The One That Slipped Away

by LaShawn Vasser

  Sheena watched her cousin study herself to death. “Girl, close that book and come with me to the party tonight.”

  Mia scrunched her nose. “Can’t. I’m a numbers girl. Literature is not my thing, so if I don’t get this stuff down, I’m not going to pass that exam.”

  “I’m sure you already know the material and could quote it in your sleep. That’s why you graduated from high school with a four point three GPA.”

  “This is not high school.”

  Sheena rolled her eyes. “Come ooooon, Mia! You already know this stuff. You’ve been studying all week! I get this is not high school, but you know you won’t fail this test. You’ve never gotten a grade less than a ‘B’ in your life. This time won’t be any different. Hell, I consider getting a ‘B’ a miracle. You do know, you’ll live if you get one.”

  Mia smirked. “Not when your mother is the President of this distinguished Historical Black College and your father, Dr. Ellis Jamison, graduated magna cum laude from the same place. I can’t afford to mess up. Dad’s been indoctrinating me from the time I was born with the Jamison creed. She mimicked his booming voice. “You carry the Jamison legacy on your shoulders, girl.”

  Sheena placed her hands on her full hips and laughed. “Oh. My. Gaaawd. That sounds just like him.”

  As fast as a cat, and with an unsuspecting Mia, Sheena took the book out of her hands and snapped it shut. “You should have gone to one of those fancy Ivy League schools that you were accepted into. At least there you would have a little more breathing room. Honestly, I can’t stand to see you put this kind of unrealistic pressure on yourself.”

  Mia’s smile evaporated as she lunged for her book, but Sheena pulled it away and out of reach just in time. “C’mon, Sheena. Give me back my book. You know my parents better than anyone. Do you really think it would matter what school I attended? If I didn’t come here, their expectations would be even higher. How many times have you heard my mom say, you’ve got to be twice as good as anybody else just to get half as much?”

  Sheena laughed again. “All the damn time. That’s why I’m right here with you. Uncle Ellis and Aunt Avery are always on me and in my mama’s ear. It’s hard to believe my mother and yours are sisters. They are so different in a lot of ways but similar in others. On this, they both agree.”

  Mia laughed too. “Exactly. I know you understand what I’m talking about. Anyway, I want to be here. This school is good for me. My only criticism is that I hate that my mom seems to always know my every move.”

  “After attending all those private schools, I understand why you’d want to come to an HBCU but couldn’t you have picked a different one?”

  “You didn’t have to come here either, Sheena.”

  “I know, but money is tight. My options weren’t as vast as yours. Nepotism worked in my favor this time around. So, I’ll deal with knowing before I get back to the dorm tonight that my mom will get a call about me cutting up at the party because I do plan to cut up!” Sheena flounced on the bed. She pleaded. “C’mon . . . come with me. Just for a couple of hours.” When it looked like Mia was going to say no, Sheena grabbed a lighter from off of the nightstand in between their beds. “I’m holding this book hostage. If you come and have fun, I’ll give it back safely. You stay here, and I set it on fire.”

  Mia knew she wouldn’t but appreciated the effort. “Ughh . . . you drive me insane!”

  “Mmmhmm . . . right. I’m the sister you always wanted.”

  “More like the nightmare I can’t wake up from.”

  Sheena’s cell phone rang, and she hopped off of the bed to answer it. Breathless, she spoke. “Hey.”

  Mia couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but the smile on Sheena’s face said it all. It was probably Roderick.

  “Mia and I were just going to head over to the Student Union for the party. Oh?” She giggled. “Well, I don’t know if I can change my plans just like that because you called and asked me to.”

  Mia leaned back against the headboard, crossed her arms, and stretched her legs out in front of her. She knew this drill. Roderick would ignore Sheena all week, then call her when he felt like being bothered, and like a zombie, Sheena would do whatever he asked. She wouldn’t even pretend like he didn’t have a shot of hooking up.

