STACYAs soon as we touched down in California, I called Mom but she didn’t pick, so I proceeded to text her.At that moment, I thought of the fact that I maybe could have taken Jerome’s number for times like this, when I couldn’t reach her. Since he was around, and probably going to be for a long, long while but I mentally kicked myself in the gut and shut that thought down.Fuck having his number. I wasn’t going to play this father-and-daughter game with him because he gave me a few dollar notes—okay, maybe not a few but it didn’t matter. All the money in the world wasn’t going to buy my love for him.It felt good to be away from home and Ohio. It felt like a breath of fresh air, in all the ways possible and I wasn’t about to pollute that peace with thoughts of the man.I loved having my face out in the window, ignoring whatever Jerome and Lisa were saying.I was in California and we were driving down to Los Angeles, where my school was located.I was a student at UCLA. I got my dre
STACYThe rush started when we were done crafting up what our space would look like.We had made a list two nights before we left, a list of everything we thought we would need. From a mirror to coffee maker, clothe hangers, stickers and even as little as a shelf set up. My books needed to have their space and Lisa needed to be able to dance in the bathroom and watch herself as she did it and now that we were here, we were reviewing everything.“I still want the bean bags,” Lisa said. She placed her hand on the door frame and pushed her body out. “Hi.”“Lisa, come on just close the door. We’re having a family meeting here.”Lisa looked back at me with her mouth parched and open. “A family meeting? I’m just trying to socialize.”“You’re getting distracted,” I said, tapping my pen on my notepad.The window still was about to be my most favorite part of this room. I picked it over the empty black seat, draping my leg to meet the chair so I could twirl it in the directions I wanted it to
JEROMEThe campus was a community of its own, spawning acres of land and several buildings lifted to serve as both home, facilities and amenities for the students and staff of the school.Walking through the gate was like walking into another life away from what the city behind offered. The change in energy could also be noticed by even a blind man as students trooped in and out on a regular basis, carried by their feet or cars, everyone on their different quest.Since it was both home and school for young people, the energy was mostly high, today was no exception.It was orientation week and all the new students had arrived over the weekend. Young and clueless, they walked around the campus with their documents, attempting to finalize all their paperwork before the week would begin.I on the other hand had paperwork to do but that wasn’t all that brought me into the campus. A student of mine who was making it into his final year had called me earlier this morning to ask when I would
STACY“There’s nothing special about this place,” I said. “Is there?”“Why do I feel like you’re trying to rope me into saying something.”I tucked my hands in my pocket and rose my shoulders, turning to race him. “I dont know, am I?”Jerome placed his hands on the small of my back and led me around the lawn. I wanted to thank my denim jacket for keeping his fingers at a safe distance from my skin,Safe is good. Its less exciting but its good.“It will take some time for you to actually love it. How’s Lisa?”“You haven’t spoken to her? I thought you guys were always talking, unlike us.”I noticed that Jerome spared me a glance. Maybe if we were at a place where he could stop to talk, he would do that.I wasn’t keeping my emotions out of my voice. I didn’t see or feel the need to filter my tongue or how I feel. I was only with him and I could just be myself, his friend, the Stacy that both hates his guts and wouldn’t mind getting buried on his lips.“Why do you sound like you hate that
JEROMEMy skin broke with sweat and yet I continued to run. My legs were slowly turning to jelly beneath me, hard cramping jelly that I couldn’t feel and yet I pushed myself even more.There were two options I had this morning, drive my motorcycle as I did on most Saturday mornings or run, which was a very new development.I chose to run.Five minutes ago, I had made it into UCLA grounds and I was sticking around since it was the best place to run without bothering about the people and cars on the road. I was also going to see Stacy and Lisa, that much I knew.Lisa was finally coming back to my place to see what it was like.For their first week in the school, they focused on settling down, buying what they needed and attending orientations all week long. Today they were going to be completely free and Lisa had told me that they would be able to make it to my house in the afternoon.When my legs could no longer take it, when they started to feel like they would tear off my hip, I stop
