– yeah?” Rosie replied with a tone that scolded her friend for the oversight. “Your things are already at my house, Silly.”
“Let up, Hermana,” Gladys told Rosie. “Our girl’s having a hard time tonight. You know? She’s not coming back to school with us next week. Remember?”
“Oh!”
“I’m sorry. I forgot all about that. But Mason Creek isn’t all that far. My uncle and his family are out there. And we’re still able to attend the same church.”
“Yeah, but she’ll be at a different school district and everything, Rosie!” Vivian argued sadly. “It won’t be the same.”
While Vivian and Rosie continued to argue, as they usually seemed to love doing, Tiphany was able to tune them out and focus on Jimmy, who had suddenly come into her view. She noticed him chatting with his own friends. Just staring at the tall, dark-skinned, confident basketball player, she found herself relieved that he was no longer considered taken. But what difference should that make? She argued inwardly. He went from girlfriend to girlfriend like he was square-dancing. So, only a matter of time determined how soon he’d have another one – regardless of how closely Sheila clung to him.
Her heart sank at the thought of having to forget about him. Even though Jimmy never paid much attention to her off the dance floor, he made every move memorable for her. Tiphany only wondered if he’d find her replacement for his remaining semester in school. Then, college was next for him. Rumors had already surfaced that he had been presented with three basketball scholarships. Two of them were said to be out of state.
Startled, Tiphany gasped with realization that Jimmy caught her stare and, within a second, returned it with a smile that warmed her from head to toe. Feeling like a deer in a headlight, she contemplated fleeing in order to hide herself. But he didn’t seem to care. Jimmy continued to stare at her until his smile faded.
His look became more intense until he finally gestured her to meet him in a spot away from the crowds. Tiphany slowly moved toward his direction, hoping she wasn’t somehow mistaken. Maybe he was actually looking at somebody else, she thought. After all, she and Jimmy had never shared more than a minute of words. And she continuously reminded herself of this until she was face to face with him.
“Did I take you away from having fun with your girls?” He asked her with another smile.
“Huh? Them? No. I’ll be spending the night with them anyway.” She chuckled tensely.
“One last night with them before you head off? Huh?”
“Yeah,” she replied before thinking. “Well, no. I won’t be out of town – just in Mason Creek.”
“Mason Creek? I have family members who moved out there.”
“Really?” Tiphany blurted with delight and surprise.
“Yeah. My scholarship is right over there at Hayland Hill University,” he explained. “That’s in a suburb right next to Mason Creek.”
“And don’t you have two other scholarships out of town?” She gradually found herself more comfortable talking with him.
“Yeah.” He seemed to be at a sudden loss of words. But he was bold enough to stare straight-faced into her eyes during what seemed like a long still moment of silence. “Let’s go outside and talk. Alright?” he finally suggested.
Tiphany swallowed hard. “Okay.”
Wearing a stylish sweater over a collar shirt, he gently placed his letterman jacket over her shoulders before leading her out into the winter weather with his right hand resting on her right shoulder. The feel of his muscular frame against her left shoulder – even under his thick layer of clothing and the jacket over her shoulders – gave her an unusual hope that he just may have more to say to her than he ever had before. To their left were benches where groups of students played cards. So, they walked farther out until they reached the dimly lit track field bleachers. Jimmy silently grabbed Tiphany’s hand and led her up the ramp toward the empty seats. She could only hope that her mother, who was one of the event chaperones, wouldn’t notice her absence.
As they sat on the bottom bench, Jimmy asked her, “Are you still cold?” Before she could answer, he helped her slip her arms through the sleeves of his jacket.
“Thank you.” For a few silent seconds, she waited for him to say something. But she noticed under the dim lights that he only stared out at the raging fireworks from miles away. “So, um…Where’s Sheila?”
“Sheila? I don’t know.”
“Well, I had expected to see her on your arm here at the dance.”
He laughed. “Why? We don’t go together anymore.”
“Oh.”
“Why aren’t you and Manuel together?”
“I broke it off about two months ago.”
“Yeah, I noticed you at school walking without him,” he said matter-of-factly. “You seem to like hanging out with your friends more.”
“I do.” She nodded.
“I wish my sister would be like that,” he continued in a more solemn tone. He shook his head. “I can’t figure out why Candace won’t leave that player alone.”
“Well, isn’t she just a sophomore?”
“So?” He chuckled.
“Well…She has time to see if that guy’s no good for her,” Tiphany suggested. “What’s his name?”
“Curtis Powell. He’ll be graduating this year, too. And that’s a good thing since I heard he’s going off to college.”
Tiphany giggled. When Jimmy responded with an abrupt, puzzled look, she quickly looked away.
“What’s so funny?” he demanded finally forming a crooked smile.
Before realizing her bold reply, she gave it to him. “People say you’re a player, Jee…J-Jimmy.”
“Did you just call me Jee?” His gaze, turning upon her face, intensified as he slowly rested his elbows on his knees. Jimmy smiled.
She continued to stutter. “It…It j-just slipped out like th-that…”
“No, no. I like it. Call me that. Alright?”
“Well…okay…for now. But…I don’t have long to see you anymore, Jimmy. Jee…I’ll be at Bridgewood High starting next semester.”
“That’s in a few days?”
She nodded. “And then…It’s off to college for you anyway.”
“How do you know I’m going away?” He sat up straight again to face her more. “I told you I have an offer at Hayland Hill.”
“W-Well, why w-would you go there?” She asked with genuine curiosity. “They have a sorry team. Everybody knows that.”
Jimmy
