All Signs Point to You Part Two by Navaura Campbell (uplifting books for women .TXT) 📖

never thought in a million years that Victoria would be the one person to allow someone else to push her around. "What happened?"

Victoria laughed, "I stood up to her. One day she opened her mouth one too many times and I decided to shut it for her. I popped her in the mouth good that day. After that, she never disrespected me again. "

Candice laughed, "Alright, that's cool."

Vicki sighed, "Yep, I never wanted to be the shy quiet type again after that."

Candice laughed, as they continued their walk down the hall and turned to the left, toward the math wing. "I can imagine. I always wanted to fit in, so I did what it took to do so."

Vicki nodded her head, understanding. "The truth is Candy, we all want to fit in, no one wants to be the geek, the nerd, the out cast."

Candice nodded, and stopped in front of her class. "Well, this is my class."

Vicki smiled cordially, "What class is it?"

"I think it's supposed to be English lit, but we do some of everything in here."

Vicki laughed, "Alright, I have World History. I'll talk to you later."

Candice shifted her weight to her left foot. "Later, Vicki."

Vicki nodded and then walked down the hall toward her class.

 

Chapter Thirty Seven

 

Denise walked into the cafeteria, and stood in the lunch line. This was an hour of solitude for herself. She could think, write, adjust herself and her life in small steps. Sighing, she grabbed a tray from the stack that lined on the small table next to the line and ran it with her in the line. Of two fruit choices, she grabbed a paper bowl of peaches. Just as she was getting her next item, she heard someone behind her. She continued on, minding her own business.

Jordan was nervous. He'd seen her come into the cafeteria, telling himself to stay put, and wanted to do just that, but decided at the last minute, when he saw the two girls coming up to the line, that he would too. He grabbed a bowl of peaches, A slice of Pizza and french fries. He stared at the back of her head, wondering if she was alright, because Lasaire had told him during a break in the halls that she'd been having pain in her head since the accident, that he hadn't even known about. As a matter of fact, he knew that the only person who knew about the accident was Lasaire, whom Denise for unknown reasons had sworn to secrecy. He hoped that she was alright.

Denise got a whiff of his cologne, inhaled and smiled. She wasn't a girly girl, but God, he always managed to smell so good. She swallowed and continued on in line. She handed the lady her lunch money when she exited the line. The lady took it and then Denise went to a vacant table by herself.

Jordan went to his usual table, sat down and began eating. It was maybe five minutes after eating that he got up, went to where Denise was sitting, sat down and interrupted her quiet thoughtful lunch.

"I thought I was supposed to chase you?" She teased.

He sighed, "I heard about the incident on the ice."

Denise rolled her eyes. Maybe telling Lasaire wasn't the best decision she'd made, but then again, most of her decisions were bad now a days.

"Ok." She stated, not sure of what his point was.

"Are you ok?" He inquired, his gaze meeting hers. She cleared her throat, "I'm here aren't I?"

He sighed, "Yeah, well, I also heard that you were having pain in the back of your head."

She laughed at this, "Ok Dr. Williams, is there anything else you need to know?"

Jordan smiled, "I was just concerned for you, that's all. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. Lasaire sounded pretty worried when she approached me this morning."

"I didn't know you and Lasaire had a class together." Denise stated.

"We don't, but she came up to me at my locker, concerned."

"What did she figure you'd be able to do?" Denise quarried, her eyes on his.

He shrugged, "Convince you to go see your doctor."

Denise rolled her eyes, "Look, I'm fine. I'm walking, talking, acting fine."

Jordan didn't say anything, just studied her. After a while, she became uncomfortable, "What?"

He sighed, "Nothing."

Denise, feeling self conscious, smoothed out her blouse and cleared her throat a second time. "So...how are things going between you and Sebrea?"

Jordan smiled, "Pretty good."

Denise noticed the twinkle in his eyes when he said this and felt a grasp of tightness in her throat. She nodded, "That's good." She whispered just to be polite.

He sat there, not knowing whether to get up or stay, feeling somewhat awkward. He looked down at his plate and noticed he hadn't touched any of his food. Picking up a french fry and then looking back up to see her reaction, he took a bite. She grabbed her note book from out of her bag and began writing. After a while, he got curious and asked, "What are you writing in there?"

Without looking up, she answered, "My life."

"Your life?" This inquiry was a puzzling thought.

"Yep." She continued to write. Finding this an irresistible subject, he pursued, "So...what's in there?"

