Chapter Text
Setting: Howard University
Keisha
It’s the first day of class and Keisha is so nervous. She’s been on campus for 3 days and she still hasn’t made any friends. Her suitemate was always gone; they’d only greeted each other and introduced themselves and that was about it. The east coast is so different from back home on the west coast. The vibe, the food, the ACCENTS (lol), it was definitely going to take some getting used to. The best thing she loved about Howard was seeing people who looked like her, beautiful black people in all shades; it made her beam with pride. She didn’t have to look down on her 4C hair or her chocolate complexion like she did in the past at JTDE, Brookwood, or St. Maria.
As Keisha walked to class, a lot of people were out on the yard hanging out and having fun. She heard something that got her attention, it was loud chanting…"I SAY WHAT IS A DEL-TA?” It was a Sorority of beautiful sistas dressed in red and white throwing up pyramids with their hands. Keisha was enamored at what she saw. The girls were stepping and chanting in sync, looking like a tight circle of sisterhood. If she crossed those burning sands, it would definitely be Delta Sigma Theta.
“One day,” she thought as she entered the building to go to class.
Class flew by, her professor just handed out a syllabus for the course and went over the rules. In class, she met a girl who sat beside her who struck up a conversation, her name was Danielle, and she was from Virginia. She was the talkative, extroverted type, she reminded her of her cousins from back home, which made her feel comfortable.
Danielle actually stayed in the same dorm as Keisha, on the floor above hers, so they planned to meet up later to go to lunch together.
As Keisha and Danielle were walking out of class, they saw a flyer on the bulletin board across the hall.
Flyer: Back to School Bash!
“Oh snap, there’s gonna be a party tonight in the gym at 9 o'clock. You wanna go?” Danielle asked her.
“Yeah, that should be fun. I’m down,” Keisha replied. She knew it would be best to get out and socialize and try to meet people.
“Cool, let’s meet downstairs in the lobby tonight at 9:30.”
“Sounds good. Talk to you later girl, see you at lunch.”
Keisha browsed on her phone as she waited for Danielle to come downstairs in the lobby. As she was sitting there, groups of girls passed by in fly outfits headed to the party. Keisha decided on dark wash ripped skinny jeans, a white off-the-shoulder crop top that showed her belly piercing, and a pair of open-toed heels that showed off her white tip pedicure. Her hair was in knotless boho braids which she had up in a bun. She wanted to look cute her first night stepping out for a campus event.
Danielle came downstairs rocking a short tight yellow dress, with some pumps, and her cleavage on display.
“Okaayy, you look cute!” Keisha exclaimed, hyping up Danielle.
“Thanks girl, I’m tryna pull a nigga tonight, you know what I’m saying!” They girls busted out in a laugh. “You ready?”
“Let’s goooo!”
S etting: Back to School Bash
When they got to the gym the music was already bumping, and the place was packed and lit, it felt like a nightclub. The Fraternities and Sororities were strolling and commanding the dance floor, and the freshmen and the upper classmen were all vibing together.
Next thing Keisha heard was “Cash Money taking over for the 99 and 2000" blasting through the speakers.
“Hell yeah, that’s my jam!” Danielle yelled, as she ran out to the dance floor finding a fine guy to twerk on, leaving Keisha standing on the wall all by herself.
All Keisha could do was laugh. She knew they would become the best of friends.
As Keisha was standing on the wall, bobbing her head to the music, a familiar voice called out to her.
“Keisha??”
Keisha’s heart dropped. “Christian??” It was her ex-boyfriend, not just any ex-boyfriend, but the one who shared their sextape and made her life hell.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, reaching out giving him a half hug. She was shocked to see him.
“I go here now; I transferred here this semester for my sophomore year.”
“Really, I thought you wanted to play ball at a D1 school.”
“I did, but my grades dropped and I wasn’t able to keep my scholarship, so I got kicked off the team and had to pay for school. I didn’t want to be stuck at a PWI, when I was only there for basketball in the 1st place, so I came here, an HBCU.”
“Okay, but why Howard?” Keisha questioned. Christian knew Howard was Keisha’s top school, so out of all the schools, why here.
“Why not? It’s the best HBCU on the east coast, plus they have a competitive basketball team, tryouts was this past weekend and I made the team with a starting position.”
“Wow, congratulations, that’s good C.” Keisha still felt some type of way.
“Thank you, thank you” Christian stepped back and starting checking her out, looking her up and down, “Damn, you looking nice, the summer has been real good to you”, he said, rubbing his hands together with lust in his eyes.
His comment made Keisha feel uncomfortable. “Thanks,” she replied, looking down. She hated to admit, Christian looked good too, he had a fresh haircut with deep waves, and he was wearing his signature cologne that she loved.
