"Sugah and Spice"

Chapter 8

                The next day, Sugah got dressed and headed toward campus. Her first class didn’t begin for a few hours but she wanted to get an early start. The new car she purchased was a blessing because now she didn’t have to walk or rely on public transportation. She didn’t have many friends and the few she did have, she hadn’t talked with since last semester. Summer was in full-swing and the weather was starting to get hot. The light breeze washed over Sugah as she rode along with the top down. She took it as a sign that the first day of classes would be easy. After speaking with her mother the night before, she learned that she and Richard had been talking quite a bit over the phone and he had also made a trip to see her. Sugah was happy to hear the excitement in her mother’s voice. It was as if the horrible things her mother once said to her, several weeks ago hadn’t happened. She was happy that her mother was her usual self again, but still, something lingered in her mind. There was definitely something going on. Charlotte Payne wasn’t quite herself and Sugah would find out what was bothering her. She didn’t like when her mother was dealing with issues after all that she had been through.  

                As Sugah found a parking spot close to the building of her first class, she smiled. “Today is going to be a good day,” she spoke loudly and proudly as she checked her makeup, let the top up and got out of the car. Before she was in the building good, her cell phone rang. When she saw that it was Espresso, she smiled. “What up bighead,” she spoke into the phone. “Girl, how you know it’s me? My number wasn’t supposed to even show up, damn. And who in the hell you calling bighead, I bet if you didn’t have all that damn hair on your head, you would have a big ass head too,” he said laughing. “Whatever, if you don’t want your number to show up, you should probably use *67 because I know that you are at work, to what do I owe this surprise, this beautiful summer day?” Both of them laughed.

                “I knew that school started today, so I wanted to wish you good luck. I remember how those days were. Man, I do not miss that shit, Sis. You got everything you need? How are you enjoying the new whip?” Sugah looked back at her car. She loved it. Never had she imagined riding in a BMW, less known, owning one herself. The 650 black, sports car, with black and red leather interior, was to die for. Choosing the red accent color surprised Sugah at first but she found it a great choice. It complicated her style and personality now more than ever, which Espresso agreed. Even the salesperson was impressed by her bold color scheme. Sugah thanked Espresso countless number of times for going with her to the dealership when she finally decided to buy a car for herself. In turn, she received a great deal and now she was the proud owner of something. Paying cash for the car gave extra incentive and more discounts, just as Espresso had assured her before arriving at the BMW dealership. The fact that a few of their clients worked at the establishment was also a major plus, Espresso said just before entering the building.

                “Hello, you still there,” he asked bringing her back to reality. “Yes, I’m still here. I was just admiring my baby. I really love that car,” Sugah said proudly. “I know you do. That’s why I took you to the BMW joint first. Only the best for the best, right. And the black and red, whoa! Look out world, here she comes. Girl, you are going to have to fight the niggas off when you pull up in that one. I hope you ready. You sure you don’t wanna go get something a little more conservation, like a minivan.” A burst of laughter tickled Sugah’s ear. She couldn’t help but join in. Espresso always knew what to say to make her laugh or smile. He had a way about him that put everyone he came in contact with, at ease. Sugah admired that quality in him. He would make some woman very happy and be a great parent one day. “Anyway, I just wanted to catch you before you started your day. I’ll check in on you later. Have a great day, Sis.” He smiled as those words came out of his mouth. He was extremely proud of Sugah and was glad to have her in his life. She was a very bright young lady. She wasn’t like any other young girls he knew, who only wanted someone to take care of them. She had goals and wanted the best that life had to offer. That fact was gathered after she landed her first big assignment, securing her spot in the organization. Espresso wished that she were his biological sister but would take her just the way she was. After all, you don’t have to be related to be family. He gathered that time and time again with every new member who joined their organization. But Sugah was special, different. She was wise way beyond her years and he was glad that he wasn’t the only one who saw her potential. Java told him so the first time that met her. And Java wasn’t an easy nut to crack. The fact that she showed interest in Sugah, said a lot.

