Chapter Two

PHILIP

Kaitlyn was his biggest fan. She also hated everyone he liked which made her the most annoying person to him. Whenever he parked his car outside the school she was there wherever he was. The second he talked to a friend group, she was there to be in on the conversation. Kaitlyn Amira Johnson was everywhere.

Philip began to think she would bat her blue eyes and twist her blonde hair in his direction just to tease him. He certainly wasn't attracted to her but just like any man, he fell into her trap one night out of the years of knowing her. Ever since then, she's been trying to get one more night out of him.

"God, here she comes Phil." Curtis looked over his shoulder and Philip looked over Curtis' shoulder.

Kaitlyn trotted to the stairs in a pink leather skirt and a white blouse that was tucked in, clearly out of uniform. Although Philip was no longer interested, his friends made sure to give her all their attention. Even the ones with girlfriends.

"Hey boys," she purred. "Hey philip. Can you walk with me to my health class?"

He looked to his friends who wanted to tease him but they urged him to answer honestly on his own. "Sure." With that, he turned around and began heading towards the entrance to the school.

The heels belonging to Kaitlyn clacked at a fast pace just to catch up. He then opened the door for her in an attempt to prove to himself that he is still a gentleman. But the girl who walked in, short height, burnt honey colored skin, and plump. He eyed her down for what felt like a whole minute until it clicked in his brain that he shouldn't be staring at a black like that.

"Thank you," the stranger said in a soft voice. Philip wasn't sure who she was although he knows he's seen her before. Not like he would say it in front of anyone.

"You open the door for just anyone don't you?" Kaitlyn's words brought him out of his thoughts but still pained his ears. "Also, my first class isn't health. I just wanted to get you away from your friends."

The pads of her soft fingers ran down his arm which made his hair stand on edge. He often denied her porcelain fair skin of being absolutely stunning due to her overbearing personality. Although in his heart, Kaitlyn will never be anything to him, he more likely thought with his lower region when around her.

He brushed his thin blond hair behind his ears before smiling sideways. "Why?" He knew his charming grin brought her weak to her knees. She told him that very often. "You wanna get me alone so much."

"Well, my old man is gonna go see his shrink tonight for the tenth time and they're showing Bonnie and Clyde at the passion pit. So I wanted to watch it with you."

Philip cringed at her lame invitation in a date. "I was gonna go with the fellas. We've been planning this for a while. Zot skirts." Kaitlyn frowned at his answer and for a split second, she was prepared to put up a fight. "Sorry," he shrugged.

"Then I'll just bring my girls along and hopefully see you there." Kaitlyn blew him a kiss and went on her way to wherever her first class may be.

He blew at the air hoping it'll go any direction but towards his face. If his friends saw him acting this way towards a girl in the groove, they'd be shocked.

Philip walked into his math class with Joey on his hip. They were talking about the gel Joey uses for his slick black comb-over. It was shinier than usual which is why the topic came up. Not that Philip really cared about this conversation but as a good friend, he figured he'd comment on it.

"Thirty five swipes to the left and one slick brushing motion down. That's how you get the look of a god my man."

Philip rolled his eyes before taking a seat at his desk and moving his leg so Joey can walk by. He then dodged Joeys' attempt at ruffling his hands through his hair. He knew that if he did it back, Joey would go into cardiac arrest.

"Hey! I spent just as much time in the mirror as you did!"

Joey scoffed. "With that flat mess on your head, there is no amount of time in the world that'll make you look good."

"Joey, have your seat please." The teach announced seconds after sitting at his desk. "Pass those worksheets right over to the front. I'll be checking right away so don't think sneaking it into the pile before the end of class will get you anywhere."

Philip looked down at his bag and realized he never opened it at all yesterday. He then looked over at Joey who was checking himself out in a hand mirror. Then he looked to the left of him where the black girl sat.

He remembered how the teach is always slapping an A+ on her desk like she's some sort of goddess. Philip grew envious of her day by day. It used to be him with the good grades in all his classes. Come junior year, he isn't sure what happened.

He looked over, took a good look at her face and it's like a light bulb went off in his head. She was the girl he opened the door for. The one he was sure he's seen around. Mainly because she sits right next to him.