STACYThe end.I closed my book and turned in bed, laying on my back. The bed above me was empty and so was the room I shared with Lisa.I dropped my hands above my head and sighed. If I tried to pay attention, I would be able to hear their voices through the walls.Before Lisa left the room this morning, she asked me if I wanted to join them. She said Karen had some new clothes she was trying out, and Nella, Karen’s roommate, had had some spicy gist to spill.We’d been in this school for a week and I still didn’t feel like I was completely settled. When I wasn’t thinking about Mom, I was thinking about Jerome and when it wasn’t about Jerome, it was about the other Jerome.I sat up and my legs gripped the floor. Maintaining as much silence as I could, I tried to listen for their voices. It was surprising that I didn’t hear them. Maybe I wasn’t quiet enough, maybe it was impossible to hear through all the other rooms and their noise..I could go join them. I thought of joining them sin
JEROMELisa and Stacy appeared in front of me as I was paying for my drink.Lisa tapped my shoulders and plastered a smile on her face when I turned. Stacy was just joining us.“You found me.”“Yeah, we found you. No biggie.” Lisa stared ahead of me. “Did you get something for us?”“Do you guys want something?”Lisa gave me an out-of-mind stare, like her answer to that wasn’t so obvious. It was, the person I wanted to hear from was Stacy.Her face was bare, brows matted with little droplets of sweat, thanks to the humid temperature of the day.As soon as she walked in, she was easily the person I had looked at the most in the last five seconds and when she casually glanced up, she tried to smile.I knew she was trying because she failed terribly at it. Perhaps she wasn’t even trying, only wanted to look like she was trying to be okay. She must have a lot she wanted to say, she always looked that way and the only time I can say we’ve had a proper conversation, one that felt like she wa
STACY“You keep things bottled in. It’s not good.”I wanted to laugh and tell him what he was saying didn’t make sense but it did and I was in no rush to bring our conversation to an end. It was going so well.I was actually having fun in his house and not lurking in a dark corner alone and dejected.“I don’t want to keep them in.”“But you do.”I was lying on my stomach, facing him as he sat on the floor, knees bent in front of him.After he spoke, he leaned his head back into the wall behind me, partly staring up at the ceiling.He wasn’t done talking as he picked off from where he left.I didn’t mind. I didn’t have a pack of answers tucked away somewhere that I was going to pull out
STACYThe contractions started to roll in by noon. One after another, getting stronger with time.The day had finally arrived, a day I had both anticipated and dreaded. Labor. As I sat on the edge of the bed, a wave of excitement surged through me, mingled with a healthy dose of apprehension. It was surreal to think that soon I would hold my baby girl in my arms. She would be ours, a tangible result of the love Jerome and I had nurtured over the years.I had taken classes about this and I didn’t want to worry my husband for nothing, but when it got stronger and harder to ignore, I called for him.“Jerome!”He came rushing into the room, his hair tousled and his face slightly flushed. He must have been napping, and the worried look on his face made my heart race. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”“I think it’s time,” I said, a nervous smile breaking through. His eyes widened as he
JEROMETwo years later.Dark lashes fanned against her skin, the sun soft against her flesh, her body slowly moving upward and downward, her breathing muffled on her pillow.That was the sight i had woken up to. I was the luckiest person on earth right now.I stayed perched on the edge of the bed, watching as the soft morning light took away sleep from my eyes. The sight before me was captivating: Stacy, my beautiful Stacy, lost in a peaceful slumber, her dark hair fanned out across the pillow like a halo. I couldn’t help but smile as I took in the serenity of the moment.We had come a long way since that first date, a day marked by confusion, heartache, and a beautiful, unguarded honesty that had laid the foundation for everything that followed. The journey hadn’t always been easy; there were still challenges to face and moments of vulnerability that left us both shaken. But together, we had built something extraord
STACYI still couldn’t believe I had agreed to this. A joint date with Lisa? Lisa and Kiera.The thought swirled in my mind as I stood in front of my mirror, staring at my reflection. My fingers traced the hem of the dress I had picked out—simple, yet flattering enough for what felt like one of the strangest nights of my life.Lisa had convinced me, somehow, to go along with this. I wasn’t even sure how it all happened. One minute, we were awkwardly avoiding each other, and the next, we were laughing about how ridiculous it was that we were going on this double date.I heard a knock on the door and glanced at my phone—Lisa, of course, right on time.“Come in!” I called, still fussing with my hair. The door swung open, and Lisa waltzed in, her usual confidence trailing behind her.
