by Mott, Teisha
“Of course not!’ Nathan whispered. “You are very important to me, Andie. I would never do something like that to you. I care about you more than any girl I have ever met.” He kissed her lightly.
Andie smiled and continued eating her sandwich. Nathan cared about her more than any one. She cared about him too. Micah and Samantha were wrong. The best thing in the world was having a boyfriend, particularly one as wonderful as Nathan. She knew she would feel that way forever!
***
“And then the stinkin’ woman came over me and took away the book!” Fern McNally grumbled. “Then to make matters worse, she had a nerve to try to psychoanalyse me on top of it, telling me how I have passive aggression and obsessive compulsion and ‘type A’ personality and all sort of crap! Who she think she is – Sigmund frigging Freud?!”
She was walking with Andie to the Students’ Parking lot to meet Samantha, and relating to Andie the fact that her Introductory Psychology teacher had caught her practicing Calculus I problems during class.
“I don’t know how you can get caught doing the same thing two times in one day!” Andie said in awe. “I told you I would help you with Calculus tonight. Why you worried?”
“Clearly, you don’t understand how dunce I am when it comes to Calculus!” Fern said.
“And clearly you don’t understand how smart I am!” Andie countered. “But if you have such a problem with Calculus, why are you majoring in Econ?”
“It was either Econ or Accounts,” Fern shrugged. “And I think I hate Accounts more than Calculus. And how much Calculus do we have to do anyway? Besides, I really think I will transfer to Law next year. Then I will do International Law and I will not have to see a stinkin’ Calculus book ever again!”
“That would be a very good idea,” Andie said curtly. “You certainly have the lip for Law.”
“Whatever, Andie!” Fern rolled her eyes. “Wait, isn’t that your sister and Micah?”
Andie looked across the parking lot, and sure enough, there was Samantha, leaned against her Rav4. Next to her was Micah Elliot. Apparently, they were having some sort of a laughing contest – who could laugh hardest. Samantha was throwing her head back and laughing and Micah was doing the same. A smile tugged at Andie’s lips. Perhaps, Micah and Samantha could get to like each other, and then their views about her and Nathan would have to change.
“Samantha likes Micah?” Fern asked.
“I hope so,” Andie said. “Don’t they look nice together?”
“You Persaud girls are the luckiest b’s on campus!” Fern said with a shake of her head. “Here you are snagging the one – two most eligible bachelors on Preston Hall.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nathan is – or rather, was – the most eligible bachelor on Preston until you came along, and the women of Preston have not yet finished grieving that we have lost Nathan, and here is Samantha – gorgeous, rich and bright – moving in on the second most eligible bachelor. What the rest of us supposed to do?”
“You chat so much crap sometimes, Fern!” Andie said, shaking her head. She walked over to the Rav4. “Hey Sammy. Hey Micah.”
“Hey Andie-Pandy! Hey Fern Gully!” Samantha said, cheerfully.
Micah did not respond. Andie blushed, remembering how he had walked in on her and Nathan earlier.
“I’m coming home with you this evening,” Fern told Samantha. “Andie and I are going to do Calculus problems.”
“Okay,” Samantha said. “Let’s get going then.” She turned and smiled at Micah. “Thanks for waiting with me, Micah.”
“No problem, Samantha,” Micah said. “See you tomorrow.”
Micah waited until all three girls had gotten into the car, and Samantha had driven off before he moved out of the parking lot. He watched the blue SUV as it turned on the ring road, and headed towards the main gate. Micah had been surprised two weeks ago when Samantha had first asked him to walk her to her car. He wondered whether Samantha was beginning to get interested in him. It was a nice thought. She was a really nice girl, not to mention smoking hot. He already liked her as a pal, and was not averse to their relationship becoming more. He could hardly hide his disappointment when he realised she was not interested in him, but was only interested in talking about Andie and Nathan. When she had asked him again that afternoon, it became evident to him that Samantha was fishing for information about Nathan and his motives as far as Andie was concerned. She was much smarter than she realised, Micah thought. She almost figured out the entire bet, and he was tempted to tell her. However, as much as he hated the whole bet situation, he refrained from disclosing what was really going on, and worse, what he had interrupted earlier in the day.
