God's Plan
15 Years old
"Hi" Cedes smiled wide as Sam came through the classroom door, she'd been in love with him since forever, he may as well have been some sort of superstar for the way she mooned sometimes, she didn't hide it from him, in fact she made sure he knew at every opportunity she got that he was very much liked
"Hi" he smiled back cheekily, he knew she had a massive crush on him, but he was too busy doing what his Dad called playing the field, he was forever telling him he was too young to get tied down with just one girl, and that doing anything like that now was much too early in his short life. He was just gone 16 just getting comfortable with what attraction to the opposite sex was all about, he couldn't lie he liked the attention, and if he'd have had the guts he might have approached some of them, but his nights were spent dreaming of time with Cedes and those nights were pretty active, because every morning his sheets needed drying out, so much so he'd started sleeping on towels
"Did you hear about Andrew's party?" she asked as he turned to look at her sitting at the desk behind him
"Yeah but I've got practice and well... I'm in demand" he laughed, trying to keep her attention, knowing she was reminding him it was her birthday in a few weeks time
"Oh to be Sam Evans" she grinned at him for as long as he was looking at her, as soon as his back was turned her face was like stone with jealousy "Who's the lucky girlfriend?" she asked him before she could tell her mouth to shut the hell up
"You know me better than that Cedes, when I actually call a girl my girlfriend it will be for life" his head spun round as he spoke "And don't be so damn obvious with your jealous" he frowned at her
"Jealous?" she shrieked
"Mercedes Jones come to the front" Mr Dean; the teacher, bellowed at her noise
She got up and walked forward flitching when Sam flicked her ass as she passed him "Fuck you Evans" she turned to hiss at him, he smiled at her while he had, 'I had a dream about you last night' ringing in his ear, watching that wiggle she had going on, it was going to lose him some sleep tonight 'Dreams' by Bazzi
"What was that?" Mr Dean asked
"Nothing Sir" she buried her chin into her chest and carried on walking towards him
"Okay Miss brainbox, who doesn't need to listen to my teaching because of course Miss Jones already knows it all" he turned to write on the board "An Anagram, what is an Anagram?" he asked her, scribbling some words as he spoke
"Well that would be a word, or a phase" she held her finger up cocky "Made up of the letters of another word" she said smiling for getting it perfectly right
"Okay Miss Jones" he smiled at the class, you have 10 seconds from when I say to turn and figure out these three" he looked at her "Turn your back" he motioned for seeing her looking at what he'd already wrote, he scrubbed them off and took time to write more
Cedes stood looking at Sam, angry for him getting her into trouble "Subtraction" he mouthed as she narrowed her eyes at him trying to get what he was saying "Sub...tract..ion" he mouthed slowly
"Right, turn around, 10 seconds starts now" Mr Dean instructed watching her spin round
"Factor, Billion and ...Sub...Subtraction" she smiled with 3 seconds left to go
"Yess.." Sam laughed punching the air raising him out of his chair for a few seconds
"Go sit down Miss Jones" Mr Dean laughed "And let everyone else learn" he waved his hand confirming she really was clever
After school Sam went off to do his usual thing with the football team and Cedes went off to her design class "I'll meet you back at the gate" he told her as he walked off with his team mates
"Don't be late, I ain't got all night fool" she snapped at him walking off to be with her friends, he just smirked and raised his hand in acknowledgement
They lived across the road from each other in a fairly quite area in California, they'd been enemies with a quirky friendship for the first 12 years of their lives, that all changed when they attended a street cookout.
Flashback
"This is so boring" Sam kicked dirt telling his parents, he'd eaten everything he'd found in his path and practiced his ball skills until it was too dark to see the damn ball "Can we go home?"
"Grab a girl and have a dance" his Dad laughed as his parents danced to the old school R&B playing from the sound system Marcus had strung up outside their houses
"Or go play with Tony" his Mom slapped his Dad telling him
"Just go dance with Mercedes she looks as bored as you" his Dad encouraged him
Sam found a chair and slammed himself into it, pissed that his parents weren't actually listening to him, he watched as they threw more alcohol down their throats and got closer still dancing. He was looking around at the groups of people some laughing, some doing deals and looking around while others openly rolled their joints and smoked them, elders laughing, parents dancing, his eyes finally resting on Mercedes looking at her hands, messing with her nails and looking just as bored as him.
His Dad caught him looking at her and nodded his encouragement, he didn't know how he got over by her but the next thing he knew he was standing almost over her "Mercedes do you want to dance?" he asked his face burning as she looked back at him like he was ridiculous
"Yes" her face suddenly broke into a smile and she jumped up "I've never danced with anyone before" she grabbed his arm saying as they watched folks jumping around as the enjoyed some formation song playing
They'd got in line to join in with the festivities when the music suddenly changed, Sam looked over at Marcus who was laughing so hard he didn't even bother to mix the thing in, it wasn't mixable anyway, he stood looking at Mercedes as 'I Wanna Be Your Man' by Zapp & Roger played out. The crowd on the makeshift dancefloor were roaring with excitement while Sam and Mercedes stood looking at each other wondering what to do next "Do you want to dance to this?" he asked
"I'll try, it's as old as age" she smiled watching as he grabbed her hand, looked around the dancefloor for tips and grabbed her round the waist to start moving, they were stiff about it to start with and when she finally trod on his toes she laughed at the face he made, he liked the face she pulled and laughed too.
