"Coffee & Cream"

*Warning* - I don't mean or want to offend ANYONE with this story. It's just and AU (Another Universe) story I came up with, I'm not hating, and I do not believe light skin people act this way. It was just something I took from a story I read.

Chapter 3

       I'm walking home from church, actually enjoying a moment of silence when Kris came out of no where beside me. We walked side by side for a moment, not saying a word, but from the way she kept biting her lip & looking up at the sky I knew she had something on her mind. So halfway to my house I stopped, I didn't want to walk any farther in that strange silence, that me & Kris never shared.

       Kris & I were cousins, more like sisters, and basically best friends. She knew what I was thinking before I even thought it, and I knew what she thought before she even thought it. So when I stopped right in my tracks, Kris knew I wanted her to just speak her piece.

       She pulled on the outfit that she had worn to church for a second before speaking, "You know I love you right?"

       Strange way to start a conversation, I thought, "Yea."

       "Well, Auntie told mama she saw you with one of them last night at the park. Is that true?" Kris asked in a way that told me she was more scared than upset at me.

       I never lied to Kris so even if I tried it wouldn't work, "Yea, Druex Fredricks."

       "You can't be serious." Kris replied like someone had just sucked the life out of her.

       I, on the other hand knew I had it coming when I stepped foot in my house, I was hoping she hadn't told my daddy, "I'm serious Kris."

       Kris didn't say anything for a minute but she looked back at me like I was not the same person she just looked at, "You know that's a dangerous thing to do."

       I knew what she was getting at, it didn't take much to see that, "Yes I do Kris, but sometimes I get tired of being told what I can & cannot do. Who I can & cannot associate with."

       "You know I agree with that, but you gonna go around here and get yourself killed. And you know I couldn't deal with that Bri, me, Auntie, O, Marq any of us! I hate to make this sound like it's not about you but you gotta consider both our losses if you continue trying to be friends with him." Kris replied moving up a little as people passed us.

        Their are only 2 churches in South Midtown, a Baptist & a Pentecostal, and most people from the Baptist church walk home after Sunday morning service.  Most everyone from my neighborhood went to the Baptist church, but several people are trying to get a Methodist church up. South Midtown is pretty much a community within a town, but we are a town at times. Nobody just says Midtown anymore it's like you have to specify which side of town.

       I looked down at my shoes that were gleaming in the sun before I looked down at her, "I decided that last night Kris...and thanks for not coming at me all crazy like, you know."

       Kris gave a half smile and turned away as was started to walk again, "Yea, but Brit if you know what your doing you...go for it. Just don't let it pass friends aiight?"

       I was silent for just a moment before looking back at Kris, "I won't... I value my life too much."

       Neither of us said anything all the way to my house, but right before she walked to houses down to her own house she whispered, like a true friend would, "Good luck."

       I smiled a silent thanks and made my way into the house I had grown up in. I knew my daddy would be sitting in the front room listening to gospel working on something for the house, like he always did. Now my mama is a different story she got places to go with her mood, see when she feeling content she be with my dad, when she feeling bored she'll be with my Aunt, but when she pissed she will always be in the kitchen. Always, and today she was in the kitchen, still my mind was hoping she kept this to herself and didn't tell my daddy.

       I walked in the house through the little foyer looked in the living room at my dad, "Hey daddy."

       He threw me a smile from the couch that he was sitting on and leaving the beautiful sounds of Yolanda Adams, "Hey sweets you Mom wants to talk to you in the kitchen."

       I was shaken then, still hoping he was in the dark, I asked innocently, "About what daddy?"

       "I don't know." He replied with an air that I knew had didn't want any part of it.

       I didn't even reply, I took of my church shoes, and made my way to the kitchen. I walked in slowly, when she turned an eye to me, I sat down quietly. This situation wasn't a new one, my mom is the head of the household and we all know this. She has power behind her eyes that no one in the world has, she can shoot you down with a word, and bring you up with a smile. And that was one of those looks that you don't question a thing, you just do it.

