Operation Get Over Christian

The days seemed too passed slowly after he left. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was baking for god’s sake. Mama and Charlie were worried, so was Ciara. I wasn’t going to do anything stupid, I just felt like I had lost my best friend. Call me over dramatic but I was in real life pain over this boy. I mean everything seemed perfect, and then just like that it was snatched away from me. Summer was coming to an end and Mama was talking about moving. If we moved I may really never see him again. I couldn’t believe his mom had forbade him from seeing me. Mama says if it’s meant to be he’ll come back, but I’m not so sure. His mom was pissed and I had yet to hear from him. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be.

*****

Three weeks later

Operation get over Christian was underway and working just fine. The summer was almost over so I and the girls were spending more time shopping at the malls and hanging out as much as we could before the school year started. I still missed him every day, but I felt like it was time to move forward. I couldn’t continue to hold on to a dream that may never come to fruition. However, the unofficial breakup was killing me.

What better way to get un-depressed than going to the mall right. So we did, we spent hours there. I didn’t buy much, just mostly walked around. My friends were wild and goofy, they had no chill, but they kept me laughing.

I had just gotten home and my mama was in the kitchen cooking while I went straight to my room to put up my new clothes, smiling as I stood in front of my mirror and held up the different outfits I had just bought, when the phone rang. Just like every other time my phone had rang since I last saw him my heart skipped a beat. Quickly I shook it off and continued putting away my clothes.

Then in walked my mother cordless phone to her ear. She was smiling or really it was more of a smirk and nodding her head. She said nothing just a bunch of “umm hums” and “Hummms”. Since she had come into my room I figured it had to have something to do with me so I patiently waited for her to get on with it. A part of me, a part I didn’t want to acknowledge prayed for so news from Christian, even if it was just to say he is okay. I realized I needed so type of closure.

Mama sat on my bed and continued her conversation, I listened intensely, “Well I can understand how you feel,” she said “and mother to mother I will let you know if I see him.”

“Um hum mm” she said after a brief pause. “Okay and you to.”

She finally hung up and lifted an eyebrow at me still smirking. “Guess who that was?”

I hunched my shoulders. I seriously had no idea. I was guessing not the call I was waiting for since she hadn’t handed me the phone

“That was Christian’s mom.” She said after a moment.

My heart dropped as I hoped that he was okay. Operation get over Christian currently on standby. “Is he okay?” I asked.

“Apparently he snapped on her ass. She tried to put him on punishment. Said he couldn’t leave the house, unplugged all the phones, and wouldn’t let him even go to the store. So when she was gone he found the phones and tried to call you, but she caught him and he snapped. She said he went completely off on her, broke her fish tank and left the house. She has no idea where he’s at and she wants me to call her if he comes by.” Mom said.

My chest was tight, and it took me a couple of minutes to realize I was holding my breath. I let it out in a whoosh and looked at my mom. “Are you going to call her if he comes by? Do you think he’ll come here?"

I realized I didn’t want my mom to call her if he came here. I didn’t like his mom, she came off as a bitch. Not to mention she doesn’t like me. Still I felt kind of bad that he had flipped on him mom. I would be six feet under if I broke anything in my mom’s house. Still I couldn’t help the wave of protectiveness I felt for him.

“Anna, I’m going to have to if he comes to see you. He’s still a minor and his mom must be worried sick. I mean she called me. After the way she acted when we met, she must be worried.” She said hugging me. “I saw how close you all got over the summer and let me tell your first love can be the most important thing to a teenager. Mark my words,” she said standing up, “he will find his way here.”

She walked out the room, but I was staring at the wall the picture of us. The picture we took at union station on our first date. It was a strip of five pictures. Some were goofy, and in two we just smiles. On the last one though, we had kissed. Love? Was that even a factor in this situation? Is that why it was so hard to get over him? Was I in love with Christian? I laid on my bed and fell asleep with those thoughts floating around in my head.

