Broken, Navaura Campbell [top young adult novels txt] 📗

about Samuel, and then about their school project, she’d been elated at the idea that he had sat down that long without running from her. She smiled at the thought of progress. It occurred to her that all he needed to know was that he didn’t have to run from her, that she wouldn’t hurt him or even that she was interested in him. As she pulled her bag up on her shoulders, she thought of how he’d taken it when she suggested that they watch and review the movie Philadelphia. He wasn’t a big fan of Tom Hanks. This made her laugh because one of the biggest actors of the decade was Tom Hanks. So, once they did that, he asked her to do American Beauty, she said that sounded way too boring for their test. She suggested Forrest Gump. He said he didn’t like Tom Hanks, so they’d decided to write a list of possible movies and which ever movies they both circled would be the movies they’d think about watching. Tamarah was already compiling a list in her head. As she walked, she didn’t notice that Tommy was coming her way and had she noticed, she would have easily side stepped him. However, when she came to he was close enough to her that there would be no room for escape. She stopped in front of him. He stared at her with angry eyes, “Did you say anything to Vanessa, Tamarah?”

She rolled her eyes. “Why would I do that? I’m trying to forget, not remember.”

“Well then why did she come in class today asking all those questions? The way I see it you got to be telling her something to keep her nosing around.”

Tamarah furrowed her brows, already irritated with him. “I don’t have any way of telling her how much of a damn fool of a man you are. Tommy. I’m not trying to jeopardize our friendship. V’s my best friend. I love her and I don’t want to do that.”

“So, then why is she asking me all them questions?”

Tamarah pulled away from him. “I don’t know dammit and you’re freaking paranoid any way, so you probably imagined the whole damn thing.”

“I aint imagining nothing.” Tommy grabbed her arm in frustration, pulling it to him, “You bitch, tell her and I swear I’ll...”

Tamarah stepped up to him, her eyes seething, her body full of unspeakable rage. “You’ll do what?”

Tommy’s eyes fired black missiles at her, “I’ll do the worst to you than what Mathew Carter did to Angela Balkins on Breaking the day.”

Tamarah lifted her brows, “You’re threatening to do something to me based off a tv show?” She found this so funny she almost laughed. Gritting her teeth together, she whispered, “I wish you would touch me Tommy Whitaker and I swear you won’t be able to lift your pinky finger when I’m done mopping your ass with the floor.”

Tommy pulled his hand back and went to strike her but a hand caught his. He turned his head to the side and to his chagrin, Mr. Copeland, their gym teacher was restraining him. “I would not do that if I were you, you are on public grounds and you will get fined, arrested and end up spending the rest of the day in Juve hall.”

Tommy clenched his jaw, turning his eyes back to Tamarah, “Alright, I’m out.” He pulled his hand away from Mr. Copeland and walked away, sure to bump into Tamarah on his way down the hall. Mr. Copeland stared down at Tamarah, his dark handsome face, concerned. “Are you alright Tamarah?”

“Yes, sir, I’m alright.”

“Mind telling me what that was about?”

She shrugged her shoulders, “Nothing I’d care to get out sir. I have to go though, because the bell is going to ring in four minutes and I still have to go to the top floor.”

Mr. Copeland nodded and cleared his throat. “You be careful, young lady and if you have any more trouble out of him, please come to me.”

She smiled, “Yes, sir.”

Watching her as she left, Mr. Copeland thought that she was going to be a heart breaker when she got older. She was that pretty. Turning away from her direction, Mr. Copeland headed back toward the other door leading out to the school grounds on the west end of the school. The gymnasium had been long abandoned in 2006 in favor of the new construction built in the back, toward the foot ball field and track areas. The building held a boys and girls locker room, the basketball courts and doubled as a pep rally area for the cheer leaders and dance team. The old gymnasium had been set up as the new theater in the school. As he opened the door leading to the outside, his mind went from Tamarah and Tommy and their issue for the upcoming track tryouts beginning this week.

