"Nick they're going to hate me."
"They're not going to hate you. They can already tell that I'm crazy about you that should count for something right?"
"No."
"Just shake it out of you, ok?"
"Easier said than done." Finally we pulled up to my house. I could see the nervousness written all over Kristina's face. I thought it was kind of cute, seeing her so nervous and whatnot but I had to make her loose. My mother would notice if she was scared and would use it against her.
"Well we better get in there before they suspect that we're doing something we're not supposed to be doing in here."
"Yeah I suppose." We both got out and headed to the door. I gave her a quick peck on the cheek before entering the house.
"Mom, David, we're here!"
"Alright." This is the beginning of what was a nightmare. My mother and david came barreling out of the dinning room and stopped almost immediately when they came upon the sight of Kristina and I. The silence in the room was deafening.
"Mom, Paul this is Kristina, Kristina, this is my mother Jane and her husband David."
"Hi" she smiled. Her smile that melted me did nothing for them.
"Hi" they both replied back. It was almost like being in the gym when Krystal and Kristina were gazing at Romeo.
"Well um, I'm going to show Kristina around. Just call us when dinner is finished."
"Yeah." I grabbed Kristina's hand and took her downstairs where all of our entertainment stuff were.
"They hate me."
"They don't hate you, they haven't even gotten to know you."
"Nick, I know that look ok? They hate me."
"They don't hate you ok, chill."
"Yeah" she whispered. We sat in silence watching Chicago on satellite. I was hoping that her watching her favorite movie would help some but nothing worked. She was nervous and honestly I couldn't blame her because deep down inside I was nervous myself.
"Come up for dinner!" David called. We looked at each other before walking back upstairs. I held her chair out for at the table and sat down next to her. I ran my thumb across the back of her hand to calm her hoping that would help. Dinner was served up silently.
"So……Kristina where did you two meet?" my mother asked.
"At the rec center."
"The recreational center……..do you live around that area?"
"Yes ma'am, about a few blocks away."
"Hmmm…." Then there was more silence.
"So you all are dating?" David asked.
"Yes we are."
"For how long?"
"A few weeks."
"A few weeks…….so its nothing serious."
"What?"
"We happen to like each other very much" I chided. I saw their game from a mile away and I wasn't liking one minute of it.
"So Kristina what do you do besides working at the recreational center?"
"I go to school."
"Which?"
"Wayne county community college."
"Community college?"
"Just until its time for my major then I'll go apply to Wayne State so I wouldn't have to pay so much for loans and whatnot."
"Yes…….so is there by any chance that you are mixed with anything because your skin is very fair and I've never seen a black girl with red hair unless its dyed."
"Does it matter if I am?"
"No not necessarily."
"Well if you must know, no I am not mixed with anything. Or at least not that I know of." Kristina was trying to be polite as she could but I could tell she was fuming. I was mad myself, how could my mother ask that?! Talk about getting personal to the next level. I never felt so embarrassed in my entire life! I can't believe this is my mother talking right now. I've never heard her say something so ignorant in her entire life! "Could you please tell me where the bathroom is?"
"Upstairs, first door on the right" David said.
"Thank you, I'll be right back." Kristina got up and went upstairs to the bathroom.
"Maybe you should go follow her" my mother said.
"I can't believe you two!"
"You can't believe us?! You're the one bringing that girl here! Now come on Nick, we expected better from you."
"Better?! I can't believe what I'm hearing."
"Now son those type of girls are just fine with fooling around with and whatnot but son to be in a relationship? That's not a very good idea."
"What the hell are you talking about?!
"You know good and well what he's talking about Nick! Not only is she some black girl that can't even tell if she's mixed with anything, plus she's from the slums?! Nick why can't you just go back to Paris? I always liked her."
"Even after she cheated on me?!"
"Well we all make mistakes."
"This is a nightmare, not only have you embarrassed me but you've made her feel horrible." I was ready to go, leave. I had to get away from them no matter how mad they were at me I couldn't be there anymore. I got up from the table and headed upstairs to get Kristina. But when I got to the bathroom she wasn't there. "Kristina?" I called out for her but no answer.