“Annett!” My mom called from somewhere in the house. I jumped straight out of my sleep, heart beating fast. The dream I had was weird as fuck. I had a dreamed someone was holding a gun to my face. I was literally looking down the barrel. I wiped the sweat from may face and got up from my bed. I shook off the disorientation I felt from waking so abruptly. As the horrifying feelings faded, I went in search of my mom.

I made it to the living room only to stop in my tracks. The epitome of my thoughts standing right in front of me. Christian. He hadn’t been in the dream but it was like he had been in the back of my mind while looking down the barrel of the gun. I had been worried about him. I had felt him close and now he was standing in my living room.

Damn was he looking good. With his jeans riding low and a wife beater on that did nothing to stop my bad, bad thoughts, I only stared at him. As I looked at his face, he smiled. And then I knew..... I did in fact love him. From his now nappy Afro, to those dreamy chocolate eyes, to those jacked up teeth. I loved him and I had no idea what to do about it.

*****

Christian

I had to see her. After weeks of dealing with my mom I couldn’t take it anymore. I mean did she seriously expect me stay cooped up in a house with her until school started, when all I wanted to do was see Anna. I don’t think so, that was some bull shit and she knew it now. I had left this time for good. I had talked to my aunt and she said it was fine if I stayed with her. What my mom’s didn’t understand was that Anna was my peace.

For years I had dealt with her being an alcoholic. Drunk as hell, that’s when she thought I was her personal punching bag. I can’t remember how many times I had dodged a bottle being thrown at my head. There was no breathing room at her house. I walked around on eggshells afraid of my own mother, afraid that she would try to kill me.

The punches hadn’t fazed me, neither had all the cuts from the bottles. I was twelve when I found out my mom did crack. That was one of the first time I had flipped out on her. She had wanted me to go get her more drugs. I had refused, and she threw the bottle. I had thrown a lamp in turn, not at her but at a wall. Those actions had only driven me towards the streets. They made me seek comfort elsewhere.

The first time I had went to get her drugs, the dealer had taken one look at me and welcomed me to his crew. Those actions had only driven me towards the streets. They made me seek comfort elsewhere. I welcomed every punch when I was jumped in, they were nothing compared to what I had faced at the hand of mother. They taught me everything, and the next time my mom needed her fix, I already had it.

When I left her house this morning, my first stop had been here. A few houses down from my aunts to see the only face I’ve been dreaming off for days. Anna provided a peace even the streets couldn’t. It was with her that I found everything I was looking for all these years. It hit me like a ton a bricks a few days ago that I couldn’t let this end like that. So much left unsaid and so much left undone. Naw it wasn’t going to happen like that. I was keeping her.

I looked at my girl, her eyes shining like she was about to cry, and all I wanted was to hug her, kiss her tell her how much I missed her and what I gone through to be here. I never told her much about my family. About the fact that my dad was a dead beat crack head and that my mom was that and more. With all the good I saw in her, where did that ever fit into any of our conversations? I would tell her now, today and I would let her know that I was never going to leave her again. Never. As hard and tough as I think I am. I don’t think I could take it.

I loved her and nothing was ever going to come between us again. I smiled harder when her mama walked out of the room and in two steps I was in front of her. She was trying her best and failing at holding back her tears. I leaned down and kissed her, just a peck and then she pretty much jumped into my arm hugging my tight.

“You bastard.” She suddenly said, jumping down. “For real you couldn’t at least have tried to find a way to call me. I was so worried.”

I pulled her back close to me, this little thing never cease to amaze me. Who knew a little chocolate five foot nothing would be the one to bring me to my knees. “I would have if I could have Anna, believe me I tried. My bird just a little on the crazy side, had a nigga feeling like I was twenty-four hour lock-down or some shit.”

She grabbed my afro and pulled my down to her height. “Don’t you ever do that again?” She said, looking serious.

I laughed and straighten up. “No way in hell. I’m moving in down the street so we will be seeing each other like we used to and I’m not leaving ever again.” I meant every word.