Authors: Christopher Grant
Teenie (6 page)
I’m nodding my head like crazy.
“We’ll finish this discussion later.”
“Yes, Mommy.”
I fly upstairs into my room. Even though she’s upset with me, she still covered for me. I love my mother.
My mother is still mad, because she didn’t even give me a chance to apologize. She came into my room and handed me my ID card without saying a word. I sure am happy she didn’t say anything to Beresford before she left for work. He would’ve lost it if he’d seen that dress. He did say something to my mother about “the slackness” that Cherise was wearing. I
haven’t heard much since then. He’s probably on the couch snoring, with his feet jammed under the throw pillows. I swear the soles of his feet look like raw chickens.
Thank God Cherise just logged on, because thinking about Beresford’s feet is starting to make me gag.
Cherish me: u get in the house ok?
Cherish me: I tried to stall him as long as I could
Appletini: yeah. thanx.
Cherish me: did he say anything to you about my dress?
Appletini: no
Cherish me: ok cool
Cherish me: what’s with the one word answers?
Cherish me: u ok
Appletini: I’m ok. my head is just hurting me a lil bit.
Appletini: I think I pulled my braids too tight
Appletini: actually … I kind of want to talk to you about some stuff.
Cherish me: please don’t tell me ur still nervous about talking 2 Greg.
Now why she had to go there? I wanted to talk to her about the new clothes and her leaving her house to meet with
Big Daddy tonight. I wasn’t even thinking about Greg until she brought it up. And guess who just added me to their Buddy List?
Appletini: he just added me 2 his buddy list!!!!
Appletini: gulp 
Cherish me: you’ll be fine. Just tell me what he says when you get stumped
Appletini: ok
Multi-Mil: hey Ma what’s da deal?
Appletini: hey gregory. What’s up?
Appletini: I like your screen name.
I hope I didn’t type back that response too fast, like I was anxious or something. He sure is taking long to answer. He must be slow on the keys.
Multi-Mil: nuthin’ just chillin’. what’s good wit you?
Appletini: I’m fine.
Multi-Mil: u like my name?
Appletini: yup. It’s cute and it fits you.
Multi-Mil: aight, aight. That’s what I’m talking about. So whassup wit u?
Okay … this is pretty easy. He’s asked me the same question three different ways.
Appletini: nothing much just relaxing.
Multi-Mil: so how is your throat?
Appletini: my throat?
Multi-Mil: yeah, your larringidis.
Larringidis … wow! He’s a senior and that’s how he spells laryngitis? Ohhh-kay.
Appletini: it’s feeling a lot better thanx.
Cherish me: Teenie
Cherish me: what’s going on??!?!?! What’s he saying?
Appletini: nothing.
Appletini: he’s kinda dumb. He spelled laryngitis with a D.
Cherish me: AND?!?!?!
Cherish me: Teenie. Don’t make me come over there and smack the taste outta your mouth.
Cherish me: I don’t care if he spelled it with a y.
Hmm … didn’t I just spell the word for her? I just spelled it!
Cherish me: He’s the best-looking guy in school.
Cherish me: what r y’all talking bout anyway?
Appletini: He’s asked me what’s up like 3 times. What am I supposed 2 say now?
Cherish me: Ask him how his day was.
Appletini: so greg how was your day?
Multi-Mil: It was cool. How bout u?
Appletini: It was ok. Same old same old.
BORRRRRING!!! I could have more fun watching paint dry. I’d rather watch my dad clean underneath his toenails.
Multi-Mil: So what would it take for u to have a good day?
Now that’s more like it. I felt a couple of butterflies after that one.
Appletini: Cherise. He just asked me what would it take for me to have a good day.
Cherish me: Say, why u have something in mind?
Appletini: no come on. That’s a little forward don’t u think?
Cherish me: stop acting like ur 5 years old.
I toggle back over to Greg’s window and type in the response that Cherise suggested. I haven’t pushed enter yet; I admit I am a little scared. Here goes.
Appletini: why, did u have something in mind?
I think I caught him off guard with that one because he is taking even longer to respond. Now I wish I hadn’t written that at all, but I can’t stop smiling, waiting to see his reaction.
Multi-Mil: I could think of a few things, but I ain’t trying to get slapped. Lol
I pause here and think about how to reply. I don’t want to come across as easy, but this is Greg Millons we’re talking about. If he only knew how often his name came up at the lunch table. His perfect teeth, light brown eyes, body like an Adonis. Let’s not even talk about how good he smells, MMM!!! He’s chatting with me, flirting with
me
.
