Forbidden (Completed) EDITING - Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Omniscient
"Okay guys, As you know finals are approaching which means the end of our road unfortunately. You all made my job a lot easier than I was expecting. I'm always nervous stepping into a new school because I'm never too sure how the students will receive me but I lucked up with this bunch." Erica said to her class.
It's always been bittersweet for her at the end of a semester. She feels like a mother saying goodbye to her children. Everyone of her students has made an impression on her.
"Ms. E, you are one of the best teachers we had. We hated Mr. Wilson." Dashuan said which made the class erupt in laughter.
"Thank you, Dashaun. That's very sweet of you." As Erica looked at him. She couldn't help but notice the empty seat next to him where Demarcus would normally be seated. He hadn't texted her to say he wasn't coming. He never even called her back after the last message she left about them needing to talk.
He had been showing up so late at her apartment. That the only things for them to do would be having sex and sleeping.
"Dashaun have you or anyone else seen or heard from Demarcus?" She asked. Everyone shook their heads. Her guess was just as good as theirs.
Erica's worry about him has increased tremendously over the past few weeks ever since she learned about his job. She knows how dangerous these kinds of situations can be no matter how sweet the deal might be. She lost her older brother to the streets when she was in college. She didn't want that for Demarcus.
He had too much promise.
She ended class early to give her students time to get started on their last essays. As she was in her office getting ready for her lunch break. A knock on her door stopped her from shutting down her computer.
"Come in." She answered.
"Erica." David revealed himself as he opened the door. He had a bouquet of flowers in his hand. She wasn't expecting him but she knew eventually the courting would start. So she would agree to the date he so desperately wants with her.
"David!" She smiled as she got up from her seat. She pulled her dress down as it had rolled up from her sitting. She didn't have time to fix everything that was a little off. She wanted to look a little presentable.
"Were you busy?" He asked.
"No not at all. I was just on my way out to get some lunch. That's all."
"Me too, I got a lunch meeting to go to. I wanted to stop in and give you these." He handed her the bouquet of Orchids. She was taken back. She expected them to be roses.
"These are beautiful. Thank you, David." She smiled widely.
"You're welcome."
"Umm, listen about that date if the offer is still open I would like to." She smiled.
It felt weird but she felt good about it. She was tired of sitting at home. With Demarcus's disappearing acts what was a woman to do? The first time in her life she had control over it.
"It is still open and I'm glad. There's this gala coming up for all the black elites Atlanta this weekend and I could use a beautiful woman on my arm. If that's okay with you?"
"Yes, that's fine. I would love to."
"Great! I'll call you." He looked down at his watch.
"Thanks again for the flowers."
"No problem." David couldn't stop grinning as he backed out of her office. He bumped into someone but apologized after he got some composure.
Demarcus appeared in the doorway. His backpack slung over one shoulder in his normal fashion. Standing there with a strange look as his eyes briefly followed David.
"So that's him?" Demarcus asked as he stepped further into her office.
She wasn't paying attention because she was putting the flowers in a vase. She turned around. "I'm sorry, say that again?"
"I said so that's him?"
"Who?" She took her seat back in her chair.
"David... the nigga you told me not to worry about."
"Close the door." She demanded.
Erica was frustrated. How dare he question her? When he's been the one who's been MIA.
"If you must know, yes that was him." She folded her arms as she looked at him. "I've been calling you, texting you. You're not in class... and that's what you have to say to me? A hello would be nice."
"Hey... I'm sorry." He said realizing he was wrong.
"Apology accepted." She sighed deeply. "Demarcus, what is going on with you?"
He was changing before her eyes or if he had already been this way. It was just hidden.
"I know what it may seem like but it's not. Work has been getting intense lately. Senator Richardson has been working us like slaves to prepare some big party that's happening this weekend." He sat down in the chair in front of her desk.
"You're talking about the gala?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Nothing... I heard about it. That's all." She cleared her throat. "That's no excuse for the way you've been treating me through all of this."
"I know you feel like I've been ignoring you but I promise I'm not. I'm just tired and days blend together sometimes. That's why I missed a few classes here and there."
"I'm not just talking about you missing class. I'm talking about you not calling and just showing up at my place when you're too tired to go home or when you had a tough day and use me as your release. We don't talk, you don't talk to me anymore. You never ask me how my day was or how I'm feeling."
"We do talk and I thought you liked that? You don't be complaining at the time." He threw his hands up. "What do you mean? I always ask you about your day."
"This isn't going anywhere." She shook her head. "Listen, I think we need to take a break."
"Erica, you tripping. This is a simple fix. If you want me to spend some more time with you then just say that. You don't have to be all dramatic and shit." He laughed it off until he saw she was serious.
"If you were around and responded to my messages this is what I've been trying to tell you. I can't do this anymore. Until you get back to who I knew you to be. I don't know who you are anymore."
"So you wanna see other people? Like that nigga?" He sat up from slouching.
"I didn't say that."
"Nah, you know what... go ahead. Cause the last thing I want to do is make you feel like you can't live your life on the account of me."
Erica remained silent. She was on the verge of crying. Her feelings were hurt. She knew this is what she wanted but the reality of it was too painful. She loved him deeply. Nothing in the moment that she wanted more was just for this whole conversation to start over on a different note.