                Sugah couldn’t contain her excitement. She was also grateful to have Espresso in her life. He was like a big brother in more ways than one. Whenever he washed his car, he always washed hers. Whenever he wanted to talk about the new female or females in his life, he called her and they really did look like sister and brother to the people looking in on the outside. They just had that connection. “Thanks, bro. It means a lot to have you in my life. I will make sure to call you when I get a break. Maybe I’ll stop by the firm and bring you lunch.” Espresso beamed. “Sounds good, talk to you later,” he said. He had always wanted to have a little sister, so having Sugah in his life was a plus.

As Sugar pulled out her schedule to see which way her class was, she saw a familiar face. It was a guy she had in a few of her other classes, her past two semesters. He was cool and whenever she didn’t attend that class, he would allow her to use his notes and she would return the favor to him when he didn’t show up to class. “Mark, how have you been, Dude? I was wondering if you were attending summer school. What class do you have in this building,” Sugah asked. Mark was happy to see a friendly face. He wasn’t the most popular and best looking of guys but he had potential, Sugah gathered after being around him a few times. They had become study-buddies. There was also something mysterious about him. Sugah couldn’t quite put her finger on it but she made sure to pay close attention to him. Mark was very secretive. He never talked about family. She never saw him with many people but it seemed that a lot of people who him whenever they were together. At first Sugah tried to ply but Mark quickly changed the subject. That only made her suspicions greater, which she planned on exploring.

 “Sugah, I am so glad to see you, girl,” Mark said picking her up, swinging her around. A few people gave them strange looks but he obviously didn’t care. Sugah was a little taken aback. Mark had never shown any interest in her in that way, but he held her a bit longer than necessary before putting her down. “I don’t know where the hell I’m going. I am looking for Statistics.” To her surprise, so was she. “Well, we better get to it. Looks like we are stuck with each other again this semester,” she said. Mark beamed, walking next to the prettiest girl he had ever seen in his life, thus far. She smelled delicious and looked amazing. The short denim shorts she wore, showed skin but left room for the imagination, which he found intriguing, since most girls didn’t care. He could have sworn that each summer, the shorts got shorter and tighter, exposing more Carmel toe that he cared to see.  Not Sugah, she was always classy and tastefully dressed to perfection. The midriff shirt revealed perfect abs and a sexy inney, belly bottom. Mark found himself getting aroused watching Sugah’s body. Her legs looked perfect, tanned and firm. He had never asked, but now he wondered if she danced or played sports. He made a mental note to find out the answers to the questions lingering in his head. Her small waist gave way to round hips and a nice ass. Any man would love to stand behind it and watch it stop, drop and roll. Mark caught himself before he couldn’t walk anymore. He had fantasized about Sugah from the first moment he saw her and they only got more and more visual each time he saw her. Days like today would make it harder for him to focus or sleep when he went home. When she stopped in front of the open classroom door, she looked in his direction. “Here we are. Let’s hurry up and get seats together,” Sugah said entering the classroom.

                The class wasn’t nearly full but she knew that there would be late-bloomers, as always. Finally settling on seats in the middle of the class, not too high or low, she and Mark pulled out their textbook and paper. They were bright, determined students, with goals and didn’t want to waste any time when the professor began class. A few other students pulled out their books and waited patiently for the instructor to arrive, with great anticipation, Sugah saw scanning the classroom. There were about two-hundred or more seats and the class were beginning to fill up quickly. She was glad they arrived when they had and gotten good seating. Sugah looked down at her wristwatch. It was time for class to begin. The instructor was late and she hated having a late professor. That should have been a sign that something terrible was about to take place, but Sugah ignored the feeling. She opened up her book and began to read the first chapter. Usually she would have read the night before but she was preoccupied with a wandering mind and thoughts of Coffee. Just as she was almost finished with page five, Mark tapped her hand. “He’s here,” he whispered. When Sugah followed Mark’s eyes, she nearly fainted. It was Coffee, looking like a million bucks walking into the classroom. The khaki Ralph Lauren slacks and navy blue polo shirt looked great on his muscular frame. He was cleanly shaved and freshly cut, with a pair of Armani sunglasses on, which he quickly removed when he walked into the class. How could someone look better each time you saw him was beyond belief, Sugah thought admiring her handsome lover. She wanted to give new meaning to the phrase “head of the class” but kept her thoughts and actions at bay. 

