A/N: I know…I know….sorry bout not updating for a while. I've been a bit busy and I really never had time to fully write a chapter. Well, my classes are starting to calm down a bit and I'm in a really happy mood because this guy I've liked for a really long time is coming here to California all the way from Georgia just for me! He's so incredibly sweet…not to mention gorgeous! LOL wait…..oh sorry I better start the chapter before I start rambling. Haha

Chapter 11: Dr. Rodney Smith

Room 475…475…Here we go. I went around campus for about 20 minutes asking the teachers and students where it was. All anyone ever said was "Oh that's in the 400 building." ….No duh.

I walked in a bit timidly. I wasn't about to go back in another long ass line to change my schedule. Besides…not many freshman can say "Yeah…I take Western Philosophy." I looked at my surroundings. Everyone seemed to know everyone.

I found an empty seat around the middle and put my stuff down. I felt a couple eyes on me. Trying to look nonchalant…I noticed a couple of familiar faces. Then I realized that my last name was infamous in Detroit.

Great…people whispering and pointing…just what I needed. I sighed and put my hair up in a messy bun to keep it away from my face. I dropped the bobby pin. After cursing softly, I bent over to pick it up. My hand connected with another. I looked up.

………………Wow.

"Here you go." I was sitting next to a complete…GOD.

"Thank you." I replied barely audible.

"I didn't see you at orientation. Are you new?"

"Yes. I'm a freshman." I said, starting to feel that Mercer confidence flowing back.

"I see." He looked at me once more before holding out his hand. "David. David Scott."

Putting the finishing touches on my messy bun I held out mines. "Tatyana Mercer."

I could see his eyes flash in surprise for about a millisecond before he regained his composure. "Mercer huh?"

"…Yeah. I see you're familiar with our work."

"You could say that. I use to live a couple of houses down from Evelyn. That was years ago though."

"Really?" I grew interested in how he knew Evelyn…and why the hell I've never seen him before.

"Yes. Actually I had to move away once she adopted this younger boy. Really mousy…dirty blonde hair…almost brown?"

"Jack." I smiled as his face flashed in my mind. "My brother…Jack. Evelyn adopted me right after him."

David smiled at me. "You seem to miss your brothers."

"I do. It's been about 3 days since I've last seen them. They haven't dropped by…called…or…anything…" My voice trailed as confusion hit me.

...Why HAVEN'T they checked up on me?

The door opened as the students scrambled to their seats. The man that walked in didn't look at all as I expected a Dr. Rodney Smith to look like. This man was tall, dark, and handsome. The whole nine yards. He had a Denzel Washington appeal to him. But yet, right when he stepped in that door, I felt chills run up and down my spine.

When he spoke his voice boomed. "Hello class. My name is Dr. Rodney Smith…and welcome to Western Philosophy." He turned around to write his name on the board.

For some weird bizarre reason…I felt as if I knew Dr. Smith. Like I'd seen him somewhere before.

"I will tell you this right now: this is not going to be an easy class. There will be no silly questions such as that ridiculous tree falling in the forest question. None of that."

Yeah, this was making me a feel a helluva lot better.

After lecturing the whole class, I felt my droopy eyes open in alarm as everyone around me where standing up to leave.

"Have a nice nap?" David smirked.

I looked up at him as he towered over me in a boyish way, with his backpack slung over one of his shoulders and his heavy textbook at his side. "I wasn't sleeping." I mumbled, trying to cover the rasp in my voice from not talking for about 2 hours.

I hurried to pack up my books, resulting in a couple of loose papers falling at my side. I chuckled nervously as I bent down to pick up the papers. David bent over as well, helping me.

"Ugh…I'm so sorry. I'm not usually such a spaz…" I apologized. Which was true; I wasn't. How else could I be the only Mercer who could make a hit a mile away?

"It's alright."

Before we could bump heads, we both looked at each other at the same time. His perfect features formed a white smile. A smile that reminded me strangely of Angel.

"Thanks." I said, absently stuffing the papers into my binder.

"No problem." As we both stood up, I could see he was debating with himself. "When's your next class?" He asked suddenly as we walked out.

"Later tonight. 6:00."

"Hm…so is mine. I'm thinking you would be a little hungry after two house of lecture." He paused and looked at me. "I would be too. What do you say to having dinner around 7:30? My treat."

I felt my words get caught up in my throat. Why was I acting like this? If I was proud of anything, it was flirting. It's the only thing that reminded me that I was a girl. A girl who could kick a guy's ass twice her size, but a girl nonetheless.

