Hope, Charity & Faith Ch. 07

* All characters in this story are of legal age. *

The bus ride home was strained, as I sat there processing everything with the attention to detail afforded a crackhead. It was still hard to believe, yet impossible to deny what I'd seen. The causal disdain exhibited by Charity had me reeling emotionally. Her authoritative manner shut me down instantly as she never faltered from her default sunny disposition.

Still impossibly beautiful and out of my league, Charity had become a brick wall of tactile denial. It flew in the face of the sensuous creature who'd screwed the stuffing out of me the night prior. Every bit and moment was replayed in a continuous loop as I embarrassingly became aroused. Now, everything had been a ruse that she cleverly flaunted in my face with coy verbal cues.

I thought things were moving quickly for one day but never thought we'd hook up. My mind did flip flops going over every word spoken between us finding her decidedly haughty, overly judgmental. It was her world at all times, and I been allowed a moment in it at her discretion. I wondered if I were a momentary repast, but the revelation of that motherfucking Jay Stello left everything turned on its head. There couldn't be a worser nightmare as my bus reached its stop, the sky above overcast reflecting my growing despair. It was an odd bit of Deja vu standing in front of my house contemplating the savage mores of teen life at my high school.

I barely lasted until I made it sitting on the edge of my bed with my face buried in a pillow across my lap. The "mind fuck" perpetrated upon me was staggering coupled with my earlier discovery of Kimberly's infidelity and the first of two improbable hookups with Hope Arias followed almost immediately by Charity whose last name I realized I didn't even know. I glanced up from my pillow wet faced noticing something left on my desk.

"Ah shit, fuck me." My mother had taken it upon herself to leave a small box of Magnum condoms for my use.

I sat their reeling from the combined memories eventually noticing one of my yearbooks sticking out from under a stack of papers and comics on a nearby shelf. I snatched it down thumbing through it until I found Charity's photo.

"Charity Gilbert."

Once her last name was discovered it seemed to open a floodgate and wealth of information as I found her sporadically all over two subsequent year books until a smoking gun presented itself.

"You snooty bitch." The man upstairs gave me a karmic pat on the back as I discovered a pic of Charity and Jay Stello from our sophomore year.

They were definitely a preexisting couple predating his eventual coupling with my ex, Kimberly Bivens. She was even wearing his letterman jacket in the photo.

There was no doubt she'd used me to some nefarious end, perhaps using the photo of me to draw him back into her thrall. I thought about her as a person now seeing the red flags, the shallow nature of her being informed by words and actions.

Outside rain had begun to steadily pour, the droplets pinging against my bedroom window. I recalled the video Ricky had shown me on our first day of hell with that motherfucking Jay Stello publicly declaring his "love" for Kimberly Bivens. Charity Gilbert was way above my ex -girlfriend in looks and status. Charity's mile high opinion and ego wouldn't take kindly to such an afront. I met her in that library because she was looking for me.

"I was used." I admitted out aloud to myself. It didn't make me feel any better as I tossed the year books on the floor. The stress eventually claimed my conscious mind as I passed out face down in my bed.

There was no dreaming in this stress induced fugue state, only the sweet embrace of a nonjudgmental darkness that claimed me with open arms. It was a natural reset button in reaction to sensory overload to my experiences. Unfortunately, this mode was short lived as I was jolted from sleep slumber by the incessant ringing of my phone.

"Hello?" I answered still face down in my tear soaked pillow.

"YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT; I-HATE-YOU MOTHERFUCKER!!" The animalistic snarling that greeted me was barely audible with the person on the other end, half coughing and sobbing. I ended as abruptly as it began.

"What the fuck?"

I sat up on the edge of my bed, looking at the face of my phone. I'd received this call from a BLOCKED number. Someone wanted to remain anonymous, but I knew the voice belonged to a girl. I noticed a few texts on my phone from hookup #2, returning the call.

"Hey Jaleel, what's up babe?"

"Did you just call here?"

"Nope, was kind of busy getting it in if you know what I mean. Stefan's gone back to the dorm now; we could get in trouble if he's caught in here by my prude roommate." Hope sounded breezy like she'd just woke up.

"Well somebody called me-WHO'S STEFAN?!!"

"This really cool Economics major I met and my total rebound fuck. He's kind of cool and I might keep him around for a minute; so, what's going on Jaleel?"