"This is nice" he finally said when he was able to stop counting his steps, rolling his eyes smiling as Marcus started the song again still laughing
"It is" she smiled up at him joining in with the crowd singing "Better not pass me by, cause if you do you lose a good thing" she giggled embarrassed
"Cause what I've got to say, is sealed with a kiss, and a wedding ring" he sang back, she smiled as they stared into each others eyes, still moving around the floor when the song came to an end, he wanted to kiss her, he knew in his heart she wanted the same thing, he started to reach in to get that kiss and suddenly everyone was jumping around again at some random Snoop Dog song spoiling the mood
So when they got into 10th grade, they started talking a different way, looking out for each other and actually having a laugh. Most the girls thought she was his girl, the way she spoke to him sometimes when they first started hanging out together, but it soon spread like wide fly that Sam was single and by 11th Grade she just didn't exist for any of the girls in school unless they wanted to get a quick message to Sam.
End of Flashback
"About damn time" he jumped up off the bench he was sitting on near the lockers when she finally decided to make an appearance "One of these days you're gonna walk you damn self home, got me standing here like a dick for hours waiting on your ass"
"I dare you" she looked up at him her eyes so daring he had to laugh
"I see what you're saying with those eyes, but I know you love me really" he giggled as they walked out of school
"And I know you know I ain't gonna be a fool about that"
"I know" he smiled at her throwing his arm around her shoulder "And I'm sorry for what happened in class"
"That's alright" she smiled up at him throwing her arm around his waist "So I guess it's my turn to choose?"
"Choose?" he frowned knowing full well what she was on about
"Don't act the fool Sam" she looked up at him anger in her voice "What we're doing, seeing as it's my 16th Birthday?"
"You said already Andrew's party"
"Stuff Andrew's party I want something for me"
"We have two weeks to sort that shit out" his mind on their conversation just over a year ago on his 15th birthday when she'd told him her kiss wish
"I guess, for what I want anyway" she looked up at him, he was curious
"What do you want?" he stopped walking and let her go, knowing this was going to be more expensive than he could afford
"I'm going to be 16" she smiled
"I know" he stood trying to second guess her
"What I say goes, right?"
"That's the deal" he smiled, knowing he was putting his foot in it
"I want you, on my birthday I want you"
"What do you mean?"
"I want to have sex with you on my birthday"
"That's not right Cedes, what the fuck?" he stepped away from her asking
"We agreed what I say goes, that's right yeah?" she reminded him
"I'm not going to have sex with you, for your birthday" he walked off angry "Are you coming?" he shouted back at her knowing she was still standing in the same place he'd left her. Because he'd got no response he stopped walking and turned to look at her "Are you coming?" he asked again as she stood just looking at him "Cedes" he walked back to grab her "Come on"
"We had a deal" she pulled away from him snapping
"But sex?"
"Okay" she stepped off sassing at him "I get it, we're not friends anymore"
"Cedes" he stepped after her "This isn't what friends ask of each other"
"What you mean to make them feel stupid, unattractive, unlovable, you act like the thought of even wanting to touch me is repulsive to you"
"This isn't who I thought you were, I don't want you just throwing your shit on the table like that, that's not what I need to think about you"
"What do you need to be thinking about me Sam?" she stopped to ask
"How the fuck did we get to this, I'm fucking tired, I want to get home, your asking me about my damn feelings, what's up with you tonight?" he walked off raking his hands through his hair
"You know I ain't moving until you answer me" she shouted after him
He rolled his eyes and walked back to her "Arguing in the street is not me girl, you need to stop shouting" he looked around, before looking back down at her
"And you think I give a shit because..."
"Mercedes Jones, Mercedes Jones" he rolled his eyes while his right hand lifted her chin before he pecked her lips smiling "You win" he chuckled I'm crushing so damn hard on you right now"
"God" she gasped relieved "It's only took you a year to tell me that" she giggled as she reached up and pecked his lips again, smiling when he pulled her in, stood there sharing their first real kiss, it was wet, fleshy and warm and they both knew it meant something "So" she smiled when he let her go "My birthday present?"
"I respect you, you know that right?"
"I know that and I'm telling you I need more" she smiled "Come on Evans I know you're jerking off at the thought of me every damn night, I know you think I'm hot" she slapped her ass telling him smiling at the curl of his lip as he watched her butt move
"And you know if that ass is going to anybody it's going to me, so why'd you keep stressing, and why when we're 16?"
"Because you refuse to make me your girlfriend and I need those bitches out there to just fucking stop, you have the power to make that happen and you just keep fucking teasing me"
"Because I don't want to fuck this up and lose you as a friend"
"You said a girlfriend would be for life, so you'd never lose me" she looked up at him, wondering if he'd actually lied about that "So can I be your girlfriend?"
"Cedes" he pulled away from her "I need some serious thinking space on this, it's a big step"
"Okay, go have your damn wet dreams" she walked off sulking, he followed her all the way home in silence, standing waiting for her to get in before he turned and went into his house
That night came at him with a vengeance, he didn't see anything resembling sleep, he was up either thinking about what she'd said or acting on how she'd felt when his lips pressed against hers and his whole body came to life. The next day came at him with a slap as he stepped out of his house to see Cedes walking with a group of ex-friends they'd said they needed to keep away from, she didn't even acknowledge him when they got to school, she walked straight past him and sat in her seat behind him, everyone noticed the ice
"What's fucking wrong with you?" he turned to ask her before everyone settled in
"Nothing, you wanted thinking space yeah?" she smiled at him "Take your time" she threw her books on the desk, not saying another word all through the lesson "I'll be alright getting home tonight so don't bother to wait" she turned to tell him as she left the classroom
"Fine" his face expressionless, but inside he was sulking
After school he waited anyway, he wanted to know what she was up to, he smiled when he saw her coming towards him on her own, thinking he'd done the right thing "I thought I'd wait just in cas..."
