Jackson, Mississippi
1966
Toni Michele.
"Yes, Momma." I answered my mother who was questioning my whereabouts. "I went to the marketplace and I brought the apples. I don't know where they went."
Both of our eyes drew towards my younger sisters, Naomi-Sue and Lauren Keyana. Those two are the definition of trouble.
"Did you two eat off all my damn apples?" Momma asked. The girls nodded slightly before regretting it. Momma put her head in her hands and groaned.
"Fine, I was going to make apple pie but since you want to eat all the apples and throw my money away, I do not care." She said. She threw the crumpled paper towel in her hand into the garbage and left the room.
I stuck my tongue out at them as I sat at the table. "I cannot believe you two are so greedy. Y'all ate off ten apples in two days." I laughed. I wish Kenne-Belle was here to get a laugh at this.
"Oh, hush up, Toni. Or should I say Ms, 'I'm so in love'." Naomi said. Lauren covered her Naomi's mouth giving me a pathetic smile. It took me a second to put two and two together; they read my diary.
I gasped as I stood up instantly, "Oh, I'm telling Momma, and you're gonna wish you were never born." I said before stomping my way to Momma's room. I knocked and entered upon permission.
"Momma, Naomi and Lauren been reading my diary." I said as I entered. She shushed me as she talked on the phone. I waited patiently for her to finish. Chances are it's Daddy or Aunt Rosa-Mae.
As I waited, I heard my beeper go off. It was Lucas.
My Momma don't know about Lucas and I. She can't, I'd be risking everything. I slowly backed out of the room. "Toni Michele, where you sneaking off to?" Momma said stopping me in my tracks.
The cat caught my tongue, "Oh. I-I was just leaving because you were busy." She scanned my face to see if I was fibbing. I think I held the myself together.
"What were you gonna tell me?" She asked.
"Tell you?"
"You came in here for a reason right?" She asked with her eyes squinted in suspicion.
"Oh, right. Can you tell Naomi and Lauren to stay out of my diary. The are far too nosey and always in my business." I complained.
She laughed hysterically, "Sweetheart, you have no business. Your so called 'business' is my business." She wiped the laughter tears that'd made their way out her eyes.
"Fine, but can you tell them to stay out my diary." She nodded before calling them in her room as I made my way out. "Snitch." Lauren mumbled.
"Bum." I said back.
I went into my room and closed my door. I looked down at my beeper and saw Lucas's number. I could only use the phone downstairs before dinner, and it was long after so I had no way of getting back to him unfortunately.
Lucas
I waited around for Toni Michele to call back. I was missing her, even though I see her everyday.
When I told her I love her, I meant it. She is the only part of my day I look forward to. "What are you thinking about?" Mae Beau asked sitting next to me.
"Please don't tell me you thinking of Toni." She said as she palmed her face. "She's my friend, nasty."
Mae Beau is a nice person. She's the only teenage girl in our town who befriended the negros. She believes in equality heavily and is always trying to make life better for them.
She is the only person I've told about my feelings for Toni Michele. Mae Beau gets it. She sees love beyond color, and that's why I love her.
"I cannot help it." I said as I sat up and started pacing the room. "She's so beautiful, Mae. She glistens in the sun and her eyes have such a glossy effect to them. I'm hooked on her."
I stopped in front of my trophy case. "We kiss, now, Mae. Isn't that crazy?" She got all girly and started with the Ooh's and Aah's. I turned to her with a serious face making her stop.
"You really like her?" She asked.
"I love her. She's my world."
Mae Beau got up and stood next to me. "Is she worth lying to Mother and Father?" I felt the challenge she was putting out there with the limited words she used. Would I lie to see Toni Michele? You bet your pigs and cows, I would.
I marched downstairs to where Mother and Father were watching TV. "Father, I'd like to go out and enjoy the nightfall." I said very sternly. My insides were trembling but my front was strong.
"Lucas, it is 9:45. Why would you want to be out so late?" My mother asked butting in the conversation.
"Because, Mother... I think I am old enough to go out. I'm 17, trust me." My statements were becoming more beg-like as they started questioning me.
"You know what, Jenny, I say we let him go." My father said ending the interrogation. A smile appeared on my face as my brain became full of images of Toni Michele.
They sat there silently making eye motion to each other. They always do that, I don't know how that's comprehensible, but they do it so often by now it's probably second nature.
"Fine, midnight is curfew. Any later and I'm sending out the police. Understood?" My mother said. I nodded and headed towards the door and before I opened it, my father spoke.
"And stay away from those niggers, son. We don't need anyone in the house catching diseases."
My body tensed out hearing him disrespect innocent people. I just ignored his comment and left off to see Toni Michele.
Toni
I woke up to a knocking at my window. I first checked my clock to see the time; 11:01. I scratched my head and looked towards the window. My eyes widened and my heart began to flutter.
"Lucas?"
