White Freshman, Black Coeds Ch. 22

She wanted to go somewhere and make out, but I wasn't feeling it. You know that feeling you get after a big adrenaline rush? I was still shaking from the encounter. But I let Nia know with strong hugs and my lips that I truly appreciated her being there for me.

Thursday, 10/27

Mind if we come over tonight? We want to tell you how The Plan went. Around 9?

Sure! Come on over.

Thanks!

I picked Nia up and we were at the girls' a bit after 9. "So did it work, are you free of her?" Candace, worry and concern on her face. I told her it did, and I was, then she and Keisha enveloped me in hugs, drawing Nia in too.

Then Nia pulled the camera out and showed them the pictures on the little screen. "Holy shit!" Keisha, the coarser of the two. Candace just said something like Oh my! Nia gave the camera back to Keisha, saying we'd downloaded the pics onto our computers. "Did they try to get the camera or recorder from you, or maybe try to keep you from leaving with them?"

"The Free Press lady did, but Mark shoved her back down on the couch--like this--and told her to 'Sit down, bitch!'" It was a pretty good account of how I'd sounded, and while it wasn't one of my finer moments, I did like how the girls looked at me.

Changing the subject, probably because she saw how much it bothered me, Candace asked, "Hey, you guys hungry? I could order pizza..." I looked at Nia and she at me, and words were muttered about not really having had dinner today, etc. "That settles it, then. Sausage and mushroom okay?" I told Nia that was their favorite, but could we do a large, half beef and black olive? Sure, so I called it in so as to get the discount. Candace brought out a chilled bottle of white and we drank it while mostly Nia did the play-by-play of last night.

"Listen to this: 'You're doing very well, dear. You have to train your man early so he always thinks of your needs first, even if his don't get met at all.'" It was clearly Miss Pullam's voice, and the girls listened with dropped jaws, never having suspected she was like that. Then Nia fast-forwarded and after a couple tries got it to a place where the Free Press lady was talking about what they were going to do to my bum after giving me this 'one-time treat of our lips on his cock. You can bet that won't be happening anymore!'"

"Wow, she sounds worse than Capri you told us about!" Candace, mentioning Miss Pullam's daughter, the reluctant dominatrix (to hear her tell it; probably got it from her mom). Nia rewound again and it was more talk of molesting my anus, so I grabbed it from her and hit Stop.

"You get the idea!" I could feel the heat of shame in my face. "Nia was AWESOME though! Her acting, and the way she maneuvered them into that compromising position." The girls were looking appreciatively at Nia and giving her high fives. "And the dildoes? They sure did complain, didn't they, baby?!"

She started to answer, when the doorbell rang. I said I'd get it and took the money from the table that Candace had set out. Opening the door I saw a driver I recognized but didn't know too well. He seemed to recognize me too. Tom, maybe? A white kid like me. "Large half Italian and 'shroom, half beef and black olive?" I said that was it and traded him the money for the pie, when I saw him looking over my left shoulder, his eyes nearly bugging out.

"I forgot to give you the coupon, baby." Candace, with a coupon in her hand. She wasn't dressed provocatively, and the poor kid couldn't even see her booty because I hadn't opened the door much, but remember how I said she looked like Meagan Good? Well today her hair was done in a way that really made her look like Meagan Good. And this poor, nerdy-looking white kid looked like he was about to blow a gasket.

Now, I don't know why Candace had called me baby, but I was so glad she had! Because as slick as you please I said, "Thanks, hon," and kissed her on the cheek. And that, my friends, was going to earn me major respect down at the shop when this kid went back and told them that not only was my girlfriend older, and black, but she looked just like Meagan Good!

Candace didn't even notice at the time, but I told her later and she accused me of objectifying and using her. To which I could only answer, "Yeah, but if you look like Meagan Good, can you blame me??" She kissed me for the compliment, but then punched me on the arm. I seemed to get punched on the arm a lot by young women in those days.

And then I found out why Candace had followed me to the door, because she pulled me to the far end of the living room, where the girls in the kitchen couldn't see us, and started whispering a fiendish plan to me.

"Hey, what are you two whispering about in there? Our stomachs are in here!" Keisha.

"Nunya!" said Candace, then I had to tell her no because it would lead to 'activities' between the four of us, and I was still shaking after last night at Miss Pullam's and really wasn't in the mood for sex right now. She hugged me and told me it was alright, and she was sorry again that I'd been preyed on like that.

