One Percenter (Entangled Embrace)

by D. R. Graham

  He nods. “I follow the Packers.”

  I groan and make a you-gotta-be-kidding-me face.

  “Why? Who’s your team?”

  “The Steelers are pretty much members of my family, so don’t even try to badmouth them.”

  “Well, then I guess I can’t say anything about them at all, because the only thing that can be said is bad.”

  “Oh, no you didn’t. Them’s fighting words.”

  Mr. Crofton, Leland, and the two other men at the table laugh. Mrs. Crofton looks uncomfortable like a kid who doesn’t fit in with the cool kids.

  “Watch it, Dad. She’s tiny but she’s feisty.”

  “She’s going to have to be tough if she’s going to go around cheering for the Steelers over the Packers.”

  “Twenty bucks on the Steelers to win the Super Bowl next year,” I challenge him.

  “Ah, come on. That’s a gimmie. I tell you what, if the Steelers make the playoffs, I’ll pay your tuition at the performing arts school of your choice.”

  “What?” He must realize it costs over thirty thousand dollars a year for three years. Is he for real? People don’t seriously say pretentious shit like that, do they? He doesn’t even know me. I look at Leland and, from his expression, his dad really did just offer that bet. “Thank you,” I manage to say, “but they probably will make the playoffs, so no.”

  “Take the bet.” He winks in a patronizing way.

  “I’m not a charity case, Mr. Crofton. When the Steelers make the playoffs you can sponsor a scholarship for a student at James Owens High School.”

  He pauses for a second, then nods approvingly as if I passed his test. “Deal.” He smiles and picks up a fork to break off a piece of the pie the maid placed in front of him.

  We finish our dessert and the guests talk about an interesting variety of things ranging from politics to sports cars for about another hour. I still can’t get over the fact that his dad offered to pay my tuition. What would he have done if I accepted? It is the most outrageous thing that has ever happened to me, and I’ve witnessed some outrageous shit in my life.

  Leland leans over his shoulder and says to the maid, “Thanks, Vera.” He stands and looks at his mom. “Excuse us. I’m going to give Tienne that tour now.”

  “Okay.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Crofton. It was lovely.” I stand as he pulls my chair out for me. “Nice meeting you all.”

  “Break a leg at your audition, Tienne,” Mrs. Crofton’s friend Catherine says. “I’m looking forward to seeing you on the stage.”

  “Thank you.” Wow. She sounded genuine. I can’t believe I’ve spent my entire life connected to gang members and lowlifes when I could have been hanging out with sophisticated people who can open up doors to New York, or whatever else I might want to do.

  Leland smiles in a sexy way and pulls my hand to drag me out of the dining room. He doesn’t actually give me a tour, he just takes me straight up to his childhood bedroom and shuts the door. I’m about to wander around to check out his mementos when he abruptly pushes me against the wall and leans his body weight on me. “You were amazing tonight.” His breath is warm on my skin and his hands move across my body. My sweater is already on the floor and the buttons on my blouse are undone before I know it. He unzips my skirt and it drops to the floor, then he pushes my blouse over my shoulders and lets it slide down my arms. It floats to the floor as well.

  Okay, I’m liking his impulsiveness. It’s hot. Maybe if we sleep together, it will take my feelings for him to the next level. “I thought you wanted to prove that you could wait,” I whisper in his ear to tease him.

  He moves my ring along the chain and drops it so it hangs down my back. Then he kisses my neck. “Do you still want to wait?” He leans down to kiss my collarbone and caresses my breast.

  Half of me doesn’t want to wait. The other half is worried that sleeping with him isn’t going to change how I feel about anything. When I don’t answer, he raises his head to search my face.

  I close my eyes, trying to convince myself to go for it. He’s so cute and so successful. It’s a no-brainer. What am I waiting for?

  He steps back, sensing I’m not into it. “What’s wrong?”

  I rest my forehead on his chest. “Your mom was telling everybody that I’m your girlfriend.”

  “I might have referred to you as that. Is that all right?”

