Chapter Four

Making sure Spencer and Henry had their coats on, Elowen put hers on last. Winter break was over and she must return to school for her last semester as a freshman.

When she first started high school it didn't seem like death. But she still has to sit next to Philip and hear him constantly whispering things in her ear or distracting her during tests. Things she thought were incredibly annoying actually made her soft inside when Philip did it. But she couldn't let him know he was getting to her.

"I'll be right here to pick you guys up." She gave her siblings one last hug before watching them jog to the school.

Spencer ran back which startled elowen. "Why won't you tell me what happen to your friend with the car? It's too cold to walk everywhere."

Elowen frowned before bending down to her sister's height. "Because you told mama that I went with him that last night. That's why. Now go to school and mind your own."

Spencer didn't protest, instead, she turned around with an attitude and caught up with Henry who was waiting on her. Elowen stayed behind just long enough until the door closed then slipped away to her school which was less than a mile away.

By the time she arrived, her cheeks were cold from being brushed upon by the crisp air and her hands felt numb. She went straight to her locker to put away her stuff. Kellie waited right there for her.

"Your boyfriend turned seventeen on the third. Did you sneak out and go to his birthday party?"

Elowen knew she shouldn't have told them what happen that night when she promised them she was staying home. They turned out to be more annoying than Spencer and all her questions.

"I told you that you was right. I should have stayed home. Now it's over and for the tenth time hang it up."

Kellie stayed on her heels as they walked to class. Specifically the class with Philip in it. "You're right. I'll just mention it tomorrow. Until then, enjoy sitting next to debs delight." Kellie winked and dipped to her class.

Elowen was no longer a nervous wreck when she walked to the back where her seat was. She usually stared at her desk to avoid eye contact with Philip. Unfortunately he's been early these past couple of weeks so it became harder to do that knowing that he's staring right at her.

"Aye," he whispered while tapping her desk. "My old man had me watching the news this morning. You know, to understand the world or what not. I saw clips of those freedoms riders marching up and down with Martin Luther King Jr and it reminded me of that thing you told me."

Elowen huffed while scribbling doodles in her journal. She made it pretty clear she was bored.

"When you told me how I wouldn't understand. I know this won't make much of a difference but uh... I wanna march with you."

This was new. Out of all the things Philip has told her, this was the first thing that actually gave her excitement. "You wanna what?"

"You heard me right. I wanna do the whole sign thing and wander down the streets waving my support. I figured I've never done much for your people anyway. Why not give it a shot."

Elowen didn't even try to hide her smile. She was pleased with Philip's decision and she had nothing but high hopes for it. "Okay," she beamed down at her paper. She then looked up at him with a glow in her eyes. "I'll march with you."

"Oh crap! Okay! Also, this is a good way to pay my dues." He blinked at her with hopeful eyes. Elowen wasn't sure if this small idea would make her forgive him, but at this point she had to figure out what would. "Also, word on the street that the fuzz is always involved in stuff like this. What if something hairy goes down?"

"Peaceful protests aren't usually scary. No one will touch a blond strand on your head."

Elowen passed her homework up and Philip did the same. They shared a smile knowing the both of them were turning in their homework. Elowen's smile was more meaningful since Philip rarely to never does homework.

"Can I have your number. I wanna call and talk about it with you." Philip ripped off a piece of paper and placed it on her desk.

Elowen didn't think much of it. She started writing the first three numbers and came to a conclusion that there is going to be boundaries between them.

"Before anything you should know I can't use the cell after nine-thirty." Philip nodded quickly. "No long talks or off topic conversations. We're talking about the protest and only this Saturday."

"Yeah yeah. can I ask you a question?" Elowen nodded slowly. "I turned seventeen on the third of January. Is your new year better knowing that I started it?" That's where Philip lost her attention. She rolled her eyes and went back to her journal. Philip laughed softly while looking at her facial expression. "I'm foolin' you. I already know the answer is yes."

"Slow down, Elo! It's too cold to be runnin' like this!"

She didn't even turn around to see if her siblings were right behind her. To her ears, they sounded close enough. She burst through the front door and threw her coat in the hanger before tripping into her room.

She heard her mother gasp as she tried to close her door softly. "Elowen!! You know about running through the house like that!"

"Sorry!" She shouted out before shutting her door and throwing her bag into a corner. The moment she jumped on her bed, she began to stare at the phone.