"Mercy you ready?" a voice interrupted them
"Yeah" she turned to smile at Tony, Sam stood watching Tony rest his arm across her shoulder
"What... who the fuck do you.. get your..." Sam was stunned to the point he didn't actually know what he wanted to come out of his mouth first "What the fuck are you doing?" his eyes finally rested on Cedes, shock in his face as he watched her getting cosy with the school drug dealer
"Can I get some thinking space on that one?" she asked walking away before he even had time to ask anything else
"I thought you said you guys were just friends?" Sam heard Tony their almost friend from their street asking her as they walked away
"We are" he watched her looking up into this guys eyes like they were his, he was hopping mad, kicking dirt with his toes all the way home, watching out his window as she said goodnight while Tony made a couple of attempts to kiss her, if he wasn't so mad with her he might have smiled at those attempts
On seeing her bedroom light go on he rushed over to have his say and let her know he really wasn't happy about what she was doing "What the fuck are you playing at" he stood in her window, ten minutes later shouting,
"What?" she asked her face moving closer to the window as she whispered teasingly "I'm not your girlfriend Sam I can do what the fuck I want" the mischievous smile on her face making him want to slap it for the danger she was putting herself in
"Is that so?" he smiled back sarcastically his lips tight for keeping in what he was thinking "Get out here" his voice full of authority
"Now who's being so damn obvious with their jealous?" she smiled at him still stood in the window, she waited for a fun reaction for a second, but he didn't come back with one, making her realise the seriousness of his words, she made her way outside to talk to him, or get talked at
He'd made his mind up he was going to slap some sense into her, putting herself at risk like that, he was going to show her he wasn't even joking like that "You're a bitch you know that right?" he grabbed hold of her neck pulling her to him no thought for control as his lips found her lower lip and bit it playfully but hard, before she could do anything
"Question is" she looked at him when he let her lip go, running her tongue across her mouth at the tingle and found blood on her lip "Can I be your bitch?" she stared into his eyes asking
"I...I want you to be my...girlfriend" he told her kissing her much softer this time, his lips hardly open but relaxed, her hands came up to circle his neck "Will you be my girlfriend?" he pulled her face away from him to ask
"Yes" she smiled pulling him back for the rest of that kiss, Sam's mind was all over the place, he'd forgotten about the slap he was threatening to give her, all he could think about was that bouncing ass, her hot lips on his and the mad feelings he was trying to control right now, as his blood reached boiling point, this was God's plan for him, it had to be it felt perfect.
Cedes was in heaven, it was everything she'd ever thought it was going to be except she felt more than she'd expected, she thought she'd loved him before, but right now in this minute she knew she loved him with everything she was, her instinct was right this was what God had planned for her.
The next day she took no time letting everyone at school know that they were an item, Sam sat back smiling as she threw herself all over him and went into full blown make out mode every time someone even looked like they wanted to ask the question "This will calm down soon won't it?" he asked as she held him against her locker for more PDA
"It will I promise" she giggled
"Only it's really making my balls hurt" he hugged her saying
"Sorry" she smiled as her head rested on his chest "Only we've played at this for so long" she looked up at him "Hopefully it will calm down after my birthday"
"I think it'll step up a notch after your birthday to be honest, but we'll see" he giggled "Let's get to class"
She managed to calm in down by the end of the week, all she could think about was her birthday present, Sam had actually joined in getting rid of the attention, he was focusing too, every opportunity they got to be alone together they pushed the boundaries further
"You know I love you don't you?" she whispered in his ear as she took their make out session to where she needed it to be unbuckling his trousers as her hand slipped down the front of them "Don't you Sam" she kissed his neck before sucking the life out of it, wanting to show the world he was taken by leaving her mark
"Cedes" he gasped as her hand grabbed him "You're gonna make..." his right hand left her hip and grabbed hold of her crutch frustrated for her trousers being there, his hand fumbling with her belt, button and zip to gain access, her hand moved up and down him making him move to the rhythm she was setting him
"Sam" she gasped when he found her core falling onto his chest at the sudden weakness that came over her
"Mercy" her Dad's voice brought them back to Sam's back garden, they had to move quickly before his Dad came out to alert them to her Dad's voice
"Coming Daddy" she shouted as she fastened up her jeans, brushed her hair straight, kissed Sam and walked from behind his house into her Dad's view
"Hey" Sam whispered when she was almost out of sight "You don't need to be jealous, I love you too" he smiled pointing at the hickey she'd left on his neck
"Time to be in girl" her Dad shouted, waiting for her to get across the road to walk her into the house
"Two days to my birthday" she grinned as they walked through school fingers intermingled a few days later "I hope you got everything planned?" she asked
"I have a plan" he smiled "Straight after school I have somewhere set up for us to go"
"I can't wait" she grinned so long and wide her teeth were getting dry
Birthday
The day of her birthday came, she didn't get the cell phone that she'd asked for, apparently that was for when she finally got to college, so she made do with the cake, DVD and the promise of a trip to the bowling alley that weekend "I'm going for milkshakes with the art class after school, getting dressed at Jean's then we're off to Andrew's party, Jean's Mom will bring me back if Sam doesn't come" she informed her parents as she left for school that morning, the usual toast in her mouth
"You know your curfew" her Dad warned
"Yes Daddy" she said rolling her eyes, tired of hearing the same instruction every damn day "Bye" she smiled, she'd got out, and when she got back she wasn't going to be a virgin, she jumped for the evening ahead
"Morning" she heard,
"Morning" she looked across the road at Tony "Don't tell me your actually going to school on time?" she giggled
"I guess you got your wing man to take you to school these days"
"Who Sam?" she asked surprised "He's a good friend" she told him wondering why he'd want to know that shit
"Just a friend then..."
