Demetrius: As most of my wife’s closest friends know, Jaz went to Forest Heights. She always tells me that the reason she first noticed me was because I was in all of her GT (Gifted and Talented) courses, but I had the physical traits of a thug. I had an afro, and I dressed in colored Dickies (pants), white shirts, and Nike sandals with socks (yes socks, lol). She told her mom that I must have been a smart thug. That’s the one thing I can point to in my life that helped me overcome the cards that were dealt to me (my intelligence). I built up the nerve to ask for her number ( I kept that piece of paper for the longest time – 223-4756 is etched into my brain forever). We talked on the phone for long hours at time (you know how kids are). We got really close over a period of time. So close in fact, I started to call her my future wife (my family can attest to this). I always said that she and I would be the first black couple in the White House. A funny caveat to us dating was that her mom used to chaperon us on dates, church visits, eating out, etc. Consequently, her mom and I got really close also. I never did mind her mom being with us because she was such a nice person...
Jazmin : It was 9th grade and my last year at FH. By then most everyone in the 9th grade had been there since 7th grade. I was in gifted and talented classes, so I pretty much had all of my classes with the same people. That year, there was new guy in all of my classes except one. He had an afro, wore heavily starched khaki pants, and white t-shirts. I immediately passed judgement on him. "He must be a very smart thug" That was fascinating to me for some reason b/c I never met a thug who was smart. (My thinking is VERY mature now :) I went home and told my mom about this thug that was in all of my classes and how I thought that was neat. Months into the school year, I really started to "notice" this new guy. I thought he was very cute and I liked him. I was embarrassed because I had to go back to my mom and tell her that the guy I had labeled as a smart thug was someone that I had become fond of. I told my friend Karen about my little secret. I don't remember our exact conversation, but Karen would be the one to tell Demetrius that I liked him (of course when I wasn't around). Karen and Demetrius had a class together so that was the best time to tell him. Of course I was hoping that he liked me back because this was the first time I had vocally expressed my liking for a boy! Karen did report back that Demetrius did like me as well (Yes! Karen was our liaison)... so who approached who first? About a week went by and Demetrius finally asked for my number in art class. Demetrius said he thought it was hilarious because I wrote my first and last name on the paper (Ha! this was definitely my first experience with exchanging phone numbers with a boy) We finally became a couple! This was an exciting time for me. We were pretty much inseparable. We spent a lot of time on the phone and with my mom! (Yes!) I wasn't allowed to date until I was 16, so no unchaperoned events. Having a boyfriend was pretty neat and getting sweet love letters everyday was cool! ( I still have some of those letters). Ninth grade would end and we would go to high school, but it would happen that we were assigned to different high schools...
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