Black and Grey

Chapter Two: Unlovable

Tropical Smoothie 6:47PM

"Why do we come here? You never get anything healthy." Tam cringed as she watched Ted suck on his chocolate infused smoothie. He looked up at her while he sipped through a straw.

"Protein baby," he chuckled. "Besides you know as well as I do as soon as we get to the half we'll switch." He stopped drinking and jostled her cup measuring its contents. "You're almost there. If you'd focus on your smoothie instead of your salad you'd be ready to trade."

"Are you telling me how to eat now Grey? You know when you do things like that it creates the opposite effect you're going for." She moved in slow motion as she moved her fork to her mouth and Teddy laughed. He finished eating almost soon as he sat down. The loved their grilled chicken wraps so he was quick to devour them.

"I don't think I could really tell you what to do if I tried," Teddy confessed, he didn't like the fact but he felt it was the truth. Tamera looked up from her food and stared at Ted with disbelief.

"You're kidding right? Most of my actions during the day surround you and making sure Prince Grey is content. How don't you see that?" She scoffed and he frowned.

"You know I hate that nickname! If I'm Prince Grey then you must be Princess Black." He said to be an insult but Tamera smirked, deep down every girl wanted to be a princess.

"Princess Tamera has a nice ring," she murmured as she pushed her empty plate away and then sipped on her Blimey Limey smoothie. Teddy rolled his eyes and he watched his friend. The curls the crowned her face when touched by the sun looked golden. "I love your hair." He grabbed a curl and pulled it straight and then released it. The strand went right back to its curly nature.

"I know you tell me that every time we come here." She shrugged her shoulder and then swapped their drinks. "Hmm," she nodded appreciating Teddy's choice. The always picked the best drinks.

"I knew you'd like it." He chuckled as he did; Tam noticed out of the corner of her eye a group of girls staring in their direction. She rolled her eyes and groaned.

"Shit," she mumbled.

"What?" He looked over at the girls who quickly pretended that they weren't staring. He chuckled and then looked back at his friend who had put her head on the table. "Tamera what?"

"When chicks see me with you they assume things Teddy. Then I have to go through damage control. That blonde chick right there in the red top she's in one of my literature classes, her name is Miranda and she is going to ask me about this. I can hear it now. So I didn't know you were dating Theodore Grey! I heard he was a player better be careful. How long have you two been together? Blah, blah, blah."

"I could fix that for you," Teddy twisted in his seat so he could give the other females his full attention. "Miranda is it?" Miranda's eyes doubled in size. Tamera looked up and watched this interaction.

"Ye-yeah?" She stuttered.

"Can we have a word with you please?" The girl left her friends and crossed over to the booth where Tamera and Ted were sitting.

"Hi," she said meekly as she stood in front of them.

"Hello," Ted said as he scooted over so that the girl could sit down. She did just that, Miranda was in heaven just about every girl on campus knew about Teddy Grey, the only thing she wished was that Tamera wasn't here. "We noticed you and your friends observing us and we wanted to be clear that our affairs are none of your business and is not to be shared any of your other friends. If I find out that there are rumors running around this university about me or my friend here I will hold you personally responsible.

"But I – but we … I wouldn't talk about you Teddy, but I do have a question." Teddy didn't ask he knew where he was about to go by the look in her eyes. "Do you … uh, are you two on a date?" He frowned and looked at Tamera who shook her head.

"For all intensive purposes yes, Tam and I are on a date. We planned to come here and eat and we are here alone together. I'm not looking to be approached romantically." Theodore said bluntly. "I just wanted to be us to be clear, please share what I've said with your friends." This was his way of dismissing her. Tamera was impressed with how social he had been with Miranda, he was almost friendly. He was still blunt but kind of friendly.

"Okay, I'll let them know." The girl got up and went to leave. She paused and turned back to the couple of friends at the table. "If you ever feel like you want a little something romantic … so should find me." She was too nervous for her seductive offer to come off correctly. Teddy frowned at her in confusion. He ran back over their conversation and tried to figure out where in the point of the conversation he gave her the impression that he was attracted to her. He was only trying to be nice since Tamera seemed to know the girl. He shook his head not wanting to deal with her comment.

"You ready to go Tam?" Tamera looked at him confused. He slid out of the booth and offered her his hand she took it and then grabbed the rest of his smoothie; he picked up the other as well. He wasn't going to say anything and Tamera felt bad for the poor girl. She almost wanted to let her know that Teddy wasn't wired that way.

"Seeya around Miranda," she offered as she was pulled toward the doors.

"That was interesting," Tamera said as she was led outside and past her Cadillac CRV. "Ummm, we kind of need to use my car to leave. Teddy," Tam was whining. "Ted, Theodore what's up? Talk to me." He stopped as a couple blocks away from the smoothie shop and Tamera was huffing as she tried to keep up. "Talk to me," she urged.

"I can't trust anybody Tam … nobody but you. You know that?" His eyes were tired and sad. Tamera rubbed his shoulder, she was completely thrown by his statement but she's heard this before.

"Teddy, I know you feel that way."

"All these other girls they always have a motive even when I'm not even looking at them that way. Maybe I just wanted to hang out with a friend. Yet that chick …"

"Wait so I need to clarify why you're mad Prince Grey, you are made because Miranda hit on you?" Tamera burst into laughter. "God Ted, do you know how many men would want to be you. Girls throw themselves at you. You have everything and you're mad about it." She chuckled, Ted's frown dissolved and was replaced with and smirk of hopelessness.

"You don't get it."

"No Ted, I think I do. It's kind of hard to trust people when you have SO much to offer. I have the same thing happen to me sometimes guys hit on me but I always wonder if they are hitting on me or if they are hitting on the BLACK money. It's frustrating because I'm pessimistic I always believe they only see dollar signs … why else would they want a date with me." Tamera had such a distorted view of herself, Ted used to try to make her see that … that any man would be lucky to have her.

"I guess you do get it then."

"Yeah," she whispered. "I guess we're both a bit unlovable."

"Something like that." Theodore grabbed Tam's hand. "We should get back." She nodded and Ted led them back to her car. They walked back in silence with both of their heads filled with different questions. It was crazy that a day that was supposed to be filled with relaxing ended with such melancholy.