Aleecia Read online

  Inside, Aleecia faced a cacophony of hairdryers and women shouting over them.

  “Hey, little sister,” Rita said. “Look at you—you’re all grown up.”

  Rita led Aleecia to a nail stand. “Nails first, then hair, then makeup—okay?”

  Aleecia settled in the chair and presented her hands for inspection.

  “Did you pick a color?” Rita said.

  “My dress is yellow—lemon yellow,” Aleecia said.

  “Okay, OPI’s Need Sunglasses, here we go,” Rita said.

  Aleecia was admiring her nails as Rita led her to the hairdresser station.

  “What are we thinking, do you want your hair up or down?” Rita asked.

  “I like my hair down,” Aleecia said.

  “Blow-out and curling iron, yes?” Rita asked.

  It was already five o’clock and Aleecia was getting antsy. She could no longer sit still as Rita meticulously fluffed and smoothed her hair this way and that.

  “My ass is killing me,” Aleecia said. “Are we done?” She immediately felt bad about sounding rude.

  “Look in the mirror, baby,” Rita said. “Tell me what you think.”

  Aleecia opened her eyes and was overcome. “I look so beautiful! Thank you!” She started to cry.

  “No, no, no,” Rita said. “You’ll ruin it. No crying!”

  Aleecia sat on the couch flipping through channels and eyeing the clock. Where is he? she wondered.

  Then she heard his car.

  “Mommy!” Aleecia cried. “He’s here.”

  Kyle came to the door in a dark suit.

  The photos that Aleecia’s mother took would later show Kyle anxiously clutching a corsage that he would fumble with as he fastened it to Aleecia’s dress. And Aleecia’s knuckles were white as she gripped Kyle’s hand hard.

  In the car, Kyle said, “You look nice. Do you want some?” He brandished a flask.

  “What is it?” Aleecia asked.

  “Jack Daniels,” Kyle said. “Try it.”

  Aleecia took the flask and raised it to her lips. It burned. And then the warmth spread through her neck and shoulders, relaxing her. She took another sip and then another.

  The rest of the evening was a blur. She remembered dancing and Kyle holding her tight. She remembered kissing him and getting sick in the bathroom. And then the gym lights came on.

  “Is it over?” Aleecia asked.

  “Let’s go to the after-party,” Kyle said. “At the Days Inn. I got us a room.”

  Aleecia was too woozy to argue. She needed to lie down.

  Aleecia sat in the car while Kyle checked them in. It took so long that she had started to fall asleep and was startled when he opened her door.

  “Let’s go,” he said.

  He took Aleecia’s hand and led her to room 108. Aleecia knew she would be in trouble with her mother but she was too tired to care. She let Kyle undress her and lay her down on the bed. What came next shocked and surprised her. She was no longer a princess being cherished. He pressed himself into her. It hurt. She didn’t expect this. In a few minutes it was over and he collapsed next to her, snoring, cradling her breast in his hand.

  Suddenly she was wide-awake and couldn’t sleep. What was I expecting? I drank too much at the prom. He booked a motel room—of course he had it all planned out. But I didn’t feel like I could say no. It was prom night. Everyone was doing it, right?

  In the morning, Aleecia kissed Kyle awake. “My mom sleeps late on Saturday. We need to get there before she wakes up.”

  “I’m sorry about last night,” he said. “I want this to be good for you.”

  Kyle was hard again and thrust himself into her. This is sex? Aleecia thought. Seriously? This is what the big deal is all about? I don’t think I like this.

  They dressed in silence. Aleecia was suddenly aware of how it would look, her in her prom gown, walking down the sidewalk of the motel. “The walk of shame,” she said. She let out a little laugh.

  “Everything okay?” Kyle asked.

  “Um,” Aleecia said. “I was a virgin, you know?”

  “You wanted to do it, right?” Kyle said. “I wouldn’t have done anything unless you wanted to.”

  “No, of course,” Aleecia said. “I just wish I had brought a change of clothes.”

  “I thought I told you about the motel?” Kyle asked.