"Morning" Sam popped out of his front garden telling them "School Mercedes?" he asked "Tony" he fist punched him before walking away Cedes said nothing she just followed him "What did he want?" he asked as they walked off
"To know what we were to each other I think" she told him smiling "You keep telling me I got nothing to worry about, and here you are getting all possessive on me, trust me" she looked up at him
"I trust you, it's fucking him"
"He ain't shit on you, believe" she linked his arm and walked off to school
School went slow, and when they weren't wrapped up in each other, their shared looks were talking for themselves, the end of day bell went, they gabbed hands and left the building "We've only got five hours" he ran with her hand in his "We need to get this bus" he told her getting to the stop a few seconds before the bus came, they got off four stops later, the light of a motel flashing in the quiet back street "Come on" he pulled her smiling at her uncertainty "Have you changed your mind?"
"No" she grabbed his arm with her other hand pulling into him
"I've already booked the room, I've got the key" he dangled it in front of her "No one will know we're here, I got Terry to book it"
"What, you told Terry what we were going to do?"
"No" he laughed "I told him it was a present for you and your girls for your birthday"
"Oh" she smiled as he watched her walk through the door and sit on the bed "Five hours" she reminded him taking her jacket off
"Five hours" he reminded himself walking in and shutting the door as his other hand started taking his clothes off "Strip" he ordered when he realised she was sitting watching him, smiling as she got up and did as he told her "You like taking orders, I've read about your kind" he laughed, even louder when she slapped after him giggling "Music" he stopped mid strip, putting his ready made playlist on play "To drown out the noise you're going to make" he laughed
"Right" she laughed rolling her eyes in disbelief
"Is that an insult or a challenge?"
"Definitely a challenge" she giggled as they started taking their clothes off "And I want to try everything"
"Everything?" he smiled watching her nodding with a cheeky smile "Remember you asked for this" he told her taking his last garment off
Then a silence fell over the room as they stood looking at each other naked, Cedes was shaking she was so on edge "Do you need me to lay down?" she asked rolling her eyes for the stupid question "I mean, I'll lay down" she sat back down on the bed
He sat next to her feeling awkward, for all the conversations they'd had about this over the weeks, he was definitely nervous "Can I?" he asked looking at her breast rising and falling as her breathing got faster
"Yeah" her face relaxed telling him
His cold hands cupped her breasts as he moved in to grab her lips, suddenly they were full on tongue kissing, getting familiar, doing all the things they usually did only daring to go that bit further, passion overtaking, their obvious attraction having no limits, she was laying on the bed, his body almost on top of her before he let her lips go with a wet slap "Can I?" he asked watching as she nodded "You have to speak" he smiled
"Yes" she smiled back at him, her face getting serious as he climbed on top of her
"You're on the pill right?"
"Yeah" she gasped so scared, yet she was excited beyond belief
They fumbled around for a while before she parted her legs and allowed him to slip himself in between them, his fingers wondering around her body until he found the spot that she reacted to between her legs, he stayed there for a while before his need took over and suddenly they were connected in a way that was new but comfortable for them, quickly settling in, working through the expected pain, 'Dream' by Bazzi playing in the background as their minds went to a place where space, and time, didn't exist, Just them, slowly coming back into the room, when they finally found total satisfaction for the first time, they lay talking, her mind in settling down mode the house, big back yard, kids and stuff, his was in, more sex please, mode
"It's going to happen for us" he told her "All that homely stuff in your head" he smiled "hear that?" he asked as Bazzi sung out 'Straight up out a dream, like a magazine, girl, it felt good with your body on me, we should never ever leave the sheets, yeah, we could stay forever underneath, yeah' "I promise, all that stuff's going to happen, but right now, my mind can't leave these sheets" he kissed her neck repeatedly, his intention apparent, finally laughing as they confessed to each other they enjoyed it and wanted more
"You got a thing about Bazzi?" she asked listening to maybe the second time round of his album
"I got a thing about you and Bazzi expresses it for me" he laughed, making their way to the bathroom
"That was the quickest five hours" he told her as they jumped out the bath and quickly got their party clothes on to get the bus back
"It was our first ever five hours" she corrected him
"I stand corrected" he smiled pulling her hair out of the back of her dress as they left the motel room leaving the key on the bed "Happy Birthday" he kissed her forehead saying, they got the bus back in time to spend an hour wrapped up at Andrew's party, for their alibi
"Goodnight" he finally said as they parted company pretending to be friends again when they got back to their street
"Goodnight" she frowned she wanted more than that, Sam pulled her to him and kissed her hand "Dream about me?" she asked
"Most definitely" he giggled finally walking away and breaking their linked hands, both feeling hurt for having to leave the other
"Morning" he smiled as they met for school the next day "Do you feel any different?"
"About you yeah" she reached up and kissed him, not caring who saw them "Morning" her hand slid down his arm and grabbed his hand as she turned to walk with him "Did I thank you for the present?"