       She was wearing an apron which proved my suspicion that she wasn't cooking yet, she never wore an apron when she cooked, "OK I'm not even gonna run around this, what were you doing at the park last night around 9 with the Fredricks boy?"

       "Mama how do you know it was me? How do you know it was that boy?" I asked, lord knows why I edged her on but I need my own answers.

       She turned around placed her hands on her hips, and next thing I knew her voice was pitch higher and the tone harder and her southern accent was showing itself, "Now you look here, I been working for that boy's mama long as you been alive, longer even, now I know both of you when I see you. Me & his mama was taking Monica to the dress shop to repair her dress fo' the Parade when we saw both of you sitting together at the park. Now both of us are mothers and we both know our children when we see them. So don't be askin me no questions girl."
      
       I was not gonna cop and attitude or back talk cuz I have way to much respect, "Mama we were just talking you know like...friends."

       She looked at me like I had just stabbed her, she knew something was up cuz they weren't my favorite kind of people, "When did you become friends with Druex? Or any of his kind of people young girl?"

       I shrugged my shoulders but since I knew she wasn't having that so I said, "I dunno a while ago, I was at the Park talking to NeTanya and when she left he came and sat next to me. We talked and we talked again last night."

       She sat in front of me, now giving this look of grievance, and the edge left her voice, "Brittney you know I'm not the type to hate anybody...but I hate anyone who can and WILL hurt my children. I've lost...Quentin, I refuse to lose you, so I'm telling you NOT to associate with that boy anymore. Understand?"

        I knew that was coming, but it didn't stop the look of dismay of showing on my face, "I understand."

       She obviously didn't like the look on my face because Mama never explains herself, and she decided to, "I mean baby Druex's not a bad guy. And if the world wasn't like it is I'd be saying go for it, because he is good boy, got a nice family, and is going to have a good education. BUT, the world is a mess today, and I won't allow my daughter to be hurt because an adults stupidity...that already happened to my son."

     I knew the conversation was over, being the woman she is my mom has never stopped blaming herself for what happened to my brother and whenever she got into that frame of mind we all just change the subject, "Mom, I'm going over to Aunt Carha's is that OK?"

       She smiled at me as I stood, I knew she was glad that I stopped the conversation, but she also knew I got her point, "That's fine, tell her to come over here for a little bit I need help on Sunday dinner."

       I kissed her cheek before running back to my room to change, "OK."

       Now see Aunt Carha is a typical church woman except when she get mad she act like she ain't never stepped foot in a church. The woman cusses like a sailor, and she prays like a preacher. But she's always been my favorite Aunt, probably because I grew up with my cousins, and we were never far apart. So when I walked right into her house without knocking she just looked up and smiled.

       "Hey Auntie, Mama said she needs help with dinner." I said standing in the Living room doorway looking at my Aunt who was repairing a pair of my uncles pants.

       Aunt Carha looked at me like 'as usual', "Alrighty baby, but you know dinner is gonna be late right?"

       We always ate as a family on Sundays, even the ones who don't live on this block, "Yea Mama hasn't even started."

       "What! I need to go now." She said quickly slipping into her shoes almost running out the door.

       I walked through the hall slowly stopping to stick my head in Marques's room, "Hey Marq."

       He looked up from where he had Shaniya straddled on the floor, "Hey cuz."

       "Hey." Shaniya whispered shyly, she looked so embarrassed but I was more embarrassed.

       "OK, bye ya'll." I said quickly closing the door shaking my head and walking straight into Kris's room.

       Omari was sitting on the floor playing with Kris' Game Boy Advance and she was sitting on her bed watching a rerun of Passions, "Hey ya'll."

       "Wat up, we were just talkin bout you." Omari replied never taking his eyes the game, I just sat beside him looking at the game.

       Kris turned the volume down and looked at me, "Auntie ain't killed you yet?"

       "Nope," I replied looking away from Omari who was now winning, "but what were ya'll saying bout me?"

       "Just that whole thing with that yella boy and you." Kris replied throwing her leg over the side of the of the bed looking at me like 'what else'.

