Love 101: Box Set (Love 101 #1-4)

by J. Nichole

  Nicole opens the front door and in walks Jason with a couple of his frat brothers. I yell, "Jason." He comes over to me and gives me a hug. Jason and I have grown into good friends over the years. This is the first year we haven’t had any classes together. "I've missed you."

  "Me too, Laila. I haven't had anyone to hold me hostage in the library."

  I arch my eyebrow. "How's that working out for you?"

  He smirks and says, "You know me. I make a way to get it done." The song switches and I'm hype. I grab his hand and pull him behind me to dance. "Oh yeah, congrats by the way," he whispers in my ear. We dance, or better yet I grind up against him, for a few songs before he takes a break to grab a drink.

  Nicole comes up to me with a full cup and hands it to me. "Looks like you are having a good time." She eyes Jason in the kitchen. "You have to get your boy to introduce me to his frat brothers."

  "I am. As long as you keep the drinks coming and the music stays fresh I'll continue the celebration." I take a swig of the drink and after swallowing I look into the cup. "This is different than the last drink." My lips curl. "Not as sweet."

  "Yeah, we ran out of the white liquor. Or Monica hid it. That's a Hennessy and coke."

  She pats my back after I take another sip. "It'll put hair on your chest."

  The L.O.S. form a line and begin one of their choreographed dances. Nicole and I exchange a look and shake our heads. We move out of the way to let them do whatever it is they are trying to do. We corner Jason in the kitchen and I ask him to introduce us to his friends.

  He looks at Nicole and smiles, "I don't know if you want to meet those dudes." Nicole's eyebrows wrinkle. "They're no good."

  "I'm not looking for a relationship." She hunches her shoulders. "Are they seniors?" Jason nods his head. "How have we not met them before?"

  "The population of L.U. is relatively large you know," Jason says in a sarcastic tone. He calls the two guys over to where we are in the kitchen. "Amari and Liam, this is Nicole. Laila's roommate." They shake her hand. I look at Jason with a grimace on my face. "Oh snap. And this is Laila. The girl who is graduating with a," he wraps me in a hug, "job." I push him away and shake both of their hands.

  "I remember you, Laila." Liam nods his head. "Yeah, didn't you date one of the bruhs?" My eyes grow wide and I look up at Jason.

  "Yeah that's Chris' old girl," Jason says. I take another long sip of my drink. "Now she's with one of those pretty boys." He smirks.

  "Amari, where are you from?" Nicole asks while she looks into my cup. She grabs the cup and tops it off with more Hennessy and coke.

  Amari looks down at Nicole, and after taking a sip of his drink says, "I'm from Georgia." Nicole squeals. "Let me guess, you from Georgia too?" She nods her head. Amari tugs on his beard. "Small world."

  L.O.S has finished their routine and I want to dance. I look at both Liam and Jason and ask which one wants to join me. They turn to each other and Liam says, "Jason already had the pleasure." He pats Jason on the back and says, "As long as the pretty boy won't be upset."

  We move to the middle of the floor and start dancing. Liam is a little stiff and I try not to laugh as he tries to sway to the beat. "Guess I should have warned you I have grandpa moves."

  "It's cool." Hiccups hit me and I laugh. "You just gave me the hiccups."

  We continue dancing but at a slower pace. The room is moving much faster than the two of us. I grab my head to stop the spinning. Liam looks at me and asks, "Are you okay?" I try to nod but the movement makes me nauseous. "You should sit down." He directs me to the couch and I squeeze in between two girls who are unfamiliar.

  I whisper, "Thank you," to Liam before my head falls into my lap.

  The floor beneath me is cold but my face is drenched in sweat. "Are you good now?" I squint my eyes to block the bright light. "You probably need a shower." Monica is holding my hair and I'm hunched over the toilet. She laughs. "You look like shit."

  "I feel like shit,” I murmur. My voice is raspy, probably from heaving up all of Nicole's party snacks and the liquor she kept sending my way.

  Monica pins my hair up. "Alright. You go get in the shower while I go check on Jennifer and Nicole."

