Theresa Comes Clean
Theresa was having a hard time keeping her growing relationship with Justin a secret from JuJu. She really liked him, but she didn't want to come between JuJu and her brother.
Their relationship had improved and she and JuJu had grown even closer. She had seen Justin the previous day while JuJu had gone to the library to study. She told JuJu that she couldn't go with her because her grandmother needed her to come straight home from school. That wasn't a lie exactly. Her grandmother had asked her to come straight home because she needed her to help her in the back yard. However it had rained that day and Theresa knew that there would be no yard work when she got home.
Instead she had met Justin after his practice and they had gone to his house. She loved watching him dance and when he kissed her she felt all warm and safe which was something she had never felt before. Justin only kissed her and didn't try any funny business, which she was glad about even though she could feel his arousal as he held her in his arms.
Justin was different from other boys. He was easy to talk to. He was the only one she had told about her first time and how her older cousin had forced himself on her when she was twelve. Her cousin had told her that he'd kill her if she told her grandmother and that her grandmother would send her back to foster care and she'd never told anyone about what happened. She was glad that he and his mother moved to another state and she hardly saw him anymore.
After the incident, she had read all she could about sex. It had been awful for her, but she had heard enough alley talk to know that it wasn't supposed to be awful and she wanted to find out why it had been that way for her. She concluded that love had something to do with it and now that she was with Justin, she felt that she understood sex a little better. She and JuJu had talked about sex extensively, but she could never tell her friend about what happened.
Justin had asked to see the books she had on sex and she had shown them to him. He was smart too and told her that he felt that her first time was a bad experience because she hadn't been a willing participant. He convinced her that she had been raped and it wasn't her fault and that made her feel a lot better. He told her that he felt that she wasn't ready for sex and that he wasn't either. The fact that he told her that made her feel safe with him. She felt that she could relax with Justin and not have to worry about him pushing her for more than she was willing to give. At first she liked him and thought that because she had feelings for him that sex would be good. Now she felt that since he admitted that he liked her and that he wasn't ready for sex himself, that when they were both ready it would be even better!
It bothered her though that JuJu was in the dark about their relationship and she told Justin as much. He told her that he would talk to his sister when the time was right. Well now she felt that the time was right and she made up her mind that she was going to tell JuJu herself if he didn't.
He had kissed her again and then promised her that he would talk to JuJu. He had pulled her down on his bed on top of him and she could feel his arousal. He told her that he couldn't control it and asked her if it scared or bothered her. She had to admit that it didn't bother her, in fact it excited her.
"You don't think I'm nasty for feeling this way, do you?" he asked looking up at her as she lay on him. "I hope I don't scare you."
"I'm not scared" Theresa said. "It makes me feel warm all over."
Justin grinned up at her.
"Really?"
"Yeah" she admitted kissing him. "I think it's normal. I don't think it's nasty at all."
She kissed him again and his tongue sought hers. She felt her stomach jump in response and she could feel him hard against her belly.
"Justin…." she whispered breathless after they exchanged a few more kisses.
"Hmmm?"
"Will you let me see it?" she asked as her face red "I mean…when I'm ready."
"Why?" he asked. "It's not that big…I don't want to disappoint you."
"You could never disappoint me" Theresa confessed. "I…I think I love you, Justin."
"I know I love you, Theresa" he confessed.
"It doesn't bother you that I'm not a virgin anymore" she asked sadly.
"You are still one as far as I'm concerned" he said. "It wasn't your fault."
He kissed her again. "If I'm the one, I promise it'll be better…at least I'll try to make it better for you."
She got up off of the bed and he sat up watching her.
"I'd better go" she replied straightening her clothes. She didn't want to tell him yet that the temptation to touch him with her hand was beginning to become overwhelming. She knew that if she touched him, he'd want to touch her and she didn't want to rush things.
Now as she was walking to the library to meet JuJu, she knew that she had to tell her. She didn't like having this hang over her head. Things were so good between her and Justin, but she couldn't get JuJu out of her mind.
She found JuJu in the library sitting at a table surrounded by her school books.
"Hi" she whispered putting her stuff down.
"I was wondering if you were going to show up" JuJu whispered back across the table.
Theresa sat across from her and opened her books. She didn't have as much homework as JuJu so she knew that they should finish about the same time. In the meantime she would have to think of how to broach the subject about Justin.
They were at the library several hours when JuJu's phone vibrated. She quickly texted her Mom and told her that she was with Theresa. They finished up their homework and left the library before about six. It was still daylight since summer was right around the corner.
They walked in silence for a few moments and then Theresa spoke up.
"I have something to tell you, JuJu" she said looking at the ground as they walked along.
"I could tell something was on your mind" JuJu responded.