I know at least a hundred other girls who would kill to be in the situation that I’m in right now. I can’t let this opportunity slip by. I know I’m lucky to even be talking to him. There’s no reason to be scared. Being behind the computer is giving me more confidence anyway. I know I would be tripping over my own words if he were talking to me in person, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. I guess it’s time for me to flirt back. It’s now or never.
Appletini: I really don’t think there’s anything u could say that would get u slapped. 
Ugh, that came out sounding kind of dumb.
Multi-Mil: oh aight. It’s like that? no doubt.
Cherish me: Teenie
Cherish me: hello …
Cherish me: Teenie what’s going on?
Cherish me: HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Appletini: sorry sorry.
Appletini: he’s starting to get a lil risque.
Appletini: saying that my body is tight and that I got it going on.
Cherish me: see. now how long I been telling u 2 take care of urself?
Cherish me: u need to stop acting like a tomboy and start acting like a lady.
Appletini: hold up he’s typing something.
I toggle back to Greg’s box with eager anticipation.
Multi-Mil: yeah so when u walked past I was like damn, Shorty got a bangin’ body.
That’s the third time he’s said that. Each time it made me feel better than the last.
Multi-Mil: I was wondering how come I never seen u before.
Appletini: so do u have a girlfriend?
I waited long enough to unleash that.
Multi-Mil: nah.
Appletini: Cherise, I just asked him if he has a girlfriend. He said no. Does he have 1?
Cherish me: I’m not sure. I ain’t never c him with nobody but u never can tell.
Cherish me: Anyway I’m out.
Cherish me: Remember my mother thinks I’m gonna be studying by u so don’t call here looking 4 me like an idiot.
Appletini: I thought she wasn’t gonna b home
Cherish me: she and Braxton had a fight so she’s up in her room all mopey.
Appletini: ur still going?
Cherish me: yeah
Appletini: how u gonna get back in?
Cherish me: I left the backdoor open
Appletini: wait a second
Appletini: are you sure about this
Appletini: y r u going out so late anyway?
She logs off without answering. She’s got to be crazy to go out this late. I’m too afraid to put the recycling out at night, let alone get on the train.
Multi-Mil: so what nationality r u?
Bottle of Crys: whaddup Teenie
Appletini: take a wild guess Greg
Crap! I hate when that happens. Crystal’s window just popped up on my screen and I sent that to her by accident.
Bottle of Crys: what?
Appletini: oh sorry Crys. Wrong box.
I close out the window but it pops open right away.
Bottle of Crys: yo Teenie, who u talking about?
I close it again but Crystal sends me another message.
Bottle of Crys: r u talking about Greg Millons?
It looks like someone wants to get blocked. I shut Crystal down and turn my attention back to Greg.
Appletini: I’m West Indian
Appletini: half Grenadian, half Bajan (Barbados)
Multi-Mil: nice. an island gyal huh?
Appletini: lol. Yup
Appletini: how bout you?
Multi-Mil: my folks were both born in NY but my family is from North Carolina
Appletini: ok
Multi-Mil: u know u look good right?
Appletini: thank u.
I’m gonna go with it.
Appletini: u got it going on urself.
Multi-Mil: u think I look good?
Appletini: yeah ur fine.
Multi-Mil: u sure u only a freshman?
Appletini: yeah. y?
Multi-Mil: cuz their ain’t that many freshman shorties that be catching my eye.
Okay, I’ll let that one slide. Lots of people confuse “their” with “there.”
Appletini: thanx for the compliment.
Multi-Mil: and speaking of eyes …
Appletini: yes they’re real
Multi-Mil: lol. guess you get that one alot.
Appletini: a lot lol
Had to correct that one, even if he doesn’t know I’m correcting. “Alot” is one of my pet peeves.
I’m not even scared anymore. This is fun. Greg might not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but he is definitely keeping me on my toes with his comments. I’m pretty sure he does this kind of thing all the time, but whatever—he’s doing it with me now, and that’s all that matters. I want to make sure that my answers are on point, but I also don’t want to sound like I’m trying too hard.
I glance up at the clock when I hear my dad shuffling up the stairs. Wow! I didn’t realize that it was almost midnight. If Beresford sees me on the computer, he will cut the power cord. There’s no way I can get into my bedroom without him seeing me, so I push the power button on the monitor, put my head on the keyboard, and pretend to be asleep.