  I lift my head to make eye contact. “You probably should have asked me first.”

  “Would you like to be my girlfriend?”

  “That depends. Is there anything about you that I should know before we move to the next step?”

  He exhales heavily with a seriousness that actually scares me a little. “There is something I need to tell you.”

  “Okay.”

  “I want to be honest because I know how important it is to you, but you’re not going to like what I have to say.”

  “Okay,” I say more hesitantly.

  “Get dressed. I can’t tell you here.”

  Shit. What could it be? If he already knows for a fact that I’m not going to like it, it must be bad. Maybe I don’t want to know.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Leland and I leave the Croftons’ house and drive to a nearby park. He turns the engine off, exhales, and focuses on his hands that are balled into fists and pressing into his thighs. “This is hard. I don’t know where to start.”

  “Whatever it is, I would rather know.”

  “When I was in my senior year, I got my girlfriend pregnant. We were both wasted one night at a party and didn’t use protection. She told me she had a miscarriage, but I thought maybe it was an abortion. Then she moved away a few months later and we lost touch for a long time. The whole thing really screwed me up for a while. That’s when I started smoking weed.”

  I don’t know what to say, so I just sit and let it sink in. After a while, I turn in the seat so I can face him. “What was your girlfriend’s name?”

  “Ruby.”

  “You said you lost touch for a long time. Does that mean you talk to her now?”

  He presses his lips together as if he doesn’t want to say, but doesn’t want to lie either. “Yes, but we’re just friends now.”

  I reach my arm over and hold his hand. “Thanks for telling me.”

  He smiles in relief and his muscles relax. “That’s it?”

  “What did you expect me to say?”

  “I don’t know. I thought you would freak out.”

  “It happened a long time ago, and you told me about it. There’s nothing to freak out about.”

  His sinks deeper into the seat and rests his head back. “That was way easier than I thought it would be.”

  I lean over and kiss him. “You get rewarded when you’re honest.”

  “Nice.” He holds my face and pulls me closer. We make out for a while, but his car is not designed for anything too ambitious. “So, does this mean you’re going to let me call you my girlfriend?”

  “Yes.”

  “And you’re going to call me your boyfriend?”

  I laugh. “I didn’t say that. Don’t get carried away.”

  He laughs too. “Do you want to stay over tonight?”

  I hold my breath as I decide what I want to say. Finally, I exhale and answer, “Yeah, okay.”

  His expression reminds me of the look on a marathon runner’s face as they cross the finish line after a grueling race. He starts the car and pulls back out onto the street.

  I’m not quite ready for what I just agreed to, so to stall, I ask, “Do you mind if we stop at a coffee shop first?”

  “No problem.”

  He parks at the coffee shop near his apartment. Inside, he orders a double espresso. I order a green tea. As we’re waiting for the drinks, the window glass vibrates with a sound I know like my own breathing. Motorcycles pull up in front of the shop. I close my eyes and pray that they are middle-age men out for a ride on their Honda Gold Wings, but there’s no mistakin
g the rumble of a Harley.

  I open my eyes and try to send telepathic messages to the barista so she’ll hurry up. My mind tricks aren’t working—she’s going slower. The bell on the door rings and I hear two pairs of boots on the wood floor. Shit.

  The barista places my tea on the counter and turns to pull Leland’s espresso. I consider running. I swear my back is on fire from familiar stares.

  “Is that T Bear?” It’s Mickey’s voice. Shit. Shit. Shit. “What’s with those clothes? Is she playing a sexy secretary in that play?”

  Leland and the barista are chatting and laughing about something. Their mouths move, but on mute. The only sound I hear is the thuds of motorcycle boots moving toward me. “Leland,” I say. He looks at me and his usual smile disappears at my expression.

  “What’s wrong?” he asks, concerned. “Are you feeling sick?”

  “Go to the car now and, no matter what happens, don’t unlock the door.” He frowns at the strange request. “Please. Just do it. Quickly.”

  He glances over my shoulder and his posture stiffens. “No. I’m not leaving you here by yourself,” he says in a hushed voice.

