Hope, Charity & Faith Ch. 12

She was forced to close the case do to a perceived lack of cooperation from the student body. The Tyrell family was already halfway across the country after his tenure had been abruptly ended with a resignation out of the blue. It was understood he was now teaching High School expecting his third child with wife Dr. Ashwani Tyrell.

Hope Arias flourished without the illicit affair that defined her freshman year and is casually dating a nice guy, keeping her nose in the books.

"Jaleel?"

"Speak." I was sitting in the gym bleachers munching on a burger and a bag of chips when Kimberly Bivens appeared.

"I just wanted to know how you were doing; you looked a little down lately."

"Oh, you care now?" Kimberly sat down beside me, but I didn't look at her. I was just watching a gym class of underclassmen playing an awkward game of volleyball.

"Yeah, I care about you."

"Still want me to go to prom, huh?"

"I'd love to have you as my date, I'd like that a lot but we both know that isn't going to happen. As a matter of fact, I'm going stag. Well, it's either that or taking my dad as a date."

I couldn't help but smile at the intentional life change I'd initiated in her life. I glanced at her finding a timid smile on her face. We both started chuckling without verbalizing what both knew. She reached over caressing the back of my head before playfully tugging on my ear. I didn't recognize this person.

"Sorry about that."

"It's okay, I deserved it on so many levels Jaleel. I've treated you so horribly and I guess, robbed you of being with at least two girls who really liked you. I didn't know about Faith, but I knew about Charmaine."

"You did?"

"Yeah, one day she was being kind of aggressive after I talked shit about you. We sort of, hugged it out but later I saw her crying really hard. I knew it at that moment, but I was still jealous. We slept together later that day. The day you lost your virginity, Jaleel. She never actually said how she felt, but I knew."

"Shit."

"I understand if you hate me."

"I don't hate you Kim; I wish you would've been a better friend to Charmaine." I reached over taking her hand in my own. She smiled for a few seconds looking away dabbing at her eyes.

"You skipping prom?"

"No, I have a promise to keep to a very special girl who gave up everything to help me out."

"Alright Jaleel, I'm always around if you need to talk."

The new Kimberly Bivens gave me a kiss on the cheek before gathering up her books and leaving the bleachers. Her new attitude gave me...Faith.

The real reason I was bummed was due to a recent visit to see Tina. She refused to come out and see me but delivered a handwritten message with the assistance of prison guard Gary. The chubby guy was her second friendship cultivated behind bars. Tina wanted me to live my life, stop worrying about her so she wrote that she would stop talking to me so that I could live free of her bad decisions. I was distraught intending to sit there anyway and intent on sitting in an empty window every following weekend until she came out. Instead, I received sage advice from the fifty something who assured me Tina was going to be fine.

I was going to prom stag too; I was going to keep my promise.

Oddly enough I noticed a peculiar sight upon exiting the gymnasium. At the end of the corridor I caught sight of Lisa Jackson hand in hand with Norman, talking briefly with Kimberly Bivens. I didn't know what to make of things figuring it a coincidence. I was bored of high school drama and definitely wasn't looking to cultivate any more. My life was different now, I had to be responsible for my actions. It was my fault that two beautiful young women had their lives irreparably changed. I didn't know how I could live with that guilt. On the bright side, my grades were better than ever and that would've made Faith proud.

"Son?"

"Yes mother?"

"The limousine is out front; are you ready to go?" I was sitting on the edge of my bed, PlayStation controller in hand. I'd been dressed for hours and sat there lazing about playing the new Spider-Man game to calm my nerves.

"Yeah, I won't be out late." She helped me into my tuxedo jacket but held fast looking proudly at me. I was a little embarrassed, but she gave me a deep hug.

"My son is so handsome." She gave me a peck on the cheek, tearing up herself.

"I love you mom."

"I love you too, son."

I was wearing a black tux with a silvery cummerbund; mom insisted on the color and I was too lethargic to argue. I was surprised when she allowed me a limo as well, but happy that my promise to Tina would be fulfilled completely. Even without a date, mom doted all over me taking way too many photos before walking me to the limousine. Soon I was off to the prom riding alone with just my innate sadness keeping me company.

Our cheap school didn't have a venue, so the gymnasium had been converted by an equally lethargic Vice Principal Harris. I chuckled recalling a near confrontation with her in the school cafeteria. I was buying lunch when I felt someone glaring at me turning to find Mrs. Harris glaring at me, obviously informed. Without hesitation I took put my cell phone capturing myself in a selfie video loudly declaring my fake admiration for the principal detailing her connection to a certain former, student body president. Vice Principal Harris knew what I was doing, walking briskly out of the cafeteria.

Even with a reduced budget from a rueful school administration, the remaining members of the student council managed some sort of elven magic in that gymnasium providing a darkened venue offset by pools of ethereal light and sparkling overhead displays that mimicked the stars above. It was simply beautiful.

