All Signs Point to You Part Two, Navaura Campbell [best novels for students .txt] 📗

off your chest. You're only going to sink deeper into depression if you don't."

"I'm not depressed." Denise objected.

"That's what you keep telling yourself."

"It's the truth. I'm glad I did it." Denise sighed.

Quinton smacked his lips, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that lie."

"I'm not lying." She insisted. "He wanted to use me for sex."

"For ten months? You two have been together for almost a year without sex and you're convinced that's what he wanted?"

"He's a patient guy."

Quinton looked over at Denise. "So, you think just to get the goodies, he's going to stay around for ten months?" He shook his head denying this. "Any guy who stays with a girl when they're not having sex, is in love, Denise. That's the only thing that makes since."

Denise stared at him incredulously, "You're taking his side?"

Quinton laughed at her. "No. I'm just speaking the obvious. Calm down."

Denise closed her eyes and ran her hands over her temples.

"I'm not trying to disappoint you or anything, but the truth is, he loves you. All he ever talks about is you. I feel like I know you better than I know myself."

Denise clucked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Isn't that sweet."

Quinton nodded. "Anyway, Denise, if and that's a big if, what you say is true, he wanted you to put out, then you would not be going through these emotional spasms you seem to have. Instead you'd be celebrating your freedom."

Denise rolled down her window a fraction. It was getting stuffy in the car. They were now pulled out onto the freeway.

"And, if that's not the case, and you were afraid, you probably should have never been with him in the first place. At-least not so soon."

Tears welled in her eyes, her throat tightened once again. "I can't stop crying."

"De, you're going to feel like that. You know why?" Quinton inquired.

Denise looked at him with fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. He pointed to the glove box. "Because.." He stated softly, "Though you weren't ready for it, you fell in love."

Denise inhaled hard. Finding a packet of opened cleanex in the glove compartment, she whiped her eyes. Exhaling. "I love him so much Quinton. It's scary."

"Love is like that. It's a scary thing." He stated.

"Have you ever been in love before?" Denise pondered, staring out the window.

"Yes."

Denise laughed, "Then you know it's not easy."

Quinton grinned, "Yep. Real love is never easy. It hurts more, when it's being constructed than it does when relationships are just for fun."

"Yeah. Why's that?"

"Because you're exposing yourself to the other person. You love to be loved. When it's just a periodic thing, it goes away so quickly, that you forget the pain. Almost like it was never there."

Denise laughed. "How do you know so much about love?"

"Because when I first met Matt, I was like you."

"Matt?" Denise wanted to know.

"Yes, my boyfriend's name is Matt." Quinton confirmed.

Denise couldn't imagine two guys being together, it was weird.

"How were you?" Denise asked.

Quinton sighed. "I was confused about my sexuality. I had never been attracted to girls when I was growing up. I couldn't understand why not when I was like every other guy. I was always a jock, and girls used to flock around me, but I never wanted to go out with them. I couldn't understand this, till I met Matt. I met him my sophomore year in high-school. He was a freshmen in college back then."

"Your parents allowed you to date him?" Denise eyes widened incredulously.

"They didn't care what I did. Mom was working all the time, and my dad was a drunk."

Denise flinched. "I thought I had it bad with mom working all the time."

"Yep. Your parents do value their work over family."

Denise frowned. "I hate that. Mom's been like that since dad left the family when I was two."

“Really?" Quinton made a right on an exit ramp, coming up to Gillesh Road. He made another right once they stopped at a light after looking both ways.

"Yes. She's never spent any real time with me growing up. It was always nanny after nanny; till I turned thirteen, and then I could stay by myself after school."

"What did you do when you were by yourself?"

"She always had something for me to do. A chore, homework, something she called constructive."

"Is there a hint of bitterness in your tone, Denise?"

Denise glanced over at him. "Maybe. I have a lot of things to be bitter about."

"Do you?"

"Yes. When I was eight, my best-friend Stacy was kidnapped, raped, and put in a back alley to rot." She replied, her tone clipped.

"Wow. That's bad."

Denise swallowed, "Yeah. She was the only friend I had growing up. The only one that understood me anyway."

"Until Jordan."

Denise shrugged her shoulders, not denying it. "He knows me too well." Denise whispered.

"Why do you say that?" Quinton probed.

"I sometimes feel like he knows me more than I know myself. I don't like that."

Chapter Twenty Six:

 

 

Quinton sighed and turned into a parking lot located about three miles from the freeway. Denise looked up at a small brick cafe. It had Stanley's' written on a sign hanging above the door. Underneath that, in blinking lights, were words which read. "Open 24 hrs."

Denise waited for him to switch off the ignition before she opened her door to get out. Closing it, she made her way up to the door, pulling it open. Quinton grabbed the door behind her and waited for her to enter. He chose a booth off in a cozy corner. Denise followed suit. After they were seated, a waitress came to offer drinks. Quinton said, "I would like a coffee, please."

Denise sighed. "Can I get a hot chocolate, extra whip cream."

Quinton waited til the waitress was out of earshot before continuing their conversation.

"Why does him getting to know you, scare you?"