                His skin looked amazing and his swag was more noticeable than she remembered, in that moment. He possessed sure confidence, poise and intelligence has he demanded the attention from everyone in the space. All eyes were on him. Coffee placed his briefcase and other personal items on the small desk, then took his spot in front of the podium, facing the class. By this time, the entire classroom was full. There weren’t any seats left. Suddenly Sugah felt light-headed. “You okay,” Mark asked.

“I’m fine. I think my blood-sugar is dropping. I didn’t have breakfast this morning as usual,” she lied. He reached into his bag and handed her a peppermint. “Here, this should help.” Mark was Pre-Med, which Sugah learned their first semester together. “Thanks,” she mouthed, popping the mint into her watering mouth. “This dude doesn’t look old enough to be a professor. We are in big trouble,” Mark said softly. A few classmates around them agreed, while Sugah sit quietly. Sugah also saw how every female in the class was taking in their eye-candy. Finally looking up, Coffee saw her. Her eyes were glued to his and it was his turn to feel light-headed. What were the odds of Sugah being a student of his, he thought. Well, now his secret was out and he just had to make the best out of the unforeseen situation.

                He softly cleared his throat. “Good Morning, class. My name is Professor Love but please call me Khalil. I will have the pleasure of teaching you about Statistics this summer semester. My office hours are written on the syllabus. I will pass them out momentarily. Can everyone please sign your name and email address on this sheet as it passes around? It will be our way of communication and getting to know one another this semester.” Coffee handed the clipboard to the student in front of him, who immediately provided the required information and passed it along to the next student. “Sorry I was late this morning, I am never late, ever. It won’t happen again. Now, as the clipboard passes around, try not to make too much noise. With that being said, please open your textbooks to chapter 1. Let’s began, shall we!” Sugah was in awe of him. He was so calm, professional and demanding of attention. He was smooth and self-confident. As she looked around the class, she saw several females drooling at him. She wanted to slap the crap out of them. He was hers. She took a deep breath to focus on the reason she was there in the first place. Now wasn’t the time or place to cause a scene, especially when she didn’t even know what was really going on between the two of them.

Surprisingly, the lecture was interesting. Sugah found herself lingering onto every word Coffee spoke. Although she didn’t enjoy Statistics much, she was finding herself interested in wanting to know more. Was it her will for knowledge or Coffee? Either way, she craved more. By the end of the lecture, Sugah had learned more than she could have imagined for the first day of class. Even Mark seemed drawn to Coffee, as well as all the other students occupying the classroom. They all gave nods that he was alright in their eyes and looked forward to a great semester with Professor Love.

                When it was time to leave, the clipboard was back in the hands of Coffee and each person had his or her own copy of the syllabus. Every question that went through Sugah’s mind was answered with preciseness. His terms, grading system, office hours and any other information regarding the class, for the summer semester was answered to perfection just by glancing at the syllabus. Again, Sugah was impressed. She kept her head down to keep from looking into Coffee’s eyes. As she got closer to him, her heart pounded. Mark asked her something but she didn’t know what exactly. “Earth to Sugah, I just asked you a question,” Mark teased. “I’m sorry Mark, what did you ask me. I guess I am just focusing on the lecture and assignment Professor Love gave.” Mark shrugged his shoulders. “We can study, if you like. I only wanted to know where your next class was located. I can give you a ride, if you like.” Sugah hadn’t shared her good news with him yet. She also noticed that Mark said “if you like” a lot. More than Sugah thought should be allowed to someone as clearly as intelligent as he appeared. “Oh, not needed this semester, Mark. I just bought a car. I have been working and saving up my cash and now I can finally reap the benefits. I have to go over to Max Hall, for Technical Writing. It isn’t far. I think I’ll just walk.”