My stomach flipped further upon finding out the world kept spinning regardless of my involvement in it. I could hear strains of SOUL SEARCHING by Me' Shell NdegeOcello playing in her background. That left no doubt she was getting her freak on earlier.

"Stefan, huh?"

"Hey sorry, I was being insensitive man; we've gotta get you that third lay so that you won't stay imprinted on me. But honestly, I'd rather end up the object of you misplaced teenage scorn than that fucking Kimberly bitch."

"Too late, already happened." There was a moment of silence on her end and the sound of ruffling bedding.

"You've gotten yourself laid; got that third lay, Jaleel?" I could hear her sniffling and coughing a little, but it was the kind people did when awakened abruptly out of a deep sleep.

"Yeah, I got myself fucked real good, and it was FUCKING SHITTY!!"

"Jaleel, I'm almost afraid to ask; did you go back and fuck that bitch, Kimberly Bivens, huh nigga?!" There was an edge in her voice that told me she was completely clueless and didn't call me earlier.

"FUCK NO!!" I yelled into the receiver without hesitation.

"I am so fucking relieved that you didn't undo all the good work I've been putting in on that whore. Man, you had me scared you sold out back to the simp plantation."

"What're you talking about Hope; what "Good Work" huh, girl?!!" A few seconds later I could hear my best friend's sister chuckling in familiar nerdy fashion.

"Oh don't worry about it; I got it handled."

"Hope, what are you talking about?"

"Oh I may have sent your girl another clip; don't worry about it though. So, guess I can stop slapping her up with those reality checks, huh? Hey, check it out Jaleel, I'll send you the clip...HEY, WHERE'S MY BURNER PHONE?!! Uhm, excuse me for a minute."

I sat there blank faced hearing a door slam in the distance followed by the sound of some scuffling and a loud crash. I didn't know what to make of that shit.

"HEY UHM, SHIT KINDA HAPPENED JALEEL; HOPE YOU GOTTA A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR!!" Hope returned to the phone more lively than before worrying me.

"What have you done?"

"Just sent the first clip, kind of a buffer, okay?" My phone chimed with a message containing the seconds long clip which appeared to be almost a minute long. I took a deep breath opening it without a further word to Hope.

Nicky Minaj's "Good Form" with that imp looking fucker Lil Wayne, blasted from my phone speaker as I beheld Hope standing there in a fleece bathrobe rolling and popping her shoulders. She was not alone. The room was full of other adult looking college women surrounding her also bobbing their heads, swaying back and forth to the music with Hope. That fluffy robe fell away from her body revealing my best friend's older sister in all her semi-naked glory.

Hope's extravagant curves were accentuated with a lacy white bra and panty set with matching mesh garter belt, stockings, and heels. My eyes bulged out of my head as Hope rolled and popped her hips dancing to the music, eventually turning around with a full clapping twerk. Her friends whooped, cat called and clapped as the clip ended abruptly.

"Damn man, why're you sending Kimberly this shit?"

"Uhm, sending the other accidental clip before the explanation." Before I could ask, my phone received another clip. My hands trembled a little as I opened it.

The first thing I noticed was some girl from the nose down to her big, burgundy coated lips talking with the lower half of her face exposed. I had to turn up the sound this time. Hearing the same music in the background.

"Fuck that bitch, she ain't shit but a fucking clout chaser, anyway!"

"Yeah, she a burnt piece of fucking bacon; she gonna get that rot education if she come around her shaking that skanky narrow butt!! I'm a have the boys put her out on the stroll. My girl got him on lock, anyway, fuck that noise!!"

"She can smell the panties!!" Both of the talking women were obviously drunk out of their skulls, slurred speech, and all.

"HEY, GIMME THAT PHONE!!" Hope's voice interrupted the girls as the phone dipped low revealing the talking girl was bottomless.

Completely commando with some hips and thighs to die for. The view was jerked away revealing Hope tussling with the owner of her phone. I got a brief glimpse of the girl in custody of the phone, some attractive white woman thicker than Hope and the other girl.

"STOP HATING SLUT!!" The blonde yelled back as the other girl play wrestled with Hope wrapping an arm around her neck in a faux choke hold.

"STFU CHRYSTAL; YOU'RE FUCKING STONED AGAIN, WHORE!!" Hope shot back as her associates giggled incessantly.

The phone was suddenly snatched giving me a fleeting glimpse of the blonde's similar state of undress showcasing this enormous heart shaped derriere that rivaled Hope's but on second glance defeated hers in dramatic fashion.

