Hope, Charity & Faith Ch. 05

"Oh no, why is that Jay?" The thirty something could barely contain her obvious fawning.

"WELL, I DONE WHAT I SAID I WAS GONNA DO, BUT MY GIRL WASN'T HERE!! YEAH THAT'S RIGHT, MY GIRL WASN'T HERE MANDY!! SO, IT WASN'T LIKE I WAS AT FULL POWER WITHOUT MY BABY GIRL!!" Yeah, this motherfucker was soaking it all in as the reporter pouted.

"Well where is she, Jay?"

"HOME SICK, FEELING REAL BAD AND ALL, MA'AM!! SO, I HAD TO TAKE THIS TEAM ON MY BACK AND CARRY THEM ACROSS THAT FINISHING LINE, MA'AM!! I HAD TO DO THIS WITHOUT MY SPECIAL K, MA'AM!!" I threw up in my mouth a little bit as the minute long interview continued.

"Now Jay, you don't have to call me ma'am; I'm old enough to be, uhm your older sister."

That motherfucking Jay Stello blew right past that exchange grabbing the mic covering her hand with his own. The reporter looked as if she would swoon, completely flushed on camera with the jostling fans behind them as he leaned in screaming.

"LOVE YOU KIM, BABY!!" I'd seen enough handing the phone back to Jay as we entered the double doors leading to the meager buffet styled setup where cooks were preparing various breakfast items.

"Jaleel, that hurt me more than you; still think she your girl?"

"Not even."

Before we could properly walk onto the line, several guys pushed by us with little regard to our actual presence. I noticed a number of letterman jackets in the mix while Ricky did his best to jostle back with the guys. One extremely tall guy about six five in height found his struggles humorous, playfully shoving Ricky in the chest. My friend looked enraged, slapping back at the guy who turned facing us. Both of us found ourselves looking at this guy's abdomen.

"What's wrong titty?" He asked in a deep baritone voice, still smiling.

"That ain't my fucking name, Byron; and you motherfuckers just ran in front of us, too!!" A few of the other bigger guys turned prompted by Ricky's words. These were teenage boys that resembled full grown men already along with Byron.

"So what man, you ain't shit."

"FUCK YOU BYRON!!" I was more aware of our surroundings that my usually easy going friend. Ricky looked ready for a fight which didn't make sense considering what was standing before us collectively.

"Hey titty, you wanna throw hands or something, huh nigga?" The other guys crowded around Byron, a staunch member of our basketball team at power forward. This presented us with a human great wall collectively and an individual pissing contest for Ricky Arias.

"I'm just pointing out that you uhm, didn't give us a heads up when you pushed up in here, is all." Ricky's words were obviously measured.

"Titty, my nigga; you don't listen man. I said you ain't shit." Byron was one big fucking bastard literally and figuratively.

This proved to be Ricky's breaking point as he pushed by me, running off dejected to much laughter and jeers. The right thing to do streetwise would've been to take his life into his hands by throwing a few ceremonial punches as Byron and getting destroyed in the process. The wrong thing to do would've been to take his life into his hands by throwing a few ceremonial punches as Byron and getting destroyed in the process. Obviously, Rob McKenzie had been the beginning of some sort of negative karmic trial for my best friend.

"RICKY!!" I started after him.

"AWWWW, AIN'T THAT CUTE!! HOLD HIM TIGHT, BITCH!!" Some snarky looking red faced guy yelled getting a chorus of laughter. He was one of Byron's associates.

"WATCH OUT NIGGA!!" I was caught off guard, thrown with excessive force at least five feet away barely stopping myself from crashing to the corridor floor. The culprit was Charmaine, making my blood instantly boil.

"WHAT-THE-FUCK is wrong with you?!!" I instinctively yelled drawing attention I didn't need at that moment.

Charmaine was bristling wearing a yellow knit turtleneck wifebeater that looked painted onto her zaftig figure. Her own "earned" letterman jacket covered her torso.

"WHO YOU TALKING TOO, NIGGA?!!" Before I could react, her hand was palming my face like a basketball. Her intent was to draw her nails down my face in a clawing move, but I swatted her hand away with authority.

"Cut that shit out, Charmaine!" I tried to even out my tone, but internally I wasn't opposed to landing a right into her cheek.

"FUCKING SNITCH!!"

