Chapter Three

"Ariel, what are you doing back here?" Ivory asked, but Ariel made sure she stepped forward enough so she wouldn't see the two white boys in the backyard.

"Nothing momma." Ariel motioned her hands behind her back to let them know it was their chance to leave. Michael snorted and Ernest bit his lip to avoid laughing. They hopped over the fence and left.

"There, you said thank you and found the girl. Now can I copy your homework?"

"Mhm." Ernest said as he stared at the number on his arm.

"Are you really going to call that girl?" Michael asked.

"Yeah. I wouldn't have asked for her number if I wasn't." Michael shook his head at Ernest.

"Whatever, I have nothing to do with this. Just give me your homework and I'll be on my way." Ernest nodded.

Ernest and Michael walked back to Ernest's home and knocked on the door to get inside; after they got inside, Ernest handed Michael his homework and Michael was on his way. As time started to pass, Ernest started getting nervous.

He thought after dinner would be the best time to call Ariel, but what if she doesn't answer? Or her dinner isn't the same time as his?

If she does pick up, would Ernest be boring to her? What if they have absolutely nothing to talk about? What if their first conversation is their last?

Ernest tried not to think so much, even cleaned his room and helped his mother with his dinner, but no matter what Ernest did, he couldn't knock out the anxiety building in him. He just wanted things to go smoothly with Ariel.

After Ernest had dinner, he went to his room and started using his landline to call Ariel. He used to have a Motorola, but when have phones and water ever mixed? Plus, the thing was much too huge anyway.

Ernest dialed her number and impatiently waited for her to pick up the phone.

She hates me.

He thought.

She thinks I'm weird.

That I'm creepy..

That-

"Hello?" A very familiar voice said.

"H-Hey Ariel.. It's me, Ernest." Ernest said.

"Oh hi Ernest. How are you? I hope you made it home safely." Ariel said, making him smile.

"Yup. No tripping, slipping, or falling on my way back. Feeling pretty great." He said, making Ariel giggle.

"Well that's great because you hurt yourself quite a bit." Ariel said.

"That wasn't even the worst one. You know that park with the brick stairs?"

"Yes."

"I decided to race up and down the stairs way too fast and fall face first into a brick." Ariel gasped.

Why'd I say that?

Ernest thought as his face turned red.

"Goodness, do be more careful. Were you okay?"

"A little bleeding and my face hurt, bad, but I survived and ate some ice cream, so it wasnt so bad." Ernest said. "Honestly, I feel a little embarrassed I told you that."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you know the railing that holds up your bed?"

"Yeah?"

"I hit my knee on the corner of that when I was about seven." Ernest hissed as he imagined what that would look and feel like. "I was running around and slipped hard enough for it to actually puncture my knee and make it bleed. It was practically gushing, but I didn't cry that day. I guess it didn't hurt." Ernest's eyes widened.

"What? You're invincible." Ernest said, making her chuckle.

"No I'm not. Just everyone has different things that hurt them. Like, getting a heavy book thrown at your face." Ernest chuckled.

"I've never had a book thrown at my face." Ernest said.

"I had."

"Really? Why?" He asked curiously.

"Well many would say it was because I was near white kids when I shouldn't be. Others would say it's because I didn't belong there at the time. Some people would even say they were afraid their kids would catch my melanin and turn stupid, but in short, because I'm black." Ernest got quiet and felt tense hearing her talk about this.

"I didn't know stuff like that happened-"

"Happened? It still does."

"People still throw books at you?!" Ernest whisper yelled.

"No, but I do get called a lot of mean names and stuff. See, I go to Rockview high school." Ernest's eyes widened.

Rockview highschool had the smartest top of the class kids there.

"Wow, you must be really smart."

"I am and they don't like that. They feel like I cheated to get into that school, but I worked just as hard as anyone else. I deserve to be there." Ernest smiled.

"Don't you ever get scared? I mean, what if someone just takes it too far one day?" Ernest asked.

"I used to be afraid that my blackness would be the death of me, but I'm not afraid anymore because I died slowly making the world a little better and that eases me."

Ernest and Ariel continued talking and both realized how different their worlds were, but also how their race is not exactly everything others have taught them.

"So, you don't live in a big mansion on a hill somewhere?" Ariel asked.

"Absolutely not. My mom and dad bought this little run down house not too far from Deadmans bridge and started making improvements over the years. Wish we had that kind of money.." Ernest said.

"Me too and to answer your question about us all knowing how to sing, we can't. My momma and I love having our duets, but we really do sound like a very upset hawk." Ernest laughed.

Hours had passed as both Ernest and Ariel started to get sleepy.

"Ariel?" Ernest said groggily. "Thank you for saving my life and helping with my face." Ariel let out a small yawn.

"You're welcome, Ernest."

"Can I come see you tomorrow?" Ernest asked.

"Mhm."

"Deadmans bridge? After school?"

"Okay."

"Groovy."

Both Ernest and Ariel fell asleep to the soft breathing in each other's phones.