"Umm, I got a 2 o'clock class." Demarcus said.
She nodded. "Close the door behind you, please." As she waited for him to close the door. She put her head in her hands. Letting the tears fall she had held in. She hadn't cried like this in months.
That Night
"Damn, Nigga. We didn't think we would see you tonight." Jamal said as he dapped Demarcus up. It was a kickback at mutual friend's house. Demarcus needed something to get his mind off of what happened earlier.
"Yeah, I made it though." He smiled.
"Yeah, we thought you'd be with your woman. The way she be keeping you." Tre chimed in.
"She don't keep shit."
Jamal and Tre were shocked by his response. They never heard him talk this way about Erica. Whenever they would crack jokes, he would shut it down.
"Trouble in paradise?" Jamal asked.
"Nah, don't worry about it. I'm bout to go get a drink." He walked off. He maneuvered his way into the kitchen to where the drinks were. He poured him a shot of vodka and grabbed him a beer from the cooler. He joined them again.
He bobbed his head along to the music. He saw Tre rolling up a blunt or two and made sure he put his bid in to be apart of the session. Three blunts later He ended up getting a cup of liquor his beer wasn't doing the job. He wanted to get fucked up tonight.
Demarcus sat on the couch for a moment. He pulled his phone from his pocket. His first thought was to text Erica. No matter how many shots he had taken or blunts he smoked. She was all he could think about. He didn't mean to come off the way he did or did he? He couldn't figure it out.
One thing for sure he missed her.
"Aye, Bro!" Jamal placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Seem them two girls over there?" Jamal pointed in the direction. The women waved at him.
"Yeah? What about them?"
"One of them was talking to me and that's her friend. They wanna kick it with us back at our place. You with it?"
Demarcus was hesitant but with Jamal's persuasion he agreed to it. One night of being a wingman wouldn't hurt. They always did things like that for each other. He couldn't leave him hanging.
Demarcus and his new acquaintance sat in the living room watching reruns of The Wayan's Brothers . While Jamal and his acquaintance had been in his room for over an hour now.
Demarcus's high and buzz wore off. Though he was still a little dazed. He and the girl sat a good distance away from each other. She didn't try to get close to him. He was pleasantly surprised by that.
"I'm sorry when you told me your name I was a little drunk. Can you tell me again?" Demarcus said.
"Lydia."
"Well let me reintroduce myself, I'm Demarcus."
"Nice to meet you." She laughed.
Quietness consumed the room again. Just their laughs at the jokes on the show. Lydia was attractive, no doubt about it but he just didn't have any intentions of going that far tonight. He was cool with just keeping her companying until her friend was finished.
"So do you and your cousin always do stuff like this?" She asked.
"Stuff like what?"
"You know bring girls home together?"
"Not as much as we used to. This is the first time in a long time. I don't like to do shit like that."
"Good to know. So you must be a relationship kind of guy?"
He shrugged. "I guess you could say that."
Lydia moved closer to him. "So are you in one right now?"
"It's complicated." He answered flatly.
Lydia put het hand on his chest and moved down to his leg. Her hand touched a spot that made him think of how electric it felt when Erica would touch him there. He politely moved her hand.
"Am I missing something?" She raised an eyebrow,
"What are you talking about?"
"You just said it's complicated. Which means to me that you can have one night of fun. She won't know." Lydia began to kiss his neck. Demarcus was disinterested as she began but the more he thought about who he wish this was... he relaxed.
"Look you need to chill." He said.
"What you think they're doing in Jamal's room? We could be doing the same thing." Her hand smoothed over his member in his jeans.
"That's not my business and I told you to stop." He warned.
"You don't really want me to." Lydia started to unzip his pants.
"Chill, I mean that."
Lydia didn't listen to a word he said. She kept on until his member was in her hand. It was too late for him to back out now. He was a man. He was still slightly drunk and he had been horny for days now. With hopes of laying it down on the one person he had been faithful to for months.
Erica.
He braced his hand on the back of Lydia's neck as he felt himself releasing inside of her mouth. He enjoyed the fantasy of it but he wish the reality was different. This wasn't sex but it got the job done. He quickly got himself together. Pulling his pants back up and zipping them.
Demarcus got up from the couch and walked back to Jamal's room. There was music playing. So he knocked like the police. Just so Jamal could hear it. Jamal answered the door standing in his boxers.
"What you need, bro? You need a condom?"
"Nah, how much longer you gon be?"
"Just give me like 10 mins. Why what's going on?"
"It's time for them to go."
"You couldn't go through with it, huh?"
"Nah."
"Respect."
"Jamal, come on." The girl's voice said in the distance.
"10 mins, bro. I swear." Jamal said before he closed the door.
Demarcus went back out into the living room. Lydia had took her original seat back on the couch. She was staring at him with these eyes. He ignored it. He grabbed his phone and went into his room.
He hit Erica's contact. It rang a few times before it went to voicemail. He called again but this time it went straight to her voicemail.
He left message.
"Hey, I know you may not wanna talk to me right now and I know I deserve that. I'm sorry and I miss you. I need to see you. Hit me back."