"I just don't want you to get mad at me. I was miserable when you weren't speaking to me before." Theresa said. "You're my best friend."
"I know that" JuJu responded. "I wasn't the best company myself. We promised each other to be honest with each other and to have each other's back, remember?"
"I remember" Theresa murmured.
"So what is it?" JuJu asked looking at her. She stopped at the corner and leaned on the light pole.
Theresa shuffled her feet and wouldn't meet her eyes. "It's about Justin…"
"You're still lovesick over him, right?" JuJu asked giggling. "I think it's a lost cause."
"Well…he likes me too."
JuJu was surprised. " What? How do you know this?"
"We've been kinda seeing each other." Theresa confessed.
JuJu stared at her. "Have you two been having sex?"
"It's not like that, JuJu" she replied. Tears began to run down her face.
"You hate me right? I just knew you'd hate me. I can't keep seeing him if you don't approve." She burst our crying and JuJu stared at her in amazement.
"You'd stop seeing my brother if I told you to even though you two like each other?"she asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, because you're my bestest friend and I don't want you to be mad at me. I'll just tell him that it's over."
JuJu watched as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She knew that if she insisted that Theresa break up with Justin, he'd be mad at her and things still wouldn't be right between the two of them and Tee would most likely be moping around. Why did life have to be so complicated? Well Justin could do worse...and Tee was her friend. A part of her was jealous because she didn't want to share her with Justin.
"Look, Tee" she said finally. "I'm glad you told me about you and Justin. He's been acting weird lately and I wondered why. I guess we're both growing up like he said, but I wanted us to always be able to share everything like we always had. Maybe I'm asking too much from him." She put her arm around her friend.
"I'm glad you told me." She sighed. "I haven't been in love so I don't know how you feel, but I guess love is a powerful drug." She giggled again.
"There's just one thing" she said looking at her sternly.
"What?"
"Our time is our time…no Justin! I don't want to have to compete for your attention. If we are going to be best friends, then you and I have to have an understanding. When you come over to see me, you can't be with Justin! Mom wouldn't like it anyway. We're not supposed to be dating until we're sixteen!"
"We're not dating, JuJu" Theresa replied. "However, I get your point. When I'm over your house, I'm your friend and not his girlfriend. Do you want to talk to him or shall I?"
JuJu looked at her. "I'll talk to him. He should have told me himself, but he didn't, but that's not your fault."
They stopped in front of her house and JuJu looked at her. "Promise me. My time is my time and you two will not be together when you're here with me."
"I promise" Theresa said hugging her.
"Alright then, come on in." Mama will take you home.
Theresa followed her into the house and JuJu walked into the kitchen where her mother was preparing dinner.
"Hey, you made it back" Charity said.
"Yeah." JuJu replied.
Charity looked at Theresa.
"Theresa, you're welcome to stay for dinner." she said smiling.
Theresa looked at JuJu.
"Sure, stay for dinner" JuJu said looking at her intently.
Charity quickly put a salad on the table and some chili she had made. She called Justin and he came running downstairs and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Theresa.
"What are you doing here?" he asked without thinking.
"Ma invited her to dinner" JuJu replied a bit too sweetly.
Justin didn't reply, but sat at the table.
The four of them sat at the table and JuJu was watching Justin intently. He ate his food and hardly glanced their way. Theresa was a bit nervous.
Charity wondered what was up. Theresa and JuJu were hardly talking and Justin almost swallowed his food whole and bounded back up the steps. Kids! Who could understand them.
"I'll take you home when you finished" she said to Theresa.
"Thank you, Ms. Charity" she replied focusing on her food.
Charity stared at her a moment, but then returned to eating her food. Perhaps she and JuJu had another spat or something. She wasn't sure.
"Your father will be home next weekend" she said looking at JuJu.
"I know. I talked to him earlier" she replied grinning. "I can hardly wait!"
"I can't believe you all are graduating. Are you excited Theresa?"
"Yes ma'am" she replied meekly.
Charity stared at her. She didn't sound excited and she was quieter than normal. Something was up for sure.
They finished their meal in silence and she told the girls to get their things together so that she could take Theresa home. Charity watched the two of them and they seemed fine. Maybe they were just tired. The drive was the quietest it had been in a long time, and after Theresa got out of the car and Charity watched her walk into her house she turned to JuJu.
"Is everything alright with Theresa?"
"Yeah Ma. I guess it's just been a long day" JuJu replied looking out the window. Her mind wasn't on Theresa, but was on Justin. Why was Theresa the one to tell her about the two of them and not him?
Charity pulled out into traffic. Maybe that was all there was to it, but she was going to keep her eyes open as her gut feeling was telling her that something else was going on. JuJu seemed preoccupied even now. She would keep her eyes and ears open and more than likely whatever was going on would be found out sooner than later.