Charmaine feinted a right, but instead sent a burred pancake slap into the right side of my face staggering me out of shock. Rage welled up inside as I gritted my teeth, ready to blast the center of her face. Despite being attractive and built like a brick shithouse, Charmaine behaved just like one of the guys. Before anything could happen, I was caught up in the bearhug-like embrace of the school safety officer affectionately known as "Pops". He wrapped his arm around my shoulder forcefully compelling me down the corridor amid jeers, peer commentary and raucous laughter.

"Why're you grabbing me, Pops?"

"Relax Jaleel."

"NO, SHE SLAPPED THE SHIT OUTTA ME; WHY'RE YOU GRABBING ME, MAN?!!" I was livid but Pops ignored my strained, righteous indignation at his actions.

He held me tighter as I glanced over my shoulder finding Kimberly and Treena standing strong with Charmaine. Kim bumped fists with her right hand, giving tacit approval. I lost it jostling a bit with Pops amid various spectators.

"Do you want me to cuff you, Jaleel?"

"No."

"Then come to my office."

"I'm getting suspended?" I panicked not knowing how I'd explain things to my parents. Pops stopped still keeping a grip on the back of my neck, his features softening. He lightened up giving me a pat on the back.

"Come to my office."

Pops had a little office at the far end of the first floor corridor which was beyond modest with dusty unfinished brick walls, little more than a glorified janitors closet. Originally there had been two safety officers, the other guy in his early thirties able to be more physical than Pops, a man in his mid-fifties.

Citywide budget cuts resulted in the loss of that officer while Pops persevered through the sheer seniority and the buddy system. The gun on his hip was the only threat he could possibly pose to the random thugs roaming the school corridors. He was content not to disturb the Darwinian pecking order for the most part.

"Why am I sitting here?" I was still indignant.

"Cooler heads prevail Jaleel, just calm down; take a moment to get yourself together, kid. Did you really wanna fight a girl? Wanna fight a female in front of the student body; a cheerleader, huh?!!"

"You saw what she did, Pops." My accusatory tone wasn't lost on him as I registered a flash of emotion in his eyes surrounded by a crow's nest of wrinkles.

"Sometimes..."

"Don't."

"Sometimes, you just gotta let it roll off your back like water, boy." I was eighteen years old, and for the past three years this safety officer had been telling bullied students that shit instead of doing his fucking job.

"Can I go now?"

"Wait a minute; I got something for you." The portly officer had a bit of trouble bending over, retrieving a plastic bottle of chilled water from the small refrigerator beside his desk. It was probably my third bottle in three years since being a freshman.

"Can I go now, Pops?"

"There's lemon in that there water, Jaleel." I nodded pulling up the office door behind me.

Just outside my office I found a text on my phone from Ricky indicating that he'd driven back home after our run-in with Byron. I tried calling him up as I walked up to class, but it went to voicemail a few times before I gave up. I found the door to Mr. Harvey's class locked. It was a practice of his to dissuade lateness which forced tardy students into study hall / detention. I wasn't technically tardy knocking on the door. My peers were already in the midst of taking the quiz. Mr. Harvey walked outside pulling the door up behind him.

"Why're you knocking on the door Jaleel; you know the rules. Go to study hall."

"I wasn't really late; I was in the safety officer's office." Mr. Harvey looked flustered folding and unfolding his arms waiting to speak instead of listening.

"If you weren't late you would be inside taking my pop quiz. Now as a responsible young man, there is a president for adequate management of your time, Jaleel. Now I don't know what kind of inherent troubles you're experiencing, but you should've received a hall pass from the safety officer. Do you have one?"

"Pops forgot to give me one."

"Well then you have your quest; retrieve a hall pass and I'll give you a makeup quiz." Before I could get another word out, Mr. Harvey was inside the class closing and locking the door in my face.

"Fucking noodle." My comment was directed more at the teacher's slight, bespectacled nature, and stature.

The safety officer's station was closed and locked. Pops liked to leave campus for food runs at a local greasy spoon, taking additional orders from the front office as well. I went over to the cafeteria finding more asshole jocks hanging out there along with Byron who seemed to be perpetually cutting class. Instead of tempting fate, I decided to go into the school library to detox from all of the bullshit I'd experienced that morning.

I went halfway to the back of the room still pissed about Charmaine's bullying. Despite things, Pops really was right to snatch me out of the incident. I placed the bottle of water on the community desk I was sitting at looking at my phone. The seconds long video of Hope Arias big ass shaking and twerking calmed my nerves further.

"Excuse me?"

"Huh?" I didn't look up, but it was a girl talking. I had my phone under the desk still watching Hope's big pillowy butt, gyrating. The effect of the clip had me a bit zoned out.

