90s Love

Chapter 4

1994

The new year brought on a lot. It started out simple but evolved into shit that only kids in high school considered to be life-changing nonsense.

And the first sign I recognized in our grown evolution was, boys.

With Will being the exception, we all started getting a little more chatty with the male population. Instead of walking down the hall and giving most of the guys dirty looks, we smiled, waved, and said hi.

We were out of the phase where girls and guys had cooties, and into the dating game.

We weren't even two weeks into the new year, and Aaron was already making moves to get Kay to notice him.

I was with Kaylen walking and talking down the hallway, the official school day had yet to start, and I agreed to accompany her to her locker before homeroom.

"Nuh-uh. It is January, that means it's cold, and I'm cold." Kay explained. "I'm not tryna watch Will ball on the blacktops again."

I tried to reason with her. "But it's Friday."

"We can do an indoor activity."

"Indoor activity?" I repeated, furrowing my brows.

"Yes. Indoor activity. Like grabbing burgers, or watching a movie on tape. Or going out to the movies."

"That sounds like money," I commented.

"Everything costs money. This is America."

"True."

I looked ahead, starting to pay attention to the locker numbers, knowing hers was close by. Only for my movements to be suddenly halted by Kaylen's arm extending in front of me, blocking me from moving any further. And that's when I noticed someone leaned up against her locker.

Aaron.

"I don't need to go anymore." She said, moving me to turn around.

"Are you-"

"Hurry up Nae!" She tugged at my arm urgently.

"Okay! Okay!"

"Yo, Kaylen, wait up!" Aaron's voice called out, making both of us freeze.

"Shit," Kaylen muttered, turning back around to face him, and I just followed, watching as he approached us.

"Hey, how ya doing?" He asked her with a soft smile.

"I'm alright," Kaylen replied. "Do you need something?"

"I just wanted to invite you and your girls to hang out with me and my boys. We were gonna go bowling tonight."

"Uh," Kaylen looked at me with panicked eyes, and all I could do was stare back cluelessly. This was far from my area of expertise. "Will has this basketball game we can't miss." She looked back to Aaron. "Sorry."

"Y'all can't just reschedule that or something?" He tried once more. "Will plays ball on the daily. And it wouldn't hurt to come without her." He stuck his hands in his jean pockets. "So whaddya say?"

Kaylen once again made eye contact with me, and I nodded my head slowly, in an attempt to encourage her to accept. Only for her to look back to Aaron, ignoring me. "I gotta make sure the girls are down. I can let you know by lunch."

"Okay, that's fine." He nodded. "I'll see you at lunch then."

"Yeah." She agreed, the two of us watched him walk away before I turned to her.