Stephanie sat across the school lunch table from her best friend, Jill. “I heard Dee’s in your gym class,” she said with a big grin, twisting her long braids. “That means you get to watch Darnell Thomas taking it to the hoop up close and personal.” She looked at her classmates in line for lunch. “He is so fine with that flawless dark-chocolate skin and long eyelashes.” Stephanie shivered, then let out a snort.
Jill took a bite of her burger without looking up from the textbook she’d been studying. “Yeah, he’s in my class. So what?” She mumbles with her mouth full of food.
“Are you kidding?” Stephanie said, putting her burger back on her plate. “That brother has it going on!” She picked up her white foam cup and took a sip of fruit punch. “Then again, he is the all-star on our basketball team, and you’re our valedictorian and on the honor roll. I don’t think Dee would go for a girl who isn’t at least as popular as he is.” Stephanie giggled.
“I don’t care about being popular,” Jill said, looking at Stephanie over her small, clear-framed glasses. “All I want is to graduate from high school and get into medical school.” She reached up to tuck a stray strand of her sandy brown hair into the bun on the back of her head.
“Girl that sounds like your dad the minister talking.” Stephanie pauses for a moment fumbling with her back pocket. “I have something for you,” stuffing her hand into her back pocket. When she finally pulled it out of her skin-tight jeans, she handed a bright pink envelope to Jill.
“What’s this?” Jill asked, reaching for the envelope with one hand and wiping her mouth on a napkin with the other.
“I don’t know,” Stephanie said, her face beaming. “Dee asked me to give it to you.”
Jill examined the sealed envelope with red roses alongside her name, beautifully drawn on the front on the envelope. She opens it carefully and pulled out a folded piece of white notepaper. She unfolded the note, her hands trembling.
After watching Jill read the note to herself, Stephanie asked, “What’s it say?” She leaned across the table, trying to peek at the note.
“Dee is asking me out on a date.” Jill stared at the note and read it aloud. “Hi, Jill. I have been watching you for a while now, trying to get up the courage to ask you out on a date. Normally, that is not a problem for me, but there is something special about you. I hope you don’t think I am being immature by sending this note because I put a lot of time into it.” Jill blushed. “I would like it very much if we can spend some time together and get to know each other. What do you think about a date this Friday? I promise to be the gentlemen my mom raised me to be. Let me know. Dee.”
“You got to be kidding!” Stephanie shrieked.
“Are you going to send him a letter back or just go up to him and say yes?”
“Neither,” Jill said, folding the note and placing it in her beige khaki book bag. “I’m too busy with schoolwork and studying to be going on a date.”
Stephanie threw her hand into the air. “Which one this time your dad or your mom?”
“Neither. Yes, those are the priorities my parents teach me, but the decisions I have choose to live by. Those decisions even got me a scholarship.
“Well, you’ve been studying since I met you in the third grade. Surely you could take one night off. Do you know how many girls in this school would die to be in your place right now?” Stephanie shook her head, and then tapped the table with her hand. “Go for it, girl. One date won’t kill you. You might even have a good time.”
The two friends giggled. Jill rubbed her head. “Well, the card was real cute. I guess I can tolerate one date.”
“Tolerate?” Stephanie said, picking up her tray from the table. “Girl, you’d better work that meal ticket. Don’t you know that boy is on his way to the pros? You’d better work that meal ticket.”
“Good for him,” Jill said, placing her book back in her bag. “But I’ve got my own meal ticket: me!” She looked at her watch. With a gasp at the time, she jumped up from the table and started gathering her trash.
“I’m glad you agreed to go,” Stephanie said, gave her always-punctual friend a sly smile. “You know, you might actually make at least one lasting memory in your senior year to tell your children about.” Stephanie threw her bag over her shoulder and picked up her tray.
“Now you’re fanaticizing,” Jill replied, hurrying to the nearest trashcan.
Stephanie followed her friend. “You’re coming to my house tomorrow after school, right?”
“Why?” Jill asked, dumping her tray.
“I don’t want my best friend going on a date with the most popular guy in the school looking like Susan the librarian.” Stephanie looked Jill up and down, evaluating her khaki pants and light blue shirt. “We have to jazz you up a little bit, girlfriend! But don’t worry. I got you. You just come to my house and I’ll take care of you. Shoot, I’ll have the brother asking to marry you on your first date.” Stephanie replied reaching her hand behind herself and patting herself on the back.
“Yeah, right,” Jill said, looking down at her clothes. “And there’s nothing wrong with the clothes I wear.” When Stephanie gave her an impatient look, Jill said, “Okay, I give in.”
“I knew you’d see things my way,” Stephanie said.
“I just know you never give up.”
Jill and Stephanie giggled all the way from school to their favorite pizza parlor. Jill missed spending time with her best friend, but her life had been even more hectic than usual lately.
“So, you and Dee have been going out for a whole month, huh?” Stephanie said as they walked through the front door. “Must be those styling clothes I got you to start wearing.” She giggled, and then turned to the man in white behind the counter. “Can we have two slices, please? One with cheese and one with pepperoni. And two medium fruit punch drinks.” Stephanie turned to Jill. ” My treat today. I got some extra money for helping my mom clean up her messy office space at home.”