A minute went by and she gave up waiting. Elowen figured he probably didn't go home straight after school. So she got up from her bed just in time the phone started to ring.

In a panic, she cleared her throat and snatched the phone off the hook. "Hello." She spoke softly at the sound of Philip's breath.

"Hey, so are we going to talk about this Saturday or act like we never spoken before?"

Elowen sat up immediately instead and laying on her stomach like there wasn't a care in the world. "Uh yeah. I can tell you everything you need to know about it." The shuffling on the other line made her nervous. Was someone listening or was he about to hang up.

"Kay, got my notepad ready. Also got a couple questions if you don't mind me askin'."

"'Course not," Elowen smiled. "Ask away."

"Who organizes these things. Like who says let's all do this for this reason. I find it interesting because there are a lot of people out there. And you know what's funny? I didn't think they could afford cable."

Elowen couldn't find a reason to even reply anymore. "So before we're going to make signs, we need to figure out what Saturday's protest is about."

"The civil rights thing. Right? That's what I agreed to."

Elowen now realized that Philip doesn't read the newspaper. "You can't just assume that every protest was a civil rights protest. The one you saw on the news was from yesterday's protest in Atlanta. I'll stop by the shop on my way to school and pick up a paper."

"A paper?" Philip gagged. "You're gonna make me read that?"

"We'll read it together," she assured. "And you're going to like it. There are comics and other fun things to enjoy. The newspaper isn't always serious. I once read an article about the president Johnson sending troops to war like nothing. A publisher was talkin' trash about him."

Philip sighed. "Was I supposed to care about any of that?"

"If you care about this protest then you should," Elowen lashed back. "If you're not going to take this serious then why did you even offer?"

"'Cause! I wanted you to stop ignoring me like I'm some horrible dude. I told you why I invited you and you blew me off for months. Like what was that about!?"

Elowen gasped at how he managed to make this all about him. "It was about me almost getting hassled by a group of your shuck faced friends!"

"Shuck faced what!?" Just when Elowen was about to let him have it, she heard another man call Philip's name which worried her. Maybe their arguing got him in trouble. "Hol' on a second. My old man has got something important to tell me."

She fell back on her bed as she waited impatiently to hear his voice again. All she could hear was slight back and forth and a woman frantically trying to make out words. The line shifted again as if someone was dragging the phone across the bed. Seconds later, she heard Philip's voice again.

"I'll read the newspaper with you or whatever. As long as I bug out of this house all day Saturday."

"All day?" She asked just to make sure he meant what he said. That he actually wanted to spend all day with her.

Philip hummed a tune then coughed. "Yeah, sure. We go to our protest and maybe grab something to eat. By then I'll be back when my parents are sleep and I won't have to hear their jiving until the morning time."

Elowen nodded although he couldn't see her. "I mean, cool."

"Yeah and what happened to your rules? No off topic conversations and crap. I'm starting to think you like the sound of my voice." She knew he was teasing her and flashing his cocky grin. Elowen huffed as if she was annoyed but they both knew she liked it. "See you tomorrow, Elo. I'm gonna clean out my hog. I like impressin' girls."

"Bye, Ph-"

"Girls like you to be more specific."

He hung up the phone before she could even respond. Her cheeks were hot and the phone was sweaty from her gripping on to it so hard. She heard a click from the other line and she immediately knew someone was listening to her.

In a panic, she rushed out of her room to see her mother tapping on the phone with a small smile on her face. "Mama."

"You got you a boyfriend?" Elowen shook her head quickly. "That ain't what it sound like to me. If you think you're gonna be running around with these boys then you have another thing coming."

"It's just one night-"

Her mother got up from her seat and headed over to the kitchen. "He don't sound black, Elo. I warned you about these white boys. Knowing you I shouldn't be surprised that you put your all into just anyone."

She started to say that Philip wasn't just anyone. He was someone who actually tried with her and for a split second started to change for her. "He only wants to do a protest and then that's it. I'll never bother with him again." Elowen hung her head in shame.

"Your getting better at thinking I'm dumb. Your sister already told me you snuck out with him now you're slipping away again. Your father-"

"I know. He'd be ashamed of me."

Her mother turned to face her slowly and with a hidden frown. "No. He'd tell you to think, Elo. You know he was always telling you to use your head when you were a little girl. I was hoping it'd stick but you already forgot the man."