                “Well congrats to you, girl! I’m always happy to hear of someone else’s good news for a change. You deserve that and more Sugah. I am truly happy for you. What did you get?” Sugah beamed like the sun. “You won’t believe me,” she said. Mark gave her a flustered look. “Girl, what did you get? It’s not like you bought a Bentley Coupe or something.” Sugah smiled. True, she hadn’t bought a Bentley, but she was headed in the right direction. Mark owned a big body Lexus, so she knew he would approve of her choice. “No, I couldn’t afford a Bentley, well not right now but I am. I settled for a 650 BMW,” Sugah delighted in sharing with her new friend. Mark was speechless. He thought that she would say something like a Toyota or Nissan but a BMW? Sugah was growing on him more and more. She must have worked two or three jobs to be able to afford a car like that or was keeping secrets from him.

“Damn girl! You never seize to amaze me. You must show me your whip but I have to go. I’ll catch up with you later.”

“Sure thing,” Sugah said as she watched Mark jog off to his car. Mark looked at his schedule. His next class was in Bush Centre, which was in the opposite direction as to where Sugah was going. “If you get here before me tomorrow, save me a seat. That class is huge and I doubt if anyone will be dropping it with the way Professor Love lectures. The man wasn’t boring in the least. His voice isn’t annoying and the way he uses humor, is remarkable. No wonder all the ladies were checking him out. Hell, if I was gay, I would have been doing the same thing,” Mark called out over his shoulder. That got Sugah’s and a few other people’s attention. At least she now knew that Mark wasn’t gay. She had speculations, now they could be put to rest.

Sugah had walked passed Coffee without a second glance. His heart broke into tiny pieces. He had to do something to make her see that he wanted to be with her, but what? Now was nor the time or place, so he didn’t try getting her attention. He suddenly wondered who the guy was seating next to her in class and that she was talking to, walking from the classroom. Did he have competition? Coffee wasn’t corky or arrogant when it came to his skills on getting a woman, so why did they suddenly matter where Sugah was concerned? The way she used her body to pleasure his may have had something to do with it. No matter how hard he tried, Coffee couldn’t get the images of the way she moved her body, out of his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, they made love. Whenever he got into his empty bed, he touched himself, thinking of her. He wanted her. He wanted all of her and if he got his way, he would have her for the rest of his life. She was fine as hell, intelligent and wanted great things out of life. No wonder he had competition, besides, who wants someone no one else does, he asked himself. Coffee knew that Sugah was a great catch. He knew that if he wanted to be with her, he had to step up his game. She was like a diamond, rare and irreplaceable.  

                Sugah finished her first day of summer semester, with a breeze. She liked all of her professors and knew that her grades would be great in the end. She had already completed a year of college and now she had to keep on the right path. Her cell phone chimed, indicating a text message and she opened her phone. It was from Coffee. “Hey, I wanted to say I’m sorry. I didn’t want things to end between us the way they did. Meet me for dinner tonight, eight o’clock sharp. I will text you with further instructions. You looked amazing today. Sugah, I promise to never hurt you. You have to believe me. Okay, I hope you get this and join me. There is much we have to discuss. I also have information on your next assignment. If it helps, the others will be there too.”  

                He was reaching out to her. Sugah found that sweet but she couldn’t allow him or anyone else to cloud her head. Although she wanted to reply to his message, she couldn’t bring herself to. She was on a mission, a goal and she wouldn’t lose focus. Sure, she would meet him but only to learn her new assignment. If that was the only way to get it, then so be it. He wasn’t fooling anyone but himself if he thought that she was that easy to manipulate. Men never amazed her with their tactics. They were like puppies, train them and they stay loyal forever, but you cannot teach an old dog, new tricks. Yes, she liked Coffee, but he had made it clear of his intentions. She wasn’t into keeping anyone who didn’t want to be kept and wouldn’t start now. If he wanted to be with her, he would have to do more than buy her dinner or give her some of the best sex of her life. Sugah thought about the way he used his tongue, hands and dick to pleasure her and quickly got overheated. She took a deep breath and composed herself. The shit people do when it came to great sex, she thought walking in the direction of her car, while Coffee continued to look at his phone, waiting on a reply text from the girl of his dreams.