  I lean against the cabinet and with my eyes closed I ask, "Is the party over?"

  She smacks her lips. "Pretty much." She walks out of the bathroom, leaving me to fend for myself. A shower sounds like a good idea, but a nap sounds better.

  Chapter Eleven

  "I want to go somewhere exotic for Spring Break this year." Nicole waves her hands around like she's a gypsy dancer. "It's our last year together we need to go out with a bang."

  Jennifer nods her head. "I agree with crazy." She picks up her phone. "We have about a month to start planning."

  "I'm down. Just tell me how much and where we are going." I look towards Monica's room. "I'm sure the youngin' will be down too." Monica has been high strung this semester. Her science classes are intense and although she's a child genius I think they are starting to wear on her. "She could use a break from all of this. Especially since she's going to be here for another year."

  Nicole points her finger at me and says, "And you ma'am can be on a Spring Break and let loose."

  "Let's see. There was freshman year when you were boo'd up. There was sophomore year when you were heart broken, last year we didn't do anything worth mentioning." Jennifer puts her hand over her eyes. "I should get far away before I agree with Nicole on anything else." Nicole doesn't find it funny but Jennifer and I cackle.

  "I mean I'm not single this year. But I can still enjoy my last Spring Break as a college student." A few days after our argument Josh called and said he wanted to work it out. Distance or not, he wasn't going to let that make him miss out on love.

  "Girl bye." Nicole shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "I told you to let that boy go. No, you go and tell him you love him." After we had reconciled I told him I loved him, unsolicited. It was the morning after the party when I realized the pain of him leaving me was worse than I could have imagined. When he called to tell me he wanted to make it work I blurted it out.

  "Which one of you is going to make plans?" I ignore Nicole's comment and continue, "We should decide by the end of the week."

  "Let me see what I can do." Nicole volunteers. "Just be ready to have the most memorable Spring Break yet."

  I walk into my room and grab my laptop. With my laptop and a blanket across my legs I begin typing my article for the paper this week. The university confirmed who hacked into the system at the beginning of the semester. Mrs. Green, from the Office of Student Affairs, called me with details. In exchange for a lesser punishment, the sophomore had to assist with the fix of the vulnerability that allowed him to breach the system. He'll still be expelled, but instead of jail time the University President coordinated with the District Attorney to get him extended probation.

  From what I've heard from his classmates he was a computer wiz who just didn't want to be in school. He touted that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn't need degrees to reach their level of success. Although a wiz, unlike Jobs and Gates, he didn't have a contribution to the world that could be financially exploited yet.

  My article is wrapped up and sent off to Paige for review. I won't miss classes, exams, or projects, but I will miss the school paper. The articles are sometimes limited but the ability to explore different concerns of the students, people I can relate to, is undeniably greater than any other experience I'll probably have at What's Happening Jacksonville.

  Since accepting the offer, I've spent more time on their website reading the articles. I haven't heard, yet, what my focus area will be. I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be a cultural writer. Enough things are going on in the African-American community to keep me busy for a lifetime.

  My phone vibrates and Chris' name is on the caller ID. I put my head back and contemplate not answering. What the hell. Can't hurt.

  "Hey,” I say when I accept the call.

 
"How are you doing today?"

  "Not bad. How about you?" I won't stay on the phone long. Don't need to give him too much of my time.

  "I can't complain. Some of the frat told me they came to a party at your place." He laughs. I'm sure they told him we danced and I was white girl wasted.

  "They were here. I had a great time." I'll leave out all details unless he mentions it. But who cares if he does know?

  "I heard you had a good time. Congrats, by the way."

  I shift the phone to my other ear and say, "Congrats?"

  "Yeah, I heard y'all were celebrating your job offer." Right, because between Jason and Nicole I'm sure one of them told him.

  "Thanks.” My grin spreads across my face. "I'm excited about it."

  "Are you thinking about taking it?"

  "I have already accepted it." I sit up higher in the bed. "I'm moving to Jacksonville."