  “I guess?” Aleecia said. “I don’t remember.”

  Kyle pulled Aleecia to him. “I love you, baby,” he said.

  “Me too,” she said.

  Kyle pulled his car into Aleecia’s driveway and stopped short. Her mother stood on the front porch, arms folded.

  “Where have you been?” her mother demanded. “I called you.”

  “You called me?” Aleecia said. “I was out with Joyce all night.”

  “I called Joyce’s mother,” her mother said. “She was home by one.”

  “Shit,” Kyle said.

  “That’s it, you’re grounded,” her mother said.

  Aleecia turned to Kyle. “I’m sorry about this,” she said. “My mother . . . ”

  “I know,” Kyle said. “You don’t have to say anything. I’ll see you tomorrow? At church?”

  NINE

  Kyle

  * * *

  EVER SINCE HE HAD AGREED TO TAKE ALEECIA TO THE prom, Kyle had been worried about what he would wear. He didn’t want his mother to know that he was going—she would just ridicule him and call Aleecia nasty names. A whistle blew indicating that practice was over, and Steve approached him.

  “Hey, does your brother, Woody, still work at that fancy hotel in Vero Beach?” Kyle asked.

  “Yeah, why?” Steve said.

  “I need something to wear to prom,” Kyle said. “Do you think I could borrow a suit from him?”

  “Prom? Seriously?” Steve punched Kyle. “Why the hell would you want to go to prom?”

  “Aleecia wants to go,” Kyle said. “It’s my last year—her last chance, is the way she put it. So would Woody lend me a suit?”

  “I guess so,” Steve said. “I can ask him.”

  When word spread through the team that Kyle was taking Aleecia to prom, some of the other players decided to go too and they booked rooms at the Days Inn for an after-party.

  The party started at sundown on the beach and the boys were drinking beers and passing around a flask of whiskey.

  Kyle was pretty buzzed when he arrived at Aleecia’s house. He took a swig of mouthwash and spat it out onto the driveway before popping a couple of Altoids.

  Nervously, he reached for the doorbell as the door swung open. Aleecia stood in the doorway; the light from the hallway formed a halo around her and illuminated her in a golden gown.

  “Wow,” Kyle said. “You look like angel.”

  “Come in.” Aleecia tugged at his hand. “My mom wants to take a picture.”

  Kyle followed her inside. The living room was tidy and all the colors were coordinated, unlike the mismatched thrift-store look of his house.

  “Mom, this is Kyle,” Aleecia said.

  Kyle extended his hand in greeting.

  “Nice to meet you, Kyle,” her mother said. “Don’t you look handsome? Oh, and you brought a corsage!”

  While her mom snapped photos, Kyle fumbled with the corsage and pinned it to Aleecia’s dress. Then they posed side by side for more photos until Aleecia became impatient.

  “C’mon,” she said. “We’re going to be late. Don’t wait up, Mom.”

  They walked out holding hands, her dress rustling as she walked.

  “Isn’t this exciting?” she said.

  Kyle scooped up the flask from the passenger seat so Aleecia could sit.

  “Have you been drinking?” Aleecia asked.

  “The guys were hanging out on the beach,” he said.

  “Can I have a sip?” she asked.

  Aleecia was pretty wasted by the time they got to the dance. Kyle doubted she’d remember much about the evening. It seemed
to him like she spent most of the dance in the bathroom. Then the gym lights came on and they could finally get out of there.

  “Did you have fun?” Kyle said as he steadied her on the way to the car.

  She mumbled something.

  Kyle poured her into the passenger seat and steered toward the beach.

  “Where are we going now?” Aleecia said. “This isn’t the way home.”

  “After-party,” he said. “Remember?”

  Aleecia was passed out in the front seat of the car when Kyle returned with the hotel key. I guess we’re skipping the party, he thought.

  He took her hand and helped her into the room, locking the door behind him.

  She flopped down on to the bed.

  “Aleecia, honey,” he said. “Do you want to get undressed?”

