“Hey, by the way,” Jimmy began in a more cheerful tone as he scooted away to face her more. “Who said you had to have another dance partner? Why can’t I just come and pick you up and take you with me sometimes?”
“Really?”
“Tip, I like dancing with you. You’re fun, too.” There was a hint of bashfulness that formed on his handsome face. He stared downward again! This guy had never lowered his eyes, Tiphany thought, except to gawk at some girl.
He continued, “You know, I know you’re not like these other chicks I know. And I always wanted to talk more to you. But Manuel…Man, that’s a big dude.”
She giggled. “He’s only like five-foot six inches tall. You’re over six feet.”
“Yeah, and he lifts heavier weights. ‘Probably eats more than me, too, since he plays football. He’s big regardless of his height. And he’s crazy about you – still. I remember he punched out this dude in the locker room just for saying that you’re fine. That was last year when y’all first started going together. He seemed to like you more and more after that.”
She cleared her throat. “I didn’t know Manny did that. And all this time I’ve been criticizing other girls for instigating guys’ fights over them.” There was also a thought forming in the back of her mind. When she broke up with Manuel, she thought he didn’t care. After all, he never called to rebuttal her wishes. She had always thought his interest in her was faint compared to other guys who showed affection and more attention to their girlfriends. Part of what drew her to Jimmy, she admitted to herself, were his smiles at her on and off the dance floor. His mystery was more alluring than Manuel’s bland presence walking at her side. But, she decided, there was no point in explaining these feelings to Jimmy.
“Hello?” He waved a hand in front of her, breaking her thoughts.
“Huh?”
“I said you didn’t instigate that fight,” Jimmy defended her graciously. “You had no idea. Nobody from the locker room really said anything about it ‘cause brothers don’t really talk like that.”
They both laughed.
Tiphany forced herself to tell him what he may have like to hear, “Jee…I know so many girls who want to go with you. They’re pretty. Foxy as you would probably call them, I guess. They dance well. Don’t you have at least one more semester girlfriend to choose out of all of them before the school year is over?”
He was taken aback. He even thought with a nod before answering. “I could do that. But if I did, I’d be obligated to take one of them to my prom. And I want to take you.”
Tiphany’s mouth dropped as she gasped. She searched his eyes to make sure he wasn’t joking with her.
Jimmy continued, “You know, we can win a real big trophy on that night if we win the dance contest.”
She gasped again and rose. “Good night, Jimmy.”
He also rose to follow her, gently tugging her arm from behind. Tiphany wanted so much to cave in as she felt his muscular frame slightly press against her back.
“Wait, Tip…What’s wrong? You don’t even want to go to the prom with me?”
“It’s not that,” she retorted apologetically. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“Hey.” He turned her around to face him. “You haven’t gotten over your boy, Manuel, have you?”
“That’s not it. I broke it off with him,” she explained irritated. He was about the twentieth person to whom she had to reiterate that fact.
“So…Sheila broke it off with me, and she still wants me back.”
“She broke up with you?” Tiphany echoed the shocking revelation.
“Yeah!” He released a boyish chuckle. “She figured out I had been liking somebody else and got mad. She told me it was over. So, I left her alone. She’s the one who can’t stay away though.”
Tiphany narrowed her eyes looking into his. “She was right breaking up with you – whether she still likes you or not. No girl wants to be one of the many, Jee!”
“Cool! I have no argument with that,” he explained holding his hands out. “I’m tired of having a bunch of chicks. My black book is too full anyway.”
“Right,” she blurted sourly.
“I just want one girlfriend to keep from now on.”
“Who’s the lucky one?” She asked without a clue.
“Will you be my girlfriend, Tip?”
Saying “yes” would have been so easy for her. If only she believed he was sincere, she could float home on a cloud. But the timing was too perfect in Jimmy’s world. This was around the time when he would get another new girlfriend. Tiphany knew her heart was worth more than the bait to which his other girls had hooked themselves.
“Jee, it’s apparent you know what you want – the scholarship, the major in business. And you even want a lot of girls to fall head over heals for you…”
“No…”
“Just like the other players know what they want,” she insisted. “But you don’t know who you want.”
“Yeah, I do,” he argued defensively. “I’ve been checking you out. But Manuel is a big ole’ dude.”
“Hmph!”
“Tip, if I had approached you this time last year, would you have trusted me enough to let me take you out?” He asked anticipating her answer.
“Probably not,” she admitted truthfully shaking her head.
Jimmy scoffed. “The one girl…And she doesn’t even like me.” He dropped his hands into his pockets and turned his back to her. He stared out into the dark coughing out half-laughter again – shaking his head in sheer disbelief.
“Gie-lee, Jee! I’ve never seen you pout before.” She laughed to clear the air. But she was unable to get a different response from him. Pulling off his jacket, she forced herself to remain cold. “Maybe you might want this back.”
“Naw, Man, you keep it,” he blurted as if he did not care.
“Jee? Jee, I’m sorry. Okay?”
Midnight struck. A mass of fire works shot into the dark sky. She had expected to hear howls of excitement coming from the gymnasium. Yet, at the turn of 1979 to 1980, it seemed that only he and she stood under the moonlight – slow music heard from a loud car stereo in the parking lot.
Jimmy slowly turned to face her again. With disappointment written over his entire handsome face, he took the jacket that she returned to him. He then slowly walked around her until he was able to place it back over her shoulders from behind. “I really want you to keep it. If I ever want it back, I’ll have a reason to come knocking at your door.”
How could she say “no?” She smiled at the thought that he would ever do that for her. In fact, she could not remember ever seeing another girl wearing it.
“Look,” he continued. “It’s okay if you don’t want to be my girl. But I don’t want to lose you as a partner. Let me take you to some parties and dances so we can keep kickin’ it. Doesn’t have to be like we’re dating. Whatever would make you happy.”
His eyes begged. Her heart melted.
“Okay, Jee.”
“And what about my prom?” He persisted. “Can I take you?”
“Let me see about that. Okay? What if I decide to go to the prom at my new school? You know, this is my junior year. And in that county, I heard they have