  Chris mumbles, "Jacksonville." His voice is low. "Did you like it while you were there? I imagined you in a big city. Or maybe Nashville."

  I bust out laughing and when he doesn't laugh I say, "Nashville. Not at all. But a big city would have been nice. Just haven't heard back from any of them yet."

  "Well, Jacksonville it is. You can walk along the beach. Put those pretty toes in the sand." My eyes divert to my feet but the blanket covers them. "You know. I never saw you in a bathing suit." I gulp. Now would be a good time to get off the phone.

  "Not sure you ever will, Chris." He coughs. "What's your mom doing for her birthday this year?" I ask.

  "You remember?" When Chris and I first started dating, he bought me a beautiful necklace but couldn't spend Valentine's Day with me because he was going home for his mom's birthday.

  "Yes," I whisper.

  "That's dope, Laila." He tells me about the plans they have for his mom. This year will be a big year for her. She'll be turning sixty. His dad is throwing a gala-style party for the family and all her friends. "I wish you could be here."

  If I were single I might have considered it. His mom was beyond hospitable when I visited for Christmas when we were together. In fact, his family all welcomed me with open arms. His mom even played a role in getting Courtney off my back. "Text me your address and I'll send her a card for sure."

  "I'm sure she'll love that. Thanks." I pull the phone away from my ear and look at the elapsed time. I've already given him too much time.

  "Thanks for calling. I should..." Chris interrupts me before I can finish.

  "One last question. What are your plans for Valentine's Day this year?"

  "Josh will be in town and I'm sure we'll do something."

  "Alright, I'll let you go. I'll send you that text now with my address." He hurries off the phone awkwardly.

  "Laila, she's going to be okay." My dad grabs my hand and holds it tight. When he called last night to tell me my mom was rushed to the emergency room I hopped in the car and got home in less than the two and a half hours it takes to drive from Tallahassee. "She has to be okay." I look to him and tears are strolling down his cheeks.

  "What did the doctor say?" The doctor hasn't been out since I've been here. "Why haven't we been able to go back and see her?"

  My brother walks in with a Sprite in one hand and coffee in the other. He passes my dad the coffee and me the Sprite. "I just passed one of mom’s nurses.” Nick looks at my dad. “She said she's awake and talking … we should be able to go back shortly." My dad came home yesterday and found my mom passed out in the kitchen. She had blood on her face and my dad assumes she must have bumped her head on the counter when she passed out.

  My brother sits beside me and I'm amazed by his calmness. "How is your girlfriend?" He looks at me, shaking his head. "Don't tell me you moved on already."

  "That's why I didn't need to bring her home for Christmas. It would have been hard to shake her."

  "You're ridiculous." I smile, then it fades when I think about my mom in this hospital. "How are you staying calm right now?" I look at Nick and search his eyes for any indication of anxiety.

  "Sis, where I work, we deal with crises every day. If I let myself get worked up I'd probably be in a hospital." He cocks his head. "Although in a jacket and padded room."

  The doctor walks in and my dad stands to greet him, intercepting him before he can get close to us. I'm unable to hear what the doctor is saying but I'm reassured when my dad smiles and shakes the doctor's hand. My dad looks back to us and tells us we can go back to see her.

  My mom's eyes are closed when we enter the room and we each stand beside her bed. I lean down and kiss her forehead just under the bandage. Her eyes open and she smiles when she sees my dad to her right. She looks to the left and scowls when she sees me. "Laila," she whispers. "You're supposed to be in school." She looks at my dad and he looks away. "You went and got everyone worked up. I'm fine." She pats my hand. "But I'm glad to see you."

  My dad adjusts her pillow and smooths her hair down. "You scared me, baby." We sit around her bed for a while before Nick and I decide to go to the house to get some rest. The doctors want to observe her for the night and I don't want to leave Fort Walton Beach until she's released from the hospital.

  "I'm surprised I haven't seen Josh yet. Thought he would have been in the hospital glued to your side." Nick looks at me and laughs. "You must have put it on him something serious."

