Page 3 of Owen's Heart

RANIA

“What was that about, auntie?” I gripe when I enter the kitchen after serving Owen his breakfast.

“What was what about?” Aunt Mildred looks at me with a coy grin. “We have tables that need to be served, and you’re the server, so I sent you to serve Owen his food.”

“Right, but Owen? You know how I feel about him, and you pulled me off of food prep and made me a server today, just in time for me to serve him his breakfast.”

Aunt Mildred gasps in mock surprise. Touching her imaginary pearls, she asserts, “Why I would never.”

Oh, yes, she would.

I harrumph my disapproval. “Well, I told him Sandra will be serving him because I’ll be staying back here until he leaves. I don’t want to deal with him out of the blue like this,” I fuss.

“Fine then.” My aunt shrugs and looks at me like I don’t know my head from my tail. “Stay back here and hide from the man if that’s what you prefer,” she says with a hint of sarcasm.

I feel like she has more to say to me, like her last words imply that I’m hiding like a chicken. That’s not the case. If a person puts something behind them, it’s not wise to keep interacting with it. I’m simply trying to leave Owen where he belongs, in the past. A beautiful past. So beautiful.

Well, that was the way it was until the moment it became so ugly.

I try to stop thinking about him over the next hour. I remain in the kitchen, chopping onions and peppers and slicing lemons and oranges, along with any other thing that needs to be done.

I lose the battle with my mind over leaving Owen in the past. All I can think about is the time when me and Owen were in love.

The next thing I know, I’ve drifted back to 2010, the beginning of freshman year. My best friend, Janae, had her doubts about us, but I was so sure of our relationship that I had no problem expressing my certainty to her.

“I can't believe you haven't had sex with Owen Clemonte yet. I don't know how you stand to be around him and not go there. Oh, Lord!” Janae says, using her hand to fan her cheeks. “Aren’t you afraid that he will sleep with one of the many girls that are always vying for his attention?”

“Owen isn't like that. Even though we've been dating for almost a year, he doesn't want to rush me. He says he will wait until I'm ready.”

“Do you believe him?” Janae asks as she flops down on top of my bed.

“Of course I do. Owen has never given me a reason to think otherwise. I trust him. I think I've finally found my person in Owen.” I smile, thinking about the way he treats me. He goes out of his way to make me feel like I’m the luckiest girl in the world, though we have yet to have our first sexual experience.

“That's great, but you are better than me,” Janae continues while I fold up my clean laundry and put it away.

“I love Owen, and he loves me. There is more to our relationship than sex, Janae. How many boyfriends have you went through this year alone?” I ask though I know the answer to that. My friend has been busy during our freshman year in college.

Janae’s mouth opens and closes. Her light brown eyes narrow into a piercing stare.

“Are you calling me a slut, Rania?”

“No! I spit out. I was just saying...”

“I'm just messing with you. I know I go through boyfriends fast, but I swear I don't give up the goodies to all of them. I know what the guys say about me, but the truth is that I love sex. If guys can take what they want and drop a girl after getting it, then so can I. I refuse to feel bad about what I like.”

“I wish I could be more like you. I love how outspoken you are, and you never give a damn about how anyone thinks,” I tell her.

“Trust me when I say this, worrying about what others think is a waste of your energy,” Janae advises. “I learned a long time ago that being a people pleaser will lead to depression. My own mother taught me that, Rania.”

Janae reaches for a clean towel and starts to fold it. She helps me make quick work of putting away my clean laundry while a heavy silence hangs over us.

I remember Janae said her mother took kindness to an all-new level. So much so that she became a doormat for family and friends. Eventually, they took so much out of her that she started drinking to cope with mundane stuff day in and day out. It was a vicious cycle that consumed her mother. Janae has been determined not to let that happen to her.

“I'm hungry,” Janae suddenly says. “Let's go out for pizza. My treat!”

“Since you mentioned it, I'm hungry too. I'll treat us next time.”

Even though I know I should be spending my time studying, I can't help but jump at the chance of going to the on-campus pizza shop.

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