"I guess Sunday must have changed something, or someone must have changed something." Brittney said looking at the pictures on her desk of her family, of her, of Jarrell, Brittany.
"And I believe that someone is Mario." Brittany smiled like she had been the mastermind behind Druex's change.
Brittney sighed and played with the bottom of her jeans, "Whatever, at lunch today Jerome and I talked."
"OK, don't tell me you fell in again." Brittany said loudly, she liked Jerome but his and Brittney's relationship was too complicated.
Brittney laughed at the way Brittany sounded, "No, B, I didn't. But we talked and I told him about Druex and he told me that he was gonna lay off the relationship thing for a while so maybe he can find that right one."
"Aww, sweet, that's just real sweet." Brittany replied sarcastically making a loud gagging sound.
"Shut up! We may have been together for almost 9 years Brittany, and as much as he was a good boyfriend he was also my friend." She replied wisely looking out her window as a Navy Blue 2001 Mercedes came up her driveway.
"Yea, yea, Rell and I are going to T.R.White Center later to watch Midnight Basketball you coming?" Brittany asked, Midnight Basketball was were kids from around the city get together and play basketball just to keep them off the streets.
"Nope, oh B, here's Dreux look Ima call ya after he leaves." Brittney replied looking in the mirror, that hole letting out some insecurities.
"Oh yea, yea...and Brittney?" Brittney said about to hang the phone up.
"Yea?" She said breathing slowly trying to make her stomach stop with all the Olympic Gymnastics.
"Remember you are beautiful." Brittany said smiling, something she had always told her best friend when she could feel those horrible insecurities of hers coming out.
Brittney looked away from the mirror smiling, "Thanks B, bye."
She almost threw the phone on the receiver when she heard a knock on the back door. She ran out of her room and down the stairs to see Druex standing at the door looking as nervous as she felt. She wanted to stop and say she wasn't ready, or he was lying, or she couldn't be with him. But she could actually find no reason why she could say any of those things, she wanted to say she hadn't known him long enough, but when she finally came down the stairs and he smiled at the sight of her through the window pane, she knew none of those things mattered.
Brittney opened the door letting Dreux in, "Hi."
Druex couldn't say anything, he just smiled, walking into the house looking around. Funny the house had seemed different Friday, today it was brighter more in tune with his emotions, more willing to pull at his many insecurities. He looked over at Brittney who looked out she would rather be dropping down a 1,000 FT tunnel than standing in front of him. "Hi."
They walked side by side into the living room and sat down, neither said anything as thought after thought running through both their minds. Dreux looked at her manicured fingers saying, "Your nails look good."
Brittney smiled looking at the manicure her brother got her, "Thanks, Jayson got me the manicure yesterday after church."
"It looks good." Druex smiled taking her hand looking at the perfect French Manicure, he felt her shiver under his touch and smiled, he didn't know what to say or how to say it.
Brittney shivered lightly as he held her hand staring intently at her nails, she tried to think of what to call this moment, awkward wasn't even the word for this, this was just right out uncomfortable.
"OK, let's talk." She said slowly pulling her fingers from his soft grip.
"Talk, hmm, can I do the talking? Just to do a little explaining to you." Druex said turning toward her as Brittney shifted sitting on her leg.
"When I was in the 7th grade I had my first sexual experience, and everything my Mom had taught me about the kind of girl I needed totally disappeared. I started to realize that some girls were so easy to make mine, that I forgot about the real women in life...like you." He said his brown eyes looking up at her every once in a while to make sure she was still listening.