Micah sighed and left the parking lot, turning his nose towards Preston Hall. He was far too old for these childish games. He decided once and for all that he would have nothing to do with Nathan and Jeremy’s sick game. Andie was a nice girl, but far too naïve. She would have to wise up all on her own. He was not going to get involved.
***
“Where did you disappear to after class today?” Andrew Persaud asked Andie. “I wanted to talk to you about your midterm.”
Andie stopped eating and looked at her father. “What happened? Did I fail?”
“No you didn’t,” Dr Persaud told her. ”You did pretty well. In fact, you got the third highest grade in the class!”
“Ahhh!” Andie screamed. “Are you serious?”
“You have to scream?” Christopher piped up. “I’ve had a hectic day, and you have just contributed to my splitting headache.”
Fern looked at him curiously. “Are you a big man, or a little boy?”
“You’ll get accustomed to Christopher, Fern,” Dr Persaud said. “Are you interested in knowing who got the highest?”
The smile on his face gave away the answer. “I did? No way!” Fern questioned excitedly.
“If you scream I am going to bite you!” Christopher warned.
“Oh no, you’re not!” Janise Persaud said. “You are not a dog!”
It was seven thirty, and the Persauds and Fern had sat down to dinner. Family dinner at least once per week was something that Dr Persaud insisted on. The night was dependent on his lecturing schedule. This semester, it was Tuesday.
“I got the highest?” Fern repeated.
“Yes you did!” Dr Persaud told her. “But if you continue working Calculus problems when you should be paying attention to the lecture, you will not have a repeat performance.”
“I’m sorry, Dr Persaud,” Fern apologised again. “It’s just that I am not getting integrals and all that good stuff. I have a real fear of failure…”
“You’re an Econ major and you can’t do math?” Samantha asked.
“I’m transferring to Law next year,” Fern told her. “It won’t be hard if I can get A’s in everything except that wretched Calculus I.”
“You’ll do well in Law,” Dr Persaud said, nodding. He took a bite of his string beans, and turned back to Andie. “So where were you, Andie?”
“I hung out with Nathan down by Preston,” Andie said.
“Oooh!” Her parents said simultaneously, and Andie flushed.
“Nathan and Andie sittin’ in a tree…” Dr Persaud began.
“Daddy, why must you always sing that stupid song?” Andie asked.
“Because it’s fun!” Dr Persaud said. “I’ve waited for this day for a very long time.”
Fern looked at him. It was a totally different side of Dr Andrew Persaud she was seeing tonight. She wondered whether she would be able to look at him the same way after this.
“So what were you and Nathan doing?” Mrs Persaud asked.
Andie willed her face not to turn red. Of course she could not tell her mother what she and Nathan had been doing. She could never tell her mother how he had kiss
ed and nuzzled her neck; how he had hoisted her on to the counter, and touched and caressed her under her blouse. Her mother could not know how much she had enjoyed it, and how sorry she was that Micah had come in and broken them up. Worse, she could not tell her mother that after they had had their sandwiches he had taken her into his arms once more and done things to her that made her blush just thinking about it - things that made Andie think she would have both imploded and exploded simultaneously. No one but Fern would know that she had missed her Accounts class and most of English because they had forgotten the time.
Andie flipped her hair over her shoulder, and cocked her head to the side, in deep concentration. She was thinking of the best, most honest way to answer her mother’s question. The big red mark on the side of Andie’s neck almost made Samantha choke on her water.
“Mommy, Daddy, can you excuse me and Andie one minute please?” She asked. She did not wait for a response, but grabbed her sister by the arm and dragged her up the stairs and down the hall to her bedroom.