"WHY YOU HATING, FUCK KIMBERLY BIVENS IN HER SKANKY BOOTY!! WHERE HER NIGGA AT; I'M GONNA TURN HIM OUT!!" This blonde college student was blazed out of her mind. Both of the women were shrieking and laughing as I was given the impression some sort of party was in progress elsewhere in their dorm. There was muffled thumping music omnipresent in the background.

The clip ended.

"Hope."

"Hey uh, I accidentally sent that when I snatched the phone; but don't worry, they were talking about Stefan; you mad Jaleel?"

"Gee, whatever gave you that idea?"

"Uhm, is it gonna be bad?"

"Yeah bitch, you probably just gotta hit put out on me. You think about your brother when you started sending this shit to Kim, huh? I'm probably gonna get pulled into the office for fucking harassment or something, Hope!"

"We didn't say your name Jaleel; if they do that shit, just go all Nixon on those stupid ass teachers. Deny everything, but she ain't doing nothing because it would be a big fucking blow to her ego admitting defeat. She'd lose a million cool points; it'd be like blood in the water with her fair weather friends."

"How you know?"

"Women know women Jaleel; so, tell me about girl number three."

"There's nothing to tell other than she was Kimberly Bivens version 2.0. I got played so that she could steal that motherfucking Jay Stello from my..." There was a long pause on the phone before she spoke.

"You were gonna say "Your Girlfriend" weren't you?"

"I wanna say no, but I guess it's my default position when I get fucked over emotionally. Charity Gilbert, that's her name; well, she was all put out because her boyfriend I guess, was cheating with Kimberly out in the open. I got fucked ten ways from Sunday, fucked like I'd paid for it and then...nothing. She burned me the next day, ghosted me right in my fucking face like the shit never happened! Know what she told me right before sitting on his lap? She said-IT'S BEYOND MY CONTROL!!"

I couldn't hide the emotion in my voice and didn't want to at this point. Despite Hope's overall flighty nature, I felt like I could be open and honest with her. I knew where I stood with her. We were friends before she decided to become my second experience.

"Jaleel, are you telling me she went John Malkovich on your ass?"

"What?"

"John Malkovich, that's what we call that passe shit; frat boys be trying to do that shit, but it's mostly used by lame performing arts majors and wholly pretentious, pseudo intellectuals. Dude, what is up with you and these snooty booty chicks?" I chuckled, coughing a bit surprised that she'd accurately called out Charity Gilbert with a minimum of information.

"Guess I got a type." I retorted half snarky.

"Face time with me real quick, okay?" The call switched to a prompt asking for the video call. I clicked on Hope's goofy social media photo.

"Uhm, hey." I greeted her face in closeup as it popped on my phone screen.

"Oh shit, you're a mess."

"Thanks for that." Even more snark this time.

"Hey, I'm not coming at you sideways; man, I wanna see you rise to the occasion. You deserve so much better than to be walking around with your head fogged up for some skanky butt, cheerleader. That bitch needed a reality check and she been getting that work on the low. I ain't sorry for fucking with her and you shouldn't be either Jaleel. Fuck the new thot, too. Don't you see what I was trying to do, huh?"

"Yeah, but you ain't on the front line, Hope."

"Empathy is my fuel, baby; you know how hard I had it with Lamar! That fucker ran up in me like it was Black Friday!! I know how it is Jaleel, you can't take that shit away from me! Every inch I gave, he took miles out of my ass!! He didn't even care that I was gone or nothing; still wanted to fuck when I got back! So you just gotta thin that restrictive air out, Jaleel! Dilute that dirty water with three parts clearwater. Now you gotta stop fucking with these uptight thots and another thing..."

"Cut the shit, Hope."

"Ranting a bit, huh?" The intensity in her voice dissipated.

"Yeah."

"Alright, peace offering?" Hope planted her phone backing away until I could see a portion of her dorm room. She opened the robe flashing her lingerie again, sans one stocking which was a visual indictment of the lucky night for some guy I instantly disliked.

"If you really wanna give me a peace offering, you'll call that blonde back in so that I can see that ass again." Hope's eyes went wide for a few seconds in righteous indignation.

"Motherfucker."

I was just being facetious, but she stormed out of frame, robe still opened. I wondered if she were pissed at my joke, when said blonde in question appeared in phone frame, in extreme closeup. She stared at me like some kind of science experiment, blinking profusely before averting eyes off screen.