  "Nick." I groan. "I didn't get a chance to talk to him. I raced home and went straight to the hospital. I don't even think I've checked my phone since I've been here."

  "Ms. Jones must know mom is in the hospital." He looks around the house. "Maybe not. Maybe dad wasn't worried about calling anyone outside of us." The kitchen floor still has blood smeared on it. I grab a towel and start scrubbing.

  "I'll just try to catch Josh at work before he gets off." I look at the clock. "He should be getting off soon." I throw Nick the towel. "Can you finish cleaning this up?"

  "Yeah, I got you."

  On my way to Josh's office I look down at my clothes. I'm not exactly dressed for a surprise visit to his office. In comparison to the last time I saw his co-workers, I look a hot ass mess. Josie. I hope she isn't in the office. The last thing I need is to give her ammunition to weasel her way closer to Josh.

  The receptionist, when I walk into the office, greets me warmly but with skepticism. Damn, do I look that bad? She points to Josh's office and tells me he is available.

  The door is slightly cracked but I don’t want to spoil the surprise. I walk right into his office with a wide grin on my face. I almost turn around when I don't see Josh sitting at his desk. Instead, I see Josie sitting on the corner of the desk with her legs crossed.

  She stops talking when she hears me approach. "Sorry, the receptionist told me this was Josh's office." Joseline giggles, and from behind her Josh appears.

  "Laila?" He rises from behind the desk. "What? How?" He looks at me then back to Joseline. "When did you get here?"

  With my hands across my chest I say, "I got into town early this morning." I look to Joseline who is still on the corner of the desk with her legs crossed.

  Josh looks at Joseline again but doesn't say anything. He walks from around the desk and gives me a hug. He backs away, putting his hands in his pockets. "Is everything okay?" I look around him and still see Josie sitting on the desk. She adjusts her skirt, but before she can pull it down completely I see the lace of her thigh high stockings. What the fuck.

  I look back to Josh, staring him down as he stands away from me. "My mom went to the emergency room last night." His eyes grow wide. "I would have called but I couldn't think of anything besides getting to the hospital to check on her." I look back at Joseline who is now hovering over his desk looking at scattered papers. "If you are busy I'll catch you later."

  Josh looks back to Joseline and says, "No. I should be getting out of here anyway. How's your mom?"

  "She's going to be okay. Hopefully going home tomorrow." Josh walks to his desk, grabbing his keys.

 
"Guess we'll just grab dinner another night?" Joseline says, looking at Josh for an answer.

  Josh looks at her with a scowl then back to me. "Yes, Joseline. Please reschedule the meeting with Bradley for later this week." She snaps her head around to look at me. "Tell him I have an emergency."

  Josh grabs my hand and we walk out of the office. "I'm shocked my mom didn't call me and tell me about Mrs. Jackson."

  I look away from him and say, "I don't think she knows yet. My dad called Nick and me, but I don't think he made many other phone calls last night." I tug at my shirt that could be a little longer. "He's a wreck."

  "Damn. Are you going back to the hospital tonight?" He leans against my car door. "Or are you staying at your parent's house?"

  "My mom is staying in the hospital for the night, but I think I'll stay at the house tonight and go back early in the morning." I look back up to the office building and say, "You didn't have to cancel your dinner tonight on my behalf."

  He puts his finger to my lips and says, "Bradley can wait. I won't be a good host if I'm worried about your mom." He moves his finger from my lips and kisses the top of my head. "Or you."

  "What about Joseline?" I laugh. "She looked pissed about canceling for the night."

  He shakes his head fiercely. "You know I've never seen a girl as desperate as her. She's willing to lose her job over her obsession with me."

  My eyebrows rise. "Lose her job?"

  "She's not focused on her clients. She comes to work every day worried about my clients and me. She could be out having dinner with one of her own tonight. But instead, she'd rather tag along with me."

  "Mmmhmm. Interesting." I know I have to watch out for this sneaky chick.

  Chapter Twelve

  "Mexico or the Bahamas?" Nicole looks up from her laptop. "Once we decide we can book the cruise."