“Samantha, you’re hurting me!” Andie protested. “Have you gone mad?”
“No!” Samantha hissed, shoving her into the bathroom and slamming the door. “But clearly you have. What the hell is going on?”
“What are you talking about?” Andie rubbed her arm, trying to get back some feeling into it.
“I’m talking about this!” Samantha pulled Andie’s hair back, and pointed to the huge red hickey on the side of her neck.
“Jesus!” Andie gasped.
“Jesus?” Samantha growled. “That’s not Jesus, Andie. That’s a hickey, and I know exactly how it got there. Is that what you and Nathan were doing all afternoon?”
“I – I – I …” Andie stammered. She turned as red as the mark Nathan had left on her. How could she not have seen it earlier?
“Are you sleeping with Nathan?” Samantha demanded.
“What?” Andie squeaked.
“Are you sleeping with him?” Samantha repeated.
“No!” Andie declared. “Of course not!”
“I don’t believe you! You are covered with hickeys!” Samantha’s narrowing eyes were now flashing green. “I am going to ask you again, and if you lie to me, I am going to slap you up and down this bathroom. Are you sleeping with Nathan?”
Andie’s eyes filled with tears. “No I’m not!” She cried. “I told you I’m not. We were only kissing. I didn’t realise…”
“I’m telling Mommy!” Samantha decided. “I’m telling Mommy, and you are going on the pill!”
“Samantha!” Tears were running down Andie’s face. “You can’t tell Mommy, and I don’t need to go on the pill. I am not having sex with Nathan.”
“But you want to!” Samantha accused. “And he wants to, too. I knew something like this would happen!”
“Nothing has happened!” Andie said, trying to control her tears. “Samantha, please…”
Samantha sighed, and pushed her hair back. She looked into her sister’s pleading eyes.
“If Mommy and Daddy see those marks on you, you’re done,” she said still feeling angry but trying to be kind. “Come. I have some makeup in my room that can cover them.”
Andie wordlessly followed Samantha to her bedroom. She sat on the bed and wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt. Samantha got her makeup box and went to work on Andie’s neck and shoulders.
“You can never let this happen again,” she said as she worked. “You and Nathan have to be careful – do you understand me?”
Andie nodded.
“I know you like him, Andie,” Samantha continued. “But you have to draw some sort of line or you are going to make a very big mistake.”
“We won’t, Sammy,” Andie said.
“You better not,” Samantha warned. She closed the compact with the foundation. “I don’t want to be an auntie just yet. Go wash your face so you don’t look like you were crying, and let’s go back downstairs. Mommy and Daddy are bound to be suspicious.”
“Is everything alright?” Mrs Persaud asked as Andie and Samantha returned to the dining room.
“Yes,” Samantha said, unconvincingly. She did not offer any further explanation and neither did Andie.
Mrs Persaud glanced at her husband and he glanced at her. Of course something was up. Dr Persaud wanted to know what it was. He opened his mouth to ask, but his wife cut him off with a light touch on his hand. That touch told him to leave the girls to sort out what had happened. They were big girls and capable of working out their differences. Fern looked at Andie. She had no intention of letting it rest. Before the night was out, she was going to know what had caused Samantha to drag Andie from the table.
The remainder of dinner was a silent affair. Andie miserably picked at her vegetables, feeling conspicuous. She was sure her parents could see through the foundation that Samantha had pasted on her neck. She couldn’t believe how stupid she was to let Nathan give her hickeys. She wondered whether she had given him any.
“Is there dessert for a tired man?” Christopher asked Theresa as she came to take the dinner plates.
“I can give you a bowl of ice cream if your Mommy says it’s alright,” Theresa said, looking at her boss for confirmation.
Mrs Persaud shook her head. “Give him a cookie, Theresa,” she said. “That should be enough. Do you girls want dessert?”
