by Tina Martin
Can’t Just Be His Friend
By Tina Martin
Copyright @ 2013 by Tina Martin
Smashwords Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without prior written consent of the author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and products are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual events is entirely coincidental.
Visit the author’s website at: www.tinamartin.net
Book Cover Design by Dynastys CoverMe
*Formerly published under the title, Another Man’s Treasure
For those who understand the importance and value of true friendships.
Can’t Just Be His Friend
Chapter 1
May 2008
Norfolk, Virginia
Old Dominion University
“Tiff, are you ready for this?” Reggie asked me as he arched his head high enough to adjust his black necktie while staring in the rearview mirror of my Honda Passport. We had just arrived at Ted Constant Convocation Center at ODU, and were putting the finishing touches on ourselves before we got out of the car. In two hours we were going to be alumni, ending the long road to a stressful, mind-packing four years of Business Administration. This was perhaps one of the most important moments in my life as I sat there next to my best friend with knots in my stomach.
Reggie knew me well, probably more than he should, so I’m sure he picked up on my nervousness, especially since I didn’t answer him. But why should I be nervous? I should be thrilled. No more papers. No more cramming to read five chapters in one night. No more pop quizzes. I was finally done. And the best part about it all was, I had Reggie there with me to share every moment.
I looked at him again. He wasn’t worried at all. If he was, he did a good job concealing it from me. Looking at Reggie, I could see his excitement, his enthusiasm, his demeanor – the three glowing brighter than his Crest-white teeth as he smiled at me, still waiting for me to respond to him. He was so calm about this big event, so composed and cool. A week ago, he bet me a hundred dollars that he was going to ‘crank that Soulja Boy’ on stage.
“Ay girl…you with me? You ah’ight?” Reggie asked, poking me twice in the arm with his elbow.
I ignored him and held my stomach. It was cramping up pretty bad, all because of this graduation. I clenched myself and leaned forward, resting my head at my knees. This is it. This is it. This is the end. If I repeated the mantra long enough, maybe I would actually believe it. Or maybe I was on the path to drive myself to be more of a nervous wreck. I always envied Reggie for being so levelheaded about everything. I was the one who always panicked. What if they forget to call my name? What if my hat falls off? What if I slip and fall in these four-inch Payless pumps? I should’ve listened to my Mom and worn flats. But noo…I had to try to look cute, in a cap and gown mind you – a gown that made me look a good ten pounds heavier. And it’s not like I was on my way to a local hotspot. It was my graduation, for goodness sakes. Tiffany, what were you thinking! What was I thinking? Oh, I know…trying to impress Reggie. Again.
“Tiff, shake it off. You’re just nervous and you have no reason to be. I’m right here.”
Yeah, for now, I realized as my head remained down on my knees. I was really hot, even though Reggie had the AC pumping in my Honda. But as I sat in the passenger seat enduring my personal crisis on my graduation day, I fought back tears at the thought of letting him go. That was a difficult actuality for me to accept. Two people who had known each other for as long as me and Reggie should never be separated under any circumstances. He knew it. Reggie was originally accepted at William & Mary, his first choice for college, but since I was going to ODU, he joined me. Said he wanted us to stay together. Let me tell you why.
Reggie has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. We grew up together in Virginia Beach. To add glue to the bond that stuck us together, our mothers are best friends and growing up, we were next-door neighbors. Reggie and I have been aces since we fought for our own territory in the same playpen. He’s three months older than me. Mom said that in our pre-teen years, we used play outside all day and when we finally had to come inside, we would burst into tears at the thought of being away from each other.
During our elementary school years, Reggie would walk with me to the bus stop hand-in-hand like he was my personal protector and when the kids teased me he would stand up for me. I remember one occasion when we were in middle school, this freckle-faced white boy was teasing me, calling me names and throwing paper at me. Reggie saw me crying and that’s all it took. He beat the crap out of that boy and got suspended for a couple of days. The boy never bothered me again. I never understood why Reggie felt it necessary to be my bodyguard. I was just thankful he had my back.
In high school we were together so often, people thought we were boyfriend and girlfriend. They would tease Reggie for hanging around a ‘nobody’ like me. I wasn’t popular and good-looking like he was. Reggie was so fine, he was one of the fortunate few who could be considered popular. He played varsity basketball and football and every cheerleader on the squad tried to get at him.
Speaking of cheerleaders, Reggie had a following of females. All he had to do was take his pick as to which girl he wanted. It was as easy as plucking grapes from a vine, taking candy from a baby – you get the picture. Short, tall, black, white, pretty, ugly, smart, dumb – they all had a thing for him, and Reggie had those girls thinking he was something. He loved being the center of attention. He could walk those high school hallways like he owned them and pick any girl he wanted. At times, I would dream he would pick me out of the bunch but he didn’t even have eyes for me like that.
The girlfriends Reggie dated back in our high school years were very pretty. They wore the best clothes and shoes and had long pretty hair. That’s who he went for, the light-skinned girls who walked the halls popping bubble gum like they ran the joint because mommy and daddy had enough loot to buy them anything they wanted. I couldn’t stand them. And I was so jealous to see Reggie with girls because the more attention he gave them, the slimmer my chances of winning his heart.
