Hood Ornaments

Tori and Tony were sweating, panting, and sliding up and down the wall of Trudy’s basement. Every fifteen minutes or so, Tony would stop to wipe the sweat from his bushy brow or take a sip of water before curling his lip up at Tori. Tori rolled her eyes and reached into the front pocket of her denim overalls for her phone before playfully slapping at Tony’s chest.

“Girl, knock that shit off you’re gonna get paint on me.”

She giggled and held her hand out for Tony’s water bottle.

“Boy please, we are both covered in paint. A few more drops ain’t gonna make a bit of difference.”

Tori put the roller back in the pan. Tony smirked threatening to squeeze water onto her face.

“Go head, I dare you!” Tori threatened while scrolling through her phone.

“It’s about damn time,” Tony said after sucking his teeth and putting his water bottle back onto the tarp that draped the whole basement floor.

“What?” Tori nonchalantly asked while pushing buttons never looking up from her phone.

“You know what. That’s Dell. Bout damn time he contacted you.”

Tori sucked her teeth, “How you know its Dell, Tony?”

“Girl please, I’m right here, Leek ain’t got a cell, Trudy is right upstairs, and you ain’t got no other friends.”

“Whatever, I don’t like females like that. They catty. Plus half of em only want to be my friend to get to y’all.” She replied dropping the phone back in her pocket.

Tony’s jaw dropped as he went over to the sink to wash his hands. Tori putted behind him to do the same. “Like who Tor?” Tony asked his face wrinkled up in confusion.

“Please dudes are so blind. Sherrita is in love with you.”

Tony forcefully turned the knobs to the sink and then pounded on the soap dispenser, “Ill, Sherrita with red hair and freckles? She looks like Ronald McDonald.”

Tori giggled as she also began to wash her hands, “That’s not nice. Then there is Ida. She always staring at you on the way home from school.”

Tony grabbed a towel that was draped over the sink and began to dry his hands, “Ol girl with the bell pepper nose and sasquatch feet? Tori, she look like a man with a wig on for real.”

Tori playfully snatched the towel from Tony and dried her hands, “See I ain’t even talkin about how they look. I mean Ida does kinda look like a big drag queen. It’s the way they act. Phony. Being all sweet to me just to get close to you. It is so transparent. Maybe if they would open their books more than their mouths and legs, I’d be their friends.”

Tony took the towel from her and popped her with it before draping it back over the sink.

“Owwwwch, jerk.”

Tony giggled and gave the basement an approving once over, but then frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothin, I’m hungry.” He replied as if he were in pain.

Tori nodded, “Me too. I gotta go to the waterfront to meet Dell tho. I can pick some hoagies up on the way back?” The pair headed towards the basement steps.

“Nah that ain’t gonna work.”

“Tori’s head jerked around, “Pffffft why not?”

“Well number one, I guess you didn’t hear the seriousness in my voice when I said I was hungry. Two, Dell gonna do his damndest to keep you out all afternoon and three,” Tony stopped behind Tori and put his palm on the small of her back and whispered in her ear. I would never let a pretty woman buy me anything. But I will treat you to lunch”

Tori didn’t turn around right away because she didn’t want Tony to notice her blushing. So when she thought it was safe she opened the basement door and let the light flood the stairway. She then turned around and pecked Tony on the lips. He reached around her grabbing the knob to the door and closed it. He gently pulled the bib of her overalls so her face was under his. He then tilted her chin upward and kissed her passionately on the lips. Tori pulled away only because she heard Tony’s stomach growl. She chuckled and whispered while nibbling on his bottom lip,

“I think your stomach wants me to go.”

Tony blushed, laughed back and kissed her forehead,

“My heart doesn’t, but you heard the man below. So you need a turkey hoagie, with everything, plus hot peppers and extra pickles, extra Swiss, mayo, salt, pepper, oregano, plain Herr’s chips, and a Pepsi”

This time, Tori couldn’t stop herself from blushing.

Tony followed her down the block and when they got to the corner, he kissed her quickly on the cheek.

“Try not to be too long okay.”

Tori nodded and walked off in the direction of the waterfront.

Tony turned around abruptly and almost bumped into Malik who was standing on the step in front of the deli.

“Damn, man my bad.” The pair exchanged dap but Malik held on to Tony’s hand a little longer than he should have and peered at his friend quizzically.

“Was that Tori you just kissed on the cheek?” Malik asked as if he didn’t just watch what transpired.

Tony passed Malik on the steps to enter the store answering him nonchalantly over his shoulder,

“You know it was, stop playin.” He walked, over to the counter, ordered the hoagie and himself a cheesesteak, and grabbed a family sized bag of chips, a Pepsi and a grape soda He paid for it and leaned up against the counter to face Malik.

“Seems like you the one playin. Dell is gonna kick your ass when he gets back.” Malik smirked.

“Shows how much you know, dude. Dell’s back. That’s where Tori’s goin. And he ain’t gonna do shit. The only claim his has on Tori is in his own mind.”