"Aye," he clapped in her ear. "kiss up." Confused and a bit fearful, the girl looked over at him with a slight frown. Philip moved in closer to get a good look at her journal. "Elowen ain't it?" He smirked when he realized they were less than a ruler length apart from each other's face.

If there is one thing Philip does well is using his maturing male face and killer smile to sway any woman he can. He was always told that black girls were weak and quite easy to make nervous. Always kissing up to people like him just to get by.

Now that he can look in her eyes and see she is already gullible, he knew that what he could do can take no effort.

It wasn't his intention to make her look bad. He actually used to never care about his grade in this class. He did just enough to pass anyway. But he remembered how she confidently walked through the door that he didn't hold open for her. Or how she passed her paper up with ease. Something in him felt that she didn't have that mindset that she's supposed to have.

He figured that she thinks like she's one of them. Sitting in their class and attending their school since that stupid law was passed. Yet they all knew blacks and whites couldn't even sit on the same side of the cafeteria. With that in mind, he gave her an invitation she couldn't turn down.

"Philip!" Kaitlyn's voice rung through his ears before he could even get out the school building. "I've gathered all my girls for the movie. Some of them you've never met like Cindy and Jane. You'll love them."

He couldn't help but fight the urge to look at her completely disgusted. Every girl she listed is all the girls he used to date. "Why them?" Kaitlyn smiled. "You do know why I don't bother with you, Kaitlyn! Every time you come around your lips just get to flappin' and I'd be glad to inform you that I'm not impressed."

She didn't say much. Just twisted her hair around her fingertips as usual. "My friends say you're such a skuzz. That I shouldn't like you but I don't know. You're pretty much my type."

"And you're thick in the head," Philip snapped.

"Oh please! I used to do your homework for you. Who's the real idiot."

Philip smiled while twirling his key in his hand. "You just answered it."

Parking around the corner like a stalker wasn't Philip's go-to move usually. But when he realized Elowen never gave him her address, then he had to do what he could to keep his word about picking her up. So when he saw Elowen emerge from the gates of the school, he smoothly drove behind her.

He watched as she read her book and stepped with pride despite having been treated so poorly her entire life. Though Philip didn't have it in him to feel bad for anyone black. He only found it amusing when people were clueless.

Elowen then stopped in front of Billbury Joint Elementary and Junior High Hchool. Two kids who were playing on the park snatched their bags and headed towards the exit. Philip noticed they all had the same nose and eyes. He figured they were siblings.

Elowen hunched down on her knees and examined their face and arms. Philip knew she was looking for any signs of abuse. She then gave them a hug and they started on their way.

Philip also noticed the boy walked with a limp that he was trying to hide but couldn't. He also knew he couldn't live with it in his chest if he let her little brother walk around like that with no support.

So after little thought, he pulled over to the curb which startled the trio. Just to be less creepy, he rolled down his window and sent a smile towards Elowen's way. "Do you guys need a ride."

"No thank you," the younger girl said immediately. She tried to pull Elowen along but her older sister was stronger than her. "Elo, we have to go home."

"It's fine. This is a guy from my math class. He really ain't bad."

Philip was scared for her after hearing that. How little it takes for her to trust someone. It was astonishing.

"Yeah. Names Phillip and I just wanna take you home. I noticed little guy back there had a small ache in his leg. I couldn't just drive past and not offer any help." The boy looked away from Elowen in shame. "Get in. Back seat."

With that, Philip hopped out his Cadillac and opened the doors for the three people. Elowen in the front and her siblings slid in the back.

"To avoid trouble," Philip started as he got back in his seat. "Don't tell your rents a guy like me helped you out and keep your heads down. You don't want them hassling anyone yeah?" The two in the back shook their head in fear but Philip's sincere smile made their tense muscles lighten up. "Lead the way my man."

When Philip looked at Elowen's younger brother through the mirror, he gulped. "Straight down Ave and make a left at the light. It's the neighborhood on Prairie."

"You're so unreal," Elowen said in amazement. "Not many people-"

"I know. I just needed your address for our drive to the passion pit tonight. Tell me now you're down at nine or stand me up."

Elowen looked at her siblings who couldn't wait until he drove away so they can fink. "I don't know," she hummed.

"You was gonna get in trouble anyway so why not go the full mile." Philip urges for an answer which led to Elowen nodding her head getting all jazzed up. "Kay. Nine. Be there or be square."