"I think you did" he giggled "Very loudly"
"Thank you music" she laughed
16 Years Old
They'd taken to finding any time they could to be together, parents out shopping, late from work, in the garden, in the local park where they'd found a dark place they called their own. Today Cedes' parents were out, her Dad was away in Atlanta with his sister apparently her husband was misbehaving again and he went to fix him, whatever that meant, and her Mom was at her mysterious friends house watering plants and airing the house ready for their return in two days time. They'd taken the opportunity to have their last comfortable evening together because her Dad was coming back this evening and they knew it would be months before they got the opportunity of comfort again
"Cedes" Sam gasped as he heard her Mom's voice coming towards her bedroom door "Cedes" he jerked her awake as the door burst open
"What the hell is going on in here?" her Mom bellowed waking her out of her sleep, she looked around the room a bit disorientated at first but quickly focused on her Mom before remembering that Sam was in the room and looking in the bed beside her
"Sorry Mrs Jones" Sam grabbed for his trousers telling her but she was so focused on her daughter she didn't acknowledge it
"Mercedes Jones" she shouted "Get yourself dressed and out here now, and I suggest you go home" she looked at Sam telling him before banging the door shut
"Shit" she jumped up and grabbed her robe
"Do you want me to stay?" he asked concerned at her Mom's tone
"No I think it's best you go home, I'm going to get killed for this" he could see the terror in her eyes as she spoke he knew she wanted to cry, but he knew her and no way was she going to be sorry for having fun "I love you Sam, whatever happens, I want us to keep seeing each other" she stopped to tell him
"I love you too, and I refuse to stop seeing you, girlfriend for life remember?"
"I remember" she smiled before they set about getting dressed
'You give me feelings that I can't explain to you, girl I was cold for a while now I'm something new, tell me what you want, anything at all, I got it though, swear to God we unstoppable, yeah' he sung as they got dressed "Unstoppable you hear that?" he zipped her dress up telling her
"Unstoppable" she kissed him agreeing, before he grabbed the door handle, opened it and let her out, he followed walking straight through the house and out the door stopping to smile before he shut the door and rolled his eyes for what he was going to have to tell his parents right now
Cedes
"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" her Mom slapped her across the face asking "In my damn house"
"I didn't know you..." she lingered off thinking what she had to say could earn her another slap "Sorry" she sobbed
"Sorry's not going to stop you from getting pregnant" she shouted at her "Sit down" she ordered, Cedes knew her Mom wasn't in the mood for hearing her shit so she sat, listening to her Mom's take on her relationship with Sam, asking her if he'd taken advantage, talking about all forms of STD's, telling her some exact words from her dead Grandmother and finally throwing the bombshell at her about her being sent to her Aunt Zina in Atlanta "I'll speak to your Father when he gets here and you'll be on the first flight out tonight, I am not dealing with a accidental pregnancy, you guys have been using protection right?"
"Yeah of course" she replied
She didn't even get to go to her room to switch the light on telling Sam she was alright or to come over so she could fill him in, her Dad arrived home and they both went into it at her, she hadn't cried so hard in years while they stood over her talking about their disappointment, her reduced hope of finding a man that would respect her, their failures as parents before he too informed her she was going to his sisters house
"You can use this time to think about your actions young lady, girls don't turn into women overnight" her Dad huffed at her as she turned to see her Mom wonder off towards her bedroom, coming back into the living room a few minutes later with a packed case "You'll go to Aunt Zina's like your Mom said" he told their crying child, there was no sympathy, he took the case off her Mom and left the house coming back empty handed, she could only assume he'd thrown it in the back of his car and the next thing she knew she was on a flight to Atlanta, she couldn't believe they weren't joking.
She had 10 hours to cry, think and take in the quiet before the noise of the three little brats became her world, no doubt she'd be the weekend live in Nanny for them, that of course was her punishment, going to Atlanta to become the live in damn maid, with no end date. She finally settled in the fact that she could guilt trip her parents into bringing her back home within the week, and complying with her Aunts every whim would get her to talk up for her, she could do that, she checked her seatbelt as they announced landing
Sam
He got home sweating, he knew it was only a matter of time before Cedes parents were over at his to tell their sordid version of their time together he had to get it out, his face distorted as the door creaked alerting his parents to his entrance "Hello son" his Mom's head lifted out of her book smiling "We actually wanted a word before you get settled into homework" she closed the book to pay him attention "Come and sit down a minute" she waved her hand indicating for him to come towards her
"A word about?" he looked at her before turning to see his Dad sitting at the piano "Dad" he said in acknowledgement of their eyes meeting
"Hello son" he said getting up to get closer to where they stood "Sit down" he told him watching as his wife settled in while Sam and he found a chair "We noticed that you and Mercedes are keeping each other company a lot lately and we just wanted to have a word about... the birds and the..." his Dad's voice sounding uncertain, even shy about the subject
"Dad" he stopped him "I think I need to tell you guys something" he raked his hand through his hair and sat forward in the chair
"She's your girlfriend isn't she?" his Mom asked smiling
"Yes she is ...or should I say was, her Mom just caught us" he looked up at his Mom his face red with shame at having to tell them this
"I knew you were" his Mom smiled "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Her Mom caught us" he repeated knowing they hadn't got it "In bed, she caught us in bed at her house a while ago"
"God Sam" his Mom gasped just as embarrassed as him
"What the hell, you've just got together how are you in damn bed already?" his Dad shouted "I don't mean to shout" he backtracked when he realised he was talking to his son "It's just ... did you apologise?"
"Of course but it didn't help, I'm scared for what's happening to her over there right now"
"You'll need to face them, we'll take you over later" his Dad told him a small smile on his face, like he was proud more so than angry about it all, Sam didn't know what to make of it but he expected more than what they actually gave out
"Is that it?" his Mom's raised voice shocking him, he'd never heard that tone from her before
"We'll talk after dinner, in depth" his Dad assured her, she didn't seem happy about that but she took it and walked off to the kitchen to prepare dinner
The Following Day
Sam and his parents had gone over that last evening, when he and his Dad had finally finished their conversation about treating girls with respect, not taking that kind of thing too serious and finally he'll get over her, but the house was empty and by the time they finally saw light it was way past visiting time, his Dad promised they'd go round the next evening, Sam went to bed to think about what to do next, of course there was no sleep but tonight it was more being scared for what might have happened to Cedes once her Dad had gotten home.