“Thanks,” said Jill.
The two friends walked to a table and sat down.
“Okay,” Stephanie said when they were settled, “back to you and Dee’s serious relationship.”
“We’re not that serious yet,” Jill said, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. “I’ll admit I like him a lot. ” She fiddled with her fingers. “He’s not just cute. He’s smart, too, and he has plans for his future.” Jill studied her fingernails. “I’m just taking our relationship one day at a time and waiting to see where it goes.” Jill sat thinking of how she was hoping she would bump into Dee in the hallways today, but did not.
“I hear you,” Stephanie said. “But it does seem to be going full speed. I mean, we hardly ever talk on the phone like we use to.”
The waitress walked up and placed the drinks on the table.
Jill thought about her feelings for Dee, but felt too embarrassed to share them with Stephanie. Although they’d only been dating a short time, she already thought she was in love with him. But she was afraid that sharing that with Stephanie would just make her laugh. Especially since Dee was the first guy she’d ever really dated.
Still, there was something important she’d wanted to share with her best friend. Jill stirred the straw around in her drink, trying to decide on the best way to approach the delicate subject.
Jill took a deep
“There is something Dee wants from me right now that’s real serious.”
“What?” Stephanie said, peering into Jill’s eyes.
Jill looked down at her drink.
Stephanie reached across the table and grabbed Jill’s hand. “That’s great! Maybe you won’t be a virgin when you graduate after all.”
Jill frowned. “I am not trying to go there,” she whispered, looking around to be sure no one heard her enthusiastic friend.
“So you’re going to say no?” Stephanie asked, her eyes wide. “To Darnell Thomas?”
“I’m not ashamed of saving myself for my husband. I believe my body is a temple, and it’s not just available for the asking.” Jill picked up her drink. “Besides, I’m on my way to Georgetown University, and I don’t want anything to stop me.”
“You still waiting on marriage?”
Jill sat not responding looking down fiddling at her fingers.
“Well, I guess that’s the end of that relationship.”
The waiter came over and placed the slices in front of the girls, then disappeared.
Jill said in almost a whisper, “Maybe I am waiting on marriage.” She continued in a louder voice. “Who said anything about the relationship being over?” Jill said, putting down her drink without taking a sip.
“You know a brother like Dee is no virgin. I’m sure he’s used to getting it on a regular.” Stephanie took a bite of her steaming pizza.
Jill stared at her slice, her appetite suddenly gone. Would saying no to sex with Dee really end their relationship?
“He invited me over to his house tonight for dinner,” she said, her voice trembling. “He didn’t say if anyone else is going to be there.”
“I hope you’re not going to embarrass yourself by asking if his mommy and daddy are going to be home.”
Before Jill could answer, her cell phone rang. Jill reached into the pocket of her knapsack and pulled out her phone. When she saw Dee’s name on her caller ID, she looked around the pizza parlor, wondering if he might be watching her, as he often did. Nervously, she punched the Talk button.
“What up?” he said.
“Hi, Dee,” Jill said in her cutest voice.
“We’re still on for my place tonight, right?”
“I don’t know, Dee,” Jill said. “I was thinking maybe-”
“Well, I was thinking something too,” Dee said, cutting her off.
“What?” Jill asked with a big smile.
“About how good you looked with your hair out in curls today.”
“Really?” Jill said, touching her hair. “I didn’t see you today.”
“I saw you. And you looked real good too. So, I’ll see you at my place about eight?”
“All right,” Jill said in a low voice. Then she closed up her flip phone and smiled.
Stephanie looked up from the slice of pizza she’d been munching on. “I didn’t hear you asking him about his mommy or daddy being there,” she said with a grin. “You must be open to the possibilities.”
Jill sat staring at her phone. “I have too many friends who ruined their dreams by getting caught, then being left to handle it by themselves. Most girls that becomes pregnant in high school never graduate. They have to forget about college and get a full-time job or even go on public assistance. I want a lot more for my life than that.” Jill looked up at her friend.
“You don’t have to get pregnant,” Stephanie whispered. “You can use protection, you know.”
“It’s not just about me becoming pregnant. I want to be a virgin when I met my husband.”
“Well, at the rate the two love birds are going he might be your husband,” Stephanie said with a smile.
“Or he might not,” Jill said while looking at her fingers.
THIS IS JUST AN EXCERPT FROM THE “STAND ALONE SERIES” BY TERRI SMALLS
If you are a parent of a teenager this page tuner is a must read. It is not just a page turner, but a book that will secretly educate them and challenge them in their own life along the way.
Copyright (C) Terri Smalls 2009
Order your copy or series today at http://www.lulu.com enter the book Title or author name.
Terri is a Christian writer and published author. She is the author of the three part teen series book Stand Alone available on download or book purchase at http://www.Lulu.com It is also a great book club discussion for teens. It is a book that will challenge any teenager that reads it to make wise choices. The discussions in this book include HIV & AIDS among teens. Terri Smalls is available for speaking engagements or workshops email her at Tsmalls@aol.com or by phone (347) 204-5093.
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