We went back to the kitchen, Candace carrying the pizza. Nia noticed I was different so she whispered to me was I alright? I said I was, but could we talk later? She squeezed my hand and smiled at me. Then Keisha brought out some Uno cards, declaring, "Strip Uno!" I begged off, and Candace backed me, and Keisha said she was only kidding. Wine coolers came out after the wine ran out, and a raucous time was had playing 'regular' Uno, which is more fun when there's drinking involved (I was the DD so I wasn't drinking much, so I easily won most hands). I had Nia back at the House just before she turned into a pumpkin at 2:00.

Friday, 10/28

"Trey, my brother!"

"Mark, my homeboy! I ain't seen you since the party, have I?" Come to think of it, he hadn't. I'd taken a day off, and maybe he had too.

"You and Kyla split early, didn't you? We stayed until we were almost the last ones there. Oh and hey, thanks for having my back, man."

"No problem, yo.. I told you I got you. Anyway, I didn't hear anyone talkin' bad about you guys."

"Yeah, me neither." I told him about the conversation between the two guys who didn't know I was behind them. "I guess I'd worked myself up over nothing."

"No, you were right to worry. I know parts of Detroit where you wouldn't want to go walkin' with Nia, but I think on campus you're okay. Generally smarter, more progressive folks are in college." A pause while he tended to some pies in the oven.

"Hey man, that white kid Tom was in here earlier talkin' about your girlfriend lookin' like Meagan Good and bein' older and whatnot. Sounded like Candace, so what's up with that?" He was grinning, and I busted out laughing. I told him the story of how we were over at the girls' house last night when he delivered, and how he might've been led to believe she was my girlfriend. Or at least I didn't go out of my way to disabuse him of that notion...

"Man, you bet' hope she don't find out!" He was shocked when I said I'd told her, and about how Nia and Keisha all laughed about it. "Man, you right though, she does look like Meagan's sister." A pause while he sliced and boxed a pie. "You guys are tight, huh? The four of you I mean?"

"Nia had met them once before, but after Saturday night we're a good bit closer." I said the last bit enigmatically, leaving him to wonder.

"Order up!" And I was gone, to an apartment complex across campus. No tip, but that was alright, and I was back at the shop soon.

"Hey Mark, do you skate?" I told him I loved to, but hadn't gotten to go a whole lot in foster care. But in the Boy's Home they took us once a month. "Well me and Kyla are goin' Saturday night, you guys should come with us."

"Yeah, man, that sounds great! I don't even know if Nia skates, but I could help her learn."

"Cool, man! Another friend of mine and his girl are going. It's Throwback Night at Royal Skateland out on Alter Ave. Old-timey music right up your alley." I said I knew where it was. "But hey, man--" dramatic pause, "--you're not gonna embarrass me in front of my friends, are ya?"

"Playa, you'll be strugglin' to keep up with me!"

"It ain't about speed there, man, it's about style... But I seen you dance, so I guess you'll be alright if you can skate at least half as good as that." I fist-bumped him and told him not to worry about me.

We chatted about stuff while I let another idle driver take the next pie. Then something happened that hadn't ever happened yet in the 2 months I'd been working there. "Hey Mark: this next order is goin' to the Zeta Phi house."

"Get outta here! Is it from Kyla, or Nia or Gabby, maybe Rita?"

"Nah, some chick I don't think I know: Tanya Xxxx."

"Still cool though, maybe I'll get to see Nia. Or if I see Kyla I'll tell her you said hi."

"Cool, man. If you do, tell her you guys'll probably go with us tomorrow." As I waited for the pie to finish cooking I texted Nia that I'd be delivering there, and maybe she'd want to ride with me until I got off at 11. She said she'd love to. Domino's had some company cars you definitely couldn't have passengers in, but I didn't think there was a problem having a passenger in my own car.

When I got to the ZP house Tanya Xxxxx opened the door and paid for her pie, plus a $1 tip. Thank you, ma'am! She was older and a little more than thick, but she had a cute face. I didn't see Nia, and then Tanya thanked me and closed the door. I just stood dumbly on the porch, reaching for my phone to check that Nia had said she wanted to ride along. Just then I heard the door open and an all-too-familiar voice saying, "Gotcha!"