He was upset and even more scared the next morning when Cedes wasn't at school, he didn't expect her to call for him as she usually did, her Dad would, at the very least, bring her in the car, but as the day went on he realised she wasn't there and there was nothing he could do about that, they had no way of making contact, her parents were dead against any type of social media, wouldn't even let her have a phone, he had no way of contacting her outside of face to face. He sat through school that day his mind firmly on where his girlfriend could be, imagining what had actually happened to her the night before, all sorts of sordid things running through his mind as he waited for the end of the day
"Dad we need to go apologise" he announced before he got in the door "Mercedes wasn't at school today"
"Okay later" his Dad looked up from his phone to reply
"Please Dad, can we go now?" he begged, he couldn't sit down even if he'd have wanted to
"Come on then" he agreed, understanding his son's anguish, "Ann" he called before they left the house and went over the road to the Jones residence "Mr Jones" his Dad's voice sounded serious as all three stood at the Jones' front door, looking at the man "Sam tells us he had a situation yesterday, that I'm sure he's sorry about, but we felt he needed to come and tell you guys that himself"
"Please come on in" Mr Jones smiled opening the door for them to get past him, a stern look at Sam as he passed through
"Mr Jones" Sam managed, his face red with embarrassment, this man knew he'd slept with his daughter, he felt like he'd stolen something from him
"Mercedes isn't here" he smiled as Sam looked around the room for her, not asking anything
"She's out?" his head sprung round asking
"Well out" Mr Jones looked at his wife; Hazel, before carrying on "We sent her to her Aunt in Atlanta for a while, she'll go to school up there"
"Atlanta?" he gasped, he didn't even believe them "When did she go?" he asked his face showing shock and concern
"We took her to the airport last night" Hazel told him "So there'll be no repeats of what I saw yesterday" she warned
"I'm truly sorry about that Mrs Jones" he looked at the ground telling her "And you Mr Jones, it won't happen again" he finally looked up at her parents standing in front of him
"We know" Mr Jones smiled, Sam looked at him trying to catch how he meant that but was distracted by his Dad saying something that seemed to close the conversation down, their parents shook hands said their farewells and then he was being shuffled out the house
Cedes & Sam
She'd landed, cried in the airport bathroom and eventually came out smiling to face her Aunt Zina and the three brats, her twin 6 going on 16 year old girls and Damien who was a very shy 12 year old, dominated by the women in the house he hardly spoke to his Mom let alone anyone else. The whole trip to the house and the only thing she had going round in her head was Sam's phone number she was trying to remember if it was 3594 or 4953 angry with herself that she couldn't remember, but it wasn't that often they needed to contact each other via phone, especially not house phones.
"You'll start school on Monday" her Aunt Zina announced as they grabbed the bags out the boot, Mercedes following as she walked through the house and threw the cases in the back bedroom. Her Aunt wasn't in the best of moods already, she'd just gotten rid, with her Dad's help, of her vile crack smoking baby Daddy, the house could have done with more than a coat of paint on the outside and everything, including furniture, on the inside, he'd done a good job of selling everything of any worth for his addiction. Cedes threw herself on the unmade bed and cried again, her parents were evil, and she doubted she'd ever forgive them for giving her this as a punishment. The days went quickly and it took her a while to save any money let alone the cents she finally scraped together, from around the unkempt house, to afford a long distance call to Sam, one day on the way home she finally made the decision about which number she was going to try, she calculated his travel and called when she thought he'd get in, finding an exchange she made the call, pleased when she heard the familiar voice on the other end
"Sam" she cried when he happened to pick up the phone, relieved at hearing his voice "I'm in Atlanta, come get me"
"Cedes are you alright, I've been going out of my mind?" his breath burst out of him "Atlanta I know your Dad told me" he gasped "That's the other side of the fucking world isn't it?"
"I need you to come get me" she couldn't control her crying as she spoke "This place is the fucking pits, Aunt Zina don't even care about the shit she lives in, I hate my parents"
"Of course I'll come and get you" his voice strained "And you know I miss you so bad"
"That bad?" she giggled through her crying "When are you coming to get me?"
"I've got some savings but I need some more to get you back, is this your number?"
"No my Aunt hasn't got a phone, I'll have to save to call you again" she told him hearing the beeps telling her time was running out "I have no more money Sam, I'll call again soon bye I love you"
"I love you bye" he replied unsure if she'd actually heard him as he looked at the dead phone, smiling for her actually making contact, now he really had a mission, he needed to get a plan together, make some money fast, think about what he was going to do once they were back together; coming back home wasn't even an option for them, they'd find them if they stayed at her Aunt's house, he needed big money for these plans he was hatching in his head, paper round money wasn't going to do it.
"Dad" he'd picked his moment one evening to have the conversation "What would you feel about me working in the Diner a few evenings a week, just to keep occupied?"
"Which Diner?"
"McGuire's round the corner, just for three hours or so"
"I'll speak to your Mom" he ruffled his hair as he passed, Sam didn't mind him doing that, especially if the answer was going to be a resounding yes, which it generally was when he asked his Dad
A week later he was working at McGuire's earning $30 a week while his newspaper delivery was earning him $10 considering he needed at least $1200 for both of them to travel and then money to survive on their own he soon realised he was fighting a losing battle, made worse when he got another disturbing call from Cedes, crying down the phone putting more pressure on
"Who's that?" he asked hearing some guy shouting in the background
"Just some guys being loud" she looked round to check the noise as she replied, wiping her eyes
"So this address you gave me is right yeah?" he asked reading it back to her
"Yeah ..."