“I’m surprised the nerd let you leave him, he kept you on a tight leash,” he laughed, trolling.
He was talking about Justin and that ticked her off. “First of all, that’s not cool, he’s not a nerd, and second of all, we’re no longer together, and no one didn’t have to let me go anywhere.”
“Word? So, you dropped Urkel after all. He couldn’t handle you anyway.”
“What did I just say!? Stop the name calling, he’s a good guy!” Keisha became defensive, it was then she realized she still had strong feelings for Justin.
“He’s doing his thing, and working on his music, he’s going to be a big producer one day, so stop the Urkel noise.”
“Music??,” Christian busted laughing, “This nigga think he Kanye or some shit, “The College Dropout.
“Chill!” Keisha was about to walk off, then Christian grabbed her arm.
“My fault, I didn’t mean to clown too hard. I mean, the dude did take my girl.”
“I’m not your girl”
“You wasn’t saying that prom night,” licking his lips, with a stupid grin on his face.
Keisha’s heart started racing. She wanted to erase that memory from her mind; it was a moment she regretted. Yes, she had a weak moment of horniness prom night. He looked good that night and he treated her like a princess the whole time, it reminded her of the time they were in a relationship. Christian was a lot of things, but one thing he was, was a charmer. Besides, his prom night, Keisha was still upset with Justin for blocking and ghosting her, so in her mind, technically they were broken up.
After prom, Christian drove them up to their spot on the overlook, and one thing led to another. No, they didn’t have sex (Justin was her first), but yes, she did give him head (no recording this time), and yes, he did finger her and sucked on her breasts. When she got back home, she instantly felt regret and shame, so she blocked Christian and cried herself to sleep.
Tonight was her first time seeing him since that night.
“Look, that was a weak moment alright, it should’ve never happened. Besides, we said we would keep that between us, remember??”
“I hear you ma, you were just trying to get back at your boy. You good, I gotchu, no bullshit this time.”
Keisha didn’t trust that, she didn’t believe him because he betrayed her trust the first time with the sex tape. Justin could never find out about what happened on Christian’s prom night.
Thankfully Danielle walked back up interrupting them, because she was over this conversation.
“Girl, you shoulda joined me out there, a bunch of fine niggas was rockin up on me, but I see you was occupied with your own fine nigga,” she laughed, was talking about Christian.
Keisha rolled her eyes, “Uh no, this is my ex from back home, surprisingly, he goes here too.”
“Oh shit, well I see y’all have a lot to talk about.”
Keisha’s vibe was ruined, “you know what Danielle, I think I’m gonna walk back to the room, I’m feeling tired.”
Christian interjected, “I’ll walk you back, I don’t you want you to walk alone.”
“No!” Keisha said firmly, holding up her palm, “I’ll walk back by myself, I’m good, it’s not that far.” Besides, Keisha had her mace in her purse, she was prepared.
As a guy pulled her back to the dancefloor, Danielle yelled, “Be careful girl, I’ll call you in the morning, and text me when you get back to the room.”
Christian watched Keisha’s ass as she walked away, “Aight Keish, I’ll see you around.”
Keisha didn’t turn around but kept walking.
When Keisha got back to her room, she kicked off her heels and flopped on her bed, tears rolled down her eyes. Tonight didn’t go as planned, she wanted to have a fun night out and it ended up going the opposite way. Part of her decision going to a college across the country, far from home, was to get a fresh start and leave the bad memories of her scandal behind.
“What are the odds Christian ended up here?” she thought to herself.
Keisha grabbed her phone out of her purse and scrolled through her contacts, she had to call Chloe to let her know what happened; a vent session was needed. Before she called, she saw she had a text message in her inbox. She thought it was Danielle checking on her to see if she made it back to the dorm safe, but it wasn’t her. To her surprise, it was Justin.
She hadn’t spoken to him in over a month ago, they thought it was best to stop all communication before they started their new lives so they could get out each other’s systems.
Justin: “Hey beautiful, I hope you had a great first day. Miss you. #GoBisons”
The text made Keisha blush, and more tears ran down her face. It instantly made her feel good; Justin always did. Then, guilt quickly hit her as she remembered the conversation that her and Christian had in the gym about their actions on his prom night. If Justin found out, it would destroy him, because he didn’t want her to go in the first place.
She decided not to respond, not yet anyway, maybe tomorrow, but right now she just had to sort through her thoughts. She wiped her face and continued to call Chloe.
Chloe answered, “Friend! How are you!?”
Keisha sighed, “Chlo, you will never guess who I saw on campus tonight….”
To Be Continued...