siren. This caught all of their attention, except Desire's. Carvelas had to stop her, grab her hand and lead her away from the approaching car. Lyfe's crew ran in one direction. Carvelas, Desire and Tiah ran in the other direction—but not before Desire kicked Lyfe in the nuts one more time for good measure.
They finally reached a corner where they were out of sight and danger. They all stood with their hands on their knees, trying to catch their breath. Carvelas looked around them for any sign of Lyfe and his crew. When he was sure the coast was clear, he started leading them back to his building in a roundabout way.
“What was that all about?” Desire asked Carvelas.
CHAPTER NINE
D esire had never had a real boyfriend. The only pictures of romantic relationships she got were from the television and the streets. In her mind, they all were based upon nothing but drama. She saw men as dogs who just wanted to sex you and then dump you. The only thing they had ever seemed good for was providing backup in a fight, and she had changed her life, so she didn't need anybody to have her back as much anymore. However, over time, her relationship with Carvelas began to mimic something like a girlfriend/boyfriend thing. Something that had started in church as what was, in retrospect, a silly little scheme had blossomed into a tight friendship. Though it was clear that Tiah was Desire's main sidekick, Carvelas followed behindas a close second. They often walked to school together and met each other in the hallways. They talked on the phone whenever Carvelas could actually catch Desire, although he was too shy to call as much as he really wanted to. He had his pride. But his pride broke down when he needed to ask someone to the prom. Desire was the only woman he wanted on his arm. One day, Carvelas met her in the hallways, not to talk or walk her to class, but to hand her a letter.
“What's this about?” she asked him, shocked. It was the first letter she had ever received in her life.
“Just read it,” Carvelas commanded. He disappeared in the mob of loud students, leaving Desire standing there with her mouth open. She ripped the letter open as soon as she made it to algebra class. Luckily, she sat way in the back, and nobody ever really paid attention anyway. She was overtaken by Carvelas's words as she read.
Desire
,
Well, I guess you should know by now that I got some feelings for you that's more than fiendship. I don't know what they are, but I guess I just really wanna get to know you better. I mean, more than just hanging out in the hallways and after school. And I know what you thinking. I ain't trying to get down with you like that. That's not what I'm about. Plus, I know Sister Evans don't go for that no way. But I really like you. I respect you. I ain't trying to do nothing but be somebody in your life that you can count on. You seem so strong, and I like that. Maybe you don't need nobody to count on. I don't know. I just know I'd like to try to be something in yourlife. That's all. Whatever you want me to shape up to be is fine with me. That day I saw you sing, I don't know, I just felt something for you. I was playing. You was singing. It was like we was a team. I just want to explore that a little more. I don't usually talk like this and I hope this don't throw you off. I ain't trying to ruin our fiendship. I totally understand if you ain't feeling me like that. It's not gonna change the way I feel about you. I was wondering if we could start getting to know each other better at the prom. My people know who you are. They gonna hook me up with the dough to get us a limo and everything. We can step out in style. I want to ask you to be my date
.
Desire was overtaken. She had finally heard from the horse's mouth that Carvelas did, just as Tiah had said, want to “do it to her.” Not now, but this was how it started, Desire knew. What she liked about his letter was that there was one in the first place.
They finally reached a corner where they were out of sight and danger. They all stood with their hands on their knees, trying to catch their breath. Carvelas looked around them for any sign of Lyfe and his crew. When he was sure the coast was clear, he started leading them back to his building in a roundabout way.
“What was that all about?” Desire asked Carvelas.
CHAPTER NINE
D esire had never had a real boyfriend. The only pictures of romantic relationships she got were from the television and the streets. In her mind, they all were based upon nothing but drama. She saw men as dogs who just wanted to sex you and then dump you. The only thing they had ever seemed good for was providing backup in a fight, and she had changed her life, so she didn't need anybody to have her back as much anymore. However, over time, her relationship with Carvelas began to mimic something like a girlfriend/boyfriend thing. Something that had started in church as what was, in retrospect, a silly little scheme had blossomed into a tight friendship. Though it was clear that Tiah was Desire's main sidekick, Carvelas followed behindas a close second. They often walked to school together and met each other in the hallways. They talked on the phone whenever Carvelas could actually catch Desire, although he was too shy to call as much as he really wanted to. He had his pride. But his pride broke down when he needed to ask someone to the prom. Desire was the only woman he wanted on his arm. One day, Carvelas met her in the hallways, not to talk or walk her to class, but to hand her a letter.
“What's this about?” she asked him, shocked. It was the first letter she had ever received in her life.
“Just read it,” Carvelas commanded. He disappeared in the mob of loud students, leaving Desire standing there with her mouth open. She ripped the letter open as soon as she made it to algebra class. Luckily, she sat way in the back, and nobody ever really paid attention anyway. She was overtaken by Carvelas's words as she read.
Desire
,
Well, I guess you should know by now that I got some feelings for you that's more than fiendship. I don't know what they are, but I guess I just really wanna get to know you better. I mean, more than just hanging out in the hallways and after school. And I know what you thinking. I ain't trying to get down with you like that. That's not what I'm about. Plus, I know Sister Evans don't go for that no way. But I really like you. I respect you. I ain't trying to do nothing but be somebody in your life that you can count on. You seem so strong, and I like that. Maybe you don't need nobody to count on. I don't know. I just know I'd like to try to be something in yourlife. That's all. Whatever you want me to shape up to be is fine with me. That day I saw you sing, I don't know, I just felt something for you. I was playing. You was singing. It was like we was a team. I just want to explore that a little more. I don't usually talk like this and I hope this don't throw you off. I ain't trying to ruin our fiendship. I totally understand if you ain't feeling me like that. It's not gonna change the way I feel about you. I was wondering if we could start getting to know each other better at the prom. My people know who you are. They gonna hook me up with the dough to get us a limo and everything. We can step out in style. I want to ask you to be my date
.
Desire was overtaken. She had finally heard from the horse's mouth that Carvelas did, just as Tiah had said, want to “do it to her.” Not now, but this was how it started, Desire knew. What she liked about his letter was that there was one in the first place.
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