  “They won’t hurt me, but they will mess you up.”

  “I’m not afraid of them.”

  “You should be. Please go to the car. Trust me.”

  He inhales and seems torn before he eventually turns and pushes out the exit nearest to us. The metal buckles of their jackets and their wallet chains clunk against the counter where I’m standing. They’re on either side of me and the leather creaks as they bend their elbows to lean on the counter. I recognize Aiden’s cologne and close my eyes.

  “What’s up, T Bear?” Mickey asks from behind me.

  Still refusing to look at them, I mumble, “Just getting some tea. What’s up with you?”

  “Hey!” he shouts over to the girl behind the order counter. “We’ll have two café lattes.”

  Her lip curls a little, but she rings in the order. “That will be nine sixty-four.”

  Mickey turns his back on her to send the message that guys who wear patches on their backs don’t pay for shit. There are other people waiting in line and the girl at the counter looks confused whether to wait for him to pay or start the next transaction. She finally shrugs and helps the next person in line. Mickey points at the barista who has just placed Leland’s drink on the counter. “You better get that order. Don’t make me ask twice.”

  She studies his stocky build, scruffy beard, and neck tattoos for a second before she quickly starts to make their drinks. I still haven’t looked at Aiden. He is standing so close to me that I can feel his breath on my neck. “What are you guys doing in this neighborhood?” I ask while focusing on my shoes.

  “This neighborhood is full of pretty rich girls looking to piss off Daddy by dating a thug,” Mickey answers.

  “Okay, have fun trolling. I gotta go.” I grab Leland’s drink and turn toward Mickey so I won’t have to look at Aiden. Mickey steps to block my way.

  “Aren’t you going to say hi to Gylly?”

  “Hi Gylly.” I step sideways, but Mickey blocks me again. I roll my eyes in exasperation. “What do you want?”

  “Aren’t you going to introduce us to the country club dick?”

  “No. Leave him alone.”

  Aiden moves to stand next to me. He runs his finger along my necklace and pulls it up until he’s holding my engagement ring between his fingers. He leans in and whispers in my ear, “Does he let you wear this when he fucks you?”

  I turn to glare at him. Oh my God, he’s gorgeous. I shouldn’t have looked. I knew seeing me with Leland would be a trigger for him. This is more than anger. He’s seething. My throat closes and I have to swallow to say, “Mickey, could you give us a minute?”

  “Gylly’s going to tell me everything you say anyway.”

  I shoot Mickey an evil stare and say, “Despite how much you may want to be a part of this relationship, you’re not.”

  “Neither is Gylly.” He laughs his high-pitched giggle. People assume he’s nicknamed Mickey because he drinks a lot, but it’s because he sounds like the cartoon character when he laughs. Aiden punches him in the ribs really hard. It had to hurt because Aiden is wearing chunky rings on all his fingers. Mickey doesn’t flinch, but he does make an involuntary gasp. “Too soon to joke? All right, I’ll give you two lovebirds a little privacy.” He grabs the two coffees then walks up to a woman who is sitting by herself at a table. He takes the date square that she has already bitten into and stuffs it in his mouth. “Whatcha reading?” he spits crumbs as he asks her.

  She stares at him, too stunned to answer.

  He tips the book forward. “Attracting Love Into Your Life.” He snorts. “Don’t waste your time on love, honey. If you want to go for a ride, I’ll be outside.” He looks back at us with a sleazy grin and laughs his Mickey giggle. “Afterward I’ll take you for a ride on my bike too.”

  She clutches the book against her chest as if it will defend her. Mickey giggles again then walks out the front door.

  “He better not go near Leland or I’ll have him arrested.”

  Aiden ignores me and goes to the register to hand the girl twenty bucks. “For the drinks, and can you get that lady another dessert, please? Keep the change.” He turns back toward me and creases form between his eyebrows before he asks, “So, he doesn’t care that you wear the ring?”

  “First of all, I don’t get fucked because I’m not a whore. Second, the details of how I may or may not make love to someone fall under the category of none of your business.”

