Suds - Season 1, Episode 7

...a mini-soap opera that bubbles with Love & Drama

[Last time on Suds, Shantel’s plan was working so well she had Darien begging God for help. Will he also be begging for forgiveness? And Leilah packed her under eye baggage for a road trip back to school. Meanwhile, does anyone remember Terrance? Clearly Shantel doesn’t :o)]

Less than two hours into the drive, Terrance noticed an old Grand Am with a blown tire pulled over on the side of the road. He slowed down enough to see the car had an SIUC parking decal on the back window. Better him than me, he thought picking up speed. Then he had another thought. What if it’s a her?

~~
Shantel’s mien shifted from casual to sultry as she groped Darien’s thigh. “Come upstairs with me.” Darien looked around to see he had stopped in front of her dorm. He gulped hard, forcing himself to open his car door and get out. Pulling her suitcase from the trunk, he used it as a buffer between them. “Please?” she said tilting her head to the side in a coy manner.

Darien lifted her bag to the sidewalk. “Naw, I can’t leave my car here.”
“Well, park it in the lot. I’ll wait.”
His jaw clenched. “No. I’ll just see you around.”
“Darien?” she stepped closer. He stepped back. Offended, and at a loss for alternatives, Shantel brewed a fresh batch of tears, allowing them to drip freely. “Who is she?”

Her tears worked instantly, and Darien was at her side urging her to calm down. “There ain’t nobody else, Shantel…”
“No, you just need some time to yourself,” she interrupted, sarcastically.
“Yeah,” he agreed.
“You don’t have to lie to me,” she snapped, in true soap opera fashion. Grabbing her suitcase, she clicked away, then whirled around and yelled. “You could at least be man enough to tell me the truth!”

Darien rushed to her side, gripping her arm. “Shantel,” he paused, trying to formulate his words. “Shantel, I’m trying to be right with God.”
Shantel stared into his pleading hazel eyes. You have got to be kidding. A wave of thoughts jumbled in her mind, each trying to be the first out. “Is this a new break up line?” she asked shaking her head. “If so, I highly recommend that you don’t lie on God. I don’t think he takes that kind of thing well.”
“I’m serious, Tel.” Darien said.
“Shan-tel,” she corrected him, storming away.
~~
Leilah’s heart rate quickened when the dark SUV pulled over, reversing until it was just five feet in front of her car. Her cell phone battery was dead, but she picked it up anyway, punching the power button in vain. The blue light flickered on before the cell phone died again. Oh God. Fear crept up into her throat. A large man wearing a skull cap stepped out of the truck.

Oh crap. Leilah panicked. God, I know you been checking in and out of my prayers lately, but I really need you to answer this one. Please don’t let this man be a serial killer or a rapist. If anything, let him be a robber. All of my credit cards are maxed out anyway.

The man shielded his eyes from the glare of her headlights as he approached. She glanced over to make sure her door was locked. Leilah contemplated speeding off, but knew she wouldn’t get far with a busted tire. What to do? What to do? She rolled her window down an inch, lifting her phone to her ear.

“Yeah Dad,” she said as the man reached her window. “Daddy can you hold on a second, a guy just pulled over to help.” She pretended to listen. “I already gave you the plate numbers. It’s a black Ford Explorer.” She listened, pretending to be annoyed. “I don’t know what year, it looks new.” Sighing deeply, Leilah rolled her eyes and looked through the slightly opened window at the man. “My dad wants to know what year your car is. He’s into taking precautions. No offense intended.”

“None taken, it’s a 2005.” Must be nice, Leilah thought looking at the guy’s Sean John attire. Doesn’t look like a robber. She rolled her dirt-stained window down another couple inches.
“Leilah, right?”
Stalker? “Um, yeah,” she answered hesitantly. Taking a closer look, she recognized her roommate’s latest boyfriend. “Oh, hi…” Leilah searched her memory for his name, but paid such little attention to Shantel and her affairs that she honestly couldn’t remember.
“Terrance,” he reminded her.
“Yes, Terrance, Shantel’s boyfriend.” She nodded in recognition. Good looking out, God. “Do you need some help? Or does your dad have everything under control?” Terrance pointed at the phone Leilah held against her ear.

Smiling sheepishly she closed it. “Dead battery.”
Terrance chuckled. “Good show.”
“I know, right. Crazy people out there.”
Terrance’s smile was warm and friendly. “Go ahead and pop the trunk for me.”
“I don’t have a spare. Just a bag of clothes and bottled water.” She opened her car door and climbed out. “But if you let me use your phone, I can call roadside assistance.”
Terrance handed her an iPhone. She tried not to be impressed.
~~
Shantel plopped down on her twin-sized bed, hoping Terrance would get back to campus. She needed someone to hold her, and tell her that she was beautiful. Sure she knew she was beautiful, but she needed him to affirm and dote over her like Darien used to. ‘I’m trying to get right with God, Shantel.’ Who says that? Shantel fumed. She practically threw herself at him, and he was quoting the bible. Darien is the biggest freak in the world. How dare he pretend to be devoted to God?

Shantel pulled her iPhone from her purse – both gifts from Terrance – and called her boyfriend. The phone rang four times before going to voicemail. “Hey Baby, it’s me. I miss you so much. Call me.”
~~
An hour later, Leilah and Terrance sat in his SUV at the mechanic’s garage, fresh out of small talk.

Leilah searched her mind for something meaninful to say. “Oh, I forgot to tell you. There was a call coming through when I was using your phone.”
Terrance pulled his phone from his pocket and found a missed call from Shantel. “Thanks,” he said, seeming distracted as he placed the phone back into his coat pocket. “So, what’s up with you? You barely be around campus,”

“I’m in the city a lot, or working, or studying.”
“Word?”
“Verb. It’s what I do.” She said tracing the lock on his glove compartment.
Terrance wrinkled his eyebrows, confused.
“You’ve never seen that commercial?” Leilah asked, embarrassed for a second, but not embarrassed enough to stop explaining. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “The one where it shows kids playing basketball, and doing stuff. Get it? Verb. Doing stuff.”
Terrance laughed. “Yeah, I get it.”
“It’s not even cable, it’s PBS. I can’t believe you haven’t seen it.”
“I don’t know any lil kids, and I sure don’t sit up in the house watching cartoons.”
“Don’t lie. All guys watch cartoons.”
“The Simpsons and the Boondocks don’t count.”
“And Japanamation?” She questioned.
He smiled, guiltily.
“That’s what I thought.” Leilah grinned, instantly averting her eyes when she realized the level of his friendliness had increased from cordial to inquisitive. She considered various possibilities before blinking away all thoughts. Allow me to reintroduce you to your roommate’s boyfriend, she said to herself, determined not to fall for a taken man.
“Terrance, I really appreciate all your help,” she said watching the mechanic replace her blown tire. “But you don’t have to stay.”
He nodded and said, “I know,” Pressing a button on the side of his phone, her turned the ringer off.

[Stay tuned: Can bubbles thicken? Doesn’t really matter because they already are.]