  She mumbled something. He gently rolled her over on her side, unzipped her dress and slid it over her shoulders and around her hips. He pulled down her panties and gazed at her. Oh, man, she is hot! he thought. I wish she would wake up so we could do it.

  “Aleecia, are you awake?” he asked. He hurriedly stripped down. He switched off the lamp but left the bathroom light on with the door cracked open.

  “What?” she asked. She opened her eyes a crack and seemed to be watching him as he fumbled with a condom.

  “Are you ready?” Kyle asked. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  Aleecia didn’t say anything.

  Kyle spread her legs, entered her and came almost immediately.

  “Shit,” he said, rolling over to her side. “I’m sorry, baby.” But she was already out cold again. He pulled her close to him and cradled her in his arms all night.

  In the morning, Kyle awoke to Aleecia kissing him.

  “Hey, wake up, baby,” Aleecia said. “I need to get home before my mom wakes up,” Aleecia said.

  “I’m sorry about last night,” he said. “I wanted our first time to be good for you. We have time, right?” He pulled out a condom and started to unwrap it.

  “What are you doing?” she said.

  “Get on top,” he said.

  “No,” she protested. But she was giggling so he slipped on the condom and pulled her onto him. He studied her face but he couldn’t tell if she was enjoying it.

  When he finished she tried to pull away and he held her tightly in his arms.

  “No, really, we gotta go,” Aleecia said. “My mom sleeps late on Saturday. We need to get there before she wakes up or there will be hell to pay.”

  They dressed hastily and Aleecia waited in the car while Kyle checked out.

  As Kyle turned the corner onto Aleecia’s street he saw her mother standing in the driveway and his heart jumped into his throat. This would not end well.

  Kyle sat in the car and watched Aleecia follow her mother into the house. He could see them through the front window, her mother gesturing wildly and Aleecia covering her face with her hands. He expected her mom to haul back and slap Aleecia, and he was surprised to see Aleecia fall into her mom’s arms. He felt bad for Aleecia, but mostly he felt jealous. Aleecia and her mom are so close, he thought. He had never known that kind of feeling. He had never had someone get angry because they wanted to protect him.

  They moved out of view and he drove slowly home, thinking about the night before. He’d planned it as a romantic evening; it was anything but that. He realized he probably should have taken her straight home from the dance. This wasn’t how I wanted our first time to be. I wonder if I’ll get a chance to make it right.

  TEN

  Kyle

  * * *

  WHEN HE GOT HOME FROM DROPPING ALEECIA OFF, Kyle was relieved to find the house empty. He took a quick shower and changed into gym shorts. He poured a bowl of Honey-Nut Cheerios and sniffed the carton of milk before deciding that it was okay. He plopped onto the couch and, holding the bowl in his left hand, surfed the TV with his right and landed on Cartoon Network: The Scooby-Doo movie. Perfect!

  He fell asleep on the couch and was jolted awake by Dwayne climbing onto him.

  “Wake up!” Dwayne said.

  Kyle rubbed his eyes. “What time is it? Where have you been?”

  “Aunt Georgia’s house,” Dwayne said.

  “Where’s your mama?” Kyle asked.

  “Jared came and picked her and Crystal up,” Dwayne said.

  “Jared?” Kyle was wide-awake now. “That asshole is back in the picture?” Sure, Jared was Crystal’s daddy, but he was an addict, and all the trouble with Mom started when she met him.

  “I guess,” Dwayne said.

  “Are you hungry?” Kyle asked. “What am I saying—you’re always hungry, right, little dude?”

  As he fixed a bowl of cereal for Dwayne, he thought about Aleecia and wondered what she was doing.

  He texted her. Everything OK?

  Aleecia replied, I’m grounded for a month. I’m not supposed to be texting with you. Gotta go.

  Shit, that’s not right, Kyle thought. We love each other—her mom can’t keep us from seeing each other. I need to see her. School’s almost over and then what? I can still see her at Big Lots—unless me hanging around gets her in trouble with her boss. Better yet, I can drive her home. That’s it; I’ll offer to drive her home every night. Her mom doesn’t need to know.

