"Learn The Hard Way"

Ch. 6

-- The Next Day at School  --

Druex stood at his locker listening to this Mexican/Czech girl, Sjeri, ramble on about nothing. She was beautiful, 5'6, long brown hair down to her butt, big gray eyes, and a body like Jennifer Lopez. But he couldn't say anything because he was watching Brittney walk down the hall with Jerome. He watch their uneasy stance oppose their comfortable voices with each other.

Brittney smiled at Jerome who was discussing what happened between Druex and her, she looked over at her locker when she saw Sjeri and Druex, but it reappeared when she noticed his eyes on her.

Jerome walked her too her locker stood there a moment, then he kissed her cheek, "Good look B."

Brittney smiled watching him back away from her, "Thank you J, now get to class and remember you can't pass if you don't try."

"True, true, Ima try." He laughed as she shook her head knowingly, Brittney turned and opened her locker laughing as Sjeri continued to talk as Druex stared at Brittney.

"Did you hear me Druex? Druex?" Sjeri asked loudly, her accent making Druex sound like Du, noticing that Druex was not paying her any attention.

Druex looked back at Sjeri, "Look I'm busy can you talk to me about Algebra later?"

Sjeri stomped her foot angrily making her hair swing, "I wasn't talking about Algebra Druex! I was talking about us going out!"

Druex looked over at Brittney who was trying to hold her giggles in, "Well, look I'm already involved Sjeri, you know so that's not gon' happen."

Sjeri looked appalled, she placed her dainty hand on her hip and shook her head so her hair was all over her shoulder, "But you said last year we could hook up!"

Druex rolled his eyes at Sjeri and turned his attention back to Brittney who was now snickering loudly, "I said that last year, truthfully, I don't want to hook up wit you."

"Fine, then, good bye." She replied loudly stomping away her hair swinging with every move.

When she finally disappeared Brittney let out a loud laugh, Druex closed his locker, leaned on it and smiled at her. She was still laughing and he couldn't help but think she was so pretty, since it was still summer she was wearing a baby blue skort, a baby blue Peasant Girl shirt, and her baby blue 'And One's'. And her hair was in a pony tail, after a minute she stopped laughing, closed her locker and turned to him.

Druex tapped her cheek smiling, "What's so funny girl?"

"You Druex, you, it's cute how you handled that." Brittney relied, she had stopped laughing but she hadn't wiped the smile off her face.

He took her hand as they walked to fourth period, "Where's Rell?"

"They skipped, they right now are at his house having a little time together." Brittney replied as people looked at them, nobody knew about them, but Brittney still hadn't answered him either.

Druex rolled his eyes as the gossips picked up on what was going on, Druex Fredricks was with Brittney Parker, it was gonna be all over school by the end of 4th period. They were walking out the double doors as he looked at her and asked, "Can I have my answer?"

Brittney smirked at him repositioning her purse on her shoulder, "Later Druex, I have something need to tell you, later. At my house, after school."

The look in her eye reminded him of the look his eyes always held when he had something up his sleeve, "What are you thinkin Miss Bit?"

"What did you call me?" She asked looking up at him as they walked down the sidewalk.

"Miss Bit, my granddad used to say my grandma was just a lil'bit of somethin cuz she was so short." Druex replied smiling as tried to look offended.

"Cute, boy real cute! Anyway be at my house at 3:30 or so, I think you are going to like what I have up my sleeve." Brittney smiled as they got closer to American History Honors.

Druex stopped as they got halfway their, cradled her face with his hands, and kissed her. His lips parted, and his tongue gently traced her lips, he pulled away as the bell rang leaving Brittney stunned. That was kiss like no other she had ever had, she would have sworn that Downy had nothin on his soft lips.

Brittney didn't move as he started back to class, he let out a little laugh, "Come Bit, let's go before we're late."

She shook her head trying to glare at him, "Boy I swear you trying to give yo' girl a heart attack!"


-- Brittney's House 3:00  --

Brittney sat at the bar still in her school cloths eating an apple watching her parents move around the kitchen. Her mother was cooking as usual and he dad was just in the way, they had com home late last night saying they had missed their babies, meaning Carolyn and her mom had been to worried to have anymore fun.