"Sitting here, you don't mind, do you?"

"No, why would I...uhm, oh?" I looked up sort of annoyed, finding a surprise instead.

She was stunning, her face a juxtaposition of youth and maturity with piercing hazel colored eyes surrounded by dark mascara. She had fat, chubby cheeks and full lips coated in shades of burgundy. Regretfully the only comparison I could make to her appearance was that actress Gabrielle Union. Her hair was a wildish bob that complemented her face and slender looking neck.

Her height was between 5'5" and 5'8" long and lean. This student was wearing a multicolored cami knit sweater covered with horizontal stripes. The caramel color of her skin was vibrant enhancing everything about her person. In those fleeting seconds it was impossible not to notice her prominent bust line. Her darkened cleavage informed by a single deep set line.

"Alright, it's cool then, right?" She smiled biting her bottom lip, flirting?

"Sure."

She had a few books in hand, setting them down on the table before drawing the chair out with a loud groan from the wood as it dragged the floor. I remembered myself getting up to help, accidentally dropping my phone as a result.

"Oh sorry, let me get that for you." She went for my phone, but I panicked bending over accidentally hitting my head on the edge of the table.

"OW!"

"Oh, are you okay?" I managed to snag my phone hoping she didn't notice Hope's big twerking butt on its face, quickly pocketing it. I was grateful the sound was muted.

"I'm good, uhm?"

"Charity."

"Eh?"

"My name, is Charity." She offered a hand taking mine for a warmth infused, introductory shake. She seemed naturally humid on an internal level leaving heated residue afterwards.

"Jaleel, nice to meet you Charity." She smiled taking a seat across from me opening a book as I wondered if there was something, I could say to continue the conversation. Charity beat me to it, fortunately.

"Excuse me, but are you a, senior?"

"I was thinking the same question about you; I'm eighteen and on my way out the door at the end of the year, thankfully." She smiled at my aside, staring in a way that made me flush.

"Same here, although I think I'll be a little more fond of my days here on campus than you obviously are, eh?"

"Jaleel."

"Sorry, I can be bad with names sometimes. I'm a member of the student body and a few clubs, but it's odd that we've never come across one another." Charity rested her chin on her fist flipping pages still checking me out.

"Me, I'm uh, a student body ninja."

"Student body ninja?"

"I and others of my ilk, kind of blend in much to our mutual detriment. But if I'd known you were a student here, I would've gladly uncloaked myself to make your acquaintance." I almost facepalmed right there realizing how much of a nerd I sounded like, but Charity went with it chuckling as the bell rang signaling the end of the period.

"Oh well, looks like uh, fourth period is about to begin; sorry, but I've gotta go."

"Yeah, I'm sorry too."

"Why?"

"UHM, OH-STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS-uhm, sorry." It was fumbling my words all over the place as she smiled standing up with her collected books. I had to stifle an audible gasp hoping she didn't hear me when I got a view of her full body, vertically.

She was definitely long and lean, but with a prominent sloping bust that bulged outward from her chest dramatically. Her legs were shapely, seeming to go on forever encased in skintight, lightened stonewashed material. Her butt was medium sized and packed, getting an immediate reaction as I popped major wood. Thankfully, Charity wasn't looking, so I was able to readjust myself, covertly. I hadn't realized I was walking behind her until she glanced back at me, smiling.

"Checking me out, Jaleel?"

"Huh?" Charity chortled offering her hand again.

I felt stupid scratching the back of my head as she shook my hand gently. She was beautiful and stunning with an air of teenaged sophistication about her person. This made me feel almost like a peasant in her presence. It was similar to the way I felt around Kimberly Bivens, albeit to a lesser degree. Charity walked over to the counter to check out her books, glancing back again smiling.

"Jaleel?"

"Yeah?" My gaze was locked into her soft features taking in every detail in exquisite detail.

"Don't you have somewhere to be; or are you gonna stare at me for the rest of the day?" I was still partially dumbfounded giving her much humor in my mute response.

"Charity, I am so sorry about that; uhm, guess I'll go, then." I backed off towards the library door dragging my feet. I wondered if we'd see one another again, noting that we'd only met because I'd been booted from class.

"Jaleel?" She called after me.

"Yeah?"

"Don't be a stranger, okay?" Charity gave me a pinch on the cheek that embarrassingly almost made me swoon. I watched the tight sway of her packed, compact butt as she exited the library.

...to be continued.

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