Denise stared at open palms. "I don't know. It just does. He's a great guy, and has never been judgmental toward me in anyway. I don't know what's wrong with me Quin. I am crazy for breaking up with such a guy. He was willing to love me in a way that I wouldn't allow myself to love him."

"What exactly makes you afraid?"

"Loosing control." She answered without second thought. Now she was tracing the lines inside her palms.

"What do you mean?"

"I am afraid that if I give too much of myself, he'll have control and I'll be helpless."

Quinton sighed. "Sweetie, to be in control is to be comfortable with yourself to the point where you're able to let someone else in, not rationing what you give them. You hurt yourself that way."

Denise put hands up to her head. "I messed up."

Quinton nodded. "That's okay honey. I suggest you take this time to discover what you want. If you and he are meant to be, it will happen."

Denise shook her head. "He wouldn't want me back."

Quinton inhaled. "Do this for yourself, not him. No matter whether you get him back or not. If you are not comfortable with yourself, you'll never be comfortable with him. You'll find yourself always running."

Denise looked up at Quinton. "I miss him so much."

"That's what happens when you're in love. It feels like you're dying inside. I know. It sucks, but that's the way life is."

Finally, the waitress brought him his coffee and her hot chocolate. Denise thanked her and sipped the chocolate.

Jordan went out with Tanya and Andrew after the play. They went to a restaurant somewhere in Kent County. It was a small place with a light atmosphere. Andrew insisted they celebrate his first play. Jordan told him he didn't know why it was necessary considering after this semester, he'd never be in another play. He hated acting.

Sighing, he browsed the menu. "What's good here, Tanya?"

"I vouch for the veil."

"Isn't veil pretty expensive?” Jordan inquired, not sure he wanted that.

Andrew laughed, "Yeah, but Tanya insist on the best. I don't know why I put up with her flashy spending. She's going to make me a poor man." Andrew teased Tanya.

Tanya smacked him in the shoulder, "It's your dad's money."

"Oh, so you'd rather spend his money than mine?"

Tanya rolled her eyes. "When you put it like that, why not?."

Andrew smiled at her.

Jordan sighed, disparagingly. He wasn't all that hungry anymore.

"Just let her go, Jordan. She's not worth the breath you breathe, man."

Tanya sighed. "I think if you want her, you should just go after her."

"I say not to chase her anymore. She's a stupid broad."

Jordan looked up at him. His eyes flashing angry. "Don't call her that."

"She is stupid man. You wasted ten months on her and the least she could do was hand you your heart back. Talk about cold."

Jordan put hands up to painful temples, "Whatever, Drew. It's done, ok."

"You sure don't act like it." He threw in.

"I'll get over her." Jordan tried to convince himself of this.

"Look, all I'm saying Jordan is she didn't deserve you to begin with. She probably never even cared about you."

Jordan rose to her defense, "Yes she did and she still does."

"Then why did she flip out the way she did? Dude, she's crazy."

Jordan cut him off, " Stop man while you're ahead.”

"You can do better than that."

"She's just scared."

Tanya stared at Jordan's demeanor and felt her own pain. She was going to talk to Denise come Monday.

"Crazy, scared, same thing in my book. You don't need her man."

Tanya nudged him. "Shut up. What would you do if I dumped you?"

"Find another girl." He cracked.

"Oh really?" Tanya put a hand on her hip. "Don't let me find her."

"What are you going to do miss skinny minny?" Andrew teased.

"Kick you and her butt." Tanya's expression looked serious despite his play.

"You can kick my butt all you want. Just don't leave any marks."

This made Jordan groan in disgust. "That's enough you guys. I'm ready to order."

Andrew stared at his best-friend. He hated seeing him look so tired and drawn out the way he did. A bitterness settled in him as he thought of Denise. She was such a stupid girl that it made him sick to think of the way she ripped his heart out. He glanced at Tanya, who was staring at the menu, contemplating what to order. He couldn't imagine her just leaving the way Denise left Jordan. She was truly a strong and determined woman. She'd always been that way, always would be. He smiled, proud of having her as his girl.

They were Seniors now, and though she didn't know this, he wanted to marry her. He was going to ask her. Needed to ask her despite the disapproval of his parents.

Dating only one girl at a time was something he'd never tried till he'd started dating her last fall, and almost lost her. She was such an amazing, beautiful girl, that he thought of himself as lucky for being with her. So lucky in fact that he couldn't see himself with any other girl. He never thought in a million years that marriage would be suitable for him, but there was something about Tanya that was worth holding on to. Sighing, he glanced at his menu and continued to go over the choices.

Denise closed the door to Quin's car, and made her way up to the driveway. She watched him pull out, and then walked to the doorway.

"Denise."

She jumped, startled. Putting a hand up to her chest, she swiveled around. "God.." She whispered breathless, "You scared me."

He smiled a deep smile, showing dimples she'd never noticed before. She gave a hesitant smile. He was leaned against the porch railing, hands stuffed into his coat pockets.

"I'm sorry." She sighed.

He shook his head no, his dark hair falling into his face for a moment, "I should be the one apologizing, not you." His hands were being shuffled back and forth into one another nervously.

Denise stared, feeling her heart speed up in it's pace. He approached her, and then stopped about twenty feet in front of her. "You did good tonight."

She smiled, "Thanks." She stood there,