STACYI woke up slowly, the warmth of the blankets making it hard to tell where the bed ended and my body began. The sunlight trickled in through the thin curtains, casting soft streaks of light across the room. For a moment, everything felt serene, like I could stay in this cocoon of warmth and silence forever. Then I realized Jerome wasn’t next to me.I rolled over, blinking sleep from my eyes, and saw the empty space where he should have been. The sheets were crumpled on his side, still warm. I heard the faint sound of water running and figured he must be in the shower. I lay there for a minute, listening to the sound of the water and feeling a strange sense of distance. It was odd, waking up without him beside me. We’d spent the night together, but it hadn’t felt as close as it usually did.I swung my legs over the side of the bed and padded across the cool floor, feeling the chill against my bare feet. The bathroom door was slightly
JEROMEShooting that day had been intense. We were working on one of the final scenes, the kind that was supposed to be raw and emotional, but instead of saving it for later in the production schedule, the producers wanted to get it done early for promotional material. It was all part of the business. We had to sell the movie, and nothing sold better than a sneak peek of a climactic moment.The set was buzzing with activity. Lights were being adjusted, makeup artists hovered nearby, and the crew moved around, setting up equipment and whispering about the next shot. I felt the pressure building, but I was used to it by now. This wasn’t my first film, and it definitely wouldn’t be my last.Chase called for a break, and I seized the opportunity to step away for a bit. I’d been on set all day, and I needed a breather before getting back into the set. Besides, I had something else on my mind. I was supposed to meet up with Stacy after we
STACYLisa had been gushing for weeks about how she was excited to introduce Jerome to Kiera. The way she talked about Kiera, with that glimmer in her eyes, made it impossible not to be happy for her.Everything was going to go fine today, I could already sense it.I was on shift that afternoon, taking orders and serving trays like usual. The restaurant wasn’t too packed, which gave me time to glance around, keep an eye on the door. Part of me was hoping they’d pick another spot, or maybe decide at the last minute that a fancy café was better suited for a first meeting like this. But, of course, that wasn’t Lisa’s style. She loved the casual vibe of Burger Trio, and it was one of the few places where she and Jerome could relax.The good thing was I missed my friends and wanted to see them, the bad thing was I missed my friends and wanted to see them.They made working but hard and pleasurable.I was
JEROMEStacy had been extra busy this period because she signed up for a few part-time jobs.I hated how busy she got most of the time but I was also glad for her that she was taking a responsible step towards her finances.That evening, after a game of snooker, I slipped into Burger’s Trio in hopes that I was early enough for her shift.Stacy had been extra busy this period because she signed up for a few part-time jobs. I hated how busy she got most of the time, but I was also glad for her. It was a responsible step toward her finances, even if it meant we had less time together.That evening, after a long day at work and a quick game of snooker with some friends, I decided to drop by Burger’s Trio, where Stacy worked one of her shifts. I’d been by a couple of times before, usually sneaking in to see her just as her shift ended. Tonight, I hoped I was early enough to catch her in action.As I walked through the door, the
STACYI knew I had to talk to Stacy when I was ten minutes into the lecture.The urge was so primal, so hungry that thee was no escaping it.The class had ended in a rush of students gathering their belongings and shuffling out of their seats. I stood at the front, gathering my notes and trying to maintain my composure.I was watching her pack her stuff, watching her move quickly with her hands.“Mr. Jerome!” one of the guys called out. “Do you have the syllabus handy? I think I missed a few details.”He was one of my students, blonde curly hair, a portion of if swooped across his forehead.“Of course,” I replied, pushing my thoughts of Stacy aside. I had to focus. “Here’s a copy for you.” I handed it to him.“Also, can y
STACYThe morning sun filtered through the curtain and pulled me out of my sleep.I stretched my arms above my head, blinking the sleep from my eyes as the day was about to start.Lisa was already up, rummaging through her drawers, her usual energy evident in the way she moved about. I could hear the faint sound of her humming to herself, a tune that was familiar but not quite memorable.“Morning,” I mumbled, pushing myself up and running a hand through my hair.Lisa turned around, her face lighting up with a smile. “Morning, sleepyhead! We’ve got to get a move on. First day back, remember?”I groaned softly, not quite ready to face the world just yet. The holiday had been a mix of relaxation and catching up on things we’d neglected during the semester, but the thought of diving back into classes already felt a bit overwhelming.Lisa, on the other hand, who was not an early riser, was rath