Enough about that, though. Reggie is my boy, and will always be special to me. In our younger days, we used to make mud pies together and bake them in the sun. We were the type of kids to eat watermelons and have our own little backyard battle with a mouth full of seeds. He spit them at me and I spit them at him. Yeah, I know that sounds gross now, but it was something that kept us kids occupied back then. Those were some beautiful summers we spent chasing each other on freshly cut green lawns in the neighborhood, playing football, and many other activities I cannot recall at the moment.
Although we spent so much time together, I wasn’t girlfriend material for Reggie. He saw me more like a sister, which I took as a personal insult. It would be virtually impossible for a relationship to form between us if he only saw me as a mere sibling. I wanted him to see me as a full-grown woman – not a sister, not the little girl he grew up with. Not his Mom’s, best friend’s daughter.
That never happened.
To Reggie, I was off limits. Granted, he loved to kick it with me. Even now he is probably at my apartment more than his own crib. But yet and still, I was invisible to him – his safe, platonic friend.
Right now, I need to get through this graduation before I have a nervous breakdown. I blink back into reality, sit up and take a deep breath. It took all I had to keep from crying.
“Tiff, you ready?”
I swallowed hard and told Reggie what he wanted to hear, trying not to sound fake. “Yeah. I’ve been ready fo
r this for a long time. I never thought this day would come.”
“Me either, Tiff. But we did it. We did it!”
“Yes we did!” I said, trying to emulate his vivacity.
“C’mere, girl.” Reggie wrapped his arms around me tight as if he didn’t want to let me go. We looked like two nutcases sitting in visitor parking at the school hugged up in my car like we were making out.
The lot was full of cars. Guests, excited parents, grandparents, friends, and siblings were all rushing to the auditorium to find their seats…anxious to see their graduate accept their various degrees. Meanwhile, Reggie and I remained in my car, intertwined like wild grape vines.
“Reggie, Reggie,” I gasped for air. “You’re cutting off my circulation.”
“Mmm…” Reggie said, ignoring me, inhaling my essence in one elongated breath. “I love you, girl.”
“Okay, but don’t kill me,” I said, nearly choking. “You better let me go. You know Shontay gon’ flip if she sees you all hugged up on me like this.”
Shontay – she is Reggie’s current girlfriend, also known as the thorn in my side. I already didn’t like the broad for her stuck up, wanna-be-high-maintenance attitude, but now I had more of a reason to hate her. She was dating the man I was in love with. Truth be told, I never befriended any of Reggie’s girlfriends. I only accepted them as mere associates because any time Reggie wanted to go kick it, he wanted me to tag along with him and the girl he was dating at the time. Shontay was the absolute worst of them all, and I have a suspicion she’s envious of me for being best friends with Reggie.
“Shontay will be ah’ight. Right now, it’s about us, Ms. Tiffany Water.” He released me then said, “Okay. You ready?” Reggie turned off the engine, dangling the keys in front of me.
“Reggie, I’m scared.”
“I know you are, but you don’t have to be. We’re in this together. I’m gonna be right by your side.”
I took the keys from him and stashed them in my purse. Then we stepped out of the car in the sweltering heat. My body temperature must have instantly shot up a couple of degrees.
Reggie continued yapping, “Besides, I know you ready to see me dance, right?” He started doing the Soulja Boy dance right there in the parking lot in his cap and gown. Where’s a camcorder when you need one?
Reggie always knew how to make me laugh. That was the second bullet point on my list of qualities my ideal man had to possess. The completed list was as follows – a great personality, a good sense of humor, a nice body, a good job and spontaneity.
I only met one man in my lifetime who met the standards of this list. You already know who that is.
“Come on now. Lighten up.” Reggie walked over to the passenger side of the car where I was standing. “Just think, in a few minutes, we’ll have our degrees.” He pleasantly touched the side of my face and softly kissed the tip of my nose. I hated it when Reggie did stuff like that, as if his touches had no effect on me. Every time he touched me, my heart did back flips and all of a sudden, breathing no longer felt like an involuntary action.
***
The ceremony went smoothly on the ninety-five-degree day, abnormally hot for May. Today was the type of day that set a precedent for all summer days. Heat waves haunted us as we made our way out of the auditorium and with the cap on my head, my scalp was hotter than an over-processed perm – not to mention the gown. Both pieces were black, which I remember reading somewhere that wearing black attracts sun rays to the body. I was already dripping enough sweat to start my own sea of salt water. I felt like ripping my clothes off right there where I stood like I was in Nelly’s Hot In Here video. I was ready to be outta there. It was time for me to run home and sulk in my own misery – the misery of ending the final chapter of my long friendship with Reggie. I could see myself now, sitting in the middle of the bed with a box of Kleenex crying until I was saturated with self pity.