With incredible joy I caught her as she threw herself into my arms, kissing me all over my face. It'd only been last night since I'd seen her, but I missed her as much as she seemed to miss me. Then I saw Gabby standing in the doorway. She pulled the big door closed and came over to hug me too. "Hi, Mark! Thanks again for coming to get me last weekend."

"Oh you're welcome, Gabby. I wasn't going to let my girlfriend's best friend sit home alone. Oh, how did you like your French-speaking suitor?"

Nia said, "Why don't we let her tell you in the car?" It was only then that I realized that Gabby had her coat on too. Totally oblivious to anything these two young ladies might've had in mind, I led them to the minivan. Nia in the front seat of course.

"I've heard your exciting tales, so I thought it might be interesting for Gabby to see first-hand the swashbuckling life of a pizza delivery man." Both girls giggled, but I flashed back to Candace's suggestion last night that we introduce Nia to my alter-ego Dominic. He has a buckle he'd show her: his belt buckle as she undid it to release Big Dom. But I just laughed along good-naturedly on the outside.

Back at the shop I eased them in the back door but kept them away from the actual cooking area. "Hey Trey, look who's here!" He looked and saw Nia first and his face lit up, giving her a big wave. Then he saw Gabby and changed almost instantly. Wiping his hands on his apron and then on a wet cloth, he bowed at the waist and said, "Gabrielle mon chérie, comment vas-tu ce soir?" Spoken just like a Frenchman, near as I could tell. Cat was smooth, I'm tellin' ya. And who knew he could speak French?

Gabby smiled broadly, offered her hand, and said, "Je vais bien, Trey. Et toi?"

Trey kissed the back of her hand, his eyes locked on hers, "Je vais bien merci."

"I didn't know you spoke French, Trey!" Gabby.

"One year in high school. But that's about all I know!" He broke into a self-deprecating grin and we all had a good laugh. "But seriously, how was the young man who introduced himself to you the other night?" Gabby allowed that he was promising, and she and Nia shared a knowing look and giggles. Made me a little jealous, to be honest.

"So, you got a posse tonight, Mark?"

"Yeah, they wanted to witness first-hand the rough and tumble life of a pizza delivery guy."

As I went to the rack to pick up the next order he said, "Well tell 'em to stay down if bullets start flying. Again. You wouldn't be so much of a loss, but I wouldn't want any harm to come to these lovely ladies." The lovely ladies blushed and grinned at his blatant flirting, while I said something stupid like, 'Ha ha, very funny.' Minivan loaded up, I delivered to a single-family home in one of the older neighborhoods. $2 tip on a 2-topping large, not bad.

"That didn't look so dangerous," said Gabby.

"No, that one was pretty routine. But did you notice the wicked cracks in the sidewalk? And that the porch light wasn't on? A real tripping hazard, that." Nia laughed at me inflating the hazards, while Gabby said that it must take a trained, professional eye to spot such subtle, yet dangerous!, threats. All the while I was wondering why Nia had really brought Gabby along, and Mr. Willie was getting hard.

Back at the shop, "Any gunplay on that one, ladies?"

"No, but there was a wicked crack in the sidewalk that Mark adroitly stepped over. And in the dark!"

"Gabby, don't underestimate the risks a delivery guy faces. Why, just 3 nights ago Mark disarmed a guy with a knife who was trying to rob him. And last week, what was it Mark, an Uzi? Just the one, or were there two, I forget."

"Very funny guys! Just give me another order, bruh."

"Just teasin, bro. Hey girls, me and Kyla are goin' skatin' tomorrow night, you guys should come! Do you know how to skate?" They said they did, passably at least. "Great, it's a date then! Hey Mark, maybe you can come get me and then we'll stop by and get the girls?" I said that sounded like a plan, and then I took out the next order, probably my last for the night.

Back from that (no Uzis, or even knives), I settled up with the assistant manager, who handed me a medium beef and black olive, courtesy of Trey. "For the ladies, for putting them in grave danger." It was a nice thought despite the jab, and he remembered my favorite toppings. Trey was becoming a good friend. It was about 11:10.

The girls wanted to go to open mic night (whatever that was) at this little late-night coffee shop deal. So we sat there drinking hot chocolates and listening to people read their little poems and whatnot. I didn't 'get' most of it, but the girls listened in rapt attention. Another difference between men and women, I guess.

