Chapter Sixteen

"Hello Mr. Franklin."

He waved at the two girls entering his house with smiles on their face. "It's been a while, Elowen." She nodded as if she was sad. "I thought you and Kellie part ways."

"Almost," Kellie joked but didn't earn a laugh from Elowen. "Anyway, we're going to my room so don't disturb us. Homework stuff and girl talking."

"Homework on the first day of school?" Kellie nodded.

His face went straight back into his newspaper as the girls scurried up the stairs. Kellie lead the way then pushed Elowen in her room so quick the girl almost fell to the carpet.

"Get to talking!" She demanded while kicking her thick heels off her feet and yanking the blue jacket off her body. "I want details and I want them to be described to my liking."

Elowen dropped her bag on the ground and took a seat at Kellie's desk that her and her father made one summer when they were kids.

"It started after talking to Philip's friends."

"Cunt kaitlyn and jungle gym Joey?" Elowen nodded. "Well crap."

"I know... but I had a good reason behind it. They're always telling me that Philip only wants one thing and I've spent our entire relationship refusing to give it to him. I always had this fear that he'd leave me right after and I just wanted him a little longer. So the night of my fifteenth birthday they really pushed me. I figured I'd rather lose him now then holding on to a jerk forever. So I just told him I was ready."

"And!" Kellie was on the edge of her seat. "Then what happen!"

"I'm getting there!" Elowen moved closer in case someone could hear them. "And then we did it right in the back seat of his hog. It was painful and miserable and for a moment it was good. Just a split moment. Then he was done and now I don't think I really like sex."

"So he was bad at it?" Elowen shrugged. "Such a boy. Building you up just to let you down. I wonder what lesson you could have possibly learned from that."

"Well, he's still with me," she shrugged. "I learned that Kaitlyn was wrong. Philip does love me. He loved me enough to stay and now our relationship is better than ever."

Kellie rolled her eyes. "Oh whatever. It's probably because you're the good one and he's lucky to have you. He won't find anyone else so he's desperate." Elowen took that as a good reason too. "Have you guys done it again since?" She shook her head. "You're not pregnant are you!?" Kellie asked while almost falling off the bed.

"No! I just... I don't want to. I didn't like it the first time and I don't see why I would like it the second. Philip seems to understand it though. He says okay."

"That's been months ago. What if he's getting it somewhere else. Boys get low when a girl doesn't put out. How's his relationship with Jane? They've been getting closer?"

"I don't think he'd go all the way to Prattville to see her." Kellie agreed while rubbing her chin. "I also don't think he's cheating on me. We do other stuff. Like he's really good with his mouth."

"God, Elowen. You're so naive. Boys don't find pleasure in a girls mouth. They like lower action. If you keep withholding, he'll leave you in a heartbeat."

Everything she said only made Elowen nervous. All the bad thoughts rushed to her brain and Kellie continued to add on to it. She didn't like thinking about Philip leaving or cheating. To make it worse, she completely forgot to meet up with him after school. Kellie was so anxious to hear her story that Elowen left to the bus stop with her immediately.

"I gotta go!" Elowen snatched up her bag and stumbled out the door. Kellie chased after her. "Philip is probably calling and I'm not at home to answer."

"What does it matter?" She shouted after the girl running down the sidewalk. "You can miss one call!"

Elowen didn't buy it. She's rarely missed Philip's call. Even when they were arguing she picked up for him. It's just what they did and she didn't want to break that.

The entire bus ride, she was miserable. Sweating and pushing her head full of curls out of her face. She dragged her bag on the concrete as she lazily approached the front door of her house. Philip's car was nowhere in sight so she let out a sigh of relief and started up the walkway.

Before she could get to the front door, someone jumped her to the ground. Elowen screamed but one look in Philip's eyes and she stopped. Plus his hand was over her mouth. "Shh!" He laughed.

Elowen pushed him off her and he fell back into the grass. "What the hell is the matter with you?" She whispered. "You scared the hell out of me and you think it's funny?"

"I missed you, Elo. You didn't meet me after school and I didn't see you walking home. I thought someone snatched you so I went home and called. Your mom said she hasn't heard from you so I ran right back here. Just in time to see your beautiful face."

His smile was wiped away by the sound of the front door slamming open and Mrs. Walson stepping out on the porch. Elowen jumped to her feet along with Philip. They both stared like deer caught in headlights which seems amusing to her mother.

"Elowen, get your bag and get on in here." She didn't say a single word but do as told. One split second of a look to Philip made her nervous. "And you boy. What's your name?"

"Phil— uh, Philip Hill."

"Oh I know." Elowen stood behind her mother as she interrogated the boy. "You her boyfriend?" He looked at Elowen who simply looked at him. "Huh?!"

Philip stood up straighter and smiled. "Yes ma'am. Yes I am. Almost four months together."

"And you think it's a good idea taking my daughter around without meeting her mama first?" His smile faded again. "You get in here too and Elowen, go get some water."

As Philip walked by, Elowen picked a piece of grass bits out of his hair. She then went to get everyone a glass of water and force her siblings to their bedrooms.

"Sit boy," she demanded. He took a seat right next to her. "From my understanding, you've guys known each other for quite a while." He nodded. "How long?"

"I started talking to her in the early days of septem-"

"Why? With the riots and complications going on here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. What made you think talking to my black daughter was the right idea? Were you slow in the head at the time? Or were your intentions pure?"

"I'll tell you the same thing I told Elowen. I was jealous of your daughter Mes. Walson. She's smart and beautiful. Something I've never seen. She's unlike anyone I've ever met and I wanted to get to know her. People told me to leave it alone but for some reason I just couldn't. I've liked her for a while Mrs. Walson and I'm proud to say-"

"You don't love my daughter." The table went quiet when her mother said this. "You guys don't know what love is. I can see it in you right now which is why you had to sneak and hide. Love don't go behind no blinds."

"I understand Mrs. Walson. but I really do love Elowen. I swear to you that."

Elowen looked at her mother with begging eyes which caused her to shake her head. She then looked at philip who was smiling up at her. He looked so small for the first time. He looked so weak. "Your parents know about you two?"

"No, they don't. But the plan is that they will and they'll be fine because they know when I'm happy. Lately I've really been happy."

"I want my Elowen to remain safe. If your parents are anything like these white psychos that roam the streets I'll find you my damn self and hurt you bad, boy."

He gulped. "Yes ma'am."

"Elowen, go to your room."

She searched for his hand under the table and they gave each other one tight squeeze before she rushed off to her room. The front door closed minutes later. A small part of her expected her mother to walk in and scold her. But for the rest of the day, she got nothing.