“No thanks, Mrs Persaud,” Fern said, and Andie and Samantha shook their heads.
“Fern, let’s get started on the Calculus,” Andie said, pushing her chair back. She kissed her father’s cheek, then her mother’s. “Goodnight. Fern and I have a long night ahead of us.”
“Goodnight, my heart,” Mrs Persaud said. “Don’t stay up too late, now.”
“We won’t, Mommy,” Andie promised, as she followed Fern up the stairs to her bedroom.
“What happened just now?” Fern asked, not even a second after Andie closed her bedroom door.
“We just had dinner,” Andie said, pretending to misunderstand Fern’s question.
“Don’t play with me!” Fern glowered. “I mean with you and Samantha!”
“Nathan gave me a hickey,” Andie said, shortly, as she gathered her Calculus papers. “Sammy saw it.”
“Nathan gave you a hickey and Sammy saw it?” Fern repeated incredulously.
“What? Did I stutter?” Andie snapped.
Fern looked at her. “I’m sorry.” She took a seat on Andie’s trunk. “Do you love him, Andie?”
Andie squeezed her eyes closed. Did she love him? That was a good question. She loved how he made her feel. She loved when he held her and touched her and kissed her. The feelings she had when she was with him were foreign but absolutely fantastic. Thinking about her feelings for Nathan was giving her a headache. She turned to Fern.
“I really don’t know how I feel,” she said. “But I have a very long time to figure it out. I only have a few hours to prepare you for Calculus exam. I suggest we focus on that right now.”
***
”I wonder if you know that Samantha Persaud is on to the little game you are playing with her sister!” Micah informed Nathan.
Nathan’s head shot up so fast that he was surprised he did not get whiplash. “What?”
“She was questioning me after Probability class today,” Micah continued. “Asking coy little questions. She is very smart you know, Nathan. She almost has the bet figured out.”
“What did you say to her?” Nathan demanded.
“I never said a murmuring word,” Micah promised. “I am leaving you to self-destruct all on your own.”
“Micah, you know I like Andie,” Nathan reminded him.
“But not as much as you like to beat Jeremy at everything,” Micah said. “Look, I said it’s not my business, Nathan, but I think that if you really liked Andie, you would tell Jeremy to go to hell and ta
ke his stupid bet with him. But you just keep pressing on and on.” He started up the stairs. “Watching you is like watching a car crash. You know what’s going to happen; all the disaster that’s going to take place, but you still can’t look away.”
Nathan sat at the table and continued eating his dinner. Micah was perfectly right and perfectly wrong at the same time. He really cared for Andie. He was determined to beat Jeremy. Why did the two have to be mutually exclusive? What Micah wasn’t getting was the fact that his desire to win the bet transcended his desire to beat Jeremy. He wanted to win the bet so he could be with Andie. He wanted her in the worst possible way. He liked having her in his arms, and kissing her. He liked running his hands over her body. She would be nervous at first, but once he got her going, she would be great; awesome. Andie Persaud was his newest fantasy, and he could not wait to make her a reality.
He thought about the first girl he had ever been with. He was sixteen, and she was a twenty-one year old Engineering student at the University of Technology. She and Nathan had worked one July together at the Social Development Commission in Montego Bay. Nathan had not really liked her. He thought she was too old for him, and she looked promiscuous, but she liked him. She had a huge bosom, and was constantly brushing up against him. She had whispered in his ear how much she wanted him, and Nathan decided to kill two birds with one stone. He would fulfil her fantasy, while at the same time gain some valuable experience he would want for the future. They had a three week long affair, and when the month at SDC was up, Nathan never called her again. She, however, called him constantly, and eventually he had to resort to paying Joie to answer the telephone and say that he was not home. Nathan thought hard. Andie was going to be the first girl he really liked that he would sleep with. He hoped he would still like her after. He was positive he would. Andie was the girl he was waiting on all his life. He would never let anything – not even Jeremy and the bet tear them apart.