  The anger disappears from the surface of his expression and reveals the pain underneath that I already knew was there. “I miss you, Ti.”

  Shit. I can’t keep pretending to be angry if he doesn’t. I stare down at the cups I’m holding and whisper, “I miss you, too. Every single time my heart beats.” I turn to walk away and he grabs my elbow.

  “Then why are you doing this?”

  I jut my chin in Mickey’s direction. “Do you really need to ask? Let go of my arm before someone calls the cops.”

  His hand drops away from me, and I push out the door.

  Mickey is leaning his butt against the hood of Leland’s car. “You’re having an affair with a pussy. He won’t even roll down the window.”

  “He’s just being a good prospect. I told him to stay in the car and he’s following orders.” I open the passenger door and pass the drinks in to Leland. He seems concerned that Mickey hasn’t left, and I don’t want him to say or do anything, so I assure him, “Everything’s fine.”

  Mickey moves and rests his arms on the window frame of my open door. “That’s a great idea. I’m going to make chicks prospect to be my old lady.”

  I tap my palm against his cheek. “The only problem with that is nobody wants to be your old lady bad enough to prospect for it.”

  “Woman, please,” he scoffs. “I’ve got assets.”

  “Yeah? Like what?”

  “I’m hung like a motherfucking horse.” He karate chops his leg down near his knee to indicate his alleged endowment.

  I laugh. “So, that time I accidentally walked into the bathroom when you were stepping out of the shower, you were just really cold or something?”

  “Ha-ha. You know you liked what you saw.”

  “Hardly,” I tease.

  The sound of his giggle brings back fun memories. I’ve missed him. His stupid jokes, his atrocious cooking, the portrait sketches he was always working on, and our secret discussions about the TV show So You Think You Can Dance. He never missed an episode, but he could never in a million years admit that to anyone in the club. Most of all, I miss his willingness to jump in front of a truck for anyone connected to the Noir et Bleu, including me. He was a good friend.

  “Tienne,” Leland says. “We should get going.”

  “Okay.”

  “Hey.” Mickey lifts the bottom hem of his shirt and wipes my upper lip with it. “Your nose is b
leeding.”

  I jerk my head back. “Gross. Your shirt is probably filthy.”

  “No, it’s not. I just took it out of the dryer.”

  “Well, now it has blood on it.”

  “It’s okay. It looks better that way.”

  I shake my head. “You sound like my dad.”

  “Why is your nose bleeding? Does this piece-of-shit country club prick hit you?”

  “No.” I glance through the coffee shop window. Aiden is sitting at a table looking pissed. I know he’s waiting until we leave so he won’t be tempted to confront Leland. “I gotta go, Mickey.”

  He looks at Aiden, too, and lowers his voice. “He’s dying on the inside. You know that, right?”

  “Take care of him for me.” I slide into the car, and Mickey closes the door, then grabs the drinks off the hood and walks over to his bike.

  Leland reaches over and places his hand on mine. “Are you okay?”

  “Sure.”

  “Your hand is shaking.”

  I glance at Gylly. He looks angry and sad, as if he’s imagining what Leland and I will be doing later. The only way I could feel guiltier is if I had literally stabbed a knife in his back and walked away. “Actually, I’m not feeling that well and my nose is bleeding. I should probably get some rest. Do you mind just taking me home?”

  Leland eyes Mickey and then Aiden. I know he wants to do something to assert himself as my boyfriend, but that would be idiotic. Fortunately, he has the maturity to let the fact that I’m with him speak for itself. He starts the engine and drives me home.

  Chapter Sixteen

  It’s been a week since we ran into Aiden and Mickey at the coffee shop and I’m still not exactly over it. I’m trying to forget about it. Leland and I are at a corporate party for his dad’s company tonight. It’s at a posh hotel downtown, the kind of place that my dad would have been asked to leave, but I actually feel like I fit in. When I’m with Leland, everyone assumes my family is like his family and treat me as if I belong.