My peers were sporting a variety of hues and colors, some of the guys comically sporting expensive sneakers instead of standard dress shoes. A girl or two had been stopped at the doors regarding excessively revealing attire, but ultimately allowed to continue inside. I checked into prom finding Lisa Jackson working the table. We exchanged pleasantries but didn't speak much.

I walked across the gym floor greeting a couple or two noticing Treena heavily made up dancing with her seventeen year old date. We exchanged glances with her meekly waving earning the ire of her jealous date for a second or two. I smiled continuing onward to the bleachers, having a seat.

I just wanted to occupy the space intending to sit there until it was over to fulfill my promise. The DJ was really talented playing a mix of new and old music accessible enough and palatable for the adult chaperones. Our new school safety officer Tyrone was vigilant intercepting two separate attempts at spiking the punch bowl.

I found it easier to vicariously enjoy prom as LOVE by Kendrick Lamar serenaded the senior class adding to the relaxed atmosphere. I wiped a few tears still thinking of loves found and lost. I wondered what Tina would've made of my senior prom.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes."

"May I have this dance?" Kimberly Bivens was standing in front of me.

She looked stunning in a golden sleeveless wrap prom dress perfectly fitted to her slim stacked figure. There was a matching corsage on her wrist. Her hair was pinned up with little bits of gold ornamentation inset. I should've been happy, but I hesitated instead. I wasn't angry or annoyed, just sad.

"I don't know; maybe you should find somebody else, Kim." Guilt read on my face, images of Tina plaguing my mind.

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

She took my hand leading me out onto the dance floor. I followed her in the midst of the huge crowd ready to go through the motions. Kimberly let go of my hand turning to face me, both hands in front of her person staring in the center of the dancing couples. My ex-girlfriend was smiling wide showing her pearly whites, unmoving. Call Out My Name by The Weeknd was playing overhead in booming haunting tones.

"What?"

She gestured with her hand wanting me to turn around. I noticed other couples also suddenly looking in that direction. At that moment, my heart began beating so hard in my chest. It felt like I was gonna have a heart attack as I slowly turned with the parting crowd.

Faith.

She was an angelic vision in sparkling white there in front of me walking through the parted crowd of enchanted students wearing this stunning silvery dress inset with sequins that caught the light making them sparkle like the stars above. It was form fitted to her torso with an intricate silver inlaid design that matched these sparkly decals on her arms along with the iridescent silver polish on her nails.

Her hair was fully blown out with Ghanaian braids on the sides inlaid with the same shimmering flecks of silver catching the light. Her face stunningly beautiful, was needlessly professionally made up with matching elements. She stopped five feet away offering her hands, beaming. I couldn't believe my eyes, looking over at Kimberly Bivens.

She gave me a light push towards Faith.

I started trembling uncontrollably as I closed the distance reaching out in similar fashion. The tears started coming down hard across my cheeks and weren't stopping any time soon. It was surreal and frightening not because it was scary, but I knew I never wanted to wake up. This jolt of electricity ran through me the second our hands touched. Faith stepped into my body wrapping her arms around my chest.

She was trembling uncontrollably too, both of us crying.

"HOW?!!"

"Dr. Ashwani sent me an open ticket; Lisa Jackson has been watching you for me and helped set this up with Kimberly."

"WHAT?!!"

I was losing it, becoming hysterically euphoric when Kimberly stepped up wiping my face with some napkins. Off in the distance I noticed Lisa Jackson on the sidelines, happily sobbing. Faith took some of the napkins wiping away the unending deluge of happy tears.

"You're not happy to see me?"

"Faith, I love you."

Now tears were streaming down the face of a woman who'd flown halfway across the world to be with me. I didn't want that wiping them away kissing her cheeks before stopping looking deep in her eyes our thumping hearts beating in unison, perfectly in sync. At that moment I realized dreams can come true. I cupped her face breathing hard.

It was the kiss that I'd longed to give her since I watched the plane flying away. It lasted a lifetime and then some before we broke, Faith gasping hard. I knew would never let her go and nothing on Earth would keep us apart. Her eyes dipped low, but I raised her chin ready to kiss her beautiful soul.

"What is it, Faith?"

"Can you show me some moves?"

I wrapped my arms around her lifting her up into my lips kissing her fully as her arms wrapped around my neck. We were unconsciously moving to the music as everyone danced around us closing the space.

We were in love.

THE END

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Author notes:

Thank you for reading this series; I hope you were entertained & would love to hear your comments.

Tina appears courtesy of My BIG, PHAT AZZ Summer: A 5 Part Series (2013)

Chrystal McIntyre appeared in this series prior to Bad M.I.L.F: 17 Part Series (2017-2019) ** Also, Catherine Brennan-cameo follows the same time line.

A separate one shot will detail what happens after prom.