She thought about her plan, she would give Druex her answer all the while introducing him to the most important people in her life, her mom and dad.  Her dad sat next to her and took her apple taking a huge bite out of it, "Now who is that you invited over?"

"Druex Fredricks, daddy." She replied as he handed her back her apple after two more bites.

Theresa, her mother, looked back while she was frying chicken, smiling knowingly, "And who is he to you sweetheart?"

"Mama you know." Brittney laughed as her mother laughed making her curled to perfection hair move just a little bit, her dad on the other hand saw nothing funny about it.

"Well, your mama may know but I don't angel. Who is this young man to you?" Her dad asked staring her down, she had forgotten that this would be hard, her dad only liked Jerome.

Brittney took a deep breath, and looked at her dad with the most innocent eyes. Her family was something really important to her and she thought it appropriate for him to know them since he was something new and important to her life. "He's my boyfriend daddy."

"What happened to Jerome, angel?" Steve asked standing up pulling a coke from the refrigerator, she knew he was on edge.

She tried her best not get an attitude or roll her eyes, "We broke up daddy, along time ago."

"Well, " Steve started turning back to her, "I'm glad I get to meet this nigga who is trying to get with my baby."

Theresa finally said something with a warning in her voice, he only called a man a nigga when he felt like he had something against him, "Steve, don't be like that. I'm sure this boy is very nice, and Bug seems to really like him so be good."

"What Resa? Just cuz I call him a nigga don't mean anything." Steve replied getting defensive.

Brittney laughed spitefully, "Yes it does daddy, please don't be mean to him. He's sweet and I really like him, so don't get no attitude wit him or anything."

Theresa turned a well trained eye to her daughter, "Don't get no?"

"Sorry ma, don't get an attitude." Brittney replied jumping up as she heard a car drive up. She ran over to the door smiling as he stepped out of it, he looked at her parents Benz that had been parked in the garage since they left for Virginia Beach.

Druex took his eyes off the black Benz and smiled pulling her into a hug, "Who's car is this?"

"My daddy's," She replied like it was a well known fact, his mouth fell open and he didn't take another step, "what boo?"

Druex was still shocked as he spoke, "Your dad's? Their back?"

Brittney smiled taking his hand, "Yep, came back last night, that was my surprise kind of."

"But Bit I can't go in there and be like I'm your daughters friend you know he won't take that ---" Druex went on until she put a finger to his lips getting closer to him.

"I'm not asking you to do that, I'm asking you to go in there and introduce yourself as my boyfriend." She smiled as the shock wore off and he pulled her into his arms grinning from ear to ear.

"You know what, I would love to do that." Druex whispered kissing her, he didn't know how else to contain his happiness.

Brittney smiled as he let her go, squeezing his hand, "You will do fine, I promise, come on."

They walked into the house and again it seemed different as the two people who were watching them through the window tried to act nonchalant as Brittney and Druex walked into the house. Druex smiled at Theresa, who looked a little like Brittney except older, she was more like Jayson. Her smile was sweet but nothing like Brittney's, and she was a light honey color, with smoke colored eyes. And then he turned to the man who looked like just look like Brittney, the complexion, the eyes, except for the height and build, he saw Brittney make a face at him, and he smiled that's where she got the smile from.

Brittney looked at Theresa and Steve, "Mama, daddy, this is Druex Fredricks, my boyfriend."

Steve shook his head when the last part came out, he knew it was directed at him. His wife gave him a hug saying, "It's nice to meet you Druex, I'm Theresa Parker, no wonder she waited to introduce us, you are very handsome young man."

Druex smiled as the voice the sounded so much like Brittney's complimented him, "Thank you Mrs. Parker."

Theresa was making her way back to the stove when she turned her southern accent slipping out, "Oh just call me Mrs. Theresa like Jarrell does. Do you know Jarrell?"

"Yes, ma'am we are good friends." Druex smiled as Brittney let go of his hand as he father stood.

Steve stood in front of Druex trying to shake the eyes that were pleading with him to not be rude. He didn't like this punk, not at all, he looked to thuggish and his baby was not going to get involved with no thug off of 3rd street. He turned his nose up ready to blow up when he heard his wife whisper 'Steve', and Brittney touched his arm. He looked over at her and he couldn't do it to her, maybe to Isabelle, but not to his angel. He stuck out his hand and Druex gave him a nice solid handshake, nervously he could tell, "Nice to meet you, I'm Steve, sit down son, sit down angel."

