Forbidden Fruit (A Keith Powers Love Story)

Chapter 21

Maliya

My mom told me that I didn't have to go to school today, but I wanted to. Even though I felt like no one would talk to me and just stare. But that's what they kind of do everyday anyways. Besides Leah and the girls I talk to at lunch, I have no one. Leah was suspended so she can't even come back. This bitch got suspended over break but the school obviously found out about the entire incident. Since she beat Tyra up and got arrested, she couldn't return until whenever the school says so.

I let out a sigh as I looked up at my high school. I'd be graduating in a few months and I honestly can't wait for that day.

"You know don't have to go in," my aunt spoke soothingly.

"I know. But I want to." I assured her.

I opened up the door and got out of my aunt's car.

"Have a good day," she called out.

I waved goodbye then headed further onto campus and went inside. I wasn't early but I wasn't late so everyone was at homeroom by now. I headed towards my locker and put the books I didn't need until after lunch inside. A piece of paper fell out from somewhere inside my locker and I unfolded it to read it.

Dear Liya,

I'm sorry for how I've been acting and how I've been treating you. As a man, I could've been more understanding and more mature but I wasn't. I was afraid of the outcome of letting you in my heart. It was already too late though. You made me fall for you and I fell hard. I couldn't stop thinking about you. I tries to push every feeling I had for you away. I made myself look like a fool though. We kept going back and forth which was unhealthy for us. I don't want to interfere with your growth but I don't want you to hate me either. So I've decided that I'd leave teaching and I'd leave Mellowrock for now. I'm gonna pursue my dreams and become an actor. I'm more than ready and you helped me realize that. Thank you, Maliya for everything that you taught me even though you may have been unaware of it. Thank you for keeping my mind off of the painful reality. But I think we both have to understand that we wouldn't be able to be around each other without one of us crawlung back. I know you're a woman now, but that is wrong. A student and a teacher should never be romantically involved.
And with that, here's a poem I wrote that was inspired by you. In return to 'Dead Daisies':

My love for you burns like a passionate inferno, your smile outshines the sun on the warmest of days, your kiss, sends me into eternal bliss, but my mind is where my love stays, I try my hardest to find a way to see you in all your beauty, your curves and your walk, capture me in a trance, I love the sight of your face lighting up as your big,brown,beautiful eyes dance, my love for you is buried, but my love, I will soon uproot, so I can show to you how I truly feel, my sweet, forbidden fruit -KP

I was unaware of the silent tears that drenched my face. I sniffed as I read his well put letter. It's almost as if I could hear him, talking over my shoulder reading every word for me. In the perfect world, he'd be here and we'd run to each other and collide, kissing without a care in the world. But sadly, this isn't a movie.

°

"He didn't even say goodbye!" A girl in my class cried out. It was eighth period and word got around quick that Mr. Powers had left the school. First there were rumours that he quit. Then there were rumours that he died. And then there were rumours that he was fired. I was the only one who knew what happened. I was the reason it happened. I've never seen so many crying seventeen and eighteen year old girls in one room.

"I can't believe y'all really crying overl a teacher," Bryshere sucked his teeth. I haven't talked to Bryshere in a long time but we used to be really close in ninth grade. Our friendship unraveled quickly when I found out he had sex with an old friend I had named Elexa. She didn't return the next school year and I don't know what happened to her.