times, which made me and Mama laugh.

“Krash,” Daddy stated. His voice was in the annoying authoritative tone he liked to put on to scare people.

“Mr. James,” Krash replied.

“I don’t like the idea of my daughter going out with a boy this young, but I trust you will keep her safe tonight?” Daddy asked.

Krash nodded. “I’ve been Bern’s protector since the first day of school. Nobody will bother her. I guarantee that.”

“Good.” Daddy folded his arms over his chest and eyed Keyshawn like a father who would go to hell or jail for his child.

“I got you this,” Keyshawn addressed me. “I know it doesn’t match your dress, but I know your favorite flowers are the, um, al… al, um… don’t make me butcher the name, but you know what they are.”

A smile pulled at my lips. “Alstroemerias.”

I took the pink and white alstroemeria corsage and slid it onto my wrist. Mama poked out her bottom lip as she awed.

“It’s beautiful,” she commented.

“It really is,” I added.

Krash grinned. “I’m glad I did good. I remember you telling me you found the flower unique and underrated, so I went searching for a couple days before I gave up and ordered them online.”

“Thank you.” I walked over to Krash and hugged him. He’d become my best friend in just less than two months. We’d learned so much about each other. It was hard to remember life before Krash, and I prayed I never had to find out what life without him would be like.

“Ready to hit the road?” he asked.

“Wait! I need to get a couple pictures of the two of you together!” Mama exclaimed.

“Mom, please.” I let out a frustrated sigh.

“Aht. Get together and pose.”

Hesitantly, I moved to stand beside Krash. He draped his arm over my shoulder, and I inhaled. His scent wasdelicious. It wrapped around my nostrils and hugged me tightly. The spice and warm scent reminded me of the men’s collection at Bath & Body Works. I looked into the camera and smiled.

“Y’all are too cute,” Mama cooed.

“We don’t want to be late, Mama. Are you done snapping pictures?” I asked as I took a step away from Keyshawn.

“I’m done. You two be safe,” she advised.

Krash led me to the car and opened the door for me. When we got in, I waved at my parents before Krash beeped the horn and pulled off slowly down the road.

The music bounced off the walls while my classmates jumped around the dance floor. I’d opted to sit in the corner of the room and drink my fruit punch and read a book on my Kindle. As I flipped through the pages in the novel I read, my mind drowned out all outside noise, and I became engrossed in the story. One of my favorite tropes was opposites attract. I loved watching the grumpy man fall in love with the sunshine girl or the nerd fall in love with the bad boy. It was something about watching two completely different beings find solace in each other. The romance was a great contrast from the numbers and symbols of computer science, or the action-packed anime shows I watched.

“Why are you over here ducked off?”

My chocolate brown orbs slid up from my book to the man who interrupted my reading.

“These aren’t my type of vibes, Keyshawn. You know that though,” I answered.

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