  Sheena’s voice softened. Mia knew it was game over. Roderick had just sweet talked his way into her pretty little lacy panties. The verbal confirmation came seconds later. “Okay. I’ll just have to tell, Mia. She really wanted to go to this party tonight.” Sheena turned to face Mia, and her eyes pleaded with her to understand.

  Roderick was such a jerk, and one of the main reasons she didn’t tutor athletes. This one was worse than the rest because he was considered a superstar athlete who had a shot at playing professional football.

  Mia didn’t even listen to the rest of the conversation. She reached down by her foot, picked up her book, and flipped back to the page she was reading before Sheena so rudely snatched it out of her hands.

  Sheena disconnected the call. “Umm . . . Roderick wants to get together tonight.”

  Mia didn’t look up. She responded dryly. “So I gathered.”

  “Come on MiMi . . . don’t be mad. You know you didn’t want to go to that party anyway.” Sheena went over to her dresser and started taking a few clothes out of the drawers. “I promise. I’ll make it up to you.”

  “You don’t have to make anything up to me. All I want is for you to be good to yourself. You do that, and I’m over the moon happy.”

  Sheena finished stuffing her overnight bag. “See, we want the same things. I know you don’t like him or any athlete because your ex was a horrible piece of human scum. He was a player and you think all of them are players including Roderick. Can’t judge everybody with one broad stroke. Deep down Roderick’s a good guy.”

  Mia looked up into the strained expression on Sheena’s face. Roderick wasn’t a good guy, and they both knew it. Mia couldn’t understand why Sheena even put up with him considering she had the guys on campus eating out of her hands.

  Sheena had a body that every woman wished they had. The guys called her thick. Mia was curvy too but could only wish she had the butt and full breasts of Sheena. And, her skin—it was the smoothest mocha skin she’d ever seen. Sheena was a natural beauty. She could walk out wearing a t-shirt, sweat pants, and no make-up and put all the other women to shame. She knew it too. Unlike Mia, she did not lack confidence which was why her choice in dating Roderick was a mystery.

  They’d argued over him before, but there was something in Sheena’s face tonight that made Mia pause. This time, she bit her tongue and would keep her thoughts to herself. “Make sure you don’t forget your head scarf. You know how you are about your hair.” Mia wanted to say and a box of condoms but didn’t.

  Her face visibly relaxed. “Thanks. I’ve got it.” Sheena walked toward the door. “Do me a favor?”

  Mia exhaled. “Sure, what?”

  “Take some time this weekend for yourself, okay? Even if it’s just a couple of hours.”

  Slowly, Mia nodded.

  “Good. I’ll see you sometime this weekend.”

  Against her better judgment, Mia watched Sheena walk headlong into disaster.

  *****

  It was close to midnight, and Mia lay across her bed still studying. Not only did she have her literature book out but her notes were sprawled out everywhere.

  Mia didn’t know if she was delirious or not because she thought she’d heard a light tap on her door. She stood still waiting to see if she’d hear it again. Sure enough, there were three more quick taps on the door.

  It couldn’t have been Sheena because she had a key. Mia hopped off the bed and went to the door. She hoped that jerk, Roderick, hadn’t hurt her cousin’s feelings or else she might act out of character and resort to violence.

  “Who is it?”

  “It’s me.”

  Mia knew that voice. She freaked and literally froz
e. What in the hell was Harrison doing at her door? He’d never been to her room. Over the last few weeks, they’d always met down at the Student Lab or the library. How did he know which dorm she lived in? That was dumb. Her mother was the President. Everyone knew where she lived.

  Mia peeked down at her gray jogging pants that were so faded no one would have ever believed they’d once been black, and her ripped Prince t-shirt. Hastily, Mia took the rubber band from around her wrist and put her hair up into a ponytail. Her hands suddenly felt clammy. She ran them down the front of her pant legs, so they wouldn’t feel like wet fish. She took a deep breath and counted to ten, hoping it would calm her nerves before finally opening the door. She was a little out of breath. “Harrison, w-what are you doing here this late?”