"What's going on?" he asked hearing more shouting in the background
"These guys just came in, I told you" she looked back at the noise telling him, shocked when one of the guys looked at her and started shouting
"What you looking at Bitch?" he asked, her head went down
"Sam I got to go" she whispered down the phone, smelling trouble
"What's going on?" he asked again "Is he talking to you?"
"Yeah I think I looked at..." she got out before the phone was ripped out her hand
"Get going" the man told her, she didn't verbally respond she did as told leaving him holding the phone with Sam still on the line
"She had to leave" the voice told him before the phone went down
Sam
Sam stood with the phone in his hand wondering what the hell was going on down there, that wasn't a kid his age that was a grown man bullying her like that, and his voice didn't sound like it held any shame about it. He thought it might have been that no good Uncle of hers back on the scene and throwing his weight about, or even some new man her Aunt was seeing. According the Cedes her Aunt lived a very different life to her parents, she'd met some guy when she was 18 and ran off to Alabama, where she'd gone underground for nearly 10 years. Cedes was 5 years old when they finally found her again, she'd turned up having had two children for that man she'd run off with, he'd beaten her to a pulp she'd left him and found herself homeless in Atlanta. She seemed to fall from one disastrous relationship to another, leaving children and men as she went through her rough life, finally getting married to Bing just 4 years ago and there was trouble already, and now a new man. Sam rolled his eyes and set the phone down, he needed to find money faster, what if that man was down there beating Cedes too. "Quick money" he looked up and down the street stress building
Sam went off to his evening job, Cedes heavy on his mind as he watched the usual evening entertainment from Tony and the guys outside across the street, the girls hanging around to do whatever they needed to do for their next fix, his crew whose main ambition it was to become the leader and the bling car parked just up the road watching everything that was moving around their spot
A stranger walked in, Sam looked across the road, knowing this spelt trouble as Tony signalled his guys and everyone came walking across "Sam" Mr McGuire called as everyone watched "Get round the back" he pointed at him, he didn't ask questions it wasn't the thing to do at a time like this in these parts "Mary" he only looked at his wife and she followed Sam to the back
Two guys stood at the door while Tony walked up to the stranger sitting at the table with two guys behind him "I like my chain on your neck" Tony smiled at the guy
"It's my chain" the guy replied looking up at him waiting for something to happen looking at all three guys as he spoke
"Wrong answer" Tony said as one of the guys walked past him and punched the guy that was sitting down a few times
"My chain?" Tony asked holding his hand out
"My Dad gave me this chain" the guy shouted
"Wrong answer" Tony took a blade out of his pocket telling him
"Hold up, hold up" The guy held his hands up in surrender, taking the chain off his neck and passing it to Tony "Sorry you can have it" he told him looking at the knife as he spoke
"Right answer" Tony smiled looking at the chain he'd acquired before stepping off with his goons following
"Do you want us to call the police?" Mr McGuire asked the guy as he sat, still stunned, Mary bringing him a coffee at the same time
"No" he looked up at them "I'll be alright, I need to get out of here though" he looked across the road at the guys settling back in their spot as if nothing had happened, their girls kissing all over them like robbing people was some sort of turn on for them, and shook his head before getting up and heading for the exit "Oh" he looked back as he got to the door "Thanks for the help" he said sarcastically
Sam stood at the kitchen door watching Tony across the road handing out $100 bills like they were dimes to his crew and a light came on, he could watch a door for a few seconds a few nights a week and get paid a few hundred a night, in no time he's be in Atlanta destined for wherever "Go home Sam" Mr McGuire told him, he grabbed his jacket, threw his apron down and left looking back at Tony and his crew as he walked
The next shift he started to pay more attention and witnessed more guys pass by, packages exchanged, money being ferried around handed out and everyone smiling. As far as Sam knew Tony had been given the patch by his Brother Marcus, who had been to prison a few times for various things as a minor, they thought he'd calm down when he became an adult but he just stepped up his game, Sam had never asked the history he just knew Marcus had his own patch, at the age of 21 and he was still going in and out, right now he was in so Tony took control of things and he was a sort of friend to Sam; well actually their parents talked in the street sometimes, they went to the same school and played football together sometimes when Tony bothered to come to school, they fist bumped most times they saw each other and they'd put their arm around the same girl which was more than he shared with most of the other guys at school.
It had been three weeks and Sam had started getting the attention again with Cedes not being around, there was only so many times he could use the sick Aunt excuse, even he was getting tired of it "We know she's gone Sam" Sana one of the cheerleaders laughed as he passed that tired information across again
"She hasn't gone, we're still together" he cut his eye at her for spotting him up in front of everyone, taking notice of one of her boobs threatening to leave it's cover "Shit" he looked away when he realised he was ogling "I miss Cedes" he shook his head walking away from the situation, 'Swear to God we unstoppable' singing in his head, he needed a distraction before he got distracted
"Tony" he called as he left school that afternoon, Tony standing in his usual I'm selling spot "Are you hiring?"
"For what exactly?" Tony laughed
"Your crew" Sam looked at him smiling
"Joke right?" Tony stopped talking to a punter to ask "You know our parents talk, if my Moms ever heard I'd cut you into anything I do she'd... Wow, it ain't worth thinking about" he chuckled "Not hiring you Sam sorry" he tapped his shoulder and walked off
"Tony" he followed him "Seriously I need to make some quick money, real quick money you have to help me out"
"I have to?" Tony looked into his eyes, smiling at the desperation he saw there
"Please man I'll do anything"
"Quick Money?" Tony smiled at him "And nothing comes back on me" he checked
"Nothing I swear"
"Quick is dangerous you know that right?"