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Chapter Eight

 

Vanessa POV:

 

For a brief moment I forgot about Tamarah and Tommy as I entered into my sixth hour Geography class. I was so glad that within a month or two, I’d be finished with this course. It was an awfully boring course, especially since our teacher could speak several languages and she’d often try her hand at preparing activities that had to do with what ever area we were studying at that time. This week we were going to work on Germany and I could only hope that she wouldn’t bring in a song, or dance being native to that culture. I really don’t know anything about them or their language. The only place on the map I was familiar with was Ireland because my family vacationed there every four to five years and my aunt Lasaire often taught me and Craig little snippets of Gaelic. It seemed to be a requirement with all of my cousins. Even my adopted cousin Charmaine had to learn Gaelic, which I thought was funny considering she was only four. I doubt you could teach a four year old Gaelic but hey, if Aunt Lasaire thought she could, who am I to discourage it? As my thoughts began to wander, my eyes settled on Kalen Rawsin.

 

God, that girl really needed to update her wardrobe. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with being a Christian, I mean my mom’s family, except her mother were Baptist through and through and my dad’s family were Catholics, but even they had the sense enough to dress better than to look as if they still were in the old days of long skirts and ugly t-shirts. I knew that a lot of today’s style would not be something Kalen would be impressed with but I saw that she could use an update in her wardrobe.

 

There were tanks and skirts and jeans that she could wear that would cover her. There were even sun dresses she could wear that would look better on her. She had a nice figure, so in my opinion there was no use in drowning it with penny loafers blue jean skirts and faded t-shirts. As my gaze wandered to her hair, I knew my mother would be able to do something with it. She would know exactly what to do to it instead of platting it in her head. I mean she wasn’t ten years old any more. She was in high school. As I thought about this, speculating about upgrading her lack of style, I wondered if all christian girls were suppose to dress like her and if they were, I didn’t think I wanted to join that band wagon.

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My cool demeanor lasted until the end of the day when Tamarah came up to walk home with me after school. I was then brought back to the reality of my own problems. I spoke to her, asking her how her day went. She told me it was fine, even bragged about Timothy finally opening up to her. “I think this is the start of something beautiful, V.”

“Oh really?”

“Yep.” As I watched that dreamy look cross her face, I thought to myself, although I was attracted to Tommy, I couldn’t imagine feeling the way she did or my mom did for that matter. I suddenly had a fleeting thought of whether or not something was wrong with me. Why did any type of affection openly shown make me feel sick to my stomach. Butterflies would come in and I would feel embarrassed. “V- I don’t think I want to be with anybody ever again in my life.” She sighed wistfully. I furrowed my brows. “How can that be plausible Tamarah when you don’t even go out with Timothy? And you’re fourteen.”

Tamarah glanced over at me, her face glowing like she’d just won a million bucks, “I know, Vanessa. I don’t understand it either but haven’t you ever felt that way about Tommy? Like you just want to curl up next to him and stay there forever?”

I shook my head no. Definitely not. I’ve never loved anyone or even felt remotely close to that way about a guy, unless you count my dad, but he didn’t count. I was supposed to feel that way about him. Then it occurred to me, what if Tamarah was talking about having a dad? What if what she really needed was a father and Timothy would become that fixture? Putting my arm around her shoulder, I said, “Tamarah, I think I know what’s going on.” Tamarah looked at me, that glow in her eyes. “Oh yeah? Enlighten me, sista.”

“I think you are probably looking for someone to attach yourself to because you need a father figure.”

Tamarah raised both brows, “Excuse me?”

“Yeah, I mean you’ve been around my family, but you haven’t really experienced having a dad for yourself so you may just want to have a guy that you can cuddle with and love you know?”

Tamarah shook her head, “No, Vanessa, that’s not it, besides, your dad is my dad, remember.”

I smiled. My dad did take to parenting her a lot. As a matter of fact, he often times gave her advice. Even my mom was more like a mother to her. I guess that sort of made us sisters. “Ok, so then what do you think it is?”

I watched as Tamarah grabbed her stomach, and her face went from a glowing happy look to a painful look.

“Are you alright T?” I asked, stopping next to her. She held her stomach, and shook her head, “no, I’ve been feeling these sharp pains in my stomach.”

“Have you gone to the doctor?” I inquired, my tone concerned.

“No. I thought they would go away by now. I mean, I’ve only had them for a few days now.”“Really? Did you eat something you shouldn’t have?”“I may have. You know mom brought home some take out from the Apple Cart a few days ago.” I groaned. “See I told you to stop eating there. Every time yourc mom bring food home, you end up clenching your stomach. You need to tell her your stomach’s not made for that left over garbage.”

I watched as Tamarah doubled over and the food she’d eaten during lunch came up, splashing on the sidewalk. I groaned, “Uhk, man, tell your momma to stop bringing that mess home. Now