They sat at the bar Druex next to Brittney and Steve in front of Brittney, Steve exhaled loudly as Brittney smiled over at Druex, he had seen look before but not from her, it was the way her mother had looked at him the day he met her parents. And he could vividly remember how rude her father was to him, so he decided to be a little nicer, "So you are a Fredricks?"

"Yes, sir." He answered trying to keep from kissing Brittney, but she made it easier by going to her mother whispering something to her.

Steve shook his head thinking a minute, "Ah yes you are the youngest son of Patricia aren't you?"

"Yes, sir that's my mother." Druex replied as his heart began to slow down a bit.

Steve grinned as he spoke, "Now I'm surprised you don't know me, your dad, me, and Jarrell's dad skip church every Sunday and go fishing up at Reel Foot Lake. Michael works for a law firm, and your mother is a teacher at the school Theresa works at."

Druex thought a moment, his dad always talked about the guys he fished with, "Oh, yea, I do remember you! We met the day dad took me and Chez to Lake when I was 6 or 7, and you brought Jayson."

Steve laughed with that memory, now comfortable with the boy his daughter had brought home, "Boy you have grown up! Still wanting to be the next Michael Jordan?"

"No sir, I've grown out of that, now I'm thinking of going to college for a degree in engineering like my father and Chez." Druex replied matter-of-factly, no longer nervous with the situation he was thrown into.

Theresa looked at her daughter who was smiling back her new boyfriend as he spoke with his father, "Bug, baby you know his Mom used to keep you and Belle, Jarrell and Nia."

"Really?" Brittney asked not looking away from Druex as he laughed at something her father said.

"Oh yea, but ya'll were no older than 3 or 4, but anyway I see you really like this boy." Theresa replied turning the last pieces of chicken, she had tried to make a conversation out of the one time favor that Druex's mother had done for her and Carolyn.

Brittney finally looked at her mother blushing, "Yea, I do, he makes me feel things."

Theresa laughed at the way she said it, "I can see that, and I see you make him feel things, Bug you look at him like I look at your dad, like Carolyn looks at Darrell. You may just very well fall in love with him."

Brittney smiled wider not saying anything, busing herself with something else, "Mom, it won't go that far I'm beautiful enough for a man to fall in love with me."

"Brittney Renee Parker," Theresa replied loudly getting Druex's and Steve's attention, "don't you ever say anything else like that ever again! You just don't see how beautiful you are, but obviously he does he's here dealing with you psycho father."

Brittney laughed looking up at her mother who had by that time had grabbed her chin like she used to when she was younger, "Mom, I'm just saying he's not ready for that."

Theresa cut the stove off placing the last bit of chicken on the platter, "Don't speak for him Bug, come on Steve let's set the table, Druex you are staying for dinner."

Druex smiled as she hurried around giving orders and taking her chicken to the dinning room. He looked up at Brittney who was staring into space her mind elsewhere, he walked over to her standing over he short frame, "Bit what are yo thinkin about?"

"My Mom just said somethin to me that's all." Brittney replied looking up at him trying to force a smile that just didn't hit her eyes.

Druex kissed her softly, "About me fallin in love with you? She's right you know, don't speak for me."

Brittney smiled this time, for real, kissing him, "What are trying to say?"

"Bit, I'm almost there, you could be the one for me no doubt about that." He replied not noticing the two people watching them.

"I didn't know, I care for you so much." She whispered as he pulled her into his arms.

Druex loved the way she wrapped her arms around him, "I care for you too Bit, I care for you too. But one day soon I'm gonna get to say I love you, just like Rell did, and I'm gonna mean it too."

"Don't worry about that day, just be with me, that's all I ask, just be with me." Brittney whispered into his chest not opening her eyes.

He lifted her chin looking dead into her eyes, "Bit, have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

"No?" Brittney said trying to look away but he wouldn't let her.

"Look at me Bit, you are beautiful, you are so, so, beautiful to me. Don't forget that." Druex smiled kissing her, she couldn't believe he had said it, and it felt like a rock was lifted off her back.

Steve and Theresa smiled, both knew nothing but happiness would come to Druex and Brittney, life was new and changing and they had found each other to share it with.

===== The End