  His half-smile, when he responded, was enough to make her body tingle all over. “For a minute, I didn’t think you were going to open the door.”

  She did her best not to beam like a besotted fool. “I almost didn’t. It’s after midnight.”

  “It’s a long story, but basically, me and a few guys missed curfew, and my dorm is locked down. Can I crash here til morning?”

  She blinked a few times. “Here?”

  There was that smile again. The one that did weird things to Mia’s knees. Harrison nodded. “Yeah. I promise to be a perfect gentleman. This isn’t a booty call.”

  Mia feigned irritation. “You don’t have anywhere else you can stay?”

  “Nowhere that I can go where I’d trust them not to tell coach that I missed curfew.”

  She frowned slightly debating what to do.

  “Come on, Mia.” He pleaded with those eyes that always seemed to convince her to do anything.

  Mia bit her bottom lip then reached out and yanked him inside. “Come on in.” She poked her head out into the hall and looked left, then right to make sure no one saw Harrison come in. Once he was inside, Mia closed the door and leaned against it. Slowly, she exhaled.

  “What was that all about?”

  “I would appreciate it if word didn’t get around campus or back to my parents that I let you into my room after midnight. Innocent or not, it doesn’t look good.”

  He nodded. “Understood. The daughter of both Dr. Jamison’s can’t be caught doing anything like that now can she?” His eyes sparkled with laughter.

  “Are you teasing me?”

  “Yes, I am, and thank you for doing this. I promise I’ll repay the favor.”

  Her heart was beating fast, and it had nothing to do with her parents finding out Harrison was in her room. Mia pushed herself off the door. “It’s cool. I’m just studying for an exam.”

  Harrison dropped down on the floor next to her bed. “Do you need some help?”

  She swallowed her attraction down and sat on the bed. “Do you know anything about American Literature?”

  He laughed. “No. Not at all. I hate it almost as much as economics. It’s Friday night, and you’re studying. Do you ever take a break?”

  Mia shrugged. “It’s a big exam.”

  “Got it. But, that’s all I ever see you do.”

  Mia didn’t understand why, but she didn’t want Harrison thinking she didn’t have a life outside of a book, true or not. Her tone was clipped. “I do more than study.”

  Harrison could tell she was tensing up. Mia would get that crinkle between her eyes when she was upset, and he didn’t want to piss her off. “No, don’t take it the wrong way. It’s not a bad thing. It’s just the only place I’ve ever seen you is either in the library or the Student Lab.”

  She bit her bottom lip. “It’s silly to think the only places I would ever go are the library and the Student Lab.”

  Harrison knew he had offended her. That was the last thing he wanted to do. Mia was smart and sweet. She could also be funny when she wasn’t so serious. “You’re right.” He’d better end this conversation before she kicked him out. “Thanks again for letting me crash here. I’ll be super quiet and let you get back to it. You won’t even know I’m on the floor.”

  Mia highly doubted that.

  After a few minutes, Harrison was stretched out on the floor and shifted from side to side trying to find a comfortable position. Mia didn’t say anything but felt a little bad. She let him flop around for a little while then threw one of her pillows at him.

  He caught it in mid-air. “Thanks.”

  She needed to remind herself that Harrison was an athlete among other things and completely off limits. Still, Mia looked up over her book unable to deny her curiosity. Before she could stop herself, the question she had wanted to ask since the day they’d met, popped out of her mouth. “Why are you here?”

  Harrison rolled over flat onto his back. “I told you, I missed curfew.”

  “No, that’s not what I mean. Why would you come to a historical black college?”

  He sat up and leaned back onto his elbows. “Ahhh . . . you’re wondering what the white guy is doing at your school? I’ve been waiting for you to ask me that. It took longer than I expected.”

  “It’s not my school per se, and non-black students make up more than forty percent of our student body. So, it’s not really uncommon, I’ve just always wondered if non-blacks . . .”

  Harrison laughed. “You know, it’s okay to say that I’m white, Mia.”

  She had the decency to blush. “I-I . . . didn’t want to offend you.”

