Chapter Twelve

three months later

"It's been over two months since Martin Luther King Junior was assassinated at a motel in Memphis. Not even the length of time has stopped the protests and riots that a majority of African American has been involved in. Today only there have been thirty-two arrests and three fatally shot. When will Martin Luther King Junior get the peace he preached for? Until-"

Elowen remained unbothered by the sound of her bedroom door swinging open. She continued to eat her bowl cereal and stare at the television like a vegetable.

After standing there for two minutes, her mother went over to turn the tv off which got Elowen's attention. "I was watching that," she said with a mouth full.

"Yeah and I've been watching you sit around here with your legs kicked up like you pay bills. Your birthday is in four days and you haven't even given me some sort of expectation." Elowen burped as a response. "Is Kellie and Marcus coming over? Do I need to cook?"

"No. Just me," she smiled. This didn't fly by her mother. "I don't want anything big. I'm fifteen years old. Sleepovers are for kids."

"Oh, so you're an adult now?" She raised an eyebrow at her oldest daughter.

Elowen shook her head while reaching over to place her bowl on the nightstand. "No. I'm a teenager. There's a difference. And I just want this birthday to myself."

"Why? Did you even ask your friends if they wanted to celebrate with you? Is this your way of getting over your ending with that boy. It's been months and you know hiding in your room like a shell isn't beneficial."

Elowen looked at her mother who stood with an apron on and her hands on her hips. She then smiled at the woman before going to drink the milk out of her bowl. When she was done, she put the bowl back down and burped.

"Elowen. I'm not kidding with you girly."

"I know. I said what I said and I want to spend it alone. I'm going to go to the shop, eat a hot dog, and maybe go down to the lake just to think about things."

Her mother didn't question it. She took her bowl to go wash it and left Elowen by herself all over again. She then pulled the teen magazine out from under her pillow and began reading from it.

"I'm still thinking about how sad that is." Philip popped up from the side of her bed while chewing on the chips she gave him. "Why are your people so hung up on that man. They can't even let him die in peace."

"He lived for a cause. If your people didn't kill him then this wouldn't have happened." He sat next to her on the bed so he get a look at what she was reading. "Ooh, there's a quiz. Let's take it."

"I think I have something better you can take," he whispered seductively while tilting his head back to kiss her cheek. Elowen nudged him off and started to take the quiz on her own. "You're ignoring me," he frowned.

"No, I'm not." She responded with her eyes still stuck on the magazine.

"Yeah you are."

"No~ Ignoring you means I'm not responding but I am so I'm not ignoring." She looked at him and smiled before tapping his nose. "See. I'm making eye contact." She then gave him a quick kiss on the lips and turned away before he attempted to take it any further.

"You're still a virgin, Elo and you won't let me change that."

She closed the magazine quickly to look at her boyfriend. "Why does that matter. We do other stuff and you say you're happy."

"But don't you think it's boring. Doing the same stuff?" She shook her head. "Come on, you know it is. I can make you do so much-"

"I told you that you have to earn it. Just last week you threw my book across the lawn when I refused to go to your house. Now what if I gave myself to you and we broke up then. I'd be disgusted in myself and disappointed." She hugged her body just thinking about it.

"Well that's 'cause you still don't trust me. I told you to trust me and you say you do but you don't show it." Elowen rolled her eyes at him. "And now you're upset 'cause you know I'm tellin' the truth."

"I don't know. Let's forget it and talk about my birthday instead."

"I told you I was gonna take you out. I have a lot of things planned for us. It's the first birthday since I've asked you to go steady with me." She smiled dreamingly at him. He returned with the smile she fell in love with. "I gotta go. My old man gets off in a few minutes and I was supposed to be home by now."

"Awe, okay." She pouted.

"You're so fucking cute, Elo. I love you. Now kiss me."

Doing as told she gave him a long kiss on the lips before pulling away but he continued to follow her. "Stop. You have to go."

He grabbed his jacket off the floor and threw her window open. "Oh," he blurted with one leg out the window. "You didn't say it back."

"I love you, Philip."

With one wink, he was gone. Elowen went back over to turn on her television then lifted up her mattress to get her journal. She's been writing in it a lot frequently and surprisingly none of the entries were about the things Philip has done to her. In the slight chance that someone found her journal, she kept it pure.

She promised to keep it between the two of them and that was a promise she kept close to her heart.

When Philip seemed to be a great deal away, she left her room and saw that no one was in the kids' room.She then went further down the hall to see no one was in the living room or kitchen. The note on the table told her that they went to the store and if she wanted anything she'd have to walk to the shop.

Elowen figured she should get out of the house since staying indoors isn't healthy. It's also been a couple of weeks since she's been to the shop and she wanted to see her new friend James.

She's been talking to him almost every day since her and Philip made amends. She told him she finally had a boyfriend and he was proud of her. The only downfall is that she can never let them meet. Philip already thinks she's getting her rocks off with someone else and introducing him to James would further the complications.

Instead she acts like she doesn't know him when her and Philip go to the shop together. James said he understood and left it at that.

"What are you getting today?" Elowen packed the gummy candy and soda on the counter with a smile. "Oh yum," he smiled. "Ooh, I almost forgot."

He bent down and reached around for something. Elowen stood on her toes to take a peek at what he was doing. When he got back up, he pulled out a bouquet of flowers but they were made out of newspaper. "What are these?" She gasped.

"Happy birthday. I learned how to make this from a book in the library. I also know you'll be too busy to stop by on your birthday so I told myself I'd give it to you next time I see you."

"Awe, James. You're so sweet." She pretended to smell them which made James laugh. "I'll put these in some water when I get home," she winked.

"And your snacks are on me." She placed a hand over her heart as he bagged her items. "Fifteen is a lucky age, Elowen."

With one last wave goodbye, she left the store with her flowers and snacks in hand. On the walk home she, of course, ate her gummies while skipping to the front door. Before she could make it inside, she heard the beeping from someone's car.

Mr. Gardner was parked out front with his wife and daughter in the car. "Hey Mr. Gardner! How are ya?"

"I'm fine Miss Walson. I just wanted to know if your mother was home. We want to invite you all to me and Mrs. Gardner's baby shower. She's due for a baby boy in September."

"Congratulation! Mama's not home but I know she definitely would want to go. I'll let her know."

"Alright now. See you around Miss Elowen Walson!" He drove off to where ever they were off to.

Elowen entered the empty house and sat on the couch. She changed the channel to what she wanted to watch and hugged her paper made flowers. She knew James was sweet for doing this. But she was even more excited for her day with Philip.