"I need money quick" he confirmed "And I'll do whatever you need me to do to get it"
"I'll get back to you" Tony replied walking away from him, he needed to think about this, everything about it spelt trouble for him on the one hand but on the other, he must be desperate to have asked. Tony had seen the cheerleaders around him, he was a man he knew how hard resisting that shit was, maybe Sam had got him some bitch pregnant and needed to deal with it. He decided he'd spot him for a few weeks let him get the cash together, be a man about it and then let him go once he saw he'd made enough.
Sam didn't even give him a chance to get to school the next day, he couldn't even predict Tony was even going to be in school, he met him across from the café that morning "So have you thought about it?" he asked before he even said morning
"Okay" Tony rolled his eyes at him "Meet me outside the café at 6pm, you work for me now, forget McGuire" he told him his tone changed from friend to boss in seconds "Never say my name" he warned Sam nodded his head and walked off, he smiled knowing his time to see Cedes again had just been cut in half maybe less
Sam hated school it had too many memories of Cedes all over the place, he couldn't wait for it to end that day at least he had something to look forward to, he'd finally got a plan "Reporting for duty" Sam smiled as he walked towards Tony on time that evening, watching as his guys square up on his approach
"He's alright" Tony smiled walking towards him and fist punching his hand in their near friend way "So you still want quick money?" he walked back to his spot asking him, Sam following
"Yep" he rubbed his hands together telling him
"Sam you understand don't you that once your in that's it, you can't leave this life?" he grabbed his shoulder asking him "I need to know your sure about this" he was shitting him but he thought he needed to hear the same as everyone else
"I'm sure" he told him, thinking their parents could negotiate that when he'd made enough money, Sam went home smiling those first few nights he was making $200 just for standing on the street with the rest of the guys, a car drove up a few times but there was friendly conversation and then they drove off, he was laughing all the way to Atlanta
"Sam" Tony called him one night in week two "Fast money right?"
"Yeah" he smiled, the smile leaving his face when Tony put a gun in his hand "What's this for?"
"I need you to go to this address" he put a piece of paper in his hand "And collect a parcel, that's so your prepared if anything fucked up goes down" he looked down at the gun telling him
"I've never used a fucking gun" Sam told him trying to stop the shakes running through his body at the thought of even holding the damn thing
"When someone's holding one up against your face, you tend to get the gist of it instantly, just remember to remove the catch before you fire" he told him taking the gun to show him how to do that before making it safe and handing it back to him "Oh and aim to hit your fucking target" he laughed
"Is this a joke?" Sam asked, looking around the guys as everyone stood laughing
"No Sam, quick money comes with risk, and you're on a clock, hurry up" Tony told him, pointing to a bike leaned against the wall, he hadn't signed up for this but he'd signed up for quick money and surely Tony wouldn't send him into anything seriously threatening, he grabbed the bike and set off
For all intents and purposes Sam was a guarded late starter in this business, he'd grown up with shit happening around the corner from his house, heard the stories from his parents as well as some school friends that he'd quickly been made to distance himself from, but now, he was sweating with every peddle he pushed towards becoming one of those boys his parents tried so hard to keep him guarded from. Twenty minutes later and he was parked outside an ordinary looking house sweating harder than he ever had before, he knocked the door and answered a load of questions before he was let in. The room was classic drug den, the movies were real, he was standing in a scene from Pulp Fiction, girls laying all over the place zoned out of their heads and taking candy like it was exactly that, a broad chested man stood looking down at him, suddenly a door opened and he was called into a room by another bulldozer of a guy, then faced with this ordinary looking guy they wanted him to believe was the boss "Sam right?"
"Yeah" he quickly replied watching as this man turned around with a reefer in his hand and a gun in his belt
"You're running for Tony?"
"Yes Sir" he swallowed the little saliva in his mouth to get out, this was serious shit
"Take that package there and make sure you deliver it to him" he watched Sam move around the room to the package, reach for it and stop to look at him "You're on a timer right?"
"Yes Sir"
"Then get" he told him moving sharply, making Sam flinch before he grabbed the package and walked out fast
"Shit" Sam hissed when he got outside, sweating again, this time cold, looking back at the door before making his way back to Tony to deliver the package
"About time I was just about to send the dogs out" Tony laughed as Sam came towards him "You got my package?"
"Yeah" he smiled handing it to him "It was easy" he stood watching as Tony gave it to Neil who checked it, gave him a nod and Tony passed Sam over a roll of money "Thanks" he smiled
"You need to go home before your Pops comes for me" Tony told him watching as Sam went off to make it home before his curfew
"Fuck" he laughed when he got to his bedroom, looking down at the money on his bed "$500 for just doing that" he scraped the money up and sat on his bed calculating "Three more of those and I'll have enough for travel and a motel for a week" he smiled putting the money under his pillow before he lay to think about Cedes.
He was out nearly every night earning his $100 for body watching with the rest of the guys, waiting for the opportunity to do another drop and get that bulk in "Why do you keep coming back?" Tony asked him one evening "How much money do you need, what have you done?" he pulled him to the side to ask
"A lot, I've got big plans"
"Well I'm not going to let you stay in forever, that wasn't the deal" he told him concerned
"Then give me more work"
Sam quickly got used to getting his money every day and at some point need maybe turned into greed, it was well into week four before he realised he'd maybe missed Cedes call, tried to make an excuse to Tony so he could stay at home and wait for it but Tony wasn't having it, "Not in the middle of a shift" he'd told him watching Sam sulk "You could always stop" he suggested
"No it's fine I can wait"