"So, what am I looking at, Hope?"

"Shut the fuck up and just do that appropriated thing, you like to do, Chrystal. This is my brother's little friend, he saw your black card, slut."

"I ain't fucking with no shorties; you trying to get me up outta here with the cops, huh bitch?!!"

"He's legal, I fucked him." The blonde stared back at me, still unsure, brow furrowed.

"WHY?!!"

"Hey, I know you like your fucking fans, but its cool with the drama, girl. That thing's probably FAKE anyway, thot!!"

"FUCK YOU TUBBY!!" This blonde, Chrystal was put off by the assessment of her curves ruefully moving backward glancing over her shoulder at me.

She was still wearing a cutoff t-shirt and a black thong swallowed up by her cheeks that caused me to pop instant, throbbing wood. Her enormous heart shaped cheeks clapped thunderously for a few seconds. It was over too soon, as she returned to extreme closeup. There was no mistaking the condescending expression on her face that contrasted from her earlier decidedly loopy demeanor. It seemed she'd come down from whatever she was doing earlier. I was looking at the real version of this college aged woman.

"There you go kid; you have fun with that now." She disappeared from my facetime screen as quickly as she'd appeared. Once she cleared the screen, I saw Hope standing looking in the direction she went with a one finger salute raised.

"Well, that was uhm, disappointing." I commented dryly.

"To be honest, she probably would've acted differently if she saw you below the belt. That being said, given the law of averages, you've gotta get another girl to cancel this new bitch. I've been giving it some thought and..."

"Stop it."

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about Hope; we both know that you're not being honest with me about things. You did it, didn't you? You fucked him again, didn't you?" I could see the change in her face the moment the words left my lips. Hope's shoulders gradually slumped as she sat on the edge of her bed.

"Uhm, his wife called-like before he could really get my panties off; She was coming up the corridor to his office, so he shoved me into this back hallway. The janitor kind of caught me pulling up my underwear." She offered, making me regret calling her out.

"Hope."

"It was the look on that old janitor's face; that fucking "I've seen this before" look as he kept sweeping up with his push broom. I felt like trash, it made me so mad that I knew I was fucking somebody before the day was over." Her hookup for the night Stefan, was explained.

"Hey girl, I'm gonna be okay; you don't have to help me out anymore."

"I'm a hypocrite."

"I think you should tell on this fucking guy, Hope." It was the only advice I could offer realizing she was in a lot of trouble herself. Despite what we'd physically shared, I wished I hadn't slept with her either. Hope was actually using me as a buffer to soften the blow of her own dilemma.

"Uhm, I'm gonna hang up now."

"Hey, I'm sorry Hope; I didn't mean it, okay?"

"Yeah whatever; I'll leave you alone." She retrieved her phone noticeably averting her eyes from my face on it. The screen went black as she cut the facetime call leaving me alone in the muted silence of my bedroom.

"Shit."

**********************

The following morning Ricky was uncharacteristically somber as we drove to school in near silence. I knew there had to be more to the story than just what happened with one of our bullies days prior. I struggled to find some common ground to strike up a conversation, even though we were sitting side by side.

"I got laid again." I went for the low hanging fruit, knowing he'd take a bite.

"Kimberly take you back?"

"Not even, it was this female named Charity Gilbert." Once the name left my lips, Ricky slowed down side eyeing me with this incredulous look.

"Stop bullshitting man, she's way out of our league on the student council, smoking hot and everything. She got some awesome fucking tits, too."

"Tell me about it; I couldn't believe she was talking to me."

"Man, you're fucking around."

"After that shit that happened with us at breakfast that day, I nearly got into a fight with Charmaine right outside the cafeteria. That useless school cop, Pops, snatched me up into his office instead of that big bitch!"

"What's that gotta do with Charity Gilbert, huh?"

"Mr. Harvey locked me out of class for being late and told me I'd have to take a makeup quiz. I went back to the cafeteria but those assholes that were messing with you were there, so I went into the library where I met Charity."

"Stop lying nigga."

"Who's lying, I'm telling you the bitch was looking for me; came right up to me asking if she could have a seat at the table I was sitting at, Ricky!!"

"You're dreaming."

"Whose dreaming, nigga?!! I admit I was simping hard in the paint the whole time she was there, but it happened. Later, I was getting screwed out of my makeup quiz when she stepped in and helped me out. Then, she was like, meet me after school all smiling and everything!!"

"Bullshit!!"