"Know What You Want"

(Sequel To Learn The Hard Way)

Ch. 5

-- 10 Minutes Later --

Brittney was standing in the same place wiping her eyes, trying to clear her mind, she was so into her place she never heard the door open. It was four girls, Kadeejia, Monica, Kris, and Tasha she was an Alternate on Homecoming Court. They had all saw Druex come back in looking a little upset, and Dai'Mon was looking for Brittney everywhere.

Kris walked over to Brittney standing beside her, "You, OK?"

Brittney tried to smile at the the four girls who stood around her, "Yea I'm cool."

Monica made a little face, "Aww, cute, you and Druex both lyin to yourselves."

"Shut up Mon, where is Brittany?" Brittney replied looking at the shops that lined the street, she didn't like the feeling that Druex felt her pain, maybe his pain was worse than hers.

"She and Rell have discovered the wonders of stopping an Elevator." Kadeejia laughed, Brittany and Jarrell were off having their own party in an elevator.

"We decided to come talk to you when Druex walked in looking like someone died, we knew you two had talked." Tasha replied interrupting a reply from Monica, everyone knew the situation between Druex & Brittney. Their were too many gossips in school for them not to know.

Brittney closed her eyes sighing, "What have we done?"

"What do you mean Bri?" Kris asked crossing her arms, she was sure to be the next girl Jerome settled down with, and Brittney liked that thought she honestly liked Kris.

"We've fucked everything up! Everything we had, it's just not him, it's me too." Brittney replied turning to walk back into the hotel.

Before she could get to the door Tasha stopped her, "Don't be so pessimistic, Druex adores you and you adore him, everything will work out."

Monica was right behind Tasha, being close Druex granted her access into his deepest thoughts, "Come on Bri, don't be like that, what did Druex tell you when ya'll went to the zoo in June?"

Brittney smiled thinking of the little trip to the zoo that they went on just because they were bored and watching the Animal Planet one morning. It wasn't anything big it was just a little day together, and they had so much fun, Druex had told her something when they were in the Lion's Cave, "It wasn't anything special he was just playin."

Monica hit her on the shoulder, looking at Brittney like she was crazy, "He told me he wasn't kidding!"

"Um explain to us exactly what Druex said." Kadeejia asked as she stood beside Tasha in front of Brittney.

Brittney sighed trying to look away from the four girls, "We were in the Lion's Cave when he took my hand and said we were gonna be like the 'Lion King". But he changed it to "Lion King 2" so he wouldn't have to die, and we could still have a son."

"How cute, I always knew that boy was soft somewhere." Kris laughed watching the look on Brittney's face go from sad to elated in less than 2 seconds.

"Look Brittney, Druex loves you, I know it, and you love him, I see it. You just have to learn to forgive and forget, and he just has to learn from his mistakes. Giving up should not be an option for either of you! Now, just go back in there and enjoy your night, Miss Homecoming Queen." Kadeejia replied smiling at Brittney, she honestly believed that Brittney and Druex were perfect for each other.

-- Druex's House - Next Day --

Druex sat at the kitchen table sighing to himself, while his mother sat in front of him looking through her Home Interior Catalogue, she was trying to redecorate their living room. Druex was tired he had a long night, after the dance he took Monica and Liz home, then came back to his own house not to sleep much.

Patricia looked up at her youngest son who was looking at a catalogue but not really reading it, "What's wrong baby?"

"Nothin ma, just tired." He replied looking up at his mother who was looking tired herself.

"Hm, you see Brittney last night?" She asked looking back at her catalogue trying to make her question seem innocent.

Druex looked up at his mother, knowing she purposely asked that question, "She won Homecoming Queen."

"Really? How nice." Patricia replied trying to sound uninterested when really she wanted to talk to her son.

Druex rolled his eyes, closed the catalogue laid his elbows on the table, "OK ma, what do you really want to say?"

Patricia sighed closed her catalogue and looked back at her son, who most people would say looked just like her. From the eyes, to the hair, to his smile, to his attitude, he was just like her, "Druex, I was really worried about you there for a while. Messing around with all these fast ass girls, and not caring who you played and hurt. But when you got with Brittney a year ago  you became, once again, that little boy I remember so well.  And I know no boy wants to tell their mama about their relationships, but I really wonder what happened to you two?"

Druex bit his lip, a habit he had whenever he thought, he looked up at his Mom and said, "I cheated on her...yes I know I ought to be ashamed. But I really don't care about that, all I know is that I miss her like crazy."

She stood up pouring herself a glass of tea, she sat back down with a dismissive sigh, she kept remembering her own situation of the kind, "May I ask you something?"

"Yes." Druex replied running his hands over his face, exhaling loudly, he didn't want to have this conversation but she was his mother.

"You know about your father's...mistake I guess, but can you honestly tell me that you still care for a woman while you are sleeping with another woman?" Patricia asked crossing her legs, pushing her long curly black hair out of her face.

"Yes, honestly, I still felt like I loved Brittney while I was with that other girl. My love never changed, it was just like that other girl didn't matter, and if I'm right that's how dad felt." Druex replied grabbing an apple off the bowl in the middle of the table.

Patricia shook her head drinking a little tea before replying, "Women don't see it like that, we can't love a man then sleep with some other man. Let me teach you something baby, women and men are as different as apples and bananas. And all you have to do is remember, we love with all of our hearts, always trust us, and never pressure us because we will think less of you. But most importantly, we are loyal, so we won't get it when you cheat and still except us to see love in your eyes."

Druex shook his head understanding, he understood that to the fullest, "So what do I do now?"

"Talk to her, it's all you can do," Patricia replied kissing him on the cheek about to walk into the living room, "you said you love her, if she doesn't know tell her. Just remember today is a fight and tomorrow is a battle."