       "There is no yella boy and me, anyways I gotta go tell him we can't be friends." I said looking up at the TV trying to ignore their eyes drilling into me.

       "You aren't going alone." Omair replied actually putting the game down and turning his attention to his cousin. She was like another little sister to him, it was like he had twin sisters, cuz Kris and her were the same age. He felt like he had to protect both of them because he was a year older than them both.

       "Yea we gonna go with you." Kris said kicking me with her foot, she was serious, and I wasn't going to decline.

       I looked down at my fingernails before replying, "Yea that sounds good."

       Kris & Omari looked at each other and Omari spoke first, "You wanted to be friends with that asshole?"

       I didn't know the real answer but from the way I couldn't stop the frown on my face I just replied quietly, "Yea he's really not like the rest of them."

       "And you think Quentin would be OK with that?" Kris replied, she hit the wrong nerve, and I know she saw the way my face went from frown to pissed.

       My voice took on a louder tone and a sharper edge, and my eyes turned into little slits, "You don't have any damn right to ask me that! What the fuck do I think my brother would think of me wanting to be friends with him? My brother would say OK, he would trust my judgment, he wouldn't be looking down at me for wanting to be my own person. Ya'll don't know my brother if you really think he would be sitting looking at me like ya'll are for saying DRUEX is different."

       Omari's eyes fell to the floor along with Kris's, I never yelled at them specially Kris, I never no matter what got mad at her, Omari spoke first, "You're right Bri, but that's why he's not here now."

       That pissed me off but I couldn't say anything, he was telling the truth, that's exactly why I'm an only child, "You don't think I know that."

       Kris was about to say something when I walked out, I needed some air, I needed to vent. So I walked right out the front door and sat on the front step, I knew if I stayed in there one more minute we would have a repeat of my last venting session. I was so into my anger that didn't hear the door open and close.

       Kris sat down next to me looking at the yard in front of us, "We weren't trying to upset you Bri."

       I didn't even look at her but I guess it was because I didn't want to cry, "I know it just never stops the pain." Remember my comment on the wound and the Band-Aid? Well, the wound just got sliced a little wider.

       Kris took my hand and remembered why she was my best friend in the world, "You know he prob standing over there by the mailbox watching us. He always the nosey one."

       I smiled glancing over at the mailbox envisioning my brother standing over there, "Yea...prob be laughing at us when we at the mall and stuff."

       She didn't let go of my hand she just gave a forlorn smile, "You know I miss him too."

       "Yea...Kris I know, he treated you just like he treated me, you were his other little bratty sister. That he adored." I replied biting my lip, he did love Kris as much as he loved me, and I know that either of us sitting here all upset would do nothing but upset him.

       Kris didn't say anything for a moment before looked at me, "You know what this reminds me of?"

       "Yea." I replied not wanting to actually say what but I knew exactly the day she was speaking of. The day was Quentin's funeral, after the funeral we sat on these very steps and cried our eyes out. I remember so well because she was holding my hand and we sitting exactly as we were now.

       We were looking out in space, both of us trying to get that sense of life that Quentin usually always had. We sat like that for at least ten minutes, both of us trying to remember, exactly, the sound of Quentin's laughter.

        Omari walked out of the front door, walked passed us and looked us straight in the eyes like we were crazy, "Eh we need to go to the park now."

       I shook my head letting go of Kris's hand checking my eyes for tears, "For what?"

       "You need to tell him now, when does he usually come?" Omari asked fixing his outfit, the boy never messed up his cloths, and if you messed with them he was ready to fight.

       I looked around like I didn't want to answer, but I knew what I needed to do, "He may be there now, is it after 8?"

       Omari looked down at his blinging watch before answering, "It's 7:50 you wanna go down there now?"

       "Yea." I said standing up, Kris stood up right beside me and grabbed my arm. I knew what she was thinking, and I just shook my head up & down. She was asking if I was sure I wanted to so this, and this was best even if I didn't want to do it.