  Kyle stayed up late, watching TV, and overslept on Sunday morning.

  “Shit, shit, shit,” he said as he scrambled to find clothes that didn’t stink.

  Dwayne walked in from the kitchen. He had a milk mustache and food stains on his pajama top.

  “Where are you going?” Dwayne asked. “Can I come?”

  “I gotta get to church,” Kyle said. “I’m late. And, no, you can’t come. Maybe someday.”

  The doors were closed when Kyle arrived at the church. He didn’t know what to do, so he sat in his car and waited for the service to end. He nodded off and only awoke when he heard loud voices. The street was full of people, some of them were resting against his car.

  “’Scuse, me,” Kyle said as he forced his door open.

  He was scared that he had missed her. Then he saw Aleecia coming down the front steps. She scanned the crowd. She’s looking for me, he thought. He waved. She stood still, staring at him from a distance. What’s going on? he wondered.

  “Aleecia!” he yelled again.

  She walked slowly across the street toward him.

  “How are you, baby?” Kyle said.

  “Look, you can’t be here. I’m not supposed to see you for a month.”

  “Your mom’s not around,” Kyle said. “She works on Sunday, right? And besides, who is going to tell her?” He reached for her hand but she took a step back.

  “No, but I need her to trust me again,” Aleecia said. “As if that were possible.”

  “Are you mad at me?” he asked.

  “Yes . . . no . . . maybe?” she said. “I don’t know; I just feel so guilty. I’ve never lied to my mother before. And I know she knows I lied and I’m afraid she’ll never trust me again.”

  “I need to see you,” he said. “Aleecia, I love you, you know that, right? What happened on Friday—I never meant to hurt you. I thought you wanted it too.”

  “How can you say that?” Aleecia asked. “I had too much to drink; I needed to lie down. I remember that part. The rest of it—I don’t feel good about it. You’re going to think this sounds stupid, but I don’t feel right in the eyes of the Lord.”

  In the eyes of the Lord? Kyle thought. I didn’t know that she took all this church shit so seriously. But that’s what I love about her—her purity, her earnestness. She is all heart and that’s just the kind of girl I want to marry.

  “It’s not stupid,” he said. “That’s a big part of what I love about you. I need your mom to know that.”

  “You love me?” Aleecia asked. “You really love me?”

  “Yes, baby,” And I do. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. You make me feel like everything will be all right.

/>   “I love you, too!” Aleecia exclaimed.

  “Kiss me?” Kyle asked.

  “We can’t let anyone see us together,” Aleecia said. She squeezed his hand and turned to walk toward the bike stand.

  “Wait! Can I at least give you a ride home after work?” Kyle asked. “Tomorrow night?”

  Aleecia stopped and thought about that for a long time. “Um, I guess that would be okay.” Aleecia said, eventually. “As long as you drop me a block away from my house and she doesn’t see you.”

  Her expression seemed troubled.

  “Hey, your singing was beautiful,” he lied.

  Aleecia seemed distracted, distant. “Thanks,” she said.

  He watched her fiddle with her lock on the bike rack. Damn, her ass is cute! he thought.

  Every night that Aleecia was working, Kyle arrived at Big Lots at eight o’clock on the dot. He knew he’d have a wait, so he passed the time playing with his phone, swiping through images on Instagram. There were naked photos of some of the senior girls—selfies they had sent to guys on the football team, who then shared them indiscriminately. There was this one from Karen, the girl in his Sociology class, the one whose freckles on her face and neck ran all the way down to her nipples—he couldn’t get that image out of his head. Kyle was fully aroused by the time he saw Aleecia wheeling her bike toward his car.

  He made small talk, asking about her day. Doing his best to make her laugh, all the time he was aching, aching for her to touch him. As he approached the usual drop-off spot, two blocks from her house, this time, he didn’t want to say goodbye.

  “Baby, please,” he said. Kyle figured Aleecia had given head before. Girls started doing that in fifth grade.

  He kissed her tenderly and then he whispered. “Will you?”