I let go of the thought momentarily. Besides, Reggie and I were on the way to find our mothers. We were supposed to be taking pictures. Scratch that. We were taking pictures. Mom came armed with three disposable cameras and she planned on using them. I could see her now, walking towards me with a camera in each pocket, then whipping them out like she was auditioning for a bad girl role in Gunsmoke. I kept on looking through the sea of black caps and gowns for Mom and Patricia, but instead of finding them, I saw Shontay running up to Reggie with a dozen red roses.
“Mmpt,” she kissed him with her huge, overly glossy lips. They were so greasy, it looked like she’d eaten a bucket of chicken before she showed up here. “You did it, babe,” she said to him. Who says babe anymore?
She went on, “I’m so proud of you! Mmmpt.” She kissed him again on his cheek, leaving a print of her oily lips on him.
Reggie met Shontay while we were in our junior year of college. She graduated a year earlier than us. She never did like me. However, she did a pretty good job of pretending, though she hated me for spending so much time with her man.
I wasn’t particularly fond of her, either. To be a college graduate, she used more Ebonics than a high school dropout. And I’m not hatin’ on her for being Reggie’s girl – I just didn’t like her. Shontay wore her jeans so tight, they altered her walk. It puzzled me how she got them on in the first place. Then she wore stilettos everywhere she went…to the movies, to the beach, to a carnival – she didn’t leave the house unless she had on some heels. She kept her hair short and would wear those outlandish designer hairstyles you will only find on the heads of bold Virginia girls. Her fingernails were so long, I don’t know how she was able to do any work in them. And every time she came around, she smelled like she’d sprayed on an entire bottle of perfume. Wonder what that’s masking? She looked ghetto to me, like a scantily-clad, big-butt video broad or a Flavor of Love reject, but Reggie liked her. Said she was smart and pretty. I’ll admit, she has a pretty face, but she’s still not good enough for my best friend.
She continued hugging and kissing him in front of me like I wasn’t even standing there. By the way she was forcing herself on him, you would think she hadn’t seen him in years.
She didn’t say a word to me. But I guess she couldn’t. Her tongue was traveling down Reggie’s esophagus at the speed of light. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a little, but she was all up on him. It almost seemed like a phony public display of affection. Besides, I got the feeling she knew I had a thing for Reggie. That’s why she made it a point to be so touchy-feely with him in front of me whenever the opportunity presented itself. She wanted to get a rise out of me. Wanted to see me jealous.
Just last week, I met her and Reggie at the beach. I don’t even know why he asked me to come with them as if they needed a chaperone. The entire time I was there, Shontay sat on his lap and they kissed for minutes at a time, smacking and moaning. I refused to look. Besides, no one should be kissing like that in public. So I got up and started walking on the beach alone, picking up seashells and throwing them in the water, reserving a cry for the right time while asking myself, “Why can’t he love me like that?”
After we left the beach that night, I decided to never go alone anywhere with those two again. Never. I didn’t care how upset Reggie got with me. It didn’t seem fair of him to ask me to join him on his dates – as if he was helping me by asking me to tag along. He was saving his single, best friend from having to spend another night alone when really, I would rather be alone than watch him shoot the breeze with another woman.
So as Shontay stood here slobbering him down for his accomplishments, I walked away from them to let them have their moment of visible public privacy. I wasn’t about to stand there and watch her lips touch him again, no not this time. I continued the journey alone to find my Mother somewhere out here in this rowdy crowd.
“Tiff. Tiff! Wait up!” I heard Reggie shout from behind me moments after I took off. Shontay must have finally let him come up for air. I stopped and turned around.
“What’s up?” I tried
to play it cool like I wasn’t upset to see him and Shontay practically have foreplay right there in front of me and the hundreds of other witnesses.
Frowning, he asked, “Where you going?”
“I’m going to find Mom. She wants to take pictures of us. And I wasn’t gonna stand there and watch y’all go at it.” I turned around and walked away again, fuming to have seen Shontay’s lips on him in the first place. Those should’ve been my lips, not hers. Mine!
“Tiff, can you wait a minute?”
I could sense Reggie’s frustration with me. It wouldn’t be the first time we bumped heads. I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes then turned around again to see what he wanted. “What!” I yelled, while Shontay stood a few feet behind him with her eyes locked us.
Reggie threw his hands up in the air out of frustration. I waited for him to catch up to me. Shontay wasn’t too far behind. Maybe if she didn’t have on those stilettos, she could keep up.
From where I stood, I could see Mom and Patricia. My Mom was beautiful. She was a spitting image of me. Or should I say I was a spitting image of her? She was a little shorter than me, only by a few inches. Her hair was longer than mine and we shared the same brown skin complexion.
Patricia was a little chubby (she called it big-boned) standing at about five-feet-six inches. She was light-skinned with pretty black hair. Reggie didn’t look like her at all. He must’ve gotten his looks from his father.
Anyway, they were standing under a tree near visitor parking. “There they are,” I told Reggie as I pointed them out. “Let’s hurry up and take some pictures so we can get outta here.”
It was hot outside – so hot, I was already trying to come out of my cap and gown.