       We walked down the street in silence, this was our side of town so we weren't being alert. I mean why be scared when we grew up walking up and down these streets? Omari was walking on the outside like he always did as we entered the park, he spotted Druex first, so he blocked my way.

       "OK so what you gonna say?" he asked standing in front of me, I just put my hands on my hips.

       "Boy move." I pushed him out my way to see Druex standing with Monica & his friend De'Mario.

       I'm tellin you this story so let me explain why he had his peeps with him. Druex had been told off by his mother as well, a bunch of bull about press, looks, and the well being of the heir of the family fortune. So Monica seeing a piece of the truth decided to help her brother do something he didn't want to do, and De'Mario decided to help his boy stop this dangerous shit.

       "You OK?" Monica asked looking at her brother who hadn't noticed I was there yet.

       "NO." Was all Druex said, he didn't like being told who to associate himself with, specially not when it was a female he was feeling.

       De'Mario moved his friend from sister and said quietly, "Look dog, I know you don't wanna do this shit but it's best for you Druex. And I forgot to tell you something bout ole'girl."

       Druex looked down, then back at the spot he thought I should be at and where he first spotted me and he saw me, "Hurry up dog she here."

       "Aiight Druex, you know that girl Lea?" De'Mario asked looking over at me and Kris who were looking at them.

       "Lovely's cousin?" Druex asked looking like 'what the hell you talkin bout'.

       "Yea, you know why she moved right, that dudes murder, well that's his sister. I figured it out when you said she had a brother named Quentin." De'Mario whispered trying to keep Monica from hearing, that murder had shook them all, and it still struck a cord in Monica.

       Lovely's older cousin Lea had been the envy of every girl at North Moosely High wanted to be like her. She was pretty, I mean like gorgeous, and every guy black and white wanted her. She had a white boyfriend, but he was in college, but the man she had always wanted was a Junior at the time at SOUTH Moosely High. Quentin was the object of her affection, and to be truthful most girls at school with Lea agreed with her. So when you bring up the fact that he was killed because Lea finally got what she wanted it always upset Monica, one because it made her friend move, and an innocent life was lost.

       "You not serious?" Druex asked feeling the wind all of a sudden disappear from his chest. He never felt right knowing who killed that dude and never telling anyone all because of the fucked up way the world was.

       "Serious as I am black." De'Mario replied quickly before Monica walked over to them putting her hands on her hips breathing loudly.

       "Go over their I'm sure they got some where else to be Druex." Monica said wondering why that look was etched on her brother's face.

       When I saw him walk toward me I walked toward him, and we met in the middle, "I think you know why I'm here."

       "Yea we can't be friends." Druex replied looking away from me, every time he looked at me he saw Quentin.

       "But I honestly wanted to be wit you -- I mean be friends wit you." I replied smiling a little correcting my mistake, knowing he caught that too.

       Druex smiled wringing his hands in the weirdest positions, "I just wanna say I'm sorry, maybe you don't understand why but if you think hard enough you'll know why."

       I was honestly confused, why was he apologizing to me, I didn't understand, "I'm not poppin what you handlin, but Druex I wanna say you are different fo'reel."

       "And you are exactly what I'm looking for." Druex replied while pushing a braid out of my face, it was weird cuz I felt like I was breaking up with him instead of breaking a friendship.

       I smiled like a fool at that moment and I realized I liked that yella boy more than I wanted to admit, "Aiight I need to go my family is waiting, so see ya around creamy boy?"

       "Yea." He smiled as I turned around my smiling falling as soon as I faced my cousins. I didn't see it then but it wouldn't be the last time I would be that close to Druex. I like him, but I can't get around this shit that separates us.

       The world is a horrible place if you haven't noticed, our race is divided, yet we stay the same. We see the beauty in each other at the oddest moments, I see what I want in Dreux. Yet I can't have him. Isn't that some shit? We were both born black, both born from a mother of African descent, and both see something in each other. I need to vent my feelings so I need to talk to Kris later fo'sho, and maybe do a little down time. I never thought in my wildest dreams, I'd be feeling like this about one of them.