"She left" my mother commented standing at the bottom of the steps.
"Maybe with her gone that'll give you some time to think about this mistake that you're making."
"I'm not making any kind of mistake, I love her."
"Son you're confused."
"I'm not your fucking son!"
"Nick! Do not talk to him like that!"
"He's the reason you're like this! Can't you see I'm happy with her?!"
"Nick! She's a black girl from the ghetto now stop this nonsense right now!"
"You know what………..go to hell." I grabbed my keys and headed out the door. Kristina had to be around because she had just recently left but somehow she was nowhere to be found. I looked at every bus stop, still nothing. It was like she disappeared into thin air. So I just opted to drive to her house. Her car was out there so maybe she was home. I knocked on her door, nothing. Maybe she was still on her way. I sat in front of her house till the wee hours of night and still nothing. I was worried, had something happened to her? I called her cell phone but nothing. I two-wayed her, still nothing. I even swallowed my pride and called Krystal but she even hadn't heard from her. I waited and waited and waited, nothing. I would try her again the next day and the day after that, nothing. Where did she go? Man I hope nothing bad happened to her or I wouldn't be able to forgive myself or my mother and David.
I must've been the first person at the rec center because I had to see if Kristina was there. She hadn't came in yet, so I waited in the kitchen. Finally she came in and she just looked exhausted.
"Hey."
"Hey."
"Can we talk?"
"Now isn't really the time Nick."
"Kristina, just…"
"Kristina, can I see you in my office?" Mr. Cunningham asked stepping in.
"Yeah sure, we'll talk later."
"Yup." I watched the clock, each passing second waiting and waiting for to come back. After about an hour and a half she walked back into the kitchen. Before she could say anything I spoke first. "I am so sorry about this weekend."
"Look it won't be the first time someone thinks ill of me because of my skin tone and not my personality and it won't be the last time."
"I never felt so embarrassed in my life."
"Its ok Nick, really."
"No its not ok."
"Look Nick stop worrying about it because……..because they won't have to worry about me anymore."
"What are you talking about?"
"Nick it was fun while it lasted but I mean you're going to be leaving here in two weeks, there's really no need to keep this going you know."
"What?" I could literally feel my heart breaking inch by inch.
"You're gonna go back to Bev Hills and I'm still gonna be here. There's no point of messing up your family thing for me you know."
"I hate my family what the hell are you talking about?!"
"You know what I'm talking about Nick! They'll cut you off if you continue to see me! I know how to survive on my own but you never had to work for anything. You don't know how to survive and I'm not going to put you in that position."
"I can take care of myself."
"Nick this is your first job and it wasn't even by choice. You probably don't even know what minimum wage is."
"I can't believe this you're breaking up with me because of some stupid comments by some simple minded people?!"
"Those simple minded people are you family! I'm not going to be the reason why they hate you."
"Fuck that, you're not breaking up with me."
"You don't get a say so in that!"
"I refuse to let you break up with me!"
"You don't have a choice, besides I've already moved on."
"WHAT?!"
"Yup, Krystal introduced me to someone over to weekend. One of Romeo's friends."
"I can't believe this shit! So you were with her this weekend?! She said you weren't with her."
"That's called a loyal friend Nick, something your friends aren't."
"Bullshit, you moved on?! In the coast of two days?!"
"Yup, I guess I'm the slut your friend A.J. makes me out to be." Before I could open my mouth Krystal popped into the room.
"Hey Romeo and Harvey are here."
"Cool." Kristina turned back towards me. "Later days." I walked to the kitchen door and saw Kristina and Krystal walk over to Romeo and this chump Harvey. He was pretty tall, around Krystal's complexion and muscular as a muthafucka. I can't believe this shit! She breaks up with me and goes on to the next thing?! If I didn't feel like having to clean up after myself I would've threw everything around this whole damn room. Instead I just swallowed the lump in my throat and continued to work.