Denise looked up at him and smiled, "I'm not going to tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because it's private."

He raised both brows, "That makes it even more interesting. Is it about me?"

Denise laughed, "Conceited, aren't we?"

"Nope, just honest, so..." He grabbed a couple more fries and popped them into his mouth. "What did you write about me?"

She stared at him, perplexed. How was she supposed to figure out how to go about getting him back if he couldn't seem to let her do just that?

"Aren't you supposed to be mad at me?" She wondered.

He shrugged, "What can I say? I get over grudges rather quickly."

"Does that mean you're going to take me back without my having to beg and plead?"

He wiped his hands on one of the napkins he'd grabbed from the lunch line along with his food, and grasped her face. Pulling it close to his, he looked her in the eyes without responding, just searching her face, for what? She wasn't sure.

"No. That would be too easy for you Denise. You need to exercise that brain of yours because I am not going to take you back unless I know without a doubt that you won't do this again."

"I thought you forgave easily?" She inquired, her tone soft.

"I forgive, not forget. Just because I forgive you doesn't mean I forget the pain. Denise, I love you. Sure the physical attraction is strong between us, but that's not all there is and you know it."

"But high school relationships don't pass beyond that point, you know that."

He laughed, a shrug in his shoulders, "Maybe you're right, they may not, but I don't want to have any regrets ok. I want a relationship with you, until either you or I call it quits."

Denise stared. Taking in what he was saying, not sure how to digest everything.

"Denise, it's like this, you are not going to break up with me again unless you have a real reason to do so. Not because of something someone else told you. You have to have a legitimate reason for us to break up. If there's no real reason, you're going to have a hard time getting rid of me."

"So you're saying that the only way I'd get rid of you would be if you cheated or I cheated, something like that?"

He shook his head, "No. I'm saying unless you really decide you don't want to be with me, absolutely not at all, then you're stuck until we call it quits."

"Oh." Denise stared, unsure of how to accept this statement.

They stared from across the table at one another. She wondering what to do, and he wondering why couldn't he stick to his own promises when it came to her.
Five minutes into their probing contest, the bell rang, signaling the end of their lunch hour.

That weekend, on a Saturday night, Jordan got ready for a date with Sebrea. He decided he'd take her some place nice, but where, he wasn't sure. He decided that he'd pick her up and allow her to choose where the event would take place. An hour after getting ready, he left the house to pick her up.

When he reached her home, in a small place called Camel Back Properties, he felt so out of place. Although he'd been coming to this house for over a month now, he still never felt completely comfortable. Almost like it was out of his element. He'd found out over the past month, that her dad was a monopolizer. He owned many companies internationally. He also owned a bakery in Paris France, which he donated all its profits to the church. Jordan saw Sebrea's father to be truly amazing.

It was like meeting royalty from out of a story book, the way he carried himself, presented himself and the way he raised his children. Her mother, he'd found out was a duchess. He'd found out that a duchess was closely related to the king and Queen. Something like cousins. That explained why her mother was always so poised, beautiful and sociable. He thought of what their response would be after he told her the truth. Because she was really close to them, he knew they would be told.

Sighing as he turned into a parking space, near the front of the yard, he pulled the parking break, because the house was located on top of green lush hills. There was more land than he could see with his natural eye. There was a horse ranch located further back into the property, where they held summer camp for middle school kids. Sighing, he went up to the three story house, which really looked more like a mansion.

The house was two shades of blues. A baby blue and then a darker ocean blue. He liked that because it stood out among other houses in the neighborhood. The house had been built during the early nineteen hundreds, with enough rooms for seventeen guests, five bathrooms and a gigantic living room as well as kitchen. It was interesting because their house was decorated with the furniture it came with. So it was very interesting to see furniture dating back to the nineteen twenties. The only furniture that hadn't come with the house was their bedroom sets and he hadn't seen what Sebrea's looked like and he honestly didn't want to.

When he rang the bell, the doorman, Ramsey answered. "Come in Mr. Williams, Ms. Sebrea is expecting you. I was instructed to have you sit in the draw room until she comes down."

Jordan smiled, "Thanks, Ramsey."

Ramsey stepped aside to allow him in, and then closed the door. He led Jordan to the draw room, which was located off the front of the house. A door adjoining the living room. He stepped inside. Cream colored draperies hung on the windows, while tall book shelves aligned the room. He sat down in a chair that was facing the window, behind an empty mahogany desk. Sighing, he stared around the room in awe. It was bigger than his bed