Page 9 of Beautiful Beginning

Yeah, I was on that stay up all night and fall asleep on the phone thing in that moment.

Then a blood-curdling scream called my name again.

“Better go, sounds like your girls need you.”

My eyes rolled. “Sounds like it. Call me this week when you’re ready to get on that stage.”

His deep laughter was the last thing I heard before I ended the call.

ChapterFour

Chaz

In four years on campus, I could count on both hands how many parties I attended. The number of clubs I could name near Hillside was less than that. But a few more minutes on the phone with Journey and I was about to scour my closet for something worthy of a night club. Something different than the hoodies, and sweats I rocked to class. Or the button ups and jeans I wore when I needed to change things up.

I would have dusted off my hard bottoms and edged up my beard for a chance to watch her dance. What I saw her do on the sidelines was a tease. And I wanted to see how her body moved to the beat of her favorite song. What her hips could do on the dancefloor. The wide grin as she cheered was for the game. I wanted to see the seductive look she’d give if I slid behind her.

But no, her roommate came knocking. Ended whatever back and forth we had going. Poured water all over the thoughts of getting out the house. Sizzled that little fire that started burning. I shouldn’t be mad though. Because what would I look like at the club? A big, brown-skinned wallflower. That’s what. I wouldn’t ease up behind Journey on the dancefloor. Her hips would have to gyrate to my corner of the room, hide in the darkness, away from the crowd on the dancefloor.

Instead of our quiet dance in the corner of a club, I invited her to Speak Out. Insinuated that I’d have a poem ready for her if she joined me. Never had I ever written more than the prose required in elementary school English. The lines of text in a haiku. Something about a gentle moonlight, and rustling trees. Enough for me to pass the assignment, but not enough to get Journey’s attention on the stage of a poetry lounge.

No. I needed something better than that. I’d have to spit something profound.

I stared at the blank page of my notebook, in the back of class. I had nothing. Yeah, her beauty was worthy of words on paper. But something that rhymed? I was feeling like a kid trying to understand the meaning behind rhyming words. Like, smile, a mile.One look of your smile, I’d travel a mile.I shook my head and scribbled my pen over the paper.

Then my phone vibrated, and Dr. Martin’s voice echoed across the room. Usually, I tapped into his lectures. Listened to every word he dropped about American politics. Like what he was saying was a verse, the truth, from the Bible itself. But each day that week, I couldn’t focus on him. Or any other professors in my class.

“What is going on?” Dr. Martin’s voice drowned out the thoughts I had of Journey.

Everyone around me had their phones in hand, scrolling the screen. I pulled mine out too.Hillside SGA president Exposed.My eyes bulged as Dr. Martin continued harassing us for a response.

“Wow,” the girl in the front of the class uttered. “That can’t bethem.”

I scanned the article, picked out bits and pieces, until the whole thing came together for me. The SGA president, along with the VP, got caught in a cheating ring. Selling tests, and papers to underclassmen. “Damn.” I tucked my phone away as the girl in front gave Dr. Martin her own rendition of the scandal.

“Oh,” he leaned against his desk with his hand over his chin. “That can’t be good.” He looked around the class. “It’s scandals in politics that can disrupt an entire system.” He stood tall like the situation worked in perfectly with his lesson plan. “This is a perfect assignment. I want you to give me three scandals in American politics.”

Someone blurted, “That’s all,” and the class laughed.

Dr. Martin dismissed us, or the rest of the class. He waited for me at the bottom of the steps. A wide stance as he stared at me. “Here’s your chance.”

I wanted to act like I had no idea what he was referring to. But the sooner I got out the door, the better my chances were to run into Journey. So, I shook my head and continued my stride toward the door. “Dr. Martin, I’m not your guy.” He had his reason. His motto that he recited easily. But he didn’t understand I wasn’t nor would never be the person he thought could run for that office. “Ask someone else in the class to do it.” Okay, it was a little immature. Petty to put it off on someone else. But I didn’t have time to launch into a detailed explanation of why it wasn’t for me again. I wanted to leave the classroom, get to the courtyard.

“Listen,” he stared at me like anything he said would be a golden opportunity, “if they do a special election, the students will be open to something fresh. Administrators will be looking for a safe bet. Someone they can trust to ease them out of this mess we’re unfortunately in.” He reminded me, “How quickly do you think the state news will pick this up? Not long before our school is the laugh of the nation.”

“We’ve had presidents who have done worse.” I smirked. “I had to learn about ol’ Bill in elementary school. Know how awkward that was?” I tilted my head to the side.

Dr. Martin laughed. “I assume that’ll be one of the three scandals you’ll highlight.”

“How could I resist?” I pointed to the door, “I gotta go.”

Over my shoulder he yelled, “Consider it, Chaz.”

I didn’t think of the other two scandals I wanted to highlight. Didn’t hustle to the library to start my assignment. Or give his suggestion a second thought. I walked along the path in the courtyard. Neared the same area I saw Journey the last time we met on campus.

I didn’t see her at first, only a large butterfly flapping its wings in front of my face. I couldn’t be that corny that every beautiful thing God created reminded me of her.Could I?No, I was worse than that. I started thinking of words that rhymed with butterfly, and flapping wings.Your beauty, like a butterfly, it’s wings flapping, make me want to do a… lapping.“The hell?”

I shut my eyes and cringed. But when I re-opened them there she was. Sitting on a bench surrounded by people. The sun could have been shining extra bright, but it was like a spotlight illuminated only her. My legs had their own marching orders, stepping toward her. Every other part of me though? It pumped the breaks and tried to jerk me in the opposite direction. I couldn’t approach her in front of her homegirls. Step to her and have all eyes turn toward me. “Naw.”

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