"I will do that, I gotta go to work in little bit so Ima go get ready, thanks ma." Druex said standing up drinking the rest of her tea, he had to go talk to Jarrell for a minute, he didn't have to work.

"Yea OK, baby." Patricia replied smiling to herself as she walked out the room, she knew he didn't have to work.

-- 20 Minutes later --

Druex parked his car, breathed deeply as he walked up the driveway to see Jarrell standing on the patio looking over at Brittney's house. Druex looked over at Brittney's house not seeing what he was looking at.

Jarrell looked over at Druex shaking his head, "Hey nig what up?"

"Nuthin, I need to talk to you, but first why you starin over there?" Druex asked sitting the same exact chair had the day he had met Brittney.

Jarrell sat in the other chair rolling his eyes, "I'm waitin on my girl, we went over there, but she asked where did Britt and Dai'Mon go last night and I didn't want to hear it so I left."

Druex's heart stopped a little then, and his voice came out like a young frightened child, "He took her out last night?"

"Yea, according to B, he wined her and dined her. But anywayz what you wanna talk to me about?" Jarrell asked not knowing he was killing his best friend.

Druex took some slow deep breaths before continuing, "You know how I said I loved Brittney?"

"Yea." Jarrell replied looking at his best friend who looked extremely anxious.

"I never told her that and so many other things. I think a way to get her back is to talk to her, and I was wonderin since you are her best friend do you think she is ready to talk to me yet?" Druex asked biting his lip, he felt excitement that he hadn't felt in a while, the thought of being in her presence again was a lot for him.

Jarrell thought for a moment before answering his friend, he knew she was ready, but he wasn't sure she was ready to be alone with him, "Druex, dog, I really don't know. But I think she would like to hear what you gotta say, cuz I know she got a lot of questions."

Druex stood up putting his hand in his pocket looking over to Brittney's house, "I wanna finish what we started, I ain't never, in my whole life, wanted someone like I want her. She's it for me Rell, I know it, I'm actin all stupid and soft and I honestly don't give a shit! Because I'm not shamed to love her at all."

"Then go over there tomorrow morning and talk to her, she doesn't have to keep Rishon so it's aiight." Jarrell replied as Brittany came grinning across the back yard.

Druex smiled at Brittany as she stood next to Jarrell, he didn't even care about Dai'Mon taking her out at the moment, he just couldn't wait to have her in his arms again. Brittany kissed Jarrell smiled at Druex before saying, "Rell they had a good time, it was nothin, why you bein all mean?"

Jarrell didn't say anything, he just looked at Druex, Druex shrugged his shoulders smiling, "Dai'Mon better hope he had a good time, cuz it's the last time he'll be out with my girl."

Brittany smiled then before she knew it she was hugging Druex, "Yay! Finally you are gonna make her happy again! I knew you weren't entirely stupid!"

Jarrell laughed at Druex's face, "Eh Bri, it's hasn't happened yet."

Brittany pouted putting her hands on her hips, her hair swinging wildly with her sudden movement, "You party pooper! But Druex's gonna do it, as long as he stops wonderin when he can lay da pipe."

Druex shook his head smiling at the look on her face, "I love her, I ain't gotta worry about layin da pipe, cuz if I get what I want I will get to for the rest of my life."

"Aww that's sweet," Brittany whined loudly then reaching over hitting Jarrell, "why don't you ever say stuff like that?"

Jarrell grinned evilly, licking his lips before saying, "I done laid the pipe on you boo, and you be fienin for it so what else is there to do?"

Brittany's mouth dropped before she smacked him upside the head, "Ooh fool I fienin over nothin of yours, but I guess you forgot you were beggin to hit this raw last night eh?"

Druex laughed loudly as Jarrell blushed embarrassed, Jarrell looked up at Brittany, "You hurt my feelings."

Brittany made a face before kissing him softly, "Aww boo boo I sowwy."

Druex rolled his eyes, before walking back to his car, "Oh, OK Ima leave you two sickening people, holla, thanx J."

Brittany nor Jarrell answered because she was now sitting in his lap kissing him, Druex looked over at Brittney's house before driving off, he would go tomorrow morning. Giving up was not an option for him at all, and he was gonna give her up for anybody. He turned on his radio to hear Jagged Edge's "Promise", he knew this song too well, it fully described what he felt for Brittney. He knew she loved that song, he wanted her to see it how he did, and he had his words ready to tell her just that.

Nothing is promised to me and you
So why will we let this thing go
Baby I promise that I'll stay true
Don't let nobody say it ain't so
And baby I promise
That I will never leave
That everything will be alright, I
I promise these things to you
Girl just believe
I promise

He was singing as he drove down the road, memories going through his mind, sure some guys would say he was a punk but he didn't care. She was what he wanted and he would give up his very last just to have her smile, he was thinking of his mother's words when he got into the song. 'Remember today is a fight and tomorrow is a battle', he saw she was right, he had won the fight today and now he had win the battle tomorrow.

When I think of all the times I said
That I will see you another day
Baby nothing's gonna change, yes it is
Said you mean the world to me
And babygirl I keep you first, yeah
Cause that's the kind of love you deserve
And to know I got a love if you need a love, yeah

Druex knew then that his whole life was depending on whether he got the courage to speak through her anger. It wasn't like he would die if he didn't but it was dependent on whether either of them would have a happy life. Some guys were scared to think of long-term with one woman but for some reason that's all Druex could think of. Who would've thought it? Druex wanted a sure commitment, he had come along way from the player of a year ago, but he thought that was just something Brittney had changed.

Lyrics: Jagged Edge - "Promise" - (C) 1999