  Mia cleared her throat and continued to ask her question. “I find it interesting that someone like you, who probably had more choices of colleges than some, would choose this one.”

  “Do you realize that’s the first personal question you’ve asked me since we met?”

  His eyes bore into hers, and the tone of his voice seemed a little husky. Mia wasn’t sure if she’d heard it exactly right. She’d probably imagined it. Mia blinked rapidly. His intense stare was making her nervous. “I’m just curious that’s all.”

  “Well, you’re right. I had a lot of choices, but I’m here because I want to be.”

  Mia raised an eyebrow.

  His smile was lopsided. “I get that reaction a lot.”

  “I suppose you do. Not that I don’t think this isn’t a great institution because it is, but why here? Why this HBCU?”

  “Good question. Well, as you probably assumed, correctly, there aren’t many black people where I grew up. My community is mostly white, and up until high school, I could practically name every black person in my community on one hand.

  “I owe the conscious decision to make sure I had diversity in my life to my dad. He met his best friend and business partner, Josiah Jones, at Northwestern University. He’s black. They are so close that I grew up thinking he was my uncle. Uncle Joe, also had a son my age, Micah.” Harrison smiled as he thought about his friend. “Man, we were thick as thieves. Anyway, Uncle Joe volunteered at this youth center on the West Side of Chicago. He was passionate about doing his part for the community. It was contagious and rubbed off on my dad. He started spending time there too. It truly became a passion for them both.

  “Seriously, by the time I was born, Uncle Joe and my dad were staples in the community. So, of course, when I was old enough, I started going too. Dad didn’t want me growing up without a deep appreciation for other races and cultures.

  “It was the best education I could have ever gotten. I’m more than a little comfortable around black people or any other race for that matter.”

  Mia listened intently.

  Harrison continued with his explanation. “Micah and I always talked about going to the same college, but he was determined to go to an HBCU. This one in particular. Wherever he went, I was going to go.”

  Mia understood that completely. “Yeah, that’s like me and my cousin, Sheena. Micah attends here too then? I’d love to meet him.”

  Harrison’s eyes clouded over. “You would have loved him. He was a really great person with an infectious smile. Man, he liked to play practical jokes like no one I’ve ever known
.” He coughed trying to clear the pain in his voice. “Our sophomore year of high school, he was shot and killed in front of the youth center.”

  Horrified, Mia reached down and touched his arm. She whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Yeah, me too.” He blew out a breath. “Me being here makes me feel like we did it. Like, I’m honoring the promises we made all those years ago.”

  The room was silent for a moment before Mia spoke. “I’m sure he would be so proud of you.”

  “Yeah. I think so.”

  Mia’s eyes sparkled from the tears she attempted to hold back. She couldn’t imagine that happening to Sheena. The energy in the room had become heavy, so she tried to lighten it. “And, here I thought you were just a jock?”

  Harrison shrugged. “I’m a lot of things but never just anything. I’m averaging a ‘B’ in economics because of you and because I work hard. Give me a couple more football games. I’ll prove myself on the field too.”

  The words slipped out of Mia’s mouth before she could catch them. “Not if you keep missing curfew.”

  He laughed. “True.” Harrison laid back down on the floor. He laced his fingers behind his head and stared at the ceiling. “Mia?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “I don’t usually like to re-visit that part of my life. In the past, it has always been too painful, but tonight, it felt good to talk about and remember Micah.”

  Mia couldn’t see his face in the dimly lit room but inwardly smiled. “I feel privileged you would want to share it with me.” Her breath was short, choppy. Mia could no longer rationalize that she was more than a little attracted to Harrison.

  That truth scared her for a few reasons but none more than not being sure if he felt the same way. Attracted or not, she needed to get over it. It would actually be worse if he did return her feelings.

  Nervously, Mia sucked in her bottom lip before speaking again. “I-I’ve got to get back to studying.” She shifted her eyes back to her textbook. As hard as it was to concentrate with Harrison just a few feet away, Mia made every attempt.