"Are you asking me out on a date, David?" Trying to forget that smile.

"It's whatever you want it to be, Tatyana." He replied. We stopped in front of my car. I pretended to think and put my hand on the car door, ready to open it. I stepped forward to look him in the eye as he looked down at me.

"Call me Tai. I'll meet you right here at 7:45. Don't be late." I added. He probably thought I was about to kiss him because I could feel him leaning in. I opened the door before he could and mirrored his smirk.

I started the car and drove off. First day of school and already had a date. Things couldn't have gotten any better.

At least…that's what I thought when I went back to my empty dorm. I missed having company. Having my smelly ass brothers running around the house. Missed those Nitro vs. Midnight wrestling matches. Hell, even missed sharing a bathroom with the four of them.

Flashback, Bathroom

I wrapped the towel around me tighter as I continued brushing my teeth. I wasn't completely naked underneath as I was already wearing my bra and underwear, but this scene may have bothered some people. Jack in the shower and Bobby on the crapper…Most girls would probably be jealous. But those girls are crazy so…

"BOBBY!" Angel called from the hallway.

"Yeah?" Bobby replied.

Angel walked in and waved the air around him, not enjoying the smell. "Hey man, I've gotta ask you a question…"

"What's up?" Bobby asked absently, his eyes still on the magazine he was reading.

"You know me and Sofi did a LOT of making up last night…"

This caught Bobby's attention as he looked up. I shook my head and spit. Rinsing, I could still hear the conversation.

"…But it seems like I got a little rust on my tools…"

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. Ask the cockologist in the shower man."

"How the hell would I know?" Jack asked.

"You're the expert." Bobby replied.

"Tai knows more about that shit than I do."

Bobby looked up at me as I looked at Angel through the mirror. Angel gave me a pleading look before opening his robe. I rolled my eyes and looked at him once over.

"…Rugburn."

Jack laughed as his shower ran. "You'll live."

"Whoo…thank god man, I thought my luck ran out."

"Hold up. Naw naw naw…how would you know Tai?" Bobby interrogated.

"…Sex Ed?"

"Yeah…better be sex ed…shit…" He started mumbling a bunch of mixed threats.

Angel turned serious. "Hey um…listen man. You know Jerry hasn't been straight up with us on that re-development project. I found out his dream's dead. Jerry got involved with some bad people. Found out the city's been on him and whatnot…cut his loans off about a month ago…technically…Jerry's really been broke."

"You think this has something to do with what happened to mom?" I asked through the mirror.

He looked at my reflection. "No I'm just saying this is something we should look into. I need y'all to go down and visit a city official named Douglas." He looked over at Bobby. "He'll know who Jerry got mixed up with." He turned to leave. "I'm gonna go check on some other shit."

"Hey what are you talking about? Why don't you just tell us what you know Angel?"

"…I know you need to stay your ass on the porcelain." He replied firmly. "This is gonna require a little finesse."

Bobby gave Angel an exasperated look.

"And given your prime reputation as a hothead-"

"I WROTE THE FUCKIN BOOK ON FINESSE, OK?"

Angel walked off mumbling something as I started to chuckle.

"You better wait for me to wipe my ass Angel, I'm coming with you!" I shook my head and pulled my hair from the ponytail it was in. I ruffled it a bit as Jack came out of the shower.

"Angel!" Bobby called again. He started looking around before hitting my ass with the rolled up magazine. "Go get me some fuckin' toilet paper Ta."

"Psh…" I walked out.

"Don't you 'psh' me! Girl I'm gonna- JACK go get me some toilet paper!"

Jack smirked and walked out drying his hair with another towel.

"JACK! Get your fairy ass- TAI! HEY! Y'all shouldn't be disrespectin like this…bunch of ungrateful bastards…"

End Flashback

I looked at my clock on the side table. It was only 3:00 in the afternoon. Still had a long while before class started…and my date with David.

I stood up and looked out my window. Yawning, I turned back to take a small nap. Then, I realized something.

I looked out the window again. Aw…HELL FUCKING NAW!

A/N: Well yeah! I'm just trying to get back into the swing of things. Hope you liked this chapter. I wanted Tai to have a LIL romance in her life. THANKS TO ALL WHO REVIEWED WHILE THE VERY LONG HIATUS. I'm really sorry I can't reply to reviews right now but I will reply to them next chapter!

THANK YOU! Please review so I know I still have readers out there that FORGIVE me.. lol