But then a dude got up as the opening strains of Rapper's Delight started. What was this? Turns out it was karaoke, and you could do it here during open mic night if you wanted. I'd heard of karaoke, but never seen it, let alone done it. But Rapper's Delight was one of my absolute favorites. Most people called it Hotel Motel Holiday Inn, but I had a compilation CD with it on it, so I knew it's real title. The CD was made by a guy at the Boy's Home who gave them out for free, just give him a dollar for a blank CD. (That single CD with 18 tracks on it had almost single-handedly shaped my musical appreciation.)

I was singing along with the black dude, probably the only white person in the place who knew the lyrics and not just the hook. ♪Now what you hear is not a test, I'm rappin' to the beat. And me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet.♪ I was mouthing the words along with the guy, who gave me a thumbs-up, and wiggling in my seat. It was a great song to skate to also. The girls were looking at me incredulously, like, "How does this white boy know this song so well?!" But I kept right up, mouthing and pantomiming every word.

Then knowing what verse was coming up I dragged both girls up onto the little dance floor they had. And while they were a bit embarrassed, they soon understood and were flattered. Because next me and dude sang, "Well, my name is known all over the world by all the foxy ladies and the pretty girls...♪ And I kind of did the Vanna White thing, presenting Nia to the audience on 'foxy ladies,' and Gabby on 'pretty girls.' The girls in the audience were all hollering and clapping, and then dagned if a few of 'em didn't join us on the dance floor. Mostly black ones, but then some white girls came out too; we ended up with probably 10 girls plus me on the floor.

But I didn't want to steal dude's thunder, so I fell in behind Nia and let her ♪shake your derierre♪

against me while I just danced with her, no longer mouthing the words or cuttin' up. And at the beginning of the next verse I Vanna Whited the singer to put the spotlight back on him, ♪I said one, two, three, four, come on girls, get on the floor!♪ And danged if a few more didn't join us, some even dragging their boyfriends with, causing some of the first arrivals to go get theirs. Those guys probably didn't enjoy it much, but the rest of us had a blast.

As it wound down the dancing crowd applauded the singer with hoops and hollers. And a few of the ladies came over to thank me for getting the party started. One (a black girl) even kissed me on the cheek; I looked quickly at Nia, but she was just smiling and wiping her brow. "Dang, baby, how you know that song? I reminded her where I'd grown up for 2+ years, and how I loved the old hip-hop songs. "You're so crazy! Not many guys would've gotten up like that. Or known the words!"

"Am I crazy enough that you think you want to have my baby?" Confused looks from the girls, and I couldn't believe they didn't know the words! "♪You so crazy, I think I want to have your baby!♪? You guys don't know that!? C'mon, a musical education is in order." (A girl had gotten up probably to recite some dumb poem, and I didn't think I could take any more of that. At least not after THAT performance.

As we threaded through the crowd I saw singer-dude sitting with his girlfriend so I steered us over to him. "Man, you were great! I'ma have to sing next time." It took him a second, but he recognized me.

"Dude! You knew the words better than *I* did. And I was readin' 'em!"

"One of my favorite songs, that's all. See you next time!" And we did the cool handshake, the 3-part one because he was sitting. His girlfriend was looking at us and me some kind of way that I recognized. Leaving them we wound through the crowd, a couple of the ladies telling us (me?) good night.

"You know I can't let you come back her alone, right?" Nia, mostly joking.

"Why, is it a dangerous neighborhood?" I made a show of looking around.

"No, the danger is inside. A lot of those girls would've taken you home after that."

"Oh, the white ones? I hadn't really noticed."

"You know exactly which ones I mean, Mister!" Followed by a swat on my butt, which made Gabby giggle. And then we were at the car, parked down a block and around the corner. Us inside and engine started (and heat turned on!), I put that CD in and skipped to Track 8. That wasn't quite it, so I went to Track 9 and there it was: ♪Yeah yeah.....What aman, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man.♪ I looked at them expectantly, like, You know this, right? But only blank stares faced back at me. Nia finally said that maybe she'd heard it, but Gabby's face was blank. Growing up in Toronto maybe that made sense. (And in retrospect, the song came out in '93, and we were all about 6. Still though...)

"So here's the part that explains the joke I tried to make," then I fast-forwarded to, ♪I finally found someone that can make me laugh. You so crazy, I think I wanna have your baby.♪ Having gotten